episode_0030

“This isn’t a place for someone like you to butt in. Get lost right now…”

The man’s words didn’t even get a chance to finish.

-Whoooa!!

Christia’s fist struck the man’s face directly.

“It must hurt like hell.”

Even if Christia didn’t use more than 1% of her original power, she was fundamentally the ruler of a kingdom and the strongest in the world.

She probably knew very well how to hit in a way that wouldn’t kill but would hurt the most.

“Cough!”

I quietly applauded as he flew beautifully through the air and crashed onto the ground, just like in a comic book.

“You can’t just blabber with a busted mouth, can you?”

This wasn’t a tavern; it was the deck of a carriage that had been moving along just fine.

As soon as Christia punched the man’s face, all eyes around started to focus on them.

“Did a butterfly just fly by?”

A murmuring sound began to rise, and its content was unsettling.

“Wasn’t that gentleman an E-grade adventurer?”

“He’s considered quite strong around here…”

Butterfly—quite a fitting nickname for that slimy image.

“Is this gentleman better at fighting than I thought?”

From the first time I saw Christia, the fact that he stuck to her so persistently and his quick retort when I tried to intervene made it clear that the guy called Butterfly wasn’t of good character.

Even though he picked a fight first and ended up getting knocked down, no one extended a helping hand to him.

“W…what’s the meaning of this…”

Butterfly struggled to get up, but Christia moved first and stepped on his chest.

“Don’t act tough with such mediocre skills. Get lost.”

‘Wouldn’t he leave if she lifted her foot?’

“Eek.”

Butterfly got up and ran away.

It seems that Christia’s display was quite impressive, as he fled without looking back.

“Are you okay?”

Then she came straight to me.

Bending down to my waist, she looked at me closely, seemingly genuinely concerned about me.

“I’m fine, miss.”

As the two of us were being affectionate with each other, some of the people who had been murmuring came closer to us.

“Uh…”

They approached but seemed unable to speak easily, as if they hadn’t even thought about what to say.

“I’m sorry. We caused you to lose a worker.”

Speaking in place of Cristia, who was still clinging to me, the man who had finally come closer to us spoke with a slightly more relaxed expression.

“It’s okay. He wasn’t someone we hired at a high price, and honestly, he wasn’t that reliable either.”

Perhaps because he was a merchant, he calculated quickly.

It must have been a clear calculation that having a nobleman’s son who could knock down a silver-grade adventurer with one punch was more efficient than carrying around a buttered fly.

“Is he famous around here?”

“Yes, he’s quite skilled, but he goes crazy whenever he sees a woman… Everyone knew he’d end up like this sooner or later.”

“There probably aren’t many people close to someone like him.”

“Don’t even mention it. He’s famous even in the city. A crazy guy.”

A small smile appeared on Cristia’s lips.

“Don’t secretly bury him or anything.”

“I won’t bury him.”

His slight laugh and the way he casually stroked my head gave me a bad feeling about the fate of the buttered fly.

“Hahaha.”

As we awkwardly laughed, the people in the carriage helped lighten the mood.

“You are indeed a great warrior befitting the name Cristia.”

“I shouldn’t be a burden to His Majesty.”

Cristia’s strength had attracted quite a bit of attention, perhaps because the power of the buttered fly was quite formidable.

“I had the opportunity to receive teachings from His Majesty. Thanks to that, I gained the ability to protect at least one person of my own.”

As the conversation that had momentarily stopped started up again, all eyes turned to Cristia.

When the news spread that he had received direct teachings from His Majesty, people began to gather around, but the coachman remained silent despite the commotion.

‘If Cristia’s words are true, then there’s no danger no matter what happens.’

If you’re a skilled person like that, you probably believe you can handle most of the dangers that appear in the palace on your own, so even if people laugh and talk about asking you to protect the carriage, you won’t intervene.

“You seem quite brave too.”

“I couldn’t just stand by as a court lady when it seemed like you were in trouble.”

There were also people who showed interest in me from time to time.

Sikha was very cute and was acting in a way that made her look cute, so some noble ladies came to talk, but Christian just glanced at me and didn’t say anything.

“If I stay true to the character concept, will they later question why I talked with the noble ladies?”

While pondering how the conversation would unfold, a woman who had been lurking in the corner approached me.

“Excuse me…”

Before that woman could speak, Christian approached me.

“It’s about time for lunch.”

“Yes, miss.”

I was about to answer her and continue the conversation with the woman, but Christian took my arm and headed off to have lunch.

“Huh?”

I was a little taken aback, but Christian, who was playing the role, was quite temperamental and had an unpredictable personality, so I kept quiet and held my breath.

“You seemed to enjoy it when the women approached you?”

Christian accepted the lunch and headed to a secluded place, knowing that I understood it was all an act. It was quite intimidating.

“Isn’t that just an act?”

Had her acting skills improved without my knowledge? Christian’s eyes were too sincere.

“No, not at all. It’s quite overwhelming. I’ve never been popular like you, so I’m quite nervous.”

“Really? Despite that, you seemed quite comfortable.”

What’s going on?

‘This doesn’t make sense.’

If she’s going to be this upset, she should have shown some anger from the moment the nuns approached me. It doesn’t make sense for her to suddenly get angry now while she was chatting with people just fine before. Even if Cristia has a choleric and changeable personality.

“Is there something different about that woman compared to the others?”

After rolling my head as if I were going crazy, I could reach one simple fact: “That woman is my purpose, and the other nuns were not.”

The reason the nuns talked to me was not because they found me cute or cool, but simply because they needed an excuse to approach Cristia naturally to talk about the sword.

However, in Cristia’s eyes, that woman seemed different.

“Are you being presumptuous? There is only one lady for me.”

I considered using a slightly softened expression. Starting a sentence with “Without the lady’s permission, no woman can date me,” could maintain some distance, but I chose a stronger sentence, thinking that such words would not completely soothe Cristia’s mood.

It seemed like my choice of words was correct, as Cristia’s expression instantly softened.

“If you take the lady away from me, it’s as good as a corpse.”

“That’s wrong. Since I’m much greater than you, if you take me away from you, it’ll become negative.”

It was certainly a very relieving tone, but not yet complete.

Still, this was definitely okay.

Even if there is still some anger left, it was just a slight irritation, and it would disappear with time.

“This isn’t a mansion, so I can’t throw a tantrum or wear strange clothes, right?”

“I softened my words to ease your anger a bit, but I still have to be punished, don’t I?”

What kind of punishment will she give?

Cristia’s punishments were sometimes so creative that I couldn’t help but look forward to them without realizing it.

“Oh, and open your mouth.”

“Open my mouth?”

I couldn’t figure out what kind of punishment it was.

“Are you trying to make me stick out my tongue and say ‘ah’?”

With that doubt in mind, something moist and chewy entered my mouth.

It was quite thick, so my mouth opened a little wider.

The quite hot and moist thing ravaged my mouth in an instant.

“Ugh!”

“How is it?”

“It’s delicious.”

I replied as I finished chewing the sausage that had entered my mouth.