episode_0011

Teddy, who had just taken down the last remaining orc, headed straight towards Asuras.

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done just now?!”

Teddy’s cry was filled with anger.

Tears welled up in Teddy’s eyes.

His gaze fell to the ground in front of Asuras.

The corpse of the orc shaman.

And…

The broken sword that was like Teddy’s talisman, Shepherius.

To be precise, it was Shepherius that had been shattered into pieces.

The sword was so broken that it was more cost-effective to buy a new one than to repair it.

Teddy wiped away his tears and glared at Asuras.

“How do you plan to take responsibility for this?!”

As Teddy angrily spoke, Retid, the captain, approached him.

Captain Retid patted Teddy’s shoulder and said, “Teddy, don’t say too much to the benefactor.”

“The benefactor…?”

“You fought to help us by releasing the trapped ones. So, you should call him the benefactor.”

Captain Retid was mistaken.

He didn’t understand why Teddy was so angry.

“Let’s forgive him for releasing the trapped ones and helping us move forward.”

“That’s not…”

Not only Captain Retid but also the other knights who had received help from Asuras agreed with Retid’s words.

“Yeah, Teddy! We received help, so we can’t help it. It’s not our fault that we’re weak.”

“Teddy! Don’t be too angry!”

Of course, there were those who doubted Teddy’s sudden attitude.

“But did Teddy get angry about this…?”

As the atmosphere gradually shifted towards supporting Asuras, Teddy spat out a sigh.

“Ugh….”

Teddy looked at the shattered Shepherius once again.

“Sorry, Shepherius. I don’t think I can avenge you.”

In this situation, when asked to draw his sword, Teddy couldn’t bring himself to do it.

So, Teddy clenched his fists tightly.

He had no choice but to forgive Asuras with tears in his eyes.

“Alright, I understand. I’ll forgive you this time. Hmph…!”

“Well said, Teddy. I’ll keep an eye on your righteous attitude in the future!”

In the midst of these conversations, Asuras just smiled smugly.

***

Asia looked at the corpse of the orc shaman and said, “You’re much stronger than I expected.”

A sudden compliment from Asia.

I decided not to be humble.

“Me? Well, I am strong.”

The one who taught me swordsmanship is Sword Saint.

Even though I learned swordsmanship from Sword Saint, it would be a problem if I were weak.

Thanks to the skill I acquired, it was more like a reward than being trapped.

I no longer had to be in a trapped state.

“Um… about this incident…”

As Asia looked at me intently and spoke, she paused for a moment.

Her cheeks slightly flushed.

A hesitant attitude.

It seemed like she wanted to say something.

I patiently waited for whatever it was.

After about a minute.

“Thank you…”

“What?”

“Thank you for… everything.”

Asia expressed her gratitude in a soft voice that was barely audible.

Asia, who harbored unfavorable emotions towards me, must have gathered quite a bit of courage to express her gratitude.

I smiled kindly at Asia.

“You’re welcome!”

“But until the guilt of what you’ve done is proven…”

“Yes, yes, I understand.”

“Hmph!”

With that, Asia turned her back to prepare the knights.

***

After completing the mission, I went to see Commander Waltz.

As soon as I entered the commander’s office, I headed to the information guild.

To gather information about Vedi and to confirm the guilt of my actions.

The result was…

“Vedi… He’s famous as a wicked man in the East. The crimes he committed are serious. But we lack evidence to arrest him.”

It was added that they couldn’t arrest him.

“I see.”

Asia nodded her head in agreement.

So I was acquitted.

Thankfully, the Information Guild classified Bedi as a corrupt merchant.

Well, it was only natural.

Bedi was one of the shady merchants in the back alleys of the East.

Not to mention the crimes he committed, from smuggling to selling slaves.

Bedi was a villain who had committed every illegal act possible.

“He may have escaped punishment so far due to lack of evidence.”

It was Bedi’s mistake to target me.

Thanks to Bedi’s diligent misdeeds, I gained trust.

Or should I say, the price of that trust.

“Oh, to handle such a person alone, you must be a righteous individual.”

“You learned the sword from Master Geomsung, would it be alright to spar with you sometime?”

“Such a person is Lady Asia’s fiancé, the Messiah family must be blessed.”

The knights of Sun’s Order began to show favor towards me.

Of course, not all of them.

“Enemy of Shepherius…!”

Teddy, who lent me his sword, sent me a gaze of resentment for some reason.

“Ahem! You guys, the fact that she’s still a fiancée hasn’t been confirmed yet.”

Retired Captain Letid, who prodded his subordinates while holding the status of fiancée in abeyance.

He seemed more neutral than disliking me.

And finally…

“Captain Letid is right. I haven’t acknowledged being a fiancée yet…”

Even Asia, who denied the engagement fact and turned her gaze away when our eyes met.

These three were the only ones who did not show favor towards me.

***

On the day I arrived at Waltz Manor.

I visited the Information Guild and was about to leave for Messiah Viscount Manor, but the knights of Sun’s Order insisted that Asia needed rest.

She was exhausted from a single battle.

For that reason, Asia had no choice but to spend a night at Waltz Manor.

It was the mansion of Waltz Manor.

Walking through the hallway of the mansion, Asia sighed deeply.

“Ah… I wish we could just eat together…”

Waltz Manor had invited Asia to a meal.

Unable to refuse, Asia made her way to the gathering.

“By the way… a fiancée, what on earth is Grandfather thinking!!!”

Asia recalled a conversation she had with her grandfather in the past.

“Asia… I will never let you become a victim of a political marriage.”

Her grandfather clearly did not like the idea of a political marriage.

That’s why Geomsung wanted to free his granddaughter from the shackles of noble political marriages.

But this time, it was an emergency.

She was in a situation where she couldn’t move, and her suitor happened to be from the royal family.

That’s why she asked Arthas for help.

Of course, from Asia’s perspective, who didn’t know the truth, it could feel like her grandfather had broken his promise.

“Ugh… so annoying.”

Thinking of Arthas, Asia felt an inexplicable annoyance.

The exact reason was unknown.

But she thought to herself.

“How annoying.”

Her way of speaking and acting felt subtly annoying.

It was a feeling of light frivolity.

Her ideal type was someone like a serious knight.

Not someone like Arthas who seemed carefree.

“Do I really have to get engaged to that man according to Grandfather’s wishes…?”

Lost in thought, Asia’s steps came to a halt.

She had arrived at the restaurant.

Knock, knock.

“I am Asia Messiah.”

“Yes, please come in.”

The voice coming from inside the restaurant was not Waltz Manor’s voice.

Feeling puzzled, Asia opened the restaurant door.

“Oh… as I suspected!”

As she had feared.

Waltz Manor, with a young man who appeared to be his son by his side.

“Haha, this is my son.”

“Yes. Nice to meet you.”

Asia wanted to be angry with Waltz Manor.

But she couldn’t.

Otherwise, the satisfaction of Sun’s Order defeating the orcs would disappear.

Waltz’s son began to speak politely, showering Asia with compliments.

“Ah, you are truly beautiful.”

“Thank you.”

“Um… how about having a meal together later…?”

“Huh? Isn’t that what we’re doing now…?”

“Haha… you’re funny.”

Waltz’s son’s dialogue seemed rigid and forced.

The conversation felt awkward and forced.

‘Did he read a book on how to charm women?’

Truly typical lines.

Asia didn’t like it.

And Asia quickly realized why Waltz’s son was here.

The private consultation he mentioned before.

It was clear that Waltz was trying to connect himself and his son.

“Come on, let’s have a meal first.”

At Waltz’s words, Asia also started eating.

But….

“I heard you recently advanced to Intermediate Sword Expert… impressive.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Waltz’s son patted his head, wearing a smug expression.

“It’s said that lovers should have slightly different personalities. By the way, I’m maintaining good grades at the academy.”

Waltz’s son kept interrupting Asia’s meal with his constant talking.

Because of his incessant chatter, Asia’s mood became more and more irritated.

‘He keeps talking while we’re eating. His manners are a mess.’

It wasn’t just Waltz’s son.

Anyone who disrespected Asia was a nuisance.

“So, what do you think about having a private consultation with my son?”

Asia almost lost his temper for a moment.

“Haha, I guess your opinion is more important than mine, Father.”

But he held back.

He thought he should have just refused the meal in the first place.

“Oh, there you are!”

The restaurant door opened, and a man appeared.

‘Oh… handsome…, but who is he?’

Asia let out a faint exclamation.

The man who entered the restaurant was a young man.

If he was a noble, he looked noble, and if he was a commoner, he looked like a rich lady’s pet….

As Asia had such thoughts, he quickly averted his gaze to the food.

‘But his face looks strangely familiar… where have I seen him before?’

Although it was clearly the first time seeing his face, it felt oddly familiar.

A young man with black hair and black eyes.

Suddenly, a figure popped into Asia’s mind.

Asia glanced at the man out of the corner of his eye.

“How dare you rudely enter a noble’s meal. Are you insane?”

“Oh, I apologize for the late introduction.”

A strangely familiar face.

And it was clear that this person was someone he had recently met.

Wait, could it be?

“My name is Asuras.”

Asia’s eyes widened in surprise.

The man who claimed to be his fiancé looked like this with a bloody face.

“I am a disciple of Master Geomseong…”

Asia and Asuras’s eyes met.

At the same time, Asuras smiled.

Asia was momentarily captivated by that smile, and his cheeks flushed.

“This is Asia’s fiancé.”