Ch.88Daytime Date (5)

The sun set and evening came to Camelot.

However, darkness never arrived.

As the sun disappeared, street lights turned on one after another. Magic stone lamps hanging in each shop twinkled, and light spilling from stores painted the streets in vibrant colors. The imperial capital looked quite different at night.

Walking through this imperial capital, Najin headed toward the meeting place.

‘The Empire’s capital really is different.’

Najin looked around, clicking his tongue in amazement. These buildings were unlike anything he’d seen in the underground city, Cambria, City of Opportunity, or any other noble’s territory. He suddenly thought they seemed at least several decades more advanced than other places.

-There’s the magic tower.

‘What?’

-Places where mages reside naturally develop faster. Especially places with magic towers. And this place has seven of them, doesn’t it?

Najin nodded.

Merlin continued in a strangely emphatic voice.

-I’m not saying this because I’m a mage, but there’s no profession that contributes more to technological advancement than mages. So, what I’m trying to say is…

As Merlin suddenly launched into a lecture on “the correlation between mages and technological advancement,” Najin rapidly lost interest.

Having spent half a year with Merlin.

Being with Merlin 24 hours a day except when sleeping, Najin knew well that “not everything Merlin says is worth listening to.” Najin let Merlin’s words go in one ear and out the other.

‘He really is an amazing person, though.’

A great mage who has lived for over a thousand years.

A great constellation with eleven stars.

They say countless mages pray to the stars just to hear Merlin’s voice once, but spend half a year with him and that perception might change.

-To tell this story properly, I can’t skip the time when I first built a magic tower…

Merlin was fundamentally talkative.

He bragged a lot.

And he would often jump from one topic to another, eventually circling back to his own experiences.

‘What do they call this conversation style?’

The “back in my day” conversation style.

Najin tried to recall what people called those who spoke this way, then shook his head. After all, Merlin had helped him a lot. It would be too much to think of his benefactor that way…

-Back in my day.

Or maybe not.

‘Wow, really.’

Nodding along to Merlin’s words, Najin continued walking. Walking along the well-maintained road, he soon arrived at his destination. A clothing store with garments on display. Dieta, who had been sitting in front, waved at Najin.

“Am I late?”

“No. You’re right on time.”

Dieta grabbed Najin’s wrist.

“Let’s go in.”

2.

“I’ve reserved a restaurant, but it has a dress code. So let’s get you a nice outfit before we go.”

“Clothes?”

“Yes, you don’t have anything else to wear, do you? Let’s get you something now. You’ll need to attend formal occasions more often in the future.”

More often in the future?

As Najin tilted his head in confusion, Dieta called over a staff member. After a brief conversation and handing over a few platinum coins, the employee quickly rushed off somewhere.

And shortly after.

Najin was guided to a separate VIP room where he began changing into the clothes the staff had brought. The outfit was similar to what he had worn at the ball before, but with subtle differences.

‘Is this supposed to go over the shoulders?’

With the staff’s help, Najin somehow finished changing and walked out of the dressing room. Dieta, who had been waiting outside, slightly parted her lips when she saw Najin. After a moment of silence, she spoke.

“Be honest with me. You’re an illegitimate noble child, aren’t you?”

“I told you I’m not.”

“I’m joking. You definitely have good proportions—anything looks good on you.”

Dieta approached Najin and adjusted his tie and outfit. This was originally the staff’s job, but Dieta had secretly instructed them to “leave that to me.”

“……”

Since he could see the top of Dieta’s head when looking down, Najin awkwardly raised his head to look straight ahead. After finishing the adjustments, Dieta pointed to a chair.

“Would you like to sit over there?”

“Sure.”

When Najin sat down, Dieta untied the old hair tie binding his hair. Then she retied it with a ring engraved with the Dieta merchant group’s emblem.

“There, all done.”

Satisfied, Dieta patted Najin’s shoulders and entered the dressing room, asking him to wait a moment. When she emerged from the dressing room a short while later, her appearance had changed considerably.

Her loose hair was now neatly tied back in a single ponytail, and her merchant uniform had been replaced with a dress.

With her hair tied in the same style as Najin’s, and wearing a shawl of the same design as the one covering Najin’s shoulders. As if asking him to notice, she twirled once in place and smiled at Najin.

“Does it suit me?”

“It suits you well.”

She smiled with satisfaction.

Dieta extended her hand to Najin, and he escorted her with a now-familiar motion.

“You’ve become quite skilled at this, haven’t you?”

“I suppose I have.”

“But you know, this is the escort for attending to a master, not a partner, right?”

A partner does this.

Dieta linked arms with Najin. Pressed right against Najin’s side, Dieta slightly lowered her head. Her ears, visible through her flowing light brown hair, were bright red.

“Let’s go.”

3.

Date. Couple outfits. Arm in arm.

Heat rushed to Dieta’s face as these words circled in her mind. She took a deep breath, trying to cool her pounding heart. Really, at this rate, there would be no progress.

Glance.

Dieta looked up at Najin.

While walking arm in arm, Najin, unlike Dieta, appeared calm. This somewhat displeased Dieta. She had thought he would be at least a little flustered by her closeness.

‘Still…’

Najin’s relaxed face.

Seeing the face he showed only to her, not to others, Dieta smiled slightly. There was some progress after all.

She had learned that Najin was awkward with human relationships, heard about his background, and formed a friendship where they could open up to each other.

For now, Najin seemed uninterested in romantic relationships between men and women… but humans are creatures of desire who crave more as they become accustomed to things. Wouldn’t he desire something more once he became comfortable with friendship?

‘I’ll build it up slowly.’

There were no competitors, and even if competitors appeared later, she held the title of first friend. Dieta had no intention of giving up this advantage.

‘Exclusive.’

The eyes of the Snake that Swallows the Gold Coins gleamed with desire. Slowly, steadily, but surely. Just as Dieta was organizing her plans in her head.

“Dieta.”

“Hic!”

Najin’s voice whispering in her ear instantly bleached Dieta’s mind white. She reflexively tried to move away from Najin, but couldn’t because of their linked arms.

“Dieta?”

“Y-yes? What is it?”

“You weren’t answering when I called.”

Najin pointed to a building.

They had already arrived at the restaurant. Dieta touched her burning ears and nodded.

She really needed to steel herself.

Her opponent was a skilled swordsman who launched unexpected, unconscious attacks. Moreover, since they had progressed to a “friendship,” those attacks had become even sharper. Suddenly flashing smiles, showing comfortable expressions, whispering “Dieta” in a relaxed voice…

‘Wait, isn’t this good enough?’

Huh, Dieta caught her breath.

For a moment, she almost felt satisfied. Slapping her cheek, Dieta regained her senses. Wasn’t her goal higher than this? She wasn’t a woman with so little desire as to be satisfied with mere friendship.

‘I need to stay focused.’

Deflecting attacks smoothly while delivering counterattacks that would shake Najin’s heart. With that determination, Dieta entered the restaurant with the mindset of heading into battle.

* * *

“…Huh?”

When she came to her senses, the meal had already ended, and desserts and teacups were being placed on the table. Dieta blinked blankly.

She had definitely entered the restaurant with firm resolve, but from the middle onward, she only remembered enjoying herself. She had excitedly rambled on as Najin agreed with her stories… and then what happened?

This wasn’t what she had planned…

While Dieta was feeling confused, Najin, sipping his tea, spoke.

“Thanks to you, I enjoyed today.”

“What?”

“Experiencing new things, trying all these foods—I feel like my fatigue has lifted a bit.”

Najin was simply expressing what he felt.

Thanks to Dieta, he had lowered his guard and was able to relax comfortably for just today. His mind, which had felt foggy, had cleared somewhat.

“Thank you, Dieta.”

“…Um, hmm.”

Dieta mumbled, then let out a long sigh. After exhaling, she smiled bitterly.

“This isn’t quite what I had in mind…”

“Is that so?”

“Still, I can’t deny that I enjoyed myself too.”

She had forgotten her plans and excitedly conversed with him, laughing at the stories Najin told. The taste of the food they shared was needless to mention.

Just talking together was enjoyable.

She was satisfied with having shared a meal together.

Though she acted like someone who had mastered human relationships, Dieta had never had friends either. She acknowledged that simply talking comfortably with a friend gave her considerable satisfaction.

“Having a friend is nice.”

“I agree.”

Dieta and Najin looked at each other and smiled.

“Now that we’ve rested well…”

Dieta put down her teacup after taking a sip.

“Shall we move on to business? About how to prepare for the attackers, I mean.”

4.

High Priest Orlang checked the list.

Four Sword Seekers.

One 5th Circle mage.

Fifteen Sword Experts.

Hunting dogs that Orlang could mobilize personally, without borrowing the Order’s influence. It was an excessive force for a mere individual to command. He could mobilize even more people by using the Order’s name, but…

‘That would defeat the purpose.’

The Order’s forces weren’t completely under his control, and there were too many variables. In contrast, those on this list would grovel and lick muddy water at Orlang’s slightest gesture. Because he held such leverage over them.

Orlang sent signals to all of them.

It was confirmed that a person named “Ivan” active in the adventurer city was the usurper of Excalibur who had escaped that day. He had become certain after the Kapman incident. If so, there was no need for hesitation.

There was no need to conserve manpower either.

It was right to deploy all available hunting dogs simultaneously to finish the job decisively. It might be excessive force to capture a swordsman who hadn’t even reached the level of Sword Seeker, but wasn’t excess better than insufficiency?

‘Corner him.’

Orlang tapped the table.

‘If he draws Excalibur.’

That would end the situation.

Excalibur. The Sword of the Star.

The moment the boy reveals the light he shouldn’t possess, he will be ruined. Because there was a net prepared for that purpose. Orlang smiled as he went over the several moves he had prepared.

Because he could ease the goddess’s concerns.

For that fact, Orlang was grateful.