Ch.98Chapter 98. Ah~ When His Lips Touched Hers, Her Face Turned Red

It took some time to prepare, but Lin’s group safely crossed over to the Demon Army’s frontline base.

Before departing, Lin met with Ruben and informed him that in three or four days, the remaining people of the Holy Nation would be able to leave Valter Croix and return to their homeland with the children.

“What about the Saint?”

It was difficult to answer directly, but looking at the faces of the children, including Ruben, who were curious about Arsil, Lin couldn’t bring himself to be evasive.

“The Saint is deeply shocked by recent events. She’s showing signs of nervous exhaustion, so she said she doesn’t want to show the children her current state. She wants to fulfill her duties and recover before seeing them. Until then, she asks that you take good care of the children.”

“Leave it to us.”

Though only five remained, these were truly the priestesses of the Goddess.

Though humble in beginning, they might become great figures who would leave their mark in theological history.

Just then, the mage from Garin’s side announced that the teleportation preparations were complete, so Lin and his companions immediately teleported to the Demon Army frontline base.

As the light from the teleportation faded, they found themselves standing on a teleportation magic circle set up on the outskirts of the City of Romance.

“It’s been a while since we’ve been here.”

“Y-yeah.”

Unlike Lin, who seemed somewhat excited to be away from the Holy Nation, Luci and Tigria were visibly uncomfortable.

Especially Luci, who was extremely tense, constantly checking Lin’s reactions and surveying their surroundings.

The City of Romance, Lowellina.

Unlike the intuitive names of other cities like Valter Croix the commercial city, Efalterga at the northern end, or Aitervel the academic city, Lowellina’s nickname seemed somewhat unfitting for a city.

Originally, Lowellina was known as the City of Flowers, famous for its flourishing flower industry with various blooms throughout the four seasons, regardless of its position on the Demon Army frontline.

So why and when did it acquire the whimsical nickname “City of Romance”?

There were two reasons.

The first and primary cause was Airan Decarrun.

Lowellina was the territory and stronghold that had been ruled by the Decarrun ducal family for generations.

Airan, known as the Cold-Blooded Soldier, had shown fiery emotion just once in his life.

It was during his legendary suicide show to obtain permission to marry Garin.

After being rejected due to the burden his proposal placed on Garin, who was just an ordinary soldier at the time, Airan climbed to the top of Lowellina’s city walls with a sword, screaming at the top of his lungs that he would kill himself if Garin wouldn’t marry him.

As a result, even the Emperor, who was in good health at the time though now bedridden, personally came and pressured Garin into marriage.

This incident transformed Airan from the Cold-Blooded Soldier into an icon of love and romance.

Naturally, with such a romantic figure ruling it, Lowellina evolved from the City of Flowers to the City of Romance.

And a few years later, another incident added to this reputation…

“So you’ve postponed the cleanup of the Holy Nation to come here?”

Vice Commander Biscon of Lowellina, second only to Airan, was quite a strict and rigid individual.

His rigidity also meant that he held rather conservative views regarding social hierarchy.

“There are definitely monsters gathering, but I wonder… It’s a stretch to say they’ve formed a single army. Eliminating them while they’re few in number might just change their gathering point or cause them to reorganize into cell structures.”

The only person he truly respected was Airan, and the only person he disliked but couldn’t criticize was Garin, who had defeated him through sheer skill.

“It would be a war of attrition, but if we keep disrupting their gathering and push forward, we could significantly advance the frontline.”

“And what if we end up stirring up a hornet’s nest? Have you forgotten the tale of the Three Heroes? Didn’t that hero party venture deep into enemy territory, get cut off from supplies, become isolated, and perish without a single survivor? History records that the Empire faced an existential crisis from the counterattack.”

Well, the Three Heroes were defeated because they acted recklessly before properly developing their strength.

The Three Heroes’ foolish actions were so infamous that not even the names of their party members were remembered in history—only their blind charge toward the demon army was recorded.

“Porters should stick to carrying luggage. Don’t get presumptuous in front of military experts.”

“You…!”

When Biscon rebuked Lin, a vein bulged on Luci’s temple.

Lin quickly gave her a warning look, and the hero exhaled roughly, restraining herself.

“Hmm, how strange? You’re treating this porter as if he were a shield knight, like some kind of master.”

Luci then warned the vice commander with a menacing aura.

“I broke off my engagement with that guy long ago. You must have heard the news? Don’t mention him in front of me before I report you to the Commander-in-Chief.”

“Hmph. I suppose you know what you’re doing?”

Although the hero party was personally selected by Airan, Biscon disliked all of them.

Setting aside his own values, he found the heroes to be disrespectful and each somehow unhinged in their own way.

If nothing else, Biscon lost all trust in the hero party when he saw how they ostracized and ignored a specific comrade.

Despite his stubborn and narrow-minded personality, Biscon’s assessment was surprisingly objective.

“Damn, what an annoying old geezer!”

Luci vented her anger as they left the reception room.

Even so, she kept glancing at Lin.

She was worried that Lin might be upset because Biscon had unnecessarily mentioned Rainford.

“There’s nothing to gain from dealing with someone so twisted. Let’s regroup first.”

“What if he doesn’t give us permission for the cleanup operation?”

Surprisingly, when Luci made a sensible comment, Lin responded mischievously.

“Then the three of us can do it ourselves. We’re not mobilizing soldiers, just acting on our own—what can he say? The hero party has the privilege of carrying out operations based on independent judgment, right?”

Lin calculated that even Airan wouldn’t severely reprimand them for certain deviations if they ultimately benefited him.

The Duke probably knew that Biscon was skilled at defense but reluctant to attack, which might be why he deliberately arranged for the hero party to come to Lowellina through Garin.

“Lin, are we going to resupply now?”

“Yes, we need to go to the supply warehouse to buy food and check our equipment.”

“I’ll come with you.”

“Do you really need to?”

“Luciena, you should come too.”

Tigria immediately stuck close to Lin and invited Luci as well.

Although Luci didn’t like the idea of the mage coming along, ever since this guy’s manner of speaking changed, everything he suggested had a reason behind it.

In fact, good things had happened because of it.

Luci reluctantly took her place on Lin’s right side.

“It’s the Hero!”

“Kasim! Haven’t you been discharged yet?”

“Wow, I didn’t expect you to return, Hero! I’m Mahan. You remember me, right?”

“Of course I remember. Didn’t I beat you last time?”

Many people recognized Luci and greeted her warmly because of her remarkable achievements on the frontline.

Luci responded cheerfully, as these were former comrades she had once fought alongside.

However, she failed to notice how their expressions soured when they looked at the porter.

“Ahem, Quartermaster Milo, it’s been a while?”

The hero party received funding but had to pay for supplies or support from nobles or citizens at each base, unless it was a gift given out of pure goodwill in unavoidable situations or after battles.

This was a rule that had to be followed without exception.

Therefore, Lin approached the quartermaster to purchase necessary supplies.

But Quartermaster Milo’s gaze was far from friendly.

“So you’re still alive.”

“Well, yes? What about Private Hennil? It seems your rank is too high for such menial tasks, Quartermaster.”

“He died in the last battle. Even though he was just a supply soldier, he bravely joined the vanguard.”

“I see…”

“Bravely joined the vanguard,” huh.

Lin knew exactly what Milo was insinuating with his sarcasm, but deliberately let it slide.

So I really am back.

The City of Romance, Lowellina.

I’d forgotten this atmosphere, but now I’m being reminded of it clearly.

Lin silently handed over his supply list.

After reviewing the list, the quartermaster stacked the items neatly in front of Lin.

He would normally have said more, but he seemed to hold back because Luci and Tigria were present.

“Six gold coins.”

“Ah, yes.”

It seemed like he might have inflated the price a bit, but some flexibility was necessary.

The price was less than half of what the Golden Carriage World Postal Service would charge.

Lin searched through his inventory using Cosmos.

Before long, his face turned pale.

He had no money.

It wasn’t that he had lost it—he simply didn’t have any.

After buying provisions for the children in the Holy Nation and sending mail, he had only 50 silver coins left.

Far from enough.

“What’s the holdup? Hurry up and pay so you can leave. I’m busy.”

“Um… just a moment?”

As Lin’s rummaging continued, Milo’s brow furrowed deeper.

Having confirmed he had no emergency funds either, Lin sighed and was about to suggest bartering with skill crafting materials when—

“Here it is.”

Tigria took out gold coins from his own inventory and handed them over.

For Lin, this was humiliating.

“You became a porter but can’t even manage supplies and funds?”

It wasn’t that Tigria was wrong—Lin had failed in his duty as a porter.

He had undermined the only reason the hero party kept him around.

“This guy is really something else!”

Milo raised his voice so everyone around could hear.

“He doesn’t fight in battle but sticks to the battlefield causing trouble, and he can’t even do his own job properly?”

The quartermaster’s commotion attracted soldiers who had always looked at Lin with disdain.

“He’s completely useless!”

“Did that guy embezzle all the money?”

“Someone should write a complaint to the inspector!”

Lin didn’t respond and silently placed the items the quartermaster had stacked into his Cosmos.

“What are you doing!”

This was karma.

“What are you doing to your comrade!”

Luci shouted, emanating red-gold magical energy, but her voice was trembling.

“B-but… Hero, you always treated him like this too?”

“Why are you suddenly acting this way, Hero?”

Everyone’s karma.

Even Tigria lost his composure when the situation he had been worried about unfolded.

He had been stupid.

Not predicting this scenario was a failure as a mage.

“From now on, I’ll personally cut down anyone who talks nonsense to our porter!”

“Luci, stop it. I’m fine.”

“How can you be fine…! Do you know what you mean to me…!”

Both Luci and Tigria knew.

How shallow their actions were.

Who had created this atmosphere in Lowellina?

It was the hero party, including Luci herself.

They disliked Lin for his cowardice in battle, and soldiers who felt the same began to follow their lead.

This was karma.

Karma that was difficult to escape, even if they tried.

And yet, they had the audacity to think they could be forgiven with just a few apologies. A suffocating sense of guilt and regret washed over them.

It felt like they would choke on their remorse.

Oh, that reminds me.

We still haven’t heard the second reason why Lowellina came to be called the City of Romance.

“Listen, all of you! Disrespecting the porter means disrespecting me…”

Ding-a-ling

The cheerful notes of an instrument from somewhere stopped Luci in her tracks.

Simultaneously, every hair on Luci’s body stood on end.

Musical sounds were common in Lowellina, a city with many minstrels.

For that very reason…

“Ahhh! Even the herooo~ When the shield knight’s sweet lips touched her forehead~ She turned as red as her haaair~~~~~!”

It was also common to hear “that song,” a popular tune, played throughout the city.

“Haa… Haa… Haa…!”

“Luci?! What’s wrong?”

“Make it stop, that song! Tell them to stop that song!!!!!!!!”

Luci collapsed to the ground, hyperventilating.

Lin rushed to check on her.

Soldiers went with Tigria to silence the unseen minstrel.

“Lin… Lin…! It’s not true, it’s not! I have no feelings for that guy. You know that, right?!”

“…I know.”

As Lin nodded glumly, the minstrel’s climactic verse reached his ears.

“Ahhh~~! Ahhh~! Everyone saw it~ The hero’s smile and happiness brightening up~~!!!”

Tears are now too common.

She wails openly in front of everyone.

Both soldiers and passing citizens look bewildered.

“What is going on here!”

Belatedly realizing the commotion, Biscon burst out of his office and heard the minstrel’s song.

Instantly, Biscon’s face turned grim.

No matter how much he disliked her, Luci was still a hero and, at least in name, a noble.

“You idiots!!!! The shield knight broke off his engagement with the hero long ago and has been engaged to Her Highness the Imperial Princess for some time! Yet you still allow such songs to circulate in the streets! Issue a ban immediately!”

But Biscon’s order only made Luci appear more like a woman who had been rejected.

[How does it feel to be back?]

The Abyss, which had been silent for a long time as if waiting for this moment, cackled at Luci.

[Nothing has changed, has it?]

Regret is palpable.

Deep, aching regret.

Irreversible regret.

[I don’t know how to get Lin to forgive me~ Boo-hoo-hoo.]

Mimicking Luci ridiculously, the Abyss suddenly lowered its voice to a whisper.

[What have you done? Hm? Hm? Nothing has changed. Not. One. Single. Thing.]

The second reason Lowellina came to be called the City of Romance:

It was because the hero, after much effort, managed to receive a kiss on the forehead from the previously impenetrable shield knight.