Ch.98Chapter 98 – The Tired Merchant Lord

It was the day after the meeting ended.

“Okay, it’s done now.”

With Asam’s words, who had come to the inn early in the morning with scrolls, magic circles, and various other items while chanting spells, I felt something that had been binding me and Beatrice disappear.

Beatrice moved her neck a few times.

“Phew, finally got rid of this damn master-servant contract completely.”

“Didn’t you say you almost died because of it?”

At Asam’s words, Beatrice and I glared at each other for a moment.

It was because we had nearly died during the fight with the dragon due to the master-servant contract.

I immediately raised my hand and pointed at Beatrice.

“”It was your fault.””

Our voices rang out simultaneously.

Fingers pointing at each other at the same time.

Immediately, Beatrice and I began growling at each other.

“I know you two get along well, but can we not fight here?”

“”We don’t get along at all.””

“Look at how perfectly in sync you are. Even when fighting.”

As Asam spoke with a look of exasperation, Beatrice and I exchanged glances once more and stayed quiet.

Fighting would only lead to more misunderstandings.

It wasn’t really a good time to fight anyway.

“By the way, Asam, you look tired?”

“Don’t even mention it…”

Asam hung her head low as if she might cry.

I wondered what had happened.

Just as I was about to ask out of concern, Asam lifted her head and looked at me.

Her eyes were quite desperate.

“You, are you personally close with our sponsor?”

“Sponsor?”

I immediately asked back, wondering who she meant.

But as soon as I asked, I remembered who it was.

“Oh, you mean Eve.”

“Yes, you’re on a first-name basis. With the Guild Master.”

Asam looked at me with rather sad eyes.

“Could you please put in a word for me?”

“About what?”

“Some rest time, please.”

When Asam said that, Sera, who had been standing quietly beside us until then, changed her expression.

“Why do you look like that?”

“Because I can relate…”

Sera was looking at Asam with sympathetic eyes.

After silently staring at Sera for a moment, Beatrice looked at Asam with suspicion.

“What do you mean by rest?”

“Our sponsor has been demanding some pretty annoying things, and all those tasks have been coming to me…”

Asam complained that she hadn’t been able to sleep much for days.

“What kind of tasks? Besides, a sponsor can’t just order people around as they please, right?”

“I don’t know. Somehow she convinced the Master. The Master threatened me to meet all her demands.”

Asam planted her face on the inn table.

“These days, with all the chaos because of the dragon, I have to handle those matters too, but I keep getting contacted every morning to complete everything by the deadline…”

“…Hang in there. She does reward you when you finish… like performance bonuses…”

“Performance bonuses? Hehe, little miss, that sounds nice.”

Asam looked at Sera with lifeless eyes.

“I’m worried if I’ll even get them… I’m not actually an employee, just receiving support, so there’s no performance bonus contract…”

Sera quietly embraced Asam’s face.

Although Asam was much taller, she was sitting down, so she could be held in Sera’s arms.

“Hang in there.”

At Sera’s words, Asam quietly grabbed Sera’s collar and began to cry.

After a while, Asam stopped crying and, still in Sera’s embrace, just turned her head.

“Oh right, I almost forgot. The Guild Master had a message for you yesterday.”

“Eve did?”

“Today, since you have time, she asked if you could come see her alone.”

After saying that, Asam turned her head again and looked up at Sera.

“And you, young lady, are to stay with our Bea.”

“…Is there a reason I can’t go along?”

At Sera’s question, Asam, still in the same position, fumbled around her waist.

After rummaging through her pocket for a while, she finally pulled out a letter.

“She told me to prepare this.”

“All of a sudden?”

Sera took the letter and began to read it.

And her expression started to change.

“Why on earth is this…?”

“I don’t know what’s in it, but what’s going on?”

At Asam’s question, I also became curious and looked at Sera.

However, after thinking for a moment, Sera spoke.

“…It says to keep this a secret too. She’ll explain later, and until then, I should hide it.”

“What’s with that woman? Her behavior is a bit suspicious.”

Beatrice grumbled, apparently equally intrigued.

“Well, go ask her yourself. She also said to tell you that she’s barely making time to meet today.”

“Alright.”

“And young lady, I’m sorry, but could you hold me a little longer…?”

“What?”

Before Sera could properly respond, Asam clung tightly to her.

“Maabuaaa…”

She must have been really exhausted.

Asam was starting to regress like a child in that state.

+

It might be obvious, but it’s not polite to visit someone empty-handed when invited.

Of course, Eve isn’t the type to care about such things, so I could just go as is, but for my own peace of mind, I didn’t want to go empty-handed.

So I bought a fruit basket from a street vendor and headed toward the Lavencha Guild.

“…I didn’t expect fruit prices to rise this much.”

I grumbled, looking at the fruit basket that had become much more expensive than before.

It couldn’t be helped, as announcements had been made that a dragon had appeared in the Kingdom of Mikea and was burning various parts of the country.

The atmosphere was already bad because of Somnus’s terrorism, and with the news of the dragon’s appearance on top of that, it seemed that goods weren’t being supplied as much as before.

Additionally, the atmosphere had worsened, and many shops had closed, more than usual.

“I miss the peaceful streets of the past.”

I found myself muttering as I headed to the Lavencha Guild.

Inside the guild, which was maintaining relative vitality compared to other places, I was guided by an employee to Eve’s office.

Just as I was about to knock.

‘Should I pretend I’m not here?’

For some mischievous reason, I stood in front of the door without knocking.

It was a small prank to see if Eve, who claims to see the future, would have foreseen this too.

I quietly approached the door and put my ear against it.

I quietly checked if there was any sound or presence inside.

‘…No one there?’

I couldn’t sense anything from inside.

‘If someone were there, I’d feel something, like a sound or presence.’

I started to feel a bit uneasy.

I grabbed the doorknob, ready to break in if necessary.

And at that moment, the weight of the basket felt slightly lighter.

“Hello there.”

I don’t know how long she had been standing there.

It was Eve, showing me a fruit she had just taken from my basket.

She was wearing a coat and hat, as if she had just been out somewhere.

“Kei, did you think I wouldn’t know you were going to play a prank?”

“I was hoping.”

At my answer, Eve smiled and reached out to take the fruit basket.

She put the fruit she had taken back into the basket and opened the door herself.

“Let’s go in and sit down.”

There was no reason to decline.

I sat on the sofa in the office, which had become familiar from frequent visits, and took off my helmet.

Then I looked at Eve’s face.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

There were slight shadows under Eve’s eyes.

“Are you sleeping well?”

“…Actually, I’m a bit short on sleep.”

Eve said with a strained smile.

“Is something wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong at the moment.”

Eve was already moving her hands to prepare tea.

I took the teacup she offered and drank, and Eve continued.

“I’m just preparing in advance for what’s to come. But there’s more to handle and set up than I expected.”

“You need to sleep well.”

“I’ll have plenty of time to rest when it’s all over.”

Eve took a sip of tea and then spoke.

“Anyway, because of that, I’ve been causing trouble for those around me.”

“I heard complaints from Asam before coming.”

“Asam isn’t the only one with complaints. Peri has been complaining a bit too.”

It seemed Eve was also aware of the complaints from the blacksmith shop she had recently acquired and the mage from the magic tower.

“The contracts are fair, there are no violations, and I have plans for compensation, but it’s true that I’m pushing them hard. It’s natural to hear complaints.”

“…If you plan to compensate them, I guess it’s okay.”

Eve smiled at my words.

“Yes, I will compensate them properly. A merchant who breaks promises carelessly doesn’t deserve to be a merchant.”

“Can Asam get that too? She was crying about not having a performance bonus contract.”

“She will. If it weren’t for her, the workload would have increased several times.”

I nodded at Eve’s words.

Having heard this much, it was no longer my place to interfere.

It would be right to trust her.

“Would you like to tell me about your recent activities?”

I nodded at Eve’s words.

I lightly told her about recent events, and Eve nodded and listened attentively.

As expected, she showed no signs of surprise.

“Seeing your face, I guess you already knew the dragon would appear.”

“I hadn’t seen it in person. It was just something I learned while seeing the future.”

“Did you also send the anonymous tip to the Knights?”

“That was me.”

I had thought as much during the meeting.

Eve readily admitted it.

“You might have noticed, but the Merchant Guild Master had been aware of the disappearing villages for quite some time.”

So they had noticed something was happening long ago.

Eve seemed to think an explanation was needed and spoke again.

“The Merchant Guild has been somewhat blocking information about the disappeared villages and cities for quite some time.”

“Is that even possible?”

“It’s impossible to block it completely, but they can hinder the proper spread of information to some extent. The Knights are an organization that can’t move carelessly without certainty.”

Eve took another sip of tea and then spoke.

“The reason is probably fear of negative impacts on their business. The Guild Master is a timid person.”

“So that’s why you sent an anonymous tip?”

“With a calamity like a dragon, preparations need to be made as quickly as possible. Writing a report-style tip about the disappeared villages and circumstantial evidence was quite difficult and time-consuming.”

Eve spoke with a tired face.

But her expression was bright.

“Just being able to make the Knights move a little faster was worth the effort, I think.”

Perhaps in the future, the Knights would have moved more slowly.

Regardless of how helpful the Knights would be against a dragon, having a military force move more nimbly couldn’t hurt.

‘But her face seems strangely brighter than it should be.’

“Are you on bad terms with that Guild Master?”

“Yes. I feel good about getting back at him a bit.”

Eve affirmed with a smile.

I don’t know what happened, but she seemed somewhat relieved.

We spent some time just drinking tea.

“What are you going to do, Kei?”

“About what?”

“About the dragon.”

I shifted my position at Eve’s words.

“Honestly, I don’t want to fight.”

The dragon was that formidable an opponent.

Last time, I was caught off guard, but this time, I wouldn’t give it such an opening.

Plus, I had taken one of its eyes, so it would surely be rampaging for revenge.

Honestly, I don’t want to fight.

Hearing my words, Eve smiled a bit bitterly.

“Princess Liriel will probably come looking for you tomorrow.”

“The Princess? Why?”

“There are several reasons, but I’ll tell you what I’m certain of.”

Eve spoke with serious eyes.

“First, it’s Princess Liriel’s own will. She probably thinks you have skills since you survived the dragon back then.”

“In their eyes, aren’t I just an ordinary adventurer?”

“I said it’s the Princess’s own will. Reports might have gone up about you visiting the Magic Tower several times and meeting with the Masters.”

Eve now took a knife and began peeling the fruit I had brought.

“They might hope that by bringing you in, the Magic Tower might do more because of you.”

“That seems a bit much.”

“With fire at their feet, they want to try any method they can. They’ll try to bring you in even knowing there’s a low chance of receiving significant support by doing so.”

The conversation was already starting to feel strange.

I don’t want to fight, but the royal family is planning to send me to the battlefield.

Eve had finished peeling the fruit and offered me a piece.

“Still, Princess Liriel will offer sufficient compensation within what she can provide.”

“Do you know what it is?”

“I do, but I recommend hearing it directly. Honestly, compared to other reasons, her matter is relatively minor. It would be better for you to judge how useful it will be to you.”

I was curious and thought about asking more, but looking at Eve’s face, it seemed she wasn’t planning to tell me.

Or perhaps the quality of the conditions didn’t really matter much.

“What are the other reasons?”

“Pressure from the Zeolei Order.”

“Pressure?”

The Zeolei Order is where Ludger belongs.

But Ludger is generally favorable toward me.

‘Besides, is that church in a position to pressure the royal family?’

Religious figures don’t seem to particularly follow the royal family, so conversely, they shouldn’t be in a position to exert pressure.

It was unexpected.

“People aiming for the next Paladin position and their factions have demanded your participation, using support as bait. They argue that the next Paladin shouldn’t be absent from such a situation.”

“Damn it.”

I thought things were fine back then, but it seems I’ve made enemies.

‘If they have a problem, they should take it up with Ludger, not me.’

It’s all Ludger’s fault.

I didn’t do anything wrong.

“Sir Ludger probably opposed your participation, just in case. But this time, the opposition was too strong for him.”

-Clack

While mentioning Ludger’s name, Eve put down the knife.

She put it down with her hand trembling slightly, which worried me.

“Are you okay?”

“…Just tired.”

After saying that, Eve got up and sat next to me.

Then she rested her face on my shoulder.

“Um.”

“It’s because I’m tired. Just let me stay like this for a moment.”

Eve leaned on my shoulder with her eyes slightly closed.

Her face was full of worry, so I couldn’t refuse.

After a somewhat awkward time passed, Eve spoke again.

“…Among those aiming for the Paladin position, there are people who want you to die fighting the dragon.”

“What’s so great about that Paladin position anyway?”

“Really, they’re too much.”

I wonder if they hold a grudge because I beat them up a bit back then.

Petty bastards.

“The last one is the Emiris Order.”

I almost cursed at her words.

“What is that damned order doing now?”

Nothing good has ever come from getting involved with them.

Eve spoke while still leaning on my shoulder.

“It’s probably the doing of that Somnus character we both saw. They’re thinking of using your power.”

“Damn it.”

Thinking about it, that order would naturally know about my connection to the dragon.

Somnus also spoke as if it was natural for me to be entangled with the dragon.

And considering how the dragon lost its mind and charged at the sight of the red lightning…

“They want to use me as bait?”

“Correct.”

I wanted to avoid it somehow, but it seemed difficult.

Whether it’s the Princess, the Zeolei Order, or the Emiris Order.

Any of them had power in this world.

It seemed like they had too many ways to make my life difficult if I openly opposed them now.

“The world seems to hate me too much.”

When I grumbled without thinking, Eve looked at me with sad eyes.

She quietly reached out and held my hand.

Her warmth and softness transferred to my hand.

‘Let’s calm down.’

At least it was beneficial to know in advance thanks to Eve.

It might seem like knowing in advance doesn’t make things better, but it’s still an advantage to have a little more time to organize my thoughts.

I stayed still, feeling Eve’s warmth.

After a while, Eve checked the time.

“I wanted to have only pleasant conversations, but it seems we’re out of time for today.”

“You really are busy.”

“Yes. So it’s quite regrettable.”

Eve got up, and I did the same.

When I looked at her, she seemed lost in thought for a moment.

“Eve?”

At my call, Eve looked at me.

And she quietly spoke.

“Kei.”

“Yes.”

“Even if the world hates you, I don’t. I’m on your side.”

Eve answered me with a serious face.

“And even if it’s not me, there are many people who will be on your side. So please don’t say things like the world hates you.”

“I didn’t mean it that seriously…”

“Even as a joke, hearing such words makes me very sad.”

Eve spoke as if admonishing me.

Thinking about it, it was too rude to say in front of people who have always been on my side.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

I bowed my head in apology.

And Eve gracefully accepted my apology.

“I think I reacted a bit too sensitively too. I apologize as well.”

“No, I was the insensitive one.”

Eve didn’t do anything wrong.

I was the rude one.

Eve carefully continued.

“I just… wanted to say that I’m on your side, Kei. Please believe me.”

“I always trust you, Eve.”

“Really?”

“If I hadn’t trusted you, I wouldn’t have made it this far. I always trust you.”

If I hadn’t trusted her when we first met, I wouldn’t have come to the Kingdom of Mikea.

In that case, I might have died a miserable death, surrounded in the New Kingdom.

At my answer, Eve smiled slightly.

It seemed to be the answer she wanted to hear, as she smiled and said:

“Don’t lose to the likes of a dragon.”

“I won’t. If I die here, I’d be too resentful to close my eyes.”

Eve chuckled at my words.

With that, I turned to leave her office.

Suddenly, I felt a slight weight on my back.

“Eve?”

There was no answer.

Eve was hugging me tightly from behind.

She lightly wrapped her arms around my neck and pressed close to my back.

I could feel Eve’s body temperature, her scent, her soft body.

“Kei.”

“Yes.”

“Please, come back to me safely.”

“I will.”

“Can you promise?”

“I will.”

Eve silently continued to embrace me for a while.

‘Is she worried?’

I stood still, receiving her embrace.

The thought briefly crossed my mind that perhaps she had worked to make the Knights move a bit faster because of me.

After a little more time passed, Eve seemed satisfied and released her embrace.

As she moved, I turned around to see her wearing a slightly mischievous expression.

“If you don’t come back, I’ll come find you, you know?”

“Then I must definitely return.”

Smiling as I answered, Eve also seemed satisfied and waved her hand with a smile.

I waved back and slowly descended the stairs.

As I went down slowly, recalling the weight and softness I had felt earlier, I could feel a gaze on my back.

That gaze continued to follow me until I was far away outside.