Ch.99Chapter 99 – Princess Liriel

“Helmet? Hey?”

“Huh?”

It was the day after I met Eve.

When I came to my senses, breakfast was laid out in front of me.

“What are you doing not eating?”

“Ah, sorry.”

I apologized obediently and tore off a piece of bread to eat.

‘This is driving me crazy.’

Yesterday, that moment when Eve hugged me kept flashing through my mind.

I thought I had calmed down by now, but it keeps coming back.

The weight, the scent, the softness, all of it…

“Mr. Kay?”

“Huh?”

“Um, did you hear something strange from Ms. Eve yesterday?”

I must have been spacing out again, as Serra was looking down at me with a very worried expression.

“No. Nothing at all.”

“If you’re not feeling well, would you like to rest today?”

Serra suggested with genuine concern, but I quickly declined.

I hastily stuffed bread into my mouth and stood up.

“Shall we go then?”

“Ah, yes.”

I rose, pretending to be calm.

I tried to quickly erase the scenes flashing through my mind.

They were interfering with my work.

‘Is there a useful spell for times like this?’

Maybe if I recited some solemn song in my head, it would help me settle down.

I think I used to do that often in the past.

Something like “The East Sea and Mount Baekdu…”

‘But I can’t remember the lyrics.’

If my memory were a bit better, I’d have a good method for times like this.

I started seriously considering if there was a way to recover those memories.

“…Do you think that merchant leader hit him hard on the head or something?”

“I don’t think so. That person is quite soft on Mr. Kay.”

I ignored the whispering behind my back.

I don’t have time to respond to every little comment.

What I needed right now was a way to forget Eve’s body heat for a while.

I wished for some bigger shock, anything would do. Not that I wanted to forget completely, but I needed something to stop these memories from popping up at random times.

-Clatter.

Suddenly, the inn door opened on its own, and someone who looked like a knight entered.

“Excuse me.”

The knight greeted me as he walked in from the entrance.

It was only natural since there was no one else in the dining area besides us.

‘Should I respond?’

While I was briefly considering this, the knight addressed me.

“I understand that an adventurer named Kay is staying at this inn.”

Of all people, I was the target.

‘Why would a knight suddenly be looking for me?’

Just as I was about to reach for my sword, I remembered what Eve had said yesterday.

“I am Kay. What business do you have?”

I answered with a smile, though he probably couldn’t see it because of my helmet.

The knight looked at me as if seeing something strange, but he hadn’t forgotten his duty, so he cleared his throat once and continued.

“Her Highness, the First Princess of the Kingdom of Mikea…”

“Lord Port, that’s enough.”

A woman wearing a high-quality white cloak appeared behind the knight.

So she’s here after all.

“It’s nice to meet you. We’ve met before, haven’t we?”

-Thud

I heard the sound of a chair being dragged from behind.

It seemed Beatrice was trying to slip away and bumped into a chair.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Lady Liriel.”

It was just as Eve had said.

Princess Liriel had come looking for me.

+

Following Princess Liriel’s instructions, a table was brought over, and I found myself sitting across from her.

A woman who appeared out of nowhere spread an expensive-looking white cloth on the table and poured what looked like expensive tea into an expensive-looking teacup before passing it to Princess Liriel.

“Would you like some?”

“I’m fine, thank you.”

At my response, Princess Liriel smiled and brought the teacup to her lips.

“Hey, why is that person here?”

Beatrice asked me in a very small voice.

Being from the Magic Tower, she didn’t seem to particularly respect the royal family, but she still appeared uncomfortable around someone of high status.

Serra, on the other hand, was sticking close to my side with her head bowed low.

“Can I run away?”

“The knights would get angry if you did.”

I could imagine them charging at us, shouting, “How dare you disrespect royalty, you insolent fools!”

Currently, about five knights had entered the inn and were standing in a square formation around the table.

The remaining one stood right next to Liriel.

With their protection, Liriel smiled and spoke.

“Do you have any idea why I’ve come looking for you?”

I pondered her question for a moment.

Would it be better to say I knew, or that I didn’t?

In truth, either answer would probably be fine, but it’s better to choose the more advantageous option.

After a brief thought, I answered.

“Have you come to ask me to participate in the dragon subjugation?”

“You’re quite perceptive. I’ll give you credit for that.”

It wasn’t that I figured it out; Eve had told me everything.

Liriel brought the teacup to her lips.

“What if I refuse?”

“I would forgive you, but I’m not sure if the royal family would.”

Is that a threat?

Just as I was beginning to feel annoyed, Liriel smiled reassuringly and put down her teacup.

“Rest assured. I’ll speak well of you to the royal family. But I wouldn’t recommend refusing.”

“Why is that?”

“From various quarters, there have been many petitions asking for an adventurer like you to be allowed to fight the dragon at the fortress.”

Liriel said with a smile.

“I was even surprised myself that both the Jeolei Order and the Emiris Order joined forces to look for you.”

“…I see.”

At Liriel’s gesture, the woman who had brought the tea earlier handed her some documents.

“So, if you’ll excuse me, I did some research on you. Your exploits during the great purge of the cemetery with a paladin from the Jeolei Order and a saint from the Harti Order, and recent reports of you proving your skills at the selection for the next paladin of the Jeolei Order…”

As if getting to the main point, Liriel lowered her voice and continued.

“…And it seems you also have connections with the Magic Tower. I’ve received information that you met with two Masters and made some kind of contract with the Tower.”

“I see.”

“The last part I’m curious about—is it true?”

Liriel smiled innocently.

From that smile, I could immediately tell.

This woman already knew everything.

‘But how does she know about the Magic Tower’s affairs?’

While I was wondering about this and trying to choose my response, Liriel clapped her hands.

“Some of the court magicians at the royal palace are from the Magic Tower. It’s quite easy to hear a piece of news or two.”

“I see.”

“Even so, their duty is to protect the palace, so they can’t leave the palace grounds.”

Liriel added.

Thanks to her explanation, the mystery of how she knew about internal Magic Tower affairs was solved.

I wonder if she’s bringing this up now to make it clear that she already knows everything, so I shouldn’t try to lie.

“You know everything, it seems. Yes, I did make a contract.”

“That’s impressive. The Masters wouldn’t make contracts lightly.”

They certainly don’t make contracts without good reason.

Unless they’ve created an environment where they’re trying to kidnap someone for human experimentation, or they’re facing a political crisis within the Tower, such things wouldn’t happen.

Yes, it’s all because of Beatrice.

It’s all because of Beatrice, who’s pretending not to care beside me.

“And I hear you’re even living with the person who came as a Master’s proxy. Are you two, perhaps, lovers?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Absolutely not.”

Even Beatrice, who had been quiet, chimed in.

Perhaps because we both answered with a hint of killing intent, the princess’s smiling face froze.

“Are you crazy? Me, a lover with this gloomy helmet? Princess, watch what you say.”

“Princess, your joke goes too far. And this woman’s manner of speaking has nothing to do with me, so if you’re offended, you can hold her responsible.”

After we both finished speaking, we started glaring at each other again.

The princess seemed quite taken aback, as she raised her teacup to hide her face again.

“This is really maddening. Being called lovers just because we stayed in the same room for a few days and went around together.”

“I know, right? Who would like a woman like you?”

“It’s not like we slept in the same room because we liked each other. Right?”

After saying that, we started growling at each other.

The princess tilted her head and said:

“Just listening to your conversation, it sounds like you’ve gone all the way?”

That comment suddenly brought me back to my senses.

The realization that I had made a mistake spread through my mind.

“Mr. Kay.”

I heard Serra’s voice.

I decided not to look at her out of fear.

With a voice that felt chilling, I gathered my wits and explained to the princess.

“…Anyway, it’s not like that. I just happened to get entangled with that woman.”

“I see.”

Liriel brought the teacup to her lips again.

Then she smiled and looked at Beatrice.

“And here I was, assuming you two were lovers transcending social status. What a shame.”

“What? Transcending social status?”

“Isn’t that the case?”

“How on earth did you reach that conclusion?”

When Beatrice asked incredulously, Liriel answered with a smile.

“Judging by your accent when speaking the continental common language, you’re from Firenze or the Kingdom, and based on how you address people, you’re from the North. Plus, your demeanor when speaking at meetings suggests you’re of quite high status.”

Though she was smiling, Liriel narrowed her eyes.

Beatrice snorted at her words.

“Are you playing detective or something? I grew up in the South when I was young.”

“So that’s why your accent also has southern influences.”

“How can you even distinguish accents when you’re not a native? Stop pretending to be some strange detective, Princess.”

When Beatrice spoke with a bit of irritation, Liriel smiled and raised her teacup.

“I apologize. I was just trying to get friendly by playing detective.”

“Cut it out. You’re making innocent people uncomfortable.”

“Yes, my friendship strategy has failed.”

Liriel smiled and looked at me again.

“In any case, it’s true that you’ve made a contract with the Magic Tower, right?”

“Yes, that’s true.”

Liriel smiled and clapped her hands.

“Considering that Magic Tower mages never make contracts lightly, your existence must be somewhat significant to the Tower. Isn’t that right?”

“Well…”

I glanced slightly at Beatrice, and she shrugged once.

“It varies by Master, but that’s generally true.”

“Really?”

“There are contracts that don’t become void even if the contracting party disappears.”

Suddenly, I wanted to ask which type my contract with Lucian was.

Though I suspect Lucian would keep an eye on my movements from the Magic Tower anyway.

Especially since Beatrice is traveling with me now.

“So, Princess, you think if you send this helmet to the fortress, the Magic Tower will participate?”

“I’ve heard that full participation is unlikely, so I don’t expect that. I just hope they might pay a bit more attention, that’s all.”

Liriel slightly bowed her head in response to Beatrice’s comment.

“After all, since we’re dealing with a dragon, we’re quite desperate.”

Beatrice clicked her tongue softly at Liriel’s answer.

“…Is our Master too kind-hearted? No, they probably knew and did this anyway. They must have known the Master’s personality.”

Beatrice started muttering to herself.

But I thought her analysis was correct.

Knowing Lucian’s personality, they probably thought they could get a bit more help by bringing in me, his contract partner.

‘This is troublesome.’

Especially since I have nothing to offer in return for such expectations.

“Well then, Kay. I have a proposal for you.”

“What is it?”

“Come to the fortress as an adventurer employed by me. Help us fight the dragon there.”

An adventurer’s status, huh?

Indeed, hiring was the right answer if they wanted to bring in someone who was neither a knight nor anything else to fight.

“The compensation?”

Liriel smiled at my response.

Had she reached the point she wanted?

“First, this much as a down payment.”

The woman who had brought the tea earlier appeared again and placed a paper with an amount written on it in front of me.

It was less than what the Magic Tower had offered me before, but still an enormous sum.

“And I’ll provide you with political protection.”

“Protection?”

“It seems to me you might have fallen out of favor with the Jeolei Order? I’m not sure about the Emiris Order though.”

Liriel said with a smile.

“So I thought I’d become your political protector. As long as you haven’t committed high treason, I’ll protect you politically as much as I can.”

The Emiris Order was already my enemy, and within the Jeolei Order, there were factions that viewed me unfavorably, including those who disliked Rudger.

I wasn’t sure how much influence the royal family could exert over the church factions, but having a political ally wasn’t a bad thing.

I had been thinking I needed more cards to play against the Emiris Order anyway.

The card of royal protection.

‘It could be quite useful.’

As I was continuing this line of thought, Liriel spoke again.

“That’s all the compensation I can officially offer. But personally, I’d like to add one more thing.”

“One more thing?”

“If you distinguish yourself in the battle against the dragon, I’d like to reward you greatly on a personal level.”

I see, she wants me to fight hard.

“While I appreciate the potential reward, I don’t think I can be of much help. I barely escaped last time.”

“Considering that you and your companions are the only ones who have encountered a dragon and survived, I don’t believe you survived merely by luck without any skill.”

Her words made me feel a bit troubled.

I’m not that remarkable of a person.

But it also seemed awkward to politely decline.

Above all, she probably wouldn’t let me go anyway.

“Ah, there’s one more reason.”

Liriel leisurely picked up her teacup, took a sip, and spoke.

Then she looked down at her teacup with a slightly serious expression.

“Just between us, I can’t fully trust the Dragon Slayer.”

“Excuse me?”

“I said I can’t trust the Dragon Slayer.”

Liriel said with a smile.

“A being with such power coming to aid the kingdom without asking for anything in return? I can’t believe in such fairy tales.”

“I see.”

From her words, I realized I had underestimated her a bit.

‘I thought she wasn’t cautious at all.’

So there was someone within who was reasonably wary.

“So rather than putting all our eggs in the basket of an untrustworthy Dragon Slayer, I thought I’d diversify by investing in you too, since you seem capable. Pretty smart, right?”

Liriel smiled slightly.

“An adventurer who has overturned the Jeolei Order, caught the attention of the Magic Tower, and survived a battle with a dragon. Worth betting on a little, don’t you think?”

It was a somewhat mischievous smile.

Along with it, Princess Liriel handed me a document.

It was a contract commonly seen at the Adventurer’s Guild.

“So, will you accept my employment?”

To be honest, from Liriel’s perspective, my survival probably doesn’t matter much.

She just hopes the Magic Tower might pay more attention because of me.

And if I achieve something against the dragon, that would be even better.

If I were to speak truthfully, I’d like to refuse.

‘…But the compensation is quite good.’

A massive amount of money and a political supporter.

While the former is one thing, the latter isn’t easy to come by.

It wasn’t a bad deal.

“Alright, I accept.”

At my answer, Liriel smiled slightly.

I took the contract from her and signed it.

+

Shortly after, Liriel left the inn with her escorts.

“It’s over. I want to rest for a bit.”

“…Yeah. I’m a bit tired.”

My shoulders ached as if I had unnecessarily tensed them.

I remember someone grumbling about disliking politics before, and they were right.

Politics is, indeed, unpleasant.

But now that it’s over, I think I can rest.

As I stood up, Beatrice also rose.

But Serra remained seated.

“Serra?”

She was still sitting.

Since she had rarely ignored me before, I was confused and called her again.

“Serra, what’s wrong?”

There was no answer.

Finding it strange, I quickly examined Serra’s face.

Of course, there was nothing wrong.

Serra was just sitting with her head bowed, quietly lost in thought.

Even with me bringing my face right in front of hers, she was so deeply immersed in her thoughts that she didn’t notice.