episode_0126

The incident begins with Helena’s doubts.

‘Aren’t you hot, Ian?’

She met Ian at the end of spring.

From then on, until the end of the summer, I stayed with Ian, but something strange occurred.

No, this wasn’t just strange, it was even somewhat bizarre.

‘Ian doesn’t take his clothes off.’

Long sleeves that always reach the wrists and long pants that reach the ankles.

Not only that, but he also wears other clothes on top of it.

That shabby cape is one of the basic clothes that I can’t seem to take off, as if it’s an object of attachment.

Always wear quilted armor on the inside and leather or chain mail on the outside.

My shoes are always thick boots and I often wear gloves.

Because of that, there aren’t many opportunities to see bare hands.

It’s not because it’s time to go to a dungeon or help with training.

When eating, when relaxing while playing with Kati, and when handling castle business in the office.

He always wears that outfit.

The fact that Helena watched his every move so much is a secret that only she knows.

Of course, Ian knew everything, but I felt like I had to pretend not to know.

anyway.

As for Helena, the only time she saw him in ordinary clothes was at the last auction banquet or award ceremony.

‘Can’t a superhuman who has reached a certain level feel the heat?’

I asked Ian that, but he said no.

‘Then what is it?’

In the middle of summer, when the sun pierces your skin like a needle, why?

I couldn’t figure out why.

Vivian, Helena, and Lucia’s clothes became thinner and shorter for summer.

The same goes for Mercy.

Kati also rolled up her sleeves to her elbows.

But Ian didn’t do that.

‘Could there be some problem?’

Helena thought it would be better to ask herself, so she asked.

“Ian.”

“Yes.”

“Aren’t you hot?”

“It’s hot.”

“… … .”

It wasn’t a lie.

Ian, too, was sweating profusely under the scorching sun and fanned himself with a lying training hatchet.

Helena looked at the sweat running down his chin and turned her head to shake it off.

“But why don’t you take it off?”

“… Yes?”

At that time, Kati, who was nearby, suddenly turned her head.

Helena hastily explained.

“Oh, you misunderstand! Ian always wears long, thick clothes and multiple layers! I was wondering if you couldn’t feel the heat or something like that… .”

“It’s not like that.”

“Then is there a reason?”

“Hmm… .”

Uncharacteristically, Ian thought about it for quite a long time.

“Yes. Yes.”

“Can I ask what the reason is?”

“… no. Sorry, but it’s a secret.”

Helena, shocked!

It’s a secret to yourself!

He, who had nothing to hide from the fruit warriors, hid it by saying it was a secret.

‘why?! ‘For what reason?!’

Vivian and Lucia, who overheard the conversation, were also curious.

This was the first time Ian had hidden something from them so awkwardly.

“Are you that curious about Ian’s insides?”

Lucia asked.

Helena was silent for some reason because she was embarrassed to say yes.

“Ha, but… . Helena has a point… .”

Vivian implicitly agreed.

“That’s right, right? As I listened to Helena, I also became curious and asked.”

“… !”

Helena was happy that her desires and curiosity were recognized.

That’s how the incident began.

*

Initially, the testimony of others was secured.

They asked Mercy and Katy, who had been together much longer than they had.

“Have you two ever seen Ian’s body?”

Lucia asked rather directly.

Vivian and Helena blushed, but Lucia was confident in the face of curiosity.

Mercy and Kati nodded obediently.

“Yes, yes.”

“Yes.”

The three people were shocked at the same time.

‘Why are you showing it to Mercy and Kati, but hiding it from us?’

I didn’t show it, and I didn’t say I showed it.

Before we knew it, Ian had become someone who didn’t show his body to them.

“Why are you doing that?”

“Oh, that’s it… .”

Vivian shyly revealed her doubts.

Surprisingly, Mercy and Kati listened seriously and thought together.

“Hmm… . It’s strange when I hear it. In fact, Ian has never shown his skin in person. Katy, do you know the reason?”

Kati shook her head.

Even Katy, who had been with Ian longer than anyone else, including the first warrior party, didn’t know.

“How did you two get into Ian’s inner skin…? Ah, no, ah, uh, did you get to see the inside?”

“Ah, that’s… .”

Mercy, who hesitated, spoke with a bitter smile.

“Ian was seriously injured and fell. I had to take my clothes off then… .”

Katy’s brow twitched.

It was that serious.

Mercy’s smile was filled with some kind of guilt.

“Ah… .”

The three of them wondered why they didn’t show it to themselves, but immediately changed their minds.

Of course, I never thought something like that could have been the cause.

The question I was planning to ask the two of them about what Ian looked like naked ended up being answered.

Mercy said as if to brighten the mood.

“Well, if you’re curious, why not take a look in person?”

“Is there a way?!”

“Mmm. well? Do you spy on me when I’m washing up?”

“Isn’t it a crime!”

Unlike the rebellious fruits, Kati rested her chin and stroked her lips with her hand, thinking deeply.

“Ka, Kati… ?”

“Nothing.”

“We didn’t ask anything, so what’s wrong?”

“… … .”

No one asked any more questions.

I was afraid to hear the answer.

“Would you rather ask for it yourself?”

It was Lucia’s suggestion.

“Ian.”

She went straight to Ian.

“Yes.”

“Could you please show me your body?”

“… Yes?”

“The body.”

“Why are you like this?”

“Do you not like showing your body to others?”

“What did I do wrong?”

Lucia, who was in a heated argument, was eventually kicked out.

“Sigh… ! Why are you hiding it like that? Did you put some honey on it? It makes me even more curious… ?”

Vivian, who heard Lucia’s complaint, embodied the expression ‘covered with honey’ in her delusion.

One day a guest came.

It was the Emperor’s youngest daughter, Princess Grace.

It was something that could have upset people, but there were only a few people who were nervous and there was no uproar.

From the day after Ian became earl, she regularly visited the castle every day or two.

The purpose of the visit is one.

To see Ian.

It’s like making an eye stamp.

Therefore, they do not stay in the castle for long.

In the first few days, the vassals were hectic as if they were suffering from war, but now they have adapted.

There was also good news.

Not only the people in the castle but also the people in the territory became aware of how much Ian was favored by the imperial family.

If there are good points, there are also bad points.

The bad news is that there are rumors that Ian is Grace’s chosen one.

It was especially bad for Ian and his group.

anyway.

That day too, Grace visited and had a quick chat with Ian and was on her way back.

“… If you have something to say, could you say it yourself?”

Grace spoke to the fruit warriors who were following her around today.

Behind them were Mercy and Kati.

“Hwa, meet the princess… .”

The companions greeted me belatedly.

“So. What’s going on?”

“Well, that, uh… .”

Is it okay to ask this?

No matter how close she is to Ian, isn’t she still the princess of the empire?

Vivian and Helena are worried.

Lucia opened her mouth.

“This is a very personal question, is it okay?”

“I’ll listen.”

“The princess and Ian seem to be quite close and close.”

“Hmm, hmm. Hmm!”

Grace tried hard to suppress laughter.

“It may be rude, but… .”

“I’m in a good mood today, so I’ll allow it!”

“Have you ever seen the inside of Ian’s clothes?”

“… … .”

Leon, the leader of Aegis who followed Grace as her escort, trembled with his hands.

Isn’t this an insult to the royal family?

However, Grace had previously said that she would be willing to allow it.

Grace, who actually heard the question, didn’t think it was a big deal.

No, rather, he pondered the question a few times and even grinned.

It is an expression that should not be dared to compare to the princess, but it was a mischievous and evil laugh that could be described as devil-like.

Grace guessed what the fruit warriors were curious about and answered with the arrogant smile of a winner.

“Of course.”

“… !”

“Did you forget what I said? Ian and I are a close relationship with a promise for the future?”

“Sticky… ?”

“It’s natural to see each other’s inner lives. He roughly covered me with his hard, bumpy, big body… . Hehehe.”

“Katy! Hang in there! You have to be patient! Isn’t she a princess?”

“Vivian, oh no! You must be patient! The other person is the princess… !”

While Mercy and Helena were stopping Katy and Vivian, respectively, Grace, feeling cold, hurriedly ran away.

“Okay, then… ! Hmm!”

Vivian frowned as she watched the princess walking away, a shadow cast over her face.

“From today, the princess is my enemy… .”

“… … .”

Beside him, Katy agreed in silence.

Lucia also added a word.

“A little… Unlucky, isn’t it? Hmph.”

Helena and Mercy were embarrassed, but they couldn’t deny it.

*

And then today.

“I need to take it off.”

I can’t seem to find an answer.

So, we have no choice but to take it off and check.

“That would be most certain. But how?”

Lucia asked.

“Actually, the biggest problem is that I can’t think of a method… .”

“Ka, if it were Kati, I think I could do it this way and that with my strength… .”

Vivian muttered timidly.

“Sister. Do you want to take it off by force?”

“Ah, no… . That’s not necessarily the case, but I thought there might be a way… . Of course, using force or something like that is not a bad thing… . Ah, um… .”

“But that’s not what Carty will allow.”

Helena realistically(?) denied it.

That was valid.

There was no way Carty would dare join in stripping Ian.

What if she did it on her own?

“First of all, it seems difficult for us to do anything on our own right now… . Don’t we need someone other than Mercy and Katy?”

“You mean someone else?”

“Yes. For example. A person with very good execution skills.”

“… Ah!”

Vivian applauds! I hit it.

“Today is the day Marie comes.”

“Marie?”

*

Marie has been visiting Ian’s castle often recently.

It was not surprising that he was made an earl, but it was surprising.

Even now, I am still amazed every time I come to the castle.

The owner of this castle and territory is Ian.

I think that’s possible, but it’s strangely awkward and so on.

Still, the Ian I meet in the office is not much different from the Ian I used to know.

So, I came here today to talk about the acquisition of the Manager Guild.

“Do you want to strip Ian?”

The fruit warriors suddenly handed me such a business.

“No… . Well, saying you want to take it off is a bit strange… .”

“It’s not wrong, but… .”

“But why aren’t you doing it? You, the warriors, are closer than me.”

“Still, for some reason, I’m embarrassed… .”

Marie, who had been contemplating with her arms crossed, readily accepted.

“Yes. all right. Let me talk about it.”

“Really?!”

“What a difficult task.”

It’s difficult, isn’t it?

I wanted to do it, but the two of them, except Lucia, had already seen Marie’s executive ability and eloquence.

Lucia, who heard the story, was so impressed that she clapped and acknowledged Marie’s courage even though she had not even seen it.

Marie entered Ian’s office, and the fruit warriors leaned against the door and listened.

“Huh? What are you doing?”

At that moment, Mercy and Katy approached.

“Oh… .”

At that time, an ear-piercing comment erupted from inside the office.

***

I’ve been receiving assassination threats lately.

Exactly, that’s how it feels.

The reason it’s just a feeling is because the targets really have no reason to assassinate me.

‘Fruit Warriors.’

Why is it like that?

I don’t know why, but it’s been following me around persistently these days.

It was strange that Helena had been following me for the past few days.

I noticed it early on, but I pretended not to notice because I thought it was a perfect hiding.

But now that number has increased to three.

The eyes that search all over the body are persistent.

It’s like an assassin assessing the target’s equipment level.

‘But there’s no reason for that.’

Where are the assassins who go around like that in the first place?

Kati and Mercy also received awards… .

I don’t know what the problem is.

First of all, now is the time to meet Marie.

We are currently busy discussing how to take over the Manager Guild and how to run it afterwards.

Although she is not an executive at the Managers Guild, she has been there for a long time, so she knows the internal situation better than me.

-smart.

“Please come in.”

Just then Marie arrived.

“Ian.”

-thud!

Marie came in and roughly placed the documents on my desk.

“Why are you doing that?”

“Let’s ask for just one thing.”

“What is that?”

“Take it off.”

“… Yes?”

“Take off your clothes.”

“… … .”

“Take it off.”

What on earth is the world going to become?