episode_0140

It was quite an annoying verification method, but ultimately Argantir trusted my words.

He said that someone who immediately thinks of killing upon a slight threat, especially towards royalty, cannot be considered for employment.

The qualities demanded by the national power include superhuman strength and loyalty deemed sufficient to be trusted without worry.

Am I overwhelmingly lacking in the latter?

“A double-edged sword… No, even that is an overstatement. You are a blade without a hilt. A defective piece that would cut off its master’s fingers. Who in the world would dare to wield it?”

Argantir said.

Untrustworthy superhumans are just blatant threats to the kingdom, so there is no path for me other than retirement.

Therefore, even if they raise me, there will be no future threat to the country.

“So… It should be fine to offer the desired reward.”

The deal was made.

◆◆

“You wanted the authority to freely enter and exit dungeons, right? In that case, assuming a false identity seems like the best solution.”

Argantir’s first proposed reward to me was creating a new identity that would allow me to enter even heavily guarded deep dungeons with a free pass.

“Tell me. A status that only allows entry into dungeons versus one that allows you to freely come and go outside. Which one do you prefer?”

“Well… The latter would be better, wouldn’t it…? Of course, the former wouldn’t matter much.”

“Hmm….”

Argantir pondered something, stroking his chin thoughtfully and lightly tapping the table with his fingertips on the opposite side.

“Then next, do you have any concerns about your name or hair color? If your alias includes part of your real name, there must be a reason for it.”

“I don’t really care. The alias Hilde was perhaps intended to confuse potential pursuers… It didn’t seem to have much effect, though.”

“Such a feeble-minded idea that might work on a fool.”

This guy?

…No, hold back. Control yourself, inner strength. Don’t ruin everything at this point.

“One last question. Would it be acceptable if your mother became two people?”

Should I hold back…?

“…I don’t understand the meaning of the question. Is this question meant to insult me?”

I managed to hold back once more. Repeatedly reminding myself internally about the fate of a royal assassin facing fratricide.

“Insulting, making bizarre misunderstandings.”

Argantir shrugged his shoulders and chuckled.

“I’m simply asking whether you could serve a woman with such a character as your mother.”

“Like a foster mother? If you mean showing the same affection as to a biological child, that would be quite difficult to answer…”

To serve a woman you’ve just met as a mother figure. I returned an answer after much deliberation that it would be quite challenging.

If it were a child under ten, maybe, but welcoming a woman in her twenties as a mother figure seemed incredibly awkward.

“I don’t expect that much. As long as you don’t disrespect the other person and can play the role of a proper child in public places, that’s enough.”

It seemed fine to maintain a formal relationship privately while acting like a daughter in public settings.

“…That should be acceptable.”

“Good, very good. That’s fortunate.”

Argantir exhaled smoke and smiled contentedly, as if satisfied.

Observing him exhale smoke in a confined space in front of others, I could gauge his level of home education.

◆◆

“I will arrange two identities for you. An undercover status as a senior member of the organization you impersonated and an official title to present externally.”

An official title. It meant abandoning the name Brunhilde and living as someone’s daughter arranged by Argantir.

It was a proposal that I had no reason to complain about. It seemed like the best option given the current situation.

For now, it was enough to strengthen my power under a false identity and then declare myself as Brünhilde after clearing my name later on.

As I agreed and expressed my gratitude, Argantir listed one by one the false identities I could choose from now.

The total count added up to four digits.

First of all…

“Count Signess’s beloved. A young lady in her twenties with bright blonde hair and blue eyes. She has been secluded for six years due to an unknown illness.”

“Are you suggesting I take on that temporary role? Pretend to be recovered from the illness?”

“That woman died ten years ago. It wasn’t publicly known, though.”

A proposal to replace the deceased noble lady. It was a proposal that had its own benefits.

Being the noble lady herself, inheriting the assets of the Count, and with six years having passed, even if the person had changed, there were few who would recognize.

However, there was just one issue with that status.

“Count Signess’s beloved was in a secret relationship with Baron Brun’s heir. Due to the dowry received for the relationship, the Count must send his daughter.”

To think that some unknown man was intended to be my future husband was indeed a fatal problem.

“…Are you suggesting I take on that marriage instead?”

“It should suffice for about a year. The Baron family is wealthy, but historically weak in health and precious in lineage, so they would be satisfied just by having a healthy successor. After that, a divorce can be arranged.”

Argantir casually rambled on.

Just bear a child and leave—that was absurd. It seemed this child, being part of the upper echelons of society, had a thoroughly twisted mindset.

“Well-”

“No way!”

As I was about to refuse, Freide, who had been quietly listening, suddenly stood up and shouted. It was almost like a tiger’s roar.

In response to her sudden movement, the two knights standing behind the prince hesitated as if to draw their swords. I, too, was momentarily startled and tensed my shoulders.

“Huh, a marriage? A child! That, that is absolutely unacceptable!”

An unexpected outburst. In the midst of the knights preparing to draw their swords, a startled Argantir accidentally spat out a puff of smoke.

“Cough, cough…! What suddenly, I didn’t even mention marriage to you. What on earth… Ah, could it be?”

With a searching gaze, alternating between me and Freide, Argantir’s eyes settled on my face enveloped in smoke and Freide’s cheeks flushed red.

“Hmm… I see. So, that was the nature of your relationship. When you said you would retire together, it meant that…”

Perhaps due to his mood, there was a subtle sense of disdain mixed in Argantir’s gaze as he looked back at me.

“Hmm…”

…I could tell what he was thinking without him saying it. It was a tremendous misunderstanding, wasn’t it?

She was over twenty, practically an adult, and I hadn’t even initiated anything in the first place.

It felt unjust. If you thought about it, I was the one being eaten, not the one eating.

“…Well, understood. In that case, Count Signess seems unreasonable. It’s not right to intrude on a tender relationship between lovers.”

Argantir withdrew the first proposal. Intruding on a relationship between lovers was considered a grave sin.

Finally calming down, Freide apologized for causing a disturbance and sat back down.

“If those two are in such a relationship, the second and third options will be difficult… Is there only one position left?”

The second false identity he had in mind involved Freide having to stay apart for a long time, and the third false identity was rumored to be a position held by a woman who changed men every month.

“Why do you propose such a destructive suggestion, calling me by that name? Instead of answering, he just glanced briefly at the breastplate of my armor and spoke.

…Come to think of it, was there never any recognition interference with Argantir from the beginning?

In other words… the exposed parts of my armor were completely visible to him.

“……”

I turned my head slightly, lowered the edge of my cloak to cover my chest, and Freide stared at Argantir like a Chihuahua who had lost his prey.

“There is only one remaining disguise. The retired knight, the lady of Estelle, the kingdom’s.”

Ignoring Freide’s gaze, Argantir casually spoke.

“At eighteen years old, with blue eyes and black hair. Rebelled against his mother who tried to raise her daughter as a knight… and then the news stopped.”

“She must be dead.”

“Probably. Murdered or… kidnapped. Either way, she won’t come back to this world.”

So, are you asking me to find the house of a woman who ran away and died, and to use that identity as if I were her daughter?

…Isn’t that inviting trouble?

“I may have retired, but I was one of my close aides, and since I owe you a lot, I can’t refuse your request. So, go and dress properly.”

Of course, Argantir said that if he refused even this, there would be nothing more he could do for me and left the choice up to me.

As an executive of the organization, it might be possible to enter and exit dungeons, but that would involve using those connected to the organization to sneak in unofficially.

To freely roam the dungeons and confidently travel the world, there was no other choice.

And so, my status changed from the betrayed knight Brunhilde to the estranged daughter Esther, returning from her escape.

Ferenhilde Esther.

That was my new name.

“And as an executive of ‘Shadows’… Yes. How about Creamhilt?”

Creamhilt.

Does it mean a mask-wearing hilt?

That way, I acquired three names.

Brunhilde, Ferenhilde, Creamhilt.

None of them were my real name.