Episode 017.
“Thank goodness. Truly, thank goodness.”
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
In an instant, the inside of the guild became a scene of tearful reunions.
But I had no intention of butting into that moving sight.
I simply sat crookedly on a broken chair and took a bite of an apple.
“Thank you so much…”
“Ah, yes.”
Around the time emotions had settled and one or two adventurers came over to thank me, the guild’s massive front doors swung wide open once again.
“Would you please check whether anyone is injured?”
Along with the faint scent of rose perfume, a beautiful girl with lavishly coiffed golden hair appeared, leading a group of knights.
Prisia Springfield.
It was my first time seeing her at this point in time, but I had seen her hundreds of times in the game.
The young lady who gathered every nearby mercenary to protect her house.
Whatever the result, I’ll acknowledge her ability to take action.
She lightly dusted off the hem of her dress, then swept her gaze across the hall.
Adventurers cheering as they found their families, people bustling about to put the guild in order,
and then, spotting me at the center of it all, she strode over confidently.
“I thank you for resolving this sudden riot. I had not imagined that someone of your caliber would be among the adventurers.”
Prisia lifted the hem of her simple dress ever so slightly and bowed her head with grace.
“I shall not ask for the details. It is regrettable that those hired for the defense of the territory caused such trouble, but… thanks to you, a major incident was prevented. If you come to my house later, I shall formally reward you.”
Leaving behind that light promise as if that were sufficient, she turned away.
She didn’t even introduce herself.
Her expression said she had not considered, not even by one percent, that someone might not know who she was.
‘What, is that really it?’
I swallowed a hollow laugh.
The family head should definitely be in critical condition, and Viscount Gondor should have brought troops near the territory by now. No, they might already be inside, and she was saying later?
“Wait. That mercenary captain… have you interrogated Budong?”
“We have decided to expel him appropriately.”
“……”
This woman didn’t seem to understand the trap Viscount Gondor had laid.
She knew that he was aiming for the Springfield territory and had gathered mercenaries to defend against him.
That seemed to be all she knew, which was a bit troublesome.
Would it have been easier to help Prisia after the house collapsed and she was being chased?
For a moment, that thought crossed my mind, but I soon shook my head.
If the east gets swallowed whole, the fall of the royal capital will happen in an instant, so I have no choice.
My first slave… no, my companion, right?
I can endure this much.
“Hoo…”
I let out a sigh, then beckoned and said,
“Prisia.”
At my call, she stopped.
She turned her head, frowning as if displeased.
“How rude. To dare call a noble by name so casually…”
“If you go on like this, you’ll die.”
“…What did you say?”
Prisia’s eyes wavered.
Probably because, for a mere empty threat meant to scare her, my gaze was far too dry.
I bit into the apple with a crisp crunch and continued.
“Request protection from the Order immediately and inform the kingdom of Viscount Gondor’s ambitions. Use a teleport gate or whatever else and do it in the shortest time possible.”
If things went well, people might arrive within the day.
“What do you mean by that? No matter how much of a man Viscount Gondor is…”
“By now, his army will be inside the territory. Even if it isn’t the main force, at least a scouting party will be. Hurry and prepare your defenses. Right now.”
“Pardon?”
My voice was low, but firm.
“And go through the people inside your house again. There will be spies of the viscount mixed in.”
Was that the signal?
One of the three knights standing beside Prisia could not hold back and drew his sword.
Shing—
A sharp metallic sound rang out murderously.
“What nonsense…! Every one of the house’s retainers are loyal men who sincerely serve the family head. Do you think the young lady would be taken in by the ramblings of a baseless commoner like you?”
I was dumbfounded as I looked at the drawn sword.
‘Good grief, why do these people always draw their weapons first?’
I’d felt this for a while now, but this place doesn’t suit me.
Originally, drawing a sword like that meant a life-and-death duel, in other words, drawing with the intention of turning one of the two into a corpse.
But these people draw swords as a threat first and talk later.
“……”
Leaving a perfectly good blade aside, I briefly sank into thought, wondering why anyone would fight with words. Perhaps the knight mistook my silence for fear, because he snickered.
“You fool. Have you finally grasped your place? If you were going to shut your mouth so quickly, how dare you use that filthy tongue to insult the honor of House Springfield? Since the young lady is present today, I shall endure it this once, but if you display such insolence again…”
“Lady Prisia.”
I cut off his words without mercy and looked at Prisia.
“Men like this are the most suspicious. Investigate them first.”
“Y-you bastard, to the very end…!”
A vein bulged on the knight’s forehead.
I was certain I’d heard patience was one of a knight’s virtues, so this had to be an anger management disorder.
No skill, only a filthy temper.
“Hmhm.”
What was interesting was Prisia’s reaction.
Far from stopping the situation, she stood with her arms crossed, watching me and the knight in turns with interest.
Her eyes were as if she were observing what kind of person I was.
“Hoo… Since you are, for now, a benefactor of the house, I shall let this insult pass.”
The knight swallowed his anger and sheathed his sword.
Whether he did or not.
I looked straight into Prisia’s eyes and asked,
“Are these three all the knights you have?”
“…What do you mean by asking that?”
“If this really is all, your house will soon be destroyed.”
No matter how I looked at it, there were far too few.
At my provocative answer, Prisia crossed her arms and raised her slender eyebrows.
“There are a few more, but these men are the elite among elites, the most trusted in our house.”
“Elite…?”
Swallowing a hollow laugh, I looked over the knights standing there as if they might cut me down at any moment.
If this were the royal capital, they’d be lucky to serve as soldiers.
“With knights like these, I can see why the viscount looks down on you and is invading.”
“You lowborn bastard, to the very end…! I can’t endure this any longer!”
Shing—
In the end, the knight lost his reason and swung his sword.
++
[Agile Movement]
▶You have perfectly evaded the target’s attack!
++
Without even rising from my seat, I chewed the apple and merely tilted my head slightly to the side.
The blade grazed past my ear by a hair’s breadth.
The knight’s eyes widened in shock.
“H-how did…!”
The knight tried to readjust his grip on the sword, but my hand was faster. I snatched his wrist and twisted it as it was.
“Ghaaak!”
I immediately kicked him in the chest and sent him flying all the way into the wall.
It was possible because my basic strength had returned after the party disbanded.
Kwaang—!
At the event that unfolded in an instant, the remaining knights’ mouths fell open.
“This can’t be! Sir Beshinem was taken down in one move…”
Prisia answered immediately.
“I shall inform them about Viscount Gondor and request protection from the Order tonight.”
Had she decided to listen to the person who won?
In any case.
“Good. I have something to tell you, so come here for a moment.”
No longer pointing out my informal speech, she obediently walked over to me. It seemed she had accepted that I was simply this sort of person.
When I quietly whispered a few pieces of information to her, she opened her eyes wide and looked at me.
It must have seemed a bit strange.
I didn’t take issue with the knight’s rudeness, and I even told her important information.
“…Why? Why are you helping me? What connection could someone of your ability possibly have with our house…? I am sorry, but our house is not wealthy. If money is your objective…”
Prisia’s voice trembled faintly.
Fear that her house might collapse and doubt toward my goodwill were mixed together.
Well, if I wanted wealth or rank, siding with Viscount Gondor would be far more profitable.
“Just because.”
“……”
As if I found it bothersome, I tossed aside the apple I had finished eating.
“I couldn’t just watch.”
My intention was clear.
It was an extremely efficient judgment: I didn’t want to lose a frontliner who would face the Demon King’s Army in the future.
Where else would I find a tank-DPS like this?
However,
“Eek…!”
Her face flushed red like a carrot in an instant.
Judging by the way he speaks, he is a man poor at expressing himself.
Prisia’s eyes caught sight of the scars faintly visible beneath the collar of my shirt, scars steeped in past pain.
They were scars made by my former party members, mostly Lurein, but she began drawing her own conclusions.
‘Ah…! At last, every mystery has been solved.’
He had resolved an unprecedented crisis at the perfect timing.
‘He was a knight who loved me from the shadows and watched over me!’
He had no interest in the wealth and honor Viscount Gondor would offer.
‘Whenever I was in danger, he protected me from the viscount’s clutches and suffered such terrible wounds!’
He even kept worrying about her…
She recalled her favorite novel, The Brutish Knight and the Maiden Noblewoman.
‘Albert, how dare you do this to me…’
‘Dogs shouldn’t speak human words.’
Albert pulled hard on the leash.
‘Woof.’
If things went wrong, it might turn out like this.
With the intention of devouring me like a beast…!!
His appearance is decent enough, but at a glance, isn’t he clearly a beast-like man?
Should I try asking just a little?
“Hmhm! D-do you like me that much?”
Prisia lowered her eyes and hugged herself as if protecting her body from a ruffian.
What is wrong with this woman all of a sudden?
“That’s right.”
Her value as a frontline tank.
Nothing more, nothing less.
But after hearing my answer, she clutched her head and staggered.
“So it was true…”
“Lady Prisia!”
“Are you all right?”
“Until you suffered such wounds, you kept, kept…”
“……?”
Wounds?
These are burn marks from when Seria and Lurein, those bitches, used me for magic practice in the past, and the scars from when they stabbed me to test healing, though?
Whether she knew what I was thinking or not, her eyes sparkled brightly.
‘Look at that noble silence! True chivalry that does not flaunt his own achievements! Ah, to think I never knew such a man until now…’
A strange current flowed between us.
Of course, it might have just been my imagination.
“Hmhm! I shall be going now. Then, farewell until that time.”
Her face dyed bright red, Prisia vanished in an instant along with the knights.
Ding!
++
[Prisia Springfield has developed a deep affection for you!]
[Your bond has deepened.]
[Character scenario has expanded.]
[Bond weapon has been unlocked.]
[Regional Reputation: Artem has risen explosively!]
[The probability of your name appearing in regional high society has…]
++
“What the hell?”
Why has the character scenario already…
I didn’t know the reason, but if it was showing me, I might as well take a look.
++
[Detailed Character Information: Prisia Springfield]
[Name]: Prisia Springfield
[Title]: Flower of Springfield,
[Class]: Mage (3rd Circle)
[Affiliation]: House Springfield (Acting Lord)
[Stats]
▷Strength: A+ (Possesses overwhelming brute strength that does not match her appearance)
▷Stamina: E (Training with the single-minded determination to protect her house)
▷Agility: D
▷Mana: B-
++
“Nothing’s changed much.”
It was within the margin of error.
“What’s the problem?”
Then I found it.
Negative Trait: [Delusional Disorder (Middle)]
“Ah.”
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