Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Banquet

◆

“Didn’t you say you were going to get a carriage?”

A crying voice echoed through the alleyway.

It was the sound coming from the woman who had been beaten by Carlisle and was now sprawled on the ground. 

It was understandable. 

While Carlisle had disappeared to find a carriage, if Gray was pressing a blade to one’s throat with a murderous look, anyone would show a similar reaction.

However, Gray snorted and kicked the woman’s helmet.

Red hair spread messily across the alley floor.

Despite the crying voice, the woman was striking with her narrowly opened eyes and constantly smiling face. 

Gray’s gaze settled on the seal carved into such a person’s nape.

“A Templar of the Orthodox Church wouldn’t be scared just from a life threat, would they?”

The seal of a rosary crossed with a sword.

The symbol of those who represent the fangs of the church.

Among the groups that influence various countries on the continent, the Orthodox Church is the only one that doesn’t possess a military organization.

The reason for that is right before her eyes.

A one-person army.

The knights of the ‘Round Table’ who can single-handedly fulfill the role of a military organization.

This woman too is one of those equipped with the military power to challenge the Holy Sword if she set her mind to it.

One who has the ‘qualification’ to challenge a member of humanity’s strongest.

“…Uh, right now I’m just a knight. I’m off duty from the Templar side.”

Watching the woman speak with shameless ease, Gray said coldly:

“The famous Spirit Knight wouldn’t be comfortably tailing a child just for convenience.”

“Did the Hero know about someone like me?”

“I know. Siona Rebel. Spirit Knight. And-“

She curled up the corners of her mouth as she added:

“The right hand of that sinister Cardinal who even the Imperial Family finds troublesome.”

“…”

“You didn’t come just to monitor me. Right? Cardinal Felix wouldn’t waste someone like you on just this kind of work.”

“…”

The constantly smiling face didn’t give any answer.

That in itself could be considered a sufficient response.

“Cardinal Felix is always worried about you, Hero. He’s always anxious that bugs might attach themselves to your surroundings.”

“Worried, my ass. He’s worried that the ‘commodity value’ of the Hero might be damaged, not about me.”

Gray sighed as she spoke.

“I know. I know it. Instead of receiving the Holy Sword, the top priority is protection from the Orthodox Church and the Imperial Family. Don’t get unnecessarily involved with civilians and create scandals.” 

“I’m glad you understand.”

“So don’t report about that guy just now.”

Siona blinked her eyes.

“Pardon?”

“Carlisle Belfast. Don’t report on that bastard. If you do, I’ll kill you.”

“…”

It was a light declaration about having steak for dinner.

But the Hero is someone who always keeps the words she puts out. Especially if it’s a promise to harm someone.

“…If I may be so bold, Hero. What is your relationship with that man?”

“We met yesterday.”

No relationship at all.

She’s only seen him twice now.

But.

“I just got curious. It seems like he’ll be fun to play with for a while.”

“…”

“I hate it when others steal what’s mine. Understand?”

“Hero, do you have some special feelings for that person?”

“Stop with the disgusting talk.”

Siona quietly looked at Gray.

Her face was smiling, but those eyes were utterly sunken.

After looking at Gray for a moment, she obediently nodded her head.

“…I understand. If there’s nothing special, I won’t report it.”

“That’s right. Good girl.”

“However.”

Siona raised a finger as she added:

“Personally, may I investigate that person a little?”

“Why?”

“Hmm~ I haven’t seen many people who can knock me down in one hit.”

“Weren’t you going too easy on him? That guy, as far as I know, hasn’t even received proper combat training-“

“No.”

“What?”

“I wasn’t going easy. If I had been hit wrong in real combat, I definitely could have died.”

“…”

“It seems like Hero doesn’t know much either, so I can’t ask… But he’s a man who needs some background investigation. My intuition is telling me so.”

Gray frowned upon hearing those words.

Come to think of it, when she had released her magic power to find him earlier, there was a moment when his location couldn’t be detected at all.

She eventually found him, so she didn’t pay much attention to it.

If even a Templar is saying this much, there must be something extraordinary about him.

That man.

He’s hiding something.

“Do whatever you want. Investigate or don’t.”

“Thank you!”

“But.”

If that’s the case.

“Share anything you find. I should know too, shouldn’t I?”

It might be okay to dig a little.

Just what kind of person he is.

◆

[System Message]

The Hero’s curiosity toward you has been amplified in a positive direction.

• The trait ‘Hero’s Companion’ activates.
• ‘Positive trait’ has been added!

[ ★ Trust 0% → 5% ]

• Reward has been granted!
• Open the traits tab to check!

[ Additional functions of the ‘Holy Sword’ can be unlocked! ] 

[ Build relationships with the Hero and have a positive influence to unlock even more functions! ]

‘This is good?’

This was the reaction that came out as soon as he confirmed that one more function of the Holy Sword had opened after returning from the outing.

It means that besides correcting the Hero’s bad tendencies, he can also add functions to the Holy Sword just by getting along well with her and being to her liking.

…Though for the time being, he didn’t have the luxury to worry about what additional rewards he might receive.

One thing he learned while handling the Hero’s power,

A sparrow trying to follow a stork will split its legs.

[…You’re hopeless when it comes to being weak.]

“Shut up.”

Carlisle retorted to the Holy Sword in a half-dead voice.

It’s good that he can now handle the Hero’s magic power by injecting it into the Holy Sword, but his actual body that handles that magic power is incredibly frail.

After handling the magic power for the first time.

He groaned in muscle pain all day for several days. All he did was throw one punch.

And while groaning like that, dealing with Gray was an even more difficult problem.

He had taken on the role of assisting Gray at the request of Grand Duke Chasefield, but Gray’s treatment of him within the mansion was almost like a servant.

And not just any servant treatment, but almost abusive levels of being worked to death.

Looking back on the record of that abuse over several days:

“Meal.”

“Yes, I’ll tell the cook to prepare-“

“You make it yourself.”

“…Why?”

“I’m curious about how your cooking tastes.”

“…”

He somehow managed it.

Though the Miss poured out harsh criticism and verbal abuse throughout the meal.

“Bath.”

“Yes, I’ll prepare-“

“You do it alone. Don’t make others do it.”

“…”

He cleaned the large bath in the mansion by himself, filled it with water, heated it, and set up even the bath salts all by himself.

“Sword practice.”

“Should I prepare everything by myself?”

“Yeah. You’re finally getting trained.”

“…”

‘Shit.’

‘Fucking shit.’

Such curses naturally came to mind.

His body was already hard to manage due to the aftereffects of magic power recoil, and serving such a whimsical young lady was an ordeal beyond ordeals.

One day, he indirectly asked Gray why she was tormenting him so much.

The answer that came back was simple, too.

“Just because.”

“…Ah!”

“It’s fun watching you whine and struggle.”

“……Hmm.”

That night, he returned to his lodging and took out his anger on the Holy Sword for no reason.

[Why are you taking it out on me?]

“You should pay for your sins, you trash!”

[Hmm. Is that the extent of it?]

While earnestly punching the Holy Sword without dealing any damage to it, he suddenly heard someone knocking on the door.

When he opened it to see who it was, it was a familiar face.

“…Your Grace?”

“How are you getting along?”

“Not well.”

“…”

“I feel like I’m dying.”

It was a precious situation where the Grand Duke personally came to ask after the welfare of such a commoner with nothing, but only blunt answers could come from Carlisle’s mouth.

“Even so, if it’s to that extent, Gray is showing quite a bit of interest.”

“…Pardon?”

“She’s dismissed all the other servants and is entrusting many tasks to you.”

“…”

“It’s really, really difficult. It’s something that would never happen unless someone could handle that child’s demanding temperament.”

When interpreted that way, it does make sense.

‘It is difficult work.’

If he didn’t know all of Gray’s minor preferences from repeating regressions, he couldn’t have done even that much.

Successfully catering to Gray’s preferences, which even the A-class servants in the Grand Duke’s house couldn’t endure and gave up on, must truly be something of rare value.

The window he had seen recently supported that.

[System Message]

◆ You are acting in ways that please the Hero.

[ ★ Trust 5% → 5.1% ]

“…”

Even though he’s perfectly assisting her in all aspects of life, he can’t help but think the increase is too stingy, but it’s going up anyway.

Though it makes him angry again, looking at it.

0.1%?

Having worked this hard and only 0.1%??

‘Be patient…’

At least the trust is going up.

The rewards given for this are quite substantial anyway.

“So, it seems you’ve become quite appealing to her, as she’s prepared a big favor to ask.”

While thinking such thoughts, the Grand Duke cleared his throat and spoke.

“A favor… Sir?”

“Yes. She wants to take you to the Imperial banquet soon as someone who would assist her.”

“…I see.”

“Prepare well. If you finish without any problems, the reward will be generous too.”

Carlisle’s expression darkened.

[System Message]

▶ ‘Quest: Imperial Banquet’ begins. 

▶ Upon clearing, you will gain a large amount of ‘Hero’s Trust.

▶ Will you accept? [Y/N]

Because something like this immediately appeared before his eyes.

A large amount of trust can be gained.

There’s no reason to refuse.

“Yes. By all means.”

“Is that so? I knew I could count on you!”

After seeing off Lionel, who left with delight, Carlisle picked up the Holy Sword lying on the bed again.

“Hero.”

[What?]

“This looks like some kind of important event just by looking at it. Do you remember anything?”

[…Nothing particularly comes to mind.]

“That can’t be.”

Otherwise, such a quest window wouldn’t have appeared.

Probably, this person is misremembering something.

[No, there wasn’t much.]

She talked with someone somewhere. She rejected all invitations to dance. She was introduced to someone by someone.

True to the Hero’s catastrophic memory, it was uselessly detailed, but the content was all just personal trivia, as she said.

…Really, no big incidents?

“Not that kind of thing, there must have been something you don’t usually experience. Haven’t you ever been in trouble?”

[Hmm… If it’s something close to that, definitely around 10:14 PM, on the 4th floor terrace, during a conversation between Lord Terium and Young Lady Anastasha of the Marquis house-]

“Please summarize briefly and simply.”

[I think I killed someone for the first time. Because they were being annoying.]

“…Sorry. A bit more in detail.”

No big incidents my ass.