Chapter 149 - Stop saying creepy things

“I-I see… I get it now… Well, sorry for bringing up a painful topic.”

“It’s not really a painful topic.”

“Then, the reason you’ve been doing everything without saying a word until now…”

“That’s right. Of course, I was scared of His majesty, too.”

“Frankly, it feels unrealistic that you would be scared of anything.”

“Hey, you think I’ll be a scaredy-cat like you?”

After a brief silence, the atmosphere seemed to ease somewhat, but Ivan’s frustration and uncertainty were still palpable.

Ivan hesitated for a moment before cautiously continuing, “But why did your eye become like that?”

He decided to ask because he thought Ruve might give a straightforward answer now.

Even so, Ivan prepared himself for the worst and had an apology ready, but Ruve looked at him with an incredulous expression.

“Oh, sorry. If it’s inappropriate…”

“It’s not inappropriate. I’m just wondering why you suddenly became curious about that.”

“Well, it’s just that all of a sudden, I feel like I haven’t really seen you until now. Of course, if you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine. Everyone has painful memories they don’t want to share…”

“I don’t really mind. It’s not like I have any painful or grandiose past like Ezekiel’s messed up initiation ceremony.”

“Wait, so that rumour about you being a saviour was true? That actually happened?”

Even if they were known as the rough and tough Paladins of the North, members of the Longinus Order were still raised in noble families with proper manners. Therefore, it was customary for senior knights to be considerate of young initiates during initiation ceremonies to prevent any major accidents.

“You didn’t know? The senior knight who was responsible for Ezekiel, let him cause trouble back then, just like a reckless idiot. And so, when the senior decided to go on an adventure all by himself to a nest full of freshly hatched Arachne(spider), he never returned…”

“Damn. Are you serious? What happened to him then?”

“I killed him. I was injured in the eye because of him, and that’s how it ended.”

Wow, such a dramatic turn of events!

Ivan decided to pick up all the words he had said so far and looked at Ruve’s leather eye patch with a tender expression.

“You were amazing too. Back then, you were just a rookie.”

“That guy was high on some sh*t. Still, if it was known that a senior got beaten in a duel, other seniors would be embarrassed too, so they tried to hush it up.”

“Sorry, I take back everything I said earlier. I never knew you were such a loyal guy-“

“Don’t worry about it. I didn’t even know who Ezekiel was back when I first met him and the senior. They asked me to take him to the clinic because he got injured. So I went there, and there was a guy who looked incredibly foolish, sitting there with half his jaw missing.”

“Well, that wouldn’t have been a good first impression. But then why did you…”

“I just found it annoying how that senior next to me pretended to be so apologetic for causing trouble.”

“Oh, I see. So, it was some sort of kinship hatred?”

“Could be.”

Ruve grinned slightly.

Ivan also chuckled in response.

What a quirky guy.

“That’s when they started calling you the Torturer? Whatever the reason, many men must have fallen for you.”

“Stop saying creepy things.”

“I mean, creepy in a complimentary way?”

“What kind of a compliment is that…”

“Pew! Pew!”

Just as they were finishing up their conversation, the little troublemaker, who had finished preparing to leave, appeared with the staff guiding him.

Both Northerners looked down at the little one who approached them, making incomprehensible sounds.

“Why do you keep clinging to me?”

“I think he fell for you.”

While Ruve wore an exasperated expression, Ivan couldn’t help but hold back his laughter.

However, when Ruve lifted the little one, who was hanging on his leg, with one hand, Ivan became nervous again.

“C-Calm down, Torturer!”

“He keeps sticking to me…”

“Hehehe!”

The little one hanging in the air giggled, wriggling his legs.

His bright orange hair fluttered, and his blue eyes sparkled.

Ruve turned his head and looked at Ivan.

“Why is he laughing?”

“It seems like he finds you amusing.”

“He’s such a weird kid.”

“You are special to him, you have to endure it.”

The child who had been laughing loudly in the air started to make choking noises.

Ruve still had a puzzled expression on his face as he watched the scene.

Finally, Ivan, realizing that he couldn’t just watch the child suffocate to death, stepped forward and grabbed the little one.

“The kid can’t breathe, you crazy idiot!”

“Oh, sorry. It’s just fascinating.”

“What’s so fascinating about it?”

“Just the fact that he’s still laughing despite everything…”

A strange expression that would rarely be seen in his pitch-black eyes, flickered as if he had recalled someone. Of course, it was only for a moment.

Ivan paused for a moment but quickly changed the subject.

“Anyway, once we take this kid to his new home, our mission will be over. He’s been through a lot because of his irresponsible parents.”

“After the relocation, nobody will know, so it should be fine.”

“Well, even in a different province, the circles are quite small. No matter who becomes the guardian, wherever he goes, it’ll be known. But that’s a problem we can’t solve, so it’s meaningless to talk about it.”

“I guess… It’s becoming quite annoying.”

***

The day of the summer festival and the celebration of the king and queen’s wedding anniversary had finally arrived. Guests from all over Britannia, including various dignitaries and delegations from other countries, came to the grand ball held at the Angvan Palace, announcing the start of the festivities.

Among the guests were some who stubbornly insisted on presenting a giraffe as a gift. This caused a lot of trouble for the guards.

Of course, not only the guards but everyone inside the palace was busy, regardless of their status.

The queen was no exception.

As the protagonist of the grand event after a long time, she had to keep others waiting, but at the same time, she had to prepare more carefully than usual.

Despite checking and confirming many times in the past few weeks, she felt just as frantic and disorganized on the day itself.

After nearly a day of being swept away here and there, the flower arrangements were finally finished, and she felt completely exhausted.

A warm early summer breeze entered through the open window.

She was hungry.

However, she couldn’t tell if it was due to her exhaustion or simply because she was hungry all the time these days.

Rudbeckia was gazing into the mirror lost in thought when someone cautiously interrupted her.

It was a guard sent by Duke Omerta, who would probably be at the banquet hall by now.

The guard looked embarrassed and explained that the Duke had suddenly disappeared, and they thought he might be here.

He had been with the delegation just a moment ago, but as soon as the ballroom opened, he vanished without a trace.

The commemorative banquet was about to begin, but how could the king disappear like this?

It wouldn’t make sense for the queen to enter alone in the king’s absence.

“Don’t worry, Your Majesty. We will dedicate our lives to finding him quickly.”

“…”

After seeing off the guard making a solemn promise, Rudbeckia held her head for a moment.

“My ever-consistent husband.”

Do you have any extraordinary talent for creating emergencies on important days, dear husband?

I’m starving to death right now.

Surely, nothing serious has happened, right?

As she was starting to get worried, another figure discreetly approached.

This time, it was one of Ellenia’s maids.

With a puzzled expression, Rudbeckia listened as the maid whispered that she knew where the king might be and suggested that she should come and see.