Chapter 249.
Hameln whispered quietly to me as it got late into the promotion and work dinner. "It’s very late. You should go back now, Senior. Mrs. Arscilla will be worried."
Hameln had been living in the same boarding house as I for two years now. In the Adventurers’ Guild, we generally treated each other comfortably, but since we were civil servants in a bureaucratic community, we had to consider the seniority system on the outside. Nevertheless, Hameln had always smiled and talked to me as if he was not uncomfortable living in the same house as I, his senior.
I took out the watch that Duke Asteria gave me for my birthday. "Oh, it’s ten o’clock."
Fiona also checked the clock at my words. "Oh my, it’s already this late. Let’s wrap up the work dinner here." She announced the end of the work dinner.
Demuir smacked his lips in disappointment. "Ayy, that’s too bad.”
It was still only about 10 p.m., but most of the people returned home around this time when access to the city gates completely closed.
"There’s nothing we can do about it since we have to go to work tomorrow," Flam remarked.
Fiona added: "That’s right. And because the Fairy Tribe delegation will be arriving shortly, the civil servants in each department have been asked to straighten up and mind their manners."
Organ agreed with Fiona and added, "In short, they are saying not to create trouble that you could get blamed for."
Demuir nodded with a helpless expression.
I told Hameln as everyone got up and left the pub, "I have somewhere to stop by, so I’ll go home afterwards. Hameln, you go in first.”
Hameln said respectfully with a slight bow, "I understand. Then what time should I tell Mrs. Arscilla that you will be home?”
"I’ll be back before 11 p.m. But we just have a senior and junior relationship. It’s a little uncomfortable to be so polite."
Every time I saw Hameln, I felt like I was dealing with a butler.
"Yes, I understand."
Hameln smiled and said yes, but as always, he didn’t listen to me. However, it was strange to say something because he was being so polite, so I didn’t say anything and moved on. There were no problems because he processed work or other requests before I even told him.
"Then head in first."
"Yes, please be careful."
I gestured awkwardly to Hameln, who said goodbye politely and went towards the street.
In fact, it was just last year that Hameln was assigned to this Adventurers’ Guild. In other words, he entered the boarding house much earlier than us becoming a senior-junior relationship. Come to think of it, he spoke to me formally since he first entered the boarding house.
"Well, maybe that’s just his nature. Don’t you think so, Gwalchavad?"
When I asked Gwalchavad, who had been lurking around me all day, hiding, and guarding me, a gentle smiling young man appeared from the dark on the side of the road.
"Yes, Master.”
Connected to my thoughts, Gwalchavad immediately knew what I was asking and affirmed.
I asked as I headed to my workshop, "So the last queen, no Arietta, has returned from her journey?"
"Yes, that’s correct."
It took more than half a year to bring Arietta, the last queen of the Holy Kingdom, from the Alps and recover completely with the help of Hillis. In the meantime, the knights who were asleep in the golem cores were awakened as dragon tooth soldiers, and Arietta taught me and Hillis the magic of the Holy Tribe.
Arietta, who woke up and taught me most of her knowledge for about a year, wanted to go on a trip, saying she was curious about the world 500 years later. I gladly allowed her because she wouldn’t be much help even if she was around until I finished digesting all the knowledge of the Holy Tribe.
"It’s funny to ask now, but was it fine for you to not have followed Arietta?"
Percival, Agravain, and Boaz were the only ones who left to escort Arietta. The other nine stayed by my side, saying they would protect me.
"Yes, now, my master is you. I swore to protect Master as the shield."
Feeling through our mental connection, his words did not contain any trace of lies and were sincere. Rather, there was only...
"But I think you’re still a little disappointed?" I said.
Gwalchavad responded with a gentle smile. "Haha, jeez. It’s convenient that I don’t have to express everything to Master because we are connected mentally.”
What’s really scary was that what he just said was perfectly sincere. "Don’t people usually hate having their inner thoughts revealed?”
"No way. Knights are supposed to only expose themselves to their masters and not hide anything."
His loyalty went past being heavy to the point of giving me goosebumps. As if he read my feelings, he laughed awkwardly and said, "Haha, to answer your question, I actually wanted to also see that girl, who no longer has authority. She was overwhelmed by the throne that she inherited after the previous Holy King’s death."
"Based on her tone, she still seems to be overflowing with authority."
Arietta’s way of speaking was basically informal and overbearing.
"That’s because she was educated to succeed the throne since she was a child. It’s gotten a lot better too. In fact, I’m sorry to the other knights for saying this, but in a way, I’m relieved that the Holy Kingdom was destroyed."
"Because Arietta is free now?"
At my question, Gwalhabad didn’t say anything but smiled bitterly.
I grinned and spoke with my fingers interlocked behind my head, "But anyway, it seems I’ll finally be able to work out the part that I’m stuck on."
The magic of the Holy Tribe was based on the bloodline and divine power of the Holy Tribe, so it could not be used by anyone other than the Holy Tribe. The divine power that I didn’t have could be sufficiently substituted using the Holy Sword, but not the bloodline of the Holy Tribe.
For this reason, I analyzed Arietta’s blood, the last blood of the Holy Tribe, that I collected in advance, during the year that Arietta was not here. I found a way for those not of the Holy Tribe to use the magic of the Holy Tribe.
"Let’s go in.”
Arriving at my workshop, I immediately went inside.
"Ohh, Master, you arrived?”
As I entered the workshop, Tristan, who was hanging on the chandelier above, jumped down and welcomed me.
“I heard Arietta has arrived?”
“The Holy Queen is in the inner garden.”
I walked to where Tristan pointed. As it was a noble’s mansion that was turned into a workshop, there were many rooms and places for social gatherings. Of course, the inner garden was not used for social gatherings but to grow magic materials.
Entering the inner garden, there were Arietta and three more knights.
“Hello, Commander-in-Chief.”
“Crow Tribe Prince, come over!”
"Crow Tribe Prince, hurry up!"
The man with brown hair and a pale beard who called me the commander was Caradoc. And the two who call me Crow Tribe Prince were twins with the same faces and full of mischief- Yvain and Ovain.
"If you’re going to refer to me, I’d like you to call me by the same title."
"Hahaha, it’s hard to change it now that I’ve gotten used to it. Still, since you lead the army of many dragon tooth soldiers, doesn’t the title of commander-in-chief fit well?"
Yvain and Ovain shook their heads at Caradoc’s words.
"Come on, the prince is the next Crow Chieftain, so the title of a prince is more fitting than a commander!"
"Of course, of course, prince fits well."
The three people began to debate about what would be more appropriate as my title. I considered forcibly choosing a title but decided to leave them alone. Since we won’t be walking about together in public anyways.
"Hahaha, Sirs are still full of individuality and joy.”
Arietta became reminiscent upon seeing the three men who were having a heated discussion on useless topics.
"Did you enjoy your trip?" I asked.
She nodded with a pleased look on her face. "Mmm, it was a lot of fun. I am very grateful to you. You have not only healed me but have lent your knights to me as escorts.”
I smiled at her thank you and said, "There’s no need to thank me for the escorts because those guys went voluntarily. I promised to guarantee their freedom if they obeyed my orders in the first place."
While they were escorting Arietta, I made them travel around various parts of the empire to collect the magic materials I wanted. The knights were connected to my pocket space, so as soon as they gathered them, the materials came into my pocket space. It felt as if I had turned on automatic hunting.
"I can’t help but admire your vast generosity. But as someone experienced in leading knights, I advise you that it is important to have your own set of discipline and rules."
"I agree. They are somehow too individualistic.”
Of course, it was not without discipline. Absolute obedience to my orders. I was trying to let them be free as much as possible as long as they followed that one rule. Until now, all I had ordered was for them to train so that they wouldn’t lose their sense of battle and also some small errands.
I let out a small sigh and Tristan retorted.
"My God, how can Master say such a thing when there is no one who is as unique as Master? Master, where’s your conscience?"
Gwalchavad gave a gentle smile. "But still, Master is not forcing us to unify the titles into one. I don’t think Master views our individualism in a bad light."
"Hmm, I think that’s just because Master doesn’t have a particular title he likes."
To be honest, Tristan was right. My titles were Lord, Master, Sir Owner, Owner, Commander-in-Chief, Crow Tribe Prince, Your Majesty, Mordred, Boss, Brother-nim. There were 11 titles in total, each one of them cringy. I didn’t like any of them.
I told them to just call me by my name, but they said it went against their sincerity to just call by my normal name.
I was speechless.
"Then what name would you like to be called, Master?"
"Me? I... well, it’s better to be called by name, but if not, then by my rank, assistant junior official, no junior official now that I’ve been promoted."
Of course, there were only a handful of times that I was actually called by my rank. The knights who heard me didn’t have a good expression.
"I don’t think that’s right, Master."
"I agree, Master."
"Khmm! Isn’t the Commander-in-Chief lowering himself too much?"
"We were told to dream big, Crow Tribe Prince."
"Right, right. He’s the Prince we serve. Please think of it as if Prince is lowered, then so are we.”
Then why did you ask? I gave up with a sigh.
"Yes, call me whatever you want."
-o-
Hameln wrote a letter in a code that only they could recognize.
To,
Duke Asteria whom I respect.
I’d like to give you a regular update on the young master. As always, Young Master is living a healthy and energetic life...
...(ellipsis)...
...He was awarded a sixth-rank of prestige with his own ability at today’s regular promotion ceremony.
In addition, I am in the midst of collecting information regarding the Fairy Tribe delegation, so I will be able to send you information related to it in the next report.
Sincerely,
Butler Hameln.
Upon finishing, he melted the wax mixed with fairy powder in a white envelope and sealed it with a sealing stamp engraved with magic. It was a seal mixed with fairy powder, so once you opened it, the wax seal would turn into powder and disappear, so it was perfect for security.
He then picked up the letter and sent it to a designated location with wind magic.
"It’s so peaceful here."
Hameln was content with his comfortable work here, unlike in the duchy.
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