novelzi Chapter 175 : Chapter 175
Chapter 175 : Chapter 175
After returning from the trip to the dwarves.I came back to my room, casually dropped my bag, and asked Elly with a hint of a laugh in my voice.
“Elly, was there something you wanted to say? You even came to meet me at the west training ground.”
The west training ground was quite a distance from the Central Palace where my room was located.
It was about a 10 or 20-minute walk.
“Ah… no, Your Majesty. I was just fulfilling my duty to greet you.”
Elly said in a slightly timid voice as she took my bag. In the past, I found such small gestures burdensome, but now they felt natural.
They say if favors continue, you start to think of them as a right, and that was exactly my case.
“Did your discussion with the dwarves go well?”
“Yeah, it went well. Better than I expected. Was there any trouble in the kingdom?”
“No, Your Majesty.”
I wasn't usually the type to make such small talk.
The reason I was doing it now was because, for some reason, Elly’s atmosphere was different from usual.
‘I don’t need to be wary of Elly, but for some reason, I find myself being so.’
As I was thinking.
Elly spoke in a voice full of courage.
“Y-Your Majesty. Do you remember the promise you made before you left on your trip? That you would give me two days when you returned.”
Right, I did.
“Yes, I remember.”
“Th-Then, could you spare the time starting right now?”
“Now? Hmm… it’s difficult right now, but I think I’ll be free from this afternoon. I have something to do right now.”
Was she pleased with my answer?
Elly’s voice brightened.
“I understand. Then I will look forward to it, starting this afternoon!”
“No need to look forward to it that much.”
I said nonchalantly.
I operated the communication crystal on my desk and connected it to Ronak’s crystal.
Vrrrrooom—.
When the crystal vibrated briefly, a familiar voice was heard.
「Yes, Your Majesty. Ronak is away for a moment, so I am taking the call on his behalf.」
“Is that you, Rollo?”
「That is correct. Shall I tell Ronak to contact Your Majesty again when he returns?」
Rollo, who was once the vice commander of the Ingrid Pirates.
Although he was the most pirate-like among the pirates, after several years of service as a ‘knight,’ his manner of speaking had become quite knightly.
‘His appearance is still like a pirate, so there’s a bit of a gap.’
Just like when we first met, Rollo wore a bandana and carried twin swords crossed in an X on his back.
I didn't want to infringe on their autonomy, so I just left them as they were.
“No, there’s no need to call back. Just tell him to prepare what I mentioned before and go to the west sea shipyard. He’ll understand. The dwarves are already there, so as quickly as possible.”
「Yes, I understand. I will relay the message. Is that all?」
“Yes, good work.”
「Thank you!」
Fsh—.
After ending the communication with Rollo, I operated the crystal again.
This time, it was Jereuth.
‘The dwarves said they wouldn’t just build a ship in the kingdom, but also weapons. They said they would also teach our craftsmen their skills. I need to think of a way to draw out 120% of that benefit.’
It was difficult to think about such things alone.
So, I planned to call Jereuth and Olivia for a meeting.
***
Elly.
She watched Leonardo, who, immediately upon returning from his trip, was engaged in a serious meeting with Jereuth and Olivia.
“We need as many craftsmen as possible to see and learn their skills before the dwarves return. But we can’t call all the craftsmen from every city and town in the kingdom to the royal capital, so… for now, let’s summon the top blacksmiths from each city and town.”
“A wise decision, Your Majesty.”
“I agree.”
As Leonardo conducted the meeting without a hitch, Elly thought to herself.
‘He’s truly… amazing. I find it hard to even joke around with Olivia-unni.’
Elly thought Leonardo was amazing like this.
But on the other hand, she also had a slight complaint.
‘He said he would give me time from the afternoon… but it’s already four o’clock.’
In Elly’s standard, ‘from the afternoon’ was from twelve o’clock sharp.
But now, Leonardo was still in a meeting even after four o’clock.
But then, she heard very welcome words.
“It seems we’ve covered most of what we needed to, so let’s conclude today’s meeting here. Olivia, please expedite the budget calculation for the shipyard and the construction of the dwarven smithy.”
“Yes, I understand. I will have it drafted and reported by tonight.”
“Right, tonight—.”
Leonardo was speaking when.
“I’m on ‘vacation’ today and tomorrow, so you can do it by the day after tomorrow.”
“Vacation… you say? Your Majesty?”
“Yeah. Elly insisted that I rest.”
“Ah… I see.”
Olivia nodded hesitantly and looked at Elly. It seemed the two were having some sort of conversation with their eyes, but Leonardo couldn't tell what it was about.
“By the way, Commander. Did your talk with Sir Elvandor go well?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Fortunately, he has given his permission for the marriage.”
“That’s great. You’ll be having a wedding ceremony too, right?”
“Haha… I didn't expect Your Majesty to ask the same thing as the other subordinate knights. I was planning not to have a ceremony—.”
“You must. It’s none other than the Commander’s wedding. We will absolutely have one. Consider it an order.”
“……I understand. But I would prefer it not to be too extravagant. It’s embarrassing enough getting married at this age, so something small—.”
“We will make it extravagant. As extravagant as possible without wasting the budget.”
As his lord cut him off twice, Jereuth gave an awkward smile.
He was grateful for the wedding ceremony being held for him, but honestly, it was a bit embarrassing. As Jereuth had said, it wasn't a marriage at a young age.
‘Still, it’s a consideration from His Majesty, so it would be my duty to accept it.’
And.
‘As for stepping down from the Knight Commander position… I should tell him separately later. It’s not something to talk about when the other two are present.’
“Then, Your Majesty, I will take my leave.”
“Yes. You’ve worked hard. You too, Olivia, good work.”
“Thank you.”
As Jereuth and Olivia stood up from their seats.
Elly, who had been waiting for that moment more than anyone, immediately opened the door and escorted— ‘kicked out’— the two of them.
“You both worked very hard! Please go and rest now!”
“……?”
“……?”
Jereuth and Olivia were a bit taken aback by Elly’s unusual behavior, but they just went along with it and left.
And so, Elly was finally left alone with Leonardo.
“Your Majesty—.”
She was about to say something to Leonardo, who was leaning his head against the headrest, looking tired from the long meeting.
But seeing Leonardo with his eyes gently closed, thinking about something, she stopped herself.
‘But… for today at least, I want to be greedy.’
But before being a woman, she was the head maid responsible for the king’s health and life.
In the end, Elly couldn't say anything again—.
“So, Elly, did you have anything in mind?”
“Pardon?”
Elly asked, a little surprised by Leonardo’s question with his eyes still closed.
“You asked for two days of my time. Isn’t it because there’s something you want to do or ask of me?”
“Ah… that’s.”
There were many things Elly wanted to do with Leonardo.
She wanted to have trivial conversations like before, and she wanted to assist Leonardo while he read books alone in the library.
Besides that, there were many other things she wanted to do together.
‘But His Majesty… seems to be thinking of spending time with me as another duty.’
That wasn't what Elly wanted.
But still.
‘……Let’s be greedy. Me too.’
“Your Majesty, do you happen to remember the time we went to the market together?”
“The market? Ah, when I went out with the Commander when I was young?”
“Yes. When you said you wanted to see the lives of the royal capital’s citizens for yourself after you purged the nobles.”
“I remember. I remember.”
Leonardo smiled faintly as if reminiscing about a memory.
“Back then, every single day felt like being on the edge of a cliff. If it weren’t for you, I probably wouldn’t have been able to endure it.”
“Is… that so? I thought I wasn’t much help to Your Majesty. I couldn’t be Your Majesty’s sword like Commander Jereuth, nor did I alleviate Your Majesty’s worries like Sir Heinshtangl or Lady Olivia.”
“But you were there for me. When I was at my lowest and couldn’t trust anyone.”
“……”
“Then, and now. You, whom I can keep by my side without any worries, are a great help. You’re managing the royal palace well too.”
Leonardo said it casually, as if it were nothing. Casually, but with sincerity.
But to Elly, each and every word came as a huge impact.
‘I… was helpful to His Majesty.’
Leonardo’s words gave Elly a little confidence.
And her greed grew stronger.
‘What I wanted to do with His Majesty was to walk around the market together, or to watch him read a book from his side. But…’
“……Your Majesty. No one will come looking for you from today until tomorrow. I have already informed them that Your Majesty is on vacation for two days.”
“So?”
“So……”
Elly stood next to Leonardo, with a somewhat flushed face, unable to meet his gaze, and said.
“……May I stay with you tonight without going home?”
For the first time since she began serving Leonardo, Elly decided to be greedy.
Not the greed of a head maid, but the greed of a woman.
***
The second day since Leonardo returned from his trip to the dwarves.
Ronak, under the king’s command, was heading to the west sea with his bandit army and the royal capital’s craftsmen.
To be precise, to the port and shipyard on the west sea.
“Ronak, what exactly did His Majesty command us to do? You can tell me now, can’t you?”
At the question from Rollo, who was riding a horse next to him, Ronak thought for a moment before answering.
“Hmm… right, I can tell you now. His Majesty commanded two main things. One is for us to build a ‘ship’ with the dwarves.”
“A ship, you mean that huge one that carries Gryphons? The one with no sails?”
“Yes, that one. And the other is the role of an envoy.”
At Ronak’s words about the role of an ‘envoy,’ Rollo tilted his head. Not only him, but the other people who were listening to his words as well.
“An envoy? Us?”
“Mhm. His Majesty has sent us to the Jerpan Archipelago as envoys of the Plank Kingdom.”
“……Really? Us? Why all of a sudden? Ah, of course, if His Majesty says so, there must be a reason, but why ‘us’ of all people? We don’t exactly have the faces for envoys.”
At Rollo’s words, the surrounding bandit army nodded their heads.
It was no brag, but they were no different from a band of bandits. In fact, that was their origin.
“It’s true we know the sea routes well, but then it would be better to just have us handle the sailing and entrust the envoy role to another vassal. Like the other knights.”
“I thought so too, so I asked His Majesty the same question. But His Majesty said he trusts me and us. That we are the most suitable for the envoy to be sent to the Jerpan Archipelago.”
“……It’s an honor, but it’s also a burden.”
“Indeed.”
“So, what’s the reason His Majesty suddenly wants to have exchanges with the Jerpan Archipelago? He’s not after the gold and women of the Jerpan Archipelago, is he?”
“Mhm.”
Ronak thought briefly again.
He continued in a cautious voice.
“His Majesty said it seems the Jerpan Archipelago will invade our kingdom. So he wants me to go and confirm if that’s true.”
“Those bastards from the Jerpan Archipelago… are trying to attack the kingdom?”
There was only one piece of evidence that the Jerpan Archipelago was trying to attack the kingdom.
The ‘King’s thought.’
But with that one thought alone, not only Rollo but the entire bandit army believed it to be true.
Their trust in King Leonardo was that great.
“Then did His Majesty tell us to go and kill the king or lords of the Jerpan Archipelago?”
“No, he did not say such a thing. But he didn’t say not to do it either. His Majesty has entrusted all judgment to me.”
“……”
“He has entrusted me with diplomacy, in other words, ‘negotiation.’”
At Ronak’s word ‘negotiation,’ his long-time comrades smiled mysteriously.
“Then we’ll have to show off our strength first. In negotiations, the stronger one always has the upper hand. Should we raid a port as soon as we get to the Jerpan Archipelago?”
If it were any other ‘ordinary envoy representative,’ they would have been horrified by what Rollo just said.
To go to another kingdom as a representative of the kingdom, and to suggest attacking a port before even meeting them.
But Ronak was no ordinary envoy representative.
“Let’s observe the situation first. But there must be a reason like that for His Majesty to specifically choose us and send us to the Jerpan Archipelago.”
“You think so?”
“Mhm. So if those bastards are not favorable to us—.”
Ronak finished his words, scratching the long scar on his face, a wound from a kraken.
“Then we’ll have to go back to the old days. Not as knights, but as pirates and bandits.”
Something that knights, who have much to lose and care about honor, cannot do.
Ronak judged that the king had sent him as an envoy to do just that.