Theorad's Dream (2)
Baynen's outrageous remark plunged the room into a silence far longer than anyone expected. None of us knew how to untangle the mess. After exchanging uneasy glances for a while, Roilen was the first to regain his composure. After all, he was the princess's trusted aide and the man in charge of this affair.
"……Sir Baynen. Please don't misunderstand. Just to be clear, what I'm about to say is not a joke."
By now, even Baynen sensed the odd tension and set down the towel he'd been using to wipe his sweat.
"Professor? Why so scary? Did I do something wrong?"
"Yes. To cut to the chase, you have committed a wrongdoing."
"Me……?"
Baynen visibly faltered, swallowing hard. He glanced at me, then raised his right hand as if taking an oath, like he had some inkling of guilt.
"I'll confess. I snuck some of that Valgium mountain chocolate from the drawing room. It was so expensive-looking, I got curious and tried it…… and got hooked. But I didn't eat much! Just three pieces……!"
"What?"
Whenever that rare chocolate went missing, I'd assumed the Elf was the culprit. I never dreamed it was Baynen. It was so absurd I let out a hollow sigh, and he clasped his hands together with a pitiful expression.
"I'm sorry, young master! I'll quit the chocolate! Deduct the cost from my pay! But calling in imperial agents just to catch me? That's too much……!"
Where to even begin correcting him. It was a total disaster.
I stared at Baynen in pity and sighed deeply.
"That's not it. The imperial visitors came to deliver my reward for completing the Artificial Rainfall Magic the other day."
"Huh? Then what wrongdoing did I……?"
"Allow me to explain." Roilen said with an awkward smile.
"To make a long story short, Her Highness the princess read the novel you authored, Secret Trysts with the Lady, and she's furious that the final volume hasn't come out in three years. She ordered us to bring the author in."
"What? Her Highness read my book? Wait, no……."
Baynen furrowed his brow, clearly baffled.
"What's with dragging someone in just for not writing a book?"
"Sir Baynen. Mind your words."
"Ah, sorry. But from my perspective, it doesn't make sense. Won't I get punished if I'm caught?"
"Well, Her Highness did say she'd kill the author, but that's just talk. In reality, you'll get a light punishment and be released."
"Light punishment?"
"Probably…… a flogging, then locked in solitary to write the final volume."
A flogging followed by solitary writing duty. What kind of inhuman treatment was this?
Baynen looked as pale as I felt. It seemed I had to step in. I didn't want my family's sole knight suffering.
"Professor Roilen."
"Yes, Lord Theorad. Something to say?"
"Even if it's Her Highness, it's unjust to seize my family's knight over an unwritten sequel. I beseech you to ask her to reconsider."
"Hmm. If you put it that way……."
"Hold on."
Just as Roilen was about to nod reluctantly, Baynen barged in cluelessly.
"Professor. I've been thinking. What if I convince Her Highness with a valid reason for stopping the serialization? What happens then?"
"If you succeed in persuading her, it would be ideal. No rift between the Deharm family and the palace, and Her Highness would treat you as an honored guest."
"Honored guest?"
"During your stay at the palace, anything you desire in the capital will be yours."
A glint sparked in Baynen's eyes.
"Does that include beautiful women?"
"If you wish. The capital has plenty of skilled courtesans."
The conversation had veered into strange territory. What was Baynen thinking? I'd gone out of my way to bail him out.
Baynen stroked his scruffy chin thoughtfully, then nodded with sudden seriousness.
"Alright. I'll go to the capital."
Now I was the dumbfounded one.
"Baynen! What nonsense is this!"
"Huh? Her Highness ordered my arrest. Shouldn't I go?"
"Didn't you hear Professor Roilen? You'll get flogged."
"Only if I fail to convince her."
"If you fail, it won't end with a light punishment."
"Young master."
Baynen clapped my shoulder. A smug smile crossed his weathered, middle-aged face—like a senior in life saying, I've lived longer than you, kid.
"This is a gamble worth taking. I'll win for sure, preserving the family's honor and my own safety. Don't worry."
I was speechless. Who bets their life on a gamble like this? And Baynen clearly cared more about tumbling with capital beauties than family honor or his safety.
"As I told you before, I was a sellsword before becoming a knight."
He patted my shoulder and gazed skyward with newfound resolve.
"So no need to refuse over danger. Every trial that doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right? This is a wall any real man must overcome."
"Ha……."
My will to save him plummeted straight through the floor.
I gave a wry smile and turned to Roilen.
"Just take him to the capital. A flogging might knock some sense into him."
"I was thinking the same. Then, as discussed, we'll be off."
Roilen murmured just loud enough for me to hear, then smiled brightly at Baynen and escorted him toward the mansion's entrance.
"Excellent! A knight with spirit. Follow me, and we'll use the warp gate in the plaza for a straight shot to the capital."
"Warp gates cost a fortune, don't they?"
"Haha. The palace covers it. No worries."
Watching Baynen and Roilen recede, a whirlwind of thoughts hit me—mostly worries, none pleasant.
I shook my head to clear them and headed for the carriage. The imperial knights had followed Roilen out, leaving the area quiet.
"Butler. Do you know the exact inventory of the carriages?"
Habid, keeping pace beside me, replied politely.
"Two carriages full of gold and jewels, one packed with top-grade silk, and the last brimming with books of all kinds. Plus fifteen fine horses as a gift."
I'd confirmed it before, but it was still an extravagant amount. Endless possibilities, but best to store it safely for now. If I spent freely and the palace reneged on the reward, demanding it back amid the current ill will toward the crown, it'd be trouble. Caution never hurt these days.
"Store the valuables in the family vault for future use. Make new clothes for all servants and slaves from the silk—one set each. Keep five sturdy horses and sell the rest at the horse market. Books go in the empty spaces of the mansion library."
"Understood. But is it alright to use the silk so freely?"
"Of course. You've worn the same uniform for eight years, butler. I should've paid more attention—I'm the sorry one."
"My lord……."
Habid's eyes reddened. Getting emotional over trifles was one of his bad habits. I patted his shoulder to stave off tears and inspected the carriages with him.
"They really sent a mountain of it."
After checking the last one—stuffed with books—I dusted my hands and stepped back.
"Now, gather the servants and slaves to unload into the warehouse……."
As Habid prepared to relay the order, my words caught in my throat. A woman dashed across the street from the opposite side, fleeing something.
Her pink hair, tinged with a shadowy black sheen, stood out even from afar.
Wondering what was up, I kept watching. She vaulted the mansion gate and barreled straight toward me.
Before I could react, she skidded to a halt nearby, knees buckling as she gasped for breath.
"P-Please…… save me……."
Tears welled in eyes matching her hair. Her clothes were shredded beyond recognition—practically naked. The tatters barely covered her nipples, leaving her areolas exposed.
A quick glance revealed an alluring figure, but that wasn't the point now.
I knelt and gripped her shoulders.
"Calm down first. What happened?"
"I-I don't know…… Slave hunters caught me, injected some weird drug…… Hic, I barely escaped, but I don't know where I am……."
Slave hunters operating openly in Pelgaroin County, famed for its security? Suspicious, but I couldn't outright doubt a apparent victim.
"Deep breaths. In slow, out slow."
"Y-Yes…… Hoo…… Haa……."
"Better?"
"Yes. A little……."
"Good. Tell me your name and residence. I'll help."
"Name's Serredi…… N-No! Petra. Residence…… I don't remember……."
"You don't remember?"
"Yeah…… Probably that drug the slave hunters gave me……."
A memory-erasing drug. I'd never heard of it, but plausible for slave hunters. They had pills that induced lactation, after all.
But how to help a woman who remembered nothing but her name?
As I pondered, she suddenly lunged, wrapping her arms around me.
"J-Just a few days! Let me stay in the mansion! Use my body however you want! Please~!"
Her breasts pressed against me uncomfortably.
"O-Okay, just…… calm down!"
"Please let me stay! Fuck me as many times as you want……!"
"Enough!"
She clung tighter, sobbing and rubbing against me. My strength couldn't pry her off.
Turning for Habid's help, I froze. The Elf stared with a chilling expression.
"Who's this?"
When had she snuck up? Probably saw from the window while cleaning and came down. But I was innocent!
"I swear, I don't know her! She ran up begging for help—"
"Aha."
The Elf cut me off and eyed the woman in my arms. A storm of unknown emotion swirled in her red eyes.
"Please get off Master right now."
The woman's whining stopped. She glared reluctantly, and the Elf flashed a sweet smile.
"I said, get off."
Her tone was coldly businesslike, but to me, it sounded like a beast's low growl…….