Chapter 79
Chapter 79
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: Chapter 26 - God Hand #5
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Rumors normally needed time to spread.
No matter how fast news traveled without wings, there was still a speed at which it propagated.
But sometimes, certain rumors spread at speeds beyond common sense, becoming widely known in an instant.
[Is this really that big of a deal?]
“It is that big of a deal.”
The rumor that began spreading the moment Luther and Integra left Yoru's Moon Viewing Palace struck the entire capital like a storm.
“Have you heard the rumor?”
“They cured baldness?”
“Baldness?”
“How?”
“Baldness can be cured?!”
The rumor that spread overnight reached not only the nobles but also the common folk, and Luther and Integra could immediately sense the changes it brought.
[There are a lot of gifts.]
[And invitations too.]
The morning after entering the palace.
In front of the annex where Luther and Integra were staying, gifts sent from all over, invitations, and letters requesting a meeting were piled up like a mountain.
[I can't understand it.]
[Don't the humans on this planet casually perform spatial jumps with magic and ignore the law of conservation of mass? Yet they can't cure something as simple as baldness?]
To Integra, the world of Dragon Hunter Origin seemed utterly bizarre.
But unfortunately, Luther couldn't empathize with her confusion.
To Luther's eyes, the fact that they could cure baldness—something even nanosuits or Night Wings couldn't do—seemed more mystical.
“Erm... Anyway, with Master's rumor spreading far and wide, things should be fine now.”
[It feels a bit off that he's known more as a baldness healer than a miracle healer, though.]
Integra made a subtle expression, as if even thinking about it further was tiring, and spoke. Luther chuckled like usual Integra would and replied.
“Well, like you said, Integra, he's widely known as a miracle healer now, so it should be good. Princess Yoru seems like she'll be a solid backer too.”
Prel Yoru de Arets, the First Princess and Crown Princess of the Malkuth Kingdom.
From her reaction yesterday, Luther had no doubt she'd be as reliable an ally as Aru.
[I don't think that's a bad thing either.]
[The Third Princess Fileiru also showed considerable favor toward Master, so it should help with future activities.]
Having said that, Integra looked back at the arriving gifts and letters, then broke into a broad smile.
No matter what, she was happy that Luther was being recognized.
“It's all thanks to you, Integra.”
[Hmph.]
Integra let out a smug hum at Luther's praise mixed with thanks, but it wasn't annoying at all.
She looked like a child, visibly delighted.
[Anyway, Master, things seem to be going better than expected.]
[Let's keep the momentum and heal the capital in one go.]
[Spies or whatever, we'll crush them with Master's influence.]
“Yeah.”
Luther chuckled again and looked over the gifts and letters.
Most were requests to cure baldness, which was a bit concerning, but what mattered was the desperate pleas in each one.
If he cured just a couple more from these, like Integra said, he could wield tremendous influence in the capital.
And two hours later.
As if to prove Luther's thoughts, a new incident occurred.
* * *
The Second Princess of the Malkuth Kingdom, Peliaru de Arets—commonly known as Aru—was in a great mood.
She was even humming a tune the whole way.
“Hehe-hum, hum-hum.”
Yesterday had been full of surprises.
First, Luther's true identity.
Who would've thought Luther was an angel—and one who'd lost his memories, at that.
She knew he was extraordinary, but this surpassed her wildest imagination.
'And I'm the only one who knows?'
The sole keeper of the secret.
That made her truly special.
She bit her lower lip to suppress her expression, but she couldn't stop the smile.
'And Luther is amazing too.'
Curing baldness.
Wasn't that in the realm of miracles?
'Or since he's an angel, performing miracles is natural?'
An angel. A real angel.
Like the Angel of Swords, truly from the heavens.
'And...'
Luther's massage had felt really, really good.
And the effects were incredible—even a day later, her whole body felt as light as a feather.
'I want it every day.'
And maybe, just maybe—it could happen every day?
“Kyaa.”
Lost in delightful fantasy, Aru let out a small squeal before resuming her humming and smile.
Her maids and escort knights walking behind exchanged small smiles, but Aru didn't mind.
She was in too good a mood.
'Almost there.'
Luther was staying in the annex.
Even for bold Aru, it was impossible for an unmarried princess to let an unrelated man stay in her own palace.
'That's why I'm visiting like this.'
She hadn't sent word ahead, so he'd be surprised to see her?
'Well, he probably expects it.'
Either way, the thought of seeing Luther soon made Aru smile again.
It was true she'd taken a liking to him since their audience, but after yesterday, that fondness had ballooned.
'The massage... and... various things?'
Unable to define her feelings clearly, Aru just smiled as she arrived at the annex, announced her visit, and flung open Luther's door.
“Ta-da, Luther. Aru is he-”
“You're here.”
The voice came not from straight ahead, but from the side.
And it was a woman's voice, not a man's.
Aru blinked and turned her head to the side—precisely, toward the window—where she spotted Yoru sitting elegantly on the sofa, sipping tea.
“Sister? Why are you here?”
Her tone grew stiffer with each word.
But Yoru, unperturbed, gracefully set down her teacup and turned toward Aru.
“To see Sir Luther, of course. And why are you here?”
“To see Luther too?”
Both wore smiles, but the atmosphere was far from friendly.
Luther, sitting opposite Aru, stood up with an awkward smile.
“Aru, come on in.”
Aru softened at Luther's welcome, but her eyes sharpened.
As if to prove it, upon reaching the sofa, she sat next to Luther—not Yoru—and glared at her sister.
[That's the look of an enemy—or a poacher—not a sister.]
Luther agreed with Integra but wasn't so tactless as to say it aloud.
So he tried to steer the conversation with another awkward smile.
“Aru, Princess Prel Yoru came because—”
“Yoru.”
Yoru elegantly cut Luther off.
One might argue there was nothing elegant about interrupting, but her posture, expression, and voice were elegance incarnate.
“Ahem, Lady Yoru—”
Luther corrected himself, but it wasn't enough.
Yoru smiled gracefully and interrupted again.
“Yoru.”
Not Prel Yoru, not Lady Yoru—just Yoru.
Faced with her elegant yet unyieldingly firm demand, Luther had no choice but to adjust.
“Yoru just arrived a short while ago.”
Yoru.
Familiar, without the stiffness of “Prel Yoru” or the distance of “Lady Yoru.”
Yoru's smile deepened in satisfaction, while Aru crossed her arms, her eyes sharpening further. Integra furrowed her brow.
[Master, wasn't the First Princess supposed to be elegant and quiet?]
[She seems just like a copy of the Second Princess now.]
'Sisters... right?'
Even Luther was quite surprised by this side of Yoru.
Who knew she had this personality?
Was everything in the original story just pretense?
Amid the sisters' fierce eye contact, Yoru spoke again with a graceful smile.
“As I mentioned, a ball has been scheduled in three days. It's essentially a royal networking event, but... I think it's the perfect opportunity to make Sir Luther's name known.”
Aru frowned again at Yoru's words.
One reason Aru had come to Luther's room this morning was precisely about the ball.
But Yoru had no intention of stopping there. She raised her slightly downcast gaze and met Luther's eyes directly.
“Sir Luther, how about attending with me?”
“Wait! Luther's going with me!”
Before Luther could respond, Aru shot up from her seat.
Yoru tilted her head as if puzzled, placing her left hand lightly on her cheek.
“But Aru, Sir Luther just heard about the ball from me today for the first time?”
“W-what's that got to do with anything?”
“It means his partner hasn't been decided yet. Right?”
Aru flinched at the sharp logic, but only briefly.
Gone was the coquettish demeanor she'd shown Luther; now she huffed like a child.
“No, it's already decided—me!”
“Really? When exactly? What time, minute, second?”
[Wait, are they both kids?]
Even Integra was bewildered by the childish sibling spat, but that's how sibling rivalries were—whether sisters, brothers, or blood kin.
“Ugh, Luther! You're going with me, right? Right?”
“Sir Luther, remember I invited you first. And I'm the First Princess.”
“I-I'm a princess too?”
“Yes, the Second. I'm the First and the Crown Princess.”
[So childish.]
Aru truly seemed furious, clenching her fists and trembling.
It looked like she'd lost to Yoru this way many times before.
“Luther, it's me, right? You're going with me? I'm the one who invited you as a guest.”
“No, he's a guest of the entire kingdom. And my guest as well.”
Yoru countered sharply, sending Luther an elegant, seductive, yet earnest gaze. Aru looked at him with wounded doe eyes.
And one more.
[Hmph, Master's partner is me, but they're both clueless.]
[Turn them both down, Master. Okay?]
Integra used precious 7 seconds to hug Luther's arm tightly.
“Luther.”
“Sir Luther.”
[Master.]
Caught in a true dilemma, Luther managed an awkward smile.
* * *
[Hehehe-hum.]
Right after Aru and Yoru returned to their palaces.
Integra hummed happily.
Luther had refused both, saying he had to attend with the Holy Spirit.
[As expected, I'm the only partner for Master. Hehe.]
It was the best excuse to slip away without hurting feelings, but Luther wasn't foolish enough to say so.
'And... to some extent, Integra's right.'
Seeing her so happy made him feel good too.
[Master, it's a beautiful night. Isn't it?]
“Yeah, the moonlight is lovely.”
[It really is.]
Integra beamed, humming as she rested her chin on Luther's shoulder while he sat on the sofa.
[But Master, as Aru and Yoru said, the High Priest is likely to appear at the ball.]
[And they said he's highly likely to be hostile toward Master?]
“Probably. Especially if I step up to treat the king.”
From the High Priest's perspective—who oversaw the royal family's health, especially the king's illness—Luther would look like an intruder encroaching on his domain.
[But there's also the chance the High Priest is a Hecatoncheires spy.]
“Yeah. And if so, the Hecatoncheires might have been worsening the king's condition over many years.”
If that were true, the High Priest's resistance would be fiercer than imagined.
[Either way, it won't be easy.]
“Even with Aru and Yoru's support, it might not be enough.”
The First and Second Princesses held high status, but their influence was ambiguous in some ways.
The king was publicly declared healthy, and Queen Reina controlled the palace interior.
[Then we need to gather more supporters for Master.]
[Prioritize the high-ranking ones and heal them quick.]
With that, Integra deployed a drone to cross-reference the letter senders with the noble list Yoru had given, compiling a roster.
But right then.
[Master?]
Instead of answering, Luther showed Integra the envelope of a letter pulled from the pile.
Unlike the others stamped with family crests, this one had none.
[It's the only one without a crest, so it stands out.]
[No crest—could it be from a commoner?]
Luther shook his head at Integra's question.
Even without a crest, a name should be on it at minimum.
Moreover, all these letters and gifts had passed through the palace.
“In other words, they've been at least roughly screened.”
Yet an anonymous letter had slipped through.
[Either the palace made a mistake, or someone inserted an anonymous letter among the screened ones.]
The former could be overlooked, but the latter changed things.
“Integra, can you check it first?”
[Understood.]
[Please wait a moment.]
Wiping the smile from her face, Integra began a precise scan of the letter Luther set down using her drone's sensors.
[Master, no poison or dangerous substances inside.]
[It should be safe to open.]
Luther nodded slowly and broke the seal on the letter.