Chapter 183: Amelia Claris Orsia
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 183: Amelia Claris Orsia
When I came to, Sylvia was already gone.
She ran off in such a rush, my arm would have snapped if I'd tried to stop her.
Not that I was in any condition to stop her, of course.
Left alone on the bed, I stared blankly for a while. Then, I checked the recording on my phone.
It had vividly captured not only Sylvia's cute act but also the scene of her kicking the door open and running away.
I couldn't help but smile.
“...She is pretty cute.”
That cold female knight, who hated both humans and men, acting cute? Even Iris would faint from shock if she saw it.
It was a little disappointing that I couldn't tease Sylvia more, but I decided to take it easy for now.
As long as I had the video and Sylvia didn't ditch the party, I had all the time in the world.
'I'm looking forward to dinner.'
Flop.
To calm my unusually excited heart, I lay down on the bed.
I glanced out the window and saw the sun was slowly setting.
*
The hotel we were staying at, fitting for a place exclusive to nobles, had its own restaurant.
Hearing that guests could dine for free, we headed to the restaurant for dinner.
The restaurant's interior didn't look much different from the European restaurants I'd seen on NewTube.
“Where's Sylvia?”
“She said she's not feeling well and thinks she should skip dinner.”
“Is that so?”
An Aura Master with an upset stomach?
It was such an obvious lie that not even a passing dog would believe it.
She must have made it up to avoid seeing me.
“Are you feeling alright?”
Amelia looked much better than before, as if she'd had a nap.
“Yes, I was able to rest comfortably, thanks to you.”
“That's a relief.”
She still had her hood pulled up.
Does she not realize that makes her stand out even more?
'Then again, grayish-blue hair and blue eyes aren't exactly a common sight.'
But if grayish-blue hair and blue eyes were a trait of the Orsia Grand Ducal Family, then it would make sense.
After all, Choi Hyena's red hair and purple eyes are an undeniable trait of the Seongbuk Choi family.
I wanted to cast a Perception Inhibition spell on her, but the magic still wouldn't work.
It felt as if something was interfering with my magic.
“Um, may I ask you something?”
“Yes?”
Amelia began to speak cautiously.
“Sir Hyun-woo, are you an adventurer?”
“Ah, well... something like that.”
Just as Balan, the guard captain of Wavel, had told me, the profession of adventurer exists in this world.
Larger cities have adventurer guilds, and adventurers belonging to the union take on requests. Apparently, they mostly handle things like dealing with magical beasts or escorting merchant caravans.
Needless to say, I had no intention of registering as an adventurer.
If I were to join any organization, I'd rather join that Continental Magic Association or whatever it's called.
There was no reason for me to become an adventurer, a profession where the lower ranks are treated like bottom-feeders living day to day.
“...In that case, I know this is shameless of me, but I must ask.”
A sense of unease washed over me at the heavy tone of Amelia's voice.
Because I had a feeling I knew what she was about to say.
“Would you please consider accepting a request from me?”
Just as I'd feared, my premonition became reality.
Even as I met Amelia's desperate gaze, I had to harden my heart.
“I can't.”
Startled by my refusal, which came without a moment's hesitation, Amelia looked at me with trembling eyes.
“May I ask why...?”
“I'm sorry, but our party is currently on a break and not accepting any requests.”
“Oh...”
Seeing Amelia's crestfallen expression, I felt my resolve weaken for a moment.
The problem is she's just too beautiful.
Just meeting her eyes is enough to bewitch someone. It's hard to resist even with a mage's sturdy mental barrier.
“...If you really need an adventurer, why don't you visit the adventurer's guild in Mayfield? You'll find adventurers of a higher rank than me there.”
In the first place, it was strange that Amelia was asking me for a request.
Entrusting a request to an adventurer whose exact rank she didn't even know was something I found hard to understand.
Beating up those thugs is something any guy who can throw a punch could do.
“Your appetizer.”
A waiter set the food down on our table.
It looked quite appetizing, but remembering the food I'd had at Viscount Hessler's mansion, I didn't have high expectations.
We began our meal in silence.
Fortunately, there were several dishes that were suitable for Iris to eat.
Of course, the portions seemed a bit small, but I could just give her more food in our room later.
Sylvia would need to eat dinner anyway.
Throughout the meal, Amelia seemed lost in thought.
However, her eyes were alive, like someone who hadn't given up.
Seeing that gave me a headache.
Why is she so fixated on me?
There must be plenty of other adventurers she could hire, so why me?
'...Is she out of money?'
A rational inference flashed through my mind.
My guess is that she's a fugitive right now. Naturally, she wouldn't have much money on her.
On the other hand, the fee for a high-rank adventurer is no small sum. Of course, the payment would usually be made after the job is done, but contracts require a down payment.
She's probably planning to use our flimsy acquaintance to defer the down payment as well.
I feel bad for Amelia, but I can't help her even if she paid the full fee upfront.
I simply don't have the time for it.
Not only do we have to leave for the County of Partal early tomorrow morning, but we also have to cross several borders.
Our future schedule will change depending on that.
In a situation like this, traveling with a princess whom the noble alliance of Orsia is hunting for with bloodshot eyes?
'That's insane.'
We could get caught at a border checkpoint, or run into trouble with the allied forces while passing through the Duchy of Orsia.
Amelia and I aren't close enough for me to take on that kind of risk.
'...Hah.'
But I couldn't help my mind being a mess throughout the meal.
In the end, Amelia said nothing more until the meal was over.
All she did was occasionally glance my way or give perfunctory replies to Iris's questions and comments about the food.
It seemed like she had something to say to me, but our connection would end tomorrow anyway.
To make a clean break, I pretended not to notice her glances.
Amelia, too, seemed to have no intention of bringing it up right now, as she stopped looking at me.
Just as I was sipping my tea, listening to the two of them talk...
“Excuse me.”
An uninvited guest barged in.
He was a man with a broad smile. Clean skin, a neat appearance, and expensive-looking clothes.
'A noble.'
I swallowed a sigh.
I had a pretty good idea of what was about to happen.
It was something that happened often in the cities we'd visited so far.
“What is it?”
The man not only ignored my words but didn't even spare me a glance.
Instead, the tough-looking men standing behind him glared at me.
Judging by the swords at their waists, they seemed to be his escorts.
The nobleman treated me like I wasn't there and walked straight up to Iris.
“Would you do me the honor of telling me your beautiful name?”
With a line so greasy it felt like he'd swallowed a stick of butter, the man suddenly tried to grab Iris's hand.
'This bastard?'
I try not to mess with nobles, but it's a different story if they're the ones who cross the line first.
Grip!
“Kuaargh?!”
I snatched the hand of the man who dared to touch Iris.
I'd put too much strength into it without realizing. The man's scream echoed throughout the entire restaurant.
Crrrack—
A sound that shouldn't have come from a man's hand rang out. Of course, his bones weren't broken.
If he weren't a noble, I would have already made his hand look like it had been crushed in a hydraulic press.
Does he even know that he was saved from becoming a one-armed man thanks to his well-born parents?
“This is my first time holding a man's hand... It's a little embarrassing.”
“Aaaaaaaargh!!!”
The man thrashed about like a fish out of water.
Is it because he's enjoying it so much?
“Young Master!!”
“That crazy bastard!!”
“What are you doing! Make him let go!”
The men who had been glaring at me rushed forward.
“Take one more step, and your young master becomes a one-armed man. Got it?”
“Kgh...!”
“You bastard! Do you have any idea who you're dealing with?!”
Caught in a sudden hostage situation, the men could do nothing but shout.
Well, what else could they do if they didn't want to see their precious young master's right hand get crushed?
“Ah, this feels disgusting. I can't do this anymore.”
Holding the man's hand was starting to make me feel sick.
“Keok?!”
Thud.
I casually threw the man to the floor. He must not have learned how to break a fall, because he rolled on the ground like a pill bug.
Only then did the escorts rush to the man's side.
“Y-Young Master, are you alright?”
“Guuuh! My hand...!!”
“Hey, waiter! Call a doctor, quickly!”
What a fuss.
His hand was swollen, but it wasn't broken, not even fractured.
Considering he dared to make a move on my woman, my response couldn't have been more generous.
“K-Kill that bastard right now!!”
But, oblivious to my consideration, the bastard shamelessly shouted, veins popping on his neck.
Immediately, two of the escorts placed their hands on their sword hilts and approached me.
It looked like they were trying to make up for their mistake by taking care of me now, which I found absurd.
Isn't it obvious I'm the victim here?
“Stop!”
The commotion in the restaurant drew a crowd of not only customers but also staff. Among them were several men who looked like guards.
The guards immediately stepped between us to mediate the fight.
But I had no intention of ending it here.
I had to give him a proper warning to avoid future trouble.
“Just a moment.”
I tapped the guard's shoulder and passed between them.
The noble brat was still on the floor, glaring at me as if he wanted to kill me.
In my hand was the knife I had been using to cut my steak just moments before.
Of course, the blade wasn't sharp. I doubted it could even cut a leaf.
Everyone's eyes were focused on me.
The guards' gazes were particularly intense, almost stinging.
Are they worried I'm about to do something rash?
“I will forgive you for trying to hit on my wife.”
It's true that I've been trying my best to avoid trouble since we have a long way to go.
But I didn't learn magic and martial arts just to cower and hide like a stray cat.
“However.”
I could hear people around me gasping.
The gazes fixed on me were filled with astonishment.
“There won't be a second time.”
A distinct blue aura formed on the knife.
Even at a glance, it was enormous, several times the size of the knife.
Swish—
When I swung my hand lightly, the table right next to us shattered into pieces.
“...”
Staring at the clean-cut surface, as if sliced by an industrial cutter, the man swallowed hard.
Sword Qi—or Aura, as it's called in this world.
Faced with a skill that only a superhuman who had reached at least the level of an Aura Expert could display, the man fell silent as if he'd been struck dumb and slowly lowered his gaze.
“Use this to repair the damages.”
I handed a pouch containing a few gold coins to a waiter and left with Iris.
As I left, my eyes met Amelia's for a moment as she followed behind us.
'...I'm screwed.'
Amelia's eyes were shining several times more brightly than before.
Like someone who had steeled their resolve.