Chapter 55

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 55

Chapter Title: The Empire's Most Valuable Reward (2)

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After the subjugation of Sitri.

I'd become a celebrity.

"I had no idea the Empire had someone like you! A man like me…"

"Ah, yes, hello."

"Oh ho! I don't know what a Quartermaster does exactly, but it's astounding that His Majesty created the position just for you!"

"A knight like that deserves a high seat, of course."

The Imperial 2nd Knight Order was flooded with visitors.

Word of my exploits must have spread, because nobles and merchant guild leaders came swarming in.

"Haha, I didn't really do all that much…"

I had no choice but to greet them warmly every time.

Blanc had ordered it.

She said it was a good chance to make a name in high society.

Of course, they were all people praising me to high heaven.

Entertaining guests wasn't so bad…

"Didn't do anything? Oh ho! What a joke!"

"Excessive humility isn't becoming! A hero to follow in the Saintess's footsteps can't act like that!"

"……."

'I really didn't do anything.'

I wasn't the type of person who deserved all this hype.

Blanc was the one who'd pinned Sitri down.

The actual subjugation was courtesy of that black-haired big sis, 'Core Object Chastity.'

All I'd done was high-five her forehead.

And now they were treating me like a high demon-slaying hero.

This was getting burdensome, even for me.

"Join us at the banquet tonight—grace us till the end."

"Eh… tonight might be a bit…"

"Yi Hyun, we're going."

"We'll be even more thrilled!"

And one more thing.

Banquets were held in my honor.

One from the merchant guilds, one from the nobility.

Blanc explained it as political maneuvering to pull a promising talent like me into their factions early.

'In times like these, you can't pick one side, so go to both,' or something like that.

She gave some explanation after that, but I knew nothing about imperial politics.

So I just followed orders: merchant side the day before yesterday, nobles yesterday, full nights of drinks and revelry.

Sex was out of the question, naturally.

'I want to have sex, but no time.'

It was truly regrettable.

Especially since I'd bought so many new things this time…

——No time to try them all out.

'Kuh, looks good no matter how many times I see it.'

First, the stats.

I'd upgraded Strength, Magic Power, and Agility by four stages each—things I hadn't even leveled up once before.

Each ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠purchase bumped the stat by 0.2.

Considering a single level from sex only gave 0.1,

'Hmm, let's calculate… ugh, twenty-four…?'

Math in my head got fuzzy, so I counted on my fingers.

The result? I'd gotten as strong as 24 levels worth.

That put me on par with the average knights of the 2nd Order.

'Points are getting scary now; no way I can afford more.'

Getting stronger just by clicking was getting tough.

But hey, stronger now—good enough.

A smile crept onto my face.

'Skills… didn't buy as many as I thought.'

The surprising part was the skills.

Even after the Contribution Shop upgraded twice, not many skills were added.

Bought ten 100-pointers and three 500-pointers, then nothing left worth it.

The shop skills were so overpowered it made sense, but still a bit disappointing.

'Wanna try that Common Sense Alteration Milking Technique soon…'

"No time to use it, though."

Anyway, mental victory over with the status window.

I turned my gaze forward again.

The imperial palace loomed right in front of me.

"Yi Hyun, what are you mumbling about?"

"You're today's star, so puff out that scrawny chest."

"To think that puny guy became like this in months—I'm proud of you, says this Hilde."

The knights chattered at my side.

Unlike usual, they were in dresses.

Three days after Sitri's subjugation, right before the imperial celebratory banquet—natural.

"Her Highness promised a reward, right? For real?"

"Yeah, something prepared with Her Majesty the Empress. Said it'd be the Empire's most valuable gift."

"A reward straight from the Imperial Princess and the Empress—I'm jealous~ Every knight dreams of that!!"

"If it's good, share with me, yeah?"

"If ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it can be shared."

We walked along, noisy as ever.

The banquet was about to start.

Time to enter, obviously…

"…Yi Hyun, hold my hand tight."

"Huh? Oh, sure."

'Why so serious?'

Blanc had been tense since earlier.

I slipped my hand through the fabric of her dress and grabbed her breast.

-Squeeze.

"Let's go, Lady Blanc."

"…Hng♡ Yes, let's hold hands and go♡"

Eh, probably nothing big.

I thought it'd be nothing.

But oh boy, was there something.

"We hereby designate Quartermaster Yi Hyun as Liriana's consort and proclaim him a proud member of the glorious Shatenreich imperial family!"

"…Ah."

'Not from the start, please.'

The back of my head throbbed.

Especially with all eyes on me.

-Murmurs.

"Consort…?"

"He did achieve that much."

"Her Highness is of marriageable age now, so it fits."

Pricking up my ears, the mood seemed generally positive.

I kneaded Blanc's breast and whispered.

-Mumble.

"…Save me."

"Just hold my hand and stay quiet, Yi Hyun. We've prepared something."

Blanc replied to wait patiently.

I shut my mouth at that.

"…Your Majesty!! I have words regarding that!!"

Someone shot up from ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠their seat.

Blanc's father from the noble banquet yesterday.

As a sitting count, his support for our marriage would help a lot…

"He is the pride of our house… Hm?"

"I've heard the Rosenthal family provided Yi Hyun with generous support. We'll compensate the amount on that parchment, so no worries."

"……."

But that was short-lived.

The count took the parchment from the chamberlain and glanced our way.

His face paled.

"…How could we seek gold for acts of loyalty to the Empire? Please withdraw it."

"If that's the Rosenthal family's wish. What were you about to say?"

"I merely wished to say it was an honor to aid the man who will become imperial."

"Dad!?"

Blanc yelped in surprise.

She gnashed her teeth with a shrill cry.

Muttering 'blackmail…!!' under her breath.

That's when I pieced it together.

'That elixir they scraped together from her family last time—that's the issue!!'

The elixirs Blanc's family had brought.

Fun at the time, but looking back?

Could look like bribes.

If the Empress called them out on it, dust would fly.

The count's flustered look said it all.

"It's fine, Lady Blanc. I'll speak my piece."

'If the hero says he likes Blanc, what can they do?'

I stood confidently to reassure her.

She clutched my sleeve tight.

"Not that."

"…Huh?"

"Saying that here is suicide. It's like declaring Her Highness inferior to me."

"Aha."

Can't even speak my mind, huh.

If I said 'I like Blanc best' here,

I'd hear 'You saying our Liriana is lesser?'

'Wow, screwed.'

Conclusion: checkmate.

The Empress's gentle smile and the beet-red princess looked scarier than ever today.

'What now? Marry her and I'm done for.'

Even being tangled with un-engaged Blanc was trouble.

Sex required major caution.

Marry the princess and become imperial?

I'd be stuck in the palace daily.

One affair and I'd follow Sitri to hell.

'How to handle this? Stagnation here sucks.'

I was deep in thought when…

-Halt.

'Wait, I'm the Sitri-slaying hero right now.'

——My sharp intellect.

Came up with a perfect solution again.

'Might work?'

"It's okay, Lady Blanc. Be right back."

I stepped forward.

Ignoring the stares, straight to the princess.

Stood before her flushed face with a gallant expression.

"Y-Yi Hyun. Since it's like this, please take care…"

"I am!!!! Still far too lacking for Your Highness!!!!!"

-Thud.

I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠slammed my forehead to the floor.

Yelled at the top of my lungs.

Like those historical drama 'Have mercy, Your Highness' bits.

Worked in this medieval fantasy world too.

"…Yi Hyun?"

"You who graciously gave lowly seed like me the nectar of your grace!! I am not yet a man worthy of Your Highness!!!"

"What are you saying?"

"Yet I cannot refuse Her Majesty's gracious reward!!! Thus, I beg one year of reprieve!!!!"

In the stunned silence of the hall,

I kept rambling.

Summary: 'I'm not good enough for you yet; give me time to level up.'

"No, you're already plenty…"

"———I'll slay three more high demons!!! Exactly three more, and become a hero none can deny to stand at Your Highness's side!!!!!"

"…What!?"

The princess and audience were shocked.

High demons: the Saintess took down one ever.

Me vowing three more? Natural.

But I wasn't bluffing blindly.

'By the time I bag three, even the royals can't touch me. King-God-General-Emperor-Chungmugong level.'

First basis: I'd be untouchable by then.

'If I fail, 'I'm a promise-breaking trash unworthy of the princess.''

Second basis: escape plan on failure.

Not sure if it'd fly,

But it'd buy that year at least.

"Please, Your Highness!! And Your Majesty!!! Allow me to return a man worthy of Your Highness's sacred nectar!!!"

"Yi Hyun…."

"I beg you!!!!"

I banged my head repeatedly.

Planning to throw a fit however it took.

I looked up at the Empress's voice.

"Tch. Rise, Yi Hyun."

"Your Majesty?"

"On second thought, it's a waste to keep a hero like you tied to the palace."

"That means…"

"Return after one year with results. The wedding with Liriana will be then."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!!!"

Whoa, it worked.

Thrills made me shudder.

Intelligence 170 for the win.

Tears welled in gratitude.

The Empress approached personally.

Her hand patted my shoulder softly.

"But…"

-Whisper.

"Get our Liriana pregnant before you go, hehe."

"…Huh?"

"She's nearly thirty, and I'm thinking of handing over the throne soon. Kid and coronation—no gap in duties. Perfect, right?"

"……."

I'm out.

That night, in the palace inner quarters.

Deep breath before the ornate door.

Princess's bedroom—no helping it.

'Gotta fuck her after all. That rank pussy.'

I'd gone to extremes to avoid her.

Fate's a bitch.

Creeak—the gold handle turned slowly.

"Your Highness. Entering."

And inside her bedroom,

What I faced was…

——The Empress's naked body.

"Yi Hyun, you're late."

"……Huh?"

What the hell is this situation?