Chapter 146
Chapter 146
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 146
Chapter Title: Scheme - 1
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I pondered for a moment how to respond to Aurora's question.
There were plenty of things I needed to do. No, plenty didn't even begin to cover it—they were overflowing. So many that I had to prioritize them just to get started.
In hardcore mode, I still needed two more runes to finalize my melee character build, and for the same reason, one more black magic spell.
Even counting just the big ones, that meant visiting two rune dungeons. Add in weapon upgrades, leveling, and all sorts of miscellaneous tasks, and I'd be swamped for the foreseeable future.
*The main story can wait. If I absolutely have to have the ring, I can just ask Aurora to send it later.*
Since things had turned out this way, I planned to set the story aside for now and focus on leveling. Returning to the imperial palace right away didn't seem like the best idea either.
"Yes. I do."
I checked Aurora, who was waiting for my answer, and cut my thoughts short at a reasonable point. Not just in words, but genuinely disappointed, a faint shadow of regret crossed her face.
"Oh? That's too bad."
"What were you going to ask that makes you look like that?"
"Hmm... 24-hour close protection?"
"Why is that a question?"
"I just thought of it. I hadn't decided on anything specific to ask. I was just checking if it was possible."
"That's an outrageously shameless answer, my lord."
Aurora leaned back in her chair without a hint of concern at my words.
"Shameless is fine. You're a knight who defeated a dragon, aren't you? Of course I want to keep you by my side no matter what."
"I didn't kill the dragon or drive it off. That's all rumors."
"Even though His Imperial Majesty personally confirmed that you did?"
"......"
My neck felt stiff. With Kikilia affirming the rumors, it was basically official.
And it even looked plausible on the surface, which made it worse. If I had actually driven off that thing and earned the nickname, I'd understand—but that wasn't the case.
After that, our one-sided conversation dragged on for nearly an hour before I finally escaped. The real reason she wanted me to visit late at night remained a mystery to the end.
*No way she just wanted to chat.*
"Has he gone?"
"Yes, Master. He just left through the main gate."
Aurora slumped over in her chair upon hearing Delta had exited the main gate. Rana, standing demurely nearby with her hands clasped, asked in a blunt tone.
"Did you fail?"
"You're not asking because you don't know he came all the way to my room, are you?"
"I know, of course. I was just helping you realize how pathetic you are. How does it feel? Do you now grasp just how pathetic you acted?"
"......"
At a loss for words, Aurora blankly stared up at the chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Rana wasn't one to initiate conversation with her master casually, so silence fell in an instant.
If we're talking pathetic behavior, one could argue it started with falling for a man who's already taken—but Aurora was staking everything on one possibility.
It was the possibility she'd started believing in ever since the emperor personally confirmed the dragon-slaying rumor as true.
He denied it vehemently, but considering how he'd found the crystal scroll and credited everything to Minerva, this was probably similar.
He was denying it because the attention was overwhelming. Delta wasn't the type to boast about his achievements.
"......But it's strange."
The silence didn't last. Surprisingly, Rana spoke first. Startled, Aurora turned her head.
"I know. It really was strange just now."
"What do you mean, Master?"
"You initiating conversation with me, Rana."
"You can take it as me finding your actions so frustrating that I had to do this."
A maid insulting her master could be beheaded depending on the master's temperament, but Aurora just gave Rana a slightly sulky look.
Rana was her most trusted ally. There was no reason to get angry over her calling her master frustrating.
Besides, Aurora was already aware of it herself. Reflecting on her actions so far, Rana had more right to be angry.
"So, what was so strange?"
"You're clearly not the shy type, Master—yet whenever you're in front of him, you can't convey your feelings honestly. You beat around the bush or joke it off. If you'd just spoken normally like usual, he'd be here right now instead of me. And I'd have ordered all the maids in the mansion to stay away from this area until further notice."
"......"
Aurora averted her eyes slightly at the lengthy explanation that poured out like a waterfall, as if Rana had been waiting for this. She couldn't bear Rana's piercing gaze any longer.
Her expression was the same as always, but it felt sharper because Aurora had a guilty conscience.
"Isn't it odd? Given your usual personality, Master, you wouldn't resort to such pathetic seduction. You'd pin him against the wall and challenge him to a round right then and there without it seeming strange at all—"
"I get it. I messed up, so can you stop now?"
Having elicited the desired reaction from her master, Rana promptly shut her mouth. The maid was growing bolder by the day, but Aurora didn't mind.
Rana acting so casually was a sign she'd found some peace of mind. Aurora even wished she'd tease a bit more—just a tiny bit.
Really, just a tiny bit.
Plus, Aurora was the one who'd taught Rana those cheeky jokes in the first place. It was all her own karma. What could she do but accept it?
"Yeah, I know. I know this stupid behavior doesn't suit me, but what can I do?"
A blush tinted her snowy cheeks. Her skin flushed peach-like. Aurora twisted her body slightly.
"It's... embarrassing to say I like you right to your face."
Seeing Aurora's expression, Rana blanked out for a moment before continuing in a pitiful tone.
"I just realized something, but you don't need to worry, Master. If you showed him that face just now, he wouldn't need you to say you like him—he'd take the initiative and—"
"Rana!"
"It was a joke. Why can't you handle even light teasing when it involves him? You dish it out just fine yourself. Is there some special reason?"
"......I don't know."
Aurora turned away primly. Rana clicked her tongue with a disappointed face, looking exactly like a mother eyeing her immature daughter.
In truth, calling them mother and daughter wouldn't be strange at all.
"Master."
After pondering for a while, Rana took a step closer to Aurora.
"Yes?"
"How about trying this approach?"
"......"
I sat in my chair, speechless, staring at the uniform design Rakshia had brought, claiming it was finalized.
The regular members' outfits were mostly unchanged. Based on the high-exposure bunny girl look, they varied stocking lengths and types to distinguish ranks.
At most, the details were refined a bit, with exposure increased slightly. I was momentarily stunned by how much more revealing they'd become.
The problem was the vice-commanders' reverse bunny outfits. I'd thought the first design lacked variations, so they were unifying on stockings—but no.
Right next to the reverse bunny illustration, stickers designed to cover nipples and privates were listed by type, most helpfully.
Each sticker had the names of the vice-commanders who'd wear them written below. That's how they planned to distinguish ranks.
The sticker types: circle, star, heart, three-leaf clover, alphabet X. Five in total.
*You're distinguishing ranks with this?*
It was absurd, but if the wearers were fine with it, who was I to argue? In the end, I sighed deeply and folded the paper into quarters.
"Commander, are you free for a moment?"
Just then, someone knocked. I startled and hastily stuffed the paper into my bosom. It was like getting caught with a dirty magazine.
It just felt like the thing to do.
With the paper depicting the Ebony Holy Night Knights' uniforms tucked away, I sat and forced myself to stay calm.
"Come in."
The door swung open, and Rakshia entered. She wore the sports bra and leggings from her Golden Twilight Knights days.
Probably because I'd trounced her in sparring back then, Rakshia had become the go-to for reports to me. She didn't seem to mind, so I let it be.
"What's up?"
I'd given up on majestic speech. I'd tried, but I was convinced it didn't suit me.
"A guest has arrived."
"A guest? Who?"
"W-Well..."
Rakshia hesitated. She looked unsure if she should say it, like she was wrestling with serious internal conflict.
*What's her deal?*