The End of the Defense Battle (2)
When I slowly opened my heavy eyelids, a bright ceiling swam into view. My head was still a little foggy, but it didn’t seem like much time had passed.
It was only natural that I felt as if I’d just woken from a nap; my body was pleasantly refreshed.
The wound on my right arm had been healed, and my whole body felt dry and clean, as though someone had given me a proper bath.
Looks like somebody washed me up.
They must have used magic to clean me. My vision was still a little unsteady, but there was nothing to worry about. In fact, I felt like I was getting better little by little as time passed.
Being left alone in a large room, I guessed it was probably an infirmary. Of course, for an infirmary, it was absurdly luxurious, but that only proved how well I was being treated, so I could survey my surroundings in a reasonably good mood.
That was when the door opened slowly. I turned, expecting it to be Jung Hayan, but the person I saw was the unexpected Lady Marlin.
Immediately, a loud voice rang out.
“Lee Kiyoung-nim!”
She came rushing toward me with tears flying everywhere and hugged me once, which was quite the sight.
She startled herself too and quickly pulled away, but I was a little taken aback.
She was clutching her chest as if even she knew it wasn’t the sort of behavior a noble lady should be showing, and her embarrassment was painfully obvious.
It was certainly endearing, but regrettably, I wasn’t interested in Marlin in the slightest.
Cute, sure, but…
She didn’t offer me any real benefit, and with everything else on my plate, I didn’t have the headspace to worry about her too.
“Ah, Lady Marlin.”
Still, I couldn’t exactly lose my work smile, now could I?
I spoke with a smile, and she answered right away.
“What day is it today?”
“Exactly three days have passed since you lost consciousness. I was worried you might not wake up….”
“Three days?”
“Yes, Lee Kiyoung-nim.”
More time had passed than I’d expected. I had a few thoughts for a moment, but honestly, I was pleased.
The cleanup’s probably almost done…
No, just dealing with monster corpses wasn’t something you finished in a single day. They were probably still at it right now.
That answered why none of our party members had shown their faces.
My body didn’t seem to have any abnormalities, which meant Dialuria was probably safe and sound as well. I wanted to know where she was, but there were other things I wanted to know more.
“I see….”
“We truly are grateful, Lee Kiyoung-nim.”
“Lady Marlin?”
“I never imagined you’d work yourself to the point of wrecking your own body for the sake of Castle Rock…. I can’t begin to tell you how ashamed I felt that I couldn’t do anything. Hic….”
“Hahaha. It’s all right. The ones who suffered were the others, not me. What exactly did I do?”
“What do you mean, what did you do! Not only did you command Castle Rock’s free citizens, you also stopped the monsters coming up through the underground sewer… Everyone in Castle Rock saw you throwing yourself into the battlefield without regard for your own body! Hngh….”
“That was… ahem. The true heroes were the Small Rock Guild and Song Jungwook, who sacrificed themselves for Castle Rock. I merely….”
“W-well, yes, those people too… but still, are you all right? Your body… is it at least somewhat better?”
“Yes. I don’t think I have any other serious injuries.”
Song Jungwook, who had been crushed under monsters and died in a truly miserable fashion, seemed to be of no concern whatsoever.
At any rate, I could probably call this a success.
Just as Lady Marlin said, there were no monsters pouring up from the underground sewer.
It had been a lie cooked up by Cho Hyejin to help me escape Cha Heera, but to make that lie real, the Red Mercenaries must have tossed a few monster corpses over there or something.
There was no way they could let it become public that Cha Heera had run wild and ruined the siege plan.
The part about me personally taking to the battlefield and working myself to the bone was the same. I hadn’t exactly spared myself, but since it had looked that way, it was only natural to count that as a success.
Nice.
If the noble lady was thinking along those lines, then it was obvious how the Empire’s citizens would see me.
There would be no danger of a red flag going up for the influence Blue and I stood to gain. I lifted the corners of my mouth again and was just about to speak to Lady Marlin when her voice came first.
“As for the others, are they perhaps….”
“Which others?”
“My party members and Lady Cha Heera. And what about Dialuria? Has all the cleanup been finished? And what about everything else… how was it all handled?”
“Ah! I’m terribly sorry, Lee Kiyoung-nim. While you were unconscious, I should have explained what happened first….”
“It’s all right, Lady Marlin. There’s no need to apologize. I was simply wondering whether the siege had been properly concluded.”
“I-I had no idea you were so concerned about Castle Rock….”
“Hahaha….”
“I’m sorry. I’m rambling again….”
“No. It’s really all right.”
She looked a little excited.
She’d probably taken my willingness to risk my life for Castle Rock as the same as risking my life for her. It was only my guess, of course, but if I was right, then I needed to cut off this misunderstanding before it got any bigger.
When I gave an awkward smile that suggested I was a little uncomfortable, she hurriedly spoke again.
“If you’re asking what happened after you collapsed… ah! First, the monster corpses were immediately taken care of, and that work is still going on now.”
“I see.”
“There was also a possibility that some monsters might still be alive, so the free citizens are handling the cleanup first… which is why it’s taking a little while. I imagine Blue’s party members are also….”
“Busy, then.”
“Yes. They’re helping protect the workers on the front line together with the Red Mercenaries.”
“And Lady Cha Heera? Is she there too?”
“Lady Cha Heera hurried back to Lindel. I’m not sure what happened, but she seemed terribly busy, so I didn’t even have time to thank her properly. She was a hero for Castle Rock… and yet I feel as though we weren’t able to treat her with the respect she deserved. It only breaks my heart.”
She ran away.
“Busy with what, exactly?”
“She said there was something urgent she had to deal with… Ah. And this is the letter Lady Cha Heera asked me to deliver to you.”
“Thank you, Lady Marlin. If you’ll allow me to be rude for a moment….”
“Yes, of course. Please read it right away, Lee Kiyoung-nim.”
After dissolving the cipher magic placed on the letter, I casually looked down, only to see Lady Marlin leaning in as though she wanted to peek. Naturally, I had no intention of showing it to her.
I’d expected some sort of apology, but the result was a little different from what I imagined.
Don’t forget, and don’t ignore this. Vice Guild Master Lee Kiyoung of the Blue Guild in Lindel. I trust you’ll keep your promise. I’ll be waiting for a good invitation at a good time. — From Shaolin, the Republic’s Five Tiger Generals, to Lee Kiyoung, Honorary Bishop of the Holy Empire.
Shaolin?
She must have handed the letter over to her after the tussle with Cha Heera ended.
As much as I wanted to ignore it, I’d never imagined she’d reveal her own identity like this.
Five Tiger Generals…
I didn’t know the details, but the Republic didn’t seem to think poorly of handing out public offices to free citizens.
What I could infer from that rather impressive title was that her position was a little higher than I’d expected.
And that there were at least five others of similar caliber.
I had no idea how things between the Holy Empire and the Republic would play out later on, but I’d picked up a useful piece of information.
This could be useful….
It would come with risk on my end too, but someone like her would definitely be handy to have in my back pocket later. After all, the Republic and I were bound to clash at least once, whether it ended up being for good or ill.
Though judging from what’s been happening lately, it doesn’t feel like “good” is very likely…
For now, I didn’t have the bandwidth to think about the Republic. I could barely keep my own house in order.
Just dealing with the Holy Empire was already giving me a headache.
The biggest immediate concern was Cha Heera.
The fact that she’d vanished from Castle Rock without showing her face even once meant she must have decided it would be impossible to look me in the eye.
Well, yeah. It would be embarrassing as hell.
Even twenty years later, if she suddenly remembered it, it was the kind of black history that would make her kick the blanket off in her sleep.
She’d detached from the front lines and made a mess of everything afterward for reasons I could more or less predict, so of course she’d be embarrassed.
Once some time passed, she’d probably show up again as if nothing had happened, but she had an unexpectedly girlish side, so I was also looking forward to seeing how she’d react.
“And!”
“Yes?”
“W-well… the distribution of rewards hasn’t been properly settled yet, but it looks like Castle Rock’s lord’s manor will be giving direct compensation to you, Kim Hyunsung-nim, and Blue’s guild members.”
Oh!
“I didn’t do this expecting a reward.”
Still, my lips were curling up.
Without even realizing it, I was becoming a little more courteous. Naturally, my eyes softened as if my previous chill had all been a lie, and Lady Marlin hurriedly began speaking as she understood exactly what I wanted.
“But Castle Rock was able to survive this crisis because of you and the Blue Guild. I’m sure my father is also thinking of many things….”
“Hahaha….”
“If you think it’s not enough, then I’ll be sure to….”
“No, that won’t be necessary. Lady Marlin, just your feelings are more than enough. I truly didn’t do this expecting compensation. I only helped as a member of the Holy Empire.”
“No. Please let us repay you.”
“If that is how Lady Marlin feels about it… then I suppose I can’t refuse.”
“Th-thank you.”
“Not at all. I should be the one thanking you, really. You’re rewarding me for doing what was only natural.”
Marlin seemed to have a bit of a sucker streak in her too.
I could tell I might get something better than I’d imagined.
It was only natural that when I sat up slowly, I saw Lady Marlin looking back at me with flushed cheeks.
I had no intention of doing anything to show my gratitude. I had only decided that, since I was awake, I might as well catch up on the homework I’d been putting off.
“By the way, the monster you captured….”
“Yes?”
“Did you perhaps see a woman with horns on her head?”
“Ah… that woman, you mean….”
“Was there some problem?”
“She’s apparently in Castle Rock’s underground prison. To be honest, we were already debating how to deal with her… and….”
“Yes. You can say it.”
“She made the absurd claim that the monster shared its life with you….”
So she told them that much….
I thought that was a reasonable conclusion.
She hadn’t said I was her spouse, but at the very least, she needed to keep both her own life and the child’s safe.
I also liked the fact that she was waiting obediently for me.
She was probably unable to fully recover her body yet.
I didn’t know whether she was with the child, but before anything else, I needed to check on her.
“I think I should go over there.”
“Pardon?”
“What Dialuria said is true. In fact, even I couldn’t fully figure out what happened…. Right now, all I know is that her life and mine are shared.”
“Ah!”
“Thank you for telling me, Lady Marlin. Why don’t you join me for a meal with Castle Rock’s lord while we’re at it?”
“Yes. Of course, Lee Kiyoung-nim!”
It was only natural that I move at once.
Let’s go see whether my kid is doing all right.
After all, among everything surrounding me at the moment, that was the most important thing of all.