The Foolish One (2)
The capital, which had seemed so impressive the first time I saw it, was nothing special on the second look. It still glittered all right, and the view from atop the griffon was spectacular by any measure. But honestly, I could hardly take any of it in. For some reason, that foolish bastard who had run off on his own kept floating through my head.
This punk really knows how to make a person lose their damn mind...
Still, I was able to set his business aside and tuck it away in my pocket, at least for a while. He was still plenty irritating, sure, but now that we’d arrived here, I understood better than anyone that business came first.
After leaving the lord’s castle and arriving at the royal palace, what I did first was obvious. I took care of the relationships I’d neglected for so long. As soon as I got off the griffon landing pad, now more familiar to me on my second visit, a cheerful voice called out to me. Who else could it be? There was already a clear answer to who liked me most in the palace.
“Cardinal Basel!”
“Honorary Bishop Lee Kiyoung! My, your face has gone half-dry since the last time I saw you. Yes, I heard all about Castle Rock.”
“Haha. It was all thanks to Goddess Benignore, wasn’t it? Bishop Jaina! And Heresy Inquisitor Helena, long time no see.”
“Honorary Bishop Lee Kiyoung. It really has been a long time.”
“Ah, let me introduce him. This is Guild Master Kim Hyunsung of the Blue Guild, who was recently recommended for the Empire’s Eight Seats along with me.”
“Ohhh. I’ve heard a great deal about you. Devout Kim Hyunsung.”
“Yes. I’ve heard quite a lot about you as well, Cardinal Basel. My name is Kim Hyunsung. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Without me even needing to go looking, Cardinal Basel, Bishop Jaina, and the Heresy Inquisitors who had been waiting in advance at the griffon landing pad came out to greet Kim Hyunsung, and we soon sat down together for a brief tea time.
Cha Heera still hadn’t shown up. The official announcement regarding the Empire’s Eight Seats was scheduled separately for later anyway, so it didn’t really matter if she skipped this meeting, but the fact that she hadn’t shown her face at all felt very much like Cha Heera.
Still embarrassed, huh.
Thinking that, I started to wonder if she might have already arrived at the palace, received her knighthood in a hurry, and then run off. I’d heard that a few others had already come and gone. The Red Mercenaries were busy preparing to receive new recruits, so she probably didn’t have time to sit around leisurely in the palace either.
What amused me most while talking with the people of the papal order was that it was Cardinal Basel who had pushed for me to enter the Empire’s Eight Seats. I’d assumed the church might dislike the idea of me being inducted into the Eight Seats, so it was a little unexpected that things had turned out differently.
Apparently, he was convinced I was closer to the papal order than I was to the palace. If Cardinal Basel really believed that, then forcing me into the Eight Seats made sense. The church’s honorary bishop being chosen as one of the eight strongest people in the empire was a pretty good bit of publicity.
Bishop Jaina and Heresy Inquisitor Helena joined me for a short and rather interesting prayer meeting, just the three of us, and after that I kept meeting with nobles I hadn’t seen in ages. Exchanging greetings was all I did with old man Victor Hart, but I also traded useless chatter with Duchess Katrin, Duchess Marlin, and Lady Marlin, who had already come to the palace in advance.
When I considered how she hadn’t come out for the final farewell, it did seem like she had some other scheme in mind, but I never imagined she’d already set up camp here first. The conversation mostly drifted toward Lady Marlin enthusiastically explaining my exploits from the Castle Rock siege to the other noble ladies. Since the tale naturally included the Blue party as well, it was one of those moments that brought that forgotten fool back to mind all over again, annoying me for no good reason.
Of course, it was also a reminder of just how enormous the public’s interest in Dialugia was.
Good thing I didn’t bring her.
There was no problem saving the dragon publicity for the official announcement later. Dialugia was also rather busy right now, and if I dragged that little darling here, the odds of her getting tangled up in some bizarre incident would only go up.
Just as busy as I was, Kim Hyunsung was, naturally, also spending his time running from one thing to the next. Since this was his first time at the palace, he spent his time building connections with me and Jung Hayan. Unlike me, who was busy socializing with noblewomen and the papal order, he spent his time drinking with the palace power brokers and even competing in martial displays.
Unlike me, who was backed by the church and chosen by the dragon, Kim Hyunsung was still surrounded by doubt from every direction. It seemed that talking swords with people like Victor Hart had done a great deal to raise his standing.
I’d expected the palace to keep me busy, of course, but I ended up more swamped than I’d imagined. It wasn’t strange at all that Kim Hyunsung, who found these things even more exhausting than I did, looked completely drained. It had only been a little over two days since we arrived in the capital. Unlike Jung Hayan, who was constantly recharging her energy, he looked utterly worn out.
Though I’m no different, really...
I had a mountain of things to worry about. The future of Blue. My former life. My business with Kim Hyunsung. There was too much to think about, and that itself was a job. And of course, the thing on my mind the most didn’t even need to be said.
Our thoughts might differ in some ways, but Kim Hyunsung was in the same situation as I was. The Tutorial Dungeon was about to open soon, so there was a good chance a whole batch of talented people he knew would start appearing. I figured that alone had him deep in thought.
He had to sort out which future stars were worth selecting, and he also had plenty to think about regarding his own publicly changing position. I couldn’t know what would happen from here on out, but he could. There were plenty of situations ahead where we’d have to agree, and plenty of overlapping interests as well. That was the backdrop behind why I was dragging my tired body into late-night strategy sessions with him.
Of course, it did feel like we were both quietly avoiding the truly serious topics we’d need to discuss sooner or later, but there was no problem with talking about this sort of thing. Kim Hyunsung and I were still friends and comrades who trusted one another.
“Hoo... it’s been a long day.”
“Tomorrow will probably be even busier. We still have to prepare for the knighting ceremony, and... I believe we’re supposed to be the very last ones. Ahem. Anyway, there are still a few more people you need to meet, Hyunsung.”
“......”
“You’ll need to see Archbishop Andurain as well... and meet the young ladies from the influential territories...”
“Ah...”
He was making the very clear face of please don’t do this to me. Meeting Archbishop Andurain was one thing, but the thought of meeting the young ladies from the powerful territories clearly made him uncomfortable. I couldn’t help the corner of my mouth lifting.
“Ahem. If you’re uncomfortable, Hyunsung, then I’ll handle the meetings with the young ladies.”
“You don’t have to go that far...”
“No, no. I happen to have some free time.”
“T-thank you.”
It had been a while since I’d received such a sincere thank-you. After glancing at Jung Hayan, who was nodding off beside him, Kim Hyunsung spoke again.
“It’s already been almost a year.”
“Yes. Time really does seem to pass faster than expected. We’ve been so busy that a year’s already gone by. I was honestly shocked when you told me we’d already need to start preparing to receive the next batch of recruits.”
“Haha. So even you miss things, Kiyoung.”
“I’m still just a normal person. Frankly, dealing with what’s happening right in front of me is already difficult enough.”
“No. I don’t think... you’re all that ordinary.”
“I was just lucky. If I hadn’t met you in the first place, I probably wouldn’t have made it out of the Tutorial Dungeon at all. And you’re the same way.”
“To be a little serious... right now, you’re actually becoming a huge source of strength for me.”
Hearing him say that so plainly felt incredibly satisfying. Naturally, the mood wasn’t bad. We’d had a dinner invitation before this, so we’d each had a bit to drink as well. It felt like there was something we both wanted to say, but couldn’t quite bring ourselves to say it, which was a little frustrating. Still, at least the atmosphere seemed peaceful.
“Hey...”
That was when he finally forced the words out.
“I’m good too. Tell me I’m good. Tell me I’m good...”
Jung Hayan was sleep-talking. Naturally, Kim Hyunsung burst out laughing. His voice came again, this time with a slight change from what he’d been saying before, though still seriously enough.
“Come to think of it, there was something I’d been considering.”
“Yes?”
“It’s about Blue as it is now.”
“Ah. I thought so. Is it something related to expanding the guild members...”
“Yes, that’s right. It’s not something we need to handle immediately, but I’ve been feeling that Blue’s system and our current party need a bit of restructuring.”
“Hmm...”
“Once new party members come in, trying to run the whole of Blue as one single party feels inefficient no matter how I look at it... I’m only planning it in my head for now, but I’ve been thinking it might be better to form a second party and assign Deokgu and Jeongyeon to lead it.”
“Ahhh...”
I had no choice but to press my lips together. I didn’t really have anything to say. It meant Kim Hyunsung had been thinking about the same thing I had. He hadn’t said it outright, but he was wondering whether Park Deokgu could still keep following his party the way he was now.
Is there a decent tank among the new guys?
Maybe there was. If there was a good frontliner among the future talents, it would be more efficient to take him in as a party member. It was a little abrupt, but I didn’t think Kim Hyunsung was looking down on Park Deokgu.
He wasn’t shouting, “That bastard’s too weak, so let’s dump him now!” with any cheerful enthusiasm. This was a decision made because he understood Deokgu’s limits, and because it was a rational choice if he wanted to develop him into something like a clan executive. He was probably thinking that Deokgu could serve as the leader of a newly formed party, gain some experience, and be observed over time.
Park Deokgu’s standing and position inside the clan would rise, but in the end he’d be moving farther away from Kim Hyunsung’s party. In fact, if Lee Sanghee returned from the front right away, she could easily become the backbone of Kim Hyunsung’s party, so there was no reason for him to cling to Deokgu.
Especially if he’s thinking about the guy’s safety.
As Kim Hyunsung’s party gained momentum, it would keep stepping into new territory, and Park Deokgu would keep facing new dangers. Given his objective specs, he might only be able to endure one or two hits, and in the worst case, he could die outright.
He’s not like me, sitting in the rear.
Of course, dragging Park Deokgu into Kim Hyunsung’s party and putting him in the back would only hinder his growth. Kim Hyunsung had clearly considered all of this. The reason he was bringing it up to me in the first place was probably that he wanted to ask for my opinion first, since I was the one closest to Deokgu.
When I add up Deokgu’s growth, his safety, the fact that they’re trying to raise him into a future clan executive, and everything else... Kim Hyunsung’s suggestion might actually be better.
For some reason, though, leaving him behind felt a little cruel.
Damn...
I wasn’t the only one who could see his limits from a status window. Kim Hyunsung, who had watched Park Deokgu from closest up and fought alongside him, probably felt those limits more keenly than I did.
“I think I understand what you’re trying to say, Hyunsung.”
“Yes.”
“If I’m not mistaken, I assume you’re talking about Deokgu... Is that right?”
“Yes. I was wondering what you thought. I’m bringing this up first because, in this case, I believe your judgment matters more than mine. I think you know him better than I do... At least, that’s what I believe. Considering things may get a little more dangerous from here...”
“Well...”
I already knew the answer in my head, but my mouth wouldn’t open.
This is annoying... damn it...
It was nice of him to ask my opinion, of course, but for some reason, it felt like Kim Hyunsung was making me choose to do something cruel, and that made me dislike him for a moment. Still, I had no choice but to answer. In the end, I had to force some kind of reply out through my mouth.
“I...”