A Kingdom's Favor
When five humans gather together, there is always one who is the trash.
… Why is Arin here?
I thought that question over in silence, and suddenly a memory from the past brushed past my mind.
Looking back, I vaguely remembered seeing an explanation for this situation in the early selection screen for the test.
‘If what I remember is correct….’
‘You are a student who carries the bloodline of a promising knight and possesses the aptitude of a tester. Open the talent with your power!’
That message had clearly been Arin’s introduction for the knight class.
It had passed by so quickly that I couldn’t be certain, but even if it was wrong, the content would have been very similar.
In any case, seeing it made me realize that Arin came from a highly reputable knight family, and if that reputable knight was none other than Haran, then her presence here was perfectly understandable.
‘No way. Is it really Haran, the Knight Commander of the Phra Kingdom, the one who ranks among the strongest NPCs—right below the demon lords?’
Haran was ranked as one of the two strongest NPCs in the players’ analyses, alongside the pope, though he fell short of the demon lords’ level.
In game terms, he hovered around level 80.
Even the strongest boss-level human enemy we fought in the game barely scraped past level 50, so there was no need to explain just how formidable Haran was.
And with that realization, I also understood why Arin had grown strong enough to stand beside me now.
Even Aria, my own avatar, had essentially inherited Haran’s bloodline, so it made sense that a child carrying the same blood could reach this level of power.
After all, receiving the talents of a level-80 knight commander put her well beyond the realm of imagining a 100-level character.
In that case, it was likely that the other representative characters carried similar talents as well.
Just look at Riana in our class— she was from an elven royal family, after all.
The evidence I had gathered so far was overwhelming, and the hypothesis felt right to me. I turned my gaze toward Arin standing beside me and Mu.
“……Is there something wrong?”
“Pfft…! Hmph, just kidding.”
Perhaps because she was acting as a knight carrying out current duties, Arin answered me with a strangely serious expression and a knightly tone. I couldn’t hold back a laugh.
The student who used to cling to me like a gentle puppy now stood here as a knight, so I simply couldn’t stop smiling.
My laughter came out against my will, contrasting sharply with her usual demeanor, and Arin covered her face with one hand, clearly embarrassed.
“Ugh….”
“I really have to admire how dutifully you guided me, Professor. Oh, I should clarify—this is no misunderstanding. It’s genuine.”
“Ugh… Please don’t tease me, Professor.”
I whispered it quietly so only she could hear, and Arin let out a groan in response.
I had tried to tease her a little, but it clearly hadn’t worked. Still, I had probably teased her too much while she was working.
I glanced at her sideways, and seeing her face flush crimson with embarrassment, I chuckled and gently patted her shoulder.
“Alright, Arin. Have some confidence. In my eyes, you’re already an excellent knight.”
“Thank you….”
The words had been spoken with nothing but sincerity, yet Arin clearly took them as more teasing.
Responding in a clipped tone, as if she still expected mockery.
I wanted to say something more comforting to her, but before I could open my mouth again, Haran, who had been leading the way, stopped with a firm step and stepped aside for us.
“His Majesty the King is inside. Please enter.”
“Open the gates!”
As soon as Haran said that and moved aside, Arin—who had been trembling with embarrassment moments ago—shouted with her usual serious knightly demeanor.
Surprisingly, she shouted with the commanding voice of a mid-to-high-rank knight.
Two knights standing beside the door immediately turned their bodies in unison and began pushing open the massive door that must have been over five meters tall.
Kuguguguung────
The heavy sound of the doors being forced open echoed as they swung wide, revealing a brilliant light shining from within.
“Ugh….”
“It’s blinding….”
I squinted for a moment against the piercing light. Once it dimmed and my eyes adjusted, the scene beyond the door came into view.
Just like the knights standing along the path earlier, a procession of dignified knights lined both sides, and at the end sat several men who appeared to be the five nobles the pope had mentioned.
In front of them, figures I recognized as palace servants stared directly at me and Mu.
But whether they were nobles or high-ranking servants, they existed solely to adorn their single superior.
“Hmph….”
The word “splendid” didn’t suit it at all.
Rather, the king sat on a throne that looked far too simple and efficient, the kind I myself would prefer.
Yet, as a king, there was still an aura of dignity. The throne was plain, but the man before us seemed to have adorned it with dignity through sheer personal will.
The wrinkles on his face and the few white hairs visible on his head told of years of hardship. He was clearly beyond middle age, entering old age, yet he didn’t look frail at all.
Instead, those signs of age only made the light still burning in his eyes appear even more regal.
He was slightly oppressive.
This was the king who had shown me the presence of a king that I had never truly felt even from the Demon King. At the same time, it was the first time I had ever met a king in person, since I had never seen one in the game either.
If it were my trained avatars, they might have seen him, but facing him directly with my own eyes was a first.
And just thinking that brought a faint wave of emotion to my chest.
It was a strangely new feeling, but I didn’t hesitate.
No—I simply couldn’t.
Because I was Aria right now, I couldn’t hesitate over a small unfamiliar emotion.
So I took a step forward, right beside Mu, and crossed the threshold of the open door.
After ending my unusually long reverie, I walked forward with a proud stride.
* * *
“Your Majesty the King, we greet you.”
“We greet Your Majesty the King….”
We, standing on the carpet in front of the knights, stopped at the appropriate spot and knelt deeply, offering our respects to the king.
Since the pope had taught us the protocol, I worried whether there might be mocking eyes, but the king’s gaze seemed perfect.
The looks I felt were mostly filled with curiosity and surprise.
Some were unpleasant, but there was nothing I could do about them right now, and no one had crossed a line yet. So I simply noted the faces of those staring at us.
Then I lifted my head as I heard the king’s voice.
“Aria and Meiel. Raise your heads.”
“Yes.”
“Yes….”
Responding to the king’s deep and slightly husky voice, Mu and I looked up at him.
It turned out the saying “a sage king” was true. He smiled kindly, erasing the regal air that had been radiating from him just moments ago.
I couldn’t tell whether he was showing special consideration for us or simply his usual self, but at least he seemed like a man easy to deal with.
Of course, even if I knew him, I couldn’t show such ease in front of dozens of pairs of eyes. It was impossible by status alone.
So, while we waited for the king to speak after raising our heads, he cleared his throat several times and made a light gesture.
“First, the reason I summoned you today is simple: to bestow rewards upon you for your great contributions in resolving the Sky Island incident. But before that, as is only natural for the king of this country, I must speak as I must. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving our Phra Kingdom and protecting its people.”
“No, Your Majesty. If one has strength, one must use it for what is right. We simply did what was necessary.”
“……”
I chose one of the prepared replies and answered appropriately to the formal thanks.
My words must have looked as though they were about to cause even my palms to curl in, but I barely managed to keep a faint smile.
Mu, on my side, simply nodded silently with closed lips. The king smiled broadly and waved his hand.
“Ah, a humble hero as well. It is truly a joy to have people like you working at Mira’s Academy. The students must be overjoyed to learn from you.”
“As you say, all the students are happy and eager to learn.”
“Exactly as my sister said….”
I nodded sincerely to the king’s words.
Indeed, all the students I taught were happy. It was hard to see from the outside, but they were growing stronger every day.
After all, I, a level-100 character, was conducting a full-force training session for the Human-Demon War, so who wouldn’t be happy?
“……”
There was a cold stare coming from the direction Arin stood in, but it was probably just my imagination. Or perhaps Arin, having dramatically agreed with me, had sent an overly intense look.
I ignored the gaze stabbing at me and met the king’s eyes again. He nodded with a pleased expression.
“Good. I hear your sisters are always well-behaved with Mira. Keep it up in the future.”
“Yes. I will do my best to live up to your expectations.”
“I will do my best….”
The king smiled contentedly, satisfied with our immediate replies.
And the atmosphere around us had brightened considerably compared to when I first entered, with the previous murmurs now gone. I let out a sigh of relief.
From the looks of things, I hadn’t made any major mistakes so far.
Actually, if I thought about it, the king had chosen words that didn’t require much ceremony, making it easy for us to enter. I should thank him for his consideration.
On the other hand, the formal protocol I had practiced so hard had become completely useless thanks to him. But compared to still being awkward and drawing mockery, this was far better. I sent him a small, private thanks in my heart.
While I did so, the king continued looking at me and Mu alternately with a smile still on his face.
“Then let’s move on to more important matters. As I said earlier, today’s summons is none other than to reward you for your contributions. Feel free to ask for whatever you desire. Wealth, treasures, titles—anything. Whatever you ask for, I will grant it.”
It was an absurdly generous reward.
The servants standing beneath the king looked surprised, their eyes widening as they stared at him, but the king’s gaze remained steady.
The servants’ reaction suggested the words had been spoken on the spot, yet from the king’s eyes, I could tell he would grant almost anything I asked—unless it was absurdly unreasonable.
But granting anything at the same time risked destroying the image I had carefully built with him. I had to be careful.
If I asked for something vulgar or overly greedy, he might grant it, but he wouldn’t look at me with kind eyes.
Fortunately, what I desired from the king fell into none of those categories.
Wealth was unnecessary. The pope had already provided vast sums of gold, and I didn’t waste money anyway.
Equipment was also unnecessary. My current gear was already the best, and the only way to obtain superior equipment was for the goddess Iriel to forge it herself.
A title was likewise unnecessary. There was already a temple behind my back that required five pillars—nobles who would kneel before it. A title was the last thing I needed.
So, among the things I could request without appearing greedy, I settled on the most modest one possible.
“I do not ask for anything so grand. I am already content with my current life, so I only hope you will grant me one small favor.”
“A favor? Go on, tell me.”
“Yes. Perhaps you have already heard, but yesterday morning, a certain duke attempted to draw my brother and me into his family by force.”
“What—such a thing…!”
I had worried he might already know, but it had happened yesterday and the king had been so busy, so he probably hadn’t received reports yet.
As a result, the king’s expression turned genuinely angry without a hint of doubt, his eyes wide.
I had expected at least some empathy, but the king’s clear concern for me moved me slightly.
While feeling that emotion, I quietly glanced at the owner of the dirty gaze that had followed us since we entered.
“Therefore, I humbly beg Your Majesty the King.”
The other gazes had already turned away, but the persistent stare remained fixed on Mu and me.
Following that gaze, I saw a man with red slicked-back hair.
One of the five nobles the pope had warned about—Duke Imptia.
As I leaned in a little further, his gaze extended toward my other avatars, causing my head to heat up. Yet I maintained a faint smile and continued.
“Could you please punish those who have laid hands on me and my brother personally?”
Even if the target was anyone.
If granted, one of the five pillars would be removed—the rotten one—leaving four solid pillars to uphold the kingdom perfectly.
My modest request reached the king’s ears with a faint smile.
And compared to the enormous reward he had offered, the answer to my small request was already decided long ago.