Chapter 101
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 101
Chapter Title: The Royal Palace (4)
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As I stepped out of the building, I caught the male staff member's envious gaze but brushed it off. Nothing like what he was imagining had happened.
The morning air hit me, and my mind suddenly felt clearer.
It was partly the hangover, and with everything that had gone down, my head had been a mess— this was a welcome relief.
"Phew... Breathing in this morning air makes me feel a bit better."
"Hehe, yeah. Somehow, it feels like today's going to be a good day!"
Just like yesterday, Seo Yu-ju seemed to be in high spirits today too.
Despite that brief... hiccup, seeing her so happy naturally brought a smile to my face.
Yeah. As long as you're happy, that's what matters.
Hanging around a regressor and sucking up all the sweet nectar? Spending a little time like this was a fair trade.
"Still... Haah... I'm worried."
"Huh? About what...?"
"Well... We didn't tell the palace we'd be staying out overnight. What if they use it against us...?"
"Oh... That, uh..."
"Sigh..."
I let out a heavy sigh as I walked, and Seo Yu-ju hesitated before mumbling in a voice as tiny as a mosquito's.
"...You don't have to worry about that..."
"Pardon?"
"...I already told one of the maids in advance. That we might stay out..."
'...What?'
She bowed her head in embarrassment under my incredulous stare.
Because... what she was saying meant she'd planned for an overnight stay from the start when she went out with me.
"I-It was just... in case we both got drunk and... y'know... I prepared ahead!"
"......"
"I-It's true!"
"Ah... Okay."
'Yeah, right.'
Well... On the way back, we took another stroll through the fountain plaza and checked out more of the capital's sights, eventually making it back to the palace.
The problem was... the timing couldn't have been worse.
The clan members were all gathered for breakfast when Seo Yu-ju and I showed up, so of course the atmosphere turned weird the moment they saw us.
"Ah... Bro, Sis, you're back?"
"Welcome back."
"......"
"Haha... Y-You guys were having breakfast."
I hadn't done anything wrong, but I still found myself stumbling over my words.
"...Oppa, you and Yu-ju unnie haven't eaten yet, right? Sit down first."
"No, we already—"
"Hehe, sure, why not?"
This whole situation was insanely awkward, so I'd been about to lie and say we'd eaten, but Seo Yu-ju cluelessly chimed in.
'You idiot!'
I never dreamed she'd respond like that here.
In the end, her words kicked off an uncomfortable meal.
I hadn't sinned or anything, but I couldn't even tell if the food was going in my mouth or my nose.
The palace cuisine was top-notch, but my tongue was numb to the flavors.
'Why is she acting like this?'
I had no idea what her deal was, but across from me, Kang I-seo had her arms crossed, radiating serious displeasure.
"...What's up?"
"......"
"...What?"
"Ha... You two had a field day, huh?"
"...What do you mean?"
'I'm losing my mind. What's her problem?'
"Staying out overnight...? Just the two of you?"
"No, that's—"
"Fun? Was it fun? Yeah, must've been a blast. You probably burned the place down, right?"
"...I can guess what you're thinking, but it's not like that, so don't misunderstand..."
"Misunderstand what? It reeks of booze on your clothes."
"No... We just drank at the restaurant."
"Ha, do you sleep at restaurants too?"
"That was... Yu-ju and I both got wasted, so we had no choice but to share a room at the inn..."
"...What? Inn?"
'Fuck, why am I the only one explaining? Seo Yu-ju, say something, damn it!'
I glanced at Seo Yu-ju, but she was blissfully munching away, face full of life, without a care in the world.
Irritation boiled up, nearly spilling out as words, but I swallowed it and spoke gently.
"Y-Yu-ju? Say something..."
"Huh?"
'Damn it, don't play dumb.'
I had no clue why Seo Yu-ju was being so sly today.
"Haha... We just drank too much and crashed in separate rooms, right?"
'Come on, read the room!'
"Oh, yeah, we slept. In a double room together..."
'Fuck, why say that?!'
"What?... Double room?!"
It wasn't just Kang I-seo. Everyone flinched—they'd all assumed we'd gotten separate rooms. Hearing we'd shared one shocked them.
'Seo Yu-ju, what the hell? You're not this oblivious, damn it!'
It was so bad I started suspecting she was deliberately setting me up as bait.
Her actions and words were all off. I couldn't shake the feeling she was doing it on purpose.
'Did I piss her off somehow?'
Seo Yu-ju's face looked thrilled by the misunderstanding.
"You bastard...! Not even separate rooms, sleeping together?! This is insane...!"
"W-Wait a sec...!"
Honestly, whether I'd slept with Seo Yu-ju or done whatever didn't concern her, but instinct told me I had to calm her down.
"Crazy! They say even the tamest cat climbs the stove first! Turns out Tierra wasn't the issue!"
"Calm down first! What the fuck are you even saying? Why bring up that young lady's name...?"
"Fuck you, you're the problem, you jerk!"
"Agh! My hair! Let go of my hair...!"
I had no idea what was happening mid-meal.
Luckily, no palace staff were around, or it'd have been a huge stain on the clan's reputation.
After a long chaos, she finally calmed down once we convinced her nothing happened between Seo Yu-ju and me.
Seo Yu-ju smirked like she'd won something, while Kang I-seo kept sulking through the rest of the meal.
Thud—
"Phew... Damn it, why am I so tired from morning..."
There was a basic royal etiquette class soon, but it didn't start for another two hours.
With some time left, I was lying in my room.
'...Audience with the king isn't far now.'
Meeting the king? Honestly, I wasn't sweating it.
Rayhakter was a slight concern, but unless the king was super sociable, it'd be quick.
'Toss us some decent rewards, praise us, maybe mention backing the clan, and done.'
From what I knew, the current king had only been on the throne a few years after being crown prince, and he wasn't the chatty type.
'If I had to classify him... Serious, maybe.'
We hadn't committed any crimes—in fact, we'd done a solid for the neutral nation—so no big worries.
Like that, my clan and I went through two days of basic etiquette training.
It was just etiquette training—purely procedural, nothing more or less.
'They're accommodating us foreigners somewhat.'
As Rayhakter said, no big issues unless we cursed in front of the king.
Even for a neutral nation's king, foreigners like us weren't fully under continental law—more half in, half out. No vertical hierarchy.
Now, we followed our guide to the audience with the king.
"Your Majesty, I've brought the members of Eternity."
—Bring them in.
The attendant slowly opened the door, and we stepped into the king's office.
"So you're the foreigners from Eternity Clan. Welcome. Have a seat."
'This guy's...'
Current King Alpriha.
The predecessor who cherished his people—no, the king famed for adoring his subjects.
The king's appearance: a young man with golden hair and blue eyes, around my age.
You couldn't just stand there blankly when the king greeted you. We bowed in turn and took our prepared seats.
"First, my thanks. The drug issue needed swift action, and your quick handling let me breathe easy."
Seo Yu-ju, our clan rep, responded to the king.
"Not at all, Your Majesty. As a clan under Baronia, it was our duty."
"Kind words. Speaking of... You're Seo Yu-ju, the new clan master of Eternity everyone's talking about?"
"Yes, that's me, Your Majesty."
"Hm... You do have an extraordinary aura. The rumors weren't exaggerated."
"You're too kind."
"No need for such formality before me. You may not know, but I detest empty rituals. Especially you foreigners—no need for excessive courtesy."
He seemed genuine. Just as Rayhakter described, no interest in pointless etiquette.
"...And you're the one who made the biggest contribution this time? Lee Yun-seong, was it...?"
"Ah, yes. That's me, Your Majesty."
"I've heard tales about you. They say if Eternity's new clan master handles the brawn, player Lee Yun-seong handles the brains."
'That's a bit much...'
It fit Seo Yu-ju, but rumors about me were exaggerated.
"Anyway, thanks to all of Eternity Clan, not just those two. Foreigners wouldn't usually care about such issues."
'Fair enough.'
Players had little reason to meddle in natives' affairs, so I got what the king meant.
The palace probably hadn't expected much even when commissioning clans.
"Sorry for rambling. You're most interested in rewards, so let's discuss those."
Rewards were a given.
We weren't volunteers—we'd been commissioned—so clan members' eyes lit up naturally.
"First reward: items. Enter the royal treasury and take up to two pieces of gear or armament."
'...Insane.'
The royal treasury held all sorts of rare gear. No mythics maybe, but legends for sure—basically handing us up to two legendaries.
"Second: ties with the palace. Not quite 'backing'—more a partnership."
'Like an alliance.'
Probably what Seo Yu-ju aimed for.
But it felt off to me. Weird, really.
'Rewards are too generous.'
Solving the drug issue merited good pay, but two legendaries? Overkill.
Maybe the palace was just lavish, but my gut said no.
Legendaries weren't dog treats—you don't hand out two casually.
Of course, more rewards were good, but the suspicion lingered.