98
My Villains Chapter 98
25. Rainy Season (3)
Unlike the knights who were staying in the cozy mansion, Prince Ulkar was still living and eating in the plaza.
Even during the unexpected rainy season when there were leaks, the prince insisted on staying in an old military tent.
In that very tent, I was having a private audience with Prince Ulkar.
...A private audience with someone like me? Without guards? Has this guy really lost his mind?
Whatever I was thinking inside, the prince leaned comfortably against the backrest and opened his mouth.
"What do you think the reason might be?"
"...Pardon? What reason are you referring to?"
"The reason why I insist on staying in this military tent."
How would I know that? Do you like camping?
"...I'm not sure, Your Highness."
"It's because I must leave someday. When you get used to warm fireplaces and sturdy roofs, your will to leave tends to break."
South Harbor has long fallen into the prince's hands. Yet, he says he needs to leave? Why?
When I made a puzzled expression, the prince naturally changed the subject.
"Right. You're waiting for the holy covenant, aren't you?"
"Ah, yes. My companion received a major injury resulting in disability, and we need the covenant to heal it."
"I see. The schedule must have been quite delayed because of me."
The prince was wearing a wooden prosthetic arm, having lost his left arm to the Underground Lord. Because his arm below the elbow was completely torn off like a rag, it couldn't be healed with healing potions or priest's prayers.
I naturally thought he would receive treatment from the bishop, but it seemed he had no such intention.
No matter how renowned Prince Ulkar might be, he's not a king, so he can't order the bishop around. Then he could pay for treatment...
As if reading my thoughts, the prince continued with a bitter smile.
"If I had enough gold coins, I would have received treatment from His Excellency the Bishop."
"Oh, you were short on money? How could that be...
After taking control of the city, they don't have just a thousand gold coins? How does that make sense?
Prince Ulkar shook his head with an uncharacteristically cold smile.
"They say one recovery prayer isn't enough to regenerate an arm. At least three sessions are needed, apparently."
"Don't tell me they asked for three thousand gold coins? The church?"
"Why wouldn't they?"
Wow, what a bunch of thieves.
We, that is, myself, Ellen, and Utequais, had stayed in South Harbor for the past 3 weeks ultimately because of Ellen's leg.
We wanted to complete the treatment somehow. Based on the effectiveness so far, it seemed like it would heal with just two or three more bottles. So after the chaos ended, we requested the church to produce the covenant.
But the problem was that Prince Ulkar was also severely injured.
When someone of prince status was waiting with one arm, we couldn't insist on getting the covenant first.
At the time, I had internally cursed him for being stingy with money despite being wealthy, but...
"Three thousand gold coins, there should be limits to greed."
The prince chuckled at my muttering.
"That's disrespectful talk about His Excellency the Bishop, Phoenix."
"Oh, um."
"I'm joking."
Geez, you scared me. I thought I was going to jail for insulting clergy.
"As you said, there should be limits to greed. I can't spend thousands of gold coins just to regrow my arm. That's greed beyond reason."
Hmm. What would I have done in the prince's position?
Would I have just regenerated the arm thinking 'It's my money anyway, might as well bite the bullet and spend it'?
"I requested the covenant from the church due to lingering attachment. I heard you need to drink the covenant periodically to eventually regenerate. While at it, I wanted to resolve this cursed phantom pain too."
Saying that, the prince pulled out a box from under his feet and placed it on the table.
The box contained four glass bottles neatly arranged.
The grape-colored contents and holy light flowing around the edges - it was the covenant.
Why is he showing this to me?
"However, it seems this covenant should be used for someone other than myself."
"...Pardon?"
"Take it."
Take it? This? The covenant?
"What do you mean all of a sudden,"
"If I drink it, I'll only sink into misery, but if Miss Ellen drinks it, she might witness a miracle."
...Is it really okay to accept this?
Seeing my hesitation, the prince sighed and pulled out a piece of parchment from his breast pocket.
"Miss Ellen doesn't have time."
"What? What do you mean by,"
"La-Palais Palace's Erenar Ra-Dakalin. That's Miss Ellen's real name."
What's with this development?
"What do you mean all of a sudden,"
"I did a simple investigation. They say she's the descendant with the strongest Great Mage bloodline in the La-Dakalin family. Didn't you know?"
"...I did know."
"Good. Then, about her allegedly killing her master and running away?" At the prince's cold gaze, I gritted my teeth and protested.
"That's a false accusation, Your Highness. Ellen had neither reason nor power to commit such an act."
"Is that so."
The prince briefly scanned the piece of parchment he was holding and nodded.
"It seems there are quite a few people within La-Palais Palace who think the same as you."
"Pardon?"
Prince Ulkar handed over the parchment piece and continued.
"Pursuers are coming from the Palace of Mages. Two at minimum, four at maximum, they say."
"Pursuers..."
"Don't despair too much. If Miss Ellen were clearly a murderer, dozens of mages would have poured out as pursuers."
"The small number of pursuers... Means the palace's opinion isn't unified, is that what you're saying?"
"Precisely."
The prince tapped the table and showed a slight smile.
"However, it's better to avoid the pursuers. Whether you get caught by them or harm them, it will cause problems."
"That's right."
"I hear they'll be taking a ship from Ailant. They'll probably arrive here in about five days. Leave as quickly as possible."
While examining the note containing the pursuers' movements, I suddenly looked up.
"...But, Your Highness."
"Hmm?"
"Why, why are you showing us such kindness?"
The prince, who had been staring at my face, soon showed a peculiar smile.
"I can't help myself when I see people in danger."
"Hmm, was that answer insufficient?"
"...I want to know your true intentions, Your Highness."
"True intentions."
The prince tapped the table for a moment, then stood up. He then opened the tent and looked up at the sky.
"Phoenix. You are a hero."
"...Me?"
When I responded in an unknowingly stupid voice, Prince Ulkar let out a small laugh.
"Yes. You are a hero. You may carry countless strange rumors, but you can't deceive my eyes. You are a hero."
"Uh, Your Highness, um. I'm sorry, but I think you're mistaken."
"Mistaken?"
"Yes. I'm not anything like a hero."
The sun, showing its face through the dark clouds, was already tilting towards the west. Fixing his eyes on the orange-tinted horizon in the distance, Prince Ulkar spoke.
"Then, why didn't you run away?"
"Pardon?"
"When I sent you to the beach. Why didn't you run away? Did you notice I was suspicious of you?"
Send me to the beach? Ah, does he mean when I delivered the letter and returned to South Harbor?
"Uh, you were suspicious of me?"
After laughing briefly, the prince threw another question instead of answering.
"The day you caught the merfolk witch. Why did you enter the Salt Castle alone?"
"...My comrades were inside."
"The day the earth dragon appeared. Why didn't you run away and fought until the end?"
Run away or whatever, that bastard was chasing me...
Perhaps misunderstanding my hesitation, the prince turned his head to look at me. His navy blue eyes were shining brilliantly.
"After achieving those merits, why didn't you demand any rewards first?"
The earthquake in the city was my fault, how could I have the nerve to receive more rewards...
"Now, answer me. Do you still say you're not a hero?"
"...But I'm not."
Finding something amusing, Prince Ulkar held his stomach and laughed for a long time.
People gathered at that loud laughter.
Knights and personal soldiers, commanders and sergeants, city officials waiting for the prince, even the workers who were grinding the flagstones. They were drawn by the prince's laughter.
The long-lasting laughter stopped abruptly. The prince raised his burning eyes to look at me.
"You endlessly fuel my greed."
"What do you mean by greed..."
"Do you think my favor is excessive?"
"Um, that's not to say I feel bad about it... Just that I don't know how to repay this undeserved grace, well, something like that,"
"Let me tell you how. Kneel."
A resolute voice.
"Pardon?"
"Mercenary Phoenix, kneel. Now!"
A low command. Overwhelmed by the prince's gaze, I unconsciously dropped to one knee.
*Shing!*
As Prince Ulkar drew his sword, the evening sunlight scattered along the rippling blade.
The flat of the prince's extended sword slowly came down to touch my right shoulder.
"In the name of the Lord, I command you. Protect the church and drive out heresy."
The flat of the blade drew a gentle arc to touch my left shoulder.
"In the name of the Lion, I command you. Be loyal to the king and respect the nobility."
The sunset-tinted blade touched my crown. Then came the clear whisper.
"In my name, I command you. Forget all that came before, protect the weak, and do good."
...Wait a minute. This couldn't be...?
"Phoenix who was a mercenary, now rise as a knight."
What? A knight?
At the prince's solemn voice, I rose with a bewildered expression.
As soon as those words ended, cheers erupted from all around. The prince's knights approached with broad smiles, embracing my shoulders and patting my back.
Then came Lord Langbolt's voice.
"Congratulations on becoming a knight, Lord Phoenix."
Lord Phoenix?
Cheers filled the twilight plaza. Cheers blessing the formation of a lord-vassal bond between the city's saviors.
Yes. Through what was almost a snatch ceremony, I became the Silver Prince's seventh knight.
...Damn, good heavens.
***
Ippotranslation
***
"What? Are you crazy?"
When Ellen opened her mouth and shouted, I let out a heavy sigh.
"I thought I was going crazy too. Before I knew it, the knighting ceremony was over."
"...That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard in my life."
...Nothing to say to that. I never thought I'd be saying such stupid things either.
"I mean, not just any noble, but getting knighted by Prince Ulkar of the Zeore royal family?"
"Well, don't worry too much. It's not like I have to join the military campaign, I just got the status of a knight..."
"You fool, do you think it's that simple? Do you know how many enemies Prince Ulkar has!"
"Hey, your voice."
As we were just turning from Ruge Street into the plaza, Ellen quickly closed her mouth and glanced around.
I took that chance to quickly make excuses.
"Hey, but the prince was really considerate. I don't even have to always announce that I'm his knight, and he said to come find him if I feel like joining the campaign later. There are no obligations, really?"
"Ha, no obligations? Please, if you're going to be stupid, just keep quiet."
"Hey, can't you speak more nicely?"
"Do something nice and I'll say nice things! You, you've been marked now, you idiot."
"Marked?"
"Yes. The prince marked you so other nobles can't snatch you up."
"...Why is that a problem? I don't plan on acting like a knight anyway."
"But you... Are you going to waste your life just being a mercenary forever?"
"What's wrong with being a mercenary? The pay is good."
At my words, Ellen stared at me as if at a loss for words, then let out a heavy sigh.
"And, I got this too."
"What's this?"
When I handed over the parchment scroll, Ellen frowned while unfolding it. Then, her eyes suddenly grew wide.
"...'Lavalten Manor Rights Certificate'? You got land too?"
"It has two villages and a lake attached to the manor. It's quite large, with almost three hundred people living there, they say."
"You fool, recklessly accepting something like this... *sigh*"
As Ellen dropped her shoulders as if beyond irritation now, I smiled and said, "They say with that, you don't need magic faction inspections. Because it proves you're nobility."
"...What?"
"You won't have to worry even when going to new territories or cities. Take it."
The kid who had been staring blankly up at me for a moment pressed her lips tightly together.