Chapter 61
Allen began preparations to depart for the Dwarf City.
"I'll come with you."
As he set the departure date for the dwarves' city and exited the throne room, Karen, who had followed behind him, spoke up.
"Why?"
"It's already settled with the emperor."
I frowned at Karen, who delivered the words with her usual emotionless expression.
"Planning to go after my body again?"
"No, we already settled that. This time, I'm just curious about dwarven technology."
I silently stared at her. Truth be told, I couldn't fully trust everything she said, but considering Karen's personality from my previous life, her curiosity about dwarven tech was a pretty reasonable excuse. After all, the Magic Tower—her home base—had crafted Steven, the emperor's guard captain, his armor. It was only natural for someone from there to be intrigued by dwarven craftsmanship.
"Didn't the emperor demand you uncover the secrets of my body quickly?"
"...I don't know how you know that so well, but I never thought it was a secret we could unravel that fast in the first place. Neither the emperor nor I."
I nodded lightly at her words. Even in my previous life, when I was clueless about their schemes, the emperor had shown remarkable patience. He'd left her alone for over a decade without cracking the immortality secret. Besides, since the emperor hadn't even confirmed if I truly possessed the Immortal Body, he might have figured keeping Karen by my side was beneficial all around.
"Fine. Come along."
In the end, I permitted Karen to join. There was a lingering unease, but she was undeniably a valuable asset. With Balk moving toward the elves, who knew what might show up in the Dwarf City? And if Lilite was right and it was that Balk bastard, her presence would be more than welcome.
"Y-You're going with the dwarves?"
I stopped by the palace and ran into Princess Mary Reister, who had already heard about the throne room exchange. She asked the moment she saw me.
"Yeah. Problem?"
"N-No problem, but..."
Mary furrowed her brow in response. Even if she hadn't been with the dwarves herself, helping them instead of cozying up to Aaron's elf allies had to be far more advantageous for her.
"By the way, why weren't you hanging out with the dwarves? Aaron was thrilled about the elves."
I already knew the reason but tossed the question at her anyway. Watching the noble princess squirm was a rare treat you couldn't buy.
As expected, Mary flushed red, unable to answer, her body trembling with embarrassment.
"What? Did the dwarves crack some dirty jokes?"
I prodded her for fun. Dwarves, with their filthy mouths, wouldn't spare an imperial princess.
Expecting manners from those tactless louts was pointless from the start.
"W-Well, that too, but..."
"Hm? Something else?"
I tilted my head at the princess trailing off. On second thought, Mary wasn't the type to let crude jokes derail her opportunities.
"The dwarves made a request. They wanted their guide changed."
"...Why?"
"...They said I was too ugly and it ruined their mood."
Mary said it with a woeful expression. I finally burst out laughing, clutching my stomach.
"Hahaha, ha! Masterpiece. Absolute masterpiece."
"Don't laugh! It's the first time anyone's ever said that to me!"
She yelled, face crimson, as I laughed at her. Of course, Mary's looks weren't lacking as the dwarves claimed. She was stunning enough to rival the elves. The issue was just the dwarves' bizarre taste in women.
"But... am I really that ugly?"
I cracked up again at her tentative question. She looked genuinely hurt, clueless about dwarven quirks, and it was hilarious.
"Ah, seriously, stop laughing. Looks don't matter, but... still."
"Don't worry. Dwarves call even elves ugly. Slap a wig on a guy like Juan, and they'll rave about what a beauty he is."
"Juan?"
"That knight from Butler Territory. You know him?"
"Oh, the bald guy trailing the countess..."
I burst into laughter again, picturing Juan idly picking his ear back in Butler Territory.
"Seriously, are dwarves like that?"
"Yeah. Relax. You're not ugly—you've got a beautiful face."
Her cheeks flushed anew at my words. I might have overdone it, but seeing her display such varied expressions—unlike before—wasn't half bad.
"I'm sorry, Hero."
Saintess Marian Delarossi said it to the hero seated before her. He was leaving for the dwarves' city tomorrow, and she'd just asked to join him.
Naturally, she'd dreamed of traveling with him to the mysterious dwarven city, but superhuman willpower had kept her in check.
'This won't do.'
He'd said it was fine, but the shock from Butler Territory lingered. A saintess who couldn't even cast proper healing magic? To her, that was worthless trash.
So she'd rushed back to the Gaiana Church temple and begun her penance. She yearned to see him, to be by his side, but more than that, she wanted to be useful.
Raised in Raksha Street amid humanity's darkest corners, Marian now saw the world as far filthier than she'd imagined. It helped her understand the hero's constant anger, which had once baffled her.
'Only I can. No one else.'
She believed she alone could understand and help him. That's why the goddess had given her the oracle and led her to him.
Of course, she hadn't fully suppressed her desires. During penance, she'd sneak soul projections to spy on him, catching glimpses of his intimate moments at first by luck. But he wasn't always in the same place, and failures piled up, stalling her progress.
Cornered, she'd turned down his invitation.
"...Pity."
That was all he said about her refusal. It stung, yet his disappointment made her heart race. Even she couldn't make sense of her fickle emotions.
'I want to go... even just a part of me...'
She prayed silently as she gazed at him. Karen, obsessed with unraveling magic through reason and logic, would faint at such whimsy—but Marian's wish began to come true.
"Um, one favor before you go..."
"Favor?"
"Could you... just hold me once? Lightly?"
Gathering her courage, she asked. He looked puzzled but didn't refuse.
It was a casual embrace, like a farewell between acquaintances—not lovers. Still, she savored his scent, her heart pounding against his warmth.
'Yes... perfect.'
Her fingertips brushed his back, and as if instinctive from birth, she slipped a fragment of her soul into him.
He flinched and pulled away, eyeing her oddly, but she feigned composure.
"...Well, see you around."
"Yes. Safe travels, Hero."
She bowed as he left without another word, sighing inwardly in relief.
'Good. He didn't notice.'
Marian Delarossi. She was pioneering new history in holy magic, but she still had a long way to go before fooling an experienced hero like him.