Chapter 80
“Monsters, you say?”
Imperial matters rarely leak to the public.
Especially something like monster collection.
“Yeah.”
“A noble cadet at my academy said so.”
“Their dad’s a border count, right?”
“Recently, their family knights moved to capture monsters and send them to the capital.”
“They even gave bonus leave to knights who caught rare monsters.”
“Interesting.”
Bianca added testimonies from other noble children.
There were quite a few.
Imperial matters are hard to ignore.
Especially since I’m bound to Princess Adela by a knight’s contract.
‘But monsters.’
Why would the imperial family bother collecting monsters?
There used to be hunting tournaments, but I heard they were replaced by dungeon tournaments.
“Mr. Nerjin, what’s the significance of this?”
“Hmm, monsters…”
Nerjin’s brow furrowed in thought.
“Not to ruin the meal, but from an alchemist’s perspective, they sound like materials for ‘Chimera research.’”
“…”
Definitely not a topic for the dining table.
We’d seen horrific sights at Dr. Keren’s lab, hadn’t we?
Monsters created by forcibly combining orphanage children came to mind.
‘Could the Demon Lord Cult have reached the imperial family?’
In the original story… it wasn’t unprecedented.
A group of lesser nobles tried and failed to summon a Demon Lord.
‘But the timing’s off, and the scale’s too big.’
‘I want to confirm this for sure…’
In the end, after the meal, I went to Imperium Bank to meet Marquis Arnold.
“I didn’t expect you to come, Martin.”
“I came to ask a few things.”
Since I’m a Peacemaker recognized by the Star Child, I figured I wouldn’t be turned away.
I could’ve asked Luri, but I worried Marquis Arnold might dislike me.
“I’ll commend you for not showing your dislike.”
“Thank you.”
If possible, I wanted to avoid talking with this man who saw through my polite mask, but I had no choice.
“So, what’s your question?”
“I’m busy, so get to the point.”
“I heard the imperial family is collecting monsters recently.”
“…Oh, that.”
Arnold, looking unsurprised, reached out and handed me a few documents.
“The title should tell you everything.”
“…Imperium Imperial Hunting Tournament…?”
The hunting tournament… I thought it was abolished.
Seven years ago, when Harris, the only veteran knight following the young Princess Adela, died…
“They’re restarting it this year.”
“I heard your marksmanship is decent. Why not participate?”
“I’ll pass.”
Hearing my reply, Marquis Arnold stared at me, then smirked as if he didn’t believe me.
“We’ll see.”
Then he stood.
“If that’s all, leave.”
“Yes. Thank you for sparing time for something trivial.”
As the door closed behind Martin, Arnold stared at it.
“Something trivial…”
The Elidore Marquisate, owners of Imperium Bank.
By name, they rival the Four Great Ducal Families, standing at the pinnacle of the continent’s commerce.
But the sharper the stone, the more it’s envied.
The checks against them were relentless.
Especially from the Deminiyan and Harmadun Ducal Families, deeply involved in politics among the Four Great Ducal Families.
“Funny, isn’t it?”
They held commerce but were losing influence over the imperial family day by day.
Then Adela appeared like a comet.
Luri, the next head, succeeded in allying with Adela through Martin.
The hunting tournament info came from Princess Adela.
Despite being a marquisate, the Judmilla Marquisate’s petty checks on Elidore were crushed by Adela’s power.
They’d been greatly helped in exaggerating the charges against Judmilla for trying to sabotage the long-term Imperium Land project.
Of course, Martin’s help was the greatest.
The terror group sent by the Judmilla Marquisate to destroy the Ferris wheel died from gunshot wounds.
Luri testified that Martin was briefly absent from Imperium Land at the time.
And it was largely thanks to Martin that her daughter secured an alliance with Princess Adela.
“Entrusting the family’s rise or fall to a cadet called trash.”
The hunting tournament is no small matter.
With its long history and tradition, it carries significant political weight.
Surviving the current checks makes this a turning point.
“Please, Martin.”
For Princess Adela to overpower Prince Kazaks and claim the throne.
For the Elidore Marquisate to advance centrally and be elevated to a ducal family.
Martin must achieve an overwhelming victory in the hunting tournament.
***
Back home, I maintained my firearms.
Nerjin handled repairs or periodic checks, but daily care was my responsibility.
The table was covered end to end with gun parts and ammunition.
The finest holy diamond bullets were neatly wrapped around the Rosary, standing upright.
“Sigh.”
I wasn’t in a great mood.
There’s a reason for such thorough maintenance.
It’s Marquis Arnold’s reaction.
His expression, so certain I couldn’t escape the grand stage, was burned into my mind and wouldn’t fade.
‘There’s a reason a poker-faced master like the Marquis showed me that expression so blatantly.’
Then a knock sounded.
A light, refined knock, considerate not to startle the room’s occupant.
The only knock in the world from someone so devoted to me that I wouldn’t be angry even if they sneaked in while I slept.
“Come in, Lilac.”
The doorknob turned gently, opening the door smoothly without a creak.
Beyond the open door, Lilac stood holding a tray.
“Master, it’s tea time.”
“Right.”
It’s already that time?
I couldn’t let Lilac’s slender arms hold that heavy tray forever.
I quickly assembled the parts on the desk and stored the ammunition in the pouch.
Lilac’s handmade tea and pastries were placed before me.
“It’s chamomile tea, good for fatigue recovery.”
Holding the teapot, Lilac poured tea into the cup with quiet, delicate movements.
When it was four-fifths full, she returned the teapot to its exact spot without a hair’s breadth of error, stepped back three paces, and bowed.
“Enjoy, Master.”
“Yeah.”
As I reached for the teacup on the tray, my stiff shoulder and neck made me wince, and I rolled them.
I overdid it training with the Star Child.
“Master Martin…?”
A slightly startled tone.
Looking up, Lilac was staring at me with wide eyes.
I forgot.
This wasn’t something to show in front of Lilac.
I was too careless in front of Lilac, who’d even cried over my injuries.
“Oh, uh. It’s not pain.”
“Just from keeping my head down too long with ledgers or gun maintenance.”
“I know.”
Lilac’s eyes looked a little sad.
“Your clothes kept changing every time you came back for a while.”
“…!”
During training with the Star Child, my clothes often got holes or bloodstained.
So I asked Luri to get new ones of the same kind each time.
I didn’t expect Lilac to notice right away…
“You probably came back injured each time, right?”
“You changed clothes because you didn’t want me to see.”
“Uh, well…”
I subtly lowered my gaze.
I saw the pastries she brought and the teacup filled with clear tea.
My reflection showed in it.
My cheeks burned.
My head felt hot.
Embarrassed.
I looked up at Lilac.
I should apologize.
“Lilac. I did that because…”
“Shh.”
Lilac raised her index finger to her red lips, making a sound.
Like I was enchanted, my mouth shut tight.
Not that Lilac actually used magic, you idiot…
Just, ugh, fine.
I’ll say it straight.
I’m enchanted by Lilac.
Click, click.
Lilac slowly walked toward me.
Her steps were as steady as a cat’s.
Lilac stood behind me, seated in my chair.
“…Lilac?”
Her hands rested on my shoulders.
I flinched at the sensation.
“Stay still, Master.”
If it were anyone else, I’d have roughly brushed their hands off.
The only reason I allowed it was because it was Lilac.
“You’ve overworked your muscles.”
Then pressure came to my shoulders.
Force? Intensity?
No.
A gentle pressure from the tips of her thumbs.
A pleasant sensation spread from my shoulders through my body.
“This isn’t good.”
“You’re precious, Master.”
“You need to take care of yourself.”
‘Ah, this is…’
The desk came into view.
The tea, pastries, and neatly arranged gun set.
A shadow fell over them.
The sunlight through the open window cast shadows of me and Lilac.
I was getting a massage.
‘…!’
My face burned.
“Yes, Lilac hurts every time you come back injured.”
“From big wounds to small scratches, there’s no injury that doesn’t pain my heart.”
I, Kim An-hyun… was single until thirty.
I never even dated, driven solely by the desire to succeed with my writing.
So… I have next to no immunity to a woman’s gentle touch.
My body trembles at it.
“But, Master.”
“That wasn’t me saying to hide your injuries from me.”
“If my care for you made you worry in a bad way, I’m deeply sorry.”
“That was unbecoming of a maid.”
My eyes trembled.
It felt hot.
From my neck to my ears, it burned.
How long was my hair?
Lilac isn’t seeing my red ears, is she?
The massaged neck felt good.
My shoulders seemed to melt.
“Lilac is your one and only maid.”
“The injuries you bear, Lilac must heal.”
“Managing your clothes is my duty too.”
“Your food, the cleanliness of your room, all the big and small errands you need.”
“All these are my responsibilities.”
Lilac’s voice, flowing behind my ear, drove me mad.
This was Lilac’s sincerity.
That’s why my heart pounded even harder.
I was nervous she’d hear my racing heartbeat.
“I’m sorry for being a greedy maid.”
“But please, don’t hide from me.”
“I won’t scold you for coming back injured.”
“I won’t cry in front of you again.”
“I won’t overstep my bounds…”
At that moment, I felt a drop fall on the back of my neck.
“Please forgive me…”
I shot up from my seat and turned to face Lilac.
Her eyes, cheeks, and chin, gazing up at me, were overflowing with tears, dripping down and falling.
So flustered and at a loss, I could only ask like an idiot.
“Why, why are you crying?”
“Because I, I did wrong.”
“So you, Master… lately, you won’t meet my eyes, or talk much, and I, I…”
Lilac, struggling to speak, weakly clutched my shirtfront with her delicate hands.
“Please don’t abandon me, Master…”