Ch. 144

Maybe that disgustingly bitter medicine had worked. After sleeping deeply, I woke up in the evening feeling lighter and much better.

[Master!]

Rai only woke me if someone was about to enter my room, a monster was about to appear and kill me, or if he wanted to die.

This time, it was the first. Pushed awake by his tail, I heard a knock right after.

“Geenie.”

“Mmm…?”

The one who knocked but didn’t barge in was the ever-polite Ash.

Still curled under the blanket rubbing my eyes, I heard his low voice from the doorway, having noticed I was awake.

“Someone is here to see you downstairs.”

Half-asleep, my guilty conscience wondered if I’d been found out. Or maybe some remnant of the slavers had come for revenge?

Grabbing Rai like a weapon, I climbed out of bed.

Either way, I’d just deal with it.

“A knight in uniform.”

So I’d been discovered!

If they wanted to arrest me, they’d have to survive first! I wiped the drool from my mouth and yanked the door open, only for Ash to add, eyes narrowing slightly as he looked at me:

“…It doesn’t seem to be a problem. His attitude is friendly.”

“Then why the look?”

“Well… you look like you just rolled out of bed in your nightclothes…”

“Never seen pajamas before? What does this knight look like?”

“Red hair, for starters.”

…Red hair! Kill him! Rovenin!

My killing intent flared on reflex. For me, that was instinct—impossible to hold back.

“Mid-thirties.”

“…Huh?”

Oh. Not Rovenin.

The hostility vanished as quickly as it came. Instead, one person came to mind. A red-haired knight in his mid-thirties—I only knew one.

Which meant this was the second time he’d seen me survive. Once ten years ago, and now.

—

The inn’s first floor, wrecked by Blood Wing’s rampage, had been cleaned up somewhat.

The shattered windows were only crudely patched, but business had resumed, and as one of the most popular eateries around, the place was packed.

At 8 in the evening, the air buzzed with noisy conversation and drunken laughter.

“I’m telling you, all of ‘Blood Wing’ were dead! Torn apart so badly you couldn’t even tell who was who!”

“No way! How can people die like that?”

“It’s true! Those bastards had plenty of enemies, right? A friend of mine in the guards went to the site—he still can’t stop vomiting. Says he’s never seen anything so horrific in his life.”

“Chills! So who the hell did it?”

“They said it was too brutal for humans. Word is… some kind of magic… some… uh, forgot the word. Never heard it before… anyway, magic!”

Wrong! I clenched my face, resisting the urge to butt in.

Coming down the stairs, all I could hear from every corner was the same subject. Whether I wanted to or not, everyone was passionately debating it.

“Magic, here? In this backwater? Aside from the comms tower, there’s no magic at all. And that’s so expensive only travelers use it!”

“Ever heard of dark elves? Nasty bunch. Someone pissed them off.”

“Wait, aren’t elves supposed to be good guys? Annoying, sure, but decent?”

“No, apparently they’re super touchy and hostile. If you meet one, you’re basically dead. My friend said not to even go near the mountain for now—you might get cursed!”

“Scary stuff!”

Magic, curses, spirit arts—they’re all different, you idiots…

I was too caught up listening when Ash pointed out where my visitor was, reminding me of why I’d come down here.

The dining hall was crowded, but the familiar face stood out instantly.

That red hair was unmistakable. Lighter and duller than Rovenin’s, but still vivid enough to draw eyes.

Just as I was about to call his name, he turned, as if on cue, and shouted.

At the top of his lungs.

“Milady!”

A bit over the top by my standards, but it was still nice to see someone happy to see me.

“Sir Hansen!”

“Ahhh, milady!”

His face full of emotion, he barreled through the crowd like a charging bull.

It was Sir Hansen, one of the few knights I had ties with from the delegation days.

Now vice-captain of the Fifth Knight Order, married with a son, still close friends with Philo.

Bawling, shoving people aside, he charged in his uniform, drawing every eye.

I wished he’d tone it down, but instead he grabbed me in a crushing hug, nearly lifting me off the ground.

“Can’t… breathe!”

“Thank the gods, thank the gods!”

I hated sappy displays, but for three seconds, I endured it as a show of goodwill. I even gave his broad back a quick pat.

When I was a child, he’d seemed impossibly huge. Now that I was grown, he felt different.

“Thank heavens! You don’t seem hurt! How can you look exactly the same as always? Truly, what a relief, milady!”

Now, that I couldn’t ignore. Exactly the same? I’d just gotten over a fever, my hair was a mess, and I was still drenched in sweat. Was I really that much of a wreck normally?

[Rai, do I look the same as usual?]

[Yes. Exactly like when you’re in the training hall.]

[Oh… I didn’t know it was that bad.]

“This time, I truly thought you’d died… even attended your funeral!”

“Sorry, sorry. So you really did hold one, huh?”

Once upon a time, during the delegation, I’d fallen behind and everyone thought I’d died then too. Maybe I had a knack for resurrection.

“It was a coffin without a body! So many tears were shed! When the priest read about your noble sacrifice, I thought, no, this can’t be the same person… maybe we were at the wrong funeral…”

“You want to die an early death?”

“I let my emotions get the better of me! Please forget what I said. I’m just overjoyed that you’re alive!”

I’d killed plenty yesterday, so today I let it slide.

He clung to my hand, his face too close.

“Alright already, back off.”

“Ah, I haven’t told you yet! You’re a source of national pride—”

“Let’s take this upstairs. Too many eyes here.”

If he wasn’t planning to broadcast Geenie Crowell’s presence, we needed privacy.

—

“How’d you find me?”

Sitting cross-legged on the bed, I asked. Hansen remained standing straight, refusing the chair I’d offered.

“Magic tower communications leave traces.”

“Even so, that fast? I gues I should not underestimate your intel.”

“Your survival is of utmost interest at the highest levels. The headmaster especially pressed the matter. Even His Majesty the King is personally concerned.”

“I don’t like all that attention…”

Can’t stir up trouble if everyone’s watching me.

“At dawn, I was given a royal order: use the royal warp chamber to confirm your survival. Direct command from His Majesty.”

“Hm. The royal warp chamber, huh. That is special.”

“Well, it’s Geenie Crowell we’re talking about… Ah! I was chosen because I’m one of the few who know your face.”

True enough, not many knights did.

I never made many friends. People were the source of all hassle.

“Now that I’ve confirmed it, a court mage will soon be dispatched here to set up a direct communication. His Majesty wants to see you alive with his own eyes. A great honor.”

“Sure, if you call it that.”

“Pardon?”

“Nothing.”

Ugh, annoying.

If a royal mage came, I’d be stuck talking face-to-face with the King.

Not that I hated him, but one-on-one with the top man wasn’t exactly comfortable.

Others would kill for that chance, bribing their way into it—but I wasn’t good at bowing and scraping.

The headmaster was just right—easy to push around, despite being a marquis. I sometimes forgot that part.

“This is for you as well. Please accept it.”

Hansen handed me a heavy leather pouch and a golden envelope stamped with the familiar Drike Academy seal.

“Money?”

“The headmaster feared you might be short on travel funds. He worries for you deeply.”

[Ding! 1 goldon, 27 gold, 53 silver!]

[Huh? How do you know that?]

[Heh, automatic function at this point, Master!]

Just by holding it, Rai calculated the exact amount.

Another pointless feature. What was he, a coin counter?

“We’ve also sent word to House Crowell of your survival. A reply should arrive by next week.”

“Really? But I won’t be here then.”

“Ah… you’ll travel by land?”

Hansen knew about my warp sickness, so he could guess I’d be taking the long road.

Otherwise, no mage would need to be dispatched—I’d have warped straight back to the palace myself.

“I’d rather go back to a dragon’s lair than warp again.”

I shuddered. Honestly, I meant it.

“I very much want to hear how you survived the dragon’s grasp… but I’ll hold back, since I’m on duty. Please also take this—letters entrusted to me by Lady Iruze and Lady Mia.”

“…How many letters do you have in that bag? And how did they even know you’d be sent here?”

“As expected of your friends—their information network is uncanny. When I visited the headmaster, they were already waiting at the door. Seems word has spread throughout the academy.”

“That I’m alive.”

“Yes, and soon the entire continent will know. Everyone will rejoice.”

Hansen’s warm, relieved smile was genuine.

But I wasn’t pleased.

Because what they’d rejoice over was the return of the ‘Saintess.’