Ch. 81
It felt like my eyes were burning, and my hair stood on end from the roots. This bastard, this bastard! This bas—tard!
“You say you don’t know me!”
“…?”
“Me! You say you’ve forgotten Geenie Crowell?”
“Geenie, Crowell?”
It looked like he was reacting a little to my name.
Yeah! There’s no way you’d forget. Who do you think I am!
“Do you remember now?”
But that hope was shattered.
He pressed his lips together tightly and slowly shook his head.
I wanted to break that neck, so coldly shaking in the air, if I could.
I couldn’t contain my rising anger. This was a completely unprepared encounter.
“How can you not remember me! If you’re human, you can’t do that!”
Argh! No matter how little you care about anything but fighting! Even if you’re the notorious battle maniac of the continent!
“Did we do it?”
“Yeah! You remember, right? Right? Back then in Elan…”
“I only did it because you asked me to.”
“…What?”
“Sex.”
Ah, that’s right. This bastard was out of his mind.
He was the most eligible bachelor in Elan and still a lunatic.
I was so flabbergasted that I almost threw up.
And then I wanted to just cry my eyes out.
“Not that! The duel!”
“…Did you win against me?”
You jerk! How can you ask that.
I didn’t want to answer, but if I wanted to make him remember me, I had to tell the truth.
Just saying that word was really tough.
“I-I lost.”
“Then I can’t remember.”
Rovenin pulled the mask he seemed to use to cover his face back up over his nose and looked away from me.
Feeling that humiliation hit me again, I learned with my whole body what it meant to have my blood boil.
I was so angry I kicked at him, but he dodged without even looking.
That made me even angrier.
If there was anyone who could make me so mad I’d die, it was this guy.
“Come on! I’ll make you remember, so let’s fight!”
I shouted, then suddenly remembered I had no mana and hurriedly added,
“Uh, I can’t today… How about tomorrow?”
“I refuse.”
“Why! You’re a fight-crazed maniac!”
“It means nothing.”
Look at how short he speaks!
This guy really lacks sincerity toward people!
I tried to grab his collar, but even that he avoided with the smallest of movements. Making me feel this embarrassed.
“I’m saying I’ll let you win!”
“…You’re not my opponent.”
“Then who! Who else but me!”
Who is it!
“Count Gallotine.”
The name he muttered with that dreadfully indifferent gaze was a Swordmaster, a veteran famed throughout Dmitri.
“Then fight Count Gallotine, and fight me too!”
Begging him to fight was seriously wounding my pride.
How did Rovenin ever act around me before? Does this guy even have any pride or not?
Even now, his face was so expressionless that I couldn’t tell what he was thinking.
“Are you perhaps… here to see Count Gallotine?”
Nod, nod.
Should I be relieved at this.
He wasn’t just taciturn with me. He answered Bright’s question with just a small movement of his head, too.
“Excuse me, but may I ask why you wish to meet Count Gallotine?”
“…I’m traveling through the Union to seek instruction.”
“Ah, as I thought.”
It was a famous story that Rovenin Fedri sought out Swordmasters.
Is it Dmitri’s turn this time?
“I’m afraid you won’t be able to meet Count Gallotine. He’s in closed training.”
Serves you right.
While I was quietly pleased, a subtle change appeared on Rovenin Fedri’s face.
I get it a little now. That’s his shocked face.
So that face does move.
“I hear it’ll be hard to see him for years.”
“….”
“He said not to be disturbed unless a war breaks out.”
As I gave Rovenin a big, mocking smile, he pulled his hood back up. It was a sign he was about to leave.
I can’t let him just go like this!
“Wait, you have to fight me!”
“Sir! You can’t just leave like this! Please let us repay you!”
I joined the merchants who had been attacked and grabbed him.
Suddenly, I realized how unsightly this was, but even so, my lingering feelings just overflowed.
“…I have no more business here.”
“I’m in Dmitri too, you know!”
“Ah….”
“Don’t ignore me! Get rid of that rotten look on your face!”
Of all times, I had no mana now—bad luck like this is rare.
“Please, at least let us thank you!”
“You need to take some water with you!”
Rovenin, regardless of people grabbing at him or speaking, just took a little water and strode off into the mountains.
There was no way I could have the strength to hold him back right now.
Physically, I was extremely weak, and he had an extraordinary body.
Abandoned, I was left between orc corpses, banging my head against a tree.
‘Damn bastard, hope you run into a pack of monsters! Meet a wyvern, run into an ogre, and just die!’
No, wait, if he dies before I beat him, that’s no good…
What even is Rovenin to me?
—
It was two months later.
Bright came running breathlessly, saying he had news I’d be happy about.
“Geenie! About Rovenin Fedri. I heard he went to Heidrike and challenged Count Trenpe.”
“If it’s Count Trenpe… isn’t he famous for being eccentric?”
“Yeah! He challenged Count Trenpe and not only lost, but was nearly killed. Rumor is he’s still recuperating in Heidrike.”
What does this senior take me for, thinking I’d be happy about that?
“Hehehehe.”
“I knew you’d like it, Geenie!”
“Well, it is pretty entertaining.”
Bright often helped out in the palace communication room, so he knew a lot of reliable rumors.
My interests were only in Rovenin and Ash, though.
“Any rumors about Prince Epiros?”
“Not sure? After that poisoning threat last time, he’s hardly made any moves. Same with the First Prince.”
“Elan really is tough. It’s a big problem, everyone always trying to kill each other. Wouldn’t it be better to just pick a crown prince like our country?”
“That’s right! There’s more news you’ll be interested in.”
“What is it?”
“This time, the Elan Empire is holding a grand ‘Founding Millennium Anniversary Party’ to celebrate a thousand years since its founding!”
Of course, it figures—empires are always ridiculously old.
“And what does that have to do with me?”
“The King is apparently attending too. It’s a party you absolutely can’t miss!”
“Hmm?”
“They’ve been recruiting attendants lately. I think you’d qualify, don’t you?”
I quickly understood what Bright was getting at.
It meant a chance to meet Ash. At a party like that, the prince would surely show up.
“Oh-ho.”
“It’s a truly historic day, so wouldn’t all the royals of Elan be there? You might get to see him!”
It was definitely tempting.
Bright knew well that I wanted to meet Ash.
But there was a serious problem with this plan.
Getting picked as an attendant wouldn’t be hard if I pulled some strings, and accompanying the party was usually a lady attendant’s duty, so that part wouldn’t be difficult for me either.
Except.
“All that’s fine, but the problem is…”
“Yeah, the problem.”
[Master gets warp sickness. Puheheh!]
Right, I have serious warp sickness…
I looked at Rai, who was sprawled out by the door, and grinned.
And then I spoke as kindly as I could.
“Rai? Come here.”
[…I-I’m sorry, Master! It was just a joke!]
It’s not funny, so come here?
[Spare me!]
