The knights sent as my bodyguards were twelve in total. Eight of them stood guard outside the house and three inside, in case something unforeseen arose. The rest followed me everywhere, even inside the house, and escorted me closely.
«Did you say your name is Rayman Keplow?»
«Yes sir». The gentleman responded politely to everything I told him. It was new, but nothing I couldn't understand. I was going to receive a degree soon, so I had to treat myself accordingly in advance.
Many knights of the Royal Guard would also have titles, but if he commanded everyone like that... it would be fair to understand it as an attentive consideration.
To begin with, Antlers seemed like a meticulous person. Although I would have to learn more about that from now on.
«Before you said it was an order from your superior. Who gave you that order exactly?».
Keplow answered my question: «To be honest... I don't know either».
I watched his expression carefully as he responded. It didn't seem like a made-up excuse. When I continued to press, I found out that he had been dispatched after only being told that these were instructions from his immediate superior.
Yes, I would try to hide his identity if I had a brain.
It was a shame. If it had been connected to the palace it could have reached the identity of Antlers.
...No, wait.
Suddenly, a possibility crossed my mind.
«Have I heard he's going to parade like a hero? It will be so fun to see him die right after receiving his noble title. The dignity of the palace will go down the drain».
At first I thought it was an emotional outburst because his voice was very resentful.
«Can't you even control your emotions and even kindly warn the enemy? You really are a baby».
Antlers considered it that way too.
But did that bastard really intend this?
It was possible that what clown wanted was to unearth Antlers' identity. Of course, since the jewel turned green the existence of a murderer was undoubted.
If you can use this as bait to look for clues about Antlers, I'm sure you would have considered it a benefit.
That made more sense. The clown may have been beaten at the Round Table, but he was actually one of the bigwigs in this world. It was very likely that the «mistake» was intentional.
Antlers must have had that possibility in mind to some extent as well, so he sent those men as discreetly as possible. Ha... There really are no easy bastards here.
While the sighs came naturally, on the other hand, it became a motivation to stay alert in the future. Just look at today. If he had continued sleeping out of exhaustion, Antlers would have realized there was something strange in the report.
«Come drink this, Mr. Knight.»
«I cannot receive private entertainment from civilians-»
«Hey, this isn't entertainment. You're going to have a hard time protecting Bjorn, aren't you?»
Missha served tea to the gentlemen as if she were the lady of the house. Did this girl think short distance escort was one of the services that came with a degree? Hmm, maybe, because she didn't know anything about the killer.
«Was it Mr. Rayman Keplow? I don't know how long you'll be here, but stay comfortably in the meantime».
In the end, Missha managed to seat Keplow at the table and serve him tea. «...I'll call her Lady Karlstein».
«Hm? It's just Missha, but... if you want to call me that I can't force you...» Missha borrowed my soon-to-be title and naturally led Keplow to wear an honorific. Of course, I didn't think it was intentional.
It simply must have happened that way.
Anyway, Missha briefly introduced Keplow to Erwen and also to Ainar, who wasn't here today.
«Should I call you Lady Erwen?»
«U-uh... That's it...» Erwen interrupted herself awkwardly.
Knowing that she was uncomfortable, Missha came to her aid. «It is not necessary. Can't you see she's uncomfortable? Call her Erwen».
«Yes! That would be nice...»
«Then I will inform my subordinates to do so».
The titles were organized at lightning speed.
Knock knock.
Then there was another knock on the front door, still early in the morning.
«Lord Yandel's companion has arrived». A gentleman informed us of the visitor as a servant of the house. Was this why everyone was so obsessed with power?
«What teammate?»
«A wizard named Arua Raven».
Keplow asked me for instructions with his eyes and I nodded. That was enough.
Crunch.
The door opened with Keplow's hand. Sitting on the sofa, I raised an arm and greeted the visitor elegantly. «Ah, you are here». This was the Barbarian Nobility mode.
Raven mocked the absurd greeting. «'Oh, are you here?»
«A cup of tea?»
«Black, please.» Raven looked at Keplow, who was standing behind me like a bodyguard, and immediately sat on the couch in front of me. «What is the situation?»
«As you can see.»
«...I'm going to be angry».
What could this little girl do? I quickly responded: «The palace sent me knights as escorts in case something happens before the conference».
«Hmm, that makes sense. You have surprisingly many enemies, after all». Raven gladly accepted it. Well, it was already well known that the Corpse Collector would not leave me alone. The great clans also seemed to disapprove.
«Raven, my enemies are your enemies too».
«...What are you talking about so early in the morning?» Since the morning wasn't usually his time for activity, Raven wasn't in a very good mood.
«Here, black tea. You know where the sugar is, right?».
When Missha brought him a cup of tea, Raven took a sip and moved her gaze towards Erwen.
«H-hello, Miss Raven...»
«Ah yes... Hello...» When their eyes met, the two had an awkward conversation.
I involuntarily tilted my head. «Weren't they on a first-name basis? I'm pretty sure it was like that».
«Mr. Yandel, stay still». When I fell silent, Raven led the conversation like the oldest. «How are things going these days?
«... Very good. You don't have to worry».
«If you're calm, I won't do it. By the way, are you going to stay here from now on?».
«Yes... Luckily, Sis gave me permission...»
«Hmm, is that right? How interesting».
A few more exchanges were made and the conversation ended when Erwen returned to her room to get some rest.
«...Um, Mr. Keplow, are you still standing there?»
«I am used to this type of operations, so don't listen to me and talk comfortably».
«If you say so...» He may have said that, but Raven's expression was filled with discomfort. She made no sign of opening her mouth first.
Therefore, I decided to simply ask what I was curious about instead of continuing the discomfort this way. «What was that?»
«Can you use the subject's words?»
«I mean Erwen. I'm sure you're not shy around her now».
I definitely felt it in their conversation. Raven was having a hard time dealing with Erwen, and she didn't think it was simply because Erwen had recently lost a family member. If so, what was the reason?
«Is there anything I don't know?»
«Ugh, honestly, you're too quick with the weirdest things».
«So, your answer?»
Raven hesitated for a moment before opening her mouth with a sigh. «It's just a little bit... I kind of feel like it's my fault».
«Your fault?»
«The magic that the wizard Dwalkie used. I know how to use it too».
To sum up Raven's words, it was simple. When the Fallen Scholar appeared, Raven intuitively felt the truly overwhelming difference in their abilities as mages. Without using Awakening magic, she would not be able to overcome this crisis.
«I had no problems with the formula or the mana, but the launch didn't come out of me».
I could understand it. It was an easy spell that any wizard could cast, but not one that everyone could use.
«It was the moment I hesitated».
The Fallen Scholar's magic skyrocketed, and the mana stone wall Raven had erected shattered all too easily. And as a result...
«Sometimes when I'm alone in the empty lab, I think that if he had used that spell, maybe his older sister would have survived.».
I smiled bitterly. I never dreamed what this would think.
«I say the same about you, Mr. Yandel, and everyone else on our team. We could all have died. But even knowing that, I...»
What was he talking about? I interrupted her before the typical pattern of self-hatred came into play. «Enough. Stop talking. It's unfortunate what happened with Erwen, but none of us died, right?». It might have been a little cold-hearted.
«You're right». Raven nodded and admitted it. Regardless of the buts, the time he spent with Erwen and Daria was short, which meant he couldn't prioritize them over his team. «But the reason it ended like this was because you did what I couldn't, Mr. Yandel».
I laughed nonchalantly and jokingly said, «Haha, that's because I'm the leader».
However, Raven only let out another small sigh. «Yes, exactly for that reason...».
«Hey?»
«...I was just saying that being sentimental like that is not like me.»
I nodded unconsciously at that. Well, when I met her, my image of her was completely different than the one I had now. Anyway, Raven didn't seem to want to talk at length about it and changed the subject.
«Mr. Yandel, what are you going to do with Erwen? The team is full and there is no room for you to join».
«I'm thinking».
«So what about the maze? You're going in?»
«I'll see how it goes for now. If it continues like this, it will be difficult to enter».
«...It's true.»
«So is that all you're here for today?»
«No, I have other matters. I have something to tell you».
I was a believer that no news is good, so Raven's words were enough to activate my anxiety radar.
«I decided to take lessons from Sir Pevrosk».
«That? Surely you are not going to leave the equipment to take classes».
«Excuse me? Of course not. Why would you think that?»
That was because it had happened a few times.
«But what are you going to learn in class? Don't you already have a school?»
«I can't learn court magic in Altemion.» True, he earned the right to learn court magic as a reward. «I was hoping someone could help me lay the groundwork, and luckily Sir Pevrosk agreed». Afterwards, Raven said she would stay in accommodation near the palace instead of the magic tower and go look for her there if she needed to. «My business ends here. I'm leaving. See you later».
Apparently, that was all he had to say, because Raven left as soon as he finished the tea Missha had brought him.
***
On May 18, Team Apple Narak, excluding Raven, visited the palace again. My lecture was still two days away, but apparently we needed to come early to decide what I would receive as a reward.
Yes, I'm sure it will look better to reward him where everyone can see him.
There was no banquet, so we didn't have to dress as formally as last time. However, equipment was still prohibited, so we went with dressed up daily clothes.
«Oh, Yandel! Are you here today too?» Upon entering the palace, the explorers he knew struck up a conversation. Like me, today they were going to receive their rewards.
They said they had been calling everyone sequentially for a few days now.
Monetary compensation had already been paid en bloc, but those who had the opportunity to choose essences or equipment had to wait on a waiting list.
«Bjorn! Then we'll go first!»
After arriving at the palace, I separated from my team because their rewards were different from mine.
«So it's just the two of us...» I was in a waiting room with a gentleman escort, a royal guide and Erwen. «Sir... Is it okay for me to accept something like that?»
«So who will do it? Be confident. These people are not so affectionate as to give rewards to people without achievements.»
«But...»
Why was he acting like this up to this point? «You have to get stronger. You and me. This way we won't lose anything».
«...Yes, you are right.» Erwen nodded more decisively.
While we were chatting, another guide arrived to take Erwen to the Silver Soul Depot, where rank 4 essences and items of that rank were stored.
If the Golden Soul Depot had been opened to him, it would have given him graduation essence right away.
It was a real shame. It's not that there weren't basic essences for an archer fairy among the rank 4 essences, but one rank higher and she could have had that.
I'm sure one day he'll eat it. It's time to get to the sixth floor.
I shook off my regrets. After this reward, our combat power would increase significantly. There was no need to go around and around the fifth floor as an accumulation period. However, the problem was Noark's bastards. Seeing the movements of the palace morons, it seemed like they had some kind of solution too.
«Lord Yandel, please come this way».
As I sat organizing my thoughts, my personal guide arrived and led me to the Golden Soul Depot. It was a windowless basement, but because of the bright flames everywhere, it didn't seem dark at all. Rather, it was too bright to think it was underground.
It seems that we have gone down to at least the fifth basement level... the architectural technology of this world has strangely advanced a lot.
When we arrived at the destination, a gentleman greeted me with great vigor. There was also a magician at his side. He gave me some brief instructions. The period was three hours. I could choose the essence or object I wanted and if I tried to steal or break something, it could lead to severe punishment. So he was basically telling me to be careful.
Wow, how intense.
Once the explanation was finished, the huge iron door opened gently as if moving by zero gravity.
Whistle...
Thousands of essences greeted me in test tubes displayed in display cases. Each one lived up to an Ogre essence. Although I could only take one, I felt my lips curl into a smile.
This makes me feel like I used some cheat key.
Now it was time to get stronger.