Reincarnated as the Descendant of a Fallen Noble

Chapter 83: It’s Finally Over. (1)

The point where the Ruslan Mountains ended and turned into a plain.

Inside the winding fortress walls, buildings with blue roofs filled the space so densely that, seen from above, the city looked like a vast lake.

Blueton.

A small imperial city located closest to the Ruslan Mountains, serving as a bridge connecting the northeast and northwest.

The population barely exceeded three thousand, and it rarely saw outsiders. Yet today, the place was bustling with people.

“Come on, take it over there! Hurry up!”

“Excuse me, coming through!”

An open space in the eastern part of the city.

Tents had been pitched all around for the refugees from Ruslan Fortress, and crates brought by merchants to support food supplies were stacked everywhere.

“Please chop up some vegetables and put them in here!”

“Bring more water!”

On one side, they were cooking...

“Does it hurt when you move this part?”

“Ow, ow, ow…”

On the other, the city’s physicians had gathered to treat the wounded.

And of course, at the center of this scene was none other than Princess Medeia.

“Thank you for your help. The payment… once I return to the royal family, I’ll make sure it’s sent promptly.”

“No need, Your Highness. You’re doing a noble deed—helping is only natural.”

Near Medeia, Blueton’s local gentry and officials gathered, bowing their heads respectfully.

Meanwhile...

“Keh... they’re all so polite, so proper.”

Hardin, sitting a bit away and sipping on vegetable soup, let out a deep sigh through his nose as he muttered.

Malion, sitting next to him, adjusted his glasses and replied.

“Well, it is a remote small city. It’s rare for someone of Princess Medeia’s stature to come here.”

“True.”

Hardin scratched his chin.

After the upheaval in the Ruslan Mountains had come to an end...

Medeia had led all the troops and refugees from the fortress to this place, Blueton.

Though the culprits had been completely wiped out, the fortress was on the verge of collapse to begin with, and with no proper food supply available, moving here was the logical choice.

Hardin scoffed quietly.

‘Must be nice being royalty.’

What if it had been me dragging refugees here and doing all this?

Nine times out of ten, I’d have been driven out—or grabbed by the collar.

Ah, the sweet days of the past.

Back then, I was treated just as grandly as that one.

Hardin’s nose tingled with nostalgia as thoughts of his past life’s glory returned without warning.

And just then—

“Hardin.”

“…Yes?”

As he looked up, Princess Medeia stood there with her arms crossed, gazing down at him.

“Everyone’s busy, and you’re sitting here enjoying yourself?”

“Enjoying? I was just eating ‘cause I was hungry.”

“As I thought, you really are nothing like Lord Varlach.”

"Hey, quit badmouthing people already, seriously..."

When Hardin replied with a pout, sweat beaded on Malion’s forehead.

"B-big brother… must you always talk like that?"

"What did I say?"

Just as Malion’s eyebrows twitched, Medeia spoke again.

"Enough with the chatter. Come help me."

"With what?"

"There are plenty of people I have to deal with and heaps of paperwork to go through. So lend me a hand."

"What about your adjutant?"

"Benjamin is busy with something else."

Medeia turned her head and gestured with her chin.

"Stack them over here! You guys go that way!"

"Yes, ma’am!"

Benjamin was seen darting around with boxes in hand, directing people and managing the chaos.

Sweat glistened on his forehead—it was obvious to anyone that he was swamped.

And among them...

"Huff, huff… Is there still a lot left, Adjutant?"

"Not even halfway done."

"Ughhh… Brother Beryl, I’m gonna die. Can’t you do this for me instead?"

"Say something that makes sense."

Beryl, Mikkelsen, and other members of the Maw Mercenaries were clearly being worked to the bone.

Hardin, clearly displeased, responded sharply.

"I’m… tired, you know."

"That’s an order."

"…"

Even a dog should be left alone while it eats.

With a heavy sigh, Hardin turned his head and said,

"Malion, you go."

"Huh? Me?"

"You’re the steward of our house, remember? If someone’s gotta go, it should be you, not me."

"But…"

I really don’t want to be near the Princess...

Unable to finish his thought, Malion looked back and forth between Hardin and Medeia.

"Anyway, I’m not doing that stuff. Take him with you."

"Aagh!"

Hardin gave Malion a firm smack on the back, jolting him to his feet like lightning, and the next thing he knew, he was standing in front of Medeia. Hardin grinned slyly and said,

"You heard me, right?"

"…"

Medeia stared at Hardin for a moment before letting out a deep sigh and turning to Malion.

"…Follow me."

"Y-yes!"

As the two of them turned and walked off, Hardin waved lazily and called out,

"Malion, assist Her Highness well. Learn as much as you can while you’re at it."

"…"

Big brother, why are you doing this to me…

Tension and resentment twisted together on Malion’s face as he walked farther away.

"Huuuu…"

Finally left alone, Hardin munched on his vegetable soup, blankly watching the scene around him.

‘Still… it all worked out in the end.’

A complicated sight. Everyone looked busy and exhausted, but their faces carried faint smiles and a sense of relief.

As the corners of Hardin’s mouth lifted in quiet satisfaction—

A voice called out from behind him.

"Why are you just playing around, mister?"

"Huh?"

Turning his head, Hardin spotted a scruffy-looking little kid.

‘This brat…’

He remembered the face.

The same kid, about ten years old, who had eagerly eaten the sprouting potato he’d “donated” to Princess Medeia now stood there, wearing a cheerful, innocent expression.

"Kid, I’m not playing, I’m resting. I did something really important, you know."

"Something important?"

"Yeah. I beat up monsters, got meat too. You get it, right?"

Hardin laughed as he punched the air for emphasis.

The kid tilted his head in confusion.

"Nah, that’s a lie."

"What do you mean?"

"My mom said the princess did all that. So you’re lying."

A completely innocent comment.

Crack.

A vein bulged on Hardin’s forehead.

‘That’s harsh.’

Sure, he’d admit the princess played a part, but wasn’t it me who did seven, maybe even eight out of ten things?

Instead of getting thanks, he was being treated like some freeloader.

"…It’s not a lie."

"Still lying."

"I said it’s not."

"Liar, liar, that’s what you are!"

The kid tugged at Hardin’s cheek with his fingers, teasing him gleefully.

He was having the time of his life.

Hardin blew air out of his nose and shook his head in disbelief.

‘Ah… what’s wrong with the world these days?’

A fine adult like me gets called a liar.

Something’s seriously wrong with this world.

"You, come here, brat. You shouldn’t say things like that to an adult."

"Oww, why are you pinching me?"

"Pinching? You pinched me first!"

"Still, that doesn’t mean you should do the same!"

"Why not? I just did."

As the kid jumped back, Hardin beckoned to him.

"Alright, alright, come closer. I’ll give you some jerky."

"Really?"

"Just kidding, brat."

"Aaagh!"

Smack!

Hardin spent some time roughhousing with the kid, having a bit too much fun.

‘Everyone else is working while he’s just goofing off…’

‘Who even is that guy?’

People who didn’t know the situation glanced at Hardin with disapproving eyes and exasperated expressions as they passed.

Even the princess was running around, so naturally, their stares were cutting.

How much time had passed like that?

"Whew… looks like things are wrapping up."

"Done, done, done! Great job, everyone!"

Tasks that had been ongoing here and there were finally coming to a close, and cleanup was being completed.

At that moment, while Hardin and the little brat sat chewing on jerky—

"Everyone, attention!"

A shout rang out from the center of the plaza.

When they turned to look, Princess Medeia had stepped up onto a wooden crate.

"Wow, it’s the Princess!"

The kid’s eyes sparkled as he gazed at her, and Hardin chuckled.

‘The reactions really are different, huh.’

Well, I guess it couldn’t be helped.

Princess Medeia slowly turned her head, making eye contact with every person in the plaza one by one.

She opened her mouth slightly several times before finally beginning to speak.

"Everyone, you’ve all worked hard! The people of Blueton who helped us, and the refugees and soldiers from Ruslan who trusted and followed me… all of you!"

"…"

A moment of silence.

Then, a refugee clapped.

"Thank you, Your Highness! It’s us who should be grateful!"

Clap clap clap!

With that as the spark…

Applause began to spread throughout the plaza.

"Thank you for everything!"

"You saved our lives!"

"Princess Medeia!"

The cheers that started with the refugees carried over to the soldiers, and then to the knights.

Everyone wore content smiles as they chanted Princess Medeia’s name.

‘It’s finally… finally over.’

Malion, standing nearby, blushed at the tip of his nose, overwhelmed that they’d survived and reached the end.

‘We did it.’

Adjutant Benjamin nodded with his arms crossed.

"Great job, Brother Beryl."

"You all did well too. Honestly… I thought I was really gonna die this time."

Beryl, Mikkelsen, and the rest of the Maw Mercenaries hugged one another and shed hot, manly tears.

Cheers and applause continued for a while, as Medeia stood watching silently, her expression unchanged.

And then—

Amid the crowd, her eyes met Hardin’s.

The surrounding noise seemed to fade, the rest of the world blurring, as if only the two of them existed in that moment.

Medeia raised her hand and clenched her fist.

The noise quieted as if nothing had happened.

"And… I’d like to express my thanks to the Viscounty of Daphne, who made today’s outcome possible. Everyone… give them another round of applause."

Medeia turned her gaze toward Hardin and clapped softly, prompting the entire plaza to shift their attention in his direction with a storm of applause.

"The Viscounty of Daphne?"

"Oh… weren’t they the ones who grilled meat for us back then?"

Faces among the Daphne group lit up with various expressions.

‘What is even happening right now?’

Malion’s eyes went wide.

"The Princess just thanked us?"

"…Huh?"

The Maw Mercenaries looked around with their jaws dropped.

And Hardin, who had become the unexpected recipient of all the applause, scratched his head awkwardly and muttered under his breath.

"Don’t know what I did to deserve all this… I mean, come on, it wasn’t anything special. Why’s everyone making such a fuss?"

He waved his hands as if to shoo away the praise, but a big smile bloomed across his face.

"Uh, huh? Mister… you’re a noble?"

The little brat who had been messing around earlier blinked up at him in a daze, and Hardin gently patted the kid on the shoulder.

"See that? Told you I wasn’t lying."

"…"

"Hey, why are you frozen like that?"

"Well, it’s just that…"

After that round of thunderous applause—

"Then everyone, make sure to get some rest."

"…Yes!"

With those final words, Medeia hopped down from the wooden crate.

"Thank you for everything!"

"Thank you so much!"

She walked forward, now receiving countless requests for handshakes from all sides.

The place where her steps finally came to a halt was...

"Hardin Daphne."

"Yes?"

Right in front of Hardin, who had been teasing the kid.

"If you’re free tonight, how about a drink?"

"Is Her Highness paying?"

"I am."

"And I can order whatever snacks I want?"

At Hardin’s cheeky grin and back-to-back questions, Medeia narrowed one eye slightly and responded.

"Is that really… what matters right now?"

"I just tend to eat a lot of snacks, that’s all."

At that, Medeia folded her arms and gave a nod.

"Fine. Order whatever you want. I’ll cover all the costs."

"You’re not going to take that back later, right? You just promised, so no changing your mind?"

"Do I look like someone who would?"

"No, no, it’s not that—I just want to make sure it’s clear. Hahaha!"

As expected, he was impossible to pin down.

Medeia looked at Hardin for a moment before a quiet laugh slipped out from her lips.

---

A little later, inside a large tavern in central Blueton.

"Boss! One more whole roast pig over here!"

"Yes, yes! Coming up!"

"And five roast turkeys too, please!"

Hardin and the Maw Mercenaries had taken over a corner of the tavern, gnawing on meat with both hands.

The table was buried in bones, plates, and empty bottles.

Medeia, Benjamin, and the escorting knights watched from nearby with wide eyes.

They looked exactly like 'maws'—ravenous beasts.

‘Those guys… how much can they eat?’

‘The meat’s disappearing.’

‘They must’ve devoured at least ten pigs already.’

Just then, Medeia stopped the tavern owner, who was passing by with his hands full of empty plates.

"Owner."

"Ah, yes!"

"How much food have we eaten so far?"

"Well, I’m not sure exactly, but I think it’s well over 30,000 gold."

"Thirty thousand gold…"

Medeia’s brow twitched, creases forming as she furrowed her forehead.

"Is something wrong? Is there a problem…?"

Just as the tavern owner tilted his head, a voice called out from behind.

"Boss! Hurry up with the beer already!"

"Ah, well… it’s just that…"

The tavern owner’s eyes darted around nervously like a dog that needed to go outside.

Medeia rubbed her temples hard for a moment… then simply waved her hand dismissively.

"Forget it. Just go."

"Ah, yes! Thank you!"

As the tavern owner disappeared back into the kitchen, Medeia turned her head.

"Khh… the taste is killer."

"Try the pork belly too, Young Master!"

"Pork belly? Now that’s someone who knows what’s good!"

Hardin was stuffing food into his mouth with both hands, utterly immersed in devouring the feast.

‘Seriously… I really can’t figure this man out.’

Unable to watch any longer, Princess Medeia shook her head in disbelief.