NOVEL NEXT chapter 29
29 – Various Things in the Palace (2)
“Hmm…”
Changing beds didn’t prevent me from sleeping deeply, but today, as soon as I woke up, groans escaped me.
If I were to exaggerate a bit, I felt more tired than when I camped outside.
It seemed like the luxurious and beautiful bed wasn’t to blame for this.
The room was too spacious and felt very unfamiliar.
“Did you cough?”
I went out of the room to find a place to wash my face, and one of the servants bowed to me, looking similar to the person I had seen yesterday, Celly.
When had they been here? The expression “Did you cough?” felt very awkward and uncomfortable, like an old-fashioned expression suitable for high-ranking people.
Nonetheless, I was lucky I could ask where the washroom was.
“Oh… Yes. I wanted to wash my face…”
“The washroom is inside your room.”
“Is that so?”
The servant replied in a dull voice. I wished I had explored my room a bit if I had known this.
“Thank you for letting me know.”
“No problem. Is there anything you need?”
I bowed in gratitude, and the servant also politely bowed while asking.
I received such treatment due to the strange rumors about the hero.
“It’s alright.”
“Then I will come to escort you for the meal. Alright.”
The butler nodded lightly and stepped back.
Wearing a tight, elegant dress that accentuated her slender figure, Mary’s voluptuousness was quite evident.
Even though she had no resistance when seeing something like a sheer or miniskirt, it was understandable. After all, being surrounded by provocative individuals can desensitize you.
I entered the room again and looked around.
Upon closer inspection, I spotted a small door tucked away in the corner.
“Wow…!”
As I entered the door, admiration involuntarily escaped my lips.
The shapes were slightly different, but there were unmistakably bathtubs or sinks on the washstand.
They even had faucets attached to them.
Not for decoration, but real faucets that dispensed water.
There were two faucets attached to the washstand, each adorned with a blue and a red base.
It was obvious that red meant hot water and blue meant cold.
As I turned on the faucet with the red handle, hot water flowed out as if to confirm my guess.
It was hot enough to produce steam.
Mixing it with the cold water from the blue faucet, the temperature was just right.
It was comfortably lukewarm and perfect for washing without any discomfort.
“Mmm…”
After washing my face, a luxurious bathtub caught my eye.
It was large enough for one person to soak comfortably, with just the right depth to submerge your body.
Honestly, I couldn’t resist.
After a relaxing shower, I left the room feeling refreshed.
It was perfect timing because the butler who had greeted me earlier was back to escort me.
“Long time no see. Have you been well during this time?”
As I entered the rather small dining room, Alberto greeted me with a smile from his high seat.
The Emperor, whom I had seen yesterday, was sitting right beside him.
“First of all, I apologize for being late. I hope you’ve been well.”
I should have called him ‘Your Majesty’ as a matter of course, but Alberto vehemently disagreed.
He said it would be uncomfortable for no reason.
This is why I don’t call Mr. Alberto wealthy.
“You don’t have to be so formal. I just hurried here because I was curious.”
Please have a seat there.
The emperor waved off my apologies and offered me a seat.
It was to the left of the emperor.
“May I… sit down?”
“Of course. Since you brought my companion, you deserve to be treated well.”
I cautiously asked, sensing the possibility, and the emperor nodded firmly.
It seems like he’s not joking, but serious.
So I politely bowed my head and sat in the seat she recommended.
Having Alberto next to me eased my mind.
“By the way, there’s no need to stand up if someone else comes. Just stay seated.”
Alberto chuckled, saying he had mentioned that just in case.
The emperor nodded in agreement, as if acknowledging his words.
“I apologize for being late.”
Shush. Marie opened the door and entered first, followed by the two young individuals.
They were a golden-haired woman and a man.
“Yes, please sit.”
“Of course.”
The blonde woman answered briefly and took a seat across from me.
Marie was beside me, and the man was beside the blonde woman.
Seeing the situation unfold, it seemed that they were the emperor’s family, the nobles.
“These two are my children. The girl is Charlotte, and the boy is Clover.”
“I am Charlotte Elizabeth.”
“I am Clover… Elizabeth.”
The emperor gestured and introduced their names, and the two individuals politely stated their names.
“I am Yusihoo. Please call me Sihoo.”
I also lightly bowed my head, revealing my name to the princess and prince.
Seeing the people whose names I had only heard from Marie like this made me feel different.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, hero.”
Charlotte smiled and gave me a lift, but her voice and expression seemed quite uncomfortable.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that she was not genuinely smiling but merely putting on a facade.
There were no signs of caution or discomfort.
“You’re too kind. It was just a chance encounter,” she said.
“You’ve traveled a long way from your hometown, so it’s only right to honor you as a hero. Her Majesty will undoubtedly reward you generously, but I also want to show my appreciation.”
“Oh? You don’t have to do that; it’s too much for me,” I replied, feeling genuinely uncomfortable, clutching the necklace around my neck as if seeking reassurance.
As I pondered how to address Mari in that moment, our eyes met.
It seemed as if I could call her by any name I pleased, regardless of my voice.
Not through words, but through expressions and eye contact.
So, I made up my mind to address Mari by her name instead of “Your Highness.”
“Even this necklace Mari gave me is more than enough. I can understand and communicate everything now,” I explained.
“Ah… an artifact,” the Emperor observed, examining the necklace in my hand, and then nodded.
“Is this all that can be considered as a token of appreciation? It’s not enough to repay someone who can communicate. Isn’t that right?”
“That’s correct,” I replied.
The Emperor subtly glanced at me and Alberto chuckled in response.
It was as if they had rehearsed this; their responses were perfectly in sync.
It made me feel even more uncomfortable.
“Don’t be too modest. What His Highness did is of great significance. Lowering your own actions might diminish their value, and it could even be seen as disrespectful,” Charlotte added.
When Charlotte spoke up, there was nothing more for me to say, even though she was belittling my feelings of discomfort.
“That’s right. Your sister is correct,” Mari chimed in, agreeing with her family, discreetly squeezing my hand under the table.
“Thank you,” was all I could say.
“Alright then. Let’s eat now. If there’s not enough, we can get more,” Alberto said, signaling the start of the meal, and people started coming out from the corner.
Most of them were women dressed in elegant attire, with a few men interspersed among them.
They were all slender and graceful individuals.
Warm conversations passed back and forth as plates of colorful, sumptuous food were served.
Joining the family table for a meal wasn’t exactly comfortable, but it wasn’t as awkward as I had anticipated.
Thanks to Marina Alberto sitting beside me and occasionally engaging in conversation.
“Oh, by the way, didn’t you mention that Shiho uses a unique power?”
“Yes? Yes, that’s… true.”
Post-meal, as I was halfway through a pink liquid in a white teacup.
Charlotte glanced at me and asked.
Perhaps she’d heard something from Alberto.
“Could you possibly… demonstrate this power? I know it’s impolite, but I’m terribly curious…”
Dressed and carrying herself as a composed individual, I’d assumed. Yet, she stared at me with eyes full of curiosity, more intense than water itself. The phrase “blood runs thicker than water” resonated deeply.
“It’s fine. I was worried about receiving too much in return, but this might alleviate that burden a bit.”
Uttering a phrase that felt oddly familiar, Charlotte’s expression showed signs of heartfelt emotion.
Furthermore, there were curious glances from all around.
It was incredibly overwhelming.
“Yes, I’ve heard that your martial arts are quite exceptional.”
In the midst of this, the emperor spoke, setting the stage.
All my words were genuine, yet it felt oddly suffocating, cornered in an inexplicable manner.
“You’re too kind.”
“Modesty is a virtue. Anyway, since things have come to this… wouldn’t it be a bad idea to give our knights a lesson or two?”
“…Pardon?”
Knights? As I tilted my head, wondering if I misheard, the emperor drove the point home.
“Knights, indeed. I’ve heard you’re a strong warrior, so becoming a knight should suit you well. Don’t you think so?”
The emperor chuckled and prodded Alberto’s side.
Because of that, Alberto coughed briefly before speaking.
“Well, I have no intention to belittle my knights, but Shiho’s power is indeed outstanding.”
“So, it’s a training opportunity for the knights to gain practical experience and not be taken aback by something new.”
“It seems like a good idea, but…”
Alberto’s words trailed off as he turned his gaze towards me.
It was an uneasy or apologetic look, as if sensing discomfort.
I’ve had experience dealing with people, yet being so blatantly put on the spot felt incredibly overwhelming.
Especially the glint of expectation in those eyes.
However, there was no place to escape, no excuse to refuse.
Now, it was pointless to make up a common lie of feeling unwell.
In the end, I had no choice but to say with a voice mixed with a sigh.