Chapter 37 – Chapter 37 ― Everyone Has a Secret (2)
Episode 37 ― Everyone has a secret (2)
“I mean I didn’t have many friends.”
Lauca, who was looking out the window of the tower, suddenly said to Grünent. Grünent, who was reading papers at his desk, looked at Lauca.
The red-haired forest fairy was looking at the main gate of the imperial castle with her arms crossed. I saw a group of wagons and horsemen just entering the front gate.
“So, demons… When a monster killed one of my few friends or acquaintances, I was determined to do the same. And burned down an entire village.”
At the unexpected confession of the murder, Grunent opened his eyes a little wide and looked at Lauca.
“That’s right. Were you caught then?”
“Hmm. I killed several people on the way here.”
Grünent came to the window to see what was at the end of Lauca’s gaze.
The envoy from Arteala who has finally arrived is getting off the carriage with an escort.
He was the one who would be the teacher of some of the humans and demon users who were being educated in the castle.
Grünent waited for Lauca’s next words with a thin smile on his face.
“By the way, after all, I’m just like that troll woman.”
“Her name is Mia.”
“… Doesn’t she have a pretty name?”
“It’s a prejudice, Lauca.”
At Grunent’s joking remark, Lauca shrugged her shoulders.
“Um, yes. The troll’s sense of beauty is something I can’t understand. Anyway, before… , No, His Majesty did that to me. Did you kill them because they were really evil?
His Majesty said that because they had nothing to eat, they killed and ate my acquaintances and the people of the town.”
Grünent’s face darkened as he listened to Lauca’s words.
Conflicts between humans, forest fairies and demons are nothing new. And the food problem must have been a big part of it.
It is not a word for nothing to say that people are generous in the barn. Merde also had no room in that barn, so she created an enemy.
“That person must be from Arteala. Does that mean the wheat is coming?”
The correctional officer was seen welcoming the envoy.
She thought that if Aranya or Liron, Minoreus went out, she might faint as soon as the envoy got off the carriage, so she was the chosen one.
Grünent smiled lightly as he thought of the small discussion in the small meeting where he was picking who to meet him.
“Yes. Wheat is coming.”
“If people here could buy food from the beginning, or if this place was fertile…
Were my friends still alive?”
The smile disappeared from Grünent’s face.
Longing was buried in Lauca’s sad words.
“If I had something to eat, the village of the humans I loved would still be there, and I wouldn’t have to burn the demon’s child to death.”
Grünent said nothing.
The answer was given by Roan who entered the room.
“… Probably not.”
His voice was calm.
Rauka, who showed her true intentions after a long time, looked at the demon king and made a stern expression.
However, the Demon King faced Lauca.
Contrary to his unchanged expression, his voice was filled with sadness.
“In the past, I never thought of sending myself to such a remote village even if I found food. No, I didn’t even know why I had to get food in the first place.”
It is not speculation, but an established fact based on the past in the game.
Because the Demon King didn’t do anything like that.
“Are you saying it’s different now?”
Roan looked at Lauca. The number -55, the affinity value, appeared and then disappeared.
After seeing Roan’s behavior in front of City Hall, Lauca’s thoughts about the demons changed little by little.
She learned that what Roan said to her past self was also not a lie to placate her.
Changed liking is the result.
Almost two weeks have passed since then.
Lauca knew that Roan had been spending long hours in her office and breakout room lately.
Because Grunent was feeling quite lonely.
The sight of Roan trying to keep her word to her people moved Lauca’s heart.
In the end, Lauca’s favorability gradually increased and reached -55.
“The former majesty… Okay. A sheep who had no interest in war and didn’t care if anyone died… I heard that she is the king of kings. Why did you suddenly change?”
Lauca glared at Roan.
She is a forest fairy who can innately see through the truth. The keen forest fairy’s eyes flashed.
Roan decided to tell the truth.
“I feel like I’m going to get killed like this.”
Lauca made a face telling her not to play around, but Roan spoke seriously.
“An enemy to humans, an enemy to forest fairies like you. Abandoned even by the people I should look out for. Then one day I felt like I was going to die with a knife.”
Lauca asked with an absurd expression.
“Is there anyone who can defeat Your Majesty with a sword?”
If I continued to live like an idiot like that, I was 100% expected to come into existence. I don’t know now.
Roan shrugged his shoulders.
“I don’t know. Because the world is wide Fortunately, however, I got an opportunity to change. I know what to do and luckily I have the ability to do it.
Then, I just made up my mind to do what I can do right now.”
In the end, Grünent could not stand it and had to say a word.
“Your majesty. Your Majesty is already wonderful.”
I appreciate her support, but there is a lot of work to do.
To survive,
In order to increase the affinity and acquire the skill,
Or for my own satisfaction.
There are any number of reasons.
Just lack of time.
So let’s do everything we can now.
Roan decided to put one of them into practice here as well.
“Thank you for your heart. Grunent. However, there are still many things to be sorted out, so praise will be heard when everything is resolved.”
If I’m still alive after a year.
“In that sense. Lauca. Sorry.”
A deep wrinkle appeared between Lauca’s forehead.
“Like you said. If I had woken up a little earlier, you might not have lost anything either.”
Lauca listened to Roan’s words with her mouth firmly shut.
“You may think it’s meaningless, but at least take it as a promise that you won’t go back to your old foolish self.”
“I don’t need a promise.”
At Lauca’s prompt reply, Grunent widened her eyes. However, Roan did not waver.
Because her familiar sound effect foreshadowed Lauca’s change of heart.
“Because Your Majesty already seems to be a person who practices, at least physically. I also killed demons, but they gave me a chance to live anyway. It was the same with Grunent. You saved that troll too.”
Grünent smiled.
The forest fairy turned her gaze out the window as if embarrassed by Roan’s silent gaze.
“Honestly, I thought Grunent should stop talking nonsense whenever he said that Your Majesty was benevolent… At least I’m starting to think that maybe it’ll be better than what I’ve been saying.”
“… Thank you.”
“Because doing it yourself is harder than talking about it. Well, since Grünent says that every day, he must be right.”
At that moment, along with a violent beeping, Lauca’s liking rose vertically. The affinity level soared to -35 and then disappeared.
Grünent said to the demon king, who was standing in silence while watching the rise in favorability beyond expectations.
“As Lauca said, Your Majesty is truly a respectable person. Even if you say you will change, you know that it is never easy to really put it into practice. Your majesty. There are a lot of things like that in the notebook too.”
“You?”
Lauca said with a grin.
“I will be calm to His Majesty! You mean that thing that keeps saying that you want to go to the office 15 times a day?”
“Lauka!”
Grünent shouted with a flushed face.
Seeing Lauca giggling on the window sill and the shy Grunent, Roan laughed softly.
“Grünent. I wish I hadn’t always been calm. Anyway, I’m late to the main topic, but I’ve stopped by to ask about your intentions.”
“… Uuuuu, Your Majesty, such words… If you do it all of a sudden… What did you want to ask?”
Grünent twisting her body with her cheeks dyed red, and Lauca with a goosebumps look on her face.
“This is the envoy requested with you. He thinks it would be good to go down with you and meet him. It seems that having only one human would be less difficult on that side.”
Grünent once again thanked Roan for inviting him to an official event.
After a while, the emperor appeared in the splendid hall.
It was a difficult situation to greet envoys in the palace with Munmu and Baek Gwan.
This envoy is officially a hostage.
Still, there is no change in being an important foreign guest.
Therefore, the demon king greeted Arteala’s envoy in the grandest hall next to the royal palace.
Since he was a secret guest, the ones who were present were Roan, the noble officials in charge of practical affairs, including the small meeting, and the human Grünent.
The envoy who greeted the emperor with rhetoric also conveyed his regards to Grunent.
“Your Highness, no, Mr. Grünent. Long time no see. You look healthy.”
“Yes, it is the first time in three years. Baron Grave. I heard she is retired. Seeing it in person like this is unexpected and happy.”
The old man, his gray hair neatly swept back, smiled at Grünent.
“I feel adventurous at this great opportunity given by His Majesty. The operation of the guild is now left to the children, but I don’t want to sit still as an old man in the back room.”
The eyes behind the single glass glasses are fierce, but the voice is soft on the contrary.
He looked back at Roan and lowered his head.
“It is difficult for Arteala to rejoice that His Majesty reached out his hand first. I would appreciate it if you could make the transaction of the glass you mentioned through our Grave Merchant Merchant.”
The baron’s eyes flashed strangely.
It was a look that was a mixture of greed, benevolence, and desire.
“I, too, will make my students born in this country into proper merchants so that Your Majesty can be satisfied.”
Roan could get a glimpse of his commitment through ‘listening’.
Roan sent a glass sample to Arteala and demanded a person and preferential purchase of wheat in exchange for the glass trade.
Like glass, Evirzio also has items that humans need.
However, it is true that the Merchant Operated by Demons is difficult for humans from other countries to deal with.
Moreover, it is a demon tribe that disrespects calculations and business. They lacked structure at the top.
If humans can be used in earnest at the top of the demons, trade with other countries will become easier.
That’s why Roan asked for a teacher to teach the trade to humans and demons.
And the one who came was Baron Grave.
Arteala’s legendary merchant. He started as a commoner, became a colossus, and was bestowed with the rank of baron for his merits. He is still the one who advises Arte Alla’s finances.
Hearing that he was coming as an envoy, Grunent was overjoyed.
– Your majesty. Baron Grave is the best reader of money in all of Arteala. Those who learned the work from him are now moving Arteala. Well done indeed, Your Majesty!
He knew how to hide his dislike for the demons, and he was sincere about the deal. Roan liked this envoy.
“I heard about your reputation from Grünent. Those I protect need good teachers. I look forward to it.”
Baron Grave’s eyes turned sharp as he realized that the ‘those who protect’ Roan said were ‘unfortunate, abandoned humans who were captured by the ruthless clutches of the demon king, but we have no ability to rescue them’.
The old man, intrigued, smiled leisurely at Roan’s subtle ‘overwhelm’.
After saying a few necessary words, the envoy greeted them and disappeared.
In the future, the small meeting will proceed well.
Roan chewed the baron’s eyes once again.
Those who can rise to the top of a country are not so formidable.
Therefore, the results are expected as well.
“I’m looking forward to the baron’s education.”
“Yes. He’s the kind of guy who never messes with things. I really didn’t know he was coming. Your majesty.”
“It seems that the virtue of Grünent is great.”
Grünent widened his eyes at Roan’s praise.
“If I had written and sent a letter, would the baron have come here? It must have been possible because you added words. Thanks.”
Grünent smiled like a flower blooming.
In an instant, a look of determination crossed her face.
