Chapter 373: Evenus Household [1]

Chapter 373: Evenus Household [1]



The next day.

The sun shone brightly over the city streets of Bremmer, its warm light spilling over the buildings and residents.

People emerged from their homes, soaking in the morning warmth as they prepared to start their workday.

I was one such person as I came out of the Inn I was staying in, prepared to head for the Royal Palace in order to retrieve my rewards.

It felt like a good day.

I was happy.

'... Before anything happens I should just enter the 'Curse' chamber so that nobody will find any trouble with me.'

The plan was simple.

Enter the Curse Chamber and train until the start of the new year.

It was supposed to be like that, with no problems, and yet...

||||

11

||

A pair of gray eyes met mine the moment I stepped out of the Inn.

Holding onto a luggage, and with a carriage standing behind him, Leon looked at me without much of an expression.

No, there was no need for an expression.

I could tell exactly what he was thinking.

'I've come to pick you up.'

'For...?'

Leon raised his brow, turning his head to point at the insignia on the carriage before looking back at me.

'What do you think?'

'Oh.'

I nodded faintly and walked down the small flight of stairs before reaching the carriage where I handed Leon my luggage.

"Here."n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Leon looked at my luggage before looking at me.

"This is...?"

"My luggage."

"No, I know..."

"Take it. Aren't you supposed to be my knight?"

"Uh? Yeah."

"Okay, good."

I shoved the luggage into Leon's hands. He looked surprised by my compliance. I was too. Well, for only a brief moment because before I knew it, I...

Ran.

I ran as if my life depended on it.

" ..."

Leon's expression changed swiftly as I heard a soft 'thump' behind me. Most probably from my luggage being dropped by him. I wasn't too worried though. He was rich now. If he broke anything he could just pay me back.

...And there was something more important at this very moment.

Such as...

Running.

'I'm not going.'

I was going to enjoy my vacation regardless of whether they wanted it or not.

Without hesitation, I turned through several streets as I rushed ahead without looking back.

My current destination was the Royal Palace.

So long as I could get there...

"Hey, watch out!"

"What are you doing!"

"Ukeh!"

Along the way, there were the inevitable victims that fell due to my speed. I could only apologize to them in my heart before increasing my pace further. I couldn't afford to slow down in the slightest.

Especially since Leon was faster than me.

He was a [Body] user after all.

...Of course, that was unless I used my 'Concept'. Then it'd be an entirely different story.

But surely he wouldn't us-

Booom!

As if a bomb had detonated, I heard a faint explosion coming from behind me. Turning my head, I felt my entire body tense as Leon shot in my direction like a rocket.

For the briefest of moments, I could see his eyes which were completely black with the faint white dots in the middle.

My heart leaped out of my chest.

"....!"

This was overkill...!

Clench.

I wasn't going to lose like this though. Clenching my teeth, a green orb appeared in my mind.

It throbbed silently as I reached out for it, its outer layer coating my arm as my legs tensed

and my speed boosted.

With the sudden increase in my mana and strength, I was no longer worried about over- extending my body like before.

It could be said that I had developed my 'Concept' a little prematurely.

In that sense, it was no wonder why my body couldn't withstand it all that much.

Though my body was still not fully able to withstand the power of each orb, it was faring a lot better than before as my speed boosted without much pain accompanying the speed boost.

'Whatever the case, I'm sure he won't be able to do a thing to me once I arrive at the Royal Castle.'

Yes, again.

...I needed to reach the Royal Palace.

Swoosh-

I wasn't very familiar with the streets of Bremmer.

They were rather wide, about wide enough for carriages to pass through. But there were also

smaller streets, which extended in all sorts of paths.

11

I smacked my lips before speaking.

"....I have a small errand to run over here at the Royal Palace. If you would just give me a little

bit of ti-"

"No."

Leon coldly cut me off.

His gaze was like that of a hawk who had his pray trapped.

"Is this because I beat you?"

Leon's face froze for a second before the corner of his lip twitched.

"....No."

"At least look at me in the eyes when you deny it like that."

"It's the Baron's orders."

At that, I could only stay quiet. So it really came to this... Indeed, he had informed me about

the situation beforehand back in the closing ceremony. I knew it was coming, but I didn't

think he'd be so hell-bent on making me go that he'd order Leon to make sure I went.

"I need a vacation."

"....I've been asking for one for the past ten years."

"And...?"

Leon tilted his head.

"I never got one."

I pursed my lips.

It was both funny and sad.

"You're free to go."

"The Baron is the one who can make such decisions."

"We should protest together."

"You're free to do so."

This guy...

He wanted to be oppressed.

In any case. Turning my head, I looked at Kiera and Aoife who were both still on top of me.

"Can you two get off?"

"Already on it."

Kiera muttered, helping herself up and patting her clothes. Aoife did the same as she glared at

Kiera.

"You did it on purpose, didn't you?"

"What? Did what?" "Jumping on me with such force."

"Oh, maybe."

So she did...

I felt my head throb as I helped myself up as well. In the process, I patted my clothes clean.

Scratching the side of my neck, I realized something.

"Wait a second."

I alternated my gaze between Kiera, Aoife, and Leon before finally settling it over to Leon.

"This can't be a coincidence, right?"

11

||

Leon turned his head away.

I turned to look at Aoife who pursed her lips and scratched the side of her neck, turning her

eyes away from me. Kiera did so as well as she tried to whistle.

"Whooo~! Whooo~!"

Only that it sounded like she was strangling a bird.

"Ah, stop. Make it stop."

Aoife covered her ears in pain. Kiera watched in amusement as she mumbled,

"Now you know the pain I go through when I hear you sing." "Ah?!"

Aoife almost looked offended by that.

But...

Yeah, she wasn't wrong.

"You too?!"

Aoife seemed to have noticed my gaze as her eyes widened.

I could only shake my head before locking eyes with Leon who took out several notes and

handed them to Kiera and Aoife.

"Thank you."

"...Uh, thanks."

Though I was already aware of this in advance, seeing it in person left me utterly speechless.

What sort of...!?

"It had to be done."

Leon said, blocking my path alongside the other two.

"You bribed them?"

I was just about to think of a way to push my way through when I noticed a subtle change in

Leon's expression. It was unlike anything that I had ever seen before, halting me on the spot. 'Come...'

His expression said,

'....This is for you.'

I froze then, my mind emptying as I saw Leon look at me with an expression I had a hard time describing. He contained a rare seriousness that made it difficult for me to reject. In the end, locking eyes with him for a few more seconds, I sighed.

"Haaa."

Fine.

I rubbed my hair.

"...I'll come."