Chapter 100 Strategic Board

The royal lady and the young clerk were gray and motionless for a second, too, as the white clouds of mana, like a divine intervention, worked their magic, and everything went back to "normal."

To the "normal" course of events, right. New instructions from the Quest kicked in, and I apparently needed to accompany the royal lady to someplace where we could finally talk it out. The turn of events felt a little off ways, figuring I initially swung by this place for trading an orc head and getting my silvers, but I guess I had no interest in not proceeding with the Quest, so I was quite all right.

I did have a unique skill called [Mana's Benediction], but as I still hadn't unearthed all of the System's abilities and wonders I guess it just went over my head for the time being. I said it earlier, but in a month or so, I would get to unearth what needed discovering. (Author's note: You don't need to read that and may jump to the next paragraph. Dropping a note here to clarify the reason why MC still hasn't gotten to fully "discover" and comprehend the way the System works. The first time some manifestation of the System, the "Skill Interface" or "Menu," appeared to our MC, he was in a hurry and simply waved it off in order to go and see what was up with the elven princess right after he got his human form. That was explained by the end of the first book. At that time, the System was about to give the command to open the menu anytime, but MC, in his hurry and excitement, didn't care at all at the time. It's part of the plot, and you'll get to discover and unearth the System when the time comes. Soon.)

"Ahem! Generals, I trust you know what to do, then." The generals voiced their agreement. "Get back to your positions at once. The Archimage and Grand General will require your support."

As for me, my instructions from the System enjoined me to accompany the third princess, daughter of the Ruler of Roerden, to an office of her choice where the Player, me, would hear what the royalty has to propose to the monster.

Going with its usual lengthy long-winded descriptions of the quests, the System added a few lines about not even the Player knew how that turn of events would affect the conflict between the orcs and the kingdom, and I wondered about it.

"Yes, Your Highness!"

"Immediately, Your Highness."

Taking off, the two tall men passed by me. I was happy to be totally ignored. No hostility whatsoever they harbored against me, now. The System really was something, wasn't it? The young clerk also jumped to his desk, as if nothing ever happened.

"You, boy. …Do please follow me."

I noticed the princess' gaze was still a bit confused and somewhat afraid of me, but I guess she wouldn't be aware I was a unique monster, now, so I was all right. Well, the thing was, she actually knew, and I was the one not aware of it at the time.

I figured it was obvious that she didn't "know" anymore, now that the System had worked its magic, but… by neatly paying attention to the Quest Instructions, I could have guessed she knew—the System mentioned that the royal lady would make a proposal to the "monster."

Oblivious to that, I did as the royal lady asked and followed after her when she beckoned to me. Oh, and just to be sure, I snatched back the warlord orc head item I had with me since I, in my ignorance, figured all the quest was really about was the trading of this item in exchange for silvers.

Let's tag along, I casually thought. Following after the charming lady, I was thinking about where I was headed or this kind of stuff. I didn't think about the "offer" or "proposal" she had to make the monster, nor did I think about the fact that she was an immensely important figure in her kingdom, which we were in, so it was probably weird for her to take care of the first teenage human adventurer boy she found and help me trade my orc head for a silver.

I played my cards right, so I got myself out of trouble. There was nothing to worry about. But I was still a bit mistrustful. As I walked behind the royal lady, who navigated her way within the little maze of corridors and rooms, I observed all around me with great curiosity first, but then briefly paused the course of my feet, slid a hand up on my throat, squeezed it carefully, and swore I would never let "that" happen again.

I wasn't traumatized or anything, but I liked to remember the events of my first day in the world. A powerful black swordsman was here, and he slashed me right up my throat. On both my wrist and throat, actually. Remembering that man, I promised that would never happen again. I couldn't. I wanted to live.

Everyone wanted to live. And even the nervous royal lady, who, at present, occasionally kept talking to herself out loud so much she was nervous, and positively commented on the fact that everything was indeed going according to plan, and that now, to top it all off, she also had found the weapon she always dreamed of, the sword she always needed; she also wanted to live. But, if push came to shove, I wouldn't show mercy.

What could she mean anyway by saying that, well… She had at last found the new powerful weapon her older brothers, who knew a lot more than her about military power as it related to absolute independence at palace-life, among other things, spoke about, and that even though they refused to help her get that powerful weapon, by sheer luck, she had found it herself. What could that mean? A powerful weapon? Me? Hm? She must have been speaking of some other matter that didn't concern me.

Stopping by the last door we passed, the royal lady finally came to a stop. She stopped in front of the door and sounded breathless. We hadn't run or anything, so that was weird. Breathing in and out, quite erratically, well, that was weird too, but what was even weirder were the lady's hands.

They trembled quite a lot when her hands went and pressed the door open. "Cheer up, myself…!" Again, she spoke out loud to herself. "Hmm! I-It's all going according to my plan… But why am I so afraid…? Is it because I'm actually… doing "it"...?" Her voice really was less than a whisper, but I heard it all right thanks to my keen senses. In any case, the lady was quite bizarre, and she wouldn't stop there.

Clearing my throat like a gentleman, I thought I'd let her know I was still present, too, that I could hear her speak. I would have gone out of my way to ask her not to display such blatant fear and nervosity—indeed, I was no unique monster, and there was no need for her to be so afraid of the first teenage human boy she privately talked with—but I didn't.

When I cleared my throat so loudly, her scare doubled up, however, and she turned to me with a jolt. I frowned at her. Relax, royal lady. Before long, she opened up the door entirely, and a short creaking sound greeted us. At last, she made her way in confidently. My feet following after hers, I allowed myself in after the lady.

And I also allowed myself to scrutinize every nook and cranny of the office we entered. Peering all around me, though the place was rather sober and more or less kept empty, the space was also roomy enough. It sure changed compared to the trading office I had been in. Also, the chamber was guarded and preserved.

Many shelves, documents, and decorations. All of which was very well-organized and both breathing and smelled of ancient days. That place looked sober yet punching at the same time. Along with the ancient smell of the documents, the faint perfume of worked wood invaded my nostrils—I wanted to eat all of it. It smelled surprisingly good, seriously, and my lungs were reinvigorated.

Three tiny windows popped open one wall of the ancient closed office. They were wide enough so that the room wasn't either too bright or too dim. The atmosphere sure was relaxed, thanks to the lighting. So I was relaxed. And who else was relaxed? The royal lady who ventured and finally found her "powerful weapon," and now would try and recruit it? Certainly not, let me tell you. She was still as tense as ever for a reason I ignored. Yes, after all, I wasn't aware she wanted to discuss more than just the trading of my warlord orc head.

The princess lady's steps had taken her quite the distance away from me. Steadily, yet somewhat timidly, she walked in and immediately got next to the very long table board that was in the middle of the ancient office. Right, at the center of the chamber, there was a long strategic board that was just about the resume of the overall chamber. Sober yet punching.

And the royal lady now danced with the board, still walking alongside it. Each of the lady's steps, as if she were running away from me, was quicker than the other. Boarding one edge of the longest desk, her footsteps came to a stop as her short heels reluctantly stopped their Tip tap tip tap-singing sound. Beside the classic table, and in the relaxing silence of the chamber she opened to me, one of her hands, that was previously anxiously stroking the strategic board's smooth wooden surface, went up and unbuttoned the single button keeping her white cape on her shoulders.