On the fourth day since I was unexpectedly summoned and confined to the Imperial Palace, the work I had done was much the same as when I first met Vivian.
Cleaning her messy room, preparing meals in place of the imperial chef at meal times, and brewing coffee when needed…
There were many servants in the palace to do such tasks, but ironically, Vivian refused all their services after I joined.
I soon realized after arriving at the palace that she had been suffering from loss of appetite and depression even before my arrival.
“Thanks to you becoming the witch’s personal attendant, it’s been a relief for us as well.”
“Was it that serious before I arrived?”
“She hardly ate the meals we prepared. Honestly, we were worried she might get angry if the food didn’t suit her taste.”
The chef, who came to the kitchen for cooking, explained the situation to me.
He was in charge of cooking for the royalty, but it seemed he couldn’t quite make dishes to Vivian’s liking.
It was perhaps inevitable. Vivian hadn’t been rejecting the food because it tasted bad, but more likely due to psychological reasons.“Did Vivian ever get angry if she didn’t like the food?”
“There was never such an incident. She would just leave the food untouched, and when servants came to tidy up, she would merely order them to clean.”
Fortunately, Vivian had never physically harmed the servants, but when I cleaned her room, I occasionally found bloodstains that wouldn’t wash away.
Clearly, someone had been killed in that room.
Just like what I had seen in the banquet hall, as if it were nothing.
“I haven’t been harmed directly, but… naturally, I hesitated to visit her. There have been instances where nobles or warriors who offended her ended up facing retribution.”
“Ah, I see.”
So it was that sort of people who had died.
After all, before the incident at the banquet hall, it seemed like no one really knew who she was or what her standing was in the empire.
…It was ironic that such an absurd being was now obsessed with me.
“Changing the subject, what’s that dish you’re making? It smells spicy from here.”
“It’s nothing special. It’s just a common dish I used to make back where I lived…”
“Haha, common, you say? It might be common knowledge by your standards, but even I, who have studied all kinds of delicacies in this world, am not familiar with it. I’d like to take this opportunity to learn a thing or two from you…”
“That wouldn’t be bad. I’ve been curious about what kinds of dishes are made in the Imperial Palace myself.”
Staying in the palace had indeed been a peculiar experience. I made connections with the palace servants and sometimes exchanged chats or skills when the opportunity arose.
There was no difference in recognition or class; after all, these people were workers just like anyone else under someone’s rule.
“…Hero Woo Hyo-sung.”
Indeed, the problem lay not with the servants but with those in power.
After serving Vivian her meal and following the soldiers who came after, I soon saw the person who had summoned me waiting in front of the audience chamber.
A magnificent golden throne worthy of the name ‘Imperial Throne’, and on it sat Orion Seis, looking down at me modestly.
Excluding the surrounding guards and attendants, it was practically a private meeting, yet his first words felt more like curiosity than pressure.
“Hero? What do you mean by that?”
“Did you not know?”
Crown Prince Seis immediately reacted to my unintentional exclamation.
Afterward, he gestured to an attendant, who silently brought a golden box to the front of the Prince.
“Given the circumstances at the time, it was difficult to discuss, but considering the merits you’ve achieved, detailed verification or review would be pointless. Indeed, all the soldiers who fought in the war with you attribute their success to you without exception…”
-Click.
With a click, delicate fingers opened the case, revealing a medal and a document.
It was an official decree, stamped with the imperial seal, possessing absolute authority within the empire.
“Although we failed to fully recover the bones of the dragon, you have contributed significantly to dealing with a calamity threatening humanity, haven’t you?”
“…This achievement is not mine alone.”
“Without you, however, the war would have been unwinnable. It was a battle that couldn’t have been won without everyone present, including you.”
The Crown Prince acknowledged my and the others’ sacrifices, albeit in a dry voice.
Although hardly emotional, at least there was no overt disdain like that from the nobles.
It might have been superficial, but at least to him, there seemed to be a willingness to recognize me.
“Originally, the appointment of a hero is conducted by His Majesty, but coincidentally, due to His Majesty’s ill health, it’s difficult for him to make public appearances, so I, as his proxy, will personally bestow upon you the title of hero.”
An attendant approached me in response to the Crown Prince Seis gesture.
He opened the box and quietly pinned the medal on my chest and placed the accompanying appointment letter in my hand.
“Foreigner Woo Hyo-sung.”
The Crown Prince Seis, who was watching, declared,
“From this moment, I appoint you as a hero for humanity. As long as you prove your abilities, our empire will not hesitate to support you. I promise you this.”
The moment when the Crown Prince himself met with me in private and declared me a hero.
It was a sign that I had finally reached what I had been pursuing all along.
Starting as a foreigner, gaining strength, and finally becoming a hero I could proudly talk about to everyone.
“Do you have any objections to this decision?”
But why?
Why don’t I feel the pride I expected to feel now?
“…No, none.”
“You don’t seem very happy for someone without objections.”
Indeed, there was no way I could be happy.
Through my experiences at the Imperial Palace, I realized how small what I had been pursuing really was.
“I am happy, but I hope you’ll forgive me for not being able to express that feeling here and now.”
I thought becoming a hero would be the end, but I’ve come to realize it’s just a new beginning.
Indeed, once a frog leaps out of a well, it faces a much larger world.
To survive from here on, I’d need to shoulder more and exert more effort than ever before.
“I vaguely feel that you, the Crown Prince, who has bestowed this upon me, bear even greater responsibilities than I do.”
And it was Crown Prince Orion Seis before me who had made me realize this fact.
For someone in his position, the existence of a hero might not seem all that special.
Even though heroes in this world were used for noble propaganda, it was easy to guess that someone who had risen higher than him might view heroes with contempt, regardless of how grand the appointment ceremony was.
“Are you hiding your joy out of consideration for me, who has conferred this title upon you?”
Amid such plausible flattery, I heard Crown Prince Seis, looking down at me from his throne, muttering.
“That might not be all there is to it, but it’s quite an unusual response. People I have seen up to now tend to be intoxicated by their own achievements in such situations…”
Just after trailing off for a moment, though it was brief, he spoke in a voice that seemed oddly buoyant.
“Indeed, just as I thought.”
“…What?”
“Is Vivian doing well?”
Crown Prince Seis quickly changed the subject, catching me off guard with his question.
Though it felt a bit evasive, I didn’t mind and intended to answer his question.
After all, being made a hero by him, I couldn’t rashly ask questions just to satisfy personal curiosity.
“Yes, she is doing well.”
“Good, it seems her condition has improved significantly thanks to you.”
There was a tone of relief in his voice.
Indeed, she was considered so vital to humanity that even he, a member of the imperial family, would humble himself before her.
Her research allows us to summon foreign beings even at this moment, and her current research aims to enhance the stability of such summonings to call forth beings with even greater power.
“Please, take good care of her.”
The Crown Prince, emphasizing her importance, said this while gazing at me through the eyes behind his mask.
“You, who bring stability to her mind, may well be called the hope for the ‘new era’ that is to come.”
Maintaining a very cool demeanor, to the extent that it made me think my previous sense of his excitement was a mistake.
After barely leaving the audience chamber, as always, I headed to where Vivian was, reflecting on my encounter with the Crown Prince.
Orion Seis…
He seemed authoritative and cold-blooded, as one might expect from royalty, ready to order the purging of those who displease him. Yet, unlike the nobles I met at the banquet, he acknowledged my deeds and personally granted me a title.
It might have been just a facade, but in a world where heroes could be mass-produced, it’s impossible for me alone to be treated as something special.
Yet, the fact that he arranged a private meeting might indicate that he values principles over moral distinctions or possesses a utilitarian way of thinking.
Seeking to understand what the group needs, setting aside personal feelings…
It made me think that he might indeed possess the qualities befitting a leader.
“Indeed, just as I thought.”
Such an impassive person revealed a hint of emotion in his words…
I wondered if I was mistaken, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that it might not be.
After all, he had invited me to the banquet, indicating he had been watching me for some time.
Whether his interest was due to my achievements in defeating the Red Knight, or perhaps even before that… for example, when I was known as a Hero Killer or hunter, I can’t be sure.
“Have we met before, at some point?”
It didn’t seem like a completely unfounded speculation.
No matter his royal status, my inherent abilities made it impossible for those who met me to forget me.
Even if I wasn’t aware of it, if there had been even a trivial meeting, he would surely remember me…
“Ah, Mr. Housekeeper is here.”
While I was lost in thought, I had arrived at the library.
Vivian, who had arrived before me as usual, turned around and expressed her joy at seeing me.
Using the title she had used for me when we first met, not my name.
“Yes, Vivian. I’m back… Gasp!”
But before I could even feel disappointed, a harsh gasp escaped me.
Then, frozen in place, I could only stare intently at her.
“V-Vivian, wait. That outfit is…”
“Huh? Oh, I-I just took a quick shower until Mr. Housekeeper returned…”
Yes, she came here after bathing in the bathroom.
Since everyone feared her, there would be no one to encounter her mid-way, so walking around the palace naked wouldn’t be a problem.
Except for me, who had become the only one who could stand by her side.
“Uh, sorry. For showing you this all of a sudden… Were you a bit shocked?”
Vivian cautiously asked, seeing me frozen in place.
With that, the towel in her hand trembled with her tentative touch, threatening to reveal the parts of her body it covered.
Her sensual body was such that I had nowhere safe to rest my eyes, as if she was unaware of how she appeared to me.
“I-I’m sorry. I’ll leave right away!”
“No, don’t go!”
A cry escaped her as I panicked and tried to leave in haste.
My steps halted, instinctively sensing danger and stopping in my tracks.
It couldn’t be helped. No matter how favorable she might be towards me, crossing her could lead to dire consequences due to her power.
“If it’s… Mr. Housekeeper, then it’s okay, just stay here.”
Vivian tried to dissuade me from leaving as I stood there motionless.
The sound of water still dripping from her body could be heard, but she seemed unconcerned even as the droplets wet a book left on the floor.
“St-stay here.”
“Yeah, it’s okay, so please look at me. There’s not much to see though…”
She even insisted that I turn my head towards her.
Unable to ignore her request, I stiffly turned my head towards her, albeit reluctantly.
The thought that I must not disobey her words was stronger than the guilt of committing a supposed sin.
“B-before Mr. Housekeeper arrived, I barely bathed, so I was worried I might smell during our time together…”
At the end of her words, I saw Vivian, who seemed to be trying to cover her unsightly aspects with the towel she held around her body.
But it was impossible to hide her uniquely voluptuous body with just a single towel.
Instead, the remaining moisture on her body soaked the towel, making her body’s curves even more pronounced.
“Eh, hehe… D-do I look okay now?”
Her body was so attractive that it made one forget she was a subject of fear.
The contrast between that and her innocent face created a sense of impropriety.
-Thump, thump.
Yes, wasn’t it enough to make one’s heart swell?
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