Chapter 254.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Isn’t it common knowledge for a civil servant to speak one or two foreign languages?" I spoke casually in the Fairy Tribe language.
Ma.r.s.en was dumbfounded and the Fairy woman next to him became furious.
"If you can speak our language, you should have said so earlier!"
"Why?"
"What?"
The Fairy woman looked at me dumbfounded and I shrugged.
"There"s no reason for me to use the Fairy Tribe language that I"m not familiar with."
"But out of consideration...”
I cut off the Fairy Tribe woman.
"Of course, I could do it out of consideration. But that"s something that someone who is being considerate should say, not someone who’s inconsiderate."
The Fairy woman was speechless.
I added further. "And in the first place, it"s under the control of the Central Ceremony Department to host the delegation. Please contact them for such consideration." I handed it over to their jurisdiction, as was often done.
Ma.r.s.en laughed cheerfully at my words. "Hahaha! That"s true. This is the empire. Besides, it"s our fault for suddenly barging in."
The Fairy woman seemed a little upset at Ma.r.s.en"s words.
"So why did you stop me, even going as far as to use my nation’s language?" asked Ma.r.s.en.
I smiled and responded. "I don"t necessarily want others to know that I"m a Crow. Please keep it a secret."
Ma.r.s.en looked curious at my request. "Secret? Why are you trying to keep it a secret?"
"I just want to live at ease and in peace. But people around me will keep bothering me if they know I am a Crow."
Ma.r.s.en poked his finger in his ear as if he had heard a strange sound. "Ease? Peace? Crow Tribe? Is there something wrong with my ears?"
"There is nothing wrong with the Lord Guardian"s hearing. That is also what I heard.”
He looked at me like I was a weirdo at the Fairy woman"s comment.
"Why are you looking at me like that?”
"No, I thought the Crows were all combat freaks looking for fights."
I laughed lightly at Ma.r.s.en"s words. "There are always exceptions everywhere."
Ma.r.s.en thought for a moment, smiled mischievously, then asked, "Then what are you going to do for me keeping it a secret?”
I waved my finger. "No, you should be asking me to not do anything, not do something."
"What? Why?"
Ma.r.s.en tilted his head as if he didn"t understand me. It was the Fairy woman who understood instead.
"So you’re saying you won"t make a fuss, so please keep your ident.i.ty a secret?"
I flicked my fingers and smiled. "Bingo!"
She growled with a distorted look on her face. "How arrogant! Even if you go on a rampage, do you think Lord Guardian would even bat an eye?!"
"No, I"m at a loss.”
It was Ma.r.s.en who denied the Fairy woman"s words.
"Yes?"
"When I probed earlier, this friend is really good. I won’t be able to easily subdue him if he"s serious."
The woman was appalled.
It was understandable that she was confused because Ma.r.s.en was the reason she was able to come out confidently. To be honest, if there was a fight, it was more disadvantageous for them since they had something to protect. Of course, I would also have to risk my life to deal with him if he was serious.
I crossed my arms and spoke triumphantly, "Ahem! I"m this good. The job I got to live peacefully is also a type of shackle, and so I won"t have to behave any longer if you reveal my secrets."
The Fairy woman clenched her fist and was silent.
Ma.r.s.en, who had been pondering, proposed a deal with a big smile. "All right, well, in exchange for keeping quiet, you behave yourself, but in addition, let me know who you are."
"What do you want to know my ident.i.ty for?"
Ma.r.s.en shrugged lightly. "As a guardian knight in charge of protection of the delegation, it is unacceptable for a powerful man of unknown ident.i.ty to be near us… Is that enough?"
I grinned. "I’m sure you’re just purely curious."
Ma.r.s.en was a colleague of my great-grandfather, so he had visited my hometown several times. It was my first time meeting him, but I"d heard roughly about his personality.
"Hahaha! That"s true."
"Well, that"s fine." I sighed helplessly and spoke with sound transmission magic.
- A likely friend of yours, Galak Blade, is my great-grandfather.
"What?! Really?"
When Ma.r.s.en was surprised, Guild Director Glont, the two platinum plate adventurers, along with the Fairy woman looked at Ma.r.s.en, unable to determine what was going on.
"Yes, it is true."
"Ahahaha! My goodness! I’ve met an unexpected fate! So, how"s he doing?"
"I’m not sure? He comes back to his hometown sometimes, but I don"t know because he is always roaming outside. Well, if it’s that old man, I’m sure he is taking good care of himself."
He was even stronger than my grandfather, so he wouldn"t get beaten up anywhere.
"Ahahaha! That"s true, too.” Ma.r.s.en patted me on the shoulder.
At that time, Guild Director Glont approached slowly. So far, because we were speaking in the Fairy Tribe language, he couldn’t understand a thing, so he cautiously just watched.
"Excuse me, are you the Guardian Knight of the Fairy Tribe delegation?” Guild Director Glont asked.
Ma.r.s.en smiled and scratched the back of his head. "Ahahaha, that"s right. I was only going to meet my friend secretly, but I accidentally got caught," he said in the empire’s language.
Glont introduced himself with a relieved look on his face. "Nice to meet you. My name is Glont, and I am in charge of the Adventurers’ Guild."
Ma.r.s.en seemed immersed in some thoughts but soon clapped his hands. "Glont... oh! I heard of you when I visited the empire before. A promising rookie knight of the empire led a company and destroyed an Imperial State’s Regiment."
He was talking about something from over 20 years ago. As far as I knew, it was shortly after Guild Director Glont graduated from the Knights School that he destroyed the regiment"s headquarters with only a company of cavalry.
When Ma.r.s.en recollected Guild Director Glont, the eyes of the man himself opened wide as if had never thought the other would know about him.
"It"s an honor that you remember me. Compared to Ma.r.s.en-nim"s reputation, it is only embarra.s.sing."
Then the Fairy woman whispered quietly in Ma.r.s.en"s ear who in turn smiled and said, "No, General Glont is famous even in our country. You are also called the hero of the old country.”
Even at a glance, it was obvious he didn’t know, so it was clear that the Fairy woman told him.
Guild Director Glont also noticed the fact and smiled lightly. "Haha, it"s all stories from a long time ago. By the way, by friend, do you mean Mr. Hildegarn, who retired?”
"Yes, I didn"t know he was retired." Ma.r.s.en glanced at me and asked, "But what does that friend do?"
"Do you mean Den? Was my subordinate discourteous?” asked Guild Director Glont.
The Fairy woman"s lips shook, but she eventually kept her mouth closed.
Ma.r.s.en laughed cheerfully and said. "Ahahaha! What discourtesy! He"s a very pleasant guy. He"s also good at the Fairy Tribe language like us."
At Ma.r.s.en"s a.s.sessment, the Fairy woman glanced at me as if she was a little dissatisfied, but that was the extent.
"Is that so? I"m glad.”
"Oh! So that being said, do you mind if I take him as an interpreter instead of Hildegarn?"
I almost screamed at Ma.r.s.en"s words.
"Interpreters have been prepared by the Central Ceremony Department to greet the delegation, but do you have a particular reason you would like to take my subordinate?"
Good! Please kick him out just like that!
Inside, I was cheering enthusiastically for Guild Director Glont but Ma.r.s.en smirked at me.
"Having spoken with him, he speaks the Fairy Tribe language better than Hildegarn. To be honest, I think he speaks better than I do."
"Hahaha, it couldn’t possibly be that good. And besides, Ma.r.s.en-nim is fluent in the empire’s language."
"I speak a little of the empire’s language, but I"m blind to the culture of the empire. I’m sure I’ll have to meet with the Great Khan of the Empire, but I"m afraid I might make a mistake."
Ma.r.s.en"s thoughts were not wrong. No matter how many people in the delegation could speak the empire’s language, considering Ma.r.s.en, who was also fluent, few seemed to be also fluent in the empire’s culture.
Guild Director Glont seemed to be contemplating the matter as he glanced at me.
Please say no!
"Well, certainly Ma.r.s.en-nim has a point. All right, I will inform the director of the Central Ceremony Department and the prime minister. Instead, I will trust that you will take care of my subordinate’s safety."
I"m doomed!
"Ahahaha! Of course. This friend"s skills, khmm! I will keep him safe."
Ma.r.s.en coughed and changed his words as I shot a subtle martial aura at him.
Guild Director Glont came up to me and patted me on the shoulder. "Ohohoho, I"m sorry, but while the delegation is here, take good care."
"Yes... I understand."
At my disheartened reply, Guild Director Glont promised a reward vacation.
That"s how I ended up as an unexpected interpreter.
"Hahahaha! Please take care of us from now on. Cro...khmm! ‘Civil servant’ friend!”
It felt like he was emphasizing the word "civil servant," but I couldn"t help it. I was a cog of a bureaucratic society where I had to do what I was told.
-o-
After briefly packing the things I needed, the place where I was taken away by Ma.r.s.en was an emba.s.sy house temporarily set up near the palace for the Fairy Tribe. I’m sure they didn’t have a lot of time, but it was a very large building. The soldiers and magicians seemed to have been worked hard.
"But why did you bring me here?” I asked.
Ma.r.s.en smiled and said, "I told you. We need an interpreter who"s good at the Fairy Tribe language and knows the culture of the empire."
"Is that really all?"
As I eyed him suspiciously, Ma.r.s.en spoke while entering the emba.s.sy.
"I"m the only one who can speak the empire’s language properly, but I don"t know the etiquette of the empire, and the interpreters prepared by the empire are poor at the Fairy Tribe language."
As soon as we entered the emba.s.sy"s residence, dozens of Fairy Tribe knights greeted us with a loud voice. "The Lord Guardian has arrived!"
Ma.r.s.en raised his hand lightly and answered the greeting.
"Where is the Khan?"
Ma.r.s.en"s question was answered by a Fairy man who had the most amount of mana.
"The Khan is currently on the third floor in the delegation office!"
"I see. Oh, this is the interpreter who will interpret the empire’s language by the Khan and my side from now on. He also has excellent martial arts skills, so if you want to fight, tell me later!"
"Yes!"
I cried out to Ma.r.s.en in the empire’s language, appalled by the loud response of the Fairy Tribe knights.
"Hold on! Who are you telling to fight with who?!" I cried.
Ma.r.s.en looked at me rather curiously and spoke in the Fairy Tribe language, "Why? Aren’t you content with them? Hmm, I suppose you may think they"re just little kids and nothing special, but they"re the elite of the guards who protect the Khan."
At Ma.r.s.en"s words, the gazes of the Fairy Tribe knights surrounding me were so hot that it was painful.
"You"re doing this on purpose, aren"t you?”
As I glanced at him, Ma.r.s.en smiled mischievously and moved forward.
"Come on, let"s go. I have to introduce you to the Khan."
I followed Ma.r.s.en upstairs, frowning as my head started to hurt.