Chapter 254
Evan D. Sherden, Becomes the Knight Commander. (4)
The Dungeon Knights weren’t the only ones to grow in the past few years.
After overcoming the catastrophe of the Demon invasion, all of Sherden’s combatants became stronger with Evan’s training and guidance. Several guilds that greatly contributed to preventing the attack were also able to be strengthened by some individuals.
The b.l.o.o.d.y Apple’s witches were restricted from entering the dungeon, so instead, Evan learned a few tricks to help innovate a few magic skills and concentrated on it. The male members, of course, were able to grow greatly through Evan’s thorough teachings.
But one of them had especially remarkable growth.
“Did we arrive at the royal island already?
“That’s our Ghost Wagon, of course.”
The Ghost Wagon had been a big part of Evan’s travels since it was collected from the Thunderbird Guild!
The wagon’s performance was enhanced by Ctheasil’s help, who was good at harnessing and renovating, and surprisingly had become quite strong on her own.
The carriage, which was incredibly fast, cozy, and capable of running on water, would fly in the near future!
Evan used to offer his deepest condolences to the Thunderbird Guild whenever he rode this carriage.
“Maybe it’s okay to give them nicknames.”
“Can I make one?”
Serena responded to Evan’s muttering words by tapping the inside of the Ghost Wagon, which was running vigorously after completing an ident.i.ty test at the gate and entering the inside of the king’s residence.
When Evan saw the slimes sitting on his shoulders and knees, he thought of their names and gave them a sour look, but there was no reason to refuse them.
“Yeah, go ahead. But it can’t be Luev.”
“Okay, then the name of this one is Luzy!” Serena cried out without hesitation. Evan now felt as if he knew Serena’s law of naming.
“Let’s go to the mansion the Sherden family owns. I’ll rest there until we leave.”
“That’s where it was.”
“This is my first time. Should I be familiar with the structure of the mansion, Master Evan?”
“It’s only for one day anyway. Diona, you just need to make me tea when I ask.”
“That part of the job is also dangerous.”
Diona joked. Maybell felt irked by Diona’s tendency to make remarks.
“The villa is definitely part of the owner’s house, so we have to figure it out in advance even if no one asks. I can’t believe you talk back about what Master Evan told you to do! You’d better fire this woman right away, Master. I can do much better as an exclusive maid!”
“Maybell, I have a lot to say, but let’s make it clear. You’re no longer a maid, you’re a n.o.blewoman now.”
“You can quit being a representative at any time! If you could just fire the honorifics.”
“Give it up, you’re part of the n.o.bility now. When you have children, they will inherit your position, so bear the responsibility well.”
The Ghost Wagon, which entered the main street of the Royal Road, soon stopped at the Marquis of Sherden’s home entrance. The servants who had been contacted in advance were seen waiting in a line.
“Welcome, Master Evan.”
“Long time no see, Sir! I’m glad you look healthy!”
“Yes, nice to meet you all. Come on, make yourself at home.”
With Shine’s help, Evan accepted the greetings of the servants who were taking care of the mansion and went inside with his party. But the butler, who took the coat from him, followed Evan and spoke quietly.
“His Majesty the King, has sent you a letter.”
“No way.”
“He wants to have a meeting before the party. The details are in the letter, so if you can check it out…”
“Ahh… Why so bothersome? Take me to the drawing room in 30 minutes.”
“Okay.”
Evan, who unpacked stuff in his room, where he would be staying for less than a day, buried himself in an armchair used by his father, Marquis Soline, and drank Diona’s tea. While he was sipping on the tea, the butler came in after knocking.
“Huh… you are truly dedicated, Master Evan. You’ve become a great aristocrat.”
“I’m an adult now. What do you think? Do I look like my father?”
“…Uhm, the dignified atmosphere is very similar!”
“Yes, dignity. Yes.”
The butler of the capital mansion was indeed very bad at hiding his feelings. Evan shook his head and emptied the teacup. Next to him, Maybell snorted and spoke once more.
“The Marquis is a chimpanzee, and our Master Evan is the prince of the world, and how can we compare two different species…?”
“Shine, cover Maybell’s mouth.”
“Ehm.”
“Huh! Ugh!”
Evan seriously wondered if he should put a silence spell on Maybell so that she wouldn’t say anything harsh at the party.
The butler ignored Maybell’s words and handed Evan a letter bearing the king’s seal.
The seal he saw just before was so cheeky that he immediately scratched it and read the letter. The content was as expected.
“What do you say, Master?”
“Me and Rey… So, it says that only me and Serena should go to the palace. That’s also for dinner tonight.”
“Daddy? He’s really hot-tempered.”
“His Majesty really values you. It’s obvious.”
Even the butlers and servants residing in the capital mansion knew, of course, what was going on in Sherden because they regularly contacted each other.
Even if only half of the rumors were true, the king would not dare to treat Evan recklessly. Furthermore, the way Princess Serena treated Evan was known.
“He said you don’t have to reply. You just needed to get to the palace.”
“I’m sure there’s no problem with Rey. But I think I can still take one of my attendants.”
“Me?”
“Maybell, how many times do I have to tell you no? You are not an attendant now.”
Evan’s eyes shifted between Shine, Diona, and Dain. For now, Diona was excluded. Her colorful appearance and presentation alone were stimulating enough, and there was room for controversy with the provocative Bunny Girl costume.
“Why don’t we just gloss over your taste? I’m ready to make the same excuse at the ocean party.”
An excuse worked somehow at the party, but there was no forgiveness in the royal palace. Evan finally ordered Shine to accompany him after ordering Diona to rest for the day. Dain stretched his shoulders with a bitter expression.
“I’ve been training hard…”
“Oh, this is so annoying.”
That evening, Evan really went up to the palace with only Serena and Shine.
After a long time, the return of the royal daughter to the palace caused quite a stir, but Evan did not intend to match the rhythm of the people, so he grabbed Serena, who was being held here and there, and soon headed to the waiting room.
“You’re finally here.”
However, in the waiting room given to Evan, an uninvited visitor greeted him. It was Duke Sorde L. Leonine and his daughter, Anastasia L. Leonine, who governed Menaton.
“Not a second pa.s.ses, and you are rude already.”
“No, it’s been so long since I’ve seen you that I’m glad and surprised…”
“Wow, Uncle Bear!”
Embarra.s.sed by the appearance of the Duke at an unexpected time, Evan’s support forces stepped forward first. It was none other than Serena.
“Uncle, long time no see!”
“Huh, are you Serena? You’ve become so pretty! You’ve grown up so much since I last saw you! …Especially your huge chest!”
“Uncle Bear is still a pervert, isn’t he? I’m so glad you can keep your t.i.tle even after s.e.xually hara.s.sing the king’s daughter!”
The combination of Sorde, who smiled and made the worst s.e.xual hara.s.sment remarks to the princess, and Serena, who smiled and blamed the Duke, was quite plausible. Evan barely regained his composure when he saw this particular scene.
He signaled Shine to take Princess Anastasia out and greet her properly. When he found Shine escorting Anastasia, he spoke to her, subtly blocking the Duke, who was about to start a quarrel immediately.
“Is His Majesty coming to the party, too?”
“Hmmm…Yes, of course. Don’t you know what this party is for? It’s a celebration of the clean-up of social groups and the reopening of the Sherden Dungeon.”
“Come to think of it….”
Evan, of course, knew.
Social group eradication began with the fall of the former Bayern Corporation. The Bayern Chamber of Commerce made a huge group of private soldiers secret to the king, and it was discovered and destroyed. A pseudo-religious group was found to be behind it all.
In the wake of the incident, the royal family, which clearly compiled information about pseudo-religious groups that had been lurking throughout the Silk Line in the form of some aristocrats, businesses, and groups, had focused on social group sweeps over the past few years, and only this time did it come to fruition.
To be exact, they were a group of black sorcerers disguised as religious priests, many of whom were lurking in the unexplored lands of Leonine, so Duke Sorde was quite busy dealing with them for a few months.
“That’s why they called the Duke. That wasn’t just because of the ocean party.”
“Well, it’ll be half-right. There is a girl who was engaged to me not too long ago, but the king called only Serena and me, so I can understand your thoughts.”
The Duke pouted his thick lips. It was even creepy to see a middle-aged man with a sulky expression, but Evan could only see that he didn’t like the situation very much.
“Yeah, what do you think? Are you sure you don’t like Serena more? I’m upset; she’s prettier and more capable than Arisha.”
“Uncle Bear!”
Duke Sorde’s indifferent words made Serena cry. Her face was as red as ever.
“If Evan says yes here, my tender heart will be shattered, so why do you have to ask him like that!?”
“Wasn’t your heart made of steel?”
“I’m a delicate girl with a heart like gla.s.s! And for Evan, power like steel is useless! Anyways, your outer and inner appearance is just like a bear’s.”
Serena grumbled and buried herself on one side of the sofa. She crouched and hugged her knees, creating an absurd sight of her face buried in her own chest, and Evan quickly turned his head.
Likewise, the Duke, who turned his head from the scene, said with a faint look.
“…I don’t know how you feel, but I know how she feels. I never thought you’d turn the girl down like that.”
“You definitely lack courtesy, Sir.”
“So, what about you?”
“You really lack courtesy.”
Evan sighed. He was burying his head, but he could see his ears standing up.
These days, he felt like Serena’s att.i.tude toward herself was getting more cautious, so should he call it good timing or bad timing?
“Discourteous old man.”
Evan closed the door, which had been slightly open, to block the sound from leaking out, and he coughed in vain.
“I wouldn’t have kept her for years if I didn’t like her.”
Evan remembered what Serena had told him before. He remembered Serena, who protected the city during his absence. To be honest, there was no reason to dislike her.
“Then, do you like me, Evan?”
“And when did you start pretending to be shy?”
Evan replied back to Serena, who was standing up and blinking her eyes.
“Oh, didn’t Prince Matthew come with you?”
“Of course, he came. Matthew can’t miss out on Asha. He just hasn’t come to greet you yet.”
“There’s no reason to say h.e.l.lo. I didn’t expect you to come to see my face either.…”
At Evan’s words, the Duke coughed for nothing and looked beyond the door for a moment. Evan roughly grasped the situation with it.
“You’re a good father.”
“If you had taken her, I wouldn’t have had to go through this!”
“I’m sure you won’t regret making Shine your son-in-law.”
“Ahhh… p.r.i.c.k.”
However, when he realized that Shine’s skills were formidable, Duke Sorde could not answer Evan and just sighed. This was because he could guess the th.o.r.n.y path his daughter would take to make a commoner her husband.
“I’ll help you, so feel safe. I don’t care if it’s for Shine’s ability.”
“Shut up, you punk. I’ll beget another child who grows up and marries you.”
“I’ll be looking forward to it.”
That evening’s dinner had to be held with the king’s burdensome gaze—as expected.
Evan received some bribes, was forced to touch Serena a little, and Serena was furious whenever her father (the king) seemed to be trying to force Evan into doing so. Of course, it was just plain evidence of Serena’s feelings toward Evan.
“Come on, wait.”
The next day, however, an ocean party was held safely on a super-sized cruise ship anch.o.r.ed in the sea.
“Those, those clothes…”
“Huh. Did you ever get overwhelmed by my dignity, Evan D. Sherden?”
“Where did you get those clothes? I’m sure I burned them!”
Evan thought so until he met Prince Matthew L. Leonine, who appeared in the octopus costume that Evan had already burned.