“Mii!”

With a “look at that” kind of attitude, Ivy, perched on my shoulder, gave me a tap.

Completely frozen in thought from the overwhelming tension, I was jolted back to awareness by the impact.

For some reason, Ivy was also allowed to enter.

Normally, living creatures and weapons weren’t permitted inside, but Ivy had been given a special exception.

Since the king himself had addressed me directly, I couldn’t keep my head down forever. I quickly straightened my posture.

There, seated upon a throne encrusted with gemstones, was a middle-aged man.

He was none other than Vento II…

“Your efforts in battle this time were truly commendable. Without you saviors, the kingdom would have faced an unprecedented crisis.”

“Ah, th-thank you very much…”

Upon his head sat a crown inlaid with gemstones even larger than those adorning the throne. He wore a crimson robe embroidered with golden threads.

He appeared to be in his late forties.

Perhaps due to stress, his hair had begun to thin slightly, and the wrinkles on his face spoke of the hardships he had endured.

Honestly, his appearance didn’t quite match the opulent regalia he wore—he looked more like a slightly worn-out middle-aged man.

Yet his eyes were piercing, so intense that it felt as though he could kill with a mere glance.

“Among the saviors, each one was as formidable as an entire army. However, even among them, the achievements of Bruno and Ivy were unparalleled. Moreover, your proposal to use the materials from the slain monsters for post-war reconstruction is a generosity unlike any we have ever seen.”

We had traveled across the five port towns connected to Demon Lord Island, fighting relentlessly to protect everyone.

As a result, the sheer volume of monster materials we had amassed was staggering.

After discussing it, we decided to donate a portion of the materials we had gathered in this battle to aid in reconstruction.

Even though it was just a portion, as the king had said, the number of materials easily exceeded ten thousand.

Among them were many second- and third-grade monsters, whose leather alone could be worth several gold coins per sheet, making the total value quite substantial.

Judging by the slightly relieved expression on the king’s face, my estimate wasn’t too far off.

Many of the kingdom’s territories had taken considerable damage this time, and in times of trouble, helping each other was only natural.

Besides, we had finally finished selling off the materials from the monsters defeated by the Black Legion.

Adding that to our earnings, the total sum had become an unfathomable amount—so vast that even if Ivy and I recklessly squandered money for the rest of our lives, we wouldn’t be able to use it all up.

In fact, we now had even more money, and I wasn’t sure how to spend it…

There were plenty of stories of people ruining their lives because they suddenly acquired wealth. I needed to think carefully.

Maybe I should increase my remittances home…

Wait, this wasn’t the time to be thinking about that!!

“As a resident of this kingdom, I merely did what was expected of me.”

“I see. You are truly a warrior, Bruno.”

“Mii!”

“Ah, of course, you too, Ivy. If you were human, I would gladly bestow a medal upon you.”

At those words, Vento II’s stern expression softened slightly.

It seemed he, too, had fallen under Ivy’s charm.

“Ahem! Now then… Bruno, Ivy, your achievements this time are truly unparalleled. I shall reward your service with proper recognition. Of course, a medal is a given… but is there anything else you desire?”

“…”

I turned to look at Ivy.

She, too, turned to look at me, and our eyes met.

Ordinarily, this would be the moment to respond with:

『There is nothing I desire. I leave it to Your Majesty’s will.』

However, Katya had firmly warned me beforehand, 『You mustn’t answer like that!』

Apparently, if I gave that response, I would, without a doubt, be granted a noble title.

There were several possibilities after that, but once I became a noble, I would have responsibilities and obligations to the kingdom.

Endlord, the Marquis of the Frontier, had also mentioned that if that happened, the kingdom would almost certainly impose various restrictions on Ivy through me.

That was the one thing I absolutely had to avoid.

Summoning my courage, I slowly opened my mouth to speak.

From sheer nervousness, my mouth felt several times drier and stickier than usual.

“I have one request.”

“…Speak.”

Perhaps because he hadn’t expected me to deviate from the usual script, Vento II’s eyebrow twitched slightly.

Pretending not to notice, I carefully delivered the response I had prepared.

“I am an adventurer who cherishes freedom. I cannot say for certain that I will remain in this kingdom forever. Therefore, instead of a title or a medal, I would greatly appreciate being compensated in currency.”

“Sir Bruno, that manner of speaking to the king is—”

“It’s fine. …Very well, I shall arrange it as requested.”

With a wave of his hand, the king silenced the retainer who had tried to object.

Then, he stood up.

From his elevated position, he looked down at us, his gaze appraising, as though evaluating our worth.

Though inwardly intimidated, I maintained my composure and bowed my head with dignity.

“Thank you… very much…”

“Mii…”

Matching my timing, Ivy also bowed her head with a small dip.

With that, we were granted permission to leave, and our audience with the king concluded without issue.

There had been a few tense moments, but overall, it had gone smoothly without major problems.

Meeting the king so suddenly had been nerve-wracking, but… I suppose I at least managed a passing grade… right?