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“...”
This is strange. After the award ceremony, I was supposed to return home. So why am I here?
“Thanks to you, Sir Sai, my mother has fully recovered. Words cannot express my gratitude.”
“I’m glad to hear Her Majesty the Queen is doing well, Princess Lucia.”
After the ceremony, I was stopped by an official and guided to this room. Surprisingly, Princess Lucia was waiting here.
“You saved my mother’s life, Sir Sai. Please, call me Lucia.”
“I couldn’t possibly, Your Highness—”
“Lucia. Call me Lucia.”
As I tried to address her formally, she interrupted.
“Princess Lucia—”
“Lucia.”
Why is she leaning so close?
“Lady Lucia...”
“Drop the honorifics and just call me Lucia.”
“...That would be a bit...”
“And why not?”
Because I’m just a commoner, of course.
“Lucia, you’re putting him in a difficult position,” said a new voice.
The king entered the room, prompting me to bow respectfully.
“No need for such formality. Relax. I see Lucia has been pestering you.”
“Not at all, Your Majesty.”
“Good. Lucia, I hope you aren’t making things uncomfortable for him.”
“Father, I was so close! If you hadn’t come, he would’ve called me by my name.”
“Hahaha, my apologies for ruining the moment.”
The father-daughter relationship seemed extraordinarily close. It’s something I can only envy, having lacked such bonds. Still, with memories from two past lives, I’ve learned not to depend too much on family.
“Oh my, aren’t you two going to introduce me as well?”
The queen entered the room gracefully, and the king nodded.
“Sai, this is my wife, Queen Jocelyne.”
“Sir Sai, I am Jocelyne. Thanks to you, I can walk again and, more importantly, my daughter hasn’t had to endure further sorrow. I cannot thank you enough.”
The queen held my hands warmly, her gratitude evident.
“I only did what was necessary, Your Majesty.”
“How modest. But, Sir Sai, you have every reason to be proud—not just for saving me but for your role in curbing the spread of the black-face disease. Your efforts have saved our kingdom.”
Her praise felt over the top, but it was still nice to hear.
47.“And of course, saving me is no small matter either, you know,” she added with a playful laugh.
“Indeed, Sai, you’ve done remarkable things worthy of recognition.”
“Yes, Sir Sai. You must take pride in what you’ve accomplished. And don’t forget, you must call me Lucia.”
This family is unnervingly in sync.
The king, however, soon ushered the queen and princess out of the room. Despite their evident reluctance, his serious demeanor left no room for argument. Taking their place was the prime minister.
“I am Homriya Sardobeth, the Prime Minister.”
“I’m Sai. A pleasure to meet you.”
We exchanged pleasantries, and the prime minister took a position behind the king.
“Now, Sai,” began the king.
“Yes?”
“I want to know about your blessing and skills.”
“You already have that information, don’t you?”
I knew the prime minister had appraised me earlier.
“It’s not that I distrust Homriya, but...”
The king smiled wryly. I mirrored his expression and opened my status screen.
Status:
Both the king and the prime minister stared at my status with wide eyes.
“It’s... unmistakable...” muttered the king.
“Why didn’t you tell the duke about your blessing from the Goddess of Creation?”
“Had I done so, he might have had me killed.”
“...”
They likely had some understanding of the corrupt state of the Arldeck Duke’s household.
“Even so, we can’t simply ignore this knowledge.”
“Indeed, Your Majesty.”
The two fell into a thoughtful silence.
“If it’s troublesome, you can just pretend you don’t know.”
“The prime minister’s appraisal is public knowledge among the nobility and the temple. It’s not so simple.”
He had a point. It didn’t matter much anymore; I was strong enough now to handle most situations.
“If needed, feel free to disclose the information,” I said.
“Are you sure?”
“I’ve gained enough strength to handle the consequences.”
“That’s true. Judging by your status, even our kingdom’s full might might not suffice against you.”
“It wouldn’t be easy, but I’d find a way.”
“Do you have hidden aces up your sleeve?” the king asked curiously.
“Would it be all right if I demonstrated magic here?”
“Go ahead.”
I retrieved a small box from my storage—a box designed to hold a specific treasure.
“Is that a jewelry box?” the king asked.
I opened the lid.
Inside was a dirty, unassuming stone.
“What?! Is this...?”
“What’s wrong, Homriya?”
The prime minister was visibly agitated.
“Your Majesty, this is no ordinary stone. It’s... a Sage’s Stone!”
The king was stunned.
“Your Majesty, if you’ll stand by me, I’ll present this to you.”
Both men’s eyes widened.
“You would truly give this to me?”
“If I have your support, yes.”
“As king, I pledge to assist you to the extent of my power.”
The king didn’t hesitate, which was refreshing, albeit a bit reckless.
With the agreement sealed, I handed over the stone and a special cloth imbued with a containment magic circle.
“This Sage’s Stone can extend one’s lifespan by 15 years or instantly heal even grave injuries. However, its lifespan-extension properties diminish with use for healing.”
“Can you create more of these?” the king asked.
“Yes, though it’s not easy.”
Both the king and the prime minister gulped audibly at my response.
After discussing terms, I brought up my impending travels. The king granted his approval, albeit reluctantly, and I gifted soaps I had crafted to the queen and princess. Little did I know, these soaps would cause quite the sensation.
Finally, I presented the king with evidence of a plot against me orchestrated by the duke. The king, furious, vowed to handle the matter personally.