The Hero’s Party Members Treat Me Well for Some Reason - Chapter 73



Imperial Expedition (7)

The resplendent court.

The Third Princess, Deila von Pildor, was working in the bedroom assigned to her.

Lately, she had been sighing quite a bit.

“Haah…”

The reason was simple.

It was due to the secret contract she had made with the hero just a few months ago.

Quite some time had passed since then, but… surprisingly, nothing had changed for her.

Back when she made the contract, she thought many things would change overnight. Yet, nothing at all had happened.

If that was the case, why had she even made the contract…? She felt foolish for having worried so much during that time.

Even so, the problem was that she couldn’t relax. Staying this comfortable, who knew when the hero might use the contract as a pretext to do something…?

‘If that’s the case, maybe I shouldn’t have made the contract at all…’

Honestly, everyone already knew that she had no chance of winning. She had only taken his hand out of a desire to at least make a desperate attempt.

Isn’t it clear that even as a princess, she couldn’t get an office and had to work in her bedroom?

Just as she was sighing in regret over the contract, an unexpected event occurred.

Crash!!

“Kyah?!”

Something broke through the window and entered her bedroom.

Startled, the princess screamed.

What had entered her room was a large wasp. Its wing sounds echoed sharply throughout the room.

Buuum!!

“Kyah! Kyahhh!!”

“What is the matter, Your Highness!”

Fortunately, the situation calmed down quickly. This was because a guard who had been waiting outside her room came in and dealt with the punishment.

Could it be another ambush?! As Deila thought this, she discovered a note tied to the creature’s belly.

‘Huh? What is this?’

Deila picked up the note and began to read its contents.

It was a message from the hero.

There were many details, but to summarize:

– A promising talent has been discovered.

– So come to the territory of Viklon.

– As soon as possible.

“Ha…”

After reading it all, Deila let out a sigh.

It’s good news, so at least that’s a relief. It’s also a relief that the contract isn’t fake. It is a relief, but…

“Can’t it be sent in a more normal way…?”

The broken window, the desk in disarray, and even the green venom of the wasp… Deila regretted the contract once again.

*

It took Deila about two days to reach the territory of Viklon. No matter how well-paved the empire’s roads are, there are limits to the speed of a carriage.

Therefore, I had no choice but to take care of the kids for those two days.

Fortunately, nothing major happened. The kids still seemed to dislike me… but they were diligently following along.

Since I said I would teach them, everyone was full of enthusiasm.

So, I decided to call in Camilla and Adele Lily to broaden the subjects a bit.

It seemed that I was a bit short-handed teaching alone.

Adele, who is good with her hands, taught the children basic skills, Lily bought books for them, and Camilla taught basic training methods and cooking.

What was unexpected was that Camilla was quite good at cooking.

Even though there must have been a lack of training time, where did she learn that?

For reference, I had been in charge of the same training subject as Camilla. However, I was only responsible for Belita, not the other children.

“Do your best to attack.”

There aren’t many who can endure her violent abilities.

Bang! Bang! Crash!!

Every time her red hands swung the great sword, the ground would dent. There was no technique at all, just pure brute force in her attacks.

Nevertheless, her power was enough to instantly slay even a seasoned knight.

I had worried that perhaps she had acquired her abilities relatively quickly and hadn’t fully blossomed yet, but it seemed that was all in vain.

Even if I let her go as she is, she could easily wipe out a band of thieves.

But this was still insufficient. The version of her I had seen in the game was so skilled that she was referred to as a weapons master.

“Don’t just swing with brute force. Mix in some technique with that great sword. If you lack finesse, at least try to read your opponent’s psychology.”

If I wielded this, would my opponent dodge or block?

If they dodged, where would I need to swing to make it most troublesome for them?

“Continuously judge and think. Consider that hand as part of your body and practice with the sword.”

I approached her, contemplating each of these thoughts.

“And.”

I could see Belita standing defenseless. So focused on controlling her red hands, she hadn’t even noticed that I was gradually closing the distance.

Only three steps remained.

It was a distance I could cover in a single leap. Having made my judgment, I charged at her and kicked her small body.

Thud!

“Ugh…! Cough! Cough!”

“Don’t let your body remain still. Train and utilize your physique to the fullest. Those hands are your great advantage, but they can also be a weakness. If you rely on them too much, before you know it, your growth will be stunted.”

Her training was quite intense.

With little time left, I needed to drill as much into her body and mind as possible.

It might seem harsh, but I believed she could handle this much.

“Now get up quickly. This time, don’t use the red hands; come at me with just your spear.”

“Cough! Cough… Huh, yes.”

Look at that. Even while coughing, she gets right back up.

There’s still a fierce determination in her eyes.

Though she still feared me, her gaze never wavered. The competitive spirit visible in her eyes brought me a sense of satisfaction.

Yes, grow strong and become a remarkable force.

It was during one of these lengthy training sessions that it happened.

“… What on earth is this?”

The third princess, Deila, had finally arrived.

She looked bewildered at the sight of so many children.

“Oh, it’s nice to see you!”

—

I hope this captures the essence and atmosphere of the original text!

I greeted her lightly.

*

Hours later.

“That’s how it happened.”

As soon as Dayla arrived, she heard the whole story from the hero. Where the promised talent was, why they were with the children, and so on…

It seemed quite a lot had happened during his five days here.

Honestly, she found it hard to trust him, but thanks to the party members who were earnestly vouching for him by his side, she could believe it.

After hearing everything, the princess let out a sigh.

“Ha…”

She had hoped to hear from him someday, but she never expected him to come like this… Moreover, he said he would provide talent, but all she saw were children.

“Are you saying that the hero wants me to raise these kids?”

“Did you think a talent to assist the princess would just drop from the sky? You need to craft the gems yourself.”

“Ha…”

The princess sighed once more. It was hard to argue against his words; they were indeed true.

But still, how could she think about raising and promoting talent in her current situation?

Her life might be hanging by a thread as soon as tomorrow…

“And…”

As the princess continued to groan, the hero smiled and continued speaking.

“There are already some gems that are half-crafted.”

His eyes were fixed on a young child.

It was Belita.

“Show me.”

As he said that, Belita pulled out a red hand from behind her. Then, just like when she had sparred with the hero, she wielded a great sword, swinging it this way and that.

Whoosh! Whooosh!

Just hearing the sound of the great sword slicing through the air made it clear that its power was extraordinary.

Dayla looked on in shock.

‘This ability…!’

It was an ability.

Like Kyle, the deputy commander of the extermination squad, she too possessed an ability. No one knew how powerful it was, but the ability itself held immense value.

“How about it? Are you starting to think it might be worth investing?”

Seeing Deila’s face, the warrior smiled playfully. Deila didn’t like that expression at all, but she had no choice but to acknowledge it.

Thus, the deal was struck.

*

– Make sure to provide three meals on time. And don’t forget about the children’s education… Ah, and don’t force them apart either. They rely on each other mentally, and separating them could lead to complications.

– Got it. I understand. I’m not a babysitter. You’ve become quite affectionate in the time we haven’t seen each other. Is that an act too?

Voices came from beyond the door.

Belita recalled what the educator had just said.

– I’ve found someone to take care of you.

Just like the robber had done, just like the slave trader had done. Once again, her master was changing.

But this time, it felt different from before.

Unlike the last time when she was sold, bound like a beast in chains, this time her hands and feet were free, and she had new clothes and delicious meals.

In fact, this time she was even taught how to fight.

In other words, she had gained the strength to escape.

Why? It would be easier to keep someone obedient if they couldn’t use their strength at all.

For someone like her, who had been exposed to violence since childhood, it was still a difficult concept to grasp.

She still didn’t quite understand why he was being so kind to them…

“Ha… Alright. I’ll take care of it.”

With that, the long conversation came to an end, and the educator and her new master appeared.

The person was a very pretty woman. She had beautiful silver hair that seemed to be spun from moonlight, and clear yet deep amethyst-colored eyes.

In stark contrast to the ‘educator’ who exuded all sorts of ominousness, this woman radiated a comfortable and kind atmosphere.

“Hello, kids?”

She greeted them.

Just that alone seemed to captivate several of the children.

“Um, as she said, I’m your new guardian. I’ve heard you’ve had a rough time at the lord’s house…”

Belita thought back to the past few days.

The days when he had taken them out of the basement and cared for them. Honestly, her body felt comfortable, and the meals were delicious, but her heart was uneasy.

She couldn’t guess the other party’s intentions at all, which made her tense.

Then, as she began to learn skills and started to be hit under the pretext of training, she thought that he was finally revealing his true colors.

Of course, she knew that it was part of the education. Thanks to that, she had certainly learned how to use her abilities over the past few days.

“From now on, you don’t have to worry. Well, I’m busy too, so I won’t be able to come often, but I’ll take care of you as much as I can.”

Looking back, it was a meaningful time in its own way. Especially compared to the past few years spent rotting away in the basement.

I still don’t understand what the ‘educator’s’ intentions are. Whenever I see him, hostility comes to mind before any sense of intimacy.

For some reason, seeing him first instills a sense of fear.

But aside from that, the things he has done for me were invaluable. I received new clothes, he alleviated my hunger, and I was able to sleep well on time. He taught me how to live like a human.

If he has no bad intentions… If I can believe that even just a little.

“So, let’s try to get along from now on.”

He could truly be called an educator in the real sense.

Belita thought.

*

“How strange… some people are on guard even after being treated well for a few days, while others open their hearts after just a brief greeting.”

“Why are you suddenly saying this, Hero?”

“Just… I feel that the world is truly unfair.”

After handing the children over to Deila, I immediately left the territory of Vicklon.

The princess is busy too, so she won’t be able to check on them often, but considering her character, she will try to look after them as much as possible.

Perhaps I could find a trustworthy guardian for her.

This way, she could secure a future talent, and I could delay the demon king’s seal from being broken. It was literally killing two birds with one stone.

“I ended up departing a bit late because of an unexpected harvest. How many days have we been here? 5 days? 6 days?”

“6 days.”

From noble mtl dot com

6 days… Thinking about what the puppet government might have been up to during that time already gives me a headache. Still, I’m glad it was worth it. While I was here, I significantly increased the percentage of my loneliness summoning technique and released Camila’s messenger to check the surrounding cities.

Just because my feet were tied doesn’t mean my ears were closed.

As I finished my journey and was moving deeper into the Empire’s territory, I noticed a horse approaching from the opposite side of the alley.

Upon closer inspection, it was the messenger we sent.

“Big trouble, Lady Camila!”

Usually, this kind of situation means something bad is happening.

“What’s going on?!”

“A serial murder case has occurred in the front territory!”

“…Well, it’s indeed serious, but isn’t the military force of that territory sufficient?”

“Th-that’s the thing!”

The messenger took a deep breath and continued speaking.

“Isn’t it the work of the puppet of the puppet master!”

The party members’ eyes widen in shock.

I slapped my forehead. Yes, they won’t let it rest.