Side Story 35. Anemone Smiled Brightly (11)

Seeing men in black suits charging in, Doomstone took a stance and clenched his fist.

I nudged Doomstone's arm and gestured with my head for him to move back.

"Even though they’re releasing fighting spirit when we didn't do anything wrong?" He seemed to want to swing his fists and knock down the men in black suits immediately.

I sighed softly and persuaded, "If you make a fuss here, you'll be kicked out without being able to eat."

Doomstone stood next to me, relaxing his fist. Seeing he stood next to me even though I told him to move back, he seemed intent on protecting me even if he couldn't eat. How reliable.

"Young Master! Are you okay?!"

Among the men in black suits, a man with half gray hair approached the kid while being wary of us.

"Uwa, I fell down. It hurts." The kid showed a small scratch on his forearm and cried.

Thanks to the carpet all over the floor, there was not a single drop of blood, but his skin was scratched and looked white.

"Oh, my! Oh, my! Our Young Master must be in pain. Do you want this old man to blow on it for you?" the half-gray hair man said.

The child shook his head with a tired face. "That’s gross."

Perhaps hurt by the child's words, the half-gray hair man shed tears and grabbed his chest.

Is the word gross hurtful enough to cry?

Doomstone also whispered to me while looking at the half-gray hair man, "That shameless ahjussi, he’s about as strong as Hyung-ssi.”

I was surprised by the whisper. What do you mean he’s as strong as Glont ahjussi?

That meant he was a power ranking in the Top 10 in the Empire at the worst. It was a little awakening to see someone like that be shameless. No, since Glont ahjussi is also a pervert, are they just like that?

The half-gray hair man picked up the child and looked at us.

"Our young master has inconvenienced you. By the looks of it, you didn't do anything wrong. I was surprised by the cry of the Young Master and was rude for a moment, so I ask for your understanding," The half-gray hair man spoke while looking at Doomstone.

Doomstone replied with a snort, "Take care of the child. Running around in front of the door, he almost hit someone who suddenly came out." As if his fist was still itching, his words were not nice.

Upon hearing Doomstone's words, the men in suits were furious, but they calmed at the beckon of the half-gray hair man.

"Haha, that was rude. I'll tell my young master harshly."

Based on the coddling he showed, I don’t think he'd ever be able to say it harshly.

“Darn. If this was not a hotel and I wasn't working, I would have asked for a spar, but unfortunately, the place and time don’t allow it. So, will you withdraw that brutal martial aura?" asked the half-gray hair man.

Surprised by the words, I looked at Doomstone, but he avoided my gaze.

"Huh-huh-huh, Miss seems to be in charge. He's like a beast, so please hold the reins. Well, it seems you are, even without me saying it," the half-gray hair man winked playfully and spoke.

I covered my mouth and laughed carefully. "Ohohohoho, all right, Sir Roland."

When I called the half-gray hair man's name, the eyes of the men in suits opened wide.

"Uh-huh-huh-huh! Do you know me, Miss?"

"Ohohoho. How could I not know. Arthemius's guardian knight, Count Roland von Bologneo-nim."

Roland's eyes shone sharply as if my guess was right.

"I see, khmm! It was my wrong, so please withdraw your brutal martial aura."

When I looked at Doomstone again, he avoided my gaze.

Roland sighed quietly and asked, "I wanted to ask how Miss knows my name, but rather, I want to know that man's identity first. I've never seen such a young monster in my life."

Roland saw through my makeup and also Doomstone's age. He had a good eye. I smiled and responded to his question, "It's simple to solve the first curiosity, but I'm careful about the latter."

"Is that so? Then could you tell me the first?"

I answered his question trivially, "Firstly, my friend here told me that Count-nim's skills are very good.”

In response to my answer, Roland briefly nodded at Doomstone.

"It’s an honor."

I glanced at Doomstone, who received Roland's nod with his own, then continued, "If your skills are good enough for even my friend to acknowledge, you would be one of the best in the Empire. I found out by looking at the Count-nim's age, where we are now, and finally at the pattern on Count-nim's sword sheath."

Roland looked at his own sword sheath at my explanation. Very few people would recognize the complex pattern as it was engraved in the narrow sword sheath, but it was not enough to escape my sight.

"I see! That's a very valid reasoning. Miss has a good eye." Roland smiled cheerfully.

"And the little young master Count-nim is holding must be Arcanta, the legitimate son of Duke Arthemius."

"That's correct. Young Master is the hope and future of Arthemius. So please refrain from referring to Young Master rudely." [1] Roland seemed to be quite upset, frowned, and demanded correction.

Then suddenly, a warm energy surrounded me from Doomstone, and there was a spark between him and Roland.

"Hey, old man. You must want to go into your coffin early, right?”

At Doomstone's growling warning, Roland quickly sent Arcanta back and smiled viciously.

"Try it if you can!"

At the rapidly increasing hostility, I clapped my hands to make a loud sound, drawing attention to myself, and smiled. "Then, the fact that the Arcanta is here means that Mrs. Arscilla is here, right?”[2]

Roland looked at me suspiciously.

"Do you know the duke's wife?"

"Of course. If Mrs. Arscilla is here... Can you tell her… is here?”

Roland’s eyes opened in surprise. "Then, Miss is?!"

"That's right. It's me."

I said my name so quietly that no one else could hear it. The only ones who heard were probably Doomstone and Roland with superhuman hearing.

"My, I’ve been rude, no, disrespectful. Please forgive me.”

Roland apologized while bowing to me leaving the men in suits surrounding us shocked. At the same time, I felt the cozy and warm energy surrounding me disappear.

It felt good, but oh well.

"No, there’s nothing to forgive. Count-nim was just faithful to his work.”

"Thank you for your understanding. I'll tell the Duchess right away." With that, Roland rushed inside with Arcanta and the men in suits.

When the men disappeared, Doomstone smacked his lips. "So, there are strong people worth fighting even in the Empire.”

I asked out of curiosity as he said that, "Count Roland is that strong?”

"Yeah. But the pity is that he’s already past his peak and is on decline. It would have been nice if we had met two years, or even one year earlier.” He smacked his lips as if he was really disappointed.

"More than Glont ahjussi?”

"Yeah. He's stronger than Hyung-ssi. Of course, Glont hyung-ssi still has a lot of potential, so his prime will probably be stronger than that old man’s." Doomstone clenched and relaxed his fists and made a loud cracking sound as if his fist still itched.

"I know you want to fight but endure it now. Arthemius is an important guest. We can't create a conflict," I warned.

Doomstone's shoulders drooped in disappointment.

"It's not enough as a substitute but order whatever you want."

Doomstone's shoulders went up again. It was funny to see how clearly his emotions showed.

"But are there a lot of people at that old man’s level in the Empire?"

Doomstone seemed to be planning to fight other strong people if he couldn’t fight Roland.

"All I know is rumors, so I'm not sure, but there are around 7 other similarly strong people besides the Count."

"Oho! Really?"

Doomstone looked at me with sparkling eyes as if telling me to speak quickly. I found his eyes entertaining, smirked, and spoke while folding my fingers. "First of all, Glont ahjussi, who is called the second coming of Caradoc. Count Roland, the guardian knight of Arthemius. Eranto, a superior killer who was pardoned. Achilles, honorary imperial knight of the Crow tribe. Buddy, the head of the consecrated paladin division Knight under the direct control of the pope. Palipso, the captain of the imperial knights of the Blood Emperor. Don Clio, the captain of the White Tiger Knights Division under my father. Joshua, the goalkeeper of the Great Wall of China. These... Oh, the last one was killed by Mercenary King Malecia last year, so it's a total of seven."

"Is that Malecia person not from the Empire?"

"Yeah. I don't know exactly where he’s from, but I don't think he’s from the Empire. Glont ahjussi encountered him a few times on the battlefield and said he didn’t think Malecia was from the Empire."

Around the end of my explanation, Roland came back to where we were.

"The duchess would like to meet you. Will you accompany me?" Roland has asked politely and modestly with a slight bow.

I readily nodded and beckoned him to take the lead. "Ah, will Duke Arthemius be also there?”

Roland smiled and nodded. "Of course."

This had become more convenient than I thought. Who would’ve thought I’d achieve half my goals as soon as I arrived at the Holy Land?

Originally, I thought there would be a lot of hardships from having to investigate the room where Duke Arthemius would be staying and asking for a face-to-face meeting through Mrs. Arscilla. However, many of those processes were omitted at once.

"That's nice."

It was very nice.

By the way, if the reason Doomstone chose the hotel food was because he felt that my goals were here… was that too big a leap?

I could see a familiar face after I followed Roland's guidance.

"Oh my! It's real."

Mrs. Arscilla smiled at me.

"It's been a while. Has it been about 8 years?"

Mrs. Arscilla nodded to my greetings.

"I'm sure it's about that long. Since it was still before Arcanta’s birth."

Next to Mrs. Arscilla, a somewhat weak-looking middle-aged man came out and asked Mrs. Arscilla, looking at me and her alternately.

"Is this the bright kid that you said you wanted to be your daughter-in-law?"

"Yes. That's right. After seeing her when she was younger in the capital, she was so bright that I wanted to have her as a foster daughter even if not as a daughter-in-law."

Considering he was speaking informally with Mrs. Arscilla, the middle-aged man who looked pale, seemed to be Duke Arthemius. Rather, the age difference between my age and Mrs. Arscilla’s was not so big for me to be her daughter-in-law or daughter. If I were to be her daughter, how old would Mrs. Arscilla have been when she had me?

Twelve years old? Perhaps if it was 300 years ago, but it was a terrible thought in the current age.

When I saw the duke, I bowed my head and greeted him, slightly holding the skirt to the side. "It's an honor to meet you, Your Highness Duke Arthemius. I've heard a lot from my father."

"Uh-huh-huh-huh. Is that so? I'm scared of what the famous political tiger commented about me."

I smiled calmly and replied to Duke Arthemius, "My father said that Your Highness is bright, thoughtful, and has an eye for judging right and wrong."

In response, the duke laughed joyfully and offered me a seat.

"Ahahaha. What an honor to receive that review. Oh my, it's not manners to keep a lady standing. Why don’t you sit down and eat together with us?"

"Thank you for the offer," I said.

Duke Arthemius looked at Doomstone standing next to me and asked, "Who's the man next to you?"

I answered the question with a smile.

1. Anemone referred to Arcanta with a more casual name ending. ☜

2. Anemone still used the casual name ending here. ☜