Chapter 209 : Chapter 209
Chapter 209. New Followers
The Owner of the Flower Garden, Blue Rose’s Chief Editor Roud, came out of the House of the Undead.
His face, free of the mask, was revealed under the moonlight.
He was a young man with fine features and blue hair.
He quickly joined his subordinates.
The subordinate who had a carriage waiting near the House of the Undead asked.
“Chief Editor, how did it go?”
How did it go?
Roud’s lips twisted.
“I got one-upped. How dare he...... a mere kid Prince.”
Kid.
It wasn't a word suitable for a Prince who turned seventeen this year.
However, Roud’s subordinate accepted it nonchalantly.
Because his boss was older than he looked.
No one knew Roud’s true appearance, and he had never revealed his age, but listening to the words that unconsciously popped out, it was certain he had lived for a long time.
“Did something happen?”
Did something happen.
The events that happened today were scoop material Roud liked.
The gathered figures, and the 8th Prince, were extremely interesting.
Just listing the incidents that occurred at the party could produce plenty of interesting articles.
Especially the moment the 8th Prince took off the rabbit mask was even thrilling.
He could confirm his prediction was correct and glimpse the 8th Prince’s hidden intention at the same time.
It was after that that the smile disappeared from his lips.
Radel’s words came to Roud’s mind.
‘......As you know, I still have no power, and there is nothing I can promise you. I cannot promise to become the Emperor, nor can I promise to pave your future. However, I will help you as much as I can.’
They were very honest words.
‘Help us?’
The Knight Commander of the Meteor Shower Knights asked.
‘How are you going to help?’
Then Radel smiled.
‘You will find out at the appropriate time.’
Then he added this.
‘Now, if you really want to become my followers, there is one thing you must remember. If any problem arises at any time, you must discard me.’
The expression the 8th Prince showed then was sincere.
Truly an arrogant kid, isn't he?
Roud muttered while getting into the carriage.
“He said to discard him...... at any time.”
“Pardon?”
When the subordinate, who didn't understand, asked back, Roud chuckled and shook his head.
“It is nothing.”
......Who is he to say that when he has no power.
Roud was 123 years old this year.
He was a Half-elf.
An existence that lives a long time, though not as long as an Elf.
He met a human royal who got on his nerves for the first time.
* * *
The Vice Commander of the Meteor Shower Knights, Serge, discovered the Commander who came out of the House of the Undead.
The Commander’s appearance, having thrown off his mask, stood out even from afar.
From his height, a head taller than others, to the scar crossing his right eye.
It was an intense impression that wouldn't be forgotten once seen.
Serge approached, calling the Commander.
“Commander! Over here.”
Although the Commander, Beck, was framed as the culprit, Serge wasn't greatly anxious.
He had expected it might turn out like this from the moment he picked a fight with the Count at the party.
Was it a day or two that the Commander caused trouble?
Running the Meteor Shower Knights, there were many incidents worse than this.
Still, just in case, he asked, and Beck was even confused about what color brooch the Countess was wearing.
One needs a good memory to steal, too.
‘At this rate, he will be released soon.’
As expected, the Commander came out of the party venue quickly.
It was certain that the suspicion was cleared.
Serge asked the Commander.
“Who is the culprit?”
Seeing him come out safely meant the culprit was definitely caught.
Although he saw the Commander write Rabbit Mask on the paper earlier, Serge never dreamed that the 8th Prince would be the real culprit.
He thought it would be among the four who received the most votes.
“Culprit, my ass.”
However, what returned to Serge was the Commander’s stiff face.
There was only one case where the Commander made such a serious face.
When he went to the battlefield and met an overwhelming enemy.
‘What did he hear inside there to make him......’
While Serge was surprised by the Commander’s unexpected reaction, the Commander continued speaking.
“The next destination has been decided.”
“Destination?”
The destination has been decided?
Serge’s expression also became serious along with him.
The shopping district festival still had one day left.
Serge planned to stay in Marcellent a bit longer and look for an opportunity to contact the 8th Prince.
But the Commander was saying something completely absurd.
“The Meteor Shower Knights are going to Raviedel.”
As Serge, who hadn't grasped the situation yet, only blinked his eyes, the Commander clenched his teeth and said.
“Because I have to show a lesson to the Prince who says he desires nothing.”
* * *
Iron Arm, the Dwarf Balban, entered the inn with a blank expression.
His friend and colleague, Kranvel, discovered him and waved his hand.
“Hey, what happened? What is that pouch?”
In Balban’s hand was a pouch that wasn't there just a while ago.
It was the pouch Radel pressed into his hand when he was about to leave the House of the Undead.
‘What is this?’
When Balban asked, Radel answered nonchalantly.
‘It is an advance payment.’
Advance payment?
He means to pay the price in advance before even receiving the goods?
Balban noticed that Radel was trying to commission something from him.
‘What should I make for you, Prince?’
‘Well......’
Radel pondered for a moment with his hand on his chin, then clapped his hands as if a good idea came to mind.
‘Right. I needed a kitchen knife with a sharp edge; that should do.’
It wasn't an item worth an Imperial Prince giving an advance payment to commission.
Still, since he received the money, he had to resolve the commission.
He sat in the inn’s dining room and opened the pouch with Kranvel.
FLASH!
Balban and Kranvel blinked their eyelids for a moment due to the dazzling light.
It was an amount of gold coins they saw for the first time.
With this, they could pay the overdue taxes all at once, let alone the price of a kitchen knife.
The two Dwarves couldn't close their mouths for a while.
And they barely managed to look at each other.
“You mean this is the price of a kitchen knife......?”
“Yeah.”
No matter how rich a person was, they wouldn't spend this much gold for a single kitchen knife.
The more he looked into the pouch, the more he felt the 8th Prince’s heart.
“Then we will have to make an incredible kitchen knife for him, won't we?”
As Balban muttered, Kranvel also nodded.
Balban thought his choice to visit the 8th Prince was right.
* * *
“Come here for a second!”
“There is dust in the gap, so let’s move this table.”
“Did you wipe all the window frames?”
The employees were cleaning up at the House of the Undead.
Radel also swung his staff and cleaned together.
“Wind!”
As Radel used wind element magic, the dust accumulated in the House of the Undead was swept away.
He didn't know there was so much dust because it was always a gloomy atmosphere.
As everyone cleaned together, the House Elf seemed happy and jumped up and down.
- The house is gradually coming alive!
Radel chuckled.
“I should clean often from now on. Thanks for helping this time.”
- Really? was I helpful?
“You were incredibly helpful.”
And there was a person whose expression stiffened watching that scene.
It was Tunia.
To Tunia’s eyes, who couldn't see the House Elf, it looked like Radel was talking to himself in the air.
‘Is there really something there?’
Regardless of anything else, Tunia was most afraid of ghosts, so she couldn't help but flinch.
Although Radel explained there was a House Elf, since it was invisible, it was true she felt a bit suspicious.
However, other employees were intrigued.
“Boss, please tell the House Elf it was amazing!”
“It was the number one contributor to this event.”
“It hid the brooch very perfectly.”
As the employees praised the House Elf, objects moved wildly.
CLATTER.
CREAK.
The House Elf was happy, not knowing what to do with itself.
The more it did, the paler Tunia’s face became.......
After finishing cleaning, Radel and the employees gathered in one place again.
“Everyone worked hard. The acting of the two was also excellent.”
Radel said, looking at Hailey and Tom who performed passionately for today’s party.
“It was an honor to take on an important role.”
“I think the mask was very helpful.”
In Radel’s eyes, the two’s disguises looked perfect, but the parties involved seemed not to have been relieved.
“I thought I would be caught in the middle.”
“The Meteor Shower Knight Commander was more amazing than rumors said.”
Most employees agreed with their words.
“Right. When we attacked, I didn't get the feeling we would succeed at all.”
“The Vice Commander wouldn't be easy either.”
“The Chief Editor of Blue Rose wasn't ordinary either.”
Perhaps because they were former assassins, the employees seemed to have been inwardly gauging the skills of the follower candidates.
In fact, Radel was the same.
Especially seeing the Commander and Vice Commander of the Meteor Shower Knights wearing swords, he became curious about their swordsmanship.
He was also curious about the Dwarf Balban’s skills.
As befitting a blacksmith wielding a hammer, his hands looked thick and hard.
“However, isn't the Boss’s heart what is important?”
“Are you going to accept them as followers?”
At the employees’ words, Radel recalled the follower candidates.
Although they were wearing masks, all four showed their faces at the end.
Their appearances were all different, but their eyes were similar.
The follower candidates seemed to be asking Radel this.
Can I trust you?
The party ended.
What Radel wanted was secret followers.
‘Now, if you really want to become my followers, there is one thing you must remember. If any problem arises at any time, you must discard me.’
As soon as Radel finished speaking, the expressions of the follower candidates changed.
There were those who were flustered, and those who clicked their tongues as if dumbfounded.
However, Radel was sincere.
‘I have conveyed my intentions sufficiently, so the choice is up to them now.’
He just had to wait as he had been doing.
It was then.
A notification sound was heard in Radel’s ear.
DING.
[Balban Lusheron’s affinity surpasses 10.]
Radel was surprised to see the message floating before his eyes.
If it is Balban Lusheron, isn't he the Dwarf from the Iron Anvil Guild whom he sent back earlier?
Except for entrusting a personal commission, he hadn't done anything for him.......
He couldn't know for what reason the affinity was rising now.
DING.
[Balban Lusheron’s affinity surpasses 10.]
[Balban Lusheron’s affinity has become 20.]
‘Huh? It keeps going up?’
Radel’s eyes widened.
However, that wasn't the only thing to be surprised about.
DING.
[Beck Ardan’s affinity surpasses 20.]
This time it was the Knight Commander of the Meteor Shower Knights.
DING.
[Roud Frencia’s affinity surpasses 10.]
Even the Chief Editor of Blue Rose.
Something Radel hadn't expected at all happened.
For the affinity of a total of three follower candidates to rise suddenly.
The remaining one was the Imperial Hound.
Only Davit Stinger.