Chapter 166 Messenger from Reskuvan
A medal is, after all, a symbol of the glory that has been recognized.
The audience was sparse, but when the king himself bestows honor, it carries a different weight.
It fueled even more confidence in me.
Just strolling through the town streets, I can't help but puff out my chest and slice through the air with my shoulders.
The academy's outcast, now a knight with a Red Copper Medal.
Look at this leap in status.
Heh heh heh, the protagonist really is something else.
When your status changes, so does the way people look at you.
Lately, I've had more people approach me, show respect to the young medal recipient.
Even the blacksmith I visit for knight sword maintenance boasts with pride, and there are plenty among the knights who treat me with reverence.
Well, there are still those who clearly don't find it amusing, but whatever.
It's like taxes that follow success ── can't be helped.
I'm still feared as the Ruthless One, but I'll put that aside for now.
For now.
I've been called someone who wears positivity as they walk, and sure enough, I was steeped in positive thinking.
Maybe I even had fans or something.
Thinking such delusions that would make Ruthless laugh out loud, I was clearly floating on cloud 9.
And then, that fantasy suddenly became reality.
"This is our first meeting. I am Nonne Tailpin, the 'Head Maid' serving the Reskuvan household. Thank you very much for hosting us today, Captain Shidou of the Reginleif squad, and Lord Hiiro Merifar..."
The girl spoke earnestly and polite, bowing deeply as she introduced herself, and I couldn't help but glance at the captain next to me.
And the captain was looking at me too.
Seemed like we were on the same wavelength.
"The 'Head... Maid'...?"
Indeed, the one who appeared was a girl dressed in a maid outfit.
She was even shorter than Lyam.
With pink pigtails and big, eagle-like eyes, she could almost be mistaken for a child, not just a young girl.
Her words are polite, almost excessively so, and yet there's a hint of tension, a slight stumble, and her voice is a touch higher than usual.
Yet this girl, who exudes such a gentle smile, claims to be the head maid.
Some intimidation is inevitable, I suppose.
"Your concerns are, of course, understandable. Carrying around a large bag like mine, one might wonder if someone like me could truly hold the position of head maid in a noble house such as the Twelve Seats. Yes, indeed, one might."
"Huh? Wait, I didn't say that..."
"However, I am, in fact, appointed by the Lord of the Reskuvan family to the position of head maid. If you have doubts, I can provide the necessary paperwork to confirm my identity. Understood?"
"...My apologies. I had been informed of your status as a messenger from the Reskuvan family by the quest management department of Skorg. I apologize for my impolite behavior. Hiiro."
"Ah, oh. I'm sorry for mimicking you, that was rude of me."
"Ah... no, please don't worry about it. As I mentioned earlier, I understand your feelings. I suppose I would be skeptical too, if I were in your position."
"Considerate, it's heart-wrenching."
She couldn't help but react with transparent innocence, but it was already known that Nonne was not posing as someone she was not.
Otherwise, the meeting room of the Einherjar Knights Headquarters wouldn't have been available for this gathering.
Nonne's status is guaranteed by none other than the knight order itself.
"Well then, let's get down to business, shall we? I assume you've already been briefed on the outline of the matter?"
"...Indeed. Let me reiterate for confirmation. The Reskuvan family has requested that our team's 'Hiiro Merifar' be assigned to resolve the quest they submitted... Is that correct?"
"That is correct."
So, back to the main question: why am I and the captain having this meeting with the head maid, exactly?
Apparently, the Reskuvan family wants to issue a quest request directly to me.
That's right.
Not to Reginleif, but to me personally.
"Just to be clear──why was Hiiro Merifar personally chosen, not the entire Reginleif squad?"
"I don't mean to misunderstand──I'm not doubting the strength of anyone besides Sir Hiiro. It's just... this mission was originally assigned to another team."
"I see you're aware of that. So──what's the reason for twisting things around?"
"Well, that's the thing──our lord, Lisemone Reskuvan, the current head of the Reskuvan family, seems *quite* interested in Sir Hiiro. She's eager for him to take on this quest."
"Interest, huh? Heh. Guess being popular really bites, huh?"
"Don't get ahead of yourself, idiot."
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