"I'll get straight to the point." Hedin spoke, his voice echoing in the large office room.
Roswaal sat before him on his chair, dressed in his signature clown outfit and adorning the same professional smirk on his face.
"You have some real problems with both your mansion and your domain, Roswaal." Roswaal raised an eyebrow at the bluntness, yet his smirk didn't falter. Ram stood behind him, her hands held before her and ever dutifully still.
"Ohh? Do permiiit me to ask whyyy?"
"I won't go over the staff. To be honest, their bluntness has grown on me." Hedin waved his hand. "But there's the matter of the attack. How poor is your security? Your a margrave for Miracle's sake. Why isn't your domain, not even that, why is the thing that protects your domain from the most prominent threat around so undefended? That kid Meili was able to make the barrier malfunction and unable to stop the wolgrams. There was even a Guiltylowe there." Hedin shook his head, clicking his tongue.
"Hmmm. That is indeeeed a blunder on myyyy part." Roswaal admitted without shame.
Hedin gave him a peculiar look. The look that said: 'seriously?'
"Ahem! It's more than just a blunder, Roswaal." He continued. "You're sponsoring Emilia in the royal selection. You should be aware that such fowl play may be attempted by the competition or even a petty Noble. Not to mention the village itself is completely surrounded by trees. If I hadn't been there at the right moment and had gone back to the mansion, it would have been a massacre."
His eyes turned sharp, glinting with a strange light.
"How do you plan to remedy this?"
The curtains that blocked the sunlight seemed ineffective at the moment. The room seemingly filled up with a phantom light, the origin of which remained unknown. The shadows seemed suddenly darker and Ram shivered, a chill travelling up her spine, though she didn't let it show.
Roswaal's smile didn't waver, but there was the slightest tension in it.
"My apooooologies. But Hedin, aren't you being a bit toooo blunt?"
"Hm?" Hedin raised a brow. "Blunt? Your domain could have been permanently damaged by this Roswaal. If you prioritize petty court etiquette over the immediate problem at hand then I honestly don't know what to tell you."
Roswaal nodded his head. He crossed his finger and leaned on the table, supporting his weight with his elbows.
"The barrier has already been streeengthened. It is moooore secure than ever and far more pooowerful." He didn't drop his sing-song tone, continuing to talk like so.
Hedin didn't mind his eccentricities but he was genuinely beginning to wonder if the Margrave was alright in the head. At least he had remade the barrier...
"Right. And how do you plan to compensate me for it?" Hedin got to the crux of the matter. Although he didn't mind doing it for free, he would be nothing more than an idiot if he let the matter rest like so.
For a moment, Hedin felt that he saw Roswaal's smirk widen.
"Indeeeeed. You have done me a wonderful seeerviiice. Ask away as you like."
Hedin held up a finger.
"First and foremost, I want money. For the exact value, 1500 Holy Gold coins."
"Granted."
That was quick. Hedin thought to himself but didn't voice them out.
He held up another finger. Here was the moment of truth.
"Second, I want to be supported in getting back into my world."
The room stilled.
Roswaal's heterochromia eyes bore into him, as if trying to see through his soul.
Hedin met his gaze without looking elsewhere. They continued to play the battle of staring until Roswaal finally closed his eyes and spoke.
"Myyyyy. That is quiiite an extensive wish." He chuckled. "To what extent can those effort gooooo, I wonder? Even I'm noooot suuuure what lies beyond the great waaaterfall and last time I heard, you have no idea hooow you came here too. Do you know of the possible ramificaaaations of this deal? I cannot support you beyoooond my own capability."
Hedin nodded.
That was a sound argument.
And truthfully, his own request was a bit strange too. As long as it was monetary value, it could be provided. Information? He had access to the forbidden library and his magic lessons would soon begin as well.
As such, he had nothing of inherent value that he needed. A house? He was staying at the mansion and if he ever moved out, he now had 1500 gold coins at his disposal.
Even minor nobles would wince at seeing such a tremendous amount of wealth.
But the one thing he lacked?
It was support.
He had to find a way back. He just needed to.
With the newfound power of this world, perhaps he could support his brethren better in the fight against the great ones.
But in the end, he would eventually hit a wall. It was impossible to bridge that gap without support. And the immediate support he could find? Roswaal, the court magician and the strongest mage in Lugunica.
Asking for support was indeed a ridiculous wish for a reward, and indeed, it was hard to place it's value. But Hedin hoped it would hold so long as he remained within the domain of that value.
"I realize that." Hedin nodded, agreeing with Roswaal. "But isn't that something beneficial to the both of us? You get to return back the favor I did by saving your domain. In return, you give me your support, so long as it doesn't extend beyond your capability or monetary strength."
Hedin smirked. "So tell me, Lord Mathers. How much is your capability and monetary strength?"
Roswaal chuckled. It was a strange sound.
"You present some iiiinteresting point, Heeedin." His gaze sharpened. "10,000 holy gold coins' worth of monetaaaaary value. As for myyy own capability, I aaaaammm the court magician of Lugunica." He extended his hands, holding them out as if offering a hug.
"I aaaam the best there is in teeerms of magiiiic."
Hedin felt a bit winded. 10,000 holy gold coins? Was his help truly that valuable. Of course, if he himself was asked such a thing, he would undoubtedly say yes. Life of people under him was worth everything he had. A lord, in his eyes, was as good as his legacy and his people.
But the world wasn't like that. Nobles rarely cared for their subjects. Roswaal too didn't seem to be the kind to place too much importance on them.
He agreed readily on the gold coins as well... if he someone that pretends they're harsh on the outside but a big softie on the inside? Hedin couldn't judge Roswaal on his emotions because he couldn't sense any. So, in the end, he was left to speculate.
Just as Hedin was about to speak, Roswaal continued.
"But." The single word rang loud in the room and Hedin raised his brows.
"I haaaave a differeeeeent proposal." He said.
Hedin nodded, prompting him to continue.
"As yooou know, Emilia is ruuuunning for the royal selection. And her chaaaances in comparison to the ooother competitors are feeeewww."
He explained. Hedin's mind began to churn.
"You must aaaalso be aware that her competitors each haaaave a competent kniiight at their disposal."
Just then, everything clicked into place. Roswaal's smirk widened.
"Soooo, in exchaaaange for becoming Emiliaaaa's kniiight, I will proviiiide you with allll the support that you need."
Hedin stayed quiet, pausing for a moment to think it over.
Finally, he answered.
"No."
Roswaal's grin didn't falter.
"Why?"
"I don't have the greatest impression of the term 'knight'. Back in my world, they were basically romanticized rapists and pillagers who had land and a bit too much power on their hands. I'm not sure how the word translates here, but based off my own impressions, I'm saying no."
Roswaal shook his head.
"I asssuuure you, the Lugunican Knight Oooorder is anything but like that."
"Then I'll hold off on that until I can confirm that myself." Hedin said, unrelenting. "As far as I'm aware, one of the candidates is from Vollachia, right?"
"Indeeed."
"Her attendant shouldn't be called a knight, then. I'll just adorn myself with whatever title he has."
Stopping for a moment, Roswaal nodded.
"Theeen, until you can verify kniiighthood for yourself, you will haaaaave the title of Lady Emiiiiilia's attendant." Roswaal said. "Pleaaasure doing business with you."
...
Hedin sat in the gazebo, waiting out the evening sun.
That's right, the gazebo had already been repaired.
Raven sat on his shoulder, eating some corn off his hands. His feathered companion looked up, spotting the figure that was coming close.
It was Rem. In her hand was a tray with some tea.
"Good evening, Rem."
"Good evening, Hedin." Rem smiled at him. And instantly, Hedin felt a wave of emotions wash over him.
No longer, he felt the same anger, the same sorrow and the same fear.
What he felt... it drowned him.
His eyes widened upon feeling such intense emotions. Such a blend of feelings. Such an intensity.
He stared at her face for a moment at a loss for words.
Rem met his eyes for some time before blushing and looking elsewhere.
At that moment, Hedin realized.
Rem had developed a crush on him. And possibly even more than that.
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Give me stones. Make the story have more readers.
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(Image Here)
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A/N: Read upto 10 advanced chapters on my patreon: patreon . c o m/Yesnth Just remove the spaces from between.
Cheers~