Chapter 18. Misadventure
"The reward for this mission is all yours. After all, I didn't do anything."
After finishing the mission in the slum, just before entering the palace.
Rinne stopped in her tracks and spoke with difficulty.
Yulian turned his head to look at Rinne's face.
Our eyes met, but it was impossible to read any emotions on his face. As always, a smile sat atop his slit eyes.
"Please don't say such things, miss Rinne. We are peers after all."
"I don't like you."
Rinne made sure to express this aloud.
There were many people who disliked Yulian, but few openly said it.
Of course, even faced with blatant hostility, Yulian remained consistent.
"That's unfortunate. We share the same master, after all. Haha."
"Just because we were under the same master briefly doesn't mean we are the same. Our master always said that with power comes responsibility. But there's no responsibility in the way you wield your power. Why don't you show some restraint?"
Recalling the overwhelming force he had just displayed against the demon brought back all the dissatisfaction she had been harboring.
Why did he act contrary to their master's teachings?
Why did he want to kill their master?
"Restraint is a trait for cowards."
"Are you calling our master a coward, then?"
Insulting their master was something she couldn't tolerate.
Rinne clenched her fist tightly.
Her anger boiled over, her lips bitten raw.
Whether he noticed her anger or not, Yulian spoke nonchalantly.
"Miss Rinne, you truly don't understand the world."
"... What?"
"There are lives that can't afford restraint."
"What nonsense..."
Utterly nonsensical words.
At that moment, Yulian took the initiative.
"In any case, you did well today. Then, I'll take all the rewards for this mission."
With a short chuckle, Yulian began walking toward the palace.
Looking at his receding back, Rinne frowned.
"A life that can't afford restraint..."
Following her master's teachings, it was a statement she simply couldn't comprehend.
Rinne's mind grew increasingly conflicted.
Truly, he was a person she both couldn't understand and didn't want to.
"Are you heading back?"
A voice brought her back to her senses, and she turned her head.
A man seated in a carriage was looking at her.
Upon seeing a familiar face, she smiled softly.
"Uncle Ergen."
Ergen Rindvel.
A member of her own Rindvel family, and her father's brother.
When she greeted him with a gentle tone, the carriage door swung open.
"If you're heading back to the estate, hop in. I'll take you."
"No, I'm fine by myself..."
"No need to refuse."
Refusing would seem rude.
Rinne got into the carriage.
As Ergen quietly instructed the driver, the carriage began to move slowly.
"Just returning from completing the task Hayden asked of you?"
"Yes."
"I see, was it successful?"
Just as she was about to answer 'yes' to Ergen's question, she suddenly realized she had done nothing in the mission.
Though the mission ended well, agreeing wholeheartedly felt embarrassing.
"... It was manageable."
"That's a relief. Sir Hayden must have seen great potential in you. But please, don't overdo it."
Ergen looked at Rinne with a worried expression.
"I'm sorry if I seemed like I was nagging you without reason."
"No, uncle."
"But was that man with you just now... could it be Sir Yulian?"
At the mention of that name, Rinne's expression briefly twisted before she regained her composure.
"Yes."
"Lately, his actions have sharpened the tensions of the Elder Council. There's a rumor that a review plan was submitted to the Imperial Secretariat to pressure the council."
Among the Empire's nobles, it was hard to find someone uninterested in 'Yulian'.
It wasn't strange for a noble like Ergen to have his suspicions.
A notorious figure known as the Imperial Hound.
His rise and fall were of interest to those with power and gossip fodder for many.
Moreover, as a noble himself, attention on him was inevitable.
"He's a fellow noble yet he pressures the Elder Council? An incomprehensible man."
"Indeed."
"Above all, the person you must be wary of is Yulian himself."
Ergen, speaking quietly, took Rinne's hand and continued with a worried voice.
"For whatever reason, stay away from him. He's an incredibly dangerous man. He has no concept of bonds and doesn't value human relationships, acting solely as the Imperial sword. He's someone any noble should avoid."
"Yes, I know, uncle."
"But, there's something I'm curious about."
"What is it?"
"For someone supposedly so skilled, why did Sir Hayden dismiss him?"
With a thoughtful demeanor, ergen held a faint smile.
"I suspect he might not be as great a swordsman as the rumors suggest."
"That's..."
"Hmm?"
"It's not true."
Rinne disagreed flatly.
A flawless sword path.
Remaining calm even in urgent situations.
A judicious distribution of restrained power.
His swordsmanship was remarkably similar to what she considered ideal.
"Whatever else, his swordsmanship is genuine. Our master recognized it and took him as a disciple."
His precision in severing the demon's vital points without using aura, and his physical abilities to achieve it.
Though he claimed to do it for 'fun,' in effect, he had slain the demon without using mana.
"He is strong."
Much stronger than me.
Although tempted to say that, her pride sealed her lips.
***
"... What exactly happened?"
After completing the mission in the slum.
When reporting to Ordwin, she asked.
"What happened?"
Countless thoughts raced through my mind.
Did I make a mistake?
Come to think of it, Ordwin had been suspicious of my manner of speech before.
"What do you mean?"
"Weren't you in the slum to verify suspicions of a demon outbreak?"
"That's correct. It was indeed the case."
"Then why did a criminal confess, citing your name?"
At first, I had no idea what Ordwin was talking about.
However, after a moment's thought, I realized she was referring to the 'Biden' I met in the slum.
I did tell him to turn himself in.
But to do so so readily?
"Perhaps he realized his wrongdoing and repented. It's not clear why he mentioned my name, though."
"..."
I received a curious gaze but chose to ignore it.
For now, I brushed it off like this.
Ordwin and the palace would handle the aftermath.
As Ordwin contemplated the situation, she sighed and slid a document toward me.
Another mission, perhaps?
As this thought crossed my mind, I realized it wasn't upon seeing the heading.
"A performance bonus for the missions you recently completed."
Compensation.
Essentially, my salary.
Going over the compensation statement, I found myself speechless.
'...11,000 Nar?'
The currency used in the Adratan Empire was 'Nar'. From what I'd seen on a website summarizing the settings of 〈Let's Kill the Demon King Now〉, Nar held a value similar to that of the dollar from Earth.
In other words, 15,000 Nar meant...
'Is my salary 1,500,000 won?'
Looking closer, the portion marked as 'Blind Eyes salary' didn't list a large amount.
Even so, the high salary was thanks to the bonus calculation method. That is, having completed two missions recently.
Additionally, Rinne had handed over all her share to me for this mission.
"Amazing."
I unconsciously muttered to myself about the astonishing salary.
Ordwin nodded.
"Isn't it?"
"Yes."
"It's actually less than usual. This month, you've had many days off due to injury."
Her continued words forced a snicker from me internally.
Did that mean usually it's even more?
Yulian truly wasn't an ordinary guy.
Not just anyone could be the 'Hound of the Palace.'
Indeed, it wouldn't be called the 'Imperial To-Go Agency' for no reason.
The reason the Adratan Empire had remained a force was due to the overwhelming power held by the palace.
Knowing the Eye of the Palace was under royal sponsorship, a low salary wouldn't suffice to maintain their prestige.
"Hmm?"
While reading the salary statement, my attention was drawn to a part marked with a minus and scrawled numbers.
There was a deduction listed from the salary.
【- Mansion Maintenance】
【- Staff Salaries】
Well, fair enough.
This part was understandable.
Those weren't absurd figures.
【- Imperial Arts Association Membership Maintenance】
【- The Knights Magazine Subscription】
Alright.
This too was understandable.
Knowing Yulian had a taste for art, it wasn't surprising he would pour money into it.
Still, the subscription seemed unusually expensive.
【- Donatien Atrium Porcelain 'Fiancé' Installment】
【- Master Painter Corusius' work, 'Id Cosmo' Installment】
This damned fool.
Well-known artists whose names any citizen of the empire would've heard of.
Purchasing works from their atriums came at a staggering price.
As a result, the salary slip listed outrageous numbers in deductions.
【Net Amount Paid = 900 Nar】
Ultimately, what was left for me was 900 Nar.
Considering Yulian's noble status, it was a pathetically negligible amount left.
'Did this guy... ever save money?'
Closing my eyes for a moment, scenes of the mansion cluttered with unnecessary trinkets appeared in my mind.
A living room, bedroom, and study filled with pieces of art.
'Would he?'
A sudden dizziness struck me.
Soon, I'd have to collect the 'Moonstone' I'd requested from the jewelers, but without money?
'I might have to borrow from someone...'
No, if it was 'Yulian', he wouldn't do that. He would undertake one more mission to secure funds.
"Ordwin."
"Yes?"
"Do you have any more incoming missions?"
Confusion spread across Ordwin's face.
"It's the first time you've ever requested such a thing. Unfortunately, no."
I sighed internally at her answer.
The Impere's Smiling Executioner, a monster in human skin. The former top disciple of the Sword Saint.
As Yulian Cryphart Frason, a man surrounded by various infamous and not-so-infamous titles, I never imagined my path would be blocked for such a worldly reason.