Chapter 90

Glen Prince made an impromptu stop at a store not on the schedule, but after that, the royal tour proceeded without a hitch.

"Yep, it's delicious."

"Hehe, I'm glad it suits your taste."

At the scheduled restaurant, the prince savored the dishes prepared by the chefs of the Kingdom of Reberis.

By the way, we also had lunch at the same restaurant. The meat was delicious.

"Wow, I've never seen such a diverse array of magical equipment before."

"Recently, the mining of magical ores has advanced."

At a store we visited in the western district, the prince marveled at the magical equipment.

At that time, I was idly looking at the magical equipment, wondering how Fissel would react.

Well, the first day's schedule went smoothly.

The unsettling gaze I felt at the beginning didn't reappear, which made me feel more at ease in my role as a guard.

It was probably just my imagination. I was probably a bit nervous.

"Princess Salakia, thank you for today."

"Oh, no, I enjoyed it too."

After touring the city, we returned to the palace entrance.

Here, we parted ways with Princess Salakia, and Prince Glen was scheduled to stay at a noble's villa in the northern district. Escorting him there would mark the end of our first day's mission.

I wasn't as tired as I thought I would be, having spent most of the time in the carriage. I was a bit mentally fatigued, but I felt energetic enough to handle more training if needed. If anything, my butt was a bit sore from sitting too much.

"Alright, let's do one more job, shall we?"

Gatoga rotated his massive arm and muttered.

We were almost done, but we couldn't let our guard down. After all, the royal tour wasn't just for today; it would continue tomorrow and beyond.

The prince said his goodbyes to the princess and got back into the carriage.

The distance from the palace to the noble's villa wasn't far. The sun was tilting westward, but at this pace, we would all be home before sunset.

Well, let's push through one more time. Though, I'll be in the carriage, of course.

"--- Everyone, thank you for your hard work today."

"No, your words are too kind."

We managed to escort the prince to the noble's villa without any issues.

The prince thanked us, and Alusia responded.

"Thank you again for tomorrow."

"Yes, I will protect him with the honor of the country."

We touched on the next day briefly and parted ways with the prince. Now, it's just a matter of going home.

But, apart from his playful side, the prince was polite and sincere.

I had some preconceived notions about royalty being more self-centered or tyrannical, but both Princess Salakia and Prince Glen were really good people.

If everyone were like this, the country should be prosperous, right? Or maybe, there are still some nasty plots and conspiracies that I, a commoner, can't even imagine. I don't really understand the ways of the nobles.

"See you tomorrow."

"Sure. Have a good evening, everyone."

Here, Gatoga and Rose, along with the other Church Knights, also left.

I wonder where they are staying. They must have their accommodations arranged. It's not something I need to worry about.

"Let's head back, Mr. Hembritz."

"Understood."

"Yeah, let's go."

Following Alusia's lead, we decided to return to the knight headquarters.

The plan was to have a brief meeting there to discuss the schedule for the following days, and then disband.

It was still early, and having a drink before bed didn't sound bad, so I walked along with that in mind.

"--- So, the schedule for tomorrow is..."

In a room at the knight headquarters, Alusia, Hembritz, and I were reviewing the day's events. We had the simple reports submitted by the squad leaders.

The other knights had gathered at the headquarters and dispersed after Alusia's command.

Unlike me, who spent most of the time in the carriage, and Alusia, who guarded nearby, the knights who were constantly between the people and the royals were more exhausted. The royal tour wasn't over, so they needed to rest well for the next day.

"Tomorrow, starting at ten, the prince and Princess Salakia will tour the central district and then attend a play."

"Hmm."

A play, huh.

I've never seen one, but I guess it's a royal pastime. Personally, I'm not into the arts, so I probably wouldn't understand it.

"Will we be watching it too?"

"Yes, that's the plan. For security reasons."

"I see..."

I'm afraid I might fall asleep during it.

If we're in a VIP section, dozing off would be really bad. Maybe I should go to bed early tonight and skip the drinks.

"Also, we will reorganize part of the squad from tomorrow."

"Huh, why?"

There were no issues with today's security, so why the change?

"No, the accessory shop the prince visited has received an incredible response from the public. Since we were the cause, we need to allocate some security there."

"Oh, I see."

I get it. The accessory shop wasn't originally on the schedule.

Becoming a royal-approved store unexpectedly has drawn a lot of attention. It's like a major hurricane suddenly hit. The shop owner must be overjoyed.

"Oh, by the way."

Since we're here, I might as well share the unease I felt today.

I didn't mention it earlier to avoid causing confusion, but now, with these two experienced knights, it's better to share any concerns.

"Today, during the escort, I felt an unsettling gaze. I think it was... a killing intent."

"That's—"

My words made them catch their breath.

A tense atmosphere spread through the room, which had been relaxed until then.

"Was that why you froze at that moment?"

"Yes. It disappeared quickly, so I thought it might have been my imagination, but just in case."

We still don't know the specific danger. As I said, it could have been my imagination.

However, it's better to be cautious. Our job is to anticipate and handle any potential issues.

"Understood. We'll inform everyone tomorrow and reinforce our vigilance."

"Yep, that's a good idea."

It's nice that Alusia and Hembritz trust me without question. It's a bit embarrassing, but reassuring.

Even if there was some hostility, breaking through the double-layered security of the Reberis Knights and the Church Knights would be another matter.

Being surrounded by elite knights, I felt out of place. Maybe that's why I was stuck in the carriage.

"Is that the only concern?"

"Yeah... I don't think there were any other issues. Though, I was mostly in the carriage."

I was really in the carriage most of the time. From my position, I didn't see any significant security issues.

Besides, Alusia and Hembritz, with their vast experience, were handling the security, so any issues from my perspective would be problematic.

"Alright, let's call it a day."

"Sure, good work."

After sharing the unsettling gaze, we disbanded.

I hope the rest of the mission goes smoothly. Of course, it's our job to ensure it does, but the less extra work, the better.

"Well, then."

What should I do? I could go home and have dinner with Mui, or stop by a bar for a drink.

I've gotten to know the area around the knight headquarters, so I have a good idea of what stores are in this district.

Exploring a new place isn't a bad idea, but I don't want to get lost or stay out too late. If I had no plans for tomorrow, I might explore, but for now, I'll go to a familiar place and keep it light.

I want to soak in the festival atmosphere on my own as well.

A beer after work always tastes good.

To recharge for tomorrow, I'll have a beer and get pumped up.

I don't have much appreciation for art or artifacts.

I'm content with good food, good drinks, and a sword.

I'm a skilled swordsman and a good person, but I wonder how I am as a person.