Chapter 62

Finally, Leord arrived at the capital, but he felt nothing but unease. It had been a long time since he had been to the capital since the awakening of Jinjin's memories.

It had been half a year since his return from the duel with Siegfried, the protagonist of Fate 48. However, Leord felt no emotion at all upon seeing the capital again after so long.

(If I were honest, I should be happier, but I’ve been summoned by His Majesty...)

The letter mentioned that he would be given a reward, but honestly, he didn’t need it. (Sigh, I just want to finish this as quickly as possible and return to Zeato.)

“Master, we will head straight to the castle from here.”

“Huh? Aren’t we going to see Father and Mother first?”

“The audience with the King comes first. We have already made the necessary arrangements, so all that’s left is for you to head to the castle.”

“O-Oh, I see…”

Leord was surprised by Gilbert’s explanation while the entry procedures for the capital were being processed. He hadn’t expected to head straight to the castle. He had thought he would see his parents first, and he sighed.

The carriage carrying Leord moved straight down the road, heading toward the towering castle. Leord looked out the window, captivated by the streets and the people walking by.

The streets and the crowds were more beautiful than in Zeato, and Leord realized anew that he had returned to the capital. As the number of people decreased, the castle came into view. The thought of entering it made Leord’s stomach hurt.

(Ugh, I just want to go home...)

At this point, no matter how much Leord complained, he couldn’t go back. In fact, if he tried to go back, he might not be able to physically return. Of course, he could return as a headless body, but that was not an option.

Leord didn’t have the courage for such reckless actions. As he pondered, the carriage approached the castle, and Leord steeled himself.

The fear and tension of possibly being beheaded for any mistake made Leord tremble both physically and mentally. In reality, unless he did something extremely outrageous, there was no chance of being beheaded. However, the combination of Jinjin’s and Leord’s memories intensified his paranoia.

Eventually, the carriage stopped, and the door opened. The person outside was likely the guide. Leord got out of the carriage and, accompanied by Gilbert and Shelia, entered the castle.

Despite being momentarily captivated by the grandeur of the castle’s interior, Leord hurried to keep up with the guide. Along the way, he parted ways with Gilbert, the butler, and Shelia, the servant, and continued alone, feeling increasingly isolated as he approached the throne room.

The person he was about to face was the King, the most powerful figure in the kingdom. In Leord’s memory, the King was a good friend of his father, but in Jinjin’s memory, he was a terrifying figure not to be underestimated.

The King himself had virtually no combat ability, but in politics, he displayed remarkable talent. Unfortunately, to the untrained eye, it was hard to understand what was going on.

Finally, Leord reached the entrance to the throne room. After receiving a brief explanation from the guide, Leord straightened his collar.

The massive doors were overwhelming, and Leord tilted his head as he looked up at them.

(Why are the doors in places like this so big? To show authority?

Even so, they are unnecessarily large. The cost must have been astronomical.)

The guide, after explaining to Leord, entered the throne room through a smaller door. Leord smiled wryly, wondering if the smaller door was the correct entrance.

Soon, the massive doors opened with a grand sound. Leord waited for the doors to fully open, as instructed by the guide.

When the massive doors were fully open, Leord stepped forward. On either side stood prominent nobles, and in the back, the elite knight corps stood ready. Every move Leord made drew attention, and he trembled inwardly as he approached the King, who was seated on the central throne.

When Leord reached the King, he knelt on one knee, placed his hand on his chest, and bowed his head. The silence in the throne room was broken by a voice.

"From this moment on, I will bestow a reward upon Leord Harvest for his significant contributions during the recent monster panic!

Leord Harvest, raise your head."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

An elderly man, the Chancellor, standing beside the King, unfolded a paper and read out Leord’s accomplishments. He mentioned that Leord had defended the Zeato fortress, which was at the forefront of the monster panic, alongside the knights.

After the Chancellor finished reading the report, the King nodded in satisfaction and asked Leord a question.

"Leord, is there any falsehood in this report?"

"Your Majesty, I merely followed the words of my father, the head of the Harvest family. All the credit for this achievement belongs to the knights.

Therefore, I am satisfied with just your words, Your Majesty."

"Hmm, I see. I understand your point, but words alone are not enough."

"No, I am a fool who has committed a grave error unworthy of a noble. Therefore, being summoned to your presence is a great reward for me!"

Leord desperately wanted to finish quickly and return home. He racked his brain to find the right words to please the King, even if it meant belittling himself.

"Indeed, that is true, but if we look at history, your mistake was rather minor. However, I cannot forgive the fact that you allowed someone to harm your fiancée."

"..."

Leord began to sweat profusely. Honestly, he wanted to prostrate himself and cry, just to leave this place as quickly as possible. Being questioned by the King in front of many nobles, including his father, was almost too much for Leord to bear.

Desperately, he tried to think of the right words to end this as quickly as possible.

"Your Majesty, perhaps I am unworthy..."

His brain was about to shut down. No more clever words came to mind. Leord involuntarily bowed his head to avoid eye contact.

(Ah...)