Chapter 8

I was led to a building that resembled a castle.

I had thought I would be guided to her house.

I never expected...

"Is this... your house?"

"Yes. I think it's a bit different from a typical house."

The sturdy stone walls and the grand, imposing castle gates.

On either side, gatekeepers stood with spears, vigilantly guarding.

It looked more like a castle from a fairy tale than a house.

But since I was brought here, it must be...

"Please come in."

She slipped past the gatekeepers as if it were nothing.

"Are we just going in like this?"

"Yes, I'm in a hurry now. Besides, we shouldn't interfere with their work."

I think their job is to watch for any suspicious people entering.

But the gatekeepers didn't even look at us.

It must be because she used a skill called [Concealment].

As instructed, we entered the castle-like house.

"By the way, I haven't even asked your name. Would you mind telling me...?"

"Me? I'm Noll."

"Mr. Noll, then."

I answered while walking.

But when I heard my name, I suddenly remembered I didn't know hers.

"By the way, what's your name...?"

"Oh...! I'm sorry, I completely forgot to introduce myself."

She stopped, turned to me, and placed her right hand on her chest, bowing slightly.

"My name is Rynneburg Kreis. It's a bit long, so I go by Ryn now. Please feel free to call me Ryn."

"Got it, Ryn. I understand."

Indeed, Ryn... something is a bit long and hard to remember.

Ryn is more convenient.

It's a short and easy-to-remember name.

"From here, I'll release [Concealment]. We're in a safe place now, and it might look suspicious otherwise."

"Understood."

And so, we continued walking deeper into the house.

It's really a large house.

We've walked quite a bit, but there's still more to go.

From the looks of it, her family must be quite wealthy.

Or perhaps they are nobility.

Is this what the old man at the adventurer's guild meant by "be careful"?

But I have no idea what to do in such a situation.

I have no experience with the manners of nobles or the wealthy.

"That's... perfect. Let's ask her where her father is."

After walking for a while down a very long and wide corridor, a woman with long, golden hair appeared.

She was wearing a skirt that looked like a maid's uniform, but over it, she had a heavy silver armor.

"Welcome back, Miss Rynneburg."

"Ines. Thank you. I would like to see my father. At this time, he should be in the audience chamber, right?"

"Who is that man...?"

The armored woman narrowed her eyes and looked at me before answering Ryn.

It felt like she was sizing me up.

It seems I'm not very welcome here.

"Ines. This gentleman is my guest... please be respectful. He saved me during the recent attack."

"...! Understood. I will guide you."

Is this woman a maid of the house?

Considering the heavy armor, it seems she wouldn't be very good at cleaning or laundry...

As I was looking at her, our eyes met, and she glared at me.

I'm being quite guarded.

Well, I can't blame her.

I must look out of place in such a luxurious house with many servants.

I would think the same.

"Please. This is the door."

The armored woman, Ines, opened a heavy metal door at the end of the long corridor.

Behind the door, a man with a beautifully decorated golden spear stood.

The man looked at us with a menacing gaze... no, he was looking directly at me, and he readied his spear.

"Oh, Ines. Miss Ryn. What brings you here at this hour? ...Who is that man?"

The man asked a series of questions in a somewhat casual tone, but his gaze was sharp.

The tip of his spear was pointed directly at me.

It felt like he was ready to strike at any moment.

Clearly, he is also on guard.

What a dangerous household.

Ryn's household.

"Gilbert. Stand aside. This gentleman is a very important guest of Miss Rynneburg. Be respectful. And you, come with us to the audience."

"Ah, a guest. So, you're the one...? ...Got it."

For a moment, the man's eyes seemed to sharpen.

But he quickly returned to his ambiguous, menacing demeanor.

We followed Ines and entered the room behind the door, and soon we reached the "audience chamber."

Opening another heavy door, we saw a young man talking to an elderly man on a dais.

"Brother"

"...Ryn?"

The young man is apparently Ryn's brother.

He looks to be in his early twenties.

They don't seem to be that far apart in age.

"That robe is the [Hermit's Robe]...? Could it be, you went outside? I thought I forbade you from going out for a while...!"

"...I'm sorry. But I really wanted to find the person who saved me on my own."

"...Who is that man?"

"This gentleman saved me."

"...! This person...!?"

Ryn's brother looked at me with considerable surprise.

Well, I can't blame him.

I've been cleaning gutters early in the morning, moving dirt in the afternoon, and fighting a cow afterward, and then running from some strange men before going to the adventurer's guild.

Thinking about it, I'm quite dirty.

If I had the time, I could have gone to a public bath to clean up.

I never expected to be invited to such a luxurious house on the same day.

"I'm sorry for my appearance. Ryn wanted to hurry."

I apologized first.

Ryn's brother was looking at me silently with a smile, but Ines was glaring at me as if she was about to pounce.

...Did I do something wrong just now?

"Appearance doesn't matter. In fact, I was the one who wanted to meet you urgently. Thank you for coming all this way."

A deep voice echoed in the large room.

It was a voice with such authority that it could belong to a king.

It made me feel as if my back straightened naturally, a pleasant voice.

Ines and the man with the spear, Gilbert, knelt on one knee and bowed.

So, the owner of this voice must be the head of the household... Ryn's father.

"You are the one who saved my daughter's life—much younger than I expected. Shall we talk up close?"

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