Chapter 88

In the late morning of the capital city,

I was walking down the main street with Lillisia.

I only took on the herb gathering quest at the Adventurers' Guild.

After checking the bulletin board, I learned that there were bears and that the leader of the Forest Wolves was a Dire Wolf.

I had left the shop to Sophisia.

I let Lana, the Holy White Dragon, do as she pleased.

I sent Tetti to gather herbs.

I knew that today, as usual, the only requests at the guild would be for herb gathering.

I confirmed through the sub-terminal that she was apparently gathering herbs while playing with the young Pegasus, Shiel.

According to Lillisia's detection, there were no bears or wolves in the forest, so I thought it would be safe.

After passing through several gates and moats, we arrived at the castle.

The tall castle.

After informing the gatekeeper of our business, my identity was verified. I showed my guild card.

Then I was led to a waiting room.

It was a room for the general public, with several chairs. The furnishings were fairly luxurious, but it wasn't very spacious.

I sat in a chair and waited idly.

Being kept waiting was a new experience for me.

When I was a hero, I could see the king almost directly by showing the hero's medal.

Even if he was meeting with envoys from other countries, I was given priority.

The hero's job was to defeat the Demon King, a matter of utmost importance that took precedence over everything else.

This system was also applied during times of peace.

...Or rather, during my active years, it was prophesied that the Demon King or an evil god would always appear.

After waiting for quite a while, a knight came to call me and Lillisia.

As we walked through the castle with the knight, I thought, "Hmm?"

We weren't heading to the throne room.

When I wondered about this, I was led to a balcony overlooking the garden.

The king was sitting at a table in the shade, drinking tea.

He smiled kindly and beckoned me over as soon as he saw me.

"Ah, you've arrived. Come, let's have tea together."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." "It's been a while, Your Majesty."

After sitting at the table, tea and sweets were brought to us.

They were the sweet baked goods I liked.

I took a bite and drank some tea.

"Yeah, it's been a while, but they're still as good as ever... Lillisia, aren't you going to eat?"

"Master... I won't eat until Your Majesty gives the word..."

For some reason, Lillisia was surprised.

The king spoke to her.

"Ah, it's fine. Alek and I are old friends. So, what happened after that?"

"Well, I opened a shop, cleared a dungeon, and went to Yamata."

"Ho ho! That sounds interesting! Tell me more!"

"First, about the shop..."

The king listened with a smile, and I told him about recent events, such as starting a potion shop and helping a friend in Yamata.

When the king finished listening, he smiled mischievously.

"True to form, Alek. --Should I record this story in the Book of Adventures?"

"Your Majesty, I'm not a hero anymore."

"Ho ho ho, just a joke. King's joke."

The king laughed in good spirits.

Seeing his grandfatherly smile, I couldn't help but smile wryly.

--Heroes had a duty to report to the king.

What they had accomplished, whether they had found any leads on the Demon King.

They had to report to the king, who had appointed them as heroes.

The content of their reports was usually recorded in a book called the Book of Adventures by a scribe.

Well, during the time of peace, I only dealt with monster hunting.

The areas where heroes hunted were often remote, so the king always listened with interest to stories about unusual landscapes and customs.

The pleasant conversation continued over tea and sweets.

Sometimes it turned to more serious topics.

It seemed that the appointment of a new hero was delayed due to Marius's corruption.

They were checking if the candidates were lying, if they had engaged in bribery, and if they truly had the skills to be a hero.

To investigate these matters, a third-party committee had been established to re-evaluate the hero candidates.

When the king talked about these issues, he kept glancing at me.

It was as if he was hinting that he wanted me to return as a hero.

--This could be used as leverage.

With that in mind, I made up my mind.

When the conversation paused, I spoke with a serious expression.

"Your Majesty, I've brought a gift today."

"Oh? What is it?"

The king looked pleased.

I took five bottles of puchi Eri from my magic bag and placed them on the table.

"Your Majesty, this is the puchi Eri I mentioned earlier, which we sell at our shop."

"Ho ho, is this it?"

The king picked up one bottle and examined it closely.

I smiled warmly and said,

"Are you feeling unwell? I think one bottle will make you feel better."

"My knees have been hurting lately... Well, let's try it."

The king removed the cap and drank it.

Lillisia was panicking beside me, but I didn't understand why.

Puchi Eri should be good for you.

"How do you feel, Your Majesty?"

"Whoa! What is this! The pain in my knees! The pain in my back! It's all gone!"

The king's eyes widened, and he stood up energetically.

He did some quick squats and jumps beside the table, looking much more energetic.

His skin also seemed to have a better complexion.

I said with a serious voice,

"I'm glad puchi Eri has made you feel better. ...But, Your Majesty, puchi Eri is being counterfeited. Specifically, it seems that the puchi Eri bought from us is being diluted with water and sold."

"What! Has the patent application been filed yet? I'll arrange it immediately!"

"That's the thing, it's made with a special method, and the process can't be disclosed."

"Ho... That's a difficult situation... I want to help, but..."

The king's wrinkled face twisted in sadness.

I leaned forward and pleaded,

"Are you having trouble because there are no heroes now?"

"Hmm? --Ah! Are you coming back?"

There it is.

I shook my head dramatically. My short black hair swayed.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. That's not possible. I have her too."

"I can cover the application fees and penalties for breaking the slave contract with my pocket money..."

"But I'm getting older too. I can help train the next generation, though. I can't teach hero magic, but I can teach holy sword techniques."

The king stroked his chin thoughtfully.

He muttered, "Even if it's not possible now... Should we maintain the relationship?"

Then he nodded firmly.

"I see. So you want protection for puchi Eri in return?"

"Is that possible? Your Majesty should have more influence now..."

I said, and the king smiled.

"Yes, you're right. Sir Thomson had a lot of influence, but he turned out to be an evil cult follower. You've done a great job protecting the kingdom. You're truly Alek."

"Then..."

"Yes. I'll allow the use of the crown emblem and the name puchi Eri. And... I'll give it the royal seal of approval as 'Doctor Unnecessary.'"

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

"Thank you, Your Majesty. This means that anyone who impersonates puchi Eri or copies the bottle design will be punished, right?"

Lillisia thanked him while confirming the details.

The king nodded strongly.

"Of course. Especially for the sake of my beloved Alek, I'll enforce strict regulations."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

I thanked him, and the king smiled kindly.

"Of course. You've served the kingdom for a long time. It's the least I can do. Come visit again."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Thank you for granting us an audience."

Lillisia curtsied, her white nun's habit swaying.

After that, I was shown the design of the crown emblem.

--I'm sure if I ask Kou, he can engrave or dye it on the current bottles.

We were led out of the castle by a guard.

As we walked, I said to Lillisia,

"Now we can use the name puchi Eri exclusively."

"Indeed, Master... But we now have the obligation to supply it regularly every month."

"Five hundred bottles for free, and five hundred at the regular price. Well, getting the protection of the country for just a thousand bottles is a good deal."

"This is a relief."

Lillisia smiled in relief.

I nodded and left the castle.

On the main street at noon,

people were bustling on the cobblestone road.

It was very lively.

I suddenly remembered a question I had earlier and asked Lillisia,

"By the way, why was the king surprised when he drank puchi Eri?"

"Yes, he drank it without testing for poison. I was a bit surprised."

"What? Even though I brought it?"

"There's always a possibility of being poisoned. It seems he trusts you a lot."

"I see. The king is too lenient with me."

I shrugged.

--Indeed, the king is too nice. I'll be more careful from now on.

Lillisia, walking beside me, tilted her head.

"What will you do next?"

"Well... I could meet with Edgar to check on the progress, or hire Cheryl for Tetti. We could also have lunch somewhere--"

--At that moment,

my sub-terminal vibrated.

I put it to my ear in confusion.

"What's up, Kou?"

"Alek, help--ahh!"

"This voice, Tetti!? What's wrong!?"

"Master! Tetti and Shiel are being attacked in the forest!"

"What! I'm coming right now!"

I put away the sub-terminal and ran. Fortunately, the shop was nearby.

I called out to Lillisia, who was running behind me.

"Tetti is being attacked in the forest! When we get there, use your detection to find them quickly!"

"Yes, Master!"

I rushed into the shop with Lillisia.

Sorry for the delay. I had a broken bone.

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→ Chapter 89: The Master of the Forest