Chapter 145 - EPISODE 145 – ARKEMAN’S TREASURE (1) (2/2)
‘I have to admit it.’
‘He deserves to be with the angel.’
‘They’re good people.’
The knights looked at Jude with the same thoughts, and Sir Cornwell made up his mind and nodded before speaking.
“Jude Bayer. I’ll make sure to tell Duke Spencer about your loyalty.”
“Eh? No, you don’t have to…”
Sir Cornwell firmly shook his head when Jude said so with a surprised face.
Princess Darianne also clenched her fist and spoke.
“No, we have to tell him. I’ll also tell Daphne-unnie and Dion-orabeoni about you two. And…please accept this.”
What Princess Darianne took out of her arms was a small seal made of jade.
“That’s…”
“Yes, this is my seal. A token of my pledge to help the owner of the seal no matter what.”
Princess Darianne had actually questioned the need of it ever being used, but she still carried it according to royal tradition.
But now, she thought that it was fortunate that she had it.
Because she really wanted to express her gratitude to them.
But instead of happily receiving the seal, Jude shook his head.
“No, it’s fine.”
“Orabeoni?”
Jude looked at Cordelia instead of answering right away, and Cordelia groped the air to find the small hand of Darianne before she slightly pushed it away.
“It’s okay, Your Highness. We did not hope for something like this. We don’t want to pressure Your Highness too much.”
“But…”
“It’s really okay. And there’s something that I want instead of the seal.”
“Eh?”
At her unexpected words, Princess Darianne widely opened her eyes, and Sir Cornwell frowned for a moment.
Is she now revealing her greed?
It’s not even anyone else but she herself?
Of course, what they did was worthy enough to ask for something…
But still.
Cordelia had yet to finish talking.
“Your Highness, do you know the story of Marie?”
“Eh? Uh…are you talking about the fairy tale?”
“Yes, Marie and Annie exchanged coins with each other as a token of their friendship.”
“Ah!”
Princess Darianne broadly smiled, and the faces of Sir Cornwell and his knights brightened up again.
“I think that’s enough. Umm…is asking for that too rude?”
“No, rather, I’d like to do that too. Do you think of me as a friend?”
“If you allow it.”
As Cordelia gently smiled, Princess Darianne unconsciously blushed.
Because Cordelia really looked like an angel.
And Sir Cornwell was in admiration again.
‘Ah…they’re ideal nobles.’
How come both of them have such noble and beautiful hearts?
‘They’re really a fantasy couple.’
‘They look so good together.’
‘I have no choice but to admit it.’
‘Lady Cordelia is a real angel.’
Warm expressions spread on the faces of the knights, and Princess Darianne wiped away her tears and shyly smiled as she hugged Cordelia.
“I’ll give you the prettiest coin I have when we arrive at the inn.”
“Me too, Princess.”
It was a beautiful scene like a scene straight out of a story.
A satisfied smile appeared on Jude’s face.
***
“Hohoho, hohohoho.”
As soon as they entered the inn, or to be exact, their room on the second floor, Jude dramatically laughed, and Cordelia who was holding Jude’s hand because he was escorting her, pulled her hand away and clicked her tongue.
“My goodness, my scammer. Why are you so good?”
“Hey, what do you mean by scammer? Everything was real.”
Did they come forward to play the role of the bait who was the most in danger?
Yes, they really did come forward. Though they very easily defeated the chimera.
Did they need the Seven-Colored Herb but gave it up?
That was also true.
Because it was true that the Seven-Colored Herb was a mysterious herb that contained life energy.
Whether he ate it right away or carried it around in case of an emergency, he did give up on what could have been helpful to him, so it was true that he conceded.
“All according to plan.”
There was no need for them to worry about on how to get acquainted with Princess Daphne and Prince Dion now.
Furthermore, Duke Spencer, an influential member of the royal family, wouldn’t treat them unkindly.
“More than anything, we might meet the First Sword.”
The Sword Saint of Light, Rhun Froud.
He was said to be the strongest among the Ten Swordmasters and held the title of the First Sword.
“He’s close to Duke Spencer, right?”
“He’s almost like an adopted son.”
Currently, the father of First Sword was the leader of the Knights of the Red Rose, the knights who served Duke Spencer.
First Sword also served as a member of the Knights of the Red Rose in his youth.
“Good, good. With this momentum, we’ll be able to save everyone in the royal capital!”
They would save the royal family by destroying the Devil’s Hand and the conspiracies of the Minister of Defense.
Cordelia spontaneously laughed when Jude spoke as he clenched his fist.
“Why?”
“No, it’s just funny.”
A scammer who does his best in scamming in order to save everyone.
‘As expected of my Jude.’
After taking off the bandage on her eyes, Cordelia smiled again as she looked at the coin she was tightly holding in her hand.
It was the prettiest silver coin that Princess Darianne chose and gave.
“So nice.”
“Who? My princess?”
“I mean, Princess Darianne.”
She was genuinely apologetic that she even cried.
At Cordelia’s words, Jude nodded too.
Although Jude was aware of Princess Darianne’s character through the game, he couldn’t help but be surprised when Princess Darianne shed tears.
‘Because she’s not like royalty.’
People who took the sacrifice and concession of others for granted.
In the first place, there were people like that because they were trash, but the situation was a bit different for the royalty.
‘Because they’re literally royalty.’
They had received the sacrifices and concessions of others since they were born as if it was as natural as breathing, so it was also natural for them to become numb to it.
Like how people usually didn’t understand the preciousness of air or water.
“Perhaps she’s the reincarnation of the Second Queen. When she was young, she was actually raised by the duke rather than the royal family.”
“But isn’t the duke technically royalty?”
“You’re right. He has the natural personality of an angel. Just like my princess.”
“Stop saying nonsense again and again and again.”
Jude laughed when Cordelia growled, and he sat down on the bed and said.
“Anyway, you did well. Princess Darianne was also happy to be friends with my princess.”
“Is it okay?”
“What is?”
“We didn’t get the seal.”
In fact, it was Cordelia’s ad-lib when she said to exchange friendship tokens instead of getting the seal.
Because she truly didn’t want to put a heavy burden on Princess Darianne.
“Why, are you worried about it now?”
“Yes…a little?”
She had arbitrarily done something without consulting him.
Doing things without consultation was certainly Jude’s specialty, so she really didn’t need to feel sorry about it, but the situation was different.
In a way, Cordelia had thrown out something that they could have greatly used.
“It’s okay. I was the first to refuse it.”
“What, you truly refused it? You didn’t reject it for some reason?”
“Hey, how exactly do you see me as? Do you think I’m the kind of person who’ll take the seal from Princess Darianne?”
“Yes.”
When Cordelia answered straight away without even hesitating, Jude looked hurt and Cordelia giggled.
“Well, if I have to say the truth, my Jude is a scammer but not a villain.”
“No, I’m not even a scammer in the first place.”
“Yes, Daddy. If you insist.”
Cordelia spiritlessly answered before she giggled again and sat next to Jude and said.
“Anyway, shall we just wait now?”
“Yes, let’s take a break and move at night.”
To Arkeman’s Dungeon.
To get Arkeman’s treasure hidden in a secret place.
And it was at that moment.
“Mr. Bayer, Lady Cordelia. Her Highness is waiting for you two downstairs.”
Jude immediately raised his voice to the knight’s polite voice that they heard from outside the door.
“Yes! We’ll be out soon!”
Perhaps she wanted to have a meal together.
“Uh, I have to cover my eyes with a bandage again.”
“Don’t worry, Princess. I’ll perfectly escort you. I’ll also feed you your food. Just be like a baby bird and be good in saying ‘ah’.”
“Let’s just say that my eyes are better now.”
“No, no, that doesn’t make sense. The princess is waiting, so let’s go.”
“Yes, yes.”
Cordelia covered her eyes with a bandage again and naturally extended her hand, and Jude smiled as he held her hand.
They had so naturally extended and held hands.
“Hmm, this is good.”
“Huh? What are you talking about?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
Jude shrugged and left the room as he led Cordelia who had tilted her head.
And a few hours later.
When the night was deep, and everyone was asleep.
“Hold me tighter.”
“Tighter?”
“Yes, tighter.”
Cordelia, who was dressed in black, hugged tighter the neck of Jude who was also wearing black clothes, and Jude took a deep breath.
He used Twenty-Four Gale Steps that was based on Ninth Heaven’s Nine Doors.
They were now about to reach the completion stage of their plan.
“Let’s go, to Arkeman’s Dungeon.”
Jude said in a small voice and then kicked the ground.
He turned into a black gale and traversed the dark night.