Lying in the provided bedroom, I found myself staring at the ceiling, losing track of ti as my thoughts wandered.
It was a relief to have this ti to unwind since the whirlwind of events had given no chance to collect my thoughts.
After lying down for so long, my back started to ache, so I sat up and glanced at the table.
Ria was by the window, moving the dandelion around as if trying to ensure it got so sunlight, following the direction of the heat and light from the hearth.
Each ti she moved it, the dandelion seed to glow brighter, almost as if the light was concentrating on it.
It was almost as if it was moving on its own, mysteriously.
Curious, I had asked the Gardener about it, but all he said was, "It wouldn’t be fun if you knew now. Just keep watching," which gave a slight headache.
Thinking back on the Gardener’s words that this would help when dealing with the Outsiders, it must indeed be sothing significant for convincing them.
Though I have no idea how.
Well, whatever.
Watering it every morning isn’t that hard, and having a yellow flower brightening up this dull room is nice, at least for .
At that mont, I heard soone knocking on my door.
“Well, it’s ti to stop giving sunlight. Ria, co back.”
Ria quickly returned to my pocket, still holding the flowerpot.
I’ve been thinking about this for a while, but if she can carry the whole pot into my pocket, then this can’t just be an ordinary pocket.
“Is anyone in there?”
“Yes, I’m here.”
“It’s the Branch Manager, Tanton. The Black Lion.”
Why would the Branch Manager visit out of the blue?
I quickly got up and opened the door.
“Branch Manager.”
“Sorry to disturb you while you’re resting.”
“It’s no trouble. What brings you here…?”
Seeing the troubled expression on the Branch Manager’s face only made more anxious.
What’s going on?
“Tomorrow morning, you need to visit the Hearth.”
“The Hearth? Did the Vice Commander summon ?”
“No, not him.”
The Branch Manager shook his head with a smile, as if my reaction was entirely expected.
Not the Vice Commander?
Then could it be the Knight Commander who called for ?
As these thoughts raced through my mind, the Branch Manager’s next words made feel like ti was slowing down.
“You’re going to have an audience with Her Highness, the Princess.”
…What?
The Princess?
And so, at dawn the next day, I arrived at the Hearth and prepared to ascend to the top, guided by Alpha and Beta.
“When you ascend to the top of the Hearth, please wear this armor.”
“The place where Her Highness resides is extrely hot. Without the blessing, your entire body would suffer severe burns.”
In the end, I found myself wearing a rabbit-shaped costu armor.
I thought it would be uncomfortable.
But strangely, it felt rather cozy.
And so, we began our climb up the Tower of Logs.
“But how co neither of you seem bothered by the heat?”
I glanced at Alpha and Beta.
They weren’t wearing any special equipnt like , yet they didn’t seem to be affected by the heat at all.
“This is also thanks to the Hearth’s blessing. As a knight, it wouldn’t hurt to learn the blessing ritual.”
“It’s warm even on cold days…”
I see.
Now I understand why the Paladin route is so highly recomnded in the community.
Eventually, we reached the top of the Tower of Logs, the very heart of the Hearth.
This was also the location shown in the ga’s opening trailer.
I rember the narration saying sothing like, “Fire ward mankind, and the Hearth gathered people together.”
“Please, try to relax as you enter.”
“Her Highness is eagerly awaiting your arrival.”
So, opening this door ant I would imdiately et the Princess.
Why had things suddenly taken this turn?
Of course, I knew the Princess had been keeping an eye on and the other mbers of the criminal trio.
After all, it was thanks to the Princess that I had the foundation to join the Knights in the first place.
Perhaps she called to discuss my recent achievents.
But even when the Knight Commander was missing, not even the Vice Commander, who was effectively in charge, had gone to et the Princess directly.
So why would she suddenly summon in person?
I stared at the door, intricately engraved with patterns.
I felt like if I stayed here too long, the heat from the Hearth would start cooking , so I stepped forward, intending to knock.
But before I could, the door opened, and Alpha and Beta pushed inside.
“What are you hesitating for?”
“Go inside.”
“Wah!”
Losing my balance, I stumbled into the Princess’s chamber.
Those guys…
Ignoring my feelings, they waved their hands as if telling to do well.
Annoyed for a mont, I quickly rembered where I was and straightened my posture.
Looking around, it was clear this was the uppermost level—the Hearth’s fla and the open sky were visible above.
The vast expanse of the sky, with ash floating through it, and the enormous fire producing it all, was awe-inspiring.
When I had seen it from a distance, I thought it was beautiful, but witnessing it up close, it felt like I was looking at a masterpiece of art.
As I searched for the Princess, a gentle voice ca from sowhere, as if wrapping around my ears.
“Guest?”
The voice was soothing, matching the image of the kind-hearted Princess I had heard about.
However, that voice didn’t seem to co from anywhere in this wide-open space.
“Ah, it’s you, Tanton. Welco.”
The voice was coming from the direction of the flas.
The voice was coming from within the fire.
As I turned my head towards the Hearth, I saw the Princess, and my mouth involuntarily dropped open.
“…Your Highness… Is that really you?”
“Yes, it is. Were you a little surprised? I’m sorry for appearing before you in such a hideous form.”
But that wasn’t why I was shocked.
Her hair, woven like fine silk.
Her delicate, doll-like features, small but perfectly ford.
And her statue-like figure, sculpted to perfection.
I could see everything.
The flas of the Hearth had burned away all her clothes, leaving the Princess essentially naked.
“This Hearth is powered by burning , which is why… Oh? Why are you…?”
I quickly knelt and bowed my head, trying to hide my emotions as best I could.
“Your Highness.”
I tried to conceal my feelings, but the redness in my cheeks betrayed .
No, seriously, the highest authority in this city is welcoming while completely naked?
That can’t be right.
“I’m not sure where you learned that custom, but please, raise your head.”
Raise my head!
Looking at her standing there, without a hint of sha, I was sure this had to be so kind of trick by the mod.
I tried my best to focus on her face rather than her body.
From her shoulders to her head, her upper body.
As I looked at her closely, her flawless appearance struck as incredibly impressive.
It felt wrong to compare her to the Outsiders who had been forcefully transford by the mod into their most ideal forms, but she was on par with them.
However, sothing did catch my eye.
A heart-shaped mark near her collarbone.
It looked more like a piercing, sothing embedded in her skin rather than just an accessory.
Damn, my gaze kept drifting downwards.
“…Hmmm.”
As I unintentionally stared at the heart-shaped mark, the Princess’s troubled voice reached my ears.
Oh no.
Did I stare too blatantly?
“I’m sorry!”
“No, it’s not that….”
The Princess waved her hands in a flustered manner.
Then, hesitantly, she spoke.
“…It’s a bit grotesque, isn’t it? I debated whether it was okay to summon you like this. So please, don’t worry about it. It’s a natural reaction….”
By “grotesque,” did she an that heart-shaped mark?
Why would she think it’s grotesque?
Could it be related to the modded Outsiders?
If it’s sothing connected to the Outsiders, it’s even harder to consider it grotesque.
“No, I think it’s a beautiful mark.”
I decided to be honest with my thoughts.
Being awkward and stamring wouldn’t help change the atmosphere.
The Princess’s eyes widened montarily, but she soon smiled warmly.
“Thank you for saying so, Tanton.”
No, really, I ant it.
But since I don’t know the true nature of that heart mark, there’s no point in pressing further.
After realizing that it was okay to look, the Princess picked up so clothes laid out in front of the Hearth, turned around, and changed before offering a chair.
With the atmosphere softened by my words, I took a seat, and the Princess sat across from , resting her chin on her hands atop the table as she began to speak.
“I’ve heard the Vice Commander’s report. You defeated the Watcher, took down the Candle on your way back, and even rescued the Knight Commander.”
“Well…when you put it like that, it does sound like that’s what happened.”
It was true, in a way, but hearing it like this made it feel exaggerated.
This is why exaggeration is so terrifying.
As I tried to control my twitching lips, the Princess smiled mischievously.
“And even though the Vice Commander didn’t report it, I could sense one more achievent of yours.”
“And what might that be?”
“Another Outsider, defeated.”
As soon as she said that, I felt like my brain had stopped.
How does the Princess know about that?
It didn’t even happen in Rondan.
But the Princess calmly listed her reasons.
“I can sense the presence of Outsiders. For soone like you, capable of defeating the Watcher, it’s no surprise that an Outsider’s disappearance coincided with your return. Isn’t that enough of a reason?”
As expected of soone at the top, guarding Rondan.
Her sharpness and detection abilities were unmatched.
As I stared at the Princess in awe, she smiled and continued.
“Judging by the look on your face, it seems I’m right?”
“I have no words.”
“Why did you keep it a secret?”
Why did I keep it a secret?
How could I prove it?
You might say I could use the Knight Commander as a witness, but she can barely rember what she ate a mont ago, so how could she testify?
“It’s curious. Normally, when people accomplish sothing like that, they boast about it.”
The Princess had a puzzled expression but then grinned and said playfully.
“But you can’t hide it from now, can you? I’ve caught you.”
I couldn’t help but scratch the back of my head awkwardly.
“Let’s set the jokes aside. The reason I called you here is that I have a request to make of you….”
What could it be that she needed to ask ?
I focused, ready to listen to her seriously.
“I’m actually a half-blood, part Outsider, part human.”
Uh…what?
I was startled by the bombshell she had just dropped.
For a mont, I was at a loss for words, and when I looked up, I noticed the Princess’s flushed cheeks and slightly nervous eyes.
Could it be…?
Suddenly, I rembered the list of cris attributed to Leydan Tanton.
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