Chapter Fifty
"Get off , Kaelen."
"How could you just vanish like that, Master!? Do you know how worried I was?" Kaelen was practically vibrating, his hands hovering over my shoulders as if he wanted to shake and check for missing limbs simultaneously.
"Ugh..." I groaned, trying to pry his grip off my cloak while giving him a disgusted look. "Let go, Kaelen. I’m eating. Plus, I finally got a chance to relax. I’ve been working non-stop since I woke up."
"I see. You should have still told . Also, why is this kid kneeling though, Master?" Kaelen finally paused, his eyes narrowing as he glared down at Lukas. "Did you start bullying people again? All my hopes... Haizzz."
Why is this fucker acting like ? Did I influence him or sothing?
"No! The Duke didn’t bully ," Lukas blurted out, his forehead still practically glued to the snow. "He’s a nice person!"
Kaelen and I stared at each other, so stunned we forgot how to speak for a full second.
...Nice person? ?
Could lack of salt cause hallucinations?
[Ping!]
[Actually, it does cause hallucinations.]
Damn. The kid is high.
[Ping!]
[He isn’t high, Host. You just offered to make their lives better.]
When did I do that???
[Ping!]
[Didn’t Host just offer to make an academy for kids?]
Ohhhh! Yeah. I see how that could cause misunderstanding.
[Ping!]
[What is Host talking about?]
I’m not making academy for them. I’m making academy to use their talents to make money during retirent.
...
What?
I slowly turned my gaze back to Lukas. He was still kneeling. Still earnest. Still looking at like I’d personally descended from the heavens to save his entire bloodline.
I didn’t feel good about this.
Kaelen noticed my silence imdiately. His eyes sharpened, flicking between the kid and . "Master," he said cautiously, "what did you do?"
"I ate at after a long ti. Sir Garrow hunted mountain wolves," I replied flatly.
"That’s not what I ant."
"Yeah! Lucas is right! The Duke is a nice person!" Local and Oddball chid in from the background, their voices perfectly synced like a pair of creepy, unwashed cherubs. "Stop bullying him!"
Oh god! Did the kids lose their brain cells or sothing?
Well... it’s still an opportunity to ss with my dearest knight. I wasn’t just going to waste it.
I slumped my shoulders, letting my lower lip tremble just a fraction.
"Yeah, Kaelen... Don’t bully ..." I sniffled, dabbing at an imaginary tear with the back of my hand. "I’m so pitiful... being bullied by my own knight... Sob... sob..."
"Wh—Master! Stop that!" Kaelen recoiled as if I’d bitten him. "I am not bullying you! Can anyone even bully a bully?"
"Look at him!" Local shouted, pointing a greasy finger at Kaelen. "He’s yelling at His Grace! Bad person! How could you call His Grace a bully!? His Grace just promised us a school! He’s a saint!"
"You heard that? I’m a saint." I grinned, moving my eyebrows. "You’re bullying a saint. Tch."
"Haah. Seriously, Master." Kaelen signed as he ran his fingers in frustration. "Anyway, due to your crates of antiseptic we managed to give first aid to everyone."
"Sir Kaelen... Does that an none of my bandits died?" Garrow stared at Kaelen with tears in his eyes, his entire body trembling.
"Ah. Yes. No one died, thanks to Master’s expensive antiseptic. Lady Selia said that one box of that stuff costs about one thousand gold."
Damn. Is that really true, Sysi?
[Ping!]
[We did tell Host they’re at a wholesale price.]
Have I ever told you-
[Ping!]
[No. Don’t even try.]
Fine. Fine.
"Well, I’m full." I dusted the charcoal soot from my hands and rose, my knees popping like dry twigs. "Thanks for the al, kids. You should hurry and feed everyone else. Garrow, show the place where I can rest."
Ughhh... There’s nothing more fun than resting.
"Ah! Yes." Garrow stood up abruptly, his massive fra casting a sudden, hulking shadow over the fire. "Let lead you to the hut, Your Grace."
"I’ll guard outside the hut, Your Grace!" Kaelen declared, his eyes were wide and bloodshot.
Looks like he hasn’t rested in a while as well.
I rubbed my eyes, the exhaustion finally hitting like a physical blow.
I’m so sleepy... Ugh.
"Haah... Just sleep outside. Don’t cause trouble, Kaelen."
"When do I ever!?" He scoffed, looking genuinely offended for so reason.
"Haaaw! Your Grace, don’t you trust a bit?" I gave him a tired shrug and a disgusted look before I began following Garrow’s heavy footsteps through the crunching snow.
Crunch. Crunch.
"Oh, and I rescued a fox-woman."
"YOU WHA—" Kaelen started, his voice hitting a pitch that probably alerted every wolf within three miles. Then, he stopped. He let out a long, wheezing breath as his shoulders sagged. "No. At this point, I’m not even surprised anymore, Master. I’ve given up asking. You only ever ask for money I don’t have anyway."
"I see." My gaze settled on a hut slightly larger than the others. Garrow’s footsteps eased as he stepped aside. "Thank you, Garrow."
"Please rest well, Your Grace." Garrow bowed, the movent causing his battered armor to clink softly. He retreated into the darkness, his presence slowly fading until only the crackle of distant fires and the whistling of the wind remained.
Looks like, it’s just and Kaelen now.
"Master?"
"Yes, Kaelen." I paused with my hand already on the woven door-flap.
"I trust you, Master."
"What?" I turned slightly, squinting at him.
What is he high on again?
"There’s no need to carry the burden by yourself," Kaelen’s voice lacked its usual boisterous edge. He sounded older, tired in a way that had nothing to do with sleep.
"There is no burden. Stop being sentintal. It’s disgusting," I snapped, though the bite wasn’t really there. "Good night, Kaelen."
I stepped inside and pulled the heavy flap shut, the rough material scraping against the fra.
Trsssh.
"Night, Master!" his muffled voice chirped from the other side, instantly returning to his usual, annoying self.
"Haah."
I collapsed onto the pile of furs. They slled of cedar and old campfire smoke.
Finally, peace...
[Ding!]
[Daily Task Reward Claimable!]
[Host is suggested to lie down and close your eyes to see through the mories before the knowledge of the career.]
[mory Loading...]
[Dream starts in 3... 2... 1...]
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