EIYTMA Chapter 22

It took only a moment for the Marquis to purify the village well. Had a priest been called instead, it would have taken a full day. It was a reminder of why magic was so expensive.  

 

After witnessing the Marquis’ magic, the paladins began to grumble nonsense, saying things like, “If only I hadn’t been dragged into the temple because of my holy power, I would’ve learned magic!”  

 

“You lunatics. I feel the same way, but let’s not say that in front of the lady and young master, huh? It’s embarrassing.”  

 

Shanka swung his sheathed sword like a club, smacking each paladin on the head. The paladins, each nursing a fresh lump, whined to Ezekiel, but since he wholeheartedly agreed with Shanka’s words, he pretended not to notice their suffering.  

 

“Haha! It’s fine. I won’t tattle to the elder.”  

 

The boy who burst into laughter, Henri, said this. The elder—he was clearly referring to the Marquis. Ezekiel answered with a complicated expression.  

 

“If the paladins of Udahl act rudely, please let me know.”  

 

“I’m having a great time!”  

 

Henri, still laughing, clung to Shanka’s arm as he was swung around in the air. Ezekiel sighed.  

 

The village chief was overwhelmed with gratitude that a mage had come to their village—especially the fact that this mage was none other than the Marquis Kazakov, whom the Emperor himself held in high esteem. As a result, the first-floor hall of the inn was filled with food brought by the villagers.  

 

The paladins, now full, welcomed the lady, the boy, and the maid as they timidly came downstairs. A few young paladins, who had taken it upon themselves to entertain their charges, puffed out their chests with pride as they guided them to a table.  

 

“My lady, try this!”  

 

For the first time in a while, the atmosphere was lively. Flushed with excitement, the maid offered Iris Querluxia a beer. With the paladins grinning and encouraging her, Iris eventually took a drink as well.  

 

By the time Ezekiel spotted her, it was already too late—the beer mug in front of his fiancée was completely empty.  

 

“How is it?”  

 

At Shanka’s question, Iris smiled brightly in response. Her cheeks were as red as the maid’s.  

 

“It’s been a while since I last drank. It’s really good.”  

 

“A while? I thought it was your first time! When was the last time you drank?”  

 

Milena asked cheerfully. The lady continued to smile as she answered.  

 

“The day I received marriage proposal… I suppose.”  

 

For a brief moment, Milena’s face hardened. Everyone assumed she meant the day the Emperor’s envoy arrived with the proposal.  

 

Well, it was only natural for her to have a lot on her mind. The day she agreed to marry a man twenty years her senior—was that drink a toast to the occasion, or…  

 

As their thoughts dragged on, the air grew heavy. But Shanka, a paladin of Udahl, had a talent for breaking such tension. With deliberate nonchalance, he raised his voice in exaggerated amazement.  

 

“No way! Then you must have had something much fancier than this beer! Does it suit your taste?”  

 

“Oh, what are you saying? In our territory, we drink a lot of beer. The drink I had that day was beer, too.”  

 

The lady stroked her beer mug with both hands, shyly puffing out her chest. Though the overly developed curves looked burdensome for her age, no one pointed it out.  

 

“In our territory, when we run out of winter provisions, we drink beer. The neighboring land produces a lot of barley, so in the summer, my father would buy old barley and make malt. We would use that to brew beer and drink it until winter ended. That’s why I’m used to having beer instead of meals.”  

 

“Haha! Sounds like my kind of place. Was it Querluxia territory?”  

 

The lady smiled faintly.  

 

“It was a small place.”  

 

A small, poor land. But she did not let the paladins linger on that thought.  

 

“I’m Iris. Please feel free to call me by my name.”  

 

Milena quickly followed up.  

 

“So, you’re asking us to call you Iris instead of ‘my lady’?”  

 

“I’d really appreciate it if you did.”  

 

“Alright, Iris! Let’s have another drink!”  

 

With a hearty laugh, Shanka set another beer mug down in front of her with a loud thunk. The noise was so loud it seemed the bronze cup might dent, making Iris flinch before smiling again. Henri raised his hand.  

 

“Me too! Me too! I drank beer in the winter too!”  

 

“Nice! Young master, have a drink too!”  

 

“Call me Henri!”  

 

“Shanka.”  

 

Ezekiel frowned in disapproval, but Henri was faster. The boy eagerly grabbed the bronze mug and chugged it down, his eyes gleaming with joy. Then, with a smug expression, he exhaled in satisfaction.  

 

Iris, looking troubled, tried to stop him.  

 

“Captain is displeased, Henri.”  

 

“But, sister… His Highness…”  

 

“Henri.”  

 

Iris called his name firmly yet gently. She was telling him to stop. Henri pouted and pushed the beer mug away.  

 

The mood instantly grew awkward, and Ezekiel stood up.  

 

“I’ll head upstairs first.”  

 

“Oh, Captain, leaving already?”  

 

“There was a monster sighting. I need to prepare the report for the next temple.”  

 

The temples were highly sensitive to the appearance of ancient monsters because they spread plague and poison. Thus, regardless of the deity they worshipped, the temples of the seven gods were obligated to share information about monsters.

 

Naturally, Ezekiel also had to report what they had encountered to whatever temple was present in the next city they visited.

 

“Shanka, escort Lady Querluxia.”

 

“Aye!”

 

Shanka made a mock salute.

 

Ezekiel immediately went upstairs to the inn and began organizing his report. In truth, cases of monsters falling and drowning in wells were so common that there was little to write about.

 

Outside, the occasional commotion suggested that the knights were still drinking on the first floor.

 

It was as he was tidying up his papers and pen that he heard a scuffle from the nearby hallway. A familiar voice. Before he realized it, Ezekiel was listening in.

 

“Please let go of me, Marquess…”

 

At first, he merely listened quietly. But the moment he heard those words, he had already thrown open the door. It was an action he hadn’t anticipated himself.

 

With a loud bang, the two people in the corridor flinched and turned toward him.

 

The Marquess and Iris.

 

The Marquess had been gripping Iris’s wrist, but when Ezekiel fixed his gaze on that hand, the Marquess hesitated and let go. Iris immediately clutched her wrist and shrank back. In a low voice, Ezekiel asked:

 

“What is going on?”

 

“It’s nothing. I was merely trying to have a brief conversation…”

 

A brief conversation. That was slightly different from what Ezekiel had heard.

 

“We’ve never had a proper conversation, have we? If you have a moment, come to my room…”

 

“But, Marquess, we are not yet married. For me to go to your room…”

 

“Ha. That is exactly why I want to talk. How can we marry while knowing so little about each other?”

 

“This is difficult, Marquess. If you do this…”

 

Of course, Ezekiel had no right to question such matters. Nor did he wish to.

 

He simply had not wanted to confirm his suspicions in this manner.

 

Ahem.

 

Fortunately, the Marquess coughed awkwardly and stepped back.

 

“It is late. Sir Ezekiel, Lady Querluxia, you should both get some rest.”

 

“Please go inside.”

 

Ezekiel gave a slight nod of his head. The Marquess still seemed reluctant, but he did not have the audacity to drag a lady away in front of Ezekiel.

 

As soon as the Marquess disappeared, Ezekiel gave Iris a small nod as well.

 

“You should also go inside, Lady Querluxia.”

 

“Um, Commander…”

 

The woman hesitated before calling out to him. Ezekiel stopped and looked at her, waiting for her to speak. Iris avoided his gaze for a moment before lowering her head and speaking softly.

 

“…Thank you. That must have been an embarrassing scene to witness.”

 

“Indeed.”

 

He hadn’t stepped in to receive her gratitude. Ezekiel turned to leave again, but Iris called out to him once more.

 

“Um…”

 

“Speak.”

 

“That… Please forgive Henri’s rudeness.”

 

Iris fumbled over her words. Rudeness. She must have been referring to Henri addressing him as “Your Highness.”

 

“That child doesn’t understand the ways of the world yet. I’ve been too indulgent with him…”

 

What of it? Ezekiel responded indifferently.

 

“I don’t mind.”

 

“I see… I apologize.”

 

Was that all she wanted to say? Ezekiel thought so, but Iris did not leave. She hesitated before finally speaking again.

 

“Commander… you could call me by my name, if you’d like…”

 

Ezekiel cut her off.

 

“That would not be appropriate.”

 

“…Commander.”

 

“My duty is simply to escort Lady Querluxia to Renat.”

 

The blue eyes standing at the foot of the stairs darkened.