FTA Ch 19

<Episode 19>

 

“Miss Gloria, what is the reason you wanted to meet with me?” Claude asked.

“I’d like to ask you to find me some good people.” Gloria said

“Hmm…”

“I need someone to help me from now on.” Gloria explained.

 

Gloria was quite pleased with the castle, which perfectly reflected her needs.

However, there was one problem.

The castle was much larger than she had anticipated.

 

‘So far, Leonard has been handling the cleaning, so it wasn’t an issue.’

 

Now, knights loyal to Leonard would also reside in the castle.

She couldn’t very well have Leonard cleaning in front of them.

 

“…Um, Miss Gloria. Regrettably, I doubt anyone other than me could assist you in subjugating monsters.”

“No, I can take care of monsters on my own.” Gloria answered.

 

‘What was this man suddenly going on about?’

Gloria looked at Claude with a bewildered expression and tilted her head.

While speaking of it casually, subjugating monsters was a dangerous and arduous task that put one’s life on the line.

She had no intention of forcing such a dangerous undertaking on anyone else.

‘Why was Claude speaking as though he could help her with fighting monsters?’

Realizing she hadn’t been clear enough, Gloria opened her mouth again.

 

“I need a steward who had attendants and a talented cook to manage the castle.” Gloria explained.

“Ah…”

 

Claude let out a low exclamation as if it all made sense now.

 

“So that’s what this was about.”

 

Gloria silently watched Claude while fidgeting with the handle of her mace.

She wanted to finish the conversation quickly and go back to monster hunting.

 

‘Still, I should show this man proper courtesy.’

 

Despite her restlessness, Gloria mustered every ounce of patience and stayed seated.

After a moment of contemplation, Claude’s lips slowly parted.

 

“A beautiful castle calls for a suitably dignified steward.”

“Dignified…”

 

Now that he mentioned it, he was right.

Gloria nodded.

The whole reason she wanted a steward was for Leonard’s sake.

She had to hire someone well trained enough to match his status.

Thinking back, the stewards managing the mansions of noble families carried themselves like aristocrats.

Even the steward of the Lanark Marquisate, Dennis where Gloria had lived for half her life was like that.

 

“Yes, a dignified steward would be necessary.” Gloria explained.

 

Claude smiled faintly at her response.

 

“In that case, how about hiring me?” Claude asked.

“…What?”

 

Gloria blinked at Claude in confusion.

She couldn’t understand what he had just said.

 

“As it happens, I’m currently out of a job.” Claude explained.

 

Regardless of Gloria’s dumbfounded state, Claude went on with another outrageous statement.

For a moment, she thought Claude might be joking.

Something entirely uncharacteristic of him.

But his expression was so serious as he looked down at her that she furrowed her brow without realizing it.

 

“…Are you saying your guild went under?” Gloria asked.

“Yes, sadly.”

 

At Claude’s response, Gloria felt faint.

‘It was hard to find a reliable business partner like his guild.’

‘Where was she supposed to sell monster carcasses now?’

 

‘I need to sell the eyes of the Troll ¹, I collected last time to raise funds…’

 

The plan was to use that money to hire a steward, a cook, and attendants.

Yet the plan was already derailed.

Gloria sighed deeply at the mess.

 

“There’s no one else who can serve you as well as I can, Miss Gloria. Trust me, and I’ll live up to your expectations.” Claude said.

 

Then Claude sincerely promoted himself again.

 

“Promising to live up to expectations…”

 

Gloria was taken a back.

If Claude’s words were true, there was no longer any reason to maintain their relationship.

She had liked Claude as a business partner, but only when he was useful for trading.

She wasn’t generous enough to take in a man who had lost his job out of sheer loyalty.

Regrettably, her ties with Claude ended here.

Gloria had to find a new trading partner to earn money moving forward.

Things had suddenly gotten more complicated.

Suppressing a sigh, she stepped past Claude.

But at that moment, Claude abruptly turned his head.

 

“Looks like the perfect opportunity for me to prove my worth has arrived.” Claude said.

 

Instinctively, Gloria followed Claude’s gaze.

In the distance, a man dressed impeccably in a white cleric’s robe was approaching.

It was one of those pests who had come looking for her the day she left the marquis’s house with her bag in hand.

‘High Priest Joshua’.

Recognizing him, Gloria tightened her grip on the mace she was holding.

He who proclaimed himself to be a merciful and devout servant of God

He had relentlessly harassed her in the most petty ways imaginable.

And now, the wretched man had come all the way here on his own.

 

“You’d better turn around and leave while you still can.” Gloria said.

 

Stepping past Claude, Gloria moved swiftly.

She moved so quickly that Claude didn’t even have time to think about stopping her.

She had suspected that if anyone came looking for her, it would likely be Joshua.

After all, strong divine energy left traces.

If anyone could track those traces to find her, it would be Joshua, the High Priest.

But…

 

‘I didn’t expect him to find me this quickly.’

‘Had the value of the new saint’s potential already worn thin?’

With a cold gleam in her eyes, Gloria stared straight ahead.

 

* * *

 

The ‘Count Pandeil family’ had always shared close ties with the ‘Marquis Lanark family’.

For generations, the two families had remained loyal to the imperial family and collaborated with the church for earning countless honors.

They were also leaders in driving out monsters from across the empire.

It was natural, then, that from the moment Gloria joined the Lanark marquisate.

She became intricately entangled with Joshua.

Before he was the High Priest, ‘Joshua Pandeil’ was the youngest son of the Pandeil family, a child of great privilege.

When Gloria officially became affiliated with the church and began training as a ‘Child of Prophecy’.

She lived in the marquis’s residence, studying the etiquette of noble society.

She had to suppress her aggressive demeanor and combative personality, traits she had naturally developed to survive as a drifter on the streets.

She was forced to adopt the humility and composure expected of someone blessed by the gods.

Gabriel who personally selecting her tutors, ensured they were highly skilled.

These tutors pressured Gloria in every possible way

He alternating between encouragement and strict discipline.

Still, they could not completely alter her personality.

Their best efforts could only suppress her fiery temperament and teach her to feign poise.

The more they pushed, the more grueling her days of endurance became.

It was during that time that Gloria met Joshua.

Gabriel hoped that spending time with Joshua who was the same age.

He would teach Gloria to emulate her noble and refined manner.

What Gloria or Joshua thought didn’t matter.

For Gabriel and other high ranking nobles, placing Joshua as soon to join the church as one.

It’s most devout servants by Gloria’s side was both logical and practical.

Thus began Gloria’s entanglement with Joshua Pandeil.

When Gloria first saw Joshua, she thought he looked like a fairy straight out of a storybook.

His delicate features and noble demeanor impressed her.

That is her impressed until he opened his mouth.

Just like now.

 

“So this miserable place is the best hiding spot you could manage” Joshua said

 

Gloria let Joshua’s snide remark slide past one ear.

She was far too used to his barbs to take them seriously.

 

“Well, it does suit someone as lowly as you perfectly.” Joshua said

 

She simply stared at Joshua with an indifferent gaze.

 

“A castle that looks like a monster could leap out of it at any moment.” Joshua explained.

 

Joshua’s lips twisted as he sneered even harder.

He had come to gloat, to see how miserably Gloria was living after fleeing.

Surely she’d been indulging in all the luxuries she could now that she was free.

At least, that’s what he had imagined.

Yet the sight that greeted him utterly shattered those expectations.

Above all, Gloria’s unruffled demeanor irritated him to no end.

Considering how long it had taken to track her down, his anger was already boiling over.

Joshua didn’t bother to hide his irritation as he glared at Gloria with a scowl.

 

“Finding a dump like this must be a skill in it self.”

 

Gloria let his jabs go unanswered again.

With an aloof expression, she simply stood and looked at him.

For now, she decided to listen to whatever he had come here to say.

She lightly set the head of her mace on the ground.

The rain soaked earth squelched under weight and it’s leaving a deep imprint.

Joshua’s face twisted with a look of disgust.

 

“…Are you showing off your strength in front of me now?” Joshua asked.