Chapter 45

Оnе оf thе cities within Еldridа, Sеlеnаd.

The maуоr of Selеnad was nоnе оthеr thаn Кail Odrik.

Нe had his оnlу familу аnd оnlу dаughter, Мaуa Odrik.

Мауа lost her mоther tо illness right after birth аnd hаd lived alone with hеr fаther, Kail.

Perhарs because of thаt, thе older shе got, thе mоrе immаture she becаme.

She wаs а vеry famоus figurе in Sеlenad.

Fоr wandering аround the city, рiсking on trivial things, аnd tоrmenting рeoрle.

Although thе citу’s еconomy was grаduallу сrumbling duе to mоnsters aрреaring in the Мanа Сrуstаl Мine, Мауa, thе mаyor’s only daughter, paid no attention to such matters and was today again scouting where to go and whom to pick on next.

“Delion, aren’t you coming quickly?”

“I’m sorry, Princess!”

“Really, why are you always so slow, huh? I’ll tell Dad everything!”

“…I’m sorry.”

The man named Delion was one of the strongest knights in Selenad.

Why was such an honorable knight serving the mayor’s only daughter, even driving her carriage?

‘Sigh… The Mayor really spoiled her too much.’

Delion was a person who even took pride in being an honorable knight of Selenad.

‘She was cute when she was little, but now it’s unbearable.’

Still, he had no intention of disobeying the mayor’s daughter’s orders or failing to properly escort her.

“Delion, let’s go to that restaurant today. I’m sick of fish, but I feel like having some for a change.”

“Understood, Princess.”

Truthfully, calling the daughter of a small frontier city’s mayor “Princess” was a bit ridiculous, but since Kail, the mayor of Selenad, had established this title, there was no choice.

Upon arriving in front of the restaurant, Maya got out of the carriage and entered the restaurant with Delion.

“What’s this! I’m here, why isn’t anyone coming out to greet me!”

“Ah! Welcome, Princess! It’s truly an honor that you’ve come! Let me show you to your seat!”

“Aren’t you coming out quickly?”

“S-sorry!”

As soon as she entered, Maya felt a sense of superiority seeing the restaurant owner bowing obsequiously.

She was the type who took pleasure in such things.

Guided to her seat, Maya sat down, placed Delion beside her, and as soon as the food arrived, she immediately picked up her fork and knife.

‘It’s delicious…?’

It was true that she had genuinely wanted to eat fish dishes after a long time.

But she hadn’t expected the food to be tastier than what her own chef at the mansion prepared.

Originally, she planned to find fault immediately after eating and give the restaurant owner a proper scolding, but now her plan seemed to be going up in smoke.

“Ugh…! Ptooey! Owner! Are you selling this as food? Huh?!”

“S-sorry. I’ll redo the food right away……”

The restaurant owner bowed his head deeply in apology, but Maya pushed the plates on the table away with her hand.

The plates, scattering food everywhere, shattered with a crash as soon as they hit the floor.

“You run a business only being able to make food like this? You, close up shop starting today. I’ll have to tell Dad.”

“P-princess! I’m truly sorry! What part of the food didn’t please you? I’ll take note and redo it right away…!”

“I said it just tastes disgusting? Should I eat this tasteless food again?!”

“Pr… Princess!!”

At Maya’s tantrum, the other customers eating in the restaurant frowned, quietly bowed their heads, and quickly started eating their meals.

If this continued, sparks might fly their way for no reason.

The restaurant owner, thinking he might suddenly have to close his shop, knelt before Maya, reached out, and grabbed the hem of her clothes.

“I’m truly sorry, Princess…! Please forgive me just this once….”

“How dare you touch me!”

Thwack!

Maya slapped the restaurant owner’s hand away.

“Delion! Cut off this bastard’s hand right now! How dare a lowly wretch lay a hand on me?!”

“……”

“…Delion? Hey, you bastard! Can’t you hear me? I said cut off this bastard’s hand!”

“Understood.”

Delion, the honorable knight of Selenad, also knew this situation was absurd.

But here, Maya’s word was practically law.

Swoosh…!

Delion drew the long sword at his waist and gripped it in his hand.

Seeing this, the restaurant owner began rubbing his hands together pleadingly.

“S-sorry! If my hands are cut off, I won’t be able to cook properly anymore! Sir Knight, please have mercy…!”

“…I’ll make it quick and painless.”

“Sir Knight…!”

As Delion raised the hand holding the sword high, the restaurant owner tightly shut his eyes.

Tears streamed down like rain from his tightly closed eyes. It was so unfair.

He wished someone would lend a helping hand, but the customers in the restaurant had been busy averting their gazes since earlier.

Concluding that no one would help him, he thought the immense pain of having both hands cut off would come any moment now.

Wouldn’t it be better to just die outright?

Without hands, how could he possibly live on as a chef?

His mind was filled with all sorts of negative thoughts, but strangely, he felt no pain.

Instead of pain, what came was a deep, unfamiliar male voice.

“That’s enough.”

“You, who are you! Do you want to die? You, don’t you know who I am?!”

At the voice, the restaurant owner slightly opened his eyes.

A man with a pale, almost white face and an expressionless look was protecting him.

“G-guest…! This lady is the Mayor’s daughter…!”

“……”

The restaurant owner quickly shouted, fearing the person who stepped forward to help him might suffer greatly.

Who wouldn’t know the only daughter of the Selenad Mayor?

He seemed like an outsider, and this man might really end up dead.

Delion, the escort knight Maya always kept by her side, was a knight of tremendous skill who could kill a person in the blink of an eye.

‘Why isn’t he saying anything…? No, more than that… why is Sir Delion just standing there?’

Delion, who was about to swing his sword, was still maintaining that posture.

“Delion, kill this bastard right now! How dare he be rude to me, the Mayor’s daughter? Delion!!! I said kill this guy right now!!”

“……”

“Hey, Delion! What are you doing!”

“My body… won’t move, Princess….”

“What…?”

Vroom…!!

The Circle in Khan’s heart spun rapidly, and a blue Mana slowly bloomed around his body.

‘Barrier.’

Khan concentrated a Barrier around the sword-wielding knight’s hand, blocking its movement.

“M-Mana…! He’s a Mage, Princess…!”

“What? A Mage? Even so, he’s weaker than you anyway! Kill him right now! Among Mages, where is there a strong one? Don’t exaggerate and swing your sword quickly!”

Delion could say nothing as he looked at the man standing before him.

Looking into his cold eyes, it felt like he would kill him and Maya on the spot.

‘Overwhelming skill…!’

Helplessly, he opened his mouth.

“…I’m sorry. I’ll leave, so please release me.”

“If you break your promise, I’ll kill you.”

As the chilling words left Khan’s mouth, Delion immediately replied.

“I am a knight. A promise once made, I will keep even at the cost of my life.”

Swoosh.

Hearing the answer, Khan withdrew the Mana restraining his hand.

“Delion, what is this behavior right now? Do you want to die?!”

“I’m sorry, Princess. If this continues, even you might get hurt, so let’s leave for now.”

“What? Why should I leave! Huh?!”

As Delion swiftly picked Maya up, she panicked and shouted.

“You…! Just you wait!! Huh?! I’ll tell Dad right away and have you killed!”

She was carried away by Delion in an awkward position, leaving the restaurant.

“Guest, thank you…! Truly, thank you!”

“That was amazing…!”

“Wow… You did what I only imagined, I feel so relieved!”

“Hahaha!! It’s refreshing, really…!”

The restaurant owner tearfully expressed his gratitude to Khan.

The customers who had been eating cautiously also applauded and marveled.

“But… I think you should leave the city quickly. Princess Maya’s temper is so fiery….”

“I’ll handle that myself. Byutek, Sharin. Are you done eating?”

“Yes!”

“I’m done too!”

“For the bill, use this.”

“Oh no, no! How could I take money from my savior who saved my life?”

“I’ll leave it here.”

Khan took out a silver coin from his pocket, placed it on the table, and left the restaurant.

“Thank you…!”

The restaurant owner shed tears of gratitude as he watched Khan’s retreating figure.

“Wow, he said his name was Khan, right? He must really be a Mage….”

“Seeing how he subdued Delion in one go… is he a Sir Mage from a Magic Tower?”

“Incredible…. I never thought I’d see such a skilled Mage up close like this.”

The customers in the restaurant began chattering amongst themselves about the Mana and Magic that had bloomed from Khan earlier.

And so, Khan’s name gradually began to spread in Selenad.

* * *

Maya, who had been forcibly taken outside, carried in an awkward position by Delion, couldn’t even stomp her feet on the ground until Delion put her in the carriage.

Thud.

As Delion carefully placed Maya in the carriage, she immediately kicked Delion in the face.

Thwack!!

“You dare disobey my order? Should I have you killed first? Huh?!”

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

“Ugh, I’m sorry….”

Maya kept hitting Delion’s face with her small fists, but even this didn’t quell her anger.

“Was that skinny, dried-up bastard really stronger than you? Delion? Huh?!”

“…He was a Mage of tremendous skill. I left quickly because if we provoked him wrongly, you might have gotten hurt.”

“Sigh… Fine! Head back to the mansion right now! I’ll tell Dad to have that bastard killed or thrown in prison, he must be punished.”

“…Understood, Princess.”

Delion was a bit worried, but he drove the carriage quickly towards the mansion.