Chapter 138 - The King of Arclight's proposal

After Sylvia's words, she started to lay out everything that had happened, including the details Eldritch shared about his mother contracting an incurable illness from the demons. Of course, Sylvia left out the part where she was attacked by Eldritch, which clearly seemed to bother Rena. Nonetheless, Rena remained silent.

Well, considering Rena's perspective, Sylvia's safety was her top priority. I imagine it must have been a challenge for Rena not to disclose the assassination attempt by Eldritch. However, I understood that revealing this detail could create complications. I hoped Rena had that insight. As I pondered these thoughts, the sudden voice of the king directed at me caught my attention.

"Indeed, if it's as you say, we need to resolve this as soon as possible. However, before that, could you introduce us to your new friend?"

Upon hearing these words, for some reason, I felt as though all eyes were fixed on me. Even though I was a complete stranger there, why was everyone staring at me as if I were prey? Unfortunately, there was no one to answer this doubt that arose in my mind.

"He's someone I hired to be my bodyguard for a while. His name is Makoto"

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere filled with murmurs. Being an outsider, I couldn't quite grasp what was going on. However, one thing was clear to me, Sylvia's words were taken extremely seriously by the king, the queen, and their vassals. While I reflected on this, the king continued.

"For you to personally choose him, he must be truly remarkable in combat" 

The king said. Though my eyes remained fixed on the ground, I could feel the king's and others' gazes directed at me. Though I didn't know the reason, everyone seemed even more intrigued by me after hearing Sylvia's words. While I pondered this, Sylvia continued.

"He truly is someone you can trust. It's a shame our contract won't last much longer. Makoto also seems to have other things to do, so I promised him that once his duty as my bodyguard is over, he'll be free to leave" 

Sylvia said with a certain conviction in her voice. The way she was speaking for some reason led me to believe that some kind of battle was underway. Overall, I decided to leave this matter with Sylvia.

"Um... since you're so convinced, I won't interfere in your affairs"

After those words, I felt like the king had turned his gaze towards me. Even though I didn't know the reason, I waited for his next words.

"Makoto, isn't it? Lift up your head"

Hearing the king's words, I was a bit confused at first. However, as I turned my gaze to Rena, seeking some help, I found her nodding her head in confirmation. This indicated to me that I should follow what the king was asking. Thus, obeying the king, I slowly lifted my head, directing my gaze forward, specifically towards where the king and queen were seated.

"I know Sylvia has already informed us about your intention to leave soon, however, I believe it would be appropriate to make a formal request"

Hearing these words, I cast a quick glance at Sylvia and noticed the surprised and incredulous expression on her face. It seemed that this wasn't something she expected.

"But father, I've made Makoto's intentions clear before. You can't just..."

Suddenly, deviating a bit from her role, Sylvia started speaking in a relatively loud tone, looking directly at the king. However, her words were quickly interrupted by the queen's words.

"Sylvia"

Saying those words, the queen fixed a attentive gaze on Sylvia. As soon as she realized that, Sylvia stepped back a few paces and lowered her head as a sign of apology.

"I apologize for my rudeness, Your Majesty"

For some reason, the scene made me a bit uncomfortable. Just a moment ago, Sylvia was addressing the king and queen as "Your Majesties" which to me didn't sound like something a family would do. The only reason I could think of for this was the presence of nobles around, which made it clear that this wasn't a casual moment. While I reflected on this, the king's voice echoed through the place.

"You don't need to worry, Sylvia. I promise I'm not pressuring your bodyguard. Of course, he's free to decline or accept my proposal"

With these words, the king spoke calmly. Then, he turned to me, looking directly into my eyes, and asked.

"What do you think about becoming a soldier in our kingdom?"

The king said serenely.

"Of course, if you prefer, you can also continue to serve as someone who protects Sylvia. How about becoming Sylvia's personal guardian? It's not a bad idea, is it? Moreover, if Sylvia approves of your skills, that's more than enough for me to believe in your competence. Also, in the recent attack on Sylvia's palace, although I wasn't present, I heard that you were fighting as well"

Hearing the king's words, I was momentarily surprised to learn that he was aware of that incident. From his words, I could confirm that he didn't know Eldritch was the culprit. However, it was still surprising. Although Sylvia's palace was located within the castle grounds, where the king and queen resided, it wouldn't be incorrect to say that the distance between the castle and Sylvia's palace was considerable.

Furthermore, the only ones who were aware of the incident were those who were present at the time, and they all agreed to keep the culprits' identities secret. This could only suggest that the king had sharper investigative skills than he appeared to have.

Putting aside these thoughts, I began to ponder over the proposal that the king had presented. Although the time I've spent alongside Sylvia has been beneficial, I can't simply abandon my main objective. Ultimately, from the beginning, I had only one answer in mind.