Chapter 61

Chapter 61

Negotiation Breakdown

Tom glanced at Galahad sitting opposite and swallowed dry saliva.

The Galahad Tom knew was always a man who did not forget leisure.

It was Galahad who threw jokes even in front of the demon race.

Yet today that atmosphere was subtle.

The faint smile full of leisure and the straight posture were the same as usual, but that feeling was somehow sharp.

Today’s Galahad was somehow sharp.

It was after receiving His Grace the Grand Duke’s letter.

‘The duel the princess proposed—.’

From the beginning Galahad was a man tightly bundled with confidence. It did not seem he would become prickly just because selected on the duel list.

It was clear there was a problem with the princess.

‘Princess—.’

At the too huge word Tom stuck out his tongue softly.

Then, Gilbert who poured wine into his mouth went keuk—. Damien exhaled a low sigh.

“If the princess, isn’t it the crazy bitch you spoke of then?”

At Gilbert’s rough question Tom softly astonished. Yet Galahad’s answer was the same as usual.

“You, that is imperial blasphemy crime.”

“Yes? Isn’t it what the captain said.”

“I said crazy woman.”

Gilbert’s face twitched. Galahad laughed.

“Have you met the princess? They say she is a complete beauty!”

This time Gwen asked while sparkling her eyes.

“Beauty—.”

Galahad slightly squinted his eyes. Soon he found the leisurely smile again.

“Right, she is a tremendous beauty.”

“Wow—! Really?”

Gwen softly admired. At the members treating Galahad as if nothing Tom softly astonished.

“Compared to Lady Adrianne who is more beautiful?”

Gilbert asked seriously. At that bare question Tom swallowed dry saliva. Gwen sparkled her eyes again. Damien tore dried meat.

“Aiming who is more beautiful—. Befitting lecher Sir Gilbert. Everyone in the world has their own charm. There is nothing as stupid as comparing that.”

Galahad’s answer was always elegant as such.

“No, while saying everyone has their own charm why to me—.”

“Sir Gilbert, you have ugly charm.”

“This damn—.”

At rebelling Gilbert Galahad laughing with a keul keul— was the same as the usual appearance.

However, Tom felt a somehow discomfort from such Galahad.

“No, so who is pretty?”

Gilbert asked without giving up. Gwen also shone her eyes again. Galahad exhaled a small sigh.

“Stop the stupid sound and prepare.”

At Galahad’s firm order Gilbert stood while squinting his eyes.

“Since all ate let’s go out.”

“Where. Didn’t I explain that we are waiting for Adrianne.”

“Aren’t we going out to the duel as the North’s representatives? Other things aside losing to the empire cannot be tolerated. Let’s train.”

Gilbert said seriously. Passion was full in those eyes.

Galahad clicked his tongue openly.

“My opponent is a mage. Training with you will not be any help. And there is no case I will lose in mage combat.”

At Galahad’s firm answer Gilbert stopped awkwardly.

“Since ate it is training.”

“Why to me.”

“Noisy kid.”

Gilbert grabbed Damien’s nape and took him out. Startled Gwen followed that.

Galahad put the cigarette in his mouth as if nothing. The fire of the cigarette illuminated Galahad’s face.

Because that face was very complicated, Tom quietly left the place.

Tom who opened the door to step out faced a blonde woman.

Blue eyes were exactly like a clear sky, and that skin was whiter than snow.

The North’s hero, Adrianne.

“Is Captain Galahad inside?”

“Yes!”

Tom who belatedly came to senses hurriedly stepped aside.

Adrianne bowed her head with a bob and entered inside.

Tom seriously pondered while looking at the closed door.

‘Can there be prettier than Adrianne?’

Even imagining was hard.

*

“May I sit?”

At the polite question Galahad raised his head.

Adrianne was opposite.

“No.”

“Ah—.”

“It is a joke. Sit.”

Adrianne exhaled breath and sat. Straightly sitting Adrianne turned the sword to the side. It was a knight’s habit of turning to draw the sword well.

“I heard the princess is coming.”

Adrianne brought up the story with a serious face. At that Galahad nodded.

“Did she come looking for Captain Galahad?”

Adrianne asked while blankly looking at Galahad. Those blue pupils were truly clear.

At Adrianne’s direct question Galahad pondered for a moment.

The princess was the existence currently tormenting Galahad’s head the most.

The current situation of the princess was drawn as if seen in the eyes.

The death of the fiance the Kingdom Alliance prince—.

Galahad was certain that was not the princess’s doing.

The princess was a crazy one, but not a foolish one.

And—.

‘There is no way she would harm the gift I gave.’

Galahad considering the princess’s nature expressed the prince as a gift.

Actually it was also the last arrangement given to her—.

There was no way the princess would ruin the gift Galahad gave.

It was clear something happened in the imperial family.

Galahad softly chewed his teeth.

Then, eyes met with Adrianne.

Adrianne was quietly looking at Galahad without urging an answer.

“I know I am handsome, but if looking that much it wears out.”

“······Yes?! That is not—.”

“Right, she came looking for me.”

Galahad cut Adrianne’s words and said. Adrianne quietly looked at Galahad and nodded.

“I see. What is Captain Galahad’s thought.”

“······My thought?”

“Yes.”

Actually it was a sensitive problem.

To Adrianne Galahad was the fiance the empire arbitrarily decided.

The princess coming to see Galahad was tremendous rudeness and discourtesy.

Yet Adrianne did not get angry and rather asked Galahad’s opinion.

‘Completely opposite of the princess.’

Galahad slightly put the cigarette in his mouth.

Adrianne quietly looked without urging.

Quite an awkward woman.

“If asking my thought, honestly it is bothersome and annoying.”

“······Bothersome and annoying you say?”

Adrianne’s eyebrows slightly rose.

“Imagine the former superior coming looking this far.”

At Galahad’s words Adrianne lowered her eyes for a moment. It seemed seriously pondering. How long those eyelashes were snowflakes were rising.

“Wouldn’t one be thankful? Because coming this far thinking of me.”

At Adrianne’s answer Galahad coughed softly.

‘One can think of that meaning too.’

Looking at the root Adrianne’s words were correct.

Just the things covering above were twisted.

“I see.”

Galahad nodded.

A moment of silence settled. Galahad busily gauged the princess’s intention.

However, because the opponent was the princess it was hard to predict at all.

“Then the princess might also nullify the marriage.”

Adrianne said dryly. Those eyebrows were in the correct position.

“That would not be. Because it is a matter decided from a higher rank than her.”

From the beginning if she could block it, it would have been blocked long ago.

She was a princess, but at the same time barely a princess.

“Ah—. I see.”

Adrianne’s eyebrows lowered. At the lowered eyebrows Galahad squinted his eyes.

“It is the look of regretting not being able to nullify the marriage.”

At Galahad’s question Adrianne’s eyes became a little large.

Soon Adrianne who returned to the usual expressionless twitched her mouth. It seemed carefully choosing words.

Around the time the cigarette showed the end, Adrianne opened her mouth.

“I have no thought of marrying you.”

That voice was firm.

Rather firmer than when first meeting.

At that Galahad stood up with a flash and tilted his face to Adrianne.

The distance instantly became close.

At the distance that became close to the extent the sound of breathing was heard Adrianne held her breath without knowing herself.

Isn’t this too close—.

Then, Galahad opened his mouth.

“Am I ugly?”

The voice of Galahad asking so was indifferent.

How that kind of question—.

“Answer.”

At the firm urging Adrianne shook her head.

“You are handsome.”

“Is the height small?”

“Large.”

“Then is the personality bad?”

“No.”

At the direct questions pouring consecutively Adrianne felt dense dizziness.

How one can do such questions that confidently and shamelessly—.

Then, Galahad tilted his body even more.

At the cold pupils that approached with a seongkeum Adrianne pulled her face back without knowing herself.

Then Galahad approached that much more.

Unfortunately there was no more place to step back.

“Then I do not know why pondering. Present a reasonable basis so that one can achieve an amicable negotiation.”

Galahad’s eyes stared at Adrianne.

‘······Amicable negotiation? Reasonable basis?’

At the surprising word choice Adrianne’s head became blank.

To think of presenting a basis one cannot marry—.

At the request one could not even imagine Adrianne gaped her mouth.

“There is none. Then—.”

At Galahad’s indifferent voice Adrianne stood up with a flash.

Galahad calmly only raised his head and looked up at Adrianne.

That face was very annoying.

Sincerely—.

“You are a capable mage, and I am one who burns mana. That end is clear.”

Words burst from Adrianne’s mouth as if exploding.

It was a natural story.

Galahad was a capable mage as he was confident.

Adrianne was one who possessed the nature of burning mana—.

The end between the two was clear.

It was the same story as a fish entering fire.

Even if not that—. Adrianne desperately swallowed the words that were about to burst.

Adrianne who realized she raised her voice had a hot face.

Actually Galahad had a face as if nothing.

No, rather he was raising the corners of his mouth.

Anxious.

What kind of words would come out from that annoying mouth again—.

The moment trying to say something, Galahad’s mouth opened.

“Ah, was that the problem? You, as expected have a sinister side. Well skinship is an important part.”

“···Yes?”

At the shocking words Adrianne’s thoughts stopped for a moment.

“Do not worry. I will interpret your nature, and establish a countermeasure for that. One will even be able to kiss.”

“Yes?! It is not that!”

“Surely are you saying more than that? Hmm. I will try.”

“Ah! No!”

At Galahad nodding seriously Adrianne screamed softly.

Adrianne hurriedly bowed her head and left the place.

At Adrianne disappearing while creaking as if broken Galahad scratched his cheek.

*

A moment later the preparation finished.

The Special Mission Unit moved together with Adrianne’s direct unit.

Adrianne as always led at the front without riding the carriage.

Unlike usual Adrianne was wearing a thick helmet. A quite vicious helmet with four horns on top.

“Strange.”

“What.”

“From Lady Adrianne the feeling of the youngest comes.”

“Oh—.”

Galahad softly admired. Does the thing called eyesight exist even for Gilbert.

“Really amazing. But when does this youngest return?”

“He will come someday.”

“A clumsy guy—. Ah, the duel. What do you think?”

At Gilbert’s question Galahad let out a groan.

The duel was a total of three times.

2nd Battalion Captain, Galahad, Adrianne like this three times.

If the princess proposed, that result would probably—.

“The North will lose.”

“······Yes? We lose?”

At Gilbert’s counter full of astonishment Galahad nodded.

It was the princess who hated losing terribly.

There was no way she would hang a match she loses.

“Didn’t you say you win?”

“I naturally win.”

“Then is it the story the captains lose?”

“Sir Gilbert, the voice is large.”

Surrounding gazes sharpened. Among them there was also Adrianne. Galahad lightly waved his hand.

Adrianne stared at the front again.

“It seems you do not know the North.”

Gilbert said seriously. At that Galahad obediently nodded.

“Correct words. I might still not properly know the North. However, the North and the capital have different environments.”

Galahad deeply sucked the cigarette. Lemon scent blew.

Certainly the North’s knights were excellent. In that background there was war with the demon race.

They were knights who became stronger through countless real battles. The overall quality was superior to the empire’s knights.

However, going up to the upper the story changed.

The empire’s knights were made ones. Receiving education from a renowned knight from childhood, and receiving expensive support the empire knight was a weapon made.

Of course, a knight was not an existence compared with such things. Northern knights also grew roughly not inferior to empire knights.

The problem—.

“Isn’t it a duel. Probably empire style.”

If demon race hunting one would not know. Empire style duel was their domain.

“But Lady Adrianne is there.”

Gilbert countered reluctantly.

Certainly Adrianne was an excellent skilled one.

At the end she would clearly become the sharpest sword.

However—.

“Isn’t there the princess.”

It was a world where the imperial family was regarded as existences who received the god’s choice.

To prove that nobility, the imperial family had to be excellent in everything.

If the empire knight was a made existence, the imperial family was a treasure carefully molded by investing hundreds of millions.

At the end Adrianne would win, but now the timing was early.

The princess was already a fully bloomed flower.

Adrianne could not win yet.

If that method is a duel even more—.

Then, far away the Grand Duke’s castle was seen.

Thick and high walls covered with snow and armed soldiers—.

The crude yet huge castle gate felt as if even writing the Grand Duke’s name.

‘Coming after quite a long time.’

Last time when coming one was dragged as if kidnapped—. Galahad felt a subtle regret.

Then—.

Puuuuu! The horn trumpet rang long. Soldiers lined long on the wall.

The castle gate opened roughly. The snow below bounced roughly. Soldiers urgently jumped out from the open castle gate.

Soldiers with tense faces stood in a stylish line.

In an instant the path heading to the castle gate was established with soldiers.

Subsequently the soldiers raised a fierce salute.

Rough to the extent the ground rang.

“A grand welcome ceremony.”

Galahad clicked his tongue softly.

Then he suddenly felt something strange. Naturally he thought it was toward Adrianne, yet the direction of the salute was somewhat strange.

‘It is toward me.’

Is this the Grand Duke’s recognition.

Galahad raised the corners of his mouth and received the salute.

Particularly no use. The mood did not become good either.

Receiving excessive welcome he headed to the Grand Duke’s castle.

A neatly shaped man approached. Looking at the knight assisting and the neat attire it seemed a man with quite high position.

“I am Theodore who serves His Grace the Grand Duke. His Grace calls.”

“I see, shall we go?”

Galahad asked Adrianne. Adrianne who still did not take off the helmet nodded.

At that the man called Theodore expressed difficulty.

“That··· His Grace said Captain Galahad come alone.”

“Alone?”

“Yes, alone.”

Theodore emphasized ‘alone’.

The word ‘alone’ was somehow cool.

A private meeting with the Grand Duke—.

“Adrianne!”

Galahad urgently called Adrianne.

****

Garceton Castle was experiencing an untimely uproar.

Because of the dazzling golden carriage dozens of personnel followed.

‘Princess—. What is this suddenly······.’

The castle lord Chirta tore at the little remaining hair at the headache.

Garceton Castle was a castle with nothing particular to boast. One could not know why the princess visited.

Yet because one could not stay still like this Chirta urgently ran out.

Just in time at the princess entering the castle Chirta blankly opened his mouth.

That was insufficient with simply the expression beautiful.

It was fatal beauty.

If not for the fierce gaze of the knight behind the princess, one almost continued looking only at the face.

“I heard he visited here.”

“······Yes?”

At the sudden story Chirta opened his eyes round.

He?

“Ah, Sir Galahad.”

Galahad—! It was an unforgettable name.

Because it was the reason Chirta became the castle lord.

Chirta was originally not the castle lord.

The original castle lord Daniel claiming for his daughter Emma, attacked Galahad at night.

Even in the state of wearing Emma’s skirt. On top of that even the fact of colluding with the demon race was revealed.

Related people all processed, and Chirta who became the castle lord in a daze.

Because of that it was an unforgettable name.

‘Yet why Galahad?’

A question rose, but Chirta nodded.

“Where?”

“Ah, it is the upper side. But because cleaning was not done—.”

Chirta hurriedly added the words.

It was the room where the castle lord who became a demon race and Galahad battled. He was afraid to go and could not clean, yet the princess saying she would go—. Cold sweat fully flowed.

“Guide.”

“···Yes? No, blood and torn cloth are full. Quickly clean···.”

“Good.”

Chirta who met eyes with the princess could not finish the words.

“Where?”

At the princess’s question mixed with hot breath Chirta pointed upward.

The princess hummed a tune and went up.

The one who looked like a knight blocked the stairs.

“Everyone leave.”

The knight’s voice was firm.

Exactly as if there is something one should not see—,

The thought of daring to resist did not come.