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Never touch Eldmia Egga - Episode 399

After sending the nameless demon away, I looked at the corpses around me and took what I could..

Of course, I didn't move to make money by rummaging through the mangled corpses without any plan. Since these guys were obsessed with carrying out special operations, I thought there was a possibility that maps and important documents were stored in something like an oiled leather pouch..

The first person I decided to find was a wizard who had his arm blown off by a needle. Since the surviving demon was the leader, he thought that the guy standing behind him would not be an ordinary soldier either..

And sure enough, I was able to find the item I was looking for in the very gruesome corpse..

"I was already planning on getting a new map, but it worked out well.."

There were three maps found in the guy's arms. I don't know if the scale is accurate, but there is a moderately sized map with quite a few cities and place names written on it, a military map with very detailed markings around the Itisel coastline, and lastly, a map so large that it is hard to see unless you lay it out and look at it. Instead, it's a map with a lot of detail..

I don't know what the military map was like, but the other two maps were a great harvest that brought a smile to my face. In particular, large maps are something you can't buy with money. If you try to get something like this, it is certain that one day you will suddenly be taken to the military and interrogated..

I searched further to see if there was any kind of instruction, but all I found was a money bag with silver coins in it. The equipment and other items were as shattered as their bodies, so there was nothing to salvage. As I moved carefully to shake it off as neatly as possible, quite a bit of time had already passed by the time I finished the work..

At the same time, the city dragons flying in hastily from afar let out a long howl, signaling the end of the incident..

The sight of the ax hanging over my shoulder, which I easily found as it was firmly embedded in the skull of a dead dragon, was quite a spectacle..

◈

After the arrival of the flying dragons carrying adventurers and soldiers, everything was quickly resolved..

Mandeli gave me a lot of prize money for solving the devil's army infiltration incident, but in fact, it was highly likely that all of this happened because of me, so I felt guilty and returned it under the pretext of adding to the cost of rebuilding the city..

Thanks to this, I ended up creating a useless heroic narrative with a small amount of money, but it was clear that it would naturally fade away when I headed to the front and returned anyway, so I decided to move on..

It was on the day of the event, long after returning to the capital, that I learned that this incident had added one more line of praise to be read at an official event..

"No, that's added to it.?"

"Even though it was just a few demons, it was an incident that made the area uneasy and made people spend money in Mandeli.."

It was Ragnis who told me that fact..

She, who had clearly begun to assert herself after the last Oak Gate incident, volunteered to teach me what to watch out for at this event, using the pretext of being the one who brought me to the capital..

As I listened to her tell me one by one what was planned for today while wearing a red dress that showed off her incredibly strong shoulders, my head started to hurt again..

"Why are there so many? It wasn't just about getting some recognition for my merits and completing the ordination as a wandering knight.?"

I'm sure I heard from Duke Lesrom that this would be as brief as possible, but it's not brief at all. All the major nobles in the capital are gathered, all the major members of the royal family are gathered, all the remaining members of the King's 10 swords in the capital are gathered, and all the major figures in the academy are gathered, but this is a brief summary.?

But all that came back was Ragnis' cold gaze. She didn't stop there, but crossed her arms with a disgruntled look on her face, causing her biceps to bulge and a stifled scream to escape from her dress..

Although she didn't have massive muscles like Catherine, she seemed to have a hard time even making such simple movements, perhaps because the dress was made as custom-made as possible, prioritizing aesthetics..

"You should be very grateful to Duke Zwinera this time. They may have worked hard to influence the House of Nobles, but if they hadn't stepped forward, a week-long festival would have been held in the capital.."

"...really?"

"really."

According to her, there was a huge backlash from the House of Lords at the meeting held about me..

It is said that at first they used a certain amount of logical force, but as time went by, they raised their voices saying that the event should be scaled down, making excuses that did not work. However, in the end, the king had no choice but to accept their force, and the current 'brief' event was held. I'm ready.

To Ragnis, who does not know the relationship between the duke and the royal family, it would have been an extremely dissatisfying act, but for me, a major event that made me want to express my sincere gratitude to Duke Lethrom had taken place without my knowledge..

"Besides, if you look closely, the event isn't that complicated. It's just that the people who participate have some respect, so it's just a little more formal. Gather at the royal palace, and in front of the gathered people, royal and imperial officials praise your achievements. Here you go, receiving a medal and also receiving an ordination. how simple?"

"No, but at the investiture ceremony of a wandering knight somewhere in the world..."

This time I couldn't even get the words out. This is because Ragnis quickly uncrossed his arms and slapped the back of my hand, which had not yet put on the gauntlet. Her palm flew out using recoil and snap, hitting the target area quickly and cleanly in a way that she could not have imagined just a few months ago..

"It would be excessive to think of it as Eldmia Egar's ordination ceremony for wandering knights. However, he is not only a model knight who won a duel with the warrior of the empire and killed the young lion of Rudra with a single sword in a fair fight for the honor of the margrave of the kingdom, and a hero who saved the first princess from the plot of the demon king's army, but also a traitor to the kingdom. The hero who personally executed the Holy Light Cross subsequently saved the saint of the Holy Light Cross from a cult, and in the process, not only did he defeat the devil and protect the people, he not only subdued the remnants of the rebels in the local area, but also subdued the evil dragon hiding in the basement of the capital and returned to the capital. Don't you think it's too small, even if it's a small event, to praise the great contribution of stopping the offensive of the Orcs who threatened the city, and then eradicating the remnants of the Demon Lord's army, who returned on their own and caused enormous damage to Mandeli Port??"

I couldn't help but admire her as she poured out words at a rapid pace, never once stuttering, speaking clearly and without slurred pronunciation, without the slightest difficulty. And she asked a sincere question to Ragnis, who lifted his chin as if asking for a rebuttal..

"Did you just think of that and say it? not a script?"

"ah! a little! that's important!?"

Thanks to you, I got hit again for no reason..

Still, I was satisfied with the sight of her laughing as if it was funny that I asked her so seriously. After putting on the gauntlets, the door opened with a light knock..

"It is said that it is starting slowly. Are you ready??"

"It was the car that had just confirmed Margrave Levien's incredible verbal ability. If I had come in a little earlier, Cheryl, you too would have been surprised to hear it, but it's a shame.."

Cheryl, who opened the door and came in, snorted as she saw the fist that came flying at me without fail and hit my shoulder blade. Sir Ekaf had to participate in the event with the king's 10 swords, so she, the head of the Ogatorf family, participated in this event. Her hair, which she usually did not tie, was neatly braided and let down to the side..

"Are you not even nervous? It's so relaxing."

"What's there to be nervous about? It's not like I'm dying."

Cheryl was away to help Asillie, who was attending the event as my only family member, with her dressing up. When I asked her if everything went well, she nodded and asked back as if there were no problems..

"Indeed, Chimseonjang Gula’s work was different. But when did you meet him??"

"Ah...by chance? What happened?"

I couldn't say that I had received help from Duke Lesrom, so I looked around a bit and the gaze that came back was cold. Fortunately, I didn't bother to ask whether there was a perception that he was caught in the process because he was messing around and committing so many things..

After leaving the room where we briefly chatted, we headed to the hall where the event would be held, faithfully playing our respective roles..

Eventually, I parted ways with the busy workers and went to the pre-arranged location to receive a final clothing check from the maids..

Perhaps because I heard only the sound of clothes clashing without any conversation, I became strangely calm and began to organize my thoughts..

Most of the things that were accumulating and organizing inside me were all the incidents and accidents I had experienced so far and the things I had to do in the future. Unintentionally, after seven truly eventful years, the thought of finally standing at the starting line made me feel a little lifted..

It wasn't exciting or enjoyable. It's obvious that you'll be walking down a path full of blood and wind, but if you had endless fun, you'd be just a crazy person. Rather, I felt a little anxious..

After everything was sorted out, there were only two words left in my mind. End of childhood. Minimum soldier level.

Epaganim's protection, which I couldn't tell if it really existed or not, has come to an end, and in the Demon King's army with tens of thousands of troops, my skills are at least that of a white sergeant. When I look back on my experience so far based on that fact, I am shocked..

As expected, there is something off about the strength of this world..

The battlefield where the battle against the Demon King's army continues is full of extremely strong guys, but even after experiencing it myself, it's hard to believe that it's not easy to see those guys in the rear. Maybe it has something to do with balance, as Lummings said..

I thought it was something I would experience soon anyway, but it was inevitable that I would be concerned about such unknown territory..

Because now I had to dig in between them..

"Mr. Egan."

I was broken out of my thoughts by the maid's voice calling me..

I raised my head and looked towards the source of the sound, and the maid with her head bowed spoke politely, pointing to the curtain behind her. already?

"get ready."

Before I knew it, the area beyond the curtain had become noisy with various voices. Not only that, but I can hear voices talking about the glory of the empire and the royal family, so it seems like I've been distracted for quite some time..

"...So, here we would like to praise Eldmia Egar, who left behind heroic achievements, in the name of the empire and the royal family.."

Taking the powerful middle-aged man's voice as a signal, the maids opened the curtains..

I took a deep breath and made my way through the curtains..

The first thing that caught my eye amidst the applause that erupted at the same time was Asilier wearing a dress for the first time and Cheryl and Ragnis guarding her side..

It's really pretty too. It almost made her laugh to see them standing there looking like they were sorted by height, but she managed to hold back..

Next, the Master's face passed by, and as I passed Sir Ekaf, Duke Lethrom, and many others dressed in armor, and reached the place where Esmueh and the King were standing, all I could think of was the light feeling that so many people had gathered..

Following the formal congratulations and answers, the medal given to me looked small and sturdy, just as Duke Lesrom had said. The design was so good that I thought it would look like a brooch if I hung it on a cape..

With a solemn face, King Itisel VII personally awarded the medal and then stepped back. Esmuet, with an extremely serious expression on his face, slowly pulled out the sword he was holding..

Ah, that must be an honorary sword with a lightweight magic. While I was thinking the same thing, Esmueh came in front of me and opened his mouth..

"What more needs to be said? His traces remain not on self-interest but on devotion to humanity, so no one will disagree if he pursues the path of a wandering knight to fulfill his duties as a knight and help the weak.."

The sword she held tilted and stopped in front of my face..

Unlike the knightly ordination of the previous life, which was done by tapping the shoulder and head to prevent ignorant acts of violence, the ordination here is done by kissing the blade. So it would be right for her to act now to ask me to kiss her sword..

I didn't know why it was Esmuet and not the King, but it was already too late to panic and the King didn't show much of a reaction, so I kissed him sweetly. Then the sword she was holding was passed to her king, and only then did I understand what was going on..

"Accordingly, the empire and royal family decided to bless his travels.."

"I, the White Star of the Empire and First Princess Esmueh Visstim Tell Noir.."

"I, King Ithisel VII,."

"I appoint you as a wandering knight of the empire and kingdom.."