Dawn of Vengeance — Chapter 55

HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO ANSWER THAT?

I HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING... ANYTHING...

W-WALTER!

SO, UM...

W-wait,

ARE YOU EVER GETTING MARRIED?

PARDON?

MARRIAGE?

OF ALL THE QUESTIONS IN THE WORLD, WHY ASK THAT?!

Marriage!

BUT... HONESTLY,

I HAVE BEEN CURIOUS ABOUT IT.

WHY IS A MAN OF HIS CALIBER STILL SINGLE?

FORGET MARRIAGE, HE ISN'T EVEN ENGAGED.

THE HEIBERGS ARE THE PINNACLE OF NOBILITY...

OUT OF ALL THE NOBLES TODAY, THERE IS SURELY NO BETTER GROOM THAN WALTER.

IF IT'S AN UNCOMFORTABLE QUESTION, JUST...

PRETEND I NEVER ASKED.

I am curious, though.

I really am curious, though!

I'VE BEEN ASKED THAT QUESTION COUNTLESS TIMES...

BUT COMING FROM YOUR MAJESTY... I FIND MYSELF UNSURE OF HOW TO ANSWER.

Your arm, Please.

...WHY DO YOU ASK?

UM. JUST...

YOU MUST HAVE PLENTY OF ADMIRERS, WALTER.

SO I WAS WONDERING WHY YOU'VE CHOSEN TO STAY SINGLE.

I HOLD ONTO THE HOPE THAT SOMEDAY...

I WILL MEET THE PERSON I AM TRULY MEANT TO BE WITH.

UNTIL THEN, I WISH TO KEEP THE SPACE BESIDE ME EMPTY.

I CANNOT BRING MYSELF TO MEET HER EYES.

That's a surprisingly romantic reason.

FOR FEAR THAT THESE HIDDEN FEELINGS MIGHT FINALLY BREAK FREE.

THAT THESE SELFISH EMOTIONS OF MINE...

...MIGHT TARNISH THE GLORY AND REPUTATION OF MY LIEGE.

I AM MY LIEGE'S SWORD.

I MUST NEVER BECOME A HINDRANCE TO HER.

SHALL WE HEAD BACK NOW?

AND JUST LIKE THAT, OUR TIME IN THE SOUTH CAME TO A CLOSE.

I'VE LEFT THE LYCAN CHILDREN IN KIEL'S CARE...

..AND THE BORDER DISCUSSIONS ARE WRAPPED UP.

I SUPPOSE THAT TAKES CARE OF ALL THE URGENT MATTERS.

IT'S BEEN ABSOLUTE CHAOS SINCE THE MOMENT I GOT BACK. I just want to lie down...

YOUR MAJESTY!

It's been so long!

HOW WAS THE SOUTH?

DID THE FOOD SUIT YOUR PALATE?

AH, COCOCHE.

ETIQUETTE MODE

IT WASN'T QUITE AS WARM AS I EXPECTED.

I REMEMBERED YOU LIKE DRIED FRUITS, SO I BROUGHT BACK SOME LOCAL SPECIALTIES.

YOU CAN OPEN THEM LATER.

OH MY! I AM DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR THOUGHTFULNESS, YOUR MAJESTY!

I will enjoy them!

IS THERE SOMETHING YOU NEED TO SAY?

..if you're going to nag, please spare me today.

I'll just.. take my leave then.

nervous

Actually...

...WHILE I WAS TIDYING UP YOUR MAJESTY'S OFFICE EARLIER,

I CAME ACROSS A RATHER UNUSUAL DOCUMENT.

A DOCUMENT? WHAT KIND?

WELL... IT SAID THAT ANCIENT RUINS HAD BEEN DISCOVERED IN THE LYCAN VILLAGE.

I DIDN'T MEAN TO PRY, BUT I COULDN'T HELP BUT BE CURIOUS.

I KNOW IT MUST BE CONFIDENTIAL, BUT I WAS WONDERING IF YOU MIGHT TELL ME ABOUT IT...

AND HERE I THOUGHT...

...SHE WAS GOING TO NAG ME ABOUT MY POSTURE OR THE HEM OF MY DRESS AGAIN.

FAR TOO USED TO IT

I HAD NO IDEA YOU WERE INTERESTED IN THINGS LIKE THAT.

WELL, TO KEEP IT BRIEF...

WE DISCOVERED A LYCAN TEMPLE.

Have a seat.

A LYCAN TEMPLE?!

KEEP YOUR VOICE DOWN. IT COULD BECOME A KEY MILITARY STRONGHOLD, SO THIS STAYS BETWEEN US.

UNDERSTOOD.

IS IT REALLY A TEMPLE, THOUGH?

BUT THE LYCANS ARE NON- BELIEVERS.

FOR ONE, THE LAYOUT OF THE BUILDING,

IT FELT LIKE A BUILDING CONSTRUCTED AROUND THE SAME TIME, FOR A SIMILAR PURPOSE.

SOMEHOW, IT HAD A SIMILAR ATMOSPHERE TO THE TEMPLE OF THE NAMELESS GOD.

A temple.. A temple, huh.

its column style, and the decorations..

I SEE. IF THE LYCANS REALLY HAD A GOD,

THEN THE MYTH PASSED DOWN THROUGH ORAL TRADITION MIGHT NOT BE A LIE AFTER ALL.

THE LEGEND THAT, LONG AGO,

ALL THREE RACES LIVED UNDER THE GRACE OF GOD.

THERE ARE EVEN RECORDS OF THE...

BLACK-EARED RACE HOLDING FESTIVALS AT THE ALTAR.

WHAT ON EARTH IS SHE TALKING ABOUT NOW?

THREE RACES? DOES THAT MEAN THE LAFI HAD A GOD TOO?

I'VE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING.

Oh dear!

I ONLY READ IT IN PASSING, SO PLEASE JUST DISREGARD WHAT I SAID.

It might not be accurate..

KNOWING YOUR PERSONALITY, THERE'S NO WAY YOU'D SPEAK OF SOMETHING YOU WEREN'T COMPLETELY SURE OF.

I HAD NO IDEA YOU WERE SO WELL-VERSED IN ARCHAEOLOGY, EITHER.

Quite impressive.

TELL ME, WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN DOING SOME MORE RESEARCH ON THE RUINS?

OUR EXCAVATION TEAM IS SHORT ON TALENT,

AND I THINK YOU WOULD BE AN INVALUABLE ASSET TO THEM.

AH...

BUT... I NEED TO REMAIN BY YOUR MAJESTY'S SIDE...

OF COURSE. ONLY TO THE EXTENT THAT IT DOES NOT BURDEN YOUR DUTIES AS A HANDMAIDEN.

DURING OFFICIAL BUSINESS, YOU SHALL REMAIN BY MY SIDE. OUTSIDE OF THOSE HOURS, YOU MAY DEVOTE YOUR FULL EFFORTS TO RESEARCH.

I-IF THAT IS THE CASE...!

THANK YOU.

I WILL DO MY ABSOLUTE BEST, YOUR MAJESTY!

That will be all.

I'll be taking my leave now!

I'll make sure to enjoy the gift you gave me!

I'll come see you again soon!

Thank you again for this amazing opportunity!

IS SHE GONE?

I WON'T HAVE TO LISTEN TO ANY NAGGING FOR A WHILE.

DEPENDING ON HOW SHE DOES...

...I MIGHT JUST TRANSFER HER TO THE EXCAVATION TEAM PERMANENTLY.

YES, A COMPLETE AND UTTER WASTE.

Haha, haha..♪

ARSINOE!!

ONE WEEK LATER.

OH...

WELL, IF IT ISN'T THE YOUNG MARQUIS, GERONIMO RAS.

(Still so awkward)

WHAT ARE YOU DOING AT THE PALACE?