By the Grace of the Gods (LN) - Volume 14 - Chapter 12

Chapter 9, Episode 4: The Next Step

When my consciousness returned to my body, I glanced to my side. Reinbach and the others, each engaged in prayer, noticed me. Because I had explained beforehand that I would be receiving an oracle, they understood that a movement on my end meant that my divine visit had ended.

Everyone played it cool and wrapped up their prayers before we filed out of the chapel and into the carriage again, setting course for the laundry shop. On the way, I relayed the information about my curse to them, omitting any mentions of a demon lord since that would only worry them unnecessarily.

“The gods will personally break your curse?!” Sebas asked, as if to make sure he heard me right.

“If we hadn’t known you to be the child of the gods, I wouldn’t have believed it. Do they care for you so much because you’re a child of the gods, or did the title come because you’re so adored by them...?” Sever mused.

“Either way, you must be glad the curse will be lifted,” Remily said. “I wouldn’t let your guard down until it does, but you said there are some workarounds.”

“Yes, I’m not too concerned about it,” I said.

We were on our way to give Carme a quick rundown, then head straight home. There wouldn’t be much he could do today, and the gods had warned me not to interact with anyone I wasn’t close to for the rest of the day. Just as putting the lid on something that stinks doesn’t clear the stench already in the air, there was apparently a sort of lingering smell about me.

“Best heed their advice, when it comes from the gods,” Reinbach said. “Are you sure you can make it through the shop? You told us it’s more popular than before, so there will be more employees.”

“That’s true,” I admitted. “The opening-day employees from my first store shouldn’t be affected at all, but there are quite a few people who’ve started this year.”

I’d hired some part-time help during busy seasons in the past, but there was currently a more long-term training program in place. After leaving Carme in charge of the shop, I hadn’t stopped by as often as before. Of course, I had vetted and interviewed new-hire candidates myself, so I wouldn’t call them untrustworthy. I just wasn’t as close to them as I was with the OGs of the shop.

“Not to mention more customers,” Sebas said.

“Now that you mention it, this is the shop’s busiest time of the day. If there’s a line out the door, plenty of strangers will see me.”

“Talking this over in the carriage seemed wiser than doing so in the church, but do you want me to change course?” Reinbach asked.

“No, I do need to tell them I’m okay. And if I’m going to explain the curse, it’ll be more reassuring to show that I’m well... Should I use the Hide spell?” I asked.

“Your curse triggers when someone else recognizes you, right? The Hide spell only makes you less noticeable, not invisible. It won’t help you much in this situation,” Remily said.

“You may be overthinking this,” Reinbach offered. “Sneaking in won’t be difficult without the help of magic. Rather, you should focus on making a good impression.”

The carriage rolled on as the adults offered their advice without a second thought...until we arrived at the lot by the laundry shop.

As expected, a line of customers extended from the shop all the way to the lot. Surprised murmurs could be heard from them.

“H-Hey, look at that carriage.”

“That’s the duke’s crest. What’s it doing here?”

“Oh? You’re new in town, aren’t you? This place is famous for being one of the duke’s favorite spots. From what I’ve heard, the shopkeeper’s closely acquainted with the duke.”

“Let’s go,” Sever announced.

“Yes, please,” I agreed.

Just as Sever stepped out, shaking the carriage with his step, I heard a familiar voice call, “Excuse me! Please let me through.”

“Oh! I thought I recognized you, Veldoole,” said Sever.

“Yes, sir! Hudom Veldoole, former knight-in-training!” Hudom saluted, perhaps out of old training habits, standing ramrod straight with his fist on his chest. His face was stiff too, maybe because he felt awkward about leaving the life of knighthood behind. Considering their history, it wasn’t surprising that they knew each other.

“Lord Gardock—”

“That’s enough. I have left my post of captain, and I assume you chose another path in life. Be proud of your work now,” Sever said with the wisdom and care of a seasoned mentor. “Can you show us to your shop?”

Hudom turned his eyes to the carriage. “Shall I take your luggage?”

“That’s...” Sever started, unsure of his words.

“Can you hear me? It’s Ryoma,” I announced.

“What?” Hudom’s eyes widened in surprise. I couldn’t blame him, of course. Who wouldn’t be shocked to see their acquaintance return from a journey, apparently stuffed in a crate? He didn’t know I was trying to mitigate the effect of my curse. Combined with the fact that Sever of all people had brought me back, Hudom’s surprise was completely understandable.

“I’ve been cursed,” I explained. “Physically, I’m fine. But I don’t want to draw too much attention. Can you show us to the meeting room—no, the basement? With how many of us are here, I think that would be the best place to catch you up.”

“You got it.” Hudom seemed to swallow all of his questions for now, and showed us to the basement.

Carme soon joined us. Apparently, Hudom had sent word through the receptionist on the way into the shop. I gave them both the rundown.

“I see... So you only need to be mindful of the curse today,” Carme said.

“That’s the case, because of how my spell works,” Remily chimed in.

I had told them that she was the one treating my curse. While I trusted both Carme and Hudom, I would have to reveal that I was a child of the gods if I were to tell them who was really curing my curse. I wasn’t even sure they’d believe me if I did, but all of us agreed that it would be better if as few people as possible knew this fact about me. Silently, I thanked Remily for playing along.

After asking Remily a few questions, Carme finally relaxed. “While it sounds like an arduous process to break the curse, I’m glad to hear it won’t terribly affect your work or lifestyle. I’m glad you’re safe. Welcome back.”

“Thank you,” I said. “Although I’ve gotten myself cursed in the end, I did make it to C rank, so I feel like it was a fruitful journey. I was hoping to meet up again sometime after tomorrow, and tell you more about it, as well as discuss what comes next. Does that work for you?” I asked.

“There are a few things I would like to run by you, but nothing too urgent. You need to take care of yourself, first. If I’m being honest, I would suggest that you postpone your journey into the Sea of Trees...if I didn’t know there was no chance of you changing your plans.”

With credit to Carme, he knew me too well.

“I’ve postponed it long enough,” I said. “It helps that I’m leaving the shop in trustworthy hands.”

“I won’t hold you back. When do you plan to leave?”

“Let’s see... I’ll get some rest to be safe. In the meantime, I’ll replenish food and fix up my armor. Since I still have to turn the midnight dew into bug repellent and go over a few things with some people... I should be leaving in about a week. Two weeks, tops.”

“Understood. We’ll make adjustments according to that schedule,” Carme said.

“Thank you.”

Having made my report, I climbed back into the crate so the adults could carry me back to the carriage undetected.

On our way to the north gate of the city, we discussed my laundry shop.

“You weren’t kidding about business booming in your shop,” Reinbach said.

“I don’t think you’ve been back since soon after it opened. We’ve had a lot of results since then,” I said. The shop was doing well for a newly opened enterprise even back then, but most customers had come out of curiosity. Now, many of them had become regulars, spreading good reviews around the city. “I do feel very fortunate.”

“It has a nice atmosphere. And the manager seems talented for his age,” Remily noted.

“Carme was someone I was directly introduced to through the Morgan Company. He definitely has the knowledge, experience, and capability to run a business. I trust him wholeheartedly. Of course, my other employees contribute a lot to the shop’s success,” I said.

“The Veldoole boy was very capable when I knew him. As long as he’s fitting in, he must be a great asset,” Sever said. I didn’t have a chance to ask while we were at the shop, so I finally asked him.

“How do I know him?” Sever repeated.

“Did you meet him when he was enrolled in the academy?” I asked.

“That was when we first met. Students of the knight’s curriculum are practically guaranteed to begin training with the Knight’s Order after graduation. So, we scout out and interview students at the academy, which is where I first met him. That being said, there are few students whose faces I learn before they join the order. There are simply too many, and a good portion drop out before graduation. I remembered him in particular for a few reasons. For one, I knew his father well.”

Hudom had once told me that his father was a royal gardener, so I assumed that’s where Sever had met him.

“I remember him now. He’s the royal gardener’s son,” Remily chimed in. “He kept up that garden, where His Majesty often ran from his studies and hid.”

“Ran? Hid?” I asked.

“Yep. He was a wild child back then, with an uncanny talent for running and hiding,” Remily explained. “He’d give his tutors or guards the slip and hide in the garden or sneak into town. That would send the whole castle into a tizzy, every time.”

“Really...?” That seemed rather irresponsible for the future king. And judging by Remily’s description, it didn’t sound like he simply had incompetent guards either, only that the king was skilled in running away.

“I hate to burst your nostalgic bubble, Remily, but those who remember those times—myself included—blame you in part for his escapades. He would not have had so many if you hadn’t taught him Hide when he was young,” Sever said.

Remily taught him? That explains a lot... I think. 

“I didn’t expect him to be so good at it, and I was only doing my job. Hide would have come in handy in an emergency, and I was limiting myself to magic that wouldn’t damage his mind or body. You can’t blame me for being a good tutor,” Remily countered.

“I know, but after all the search parties... Anyway, that’s how I knew your employee’s father,” Sever said to me. “I also remembered him because he didn’t join the Knight’s Order. Like I said, those who graduate from the curriculum are all supposed to join. Some unfortunately drop out due to illness or injury, but almost no one walks away from the Order otherwise.”

“He left behind a guaranteed, stable career,” I said.

“Exactly. And while he had every right to choose his own future, I had wanted him for the Knight’s Order...” Sever clearly regarded Hudom highly.

“Hudom said that he didn’t have a good reputation back then.”

“I had heard rumors. One was that he was an impertinent slacker more interested in chasing women than swinging the sword. Many of his classmates had numerous complaints about him. Yet, his instructor at the time—a colleague of mine who’d retired from the Order because of an injury—said he had a watchful eye and a caring heart.”

Sever went on to explain that, while students of the knight’s curriculum were usually talented nobles, they were, of course, children. In an environment full of grueling training, the pressure of expulsion should their grades slip, and high expectations from their family, many of the students became consumed by the curriculum and forgot to enjoy life.

“Everyone needs a break from their work, in moderation,” Sever said. “Veldoole apparently preferred inviting out those of his classmates who seemed to be under too much pressure. But they rarely took him up on his offer and often told him off for it... When they were overcome with training and assignments, his classmates couldn’t see his gesture of kindness for what it was. So few of them understood that taking a night off isn’t a sign of failure.”

“Once they have those blinders on, it’s hard to get them to take time off.” Remily’s nonchalant comment stung a little bit, reminding me of my life on Earth.

“So that’s what happened,” I said.

“While he apparently had a string of relationships...” Sever went on, “I never heard of him treating a woman dishonorably. Besides, the curriculum is designed to build a foundation in these children who are immature both in mind and body until they can withstand proper training in the Knight’s Order. It is only a stop along the way on the path to knighthood. That’s why the Order recruits based on physical potential and a sense of loyalty to our nation, rather than impeccable morals.”

“Many students and their parents believe that completing the curriculum will guarantee them a stable life,” Sever continued. “In reality, recruits from the curriculum undergo a minimum of two years’ training, so those misconceptions are hammered out of them. If not, they drop out before they even become a squire. To become a proper knight, a trainee needs to gain plenty of experience as a squire and be recommended by several knights, including the one they serve. As far as I know, most knights who had heard of Veldoole’s escapades laughed about it, thinking that it only showed his potential. ‘It’s only the curriculum,’ they’d say.”

While I knew little about the mentality and work demanded of knights, it made sense that the professional knights considered the curriculum’s training to be easy compared to what they had to go through. On the other hand, I could sympathize with Hudom’s classmates, who felt jealous or outraged by his behavior.

“Good intentions aren’t always recognized for what they are... It can be difficult to build relationships,” I said.

“As a result, Veldoole found another path in life. While the misunderstandings with those around him must have played a role, I expect he hadn’t locked himself into a life as a knight like so many of his classmates had. I’m happy to see him doing well,” Sever said.

“There’s no concern there,” I said. “He’s getting good food and enough rest, of course, but he also trains with the other security guards every day.”

“Oh? Next time I see him, I’ll test his strength... No, maybe I’ll train him myself. There’ll be plenty of time once I move here,” Sever said.

Sever’s moving to Gimul?

“Didn’t we tell you? Sever and I are thinking of moving here from the capital,” Remily said.

“No...”

“Probably because they talked it over while you were asleep. Remember the night when we harvested midnight dew?” Reinbach pointed out.

That night, they had taken over watch for the night, and let me sleep in. Little did I know, they were discussing plans to move to Gimul.

“Remily and I are both retired, and we are well-known enough that it makes going into town a little tiresome. Now that we’ve decided to become adventurers, we decided to move towns,” Sever explained.

“We can’t hope to be anonymous wherever we go, but the smaller population should make it more bearable for us than living in the capital. I want to keep an eye on your curse too, and it’ll be easier to keep our story straight if I live close by,” Remily added, and she was right. Having a former royal sorcerer corroborating my story would give it more credibility, as it had back in the laundry shop.

“That would be great for me, but are you sure...?” I asked.

“You don’t need to worry about it. It’ll only be a year until your curse is broken. That’s a blink of an eye for a dark elf. Besides, I look after my apprentices,” Remily said.

“Thank you!” I couldn’t find any other words to say to them.

If only I could repay them, somehow...

“It’s a win-win for both of us,” Sever reassured.

“The gods are taking care of your curse anyway, but I do feel like it’s my responsibility to keep an eye on you, as your travel companion and elder... Yet you never call me ‘Master,’ Ryoma. Even though you said you would,” Remily said.

“Right... I forgot all about that.”

“Or you can call me Sissy. Go ahead!”

That was probably why I had forgotten... I had blocked out the whole exchange after the last time she suggested calling her that. It was still too embarrassing to say, but I did offer to repay her somehow...

“Can we settle on ‘sis’?” I hedged.

“Well... I suppose it would be cruel to force a boy your age to call me anything. That’ll do.”

And so, I had committed to calling Remily “sis” for the foreseeable future.

“You could have just called her Master,” Reinbach whispered.

“She played you,” Sever added.

Too late to take back my agreement, I had to endure looks from Remily that resembled those of a child who has found a new toy.