"And this is...?"
Seeing the well-behaved person sitting beside Leffy, Riezel spoke with some confusion.
She was a young girl who looked about the same age as Riezel, around seventeen or eighteen years old. Her clothes were plain, and a thick cotton coat completely hid her figure, making it impossible to tell whether she had a good build or not, as not even a bit of skin was exposed. Only her complexion revealed that her skin was incredibly fair, as white as a pearl.
Her appearance was ordinary—so ordinary that it even gave Riezel a strange sense of incongruity.
Because despite her plain looks, the girl carried an unmistakable noble aura. Like a pearl covered in dust, still waiting for the day its true brilliance would be revealed, the girl before him gave him exactly that impression.
As a result, Riezel instinctively used Transparent World. A nearly imperceptible transparent gleam flashed across his eyes as he discreetly glanced at the girl's face.
As soon as he did, his expression became rather strange.
Not noticing that, Leffy saw that Riezel's attention had immediately fallen on the girl beside her and deliberately interrupted him.
"My apologies for visiting at this hour..." Leffy lowered her head slightly toward Riezel. "The main reason I came is that there's something I'd like to discuss with you."
After speaking, she paused briefly before correcting herself in a solemn tone.
"No... I should say that I have something I'd like to ask of you."
Leffy lowered herself once again, even more than she had during the day, which was only natural since she had used the word 'ask.'
"Does it have anything to do with her?"
Riezel showed no particular reaction as he simply asked calmly while gesturing toward the girl with his chin, making it impossible for Leffy, who had been secretly studying his expression, to figure out what he was thinking.
As a result, instead of immediately making her request, Leffy first gave him a report.
"The food, water, travel necessities, detailed route maps, and everything else Your Excellency requested have basically all been prepared. They'll be delivered to you tomorrow."
Leffy spoke while continuing to observe Riezel's expression.
"If you need one, we can also prepare transportation for you. It may not compare to what the royal family uses, but it will certainly be the finest available in Mitte, or even throughout the entire Beryl Territory."
Hearing that, Riezel looked at Leffy with a faint smile before nodding.
"I won't need transportation. I can take care of that myself. As for everything else, thanks."
"It's nothing worth mentioning..." Leffy shook her head. "Compared to everything you've done for us, this is insignificant."
"And then?" Riezel sat down across from Leffy and got straight to the point. "What exactly do you want me to help you with?"
Leffy immediately exchanged a glance with Hugh before subtly looking at the girl beside her.
Yet the girl gave no response whatsoever. She just sat there in silence, neither looking at Riezel nor at Leffy and Hugh, as though the conversation about to take place had nothing to do with her, as though she herself were invisible.
Looking at the silent girl, Leffy secretly sighed.
A trace of affection flashed through her eyes before she seemed to make up her mind and turned back to meet Riezel's gaze.
"Your Excellency intends to head for Urvashi, correct?" Leffy looked directly at him and said solemnly. "I'd like to ask you to escort this... girl to the royal capital, Urvashi."
"That's all?"
Riezel raised an eyebrow slightly and asked flatly.
"Yes. That's all."
Leffy nodded firmly.
"I don't think it's that simple..."
Riezel still had a faint smile on his face as he spoke.
"If all you needed was someone to escort an ordinary girl to your country's capital, are you seriously telling me the mayor of Mitte couldn't handle that?"
"Both your attitude and the way you've been acting tell me this definitely isn't something that can be done that easily."
"So... you gonna give me a proper explanation or not?"
As Riezel finished speaking, Lilith, standing behind him, fixed her gaze on Leffy. A dangerous glint flickered faintly in her eyes, sending a chill through Leffy's heart. It felt as though some terrifying creature from another world had targeted her.
Even Hugh, who had been standing nearby, instinctively tensed his body and assumed a defensive stance.
Although he knew his strength was nowhere near enough to stop this female Sword Saint, who was like a demon, he was still a knight. If the person he had sworn to protect was in danger, he would step forward without hesitation. That was true for Leffy, let alone the other person present.
Even if it cost him his life, he would protect her.
Fortunately, Lilith made no move because Riezel had given no permission.
Under Riezel's gaze, Leffy wore a bitter expression as she finally spoke.
"It's not that I don't want to explain everything to you, Your Excellency. It's simply that this matter is of tremendous importance, and I truly don't dare speak carelessly."
"All I can tell you is that this is indeed no simple matter. You will certainly encounter trouble on the journey."
"The reason Lukais invaded without hesitation this time was thirty percent because our nation has genuinely grown weak... and the other seventy percent was because of her."
Hearing that, Riezel wasn't surprised and merely nodded.
"So, even if you can't explain it, she's someone who's crazy important to both your side and Lukais, right?" Riezel said calmly. "If we take her with us, we'll probably get attacked by assassins Lukais sends after us on the way to Urvashi. Is that about right?"
"Yes..." Leffy replied, not attempting to hide it. "And perhaps not only people from Lukais."
"Now you've got me curious."
Riezel finally turned toward the silent girl, his gaze seeming capable of seeing through everything about her.
"Who are you? Why's everyone after you?"
He did not ask in an interrogative tone. He was simply curious.
However, the girl did not answer.
In fact, she didn't even raise her head to look at him and simply continued sitting there with her head lowered in complete silence.
Since the girl said nothing, Leffy and Hugh also remained silent, looking as though they dared not speak. They looked at the girl uneasily, seemingly uncertain whether they should say anything at all.
Riezel gave the girl a meaningful look before shifting his gaze back to Leffy and Hugh.
"If you don't wanna say it, then I won't ask. I'm not all that interested anyway."
Riezel's words first made Leffy and the others sigh with relief, but before they could fully relax, he added another sentence.
"That said, I'm just as uninterested in taking on such a troublesome request. You'll gotta find someone else."
With that, Riezel stood up.
"Wait!"
Leffy hurriedly rose to her feet as well and called out to stop him.
"Although there are things we can't reveal, this won't be without benefits for you, Your Excellency."
"If you're willing to escort this... girl to Urvashi, I can guarantee that you'll be able to accomplish your objective."
"She can help you meet Her Majesty the Queen, who is currently refusing all visitors, and she can also grant you access to the royal family's library."
"It contains every book collected since the founding of Theresis, including but not limited to swordsmanship manuals, magic books, records of forgotten secrets known to no one else, and even biographies of the first-generation queen from before the kingdom was established. It has everything."
"If there's anything you're searching for, or if you wish to learn secrets known only to the royal family, then surely this would be the greatest help to you."
When Leffy finished speaking, Riezel really did stop walking.
"Oh? It even has records about the first-generation queen's life?"
Riezel did not attempt to hide his interest.
"Yes..."
Leffy answered seriously.
"From what I know, the first-generation queen of Theresis appeared to have had an extraordinary origin. That isn't exactly a secret within the queendom."
"Someone of my status isn't qualified to know much, but according to the court magicians who have entered the royal family's library and seen its collection, the first-generation queen was definitely not an ordinary woman from any tribe."
"She possessed an even more mysterious background... and an even more astonishing identity."
"As for what exactly that was, the court magicians never said."
It was only natural, considering those were the royal family's secrets. Naturally, the court magicians didn't dare gossip about them casually. Even so, the tiny bits of information they had inadvertently revealed were enough to spark countless speculations.
Riezel fell into thought.
Could that so-called mysterious origin and astonishing identity be connected to the Theresis Clan he had seen mentioned in the mural inscriptions within the ancient ruins of the Reinnail Clan?
Was the royal family of Theresis truly descended from that clan?
"You're really sure she can help me meet the queen and even get access to the royal family's library?"
Riezel glanced at the silent girl once more.
"Yes. I'm certain."
Leffy nodded solemnly, giving Riezel a few guesses about the girl's identity.
Still, why would the people of Lukais go so far as to start a border war just to obtain her?
Riezel pondered inwardly, but he didn't dwell on it for long.
After all, his understanding of this country was still limited, so no matter how much he speculated, he probably wouldn't arrive at the truth.
In that case...
"Alright. I accept."
Riezel agreed without the slightest hesitation this time.
Given his current strength and the people traveling with him, there was little need to worry about something like an ambush.
If that was the case, then there was no reason to refuse.
"Thank you very much!"
Overjoyed, Leffy immediately bowed deeply to Riezel.
With such an extraordinary group escorting her, she should be able to reach Urvashi safely.
Hopefully, this would become the turning point that changed the nation and allowed it to regain its vitality.
Leffy couldn't help but cling to that hope.
As for the girl, her eyes seemed somewhat dim, yet she remained silent, showing no reaction for a long time.
===
[A bonus chapter for reaching 300 Power Stones]
[Support and get early access to upcoming chapters at: patreon.com/VALRRR]