Chapter 279: Chapter 162，Part1: 1 - White Sword Gathering ②

Chapter 162 White Sword Gathering ②

Part 1

Day of the 『White Sword Gathering』.? I had been praying that lightning would strike and destroy the Imperial Capital, but there was a beautiful day outside the window.

A little off-topic, but I am someone who calls the rain. Whenever I go to the beach, climb a mountain or go outside to play, there is a very high probability that it will be under the rain.

Generally, it would rain during leisure activities, but not during these unpleasant events. I wonder if God hates me.

The White Sword Gathering wouldn’t begin until after dark. In a few hours, I will be surrounded by many nobles and many Hunters, and I will drown to death inside the sorrowful Imperial City.

I am sure Ark would be able to come to my rescue, but as the time approached, my stomach only ached more.

Eva, who still looked the same as always, said to me who was slumped over my desk, in a dumbfounded manner.

Eva was in her uniform. The Gathering would only start in the evening, so she would probably change into her dress at that time.

“…… What is wrong, Cry-san” (Eva)

“I can’t do this anymore. I don’t want to go” (Cry)

“What about me who is not even one of your Party Members and still has to go with you?” (Eva)

Eva’s expression on her face didn’t change even when she saw how pathetic I was. It is because she is used to seeing my incompetence from time to time.

And also, what she said was absolutely right. However, I didn’t have any other choice.

“But Eva, you also agreed to this.” (Cry)

“…… Cry-san, have I ever turned down one of your requests?” (Eva)

“………… I don’t want to go.” (Cry)

“You can’t. And this isn’t questionable!!” (Eva)

Indeed…… She never refused. It was so rare that I can’t remember the last time Eva refused to do something I asked, even if I close my eyes and try really hard to remember.

Well, technically speaking, I am sure there have been times when I have been turned down because she wasn’t available or something similar, but at least for some of the bigger requests, she has always been quick to accept.

………… Starting from next time, let’s rely on her some more. Seriously, those who are proper are really capable people.

I stopped slumping over my desk and crossed my leg in my chair.

“Well, let’s be serious for a second…… Who knows what would have happened if I took Liz with me, am I right?” (Cry)

“That’s…… True, but…… Cry-san, so even you care about things like that too” (Eva)

Eva looked surprised. I wonder what I look like in her eyes.

It is not like I am proud of it, but I am the kind of person who has lived his whole life while thinking about how others perceive me.

“This time the event is so huge…… So you see, I have…… Never studied etiquette before, so if you would help me out, I would really appreciate it.” (Cry)

When you reach Level 8, there are many opportunities to be invited to various events, but I took a leave of absence from most of them until now.

As the Clan master of a large Clan, I was sometimes called upon by nobles and merchants, but I threw everything to Eva. Aside from Hunters, the most important person I have met in person is Gark-san, the head of the? Imperial Capital branch of the Explorers Association.

I, do not want, to cause any problems! This time it would still be fine as Liz and the others won’t be around, but sadly, in politics, even a harmless little bug can still be accused of a crime.

At my serious expression, Eva’s eyebrows furrowed in trouble.

“…… No, well…… You don’t have to be so eloquent, I don’t think they will expect Hunters to be that polite……” (Eva)

Of course, I know this. Even as I am right now, I am quite…… Decent. I even use honorifics. I am as humble as I can be, you know.

And yet, despite all this, I often end up offending someone.

I am sure it is because they like macho guys and don’t like slender people like me. Eh? They like Ark? Un, un, I guess they do.

Maybe they don’t like that I am Level 8 despite being a damn small fry. However, there is nothing that I can do unless I suddenly awaken to some hidden abilities.

“But, let’s see…… If you want to be liked by the nobles, you might want to give them some gifts.” (Eva)

“…… A gift?” (Cry)

A bribe, eh. So there was still that move. I really don’t want to get too involved with them, but this method…… Might work. It is much better than pissing them off.

As my eyes widened, Eva continued.

“It doesn’t have to be anything expensive. Something small that can only be obtained in a high-level Shrine can be appraised quite highly among nobles…… For example, the 『Sky Flower』 that only grows at the far end of the 【Prism Garden (Chalk Garden)】 that Ark-san raided the other day is quite famous……” (Eva)

“Aaaah, that, that flower that didn’t have anything in particular…… I wonder what was good about it……” (Cry)

I remember because my Party Members had also brought one back once. It was a flower made of Mana Material with transparent petals.

You can say that it was beautiful and had a mysterious feeling in it, but it was a sad thing that didn’t have any particular power, nor was it stable enough to maintain its form for a long time outside of the Shrine.

It was just like the paintings that are sometimes displayed in Castle-type Shrine. Rather than being an Item, it is more of a part of the Shrine, so even if you bring it back, it will disappear as quickly as a phantom’s corpse.

Liz and Sytry gave me a bouquet of that flower, but in the end, I didn’t know what to do with them, so I left all of them in a vase in the Lounge, and before I knew it, they disappeared.

I don’t understand what’s good about it at all, but…… Those things can’t be preserved so they can’t keep their form after being outside for a while so they may indeed have a high status due to their scarcity.

“And people would talk about it too, and it might help if something does happen……” (Eva)

Seriously, I really don’t know what’s going on in the head of those big shots.

“Hmmmm, I wonder if I have something…… Let’s see if I can find something……” (Cry)

Fortunately, my Party had just recently conquered a high-level Shrine called 【Night Palace (Castle of a Myriad Demons)】.

In general, the loot you bring back should be Phantoms’ drop item or Relics. Normally, you can’t give away the loot of your Party without permission, but the Members of 《Strange Grief》 are all free-spirited, so they may have brought back something that would make a perfect gift, like the 『Sky Flower』.

This is also one of the responsibilities of the Clan Master. It’s a hassle, but it can’t be helped……

I got up and decided to go see if I could find something reasonable that could put people into a good mood.

§

TL notes:

Thanks for reading!

Gotta bribe those noblemen!

What will Cry gift (bribe) be?! I doubt that his definition of “something reasonable” is the same as other people’s!

Tchao à plus!