PAID

After the private audience with the Emperor, I was guided to a VIP room. Since Chris was with me, I guess it wasn’t exactly a “private” audience.

The room was far more luxurious and opulent than the waiting area where everyone had gathered before entering the audience chamber. It was clear that this place was meant for foreign kings or other important dignitaries visiting the empire.

"A sudden recruitment? Drifting from an adventure story to a territory management story? But still, they offered a title and land, isn’t that a good deal? Money would follow too…! So why did you refuse, Rain?"

"Hmm...?"

I tilted my head at Chris’s curious reaction.

In truth, I’d been keeping an eye on Chris ever since our meeting with the Emperor.

With Igrain and now the Emperor’s reactions, little by little, my connection to this continent was being revealed.

And Chris was always there, witnessing it.

Chris, do you really accept all this without suspicion?

Chris, who had been grinning up until now, suddenly got angry.@@novelbin@@

"But I can’t forgive him for kissing the back of your hand! If he weren’t the Emperor, I would’ve...!"

"Unni… we’re still in the palace, you know? Besides, kissing the hand is just a formal greeting."

"But, but! I haven’t even kissed your hand yet!"

Suddenly, Chris burst into tears.

"Ugh."

If I keep talking to Chris, I won’t have time to think for myself.

I left Chris to her outburst and slipped into my own thoughts.

A thousand years, certain wills.

Even though the name of the hero’s party had been erased, the things we did remained in various forms. Like that portrait hanging in the palace.

Wealth? Fame? There was a time when I might’ve cared about that.