7 Chapter 7: Trouble in Heiligh (1)

Standing in line at the Capital's gates, Aziel had already informed Ellis of his status plate issue, lying about the fact that he'd lost it during the fight with the bandits.

Whether Ellis had believed him or not didn't make a difference, as he still owed him a favor. Whatever else Ellis had going on, it wasn't his concern.

The line moved at a steady pace, eventually arriving at Aziel's group. The others were allowed entry without any hiccups, while Ellis had gone up to speak with one of the guards, pointing in Aziel's direction at different intervals.

Soon after, he was given authorization to proceed through the gates and enter the capital. As he stepped into the exterior city, Aziel was greeted with the sight of bustling streets, medium sized shops, and cobblestone pavements.

No matter where he looked, the whole area seemed teeming with activity. Shopkeepers yelled loudly, calling out to those passing by in the hopes of catching any buyers.

'A nest of commoners right off the bat. The luxury goods must be further in.'

Very rarely could one spot an individual of noble status walking around this area of the capital, evident by the rather low-end buildings spread out across the block.

As Aziel stood in place, the adventurer trio naturally gathered around him.

"Man! I'm going to the local Inn right now and I'm passing out; I'm exhausted….!

"Tell me about it. I'll be heading over to the adventurer's guild after I grab a drink, anyone wanna come with?"

The other two looked between Lyra and Aziel, though refusing to meet the latter's gaze.

"I think I'll stay for a while longer, what about you, Aziel-san…?"

Hearing Lyra's question, he turned toward her, answering in a matter-of-fact tone.

"We'll stroll around here for a bit; I need a tour of the place."

"Oh, okay—Wait! W-we? As in; me and you…?"

"No, you and me; who else would I be talking about? Keep up."

Watching Aziel walk off without another word, she wore a confused, slightly hopeful expression, oblivious to the rosy tint dyeing her ears. However, she swiftly caught up to his long strides, arriving at his side with lighter steps than before.

The two male adventurers gaped at them, a sour feeling spreading throughout their hearts. Even if Lyra had been their comrade thus far, she was still quite pretty—not on the level of a top beauty, but her appearance was undoubtedly above average.

So, seeing such a pretty girl like her happily accompanying another remarkably handsome guy was like a slap in the face. Both of them sent glances towards each other, knowing exactly how the other felt.

"….Fuck that guy!"

"Please just die…!"

Their furious exclamations drew the attention of those around them, prompting the two to look down in embarrassment. Hanging their heads in shame, they parted ways, hoping to forget this ever happened.

….

Aziel walked through the densely packed streets of the capital, Lyra stood on his right, offering explanations for each of the stores they passed by. Apparently, his earlier conjecture proved to be correct, as most high nobles only acquired goods from deeper within the capital, where they could obtain various items of higher quality.

"It's crazy…I can't believe you've never been to the Capital of Heiligh before. Seriously…" Lyra spoke, mildly astonished, glancing at him out of the corners of her eyes.

Although it wasn't impossible, it still surprised her that he had yet to visit one of the four human nations currently existing. Especially given the way he carried himself, it could even be said that he appeared more regal than nobles themselves.

"You've said the same thing 6 times already. You aren't tired yet, are you? Stop exaggerating, it's not that deep."

Lyra rolled her eyes at his dismissive tone, but quickly switched back to explaining more of the Kingdom's culture. Unlike the Hoelscher Empire, the Kingdom of Heiligh disdained the practice of owning beastmen slaves, as they were believed to be a lesser race abandoned by God due to their innate trait of possessing absolutely no mana.

Thus, the capital was free of most other races except for humans.

Lyra continued on with different topics, answering the majority of Aziel's questions. She was completely engrossed in the conversation, enjoying herself a lot more than she realized.

And because of that fact, she failed to notice how far they had walked into the city, only coming back to her senses at the sight of the surrounding splendor and opulence. Luxurious horse-drawn carriages eased down the cobblestone streets, affluent pedestrians strolled leisurely, and the smell of freshly baked pastries wafted through the air.

"Ah…! I didn't realize we made it all the way up here. Let's go back, the people here aren't too kin—"

Just as Lyra was about to suggest they leave immediately, a pretentious voice cut her off.

"Excuse me, I am here on the direct orders from Lady Saville. The lady has requested your presence at this time, please come with me."

Lyra flinched, turning to look at the escort knight who was an old man in fancy armor, a bastard sword lay fastened to his waist. His gaze was obviously directed toward Aziel, assured that he'd follow his instructions without question.

Seeing this, Aziel was about to open his mouth, yet—

"A-Ahem…Aziel-san, it's not good to keep the lady waiting, please don't mind me. I'll go on ahead first."

Lyra cut him off before he could say something like; 'Then tell her to walk her ass over here' which would no doubt cause them a lot of trouble. Furthermore, the Saville noble family was of the Marquis rank, known for their valiant efforts in protecting the fortresses along the Reisin Gorge.

For ordinary people, such influence wasn't something they could contend against. Hence why Lyra proceeded to leave the same way they came, sending him off with a worry filled gaze and a reluctant wave of her hand.

Aziel turned his attention back to the old man, taking into account what Lyra was insinuating.

"….Lead the way."

The old man squinted his eyes in irritation, before turning on his heel and guiding Aziel into what seemed like a tea house.

Many noble ladies could be seen chatting in various areas of the room, giggling insincerely, their postures straight and upright as they elegantly sipped their tea.

Aziel's presence incited a multitude of reactions, drawing everyone's gazes as he walked through. Still, upon seeing the crest adorning the old man's armor, they all averted their eyes, extinguishing any ideas of approaching Aziel.

The old man led him up a flight of stairs before reaching an open room, empty of all but a handful of people. They sat at a single table, which was perched atop a balcony overlooking the busy streets below.

Upon closer inspection, it appeared that the young noble daughters seated at the table were all completely focused on one sole individual. A beautiful girl who looked no older than 19, with curly, lilac colored hair that reached her waist, and amethyst eyes.

She also examined him with an arrogant gaze, offering her hand and proudly introducing herself as he walked over.

"Oh my….? I most certainly haven't seen you around these parts, you must be new here—a commoner, correct? Surely you must have heard of me by now, but I am Eleanor Von Saville; the eldest daughter of the Saville noble house, you may be at ease."

The other girls at the table gushed about excessively, feeding Eleanor's ego even more, while the girl herself smiled slightly, clearly enjoying the superficial praise she was being showered with.

After a few seconds, the loud prattling gradually died down, once again turning everyone's attention back toward Aziel, who stood silently, bearing witness to utter foolishness.

Choosing his words carefully, he decided to follow Lyra's example, slowly opening his mouth to speak.

"You lot…are a bunch of morons."

The atmosphere in the room instantly stilled.

Did….he really just say that?

They could scarcely believe the words coming out of his mouth, but he nonetheless continued.

"The hell are you gawking at? Yes, I'm talking to you, all of you have less than half a brain—Congratulations."

"Y-you—"

"Do you enjoy this…? This cluster-fuck of a gathering, you seem to like it. Was I called here to entertain children? Don't fuck with me, you think I don't have other shit to do? If you understand, then fuck off."

"You impudent little—"

One of the knights standing in a corner of the room drew his sword immediately, readying his stance to charge at Aziel and kill him on the spot.

Noticing this, Eleanor broke free from her daze with a flustered expression, quickly raising her hand as a signal to stop.

"H-hold on just a minute…!"

Hearing his lady's words, the knight's actions ceased at once, though his hands remained firmly on the hilt of his sword. He looked over at Aziel, his expression a mixture of fury and doubt.

"But my lady, this man has shown you such disrespect, he must pay for his transgressions."

The knight's tone was heavy yet also respectful, clearly adamant about punishing Aziel in a befitting manner.

Eleanor's gaze swam around the room, taking in the expressions of those around her, before swallowing dryly and giving her orders.

"O-of course, kill him…but…don't really kill him, yes?"

Everyone except for Aziel wore blank looks for a few seconds, turning toward her, incredulity evident on their faces.

What the hell was she talking about?

Although no one spoke, Eleanor could practically hear them berating her in their minds. Panicking slightly, she began waving her hands, frantically dismissing all the other occupants in the room with the exception of Aziel and the knights stationed to guard her.

She even attempted to get her escorts to wait outside the room, but their staunch refusal forced her to give up that notion.

Aziel watched the whole ordeal play out with a relaxed expression; his hands habitually tucked into his pockets as he waited to see what this spoiled girl had in store for him.

Once all the other noble daughters had departed from the area, Eleanor haughtily cleared her throat, pointing towards a chair sitting directly across from her.

"Come sit."

Slightly amused, Aziel decided to indulge her, gracefully seating himself in the exquisitely decorated chair. They stared into each other's eyes, a silent battle ensued, vying for an advantage in the conversation soon to commence.

In the end, Eleanor was the first to look away, allowing Aziel to grasp full dominance over the hushed atmosphere. However, she was not one to back down so easily.

"Don't you have anything you want to say to me?"

She lifted her chin, gazing down at him with an awkward arrogance. Aziel nearly scoffed at her pitiable attempts at intimidation.

"You're pitiful."

"H-huh….?!"

"Nah, I was just thinking…..since you were the one who called me here, you'd have something relevant to say. Did I give you too much credit?"

Eleanor's eyes widened for the umpteenth time since he'd been here, not expecting such a direct response. From the moment she was born, she'd never had anyone speak to her like this, not even her father.

Straightening her posture, she once again held back the knights from attacking. She rubbed her slightly sweaty hands beneath the table, feigning composure.

"First off, you are far too disrespectful when addressing a noble, correct your tone."

"…..Did your etiquette teacher give you that line?"

Eleanor's face flushed with embarrassment, overcome with the desire to scream. Even so, never once had the thought of silencing him by force come to mind.

Her heart drummed against her chest, filled with the distinct sensation of intrigue. Initially, she only wanted to show off in front of the other nobles when requesting his presence, as they'd all been entranced by his stunning appearance.

Yet—

"Don't stare at people, it's gross."

This person was truly insane. His calm demeanor when delivering such harsh remarks as if it were natural had sparked an untold excitement within her.

His casual bluntness was something she lacked, and couldn't ever hope to emulate, which was why she found him somewhat fascinating in a way.

"Given that you've wandered into the upper district, I take it you're new here…?" Eleanor voiced, suddenly changing the topic.

"If you know that then why are you harassing me? That geezer over there even scared off my tour guide. Do you have fun causing trouble….?"

Nudging his head in the direction of the old knight, Aziel remonstrated her in a tone that betrayed his words.

Eleanor smiled in amusement.

"Is this truly a complaint? It doesn't sound like you're too concerned about what transpired."

"I'm really pissed off, trust me."

"It's difficult to believe you when you say it so calmly."

"Get your ears checked after you compensate me for emotional damage. I'd like to be paid in full."

"Are you perhaps swindling me…?"

At her question, Aziel leaned back in his chair and shrugged his shoulders, releasing a vexed sigh as if he was going through various difficulties.

The knights watching on the side showed visible discomfort with the way this conversation flowed.

Eleanor, more relaxed after going back and forth with him, showed a thoughtful expression.

"I suppose I could offer you some form of compensation…."

Aziel nodded. However, she continued.

"But—Only under the condition that I be allowed to impose on you for the remainder of the day."

Aziel squinted, seeming as though he were looking at a creepy fanboy, to which Eleanor averted her gaze.

"You can do whatever you want. Just don't take your 'imposing' too far; it isn't cute."

"Don't get the wrong idea, there's nothing wrong with me accompanying you."

"I don't care…?"

"Why would you phrase that like a question….?!"

Ignoring her, Aziel stood up, the chair smoothly sliding back behind him.

"Wait just a moment, you haven't yet told me your name."

Aziel straightened out the collar of his shirt, sending her a single glance.

"…..I go by Aziel Nox."