Chapter 181 – 181. The Girl’s Non-Work Performance (1)
“Here is… Where the hell are you?”
Lily, carrying a child on her back through the Artifact Gate installed by Eunhyeon, entered the Arcis Labyrinth and asked with a dazed look on her face.
“In the dungeon.”
“This is a dungeon… ?”
Lily asked back in disbelief at Eunhyun’s calm reply, holding the two children on her back and holding one more child in her arms.
In Lily’s mind, a dungeon is a dangerous place teeming with monsters, and she is not a place that an ordinary village girl like herself can wander in and out of.
For Lily, who has lived a life completely unrelated to magic or adventurers, the dungeon was a very scary place.
However, the place Lily came through through her gate was an environment too foreign to be called a dungeon.
While the artificially installed magic lights lit up the interior, the impressively designed high-rise buildings and various facilities did not suit the space formed within the dungeon.
“That… Something?”
As Lily followed Eun-hyeon, who led her way, she cautiously pointed to the glass-walled field beside the building and asked.
“It’s a field.”
“I know that… Do you dare to build a field in a space made of glass like that? ?”
“That’s called a ‘greenhouse’. It’s a space where the climate and humidity inside the space are controlled by installing a heating system and other devices.”
It is a facility that has put a lot of effort into developing and installing special magic lights so that plants can grow even if there is no sun, so that they can live a self-sufficient life in the dungeon.
It was not yet half a year since it was completed, so it was not possible to harvest right away, but around next year, only the process of harvesting and checking whether the crops could be eaten properly remained.
“The environment in which crops can be grown without being affected by the surrounding environment is the best.”
“That… That’s right…”
Lily knows very well how difficult it is to stock up on food and necessary materials until winter arrives and prepare for the winter in the manor.
For the common people, the process of flying through the winter is the final process of finishing the year, and at the same time, it is an ordeal for survival.
However, how blessed it is to grow crops in an environment where winter does not come and even the climate can be controlled at will.
To think that the inside of a dungeon, where no one knows what might happen, is like the safest dream paradise, Lily felt as if she had discovered a contradiction hidden in reality.
“Master’s visit detected.”
“… Child?”
A short doll came out of the greenhouse wearing a smock full of dirt and sensed Eun-hyeon’s presence and came out to greet him.
Seeing the emotionless doll with stiff movements and no expression on her face, Lily made a subtle expression after realizing that she was not human.
“Este. It’s a guest. Prepare the annex. There are eleven people.”
“I accept your order.”
The doll called Esthe left like that.
“Later, I will move to the facility where you guys will be staying through the door through here earlier. Take the rest of the children sleeping in prison and rest here for a day to recover your strength.”
“Yes.”
“If you feel uncomfortable or need anything, talk to the doll from earlier. I will take care of you all day long.”
“… Yes.”
The moment Eunhyeon nodded and turned around to leave the dungeon, Lily suddenly grabbed Eunhyeon by the arm sleeve.
“Excuse me…”
“What’s the matter?”
“Thank you… Seriously, for giving me a chance without killing me…”
“If you are grateful, live the rest of your life meaningfully. Then maybe I’ll feel a little better.”
“All right. And be sure… I will repay you as well.”
“I don’t even have to repay you.”
Eunhyun smiled and said goodbye.
◆ ◆ ◆
Unlike usual, the inside of the solemn court meeting hall was solemn, quiet and gloomy.
The atmosphere inside the conference hall seems to represent the situation of the entire kingdom.
Meanwhile, Diane narrowed her eyes and asked.
“Witch. What are you doing at the court meeting?”
Hearing her queen’s question, Illyana shrugged her shoulders and responded calmly.
“Of course you should come. One of the people who contributed greatly to catching the main culprit who spread the drugs that are currently circulating in Pernin is my husband’s pupil. Now that my husband is away, shouldn’t I come as the guardian of this child?”
“…”
I didn’t really like Illyana’s attitude of smiling and replying to her, but it was usual for her to be rude and arrogant in her attitude towards the queen of her country.
Diane struggled to ignore her words and glanced at Erin, who was sitting next to her.
“Eww…”
Erin met Diane’s gaze and her body trembled slightly.
“Don’t be scared. Did you do anything wrong?”
“Iliana-sama… But how can I put the queen in front of me…”
“Aga is now here to recognize her merits and to receive her reward. She has done nothing wrong, so let her stand tall.”
“Yes…”
But even with that answer, Erin couldn’t possibly maintain her dignified attitude here.
‘Wow, that’s dangerous… Choking my heart is beating so fast it’s so scary Why are they glaring at me like that?’
If it had been Eunhyeon instead of Illyana right now, Erin might have gotten up abruptly and hid her body behind the seat where Eunhyeon was sitting, avoiding the gaze of the nobles staring at her.
‘Ah, I miss Hyun…’
If she had been Eun-hyeon, she might have smiled bitterly, stroked her hair, and pampered her.
However, Illyana was not the type to accept Erin’s foolishness in this respect.
She trained for a lot of time, and Erin, who had achieved great growth in many ways, no longer looked at other students or felt intimidated at Aither.
However, it is no different from a fight of spirit that is common between students of the same age as herself.
The eyes of the court aristocrats, who manage the entire kingdom, were focused on Erinn with something different from the envy of the students.
As much as Erinn was sensitive to the gaze of others, she felt very uncomfortable with the gazes of nobles staring at her directly.
“… We will start the court meeting from now on. Marquis of Olivion. Report it.”
“Yes.”
Lyod stood up and began explaining the circumstances of the current incident and briefly summarizing the current situation.
A few months ago, it was reported that ‘Manastream’, an illegal drug, had been circulating among students in Aither, and that all intermediate carriers and traders who directly distributed drugs were being arrested.
Many nobles swallowed their saliva when they heard the number of Aether students involved through Leo’s mouth.
And the nobles whose names were directly mentioned were just muttering as if they were denying the reality as their complexions turned pale.
“My son… On drugs… ?”
“I can’t…”
Leaving behind the nobles who swallowed saliva, Riod continued to report, and he was on the way to arrest the gangsters who were selling drugs and dig up the background. Moved
Since Emilia was a golem or doll that belonged to Erinn, she was not included in the number of people.
“Where the hell did you get the information that this girl brought from… ?”
Her nobles glanced at her erin’s face and mentioned her, and her nobles’ eyes turned back to her erin.
Erin took a deep breath while her body trembled and explained the details she had been told in advance by Leo de, step by step.
“This is the information I received from the Information Guild.”
“Information Guild… Of Black Wand?”
“Why do you think that place gave information to that girl?”
“I didn’t mean to inform you. I received and read the letter from Hyuni instead of me.”
When the name of her eunuch was mentioned in Erin’s mouth, several nobles showed displeasure.
A young nobleman continued to ask questions, thinking that understanding the situation was the priority for now.
“That man… ? Why did that man have connections with Black Wand?”
“Yeah, that’s me too…”
Erin also had no idea what Eunhyeon and Heilangdan were plotting in relation to each other.
When she was at a loss as to how to continue her words, Illyana opened her mouth.
“Heilangdan is one of the groups that indirectly plotted to bring down the ducal family. As Duke Armitas resigned as Minister of Military Affairs and left for the Duchy, the decision on the treatment of Heilangdan was left to Hyeoni. Hyun-yi put off Heilangdan’s treatment and was using Heilangdan’s power to gather information about some suspicious parts.”
“I have a question… ? What do you mean?”
“That’s it, I don’t know.”
“Yes?”
“Do I even need to know that? Aren’t you a citizen or aristocrat of this country?”
“…”
The aristocrat who questioned Illyana’s proud attitude put on an expression that made her speechless.
Indeed, she is under no obligation to run around on her feet to meet any threat that may damage her kingdom.
Rather, Eun-hyeon was working too hard.
The nobles do not know that the reason is to thoroughly dig out the people behind the attempt to destroy the ducal family while taking responsibility for Eleanor.
Illyana didn’t even talk about that fact.
“But just because she gave that information, was there any reason for that girl to be involved in this case? She is not yet a student of Aether when she is underage. If anything had happened, this would have been a problem.”
“Uh?”
Erin widened her eyes as she looked at her aristocrat, who was concerned for her own safety.
All the aristocrats that Erin had met so far either looked at her as a thorn in the eye, or ignored her as a commoner with low blood.
That’s why the aristocrat’s sudden concern for her was a very embarrassing part to her Erin.
‘… What?’
When Erin and the aristocrat met eyes, the aristocrat smiled and slightly bowed her head to Erin.
“… ?”
[You can clearly see the inside.]
‘Uh… Miho?’
[Something cheeky! I said that to show respect and respect!]
The nine-tailed fox was enraged at her attitude toward herself as if she were calling her familiar friend, and rebuked her Erin, but Erin did not change her attitude despite the nine-tailed fox’s reprimand.
‘What do you mean it’s more obvious than that?’
[Tsk. That guy is taking an attitude of defending you on purpose to buy favor with you.]
‘Challenge? Why?’
[Perhaps because you think it has a high value.]
‘Use value?’
To Erin, she couldn’t understand the aristocrats’ way of thinking, so she only tilted her head.
[I think that if I make a connection with you, it will definitely lead to benefits later.]
‘I do not know.’
[I’m just helping you to look good to you. Isn’t it the same as if you want to look good for that silver-haired man, so you take a shower every day after training so that you don’t smell like sweat, and you do aegyo to him?]
‘I, it’s not because I want to look good to Hyun-i! I’ve never acted cute!’
[Hmph, such obvious nonsense.]
The gumiho snorted.
If so, what on earth were those scenes of acting like a delicate girl, hugging his waist tightly and burying his face or begging him to stroke his hair whenever he had a chance?
There is no way that the nine-tailed fox, who has been living for a thousand years and has seduced human hearts and coveted spirit, misunderstood not only the aristocrat in front of him, but also the heart of a 20-year-old girl.
[Anyway, don’t attach any deep meaning to that nobleman’s actions. He’s just thinking of making a good impression on you, making you think you’re a good person, and using you.]
‘… Okay.’
Erin hardened her face and she decided not to think deeply about his actions.
“Well, the reason I got involved in this case is because of my…”
“Stop, that’s it.”
Diane’s remark interrupted her conversation, and all her nobles’ eyes were drawn to her.
“Queen?”
“I understand the circumstances of the case well. Is the real culprit who distributed drugs to Pernin dead?”
In response to the queen’s direct question, Gerard opened her mouth.
“The neck was cut, but I think what I cut was the ‘mimicry’ he made. It is assumed that the main body is separate.”
“… Does that mean that there’s another possibility of coming in targeting Fernine again someday?”
“Yes.”
“Um…”
Many nobles let out moans at Gerard’s guess.
Because it was the words of a hero like Riod or Illyana, the weight of the words felt even heavier.
“But by preventing this incident, great damage has been prevented. It was really hard.”
“It is an honour.”
“I will reward Gerard Fenton for his contribution to the resolution of this case. He also pays compensation to Olivion, a member of Artia. And…”
Diane stared at Erin and opened her mouth again.
“I will promote Baroness Erin Hersha to the title of her baronet.”
“Queen Mama. That…”
“Such a young girl struggled to prevent a crisis in the country. Do you think I can’t even give you this kind of reward?”
“Oh, no…”
The nobleman, who was about to make a small protest, bowed his head at Diane’s question and stopped his remarks.
Recognizing the lineage of a family that was no different from a commoner, and even took the lead in misappropriation and embezzlement of the royal family’s budget, as the official aristocrat of the kingdom, is certainly degrading and disgraceful from the point of view of the aristocrats of the same kingdom.
Nevertheless, the fact that some nobles, regardless of faction, were unable to strongly protest was revealed to have participated in Renion Hersha’s embezzlement, and resigned and went into probation or were being interrogated at the headquarters of the Artia Knights. It is the cause.
At the same time, many aristocrats’ ability to speak was weakened, and it was the current situation that they could not openly ignore Erinn’s credit.
They couldn’t strongly protest against the queen, and although underage girls were at the bottom of the hierarchy, formally holding the title of nobility would not be accepted favorably.
‘… I don’t get it.’
Erin frowned at this absurdity.
She doesn’t know why she has to come here and take in all the stifling gazes of the aristocrats.
‘Is being noble that great?’
Little by little, Erin, who had been cowed by the gazes of her aristocrats until just now, gradually sorted out the questions that popped into her head.
‘What’s greater than those people is Hyeon, who isn’t even a noble.’
Erin was well aware that even though she was formally given the title of nobility, the way they looked at her would not change.
‘I’d rather have a title that only gives these patterns.’
Erin, having finished her thoughts, raised her hand.
“A title of nobility. I will return it.”
