Book 1 Chapter 605
“The room is nice?”
Leo looked at the innkeeper with a slightly surprised look after seeing the room.
The inn room was quite large.
Furthermore, each room had a small, private hot spring.
“It’s fine if you just give me a storage room.”
“Haha. I heard your story, how could I do that? For your brother and sister, your younger siblings worked so hard!”
The innkeeper laughed heartily and patted Leo’s shoulder.
Then, he turned to Matchel and said seriously.
“It’s natural to fight sometimes in life. But there are many more good things than that.”
The innkeeper said in a slightly somber voice.
“I lost my wife a long time ago. We fought a lot too. So I have many regrets. Not making more memories… not treating her better…”
The innkeeper, whose face had clouded over for a moment, cleared his throat.
“I think I overstepped. Anyway, you can stay here without any pressure today. But! I will work you hard until early evening, so be prepared!”
“I’ll unpack and come help right away.”
The innkeeper nodded at his words and left the room.
“So that’s why they offered such a nice room. There was a reason.”
Leo murmured softly and took off his shoes before entering the room.
“The floor is warm.”
“It’s Eastern Continental style interior.”
Matchel, who followed Leo into the room, looked around.
There was no bed in the room.
Instead, there were thick blankets, suggesting they slept on the floor.
“Hoo. I showed a shameful display again a moment ago, I apologize. Even though I know why young master Leo arranged this, I couldn’t control my emotions.”
“Don’t worry about it. I didn’t expect everyone to enjoy the sightseeing complacently anyway.”
Leo said as he unpacked.
“Well, even so, if we put everything aside and cooperate for a day, we’ll develop a sense of teamwork. I plan to do it again when we leave after finishing our business in Retin. For a week then.”
“Hmm… There will surely be those who disobey young master Leo’s orders tomorrow, what do you plan to do with them?”
“If they want me to cut their bellies, I’ll cut their bellies.”
‘…I’m glad I came here with Lady Chelsea and young master Leo.’
Matchel let out a sigh of relief.
“By the way, I’m worried about where Lady Chelsea is.”
Matchel is friendly towards Leo, who is a magic user and from the Flove family, even though he is a direct descendant of Zerdiger.
However, with Niel, it is unknown what feelings he has towards Chelsea, who is at odds with Celia.
“But it’s awkward for men and women to share a room, isn’t it?”
“That’s right. Lady Chelsea is all grown up now, so I can’t possibly share a room with her… Yes. That’s right.”
Leo looked at Matchel, who trailed off, and said casually.
“Do you want to share a room with Senior Niel?”
“Ugh, cough! Cough!”
Matchel choked as if he had swallowed something at Leo’s sudden question and coughed violently.
Then, he indignantly shouted.
“What do you mean by that!”
“No, I heard from Chelsea that you two were quite involved in the past.”
“We were like that in the past, but not anymore! It’s just an old story! And I’ve never thought of such things about Niel Roda…”
“You said you even considered marriage. Even if you were young, if the heir of the highest vassal family of Rwalin thought of accepting a knight, not a mage, as a wife. Doesn’t that mean you were thinking very seriously?”
The heir of a famous mage family marrying someone who is not a mage.
This is impossible without a significant resolution.
“……”
Matchel, who had been silent at Leo’s words, sighed softly.
“We pictured such a future when we were dating.”
“You’re quite brazen.”
“Young master Leo, you haven’t forgotten that I’m four years older than you, have you?”
Matchel asked incredulously, seeing Leo cornering him as if treating him like a child.
Leo just smiled at Matchel.
“Sometimes, when I see you, young master Leo, you seem like a really old brother.”
Matchel shook his head and chuckled wryly.
“It hasn’t happened since we learned each other’s identities. It feels disrespectful to her.”
Leo stared at Matchel and asked.
“What if Senior Niel wasn’t a member of the Roda family?”
“……”
Matchel, who fell silent at those words, smiled bitterly.
“Isn’t that impossible?”
‘He still has lingering feelings? He’s not being honest.’
Leo clicked his tongue inwardly at the firm answer and said.
“Shall we go help out then?”
“Let’s.”
***
“Chelsea, the food is ready.”
“Okay!”
Chelsea entered the kitchen, took the food Leo had made, and headed outside.
And she placed it on the table where the waiting customers were.
The inn where Leo and his group were staying was not a high-class inn.
Therefore, there were no noble guests.
However, it was a place frequently visited by families on vacation.
“Here is your order.”
Chelsea smiled sweetly and placed the food bowls.
“Oh my, what a sweet young lady.”
The woman who appeared to be the wife of the four-person family sitting at the table chuckled at Chelsea.
“Have a pleasant trip!”
The daughter, who was looking at Chelsea, who was greeting them with a bright voice, pulled on her mother’s clothes.
“Mom, Mom. I think I’ve seen this young lady somewhere before.”
“Huh? Where?”
“Um… the newspaper?”
“Oh dear. Why would someone from the newspaper be here? Besides, you don’t read the newspaper much.”
“No, I think I’ve seen her. Right, brother?”
“Yeah. I think I’ve definitely seen her.”
“Haha, these kids. They only look at articles about heroes in the newspaper.”
Chelsea had been featured in the newspaper a few times.
However, the famous Golden Generation of Lumern, Chelsea Rwalin, would never have dreamed of working as a waitress here.
So, they just thought, ‘I think I’ve seen her somewhere?’
But children are sharp.
Chelsea smiled faintly as she saw the children whispering about her.
‘Cute.’
She was reminded of herself and Abad when they were young.
Chelsea returned to the kitchen.
Matchel, who was serving with Chelsea, was telling Niel the order details.
“Did you understand?”
“Hmph, I don’t have deaf ears, do I?”
“That’s fortunate. It seems your ears are open.”
Matchel smiled coldly at Niel’s sharp reply and went outside.
Chelsea shook her head at his retreating figure.
To Chelsea, Leo said.
“Isn’t serving difficult?”
“It’s okay. It’s kind of fun?”
“Is it okay for customers to treat you however they want?”
“Do you think I’m a spoiled noble lady, brother Leo?”
Chelsea was a lady of higher status than most royalty.
As such, she had been doted on since childhood.
However, she was not authoritarian.
‘It would have been difficult to grow up if I were.’
She quickly became friends with Carl, who was a commoner, from the moment they entered school.
Therefore, her way of thinking was very flexible.
“By the way.”
Chelsea crossed her arms and looked at Niel, who was cutting ingredients.
Niel also had a talent for cooking, so he was in charge of the kitchen with Leo.
The other kitchen staff marveled at Niel’s knife skills.
“Amazing!”
“How can she cut through that thick bone in one go?”
Her skills shone in the kitchen, just as they had as a knight for her entire life.
“It’s quite chilly.”
“Indeed.”
Niel reacted very sensitively to the fact that she was linked with Matchel as a couple.
“Senior Matchel still seems to have lingering feelings.”
“What? Really?”
Chelsea’s eyes widened.
After a moment of surprise, Chelsea’s expression turned serious, and she approached Niel.
“Senior Niel, do you still have feelings for Matchel?”
*Thwack-!*
“What?”
Niel, who was cutting the meat with the cutting board, looked up at Chelsea with her eyes wide open.
At her terrifying aura, all the kitchen staff held their breath.
But Chelsea stared intently into Niel’s fierce eyes without batting an eyelid.
“Answer me.”
Niel, who was glaring at Chelsea, clicked her tongue and replied.
“Why should I answer you? It has nothing to do with you.”
“The reason you two broke up is also because of our family. I don’t think it has nothing to do with it.”
At Chelsea’s reply, Niel put down the kitchen knife and took a deep breath.
Then, she said.
“Whether I have feelings or not, what does it matter? It’s not because of your family, nor is it because of our family. It’s just that we weren’t meant to be from the start. So you don’t have to worry about it.”
Saying that, Niel took off her apron and said.
“Sorry. I’m going to get some fresh air.”
With that said, Niel left the kitchen.
At her reaction, Chelsea looked at Leo.
“It seems this side also has lingering feelings?”
“It seems so.”
Leo nodded.
“What should we do?”
As Chelsea fell into thought, Leo said.
“It’s their business. As Senior Niel said, it’s not something you need to worry about.”
“I know. But I’m still bothered by the fact that they broke up because of their families.”
If it were in the past, Chelsea would have said it couldn’t be helped and lost interest.
But now it was different.
“It’s not right for Rwalin and Zerdiger to continue their animosity.”
Chelsea understood better than anyone why Leo had arranged this situation.
Because she knew Leo was the hero of the beginning, Kyle.
In the near future.
A disaster might occur that would require everyone in the world to unite.
In such a situation, was it right for the two heroic families of Lodren, Rwalin and Zerdiger, to continue their animosity?
Over the two years at Lumern.
Chelsea had changed a lot.
Celia was still annoying.
But it was different from when she just shouted ‘down with Zerdiger.’
She knew Leo’s goal.
For the present she was living in.
And for the future she would live in.
Chelsea knew how difficult a path Leo had walked and how difficult a path he would walk in the future.
That’s why…
‘I want to help even a little.’
Arion said.
Leo would never try to share his burden.
In that case.
She wanted to help Leo to the best of her ability.
Even Leo couldn’t do everything.
So she had to do what she could.
‘The matter between Matchel and Senior Niel is ultimately a symbol of the animosity between the two families.’
She wanted to resolve that even a little.
“It may not be the same relationship as before, but I hope they can at least resolve their resentment and be friends.”
Chelsea said seriously.
“Is there a good way?”
As Chelsea pondered, the innkeeper entered the kitchen and smiled brightly upon seeing Leo and Chelsea.
“Thanks to you, the shop’s reputation is great! The food is tastier than usual! The waitress and her brother, who are so handsome and beautiful, are boosting sales! You’re doing a great job!”
The innkeeper, who was giving a thumbs-up as if the sales today were very good, suddenly stopped.
“What? Why is the atmosphere like this?”
“Actually…”
As Chelsea explained the situation, the innkeeper, who had been seriously contemplating, slapped his chest.
“Are they still in a cold war? It can’t be helped! Then we have to force them to resolve it!”
“Do you have a good idea?”
“Leave it to me!”
The innkeeper gave a thumbs-up.
Leo narrowed his eyes at his gesture.
‘It looks like a very reckless plan.’
***
After dinner.
In a room where the moon hung high in the quiet night.
Niel was walking down the hallway.
‘Why is young master Leo looking for me?’
Niel’s face clouded over.
‘Perhaps he’s going to say something about the display I put on earlier?’
If so, she had no words, even if she had many mouths.
Sighing deeply, Niel arrived in front of Leo’s room and knocked.
“It’s Niel.”
There was no response even to the knock.
Niel, with a puzzled expression, carefully opened the door.
“It’s Niel. May I come in….”
*Flick-!*
Suddenly, Niel flinched at the presence behind her and looked back.
But it was faster than Leo pushed Niel’s back and into the open door.
*Bang-!*
Chelsea, who was waiting, quickly closed the door.
Niel, who was suddenly trapped in the room, opened and closed her mouth.
Then, she spotted Matchel, who had an equally bewildered expression in the room.
The room was set with luxurious food.
Seeing that, Niel frantically tried to open the door.
*Click- click-*
*Bang bang-!*
“Young master Leo? Please open the door! Please open it!”
She struggled to open the door with a flustered expression, but the door showed no signs of opening.
***
*Snap-!*
Leo flicked his fingers, and a magic spell was cast on the door.
“Success!”
“Indeed!”
Chelsea high-fived the innkeeper with a bright smile.
“I knew it would be a plan like this.”
Leo muttered, shaking his head, and the innkeeper laughed heartily.
“In situations like this, forcing them together might be the right answer! Come on! Now leave the rest to the couple, and you two should rest too! There will be good news tomorrow!”
As the innkeeper turned away with a hearty laugh, Chelsea looked at Leo.
“Will this help them reconcile?”
“Who knows. It might even make things worse.”
Leo glanced at the room door.
“Judging by their reactions, a certain degree of force seemed necessary. From here on, it depends on how much they mean to each other.”