Episode 116 Awkward Relationship (1)
“Abel, but how are you going to get to downtown?”
It is far to the destination, downtown Geneva. From what I remember when I came to Castle Sigurd, it was about 3 hours by car. It is a distance that would take approximately 2 days to walk on foot.
Also, this is the ridge of the Alps. The steep slopes are incredibly steep. The roads are not well paved, so there will be no buses coming.
Since it was originally the Nibelungen estate, outside buses wouldn’t be allowed to enter.
Abel tilted his head to my question.
“How do I get there? I have to go by car.”
“Car… …? Abel, do you have a driver’s license?”
“No, there isn’t any?”
“…Then driving without a license?”
After all, this entire place is the Nibelungs’ territory, the country.
As in Rome there is Roman law, so here you may not need a license.
Moreover, the swordsman Siegfried is the king of this country. He is the law itself.
Even if his granddaughter were to drive without a license, it wouldn’t be a problem at all―
“hey!”
―As my thoughts continued, Abel’s voice interrupted my thoughts. She looked at me with a bewildered expression.
“You don’t have a license, so you’re driving without a license. How can you get connected like this? Don’t you usually expect someone else to give you a ride?”
“ah-.”
Now that I hear it, that’s true. It seems like I’ve become too absorbed in this world where the caste system is rampant.
Before I knew it, my thought process had gone crazy.
The worldview of ‘Miracle Protection M’ was more common sense than I imagined.
“Oh my, anyway, you’re so unique, Sword Maiden. Well… how can I possibly follow your way of thinking?”
Abel muttered bitterly. I scratched my temples.
She said, crossing her arms bashfully.
“Shailey said she’d give me a ride.”
-Oh, that’s right. There were employees in this house.
Because their presence is so faint, I often forget about their existence.
“I’m telling you this because I don’t want you to worry. Shail is a good driver. Whenever Grandpa or I go to town, Shail gives us a ride. On the other hand, Uncle Caron can’t drive because he has no sense of direction.”
… This was a bit unexpected.
The maid with a young appearance is the best driver, and the butler who seems to be the one doing the backhanding has the driving attribute. The character traits are quite reversed.
At that moment, a car suddenly appeared in sight.
A four-wheel drive vehicle with a sturdy body. A vehicle specialized for riding on mountain roads.
-Squeak.
The tires are dragging the dirt. The sound is rough, but the cornering is smooth. This is a remarkable driving skill.
Bam— Shayle opens the car door and comes out. She gives a slight nod.
“Miss, Master Kanggeomma. I will take you safely to Geneva.”
“I know you’re busy, but thank you for coming today, Shail.”
Abel smiled softly. Shail smiled back.
“I am very happy to be able to serve you after such a long time.”
Shail opened the door for me personally. Abel got on board as if he were used to it. I glanced at Shail and followed him.
Shayle sat back on the driver’s seat. The seat sank slightly. Shayle said, gently placing his palms on the steering wheel.
“Since Mr. Geomma is here today, we will drive more slowly than usual.”
“Okay, please. I’ll always be safe when Shayle drives.”
Abel responded with a smile.
“It’ll take about 30 minutes, so you can both get some sleep during that time.”
“… … ?”
Did I mishear? 30 minutes? As I said above, it’s at least three hours to get to Geneva. And the road there is winding.
Even for an experienced driver, it would be difficult to guarantee the time. F1 (Formula 1) drivers might not know. Even if you push the speed limit to 100 km/h, you could easily fall off a cliff.
‘What the heck?’
As if she was afraid of being confused, Shayle adjusted the direction of the room mirror. Her eyes reflected in the mirror were as narrow as a bird of prey.
Booo …
The car let out a loud exhaust noise. It wasn’t the kind of noise that would come from a car traversing a mountain valley.
Just as my lips were about to part in a sense of crisis, Shayle struck me.
“Fasten your seatbelt, sir.”
“… … !”
-Buaaaaaaaaaah!
The accelerator is being trampled, and the scenery outside the window is covered in dust.
“Now, just a moment!”
I screamed without realizing it. Shail ignored it cleanly.
“Let’s go.”
Shail snapped the gear. It was an unusual snap.
The car body immediately flew out at incredible speed.
Uwaaaah.
The vehicle slid down the mountain road.
The instrument panel needle was fluctuating between the numbers 180 and 200.
* * *
“Phew.”
The inspector let out a long sigh. Yesterday was a day that felt particularly long.
The encounter with Changseong lasted 30 minutes, but it took another full day to deal with the aftermath.
Richard de Murat. That bastard’s surprise attack almost caused a diplomatic commotion. But it was within the scope of the recovery, so the inspector ran and finished it off.
‘That muscle pig.’
I wanted to stab Changseong right away.
But if you do that, you will end up like that ignorant guy. The dignity of an old man comes from his composure.
The inspector sighed again and calmed his mind. If your stomach is boiling, your blood pressure will rise and it will be detrimental to your health.
‘I feel like I’ve aged ten years.’
It was a chilling expression for a seventy-year-old man. An old man cannot guarantee that ten years will pass. The inspector shook his head reflexively.
Butler Caron, who was standing next to me, spoke in a worried voice.
“Are you okay, Your Majesty?”
“No, Charon. If you live long enough, things like this will happen often. Of course, if that bastard Changseong does something like this again, I won’t stay still.”
“…Thank you for your effort.”
Slurp.
Caron filled the teacup. The scent of black tea spread faintly in the study.
The swordsman brought the cup to his lips with a bright smile. Tea ceremony was one of his few hobbies.
sniffling.
“Hahaha, as expected, the tea you make, Caron, is top-notch. I missed this taste so much when I was at the Academy. Even Media can make tea now, but it’s no match for you. Compared to this, Media’s black tea is like poison, right!”
“… … .”
Charon couldn’t say anything. Even though they were outside of Media’s territory, Charon knew her true form.
Tyrant Media. If I say one wrong word and get caught by her… … . Just thinking about it makes me feel like my remaining life is shortened.
Caron simply tilted the kettle to warm the teacups. After a long silence, the lifeline lengthened. It was a keen eye for urgency acquired from many years of life as a butler.
“By the way, did you practice this morning, Geomma-kun?”
“Yes, now he can do it on his own without supervision.”
“I see.”
The inspector nodded and sipped his tea. A pleased smile appeared on the old man’s lips as he took the teacup away.
‘He is definitely a very patient boy.’
Talent tends to make you arrogant. Many talented people have destroyed themselves because of it. Geomje also went through such times.
‘But that boy, Kanggeomma, is definitely different.’
His attitude is also sly. He also complains often.
But what is given must be carried out responsibly.
A genius of the world doesn’t spare effort. How high will he reach?
The swordsman wanted to see the end with his eyes. To do that, he had to live long. He would take his blood pressure medication again and minimize his stress.
‘If this continues for a month, the ordeal won’t be too much.’
Light lingered in the swordsman’s pupils. He glanced at Charon. As Charon was about to fill his glass, their eyes met.
The inspector laughed softly and started to cry.
“But where are the kids? I haven’t seen Abel or Geumma at all today. Come to think of it, I haven’t seen Shail either.”
“Oh, the two of you went out to downtown Geneva in the afternoon. Shail went to see you off―”
The laughter stopped.
Clang!
The teacup was broken. No, it actually exploded. Only the hanging part of the teacup was dangling from my fingers.
―!
Immediately afterwards, blood vessels began to form in the pupils of the swordsman’s eyes.
“…Caron, what did you just say?”
A poisonous voice tapped Caron’s cheek. It stung.
But the real questioning started from now on.
“You’ll have to explain why you just let those two go. This isn’t bullying, this is a request for an explanation, so don’t misunderstand.”
“ah…….”
Butler Caron was reminded once again of the importance of silence.
* * *
As soon as we arrived in downtown Geneva, we got out of the car.
“Haa- haa-”
My heart was still pounding. It showed no sign of calming down. I just raised my eyes slightly and looked at Shail.
She looked at her wristwatch and clicked her tongue.
It seems like the time it takes to reach the destination is not enough.
‘That maid is crazy.’
I covered a three-hour distance in 31 minutes. It wasn’t a straight road, it was a winding road.
It was a series of spine-chilling corners. The road was not paved and there were many rocks. But the number on the dashboard did not drop below 200.
I asked Abel.
“Is it like this when you come out of the city normally?”
“Yeah, that’s right. But Shayle slowed down a bit today. Normally, it would take less than 30 minutes.”
“No… … . Okay, you got carsick on the airport bus. Why are you fine now?”
“Oh, I get motion sickness when things are slow. I don’t mind if things are fast.”
Abel shrugged.
Yeah, what more can I say?
“I’ll pick you up at 8:30, four hours later. I hope you have a great time.”
With those words, Shail picked up Chaki and twisted him. The kick that stomped on the accelerator was sharp.
It was a fierce drive, as if trying to set a new record. The car Shail was driving quickly disappeared from sight.
‘A young man with a big heart and a biker gang… ‘
Thud.
“Hey, what are you doing blankly? You said you wanted to eat dinner, and there are 10 minutes left until your reservation time.”
Abel grabbed my wrist as I stood there dumbfounded. In reality, she was pulling me, but on the surface, it looked like we were just linking arms.
In an instant, all eyes gathered. Envy filled the men’s expressions.
Abel is always in the spotlight.
In technical terms, it’s a walking crowd control device, or CC device.
And that attention is pouring in on me, right next to him.
“Hey, Abel. Move away from me. Can’t you see people staring at you?”
“Unlike Korea, the streets in Europe are old, so it’s very easy to get lost without directions. There are no signs. And those people are staring at you because your hair color stands out, so ignore them.”
“… … .”
Let’s think of it as naivety. Otherwise, my illusions about Abel would have been shattered. She was the reason I paid for Miracle Protection M.
‘… and if someone looks at me because my hair color is strange, isn’t that racist?’
As I walked down the street, I received countless stares. ‘?’ hooks hovering over people’s heads. Then, they were startled and whispered among themselves.
‘I feel like this is definitely going to be a weird rumor.’
I hope it doesn’t get into Chloe’s ears.
We arrived at the restaurant Abel had made a reservation at. It was a place that served a dish called Raclette.
Raclette. It is said to be a dish that represents Switzerland, along with fondue, with melted cheese poured over meat or sausage.
Just hearing it makes me crave kimchi.
‘…I came to this place instead of eating sushi.’
Besides, I have to ask Abel a favor. I suggest that he join the undead dungeon party. The starting point is this dinner.
I entered the restaurant.
The interior was more casual and cozy than I expected.
Of course, Abel’s tough escort continued without any time to watch.
He sat down at the reserved seat. Abel ordered without even looking at the menu.
“Please give me what I always eat.”
It was a tone of speech that seemed familiar. Abel, sensing the gaze, made a subtle expression.
“… This is a place I’ve often come to with my parents since I was little.”
A hazy look crossed her eyes.
‘When I was young, my parents… … .’
The two words are chewed in my mouth like a rattling sound. I don’t know what Abel’s family history is like. To be honest, I’m curious, but I have no intention of asking.
If you scratch because it itches, a scar will form. Even a thoughtless question can scratch your chest. I know this well because I have experienced difficult times in my past life and in my current life.
‘In times like this, it’s right to stay still.’
There was an awkward silence for a moment before the food arrived.
Meat, sausage, bacon. No vegetables.
Then, a man who appeared to be a chef appeared holding cheese. He melted the cheese in his arms with a candle and poured it onto a plate.
The meat was buried in a waterfall of cheese. I missed the cup ramen that had fallen asleep in my carrier before I could even eat it.
“Ladies and gentlemen, enjoy your evening.”
“… … .”
The chef left after leaving some touching comments and food.
I stared blankly down at the cheese gravy.
On the right is a fork, on the left is a knife, lying quietly on the tablecloth.
‘knife.’
That little stick… is really an eyesore.
“Do you eat with your eyes? This is delicious.”
Abel playfully scolded me, while I was seriously absorbed in it.
In a situation where I had to make an important suggestion, was it right to say something like that? The scales in my head tilted back and forth.
… 30 seconds like that. After countless cases, I came to a conclusion.
I pushed the plate towards Abel.
“Hey, Abel.”
And I asked.
“You cut this for me.”
