Chapter 17

While I was busy thinking about how to handle tomorrow, the next morning arrived in the blink of an eye.

It was the day of my appointment with the King, but I wondered if he would actually see me.

I had gone ahead and bought what you might call formal wear yesterday, but I wasn’t sure if it was appropriate.

“Ryu, your clothes today look really cool.”

“Thanks. I’m not really sure if this is right, though.”

“Then I’ll fix it for you.”

Taking her human form, Ril began meticulously adjusting my clothes.

“Where did you learn that? Even I don’t really get how this works.”

“My mother taught me. She said it’s good for a woman to have these kinds of skills.”

As she spoke, she straightened my crooked tie. Ril really was a good woman. Honestly, she was too good for me.

“Ril, you really are a wonderful woman.”

“Really! Then marry me!!”

“Maybe once I’ve secured a proper place to live and some more money.”

When I stroked the head of the cutely pouting Ril, her tail wagged. She really was adorable.

“Sir Ryu. Are you within?”

“Is it time?”

In response, Ril released her human form.

Well then, let’s go see if this unexpected high-stakes gamble I’ve walked into pays off or fails!

Shortly before noon, I was sitting alone in a chair.

Ril was waiting in a separate room; it seemed I was the only one meeting the King.

The room where I was waiting was incredibly extravagant.

There were paintings in magnificent frames by artists I didn’t recognize, flowers in expensive-looking vases, and plush sofas and chairs. There were probably tons of valuables here that a commoner like me couldn’t even begin to appraise.

It hit me once again—I really was about to meet a King.

“Sir Ryu, it is time.”

“Understood.”

Now then, I suppose I’ll think about the negotiations after we actually meet.

Yesterday, I made sure to ask Mark about the value of the monster hides I possessed. Apparently, some of them can’t be processed without special tools, but since they’re all items that would be a loss not to buy, I figured if I didn’t like the King’s offer, I’d just commission a craftsman in town instead.

“Please, ensure you do not commit any blunders.”

Yeah, yeah, I get it.

Someone else opened the massive doors for me.

It seemed we weren’t talking in a regular room, but in the throne room itself.

An audience chamber, was it? Regardless, there were a lot of people. The perimeter was lined with a large number of knights in full armor. I figured I could manage if I just had to escape, but it bothered me that Ril was in a separate room.

Were they intending to use her as a hostage in an emergency?

The idea of someone stronger than me being a hostage was almost laughable.

And just like that, I was before the King.

I knelt and waited. After a moment, I heard the clanking sound of armor rubbing together.

After waiting in silence for a while…

“Raise your head.”

As ordered, I looked up.

So this was Dowal Crown.

My first impression was that he was a well-built middle-aged man. The problem, however, was that he was quite powerful. I could tell because I’d lived in a forest full of nothing but strong creatures; while he wasn’t on the level of Grandfather or the Pack Leader, he was as strong as a high-ranking monster.

I couldn’t handle him alone. I decided to aim for a non-combative approach.

“Your name and profession.”

“I am Ryu. My profession is a Tamer.”

“A Tamer? Did you steal those hides?”

I didn’t steal them. I’d braced myself to be asked that, but he went straight for it.

“No, those are the hides of prey we hunted together. They were by no means stolen.”

“…I see. Then, what kind of people did you hunt with? I would very much like to hear of those capable of hunting such monsters.”

“They have no names. They were simply hunters.”

“Surely they had an alias of some sort.”

“I don’t recall any.”

I had to be firm here.

It wasn’t that I doubted Grandfather, but I couldn’t trust this man. My ‘Sixth Sense’ was also judging him as untrustworthy. Moreover, his reaction was a danger signal.

“Very well. I shall purchase all the hides you brought. Is that acceptable?”

“There is a problem with that. I intend to have some of those hides processed into armor for myself.”

The surrounding atmosphere started to shift. They were definitely preparing for combat.

“Then take what you need. I shall buy the rest.”

“No, there won’t be any left over.”

“What?”

“I’m saying I have no hides to sell to you.”

He was getting angry—it was easy to tell, the veins were practically popping out.

“I assume you understand the meaning of what you’re saying?”

“Yes. I cannot trust you.”

“Capture that man.”

The surrounding knights seized me.

“You won’t resist?”

“I had a feeling resisting would be pointless.”

“That, at least, was a wise judgment. Throw him in the dungeon!!”

Well now. Ril, I’m counting on you for the rest.