Chapter 33. Good things come to those who wait.

An old man with a benevolent face wore a look of injustice that didn’t match his appearance.

He opened his mouth under the dim light, as if he had made a decision.

“I believe in Graf.”

Graf was the name of the town known as the gateway to Saint-Denis.

“Graf made me a rich man.”

Graf was a city famous for commerce. It was also a city where one could make money regardless of status, as long as one seized the opportunity.

“To my family, to those around me, I proudly said that Graf is a city of freedom. So people came to me. To those who sought my help, to those who wished to join me, I gave them a place. I gave them a chance. Because I believed that was the spirit of Graf.”

The well-dressed old man straightened his back and placed a fist on his chest. It was to express through his demeanor, not words, that he had strived for the people.

“Two months ago. Those who received a chance from me stole my shop. Not the goods, but the shop. I reported this to the Bureau of Inspection. They conducted an investigation. But.

No, but. They say it is not their crime. They say it is my crime. It was a chance I gave them.

A shop I opened. They say it is my crime.”

The old man poured out his anguish, spreading his hands. He even beat his chest to show how suffocated he felt.

A person watching the old man approached him and offered a glass of water. Seeing this, the old man shook his head, indicating that he was not finished speaking.

“They say a trial will be held. They sued me. I kept saying this is ridiculous, but they wouldn’t listen. That’s why I came. To you, Mr. Mayor.”

The person listening to the old man was the mayor of Graf, ‘Andolini Cosca.’ He stroked his thick, greedy-looking cheeks with the back of his hand.

“What do you plan to do by coming to me?”

“I will give you whatever you want, so please grant my request.”

“What kind?”

The old man rose from his seat and approached Cosca. Then, in a secretive voice, he said, ‘You just need to help me get back what is mine.’

Cosca leaned back and watched the old man return to his seat.

Cosca’s eyes were thin. His forehead was half-bald and shiny, and his nose was thick, making him look gluttonous. In contrast, his lips were thin, lacking any sense of weight. Even his mustache was thin and long, making him look cunning.

“I cannot do that for you.”

Cosca shook his head. A cat was writhing in his hand, acting cute.

“I will give you any amount of money.”

“If it’s a problem that can be solved with money, wouldn’t it be better to go to the people who are the problem, not me?”

“It is a matter of justice and order. Giving them money would be to collapse justice and order.”

At the old man’s words, Cosca held his breath. He continued to stroke the cat. A brief silence followed. The old man looked at Cosca earnestly, and Cosca stared into the darkness with a thoughtful expression.

“Meow.”

Cosca put the cat down. Then he stood up and approached the old man who was standing.

The appearances of the greedy and vile-looking Cosca and the good-natured old man created a stark contrast.

“If it is a matter of justice and order, confirmation is needed.”

“That’s right. That is what will protect the spirit of Graf.”

“I understand.”

The old man tightly gripped Cosca’s hand with both of his. Cosca drew a sly smile and patted the old man’s shoulder.

“I will check on the matter and contact you.”

“I will be waiting.”

The old man’s face brightened considerably after his reply. And so, the old man left the office. Cosca ran a hand through his empty hair and gestured to the employee who had been listening to the conversation with him.

“Yes, Mr. Mayor.”

“Go to the Bureau of Inspection and find out what’s going on. If the old man is being wronged, reinvestigate, and if the old man is the problem, proceed with a lawsuit from our side.”

“I will do so.”

“It’s highly likely that the old man is the problem, so……. No. Tell them to ensure fairness so that there are no wrongly accused people, as much as possible.”

“Yes, Mr. Mayor.”

The employee bowed 90 degrees as a sign of respect and left the office.

The mayor let out a long sigh and threw open the curtains that had been covering the window. The gloomy darkness that had filled the room until now disappeared in an instant.

With the light coming in, creating shadows on his face, Cosca looked even more vile and greedy than before.

Knock, knock, knock.

“Yes, I’m here.”

The door opened and a young employee entered.

“The 5th Prince has come to see you.”

“Ah! He has awoken? Please show him in. No, I will go myself…….”

“Hey, what’s with coming yourself and all that.”

Before Cosca could finish his words, Maxim walked into the mayor’s office with a sly smile. Without even being given permission.

Cosca blinked rapidly as he looked at the smiling Maxim. No matter how he looked at him, he was just a boy, but the smile he wore was not that of a boy. It was like…….

‘He looks like someone who’s here to collect a debt.’

Cosca got goosebumps seeing the smile of a seasoned creditor.

“You said you wanted to see me, and it seems I have just the right amount of time. So I came, but… do we have to talk while standing like this?”

Maxim said with a smile.

Cosca swallowed hard to maintain his composure.

‘Is he really a prince? Isn’t he just a hooligan?’

Cosca was doubtful whether he was really the 5th Prince because of the rudeness that came out as naturally as breathing, with no trace of royal etiquette.

***

“Your Highness, I have a strange feeling about this.”

Bethel whispered in my ear. I nodded to show I understood. Anyone could see that the mayor had the face of a corrupt official riddled with bribery.

“Ahem! Our mayor is a man who makes fairness his principle. His integrity score was also higher than other towns.”

“Ahem.”

The man who appeared to be the mayor’s secretary spoke with gravity, as if he had read my and Bethel’s expressions. And the mayor reacted as if reprimanding him.

“I apologize. That friend of mine is not usually like that, but sometimes when he feels upset, he can’t hold it in. I will give him a stern talking to.”

“There’s no need to go that far. That aside. Why did you want to see me?”

“It was to express my gratitude for saving Graf.”

“Empty-handed?”

At my words, the mayor froze on the spot. Bethel, sitting next to me, stared at me with his mouth agape, unable to hide his astonishment.

“W-what kind of reward do you desire?”

“Well, it’s nothing too grand…….”

I paused to create a little anxiety. If they overthought my demands, and then I mentioned something trivial, their view of me would turn favorable. Or would it? Is it something the 5th Prince should naturally do? No. Where in the world is there such a thing as a free lunch? I risked my life to fight, so it’s only right for them to reward me.

“And…….”

The mayor urged for an answer with an anxious look.

“It would be great if you could find me a little alcohol and a place with few people, where a bit of a stench wouldn’t matter.”

“Alcohol? Did you say alcohol?”

His reaction was somewhat strange. The way he looked back and forth between me and Bethel, too.

“Is Your Highness thinking of drinking it? You’re not, are you?”

“Uh… um…….”

What’s with this guy? He was suddenly radiating a very stiff vibe.

‘The mayor makes fairness his principle…….’

I recalled the words of the employee who had been standing behind the mayor earlier. Was the emphasis not on fairness, but on principle? But that man’s face looks more suited to words like bribery, corruption, and embezzlement than fairness and principle.

“It seems Your Highness is not yet of drinking age. If the person who came with you is drinking… isn’t he your escort knight? Then that means he is currently on duty, and drinking on duty seems to be a problem. If I were to give you alcohol, it would be no different from encouraging you to neglect your duties, so I must refuse.”

“……”

“Just a light drink while resting for a moment… Mmph!”

Bethel, also bewildered, opened his mouth rashly. So I covered his mouth with my hand.

“It’s to honor the spirits of those who died fighting alongside me, so it would be nice if you could provide a generous three or four bottles.”

“If it’s about that, we are planning a separate funeral, so Your Highness need not worry.”

That expression, that voice, that gaze! It’s definitely not a lie. The high integrity score also seems to be literal. They say you shouldn’t judge a person by their face… but that face is really something else, isn’t it?

“Ahem! They are the ones who fought alongside me, how could I not? You can hold the funeral at the city level as you wish. I plan to honor the spirits of the deceased in my own way, so please help me.”

I explained the reason as politely as possible.

The mayor’s expression was… still resolute.

“So you need alcohol for that?”

“That’s right. About… three or four bottles? Wouldn’t it be better to give a generous amount so they don’t feel wanting on their way? Preferably with some very good alcohol.”

I added a generous smile.

The mayor’s expression… I felt it softened slightly…….

“……Very well. Your Highness’s intention is not wrong, so I will try to prepare it. But why do you need a space where a stench wouldn’t matter?”

“It’s to bid farewell to the departing souls quietly, without being disturbed.”

I mixed things up a bit. Of course, the mayor seemed to find it hard to believe, trailing off with, ‘A stench…….’ This man is so rigid, it’s frustrating.

“I’m not using it for anything bad, so please help me out. If an indoor space is difficult, an outdoor one is fine too. Just somewhere quiet for now. I don’t know the town’s geography well. I don’t want rumors spreading here and there. Please understand.”

After much deliberation, the mayor finally nodded. Then he asked, ‘I will find a suitable place and contact you by tomorrow. Should I leave the alcohol there as well?’.

“I would be very grateful if you did that.”

I smiled and held out my hand. The mayor took it after some hesitation.

This man, I have a feeling I’ll be seeing him often in the future.

***

“Don’t come in even if you hear strange noises.”

I found an old, abandoned church on the outskirts of the city, where people no longer visited.

It was once a place to honor the God of Light, but now, no one came, so it honored no god.

I told Bethel to guard the entrance and closed the church door. There was a hole in the ceiling, letting the moonlight stream in. If there hadn’t been a hole, I was thinking of making one even if it meant breaking it, but it was good that the trouble was reduced.

“Keeu! The aroma is nice.”

A bottle of high-quality cognac was placed in the center of the church. It was good alcohol, as requested.

“Is this much enough?”

I took a seat in the spot where the moonlight fell. I chugged a whole bottle of cognac. A hot sensation traveled down my throat to the depths of my stomach. My nose and mouth burned and tingled. My vision also became wobbly and unsteady.

“The reaction is quite strong since it’s my first time drinking.”

I let out a deep breath and sat cross-legged under the moonlight. Then, I opened the trash can containing the Devil Bear’s heart. Bathed in the moonlight, the purplish-black heart asserted its presence. Even after drinking, this thing’s smell was not easy to handle.

“Hoo. Let’s do it in one go. In one go.”

I took a deep breath and took a large bite of the stench-filled heart. The mushy texture shot through my teeth and pierced my brain. My nose, which had been numb from the alcohol, was instantly cleared.

“Ueuk!”

I felt like gagging. But I couldn’t spit it out now.

I tore off a piece of the Devil Bear’s heart with all my might. The torn piece of heart rolled around in my mouth. I tried to chew it diligently, but it just kept squishing and slipping away.

Chewing and swallowing was a lost cause. Just swallowing it was out of the question as the stench was so strong it made my head spin.

That’s why I prepared the alcohol. If it’s hard to swallow on its own, I can just force it down with alcohol. It’s better than water if alcohol surrounds it.

Gulp.

The aroma of the cognac overwhelmed the stench. Good. I’ll keep this momentum!

I continued to tear off pieces of the Devil Bear’s heart and swallow them with alcohol.

Purplish-black blood dripped from my hands onto the floor. The area around my mouth was also a mess. Needless to say, the stench was unbearable.

Gulp, gulp.

I poured the alcohol. I practically washed my face with it to wipe off the blood.

And so, I pushed the last piece of the heart down my throat.

Thump!

My Mana Heart, sensing the contaminated mana, pounded loudly.

From now on, I have to keep a tight grip on my senses.

I straightened my back and closed my eyes. I breathed slowly, feeling my heartbeat.

Thump! Thump!

Thump! Thump! Thump!

The contaminated mana traveled through my veins and reached the gate of my Mana Heart.

The contaminated energy tried to force the Mana Heart open. The Mana Heart did not just stand by and watch. It strongly emitted its own energy and collided head-on with the contaminated energy.

“Keuk!”

The refined energy bit into the contaminated mana.

All my senses became so sharp that I could feel the warmth of the moonlight.

My stomach churned. The Devil Bear’s heart I had forced down tried to come back up.

‘Absolutely! That can never happen!’

If I vomit out the energy I worked so hard to consume, everything will be for naught.

I clenched my teeth. The muscles, veins, and flowing mana all over my body ran wild, trying to twist everything.

I put strength into my body with determination. It was to imprint upon my muscles who the master was, whose will they should move according to.

Deudeudeudeuk!

The air around me shook violently.

The floor, the surroundings, everything that gave me a sensation, shook.

A strong energy fiercely stabbed at my Mana Heart.

Kwaang!

A strong wind collided with the layer of air. A refreshing air, a huge mass of light, enveloped everything I could feel.