Chapter: 552
Karia said she would look into it, but told me not to expect anything, yet I believed in her.
How could I not trust Karia, who’s shown me this level of skill until now? If it comes to espionage, my Karia—who is practically a god—would surely find a solution somehow!
“Nothing. Nothing at all.”
My hope was crushed before half a day had even passed.
“I’ve looked at everyone here, but there’s no one fitting the criteria.”
“Did you even look properly? You spinster auntie? Try harder, like when you were finding a marriage partner!”
“When have you ever seen me do anything half-heartedly? I’m serious when I say there’s no one.”
First off, just based on looks, half of the candidates were disqualified.
Knights are people who train in the sun and dust outside, always toughing it out.
If they don’t have some sort of divine blessing, they age and become ugly much faster than others.
Some guys were popular until they became knights, but after rolling around for a year, no one wanted them anymore. It’s sad!
Next, removing candidates based on purity and innocence also wiped out another bunch.
This world is a medieval fantasy.
It’s natural to marry before turning twenty!
Karia’s freakouts about being called an auntie aren’t unfounded! Even without considering the lost decades, she’s the very definition of an “auntie” in this context!
What’s more, the requirement of being sinless is stringent. Most people with power inevitably bear some flaws.
Some do it to survive. Some for the people they serve. Some just because they want to. They all carry certain stains on their souls.
“Among those standing here, there’s no one who hasn’t committed murder. That’s just part of being a mercenary or knight.”
I know that too. I understand that it’s weird for me to be hesitant about taking lives.
But if those fairy beings are influenced by the deeds I commit, then the act of murder itself isn’t the issue. After all, deeds accumulate into good and evil.
If someone has committed evil but has done much more good, there’s a chance that they’ll be judged as good.
Right? Additional commentary?
[Your judgment is correct.]
Well, it is a country full of rotten water after all.
Nodding my head, I asked Karia to provide a scoring sheet based on the criteria of good and evil and to screen for those above a certain score.
Karia grumbled about being rough with people but didn’t refuse my request.
The next day, Karia brought forth a selection of a few dozen candidates for the operation meeting.
“I really squeezed every ounce of effort to gather these.”
Most of the selected individuals had rather sour expressions. It was easy to guess why they were annoyed.
Being here advertised that they had never even had a decent romance in their lives.
Of course, there are some exceptions.
For example, my loyal pup. That fool is obsessed with my escort knight position and thinks he can tag along with me.
Wait a minute. Is that dork actually a virgin? Has he never dated a girl?
“I’ve received quite a few marriage proposals, but as I’m still an insufficient knight, I have no room to think of anything besides you, Young Lady, so I rejected them all.”
As Karl spoke with a refreshing smile, despite his decent face, I heard someone next to him click their tongue.
That’s some seriously ugly jealousy right there—too honest for comfort.
“Get rid of that trash; it’s disgusting just knowing it’s breathing the same air as me.”
After clearing one person away, I frowned and looked over the remaining candidates, clearly dismissing three obvious shoddy ones.
“That’s just dead weight. Auntie, why’d you bring in someone like that?”
“I told you; I squeezed them out.”
“No matter what, bringing in shoddy losers who can’t even reach that fool knight is just a hassle.”
I’m choosing people who will support me here.
Even if I can’t win against the dumbass Frey who only knows swords, I at least have to be able to endure against him!
“Is Lady Kent the standard? You’re being way too picky.”
“Still, she’s someone who’s never lost to me, you know?”
“There was one close call.”
Suddenly chiming in from somewhere, Frey strolled past me and Karia, scanning the room before pointing at a few individuals.
“They’re boring people.”
“Did you hear that, Auntie?”
“Yep. Everyone leave, please.”
Grumbling quietly, the numbers dwindled, and I pulled out the Sloppy Fox.
Next to me, that perverted fox, who should be locked up, is still the master of the forest.
It measures beauty to determine worth. So if it passes the picky standards of the Sloppy Fox, it might just meet the fairies’ criteria too!
“I don’t want to see anything uglier than you.”
“Really? So you don’t want to do it?”
“Yep. Just pick someone. If it’s Karia’s judgment, it can’t be that bad.”
“Really?”
When I casually pulled out the towel I used to wipe my sweat during morning training, the Sloppy Fox lunged at it.
I quickly removed it, and the Sloppy Fox hit the ground, clinging to my feet.
“W-What’s that?”
“I really don’t want to do this, but I have no choice. I’ll have to ask Erin to wash this.”
“I’ll do it! I’ll do my best! I’ll lick your feet, get trampled on, and kicked like a toy if that’s what it takes!”
Isn’t that a reward for you, you perverted little guy?
Ignoring the Sloppy Fox’s comments meant to fulfill its desires, I suddenly had it screen the people around us.
“But where should we set the beauty standards, Lucy?”
“Only up to the point where your perversion stirs a bit?”
“If that’s the case, everyone gets eliminated. Ah, except for your escort. No matter what, they’re tolerable looking.”
And everyone was eliminated.
“No one even has the worth to undergo a trial. If they entered my forest, they’d be lost here forever.”
Whoa, so this is what it comes down to. Since I’d noticed their faces subtly lacking in aesthetic quality, it turned out to be true.
This is problematic. I need people who can fill the party besides my puppy!
…I guess there’s no choice but to create the taboo bunny girl squad.
With those outfits that boost charm, I might barely make the criteria.
“Hey, Lucy. Lucy.”
“What is it, dumb knight?”
“Can’t we just go as a group?”
“We?”
“Actually, that might be better. I don’t know how it was in the past, but you and your friends now have the charm to draw in trials directly from me.”
Are they talking about the usual party?
Hmm.
Honestly, I’m reluctant. It’s easier to go solo in dangerous situations than to drag these guys with me. It makes me feel safer.
[You’re likely thinking it’s better to just die alone, huh?]
‘Stop reading my mind!’
[I didn’t read it. It’s only natural for you to think this way.]
‘Is it that obvious?’
[You’re weak in these matters.]
It’s been a long time since I wandered around with grandpa. It’s understandable to make such guesses.
[Your thoughts aren’t very deep either.]
‘…What do you mean by that?’
[Think about it. If this mission fails midway, do you think it’ll end with just your death?]
‘Uh.’
I don’t expect things to spiral out of control. The power of the superhumans residing here isn’t something to take lightly.
Even if the Fairy Queen wakes and steps outside the forest, she won’t be able to ravage the world.
But in the process, countless deaths will occur.
[Do you think your friends would just sit quietly if you die?]
I may not be the smartest, but it’s not hard to speculate what will happen afterward.
They wouldn’t just leave it be. Even from the opposite stance, it’s impossible to stay silent.
Sadness would turn to anger, anger would become recklessness, and recklessness would paint everything in black.
[Death is such a comforting thought.]
‘I guess that’s true…’
Since my reincarnation in this world, I’ve faced the threat of death countless times.
Yet, I’ve never pondered what comes after death. I’ve never thought about it.
Who ever thinks about what happens to the world after a game over?
Maybe that’s why.
Through grandpa’s words this time, the notion of death’s aftermath has become something even scarier than I had vaguely anticipated.
“Lucy?”
“Are you okay, Young Lady?”
“Your dazed face is quite a treat, Lucy.”
Hearing voices around me that had briefly paused, I thought again.
About the world after a game over. A world where the protagonist dies without saving.
…The meaning of a game over. It was bigger than I expected. Damn it.
[If you need advice for your friends’ sake, ask for it. Aside from your father and the Sword Saint, there’s likely no one more trustworthy than your friends.]
Listening to grandpa’s words, I turned my head.
Frey, sharpened after whatever lessons he took from the Sword Saint, looked innocently quizzical.
Joy, still receiving attribute training from Erginius, was smiling, albeit with a fatigued expression.
Over on another side, Phoebe was leading the clergy, purifying the instruments flowing into the fairy forest just by her presence.
And then there’s Arthur.
“…Why is the useless prince over there?”
He was among the knights, moving between the First and Second Knights.
Why is he there? I was pretty sure the First Prince would be coming this time.
I thought they’d send him for the sake of public appearances.
Ugh, whatever. It’s fine. Having the First Prince around would only give me more headaches anyway.
For now, let’s go see how the exam goes. Let’s find out if we can truly be welcomed by the Fairy Queen.
If I truly decide this is the best option, then I’ll just have to go with it.
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