Chapter 37: The Armored Man’s Refusal

‘I wonder if you would be willing—’ To be asked this way, by Angela, the Queen herself, was she inviting me to join her party?

No, she wasn’t overtly acting as the Queen at this moment, but hearing such words from her was truly a rare occurrence.

The Queen who once hurled harsh words at me was now seeking my opinion. To say I wasn’t surprised would be a lie. Even though I wasn’t facing her as Zero, such an opportunity was genuinely hard to come by.

I never imagined such a day would arrive. Since she had asked so earnestly, my answer was surely…

“I refuse.”

I uttered those two words calmly, then turned to walk away.

“Regarding this forest, we are here to clear out the humanoid wolf species. We hope to receive your assistance.”

….

I remained unmoved. After a few seconds of silence, I turned, preparing to leave.

If they could face a hundred foes alone, why would they need the assistance of an unknown adventurer like me? I couldn’t find any logic in it.

“The reward is one thousand gold coins.”

“One!”

“Thousand!”

“Gold coins…”

The reward was immediately upped, and I could hear the exclamations of the three behind them.

This was no small sum. With this amount, my daughter and I could afford to close our shop for a year and splurge without ever going hungry.

To receive such a high-paying commission, an adventurer would typically need to be at least Platinum-ranked.

Only major organizations could afford such a fee, and the Queen, representing the nation, certainly possessed the financial power.

However, was it truly acceptable to spend such a sum on this matter? A thousand gold coins, a ‘one’ followed by three ‘zeros’…

Well, the state treasury wasn’t my concern. Even during my time living in the palace, I wasn’t in charge of finances. Perhaps she was using her private funds? Private funds… could they truly amount to that much?

All in all, it was merely about clearing out humanoid wolf species, which was effortless for me, yet it promised a generous reward. It was absolutely worthwhile, so…

….

I still said nothing, continuing my advance.

Forgive me, but I didn’t want to waste time on such matters. I still had to go home and look after my daughter; a father and daughter’s time together was incredibly precious.

“Hey! Are you just leaving like that?!” Zale questioned my reaction, finding it an utterly abnormal decision. “You, fellow, there’s something wrong with your head, isn’t there?”

“This is a first. Is this what they call treating money like dirt?”

Helene’s question seemed to carry a hint of admiration, but I didn’t think it was something to be admired. Money could never be dirt—but it absolutely couldn’t buy back the time I spent with my daughter.

“Mister Armored… do you have something urgent to attend to?”

“…Keep up, Vinya.”

“Yes!”

Hearing footsteps follow from behind, Angela quickly caught up to me, walking abreast. Vinya was on her other side.

Both held their swords by the scabbards with one hand, chests puffed out, their gait possessing a distinctly military bearing.

“Are you completely uninterested in money?”

….

Angela asked, but I still offered no reply.

If my initial silence upon meeting her had been born of instinctive fear, now it was simply because I couldn’t be bothered to engage with her.

Perhaps it was because my earlier defiance had shattered years of psychological baggage, but now I regarded this ‘God of War’ as an ordinary person. I no longer felt the same old threat, though her inherent prestige remained.

Even the legitimate, supposedly strongest Hero in the world, would likely not possess such composure when facing the Queen.

“Regardless of one’s status, basic etiquette is essential, Mister Adventurer,” Angela added.

Indeed, responding when addressed was fundamental politeness. Yet, whether it was my initial encounter with the three behind me, or my current interaction with the Queen and Princess, I hadn’t offered a single proper greeting.

For royalty, who valued decorum, this was certainly an issue. Moreover, setting aside etiquette, my utter silence was still problematic; I might be treated as a suspicious individual.

Falling under the scrutiny of this ‘God of War’ was hardly a good thing; she might already harbor suspicions.

“I don’t need it.” I replied to the question of remuneration.

A cold, gruff voice emanated from within the armor’s helmet. I listened carefully, detecting no trace of timidity—it seemed my psychological issues were truly resolved.

“Your situation just now was extremely perilous. What kind of task would lead you into this forest?”

“None.”

“Then what is your objective?”

“Saint’s Dew Leaf.”

“Saint’s Dew Leaf… Do you have someone nearby who needs urgent medical attention?”

“No.”

“Then why seek it?”

“A friend.”

“Merely for a friend?”

“Yes.”

“…Is that so.”

After a barrage of questions, Angela walked silently beside me.

I had already refused, so why was she still interested in these matters?

“Are you… the ‘Armored Man’?” After more than a minute of silence, she asked again.

“Ah! That’s right! Why didn’t I think of it?!” Zale, who had been quiet, suddenly exclaimed, his tone as if he had discovered a rare treasure. “A Pebble-ranked newcomer, yet possessing such ability—you must be the Armored Man!”

I hadn’t expected this fellow to acknowledge my strength.

But again, the ‘Armored Man.’ Why, upon seeing me in armor, did they bring up that person? I wasn’t the only one who wore armor, and who exactly was that person, for even Angela to know of them?

“Pebble? Did you just register at the Adventurer’s Guild?”

“Yes.”

“Is that so… Then you shouldn’t be the Armored Man.”

Could she determine I wasn’t the Armored Man based solely on this one point? It seemed she knew quite a bit about that mysterious figure.

Who exactly was that person? To pique the interest of this ‘God of War’…

“Who is he?”

Finally, I couldn’t suppress my inner curiosity and asked.

“‘A knight in grand armor, upholding justice, yet his identity remains unknown. He appears and vanishes without a trace, an emissary who enacts Heaven’s will.’ Among adventurers, this is generally how he’s described. He sounds more like a chivalrous hero.”

Karen explained, “But those who’ve witnessed him say he uses no weapons, no magic, and no combat techniques. He defeats enemies solely with his formidable armor.

“Moreover, when comparing the descriptions from many adventurers, it’s clear that the armor he wears is different every time he appears. Isn’t that right, Your Majesty Angela?”

“Correct.”

“Some also say he’s actually the Saintess in disguise, or the Saintess’s apprentice, or a worshipper of the Saintess. Perhaps he’s even an armored legion organized by adventurers who revere the Saintess.

In any case, there are all sorts of theories linking him to the Saintess.” Zale continued the topic. “However, how could the Saintess possibly transform into a hulking man? Those people’s imaginations are truly outlandish.”

….

I fell silent again, for in that instant, my heart skipped a beat.

Among these conjectures, quite a few facts were mingled, and Zale had inadvertently hit upon them—the Saintess had not only become a hulking man, but was also walking right alongside them!

I truly wondered what kind of eccentric individual would describe a Saintess as a muscular man. Even a disguise couldn’t achieve such an extent.

“What are you afraid of?”

….!

However, my inner apprehension seemed to have been seen through by Angela.

“Just now, your footsteps faltered.”

….

As expected of the ‘Rose of Holy War.’ Could she even discern a person’s state of mind from their footsteps?

“Fatigue.” The only defense I could offer was those two words, and I immediately shifted the topic: “What is the Armored Man’s connection to you?”

“…No connection at all.”

“We are looking for the Saintess. He might be…”

“Vinya!”

Hearing Vinya eagerly blurt out their objective, Angela immediately stopped her.

Seeking the Saintess… white hair and crimson eyes… Surely, I was the only one in the world like that…

This meant they knew the Saintess was me, and they were looking for me, didn’t it?

That made sense. Having suddenly disappeared, even if Angela wasn’t worried, Mother would certainly be looking for me. This was probably Mother’s command, after all… Angela deeply loved Mother and was virtually at her beck and call.

But, I apologize, Mother, and Vinya. I will not admit my identity. I still have my own mission and promise to fulfill.

“I believe an explanation is necessary, Your Majesty. This adventurer has already stated their purpose to us; out of courtesy, we should also state ours.”

“That’s enough about that!”

Angela’s displeasure was palpable. Sure enough, whenever my matters were brought up, she still wore that annoyed expression.

“Your Majesty… are you still troubled by it?”

“Not at all, but let’s stop discussing the Saintess here and now!”

“…Yes, Your Majesty.”

Vinya deliberately slowed her steps, falling back, then circled around to my other side.

Stealing a glance, I saw her lips pressed into a thin line, her delicate brows furrowed, and her eyes filled with reluctance and confusion.

“Why… even though my brother… has already done so much…!”

She spoke very softly. Being so close, I barely heard her.

She said… her brother had already tried so hard…

Ah… so that was it… It turned out Vinya hadn’t forgotten about her good-for-nothing brother from back then…

It seemed that not only Angela, but Vinya too, remained just as she was regarding my affairs.