The Female Knight of Doom - TFKOD 22: Reuniting With an Old Friend

At that moment, all eyes in the room turned towards Alice.

She stood proudly as she met their stares, sensing the curiosity in their eyes.

It was not just regular curiosity but more like they were observing a rare creature from a distant land. This blatant curiosity was somewhat offensive, indicating to her that she was truly an outsider there.

If she had been a guest, faced with such a direct gaze, she might have decided to leave then and there.

However, she had to remind herself that she was a mercenary, hired for a purpose, and leaving would be seen as a defeat.

With her head held high and a gentle smile on her face, she ventured further into the crowd.

The individuals who initially approached her were women and young girls with lower social status. She exchanged a few words with them and surmised that they were here to evaluate her.

They were there to gather information about her, to judge her, to determine if she was worthy of conversing with the high-ranking nobles. If they found her irritating or too uncouth, the elite nobles would not engage with her.

Standing before these women, she felt like a commodity being inspected closely on a chopping block.

She felt a bit queasy, but had to endure it. As per her master’s advice, honor was deemed worthless to mercenaries, so survival was paramount.

Moreover, she had not yet received the final payment for the mission.

Alice stood up straight, hiding her emotions behind a calm expression.

The men introduced themselves and bombarded her with various questions. She chose to answer the basic ones, ignoring the offensive queries.

Remaining observant, she focused on listening more than speaking.

Perhaps they were content with her behavior, as the higher-ranking individuals eventually approached her for conversation.

She made an effort to gather information from the discussions around her, realizing that the duchess who hired her was not in the current group but seated in a corner.

Glancing over towards the corner, she immediately identified the duchess among the crowd.

The duchess, a woman around forty years old, was elegant and poised.

She sat amidst the group like a celebrity, observing everyone—including Alice—with equal attention. Occasionally, someone would approach her and whisper something in her ear, to which she would respond with a faint smile.

It was a smile that exuded control over everything.

Possibly, the duchess found it more captivating to sit back and observe people’s reactions from afar. She had a vantage point where she could overlook all the guests, and some individuals instinctively passed on the most intriguing gossip to her, which was more enjoyable than mingling with the crowd to watch the female mercenary.

It’s a wonder if these individuals that were using Alice as a source of entertainment, realized they were merely seen as toys with a similar purpose in the eyes of those in power.

Nonetheless, even if they were aware, they likely didn’t mind. Bringing joy to the duchess was considered an honor in itself.

In the face of such a setting, Alice was still new to this.

Despite deciding to approach everything with a mercenary’s attitude, applying her usual behavior to a situation like this could easily appear misplaced.

Nevertheless, offending any of the men and women present here was not an option.

With extraordinary endurance, she faced it all and finally understood why Rom had warned her they might turn against her. It was probably not just a jest.

These esteemed ladies treated her with respect, recognizing she was not from their world but merely a… toy that had unexpectedly appeared for entertainment and posed no threat to their social standing.

Despite the young woman’s ability to defeat a knight with a sword, she seemed no more imposing than a kitten in a gathering where everyone wore silk.

Regardless of their opinions, Alice was prepared to endure it all.

Fortunately, a popular poet in the kingdom arrived, drawing some attention away.

The duchess was skilled at hosting gatherings, ensuring the success by inviting multiple intriguing guests at different times to give each a chance to shine. The presence of even one particularly charming guest could make the event a huge hit.

Alice seized the opportunity to slip away. She was cautious not to leave immediately, but sought a place to catch her breath and return later.

As time passed optimistically, she found herself near a door that led to a small terrace with tables and chairs, where snacks and fruits were available for a brief respite.

Stealthily entering, she was unaware of another person already present, likely seeking refuge from the noisy banquet like herself.

“Ah… I’m sorry, I didn’t realize someone was here.”

It would have been acceptable if she was hiding here alone, but if there were two people hiding and they were discovered, they might encounter some unspoken trouble and face rumors spreading about them.

Similarly, as she quietly apologized and considered retreating, she saw the person in front of her and was taken aback, “Lord Etienne?”

Upon hearing this name, Etienne lifted his head.

It had been a long time since he was addressed by this title— in Poztar City or in the royal capital, he was usually referred to as His Excellency the Deputy Priest based on his official role.

Only in the presence of other deputy priests would he be called His Excellency the Deputy Priest Etienne.

The more informal title of “Lord Etienne” was reserved for commoners who knew him from the ceremony of choosing a god.

Etienne failed to immediately recognize Alice as he was not present in the hall when she arrived at the party.

The last time they crossed paths, Alice was still a child, but now she had transformed into a young woman. Her physical appearance had undergone significant changes; she was now clad in a dress that made her resemble the elegant noblewomen outside.

He was momentarily stunned before finally uttering her name, “Alice?”

The young woman let out a sigh of relief and flashed a genuine smile, “Ah… I’m glad you remember me.”

How could Etienne possibly forget about her when he had been asked about her nearly a hundred times just this month? Although he never admitted to not knowing her, thoughts of the young woman crossed his mind frequently.

Alice was filled with joy at being reunited with Etienne, her excitement prompting her to ask him in one breath, “Why is Lord Etienne here? Is it true that you traveled to the royal capital to become a high priest, as rumored?”

Etienne chuckled and replied with a smile, “I just have some business to attend to in the royal capital. If all goes well, I should be heading back soon. The duchess extended an invitation to me today, which is why I am here. However, this celebration seems to be dragging on and is somewhat tiring.”

She comprehended his words effectively, despite his noble lineage, he shouldn’t have to endure the scrutiny she was subjected to, however, he perhaps found such social gatherings tiresome.

Observing him with unwavering eyes, three years had not altered his physical appearance much; he exuded a sense of calmness. His eyes, reminiscent of a tranquil lake, now appeared as deep pools holding untold tales.

Recalling their previous encounter three years ago, Alice suddenly recollected something crucial, “I must repay you the money!”

She was in a state of panic as she frantically searched her body for pockets, only to realize that the outfit she was wearing that day was not the typical attire of a mercenary, but rather a fancy dress sent to her by the duchess.

This dress did not have any pockets, and even if it did, it was unlikely that they would contain any money.

In such situations, a noble lady would usually have a small handbag prepared with the necessary items and perhaps some emergency money.

However, she was unaware of such customs and did not possess a suitable clutch to carry with her.

Exclaiming in distress, “Oh no, I don’t have any money on me. Where do you live? I will send you the money tomorrow.”

Watching Alice’s distress, Etienne smiled and reassured her, “It’s okay, I have completely forgotten about it.”

It seemed that he had given her money before, although he did not remember such a trivial detail and did not attach much importance to it, not realizing that she still remembered.

“The two gold coins were a kind gesture from you in the past, but I couldn’t simply accept them without acknowledging their significance. Additionally, the promise I had made to you originally was left unfulfilled.”

What exactly did she promise him?

Etienne paused to recall before remembering, “Was it when I advised you against joining the mercenaries? You shouldn’t worry, I only said that out of concern at the time… I am sorry for not being able to protect you and for leading you to become a mercenary.”

Alice shook her head vehemently, “No, you have already helped me a lot. It’s my fault for failing to keep the promises I made to you.”

Observing the sincere and endearing demeanor of the young woman before him, Etienne shook his head.

“It’s not your fault you have to make a living. However, you seem reluctant to believe in the God of Doom,” he acknowledged.

Alice felt even more embarrassed upon hearing this.

“Actually, I have…” She started to explain, but before she could continue, Etienne’s face moved closer and he placed a hand over her mouth as a gentle warning.

“Don’t say it,” he cautioned softly, his voice close to her ear, his breath felt by Alice.

“Don’t reveal that you have become a believer to anyone,” he advised, leaving out some words that she intended to say but could be inferred. “And keep it a secret from me as well.”

Alice recalled her master’s warning that the temple people were ruthless towards heretics.

Initially, she didn’t take it seriously, but Etienne’s behavior validated her master’s words. She felt relieved that he was the only one who knew about it.

Etienne’s hand felt warm as Alice gazed into his eyes.

As their eyes locked, he suddenly seemed to realize that she was a young woman and deserved to be treated with respect.

He quickly released his hand, apologizing in a slightly cynical tone, “Sorry.”

Alice shook her head and cast her eyes down in silence.

Despite everything, he always had her best interests at heart.

Etienne gazed at the young woman before him, his complex thoughts difficult to put into words, so he simply advised, “You should return.”

“What about you?” she inquired.

“I plan to linger here a bit longer,” he responded. “If it’s found out that we are acquainted, it could lead to some peculiar conversations—people who are aware that we both hail from Poztar.”

If Alice listened to her heart, she truly desired to prolong her stay here a bit longer.

Nevertheless, she acknowledged that it was time for her departure—since she had obligations to fulfill and could not solely rely on her emotions— at least for the present moment.

The party was wrapping up and as she slipped away from the terrace, she noticed that half of the attendees had already left. Only a small group remained by the side of the renowned poet.

Observing the situation, she felt a sense of relief, thinking that the event had concluded smoothly without any mishaps.

However, her wishful thinking was disrupted by others who were not willing to let her leave so easily.

A young aristocrat spotted her solitude and promptly approached her with a polite greeting.

“Greetings, Miss Alice.”

…

T/N

I read a comment by the author stating that Etienne cannot fall in love because he is a temple priest.

Bullshit.