“It’s not sudden… hehe.”
The girl gave an awkward smile as if to say, “Don’t you know?”
“Ah…”
Eugene soon understood her meaning.
Was it a small token of thanks for chasing away the thieves?
He hadn’t done it for the sake of receiving a reward, but
‘Free food is always welcome.’
Even becoming undead didn’t change hunger.
“Then I won’t refuse.”
“Really? Then I’ll take you to my favorite restaurant!”
When he accepted, the girl smiled brightly.
Judging by her gentle personality and innocent smile, she seemed to be from the countryside.
Seeing her grin so blissfully with sapphire-blue eyes reminded him of someone.
‘Like a hero, perhaps.’
Someone who had that foolishly pure smile.
‘I miss him.’
Recalling an old comrade on the way to pay respects made him wistful.
Of course, he didn’t show it on his face and turned back to watching the scenery outside the window.
As he got lost in thought while watching the scenery, the girl spoke again.
“By the way, mister!”
“What?”
“My name is Emilia Reinhardt!”
He hadn’t been curious, but the girl introduced herself.
She must have judged him trustworthy.
And Reinhardt—that surname sounded very familiar.
‘Because the hero’s name was Ian Reinhardt.’
Of course, it was probably just a coincidence.
In the empire, the surname Reinhardt was as common as Miller.
And Ian had lived his entire life as a bachelor until he died old.
‘Well, that doesn’t mean he had no descendants.’
A hundred years ago, it was common to have illegitimate children.
Though Ian’s personality didn’t suggest he would have been with just any woman,
he was still a man who liked women, so the possibility couldn’t be ruled out.
‘I don’t know, and it doesn’t matter.’
Even if the girl before him was a descendant of the hero, so what?
A hundred years was enough time for a hero to become a great-great-grandfather.
Even if he had descendants, they probably wouldn’t be very close.
Lost in such thoughts, Eugene heard the girl’s voice again.
“Hey! Mister!”
“Me? Yes!”
Turning around, Emilia was looking at him seriously.
“Your name! I already told you mine!”
Did he really have to tell her his?
That sentence almost slipped out, but he knew it wouldn’t be good to offend someone buying him free food.
‘Anyway, it’s a forgotten name, so telling her won’t hurt.’
So he answered Emilia.
“Eugene.”
Ironically, the moment he said his name, the train’s announcement sounded.
[Passengers, we will be arriving at the terminal station soon.]
They had arrived at the imperial capital, the heart of the empire.
About fifteen minutes later,
“Ugh… cha!”
‘Good job, good job.’
Eugene watched Emilia unload luggage in the train’s cargo car.
He thought about helping but decided once was enough.
Apparently, Emilia thought the same, unloading the bags without asking for help.
“Haa…!”
After unloading the last bag, she looked apologetic.
“Sorry, you must have waited a lot because of me.”
“It’s fine. I had plenty of time anyway.”
“Then follow me!”
Emilia pulled her bags and led the way.
She was going to treat him to lunch as promised on the train.
She said she’d take him to her favorite restaurant.
‘Honestly, I probably know this area better than you do.’
Since the kingdom moved its capital here during the monster outbreaks,
and from the demon lord’s defeat to the kingdom’s growth into an empire,
he had watched the city expand through all those events.
‘But the direction… is that way?’
The path Emilia took led to the imperial capital’s Central Street.
Central Street was home to the emperor’s palace and various important facilities.
Naturally, there were many stores selling luxury goods and upscale restaurants.
“Do you have money?”
Just in case, Eugene asked Emilia.
“I know what you’re thinking, but it’s within my budget.”
She answered confidently.
After walking a while, Central Street came into view.
Being the heart of the empire, the crowd was even thicker.
“Extra! Extra! The Pope of the Holy Empire has accepted the summit invitation!”
“I heard the demon realm’s monster processing industry is growing fast. Should we invest?”
“There was another bomb attack on the southwestern front. It’s worrying…”
Important imperial news and decisions were made here.
Among the crowd on the street, there were probably officials discussing empire policies while walking.
Despite the bustling crowd, Emilia pressed forward determinedly.
“Where are we going?”
“A little further.”
She answered simply and quickened her pace.
Soon, they passed through Central Street and reached a quieter district.
This was the edge of Central Street, leading to the Great River.
Unlike other streets, only schools and residences were here.
“Ah.”
Eugene soon realized which school Emilia’s uniform represented.
This district was the academy area, where the empire’s talent cultivation institutions were gathered.
The most prestigious school among them was the Imperial Academy.
“This is my school!”
Emilia stopped in front of a barred gate.
A lion and crossed swords emblem hung on the gate.
That emblem revealed the identity of the university behind the bars.
“The Imperial Academy.”
As the name suggested, it was a prestigious school sponsored by the royal family.
Graduates here would become empire officials, scholars, or soldiers.
But instead of introducing the school, Emilia pointed to a small café beside it.
“That’s the restaurant.”
“Ah.”
So her favorite place was a café next to the school.
It made sense for students on a budget.
Emilia led him inside the café.
“Oh, Emilia! You’re here?”
“Hello, boss!”
The café owner immediately recognized Emilia as a regular.
He was a middle-aged man, bald, wearing a monocle.
After greeting her, his gaze shifted to Eugene.
“And who might this be…?”
His tone was less curious than wary.
‘He’s suspicious.’
It was normal for him to be wary when a teenage girl brought an unfamiliar man around, thinking he might be a scoundrel.
Emilia, seemingly unaware of the suspicion, introduced Eugene.
“I owe this mister a lot from the train ride, so I brought him here to treat him to a meal.”
“Ah… I see…?”
Still, the owner’s suspicion didn’t vanish.
‘Can’t blame him.’
It was better to eat quickly and leave.
Besides, eating with a girl like this hadn’t been part of his plan.
So Eugene said loudly enough for the owner to hear.
“Order something simple. I’m not in the mood for anything heavy.”
“Hmph.”
Only then did the owner exhale as if convinced.
“Alright, then…”
Oblivious to the adult tension, Emilia placed the order.
The food the owner brought was generous—bread and creamy soup.
The taste was definitely worthy of a restaurant near a prestigious school.
Munch munch…
They were in the middle of the meal when
“Hehe.”
“Hmm?”
Hearing laughter, Eugene looked up to see Emilia smiling.
She had barely eaten her portion, leaving plenty of food.
Had she been just watching him eat all this time?
“Is that so?”
At that question, she smiled broadly.
“It’s nice to see you eat well.”
“Not like I’m some grandma…”
Hearing such words from a child so young was strange for someone who had spent more of his life without family than with it.
Those words struck a peculiar chord.
“Don’t take it the wrong way, just eat.”
“You don’t have to rush me.”
Emilia laughed and picked up her spoon.
The owner, now trusting them, handed over a free cup of coffee.
As they resumed eating, Emilia suddenly asked,
“By the way, why did you come to the imperial capital? I’m here because school is starting soon.”
Though unasked, it was right to answer.
“I came to meet some friends.”
“Your friends are here in the capital?”
“Um… yeah?”
Except they were all lying in the empire’s cemetery.
“… Thanks for the meal.”
After finishing the soup by dipping bread in it, Eugene stood up.
“Are you leaving now?”
Emilia looked at him, sensing his departure.
There was a hint of regret in her eyes, as if she’d grown attached during that short time.
With such a gentle nature, he could easily be taken advantage of.
“I have to. I have things to do.”
He answered coldly on purpose and left without looking back.
In life, there were countless brief encounters and quick goodbyes.
It was better not to dwell on such trivial meetings.
‘Then… shall I go to the market?’
Before visiting his comrades’ graves, he had to prepare offerings.
Dwarf-brewed beer liked by Vulcan, Rosarian wine favored by the saint, and native flowers from the Gerrard Region beloved by the hero Ian were all found at the riverside market.
Plodding along…
Leaving Central Street entirely, he headed toward the traditional riverside market.
Unlike the glamorous Central Street, this was the Slum District, crowded with laborers working at the docks.
As a slum, sanitation was poor and crime frequent.
Of course, those living here knew how to tell who to avoid.
If you looked like someone who’d kill you if provoked, no one dared start trouble.
Strolling leisurely through the slums toward the market, a large man cloaked and hooded approached from the opposite direction.
‘Look at that build.’
He thought so and tried to pass by.
“Are you Eugene Reinhardt?”
“What?”
At the man’s voice, Eugene drew his dagger and spun around.
At the same time, he kicked the ground to put some distance between himself and the large man.
His excessive defensiveness toward a simple question had a clear reason.
‘This rank is known only to the emperor and a few close aides.’
Anyone prying into such a secret was suspicious.
Especially when the other party looked like he could crush a person with his bare hands.
The cloaked and hooded man turned his body toward Eugene.
“By your reaction, I see that’s correct.”
Flutter!
The large man cast off the cloak wrapping his body.
“Ah…”
The revealed figure was a knight clad in silver armor.
A warrior holding fast to plate armor in an era where firearms were the main weapons.
Only one group in the empire remained so old-fashioned.
‘Knights.’
A warrior class boasting superhuman abilities given from birth.
Fortunately, knights were those bestowed titles by the emperor himself.
So, at least, he wasn’t the suspicious enemy Eugene feared.
Slightly deflated, Eugene asked the large man,
“What does a knight want with me?”
In truth, he already had an idea.
The man knew Eugene’s rank and was a knight.
Who would send such a person all the way to this slum to fetch him?
“He summons you.”
As expected, the knight took something from his chest.
It was a broken necklace, half of which was missing.
Only Eugene knew where the other half was.
‘Because I have it.’
All the more reason not to follow the knight.
He had come to the imperial capital only to pay respects to friends.
It was never for official business.
‘That damn emperor.’
The moment he showed up in the capital, he was already being summoned like a dog.