It has been a day since the princess learned about the Hero from the King's mouth. And now he's suffering the consequences.

"...Now can you tell me about it?"

"...Still no, my dear. Anything else but this please, you're clearly not ready." - the King sigh in resignation

Both clearly has lost count of how many times they had this conversation.

"I don't need you tell to me about it, I just need your permission to hear it from gramp Alfred's side."

The princess did her best at imitating a cute pout.

"Permission denied..." - the king cracked at the last moment - "...until your coming of age ceremony. That's the most I can allow. That should be next month."

Eyes shining with untold joy, the princess leaped into the king's lap

"Thanks, Dad" - before running fullspeed outside the royal chambers.

"...You almost escaped. My hat's off to you for that performance." - Alfred, witnessing the scene from outside, chimed in

"I knew telling you to take care of my daughter was a mistake, she now have your stubborn attitude as well." - the King shakes his head in resignation.

"Still, this Hero deal...is quite disheartening. I'm worried she might come to hate us after hearing everything."

"I was content with taking this secret to my grave...but there has been some changes."

"What changed?" - Alfred, brows furrowed.

"The Hero's corpse is missing."

"...What are the possibilities?"

"Either someone who can penerate 7 different layers of sealing magic barrier exists and want his corpse... or he is alive and escaped."

"...How many know this?"

"People who looked into this, you, and me. Possibly Maria and Wilhelm too since they requested entry into the Demon Palace too."

"And so she returns to us...for that?"

"What do you think?"

And so silence falls in the palace again, along with a foreboding atmosphere.

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Beneath the Unlikely Haven.

"...Perhaps blueberries would suit this more as a morning drink. Maybe cherry instead..."

Ray, in his secret lab, still testing out drink and strange combination.

"...I wish I was a professional drink taster. That would be nice."

Since I'm a bartender, it would be wrong to only make drink suitable for myself. I could be using alchemic ingredients as well...

Ah, no, that guy was the reason I've stopped using that. Still, having to use these low tier vegetable and fruits reallly hamper my artistic mood.

"That guy" refers to Will, the guy Ray knocked out cold in one drink, who has woken up after one full day of sleeping, suprised that he was such a "lightweight". But Ray wouldn't know that.

I miss the days where I was adventuring with my party, and my squad.

The world was ours. Using and taking freely everything within our reach. The vast sky, the endless plains, the unending mountains...

They were always a fan of my mad recipes in the wild.

There were laughters, there were cries. But it was joyful, to have company who shares even something as simple as a drink.

I do miss them, I really do.

"...Ah..." - Ray, tasting one of his results breathed out. - "I'm so lonely...But a dead man don't deserve company right? Cheers." - he said while raising his glass into the air.

Despite all the taste he can conjure up, all Ray taste was the bitterness of regret.

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"So you retreated?"

Hank, looking at the fist-shaped dent in the body armor infront of him, massaging his solar plexus.

"...Yes, I was afraid none of us would've been alive if we stayed any longer..."

"So he was stronger than all of you combined?"

"...I didn't even see his attack."

"Dismissed."

And so the pale-faced group of knight leave the outpost.

"From what I've seen, he doesn't look like the guy who attacks before being provoked. He didn't do anything to you and me while we're there." - Will gives his opinions.

"...He did admit to being strange. Yet, he still need to be watched. That kind of strength is too rare to suddenly show up right before a bunch of big events like these."

"And you'll personally watch him?" - Will smirked

"He does make a killer drink. Too bad for you Mr.Lightweight you can't taste it."

"Hey, not my fault, that guy basically gave me monster tranquilizer." - Will, trying his best to clear his name.

"Sure, Mr. Lightweight."

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"Sir, we have arrived in Telios. Please prepare to leave the carriage momentarily" - a servant said from outside the carriage

"Thank you for your hardwork" - Cole

"It was an honor" - the servant bowed respectfully and exits.

Social training? Really, Lewis, really now? Pick a less embarassing reason.

Still, let's at least try to look the part.

"...Sorry, but we'll have to wait a bit more, apperently they're reinforcing security since the princess attack recently. I'm terribly sorry."

"It's not a problem."

Princess attack? Now? That's you isn't it Lewis?

Hmmm, maybe I'll look into this too while I'm here. After all, social training includes me talking with locals about current events too.

End of Chapter 10.