The Paladin of the Holy Kingdom: Part 1

“As representatives of the Holy Kingdom, if we do not lodge in an appropriate inn, people who see us might think that the Holy Kingdom is not long for this world. Therefore, we need to stay in a superior inn to show that our nation is still strong.”

The assistant leader’s logic was irrefutable. Nobody else in the group could deny him. However, their leader was driven by emotion and could not accept that proposal, and she stubbornly refused to go along with it. After a long deadlock, she was finally persuaded by all the other members of the delegation to reluctantly choose this inn.

However, everyone understood that they could not rack up any unnecessary expenses. In order to accomplish their tasks as soon as possible, even Neia, a squire, had been roped in to carry out missions.

The aim of the delegation’s visit to the Kingdom was none other than to secure aid for the Holy Kingdom. Therefore, Neia and the other members of the delegation were running around trying to arrange appointments with the movers and shakers of the Kingdom.

Anyone could make an appointment, even a squire. There was no problem with that part of the leader’s thinking.

However, Neia was the sole squire among the delegation. The others were proper paladins. Even if she made an appointment, what would the other party think in the future when they found out that others had been visited by paladins, but they had only merited a mere squire?

Surely they would be unhappy. Even Neia knew that much. However, despite her roundabout protests, the orders handed down to her had not changed. As a squire, there was little she could say about it. That said, Neia had not given up because of that.

If it was a personal failure, she could gladly accept it. However, doing so might lead to the ailing Holy Kingdom losing more aid from the Kingdom. Neia could not simply write off the possibility that her failures might lead to more of her countrymen dying with a simple, “Yes, I understand.”

However, the fact that a mere squire had immediately rushed into action without waiting for orders had only made the leader even more unhappy. She seemed to think that everything was Neia’s fault. Fortunately, the assistant leader had managed to smooth things over, but the delegation’s leader had a poor impression of Neia now.

Neia had been selected for this ambassadorial party solely because of her keen senses, which had ensured their safety on the road here. Asking her to contribute in other ways would be a tall order.

But it’s not like I can say that...

Neia looked to the sky and sighed Haaah. Then, she watched as the white mist she exhaled drifted slowly in the air and vanished. As she thought about the uncomfortable reception awaiting her at the inn, her gut began to cramp up.

The noble Neia was supposed to meet was not a very important person — he was not highly ranked in the Kingdom — so not being able to make an appointment with him was not a great setback, but even so her leader would gripe at her.

...Usually, even if you wanted to meet someone important right away, they’d still need some time to research your history and learn more about you. So the earliest you could have a meeting was in a week’s time.

Well, at least that did not sound like she was just complaining about the other party’s refusal.

According to our leader’s instructions, we’ll be leaving the Royal Capital in a few days… our leader, huh...

Their leader was now constantly on edge. She did not look like she could properly control her emotions.

In the past, she had not been that way. Neia knew that much. She had been an easygoing… or clueless person, if one were not inclined to be polite. However, ever since the battle where they had lost the Holy Queen, there had been a dramatic shift in her personality.

“...An unsatisfactory performance, huh.”

As a squire, the only thing she could do about her leader’s unreasonable scoldings was to bow her head and silently accept them.

Even so, this was nothing compared to how the surviving people in the Holy Kingdom were struggling. All she had to do was keep her head down and weather the storm.

After steeling herself for the worst — or perhaps she had given up — Neia reached the front of the inn.

She took a deep breath, pulled back her hood, and then pushed open the inn’s fancy doors.