The World After Leaving the Hero Party

30 – This is cute

A few days have passed since I returned to the palace. Just when I thought it was time for Veronica to come, a lady-in-waiting came to the garden where she was preparing for class.

“Sage. Cardinal Veronica of the church has come to visit.”

“Okay, Princess. Let’s go right away.”

Veronica was ready to leave as soon as she arrived, and since she had already told the Queen, there was no problem with going to the dungeon. Of course, there was talk of providing support from knights and soldiers to get there.

“Do we really not need the help of the Knights?”

“Yes.”

I have requested the adventurer’s guild for escort and support. The target was the three-horned lizardman Galik party and the lion beast Baltin’s party who decided to go together to kill the demons in the Rowento Mountains.

“Why did you bother to ask them? Rather, the Knights…”

“Ah, I have something else to look after.”

After sending Lucille back to the palace, I will go to the achievement with them.

In particular, the Mine near the Rowento Mountains and the Elven Forest are quite strong, but since they are in the field, they are not subject to the limit on the number of people.

So, if I were added to Galik and Baltin’s party, I’d be able to catch them easily.

“Anyway. Are you ready?”

“Yes? Yes.”

Lucille was wearing typical wizard gear.

Being a princess of a country, the equipment itself is pretty good.

Looking at her condition, I nodded.

“Looks like Lucal-nim paid quite a bit of attention.”

“Yes. They said it was the equipment they used in their youth.”

If it’s the equipment of the royal mage Lukal’s youth… I’m sure it’ll be good. After I was satisfied with her condition, I picked up the bag.

“By the way, Master… You’re quite simple.”

“I’m fine with this.”

As for the armor, the greaves and robes that I always wear are sufficient. And all the weapons have already been registered in Moonlight, so that’s okay.

You only need to bring some potions to use just in case.

This was also made by myself with alchemy, so there was no problem with one guarantee of performance.

“Then let’s go.”

“Yes!”

I came out of the palace with Lucille who responded energetically. When I came out through the gate of the large palace, there stood a silver-haired beauty in a black priest’s uniform.

“…!!”

“Hmm? Why is that?”

“Oh, no. Whoa…”

It’s not the first time Veronica has come to the royal palace, so you know her face, right? I looked at the hesitant Lucille and patted her on the shoulder.

“Veronica is vicious to the cultists, but kind to those who are not. Don’t be afraid.”

“I guess…”

“And he’s my friend. Don’t worry too much.”

I know most of the characters in this world, and I can figure out to some extent whether they are trash or not.

In addition, thanks to the clown’s mentality comprehension skill, it is possible to grasp the propensity as well.

In other words, you can make friends with people by checking whether or not they are okay to stay with.

“It’s not that I can’t believe Master’s eyes. But…”

“but?”

“…It’s nothing. Yes. I’ll try my best.”

I smiled at Lucille, who clenched her fists. Veronica, who may have found us in the meantime, walked calmly and approached us.

uh…

by the way.

“how have you been doing?”

“I’ve been fine. But…”

“why?”

“Why did you wear makeup?”

Veronica, a beautiful woman, doesn’t usually wear make-up. The disc itself is pretty, but when I asked before, the clergyman had bruised me about what kind of makeup it was.

But he’s decorating it.

“Yeah~ Yes. You can do it too!”

“Be polite in your own way. Princess. Long time no see. Have you met before?”

“Ah… yes.”

Lucille bit her lip and looked at her, then nodded. There was an awkward atmosphere flowing.

Veronica smiles strangely.

Lucille staring at her without blinking.

“I have to go a long way, but I didn’t expect you to come with makeup on. Cardinal Veronica.”

“It’s not like the church forbids clergy to decorate themselves… And isn’t makeup a form of etiquette?”

“Courtesy… Is this a place to be polite? This is it?”

“Whoops. Yes. That’s how it should be.”

Glancing, Veronica looked at me.

why are you looking at me

“It’s the place to be.”

“…okay.”

Lucille stiffened, perhaps nervous, and I gave her a light pat on the shoulder.

Only then did Lucille come to her senses and greeted politely, holding the hem of her robe lightly.

“I would like to greet you again. The princess of the kingdom.”

Lucille paused for a moment before staring straight into Veronica’s eyes.

Compared to the past, this is a really great development. To think that a guy who couldn’t even look at people properly was looking at Veronica like this.

Lucille smiled brightly while I felt the sound of pride coming from a corner of my heart.

“I am Lucille Ermeyer, the ‘one and only’ disciple of the sage Hyeonu.”

“I see… I’m the heretic inquisitor and cardinal of the church. I’m Veronica, a friend who went through life and death with Hyeonu. Well, it’s not an exaggeration to say that he’s a friend, but it’s almost a ‘partner’ level.”

It’s an exaggeration in my opinion.

“Partner… level?”

“Yes. We fought back to back several times… and even saved each other’s lives when we caught a dangerous cultist… Unlike the warrior party.”

It’s not wrong, but why am I saying that now? I was looking for something to say in the increasingly intimidating atmosphere.

“…I see. Master’s friend is like that… Master is such a great person.”

“Hyeonu is amazing.”

“I am a proud teacher. Unlike me, Master has a lot of friends.”

“…Oh my. Huhuhu.”

“…Ah. Ho ho ho.”

Well. We are laughing at each other.

Should I say that the atmosphere is good somehow?

While the two smiled at each other without blinking an eye, other guys also came.

“Yeah! Sage!”

“Are you all gathered already?!”

They were Galik and Baltin. When they came with the party members, the two looked at each other only then.

“…What is it? What’s wrong with the atmosphere?”

“What happened?”

Baltin approached and asked, and after thinking for a moment, I answered.

“It didn’t matter.”

It was just an ordinary meeting, and we exchanged ordinary greetings.

To get to the snowy dungeon, you had to go north from the capital for about two days.

There were monsters on the way, but they weren’t that strong, so there was no need to fight a big battle.

I was able to arrive at the camp on the first day without any problems, and I did not miss this opportunity.

“Sage. Will you do what you promised?”

Veronica tilted her head as Baltine tapped my back with her large hand.

“What promise did you make?”

“I decided to do all the support when going to the snowy dungeon.”

From tidying up the campsite, preparing meals, and even preparing tents and beds for accommodation.

I decided to prepare all of that part.

Of course, this was also for achievement, so I accepted it with a smile.

“Then, shall we see the wise man’s cooking skills after a long time?”

“Did you bring the ingredients?”

“Sure.”

Baltin brought out a large piece of bacon, bread, and some vegetables. And Galik’s offerings were things like seasoning and dried fish.

Maybe it’s because they’re capable adventurers, but most of them are dry, but even so, you can have a full meal.

“Then I’ll go scout the area.”

Galik and Baltin took the party members and moved toward exploring the surroundings. As they moved away, Lucille tilted her head as she watched me prepare the dish.

“Master, do you know how to cook?”

“There’s nothing Hyeonu can’t do. You say you’re a disciple… but you don’t seem to know Hyeonu yet.”

“Huh-huh. You just have to get to know him slowly. There’s plenty of time to be with Master.”

As the two created another strange atmosphere, I lifted the ladle.

“Wouldn’t it be better to match your hands and feet rather than fighting over strange things?”

In particular, Lucille and Veronica need proper preparation as they have never been together before.

Of course, the dungeon of harsh snow isn’t that difficult, but if you’re unlucky, everyone dies even in an easy dungeon.

So, it is better to be prepared as much as possible.

“But Hyeonu. If you are here, I can get pretty much anything right, right?”

“But, Princess. It’s a good opportunity, so try matching it with Veronica. There are few priests as good as Veronica.”

“…All right.”

Only then did the strange atmosphere between the two disappear. While the two of them learned about each other while using magic and surname nearby, I quickly started preparing the meal.

“Ohhh, that smells good!”

“It’s to the point where you’re being taken care of even from afar. But can I cook like this?”

“What’s wrong?”

“No. The monsters come after smelling it…”

“That’s what you said.”

It is a dish that can increase fatigue recovery and satiety to the maximum, but when cooked outdoors, the probability of summoning monsters increases.

Among the adventurers, I was secretly bringing my hand to the weapon to see if there was one I sensed, and I stopped them.

“I’ll leave it to you two.”

“Huh? Why?”

“We have to go into the dungeon together, but we have to match the sum to some extent. There’s nothing better than actual combat.”

“Eh. Is that okay? It’s the princess and the cardinal. What if I get hurt…”

“If it’s the two of us, there’s no problem, and even if there’s a problem, I can heal most of the injuries.”

I changed the moonlight into a staff, and only then did the adventurers feel relieved. When the cooking is getting more and more complete like that.

-Kirrurruk!!

-Keew!!

A wolf with two heads appeared.

“S-Master?! It’s an enemy!”

“I know. Take it down with Veronica.”

It’s not that Lucille doesn’t have real combat experience, so there shouldn’t be a problem.

When I instructed her, she held out her staff and immediately fired a magic bullet, and the two-headed wolf that was hit by it roared and charged at Lucille.

“Aww…!”

-Pereouk!!

The wolf’s charge did not reach Lucille. It was because Veronica’s mace had struck the wolf before it could strike.

When the wolf, who had been hit properly, rolled on the floor and tried to get into position, Lucille gritted her teeth and prepared the second spell.

“Fire Strike!!”

Lucille’s beginner flame-type magic was activated and the wolf’s body was beaten. Veronica struck the wolf without hesitation as she collapsed on the floor in agony wrapped in fire.

-Quad Deuk!!

The wolf, whose head was broken by the mace, eventually collapsed.

Seeing the wolf’s body disappear into a black mist, I pointed the other way.

“Okay. Here comes the second.”

“Uh, how long do I have to do this?!”

I stirred the stew in the pot with a ladle while Lucille raised her wand and prepared the spell.

“Until I allow it. Why. Can’t you?”

“…I’ll do it! I!”

Lucille held out her staff, creating an ice spear and shooting it at the large, green monster.

“…because it’s the only disciple of the wise man.”

Hey! Great!

The appearance of the old days is gradually disappearing, and it is definitely growing internally!

“…tsk.”

Veronica’s expression doesn’t look good, but we can solve that later.

Because this is what supporters do.

Compared to the cover of the hero’s party, it’s at a cute level.