He Became the Only Ally of the Abandoned Warrior-Chapter 59

When he took her hand, Lina shyly lowered her gaze.

He liked this submissive side of the otherwise imperious woman.

"Saintess Arsil and Archer Naidrian have arrived!"

Tch.

The pleasant atmosphere was shattered.

After casting a regretful glance at Reinhold as he moved away from her, Lina composed herself to greet the two arrivals.

"Welcome, Arsil, Naidrian. You must be hungry, but not everyone is here yet. If you wait a little longer, you’ll get to taste the dishes prepared by our royal kitchen."

"As long as it fills my stomach, it’s fine."

Arsil responded indifferently as she took a seat.

Lina’s temple throbbed, but she restrained her irritation, knowing that the gorilla-like woman was always like this.

When they first reunited, Arsil had cared more about the fact that she had escaped from Filthy Alley and hadn’t heard any news about Yi than about Lina being the Crown Princess.

Aside from occasionally crossing paths in the hallways and exchanging sharp words, they had little to do with each other.

"I’m fine with just a salad."

"Oh, but we’ve prepared something special—delicacies you wouldn’t have seen in the Elven Forest. Especially our chef’s veal; it’s exceptional."

"R-really?"

Elves generally don’t eat meat unless necessary or unavoidable.

Due to their naturally delicate digestive systems, meat was difficult for them to process. Despite this, Lina insisted, and the timid Naidrian had no choice but to awkwardly comply.

As Naidrian sat uneasily, rolling her eyes, and Arsil sat staring off into space, Lina found herself increasingly annoyed by their indifference.

Typically, guests would be eager to please her, but these two showed no interest at all.

"Magician Tigrea and Hero Lucyena Estelle have arrived!"

Finally, a proper human with a noble title had arrived.

But that human was the insolent hero.

Aside from herself and Reinhold, there were no decent people at this gathering.

Lina barely managed to suppress a sigh.

"You’re late, Tigrea."

"I’m not late. I’ve arrived on time."

Another one with backtalk...!

At that moment, a strange metallic sound came from the entrance to the banquet hall.

Screeeech!

"Hey, why won’t you let the porter in?"

It was Lucy.

After entering, she had realized that the guards had blocked Lin with their halberds, so she grabbed one of them and bent it.

"We were informed that the banquet was only for the five members of the Hero’s party."

"What are you talking about? The Hero’s party has six members, including the porter. He even has an official royal appointment!"

"Lucy, it’s okay."

Everyone in the banquet hall was shocked.

At Lin’s words of reassurance, Lucy hesitated, tugged at her dress nervously, and finally nodded.

The hero, who used to despise the porter, was now so devoted to him.

‘As expected, to control the Hero, securing that porter is essential.’

When the guards didn’t step aside, Lin quietly decided to remain by the entrance.

Although Lucy was upset, she couldn’t go against Lin’s wishes, so she reluctantly sat down at the far end of the long table.

"It’s hard to have a conversation from such a distance, Hero."

"Do you want to talk to me? Is there something you want to say?"

No.

Realizing this, Lina didn’t press further.

With all the invited guests present, it was time for the host to announce the start of the banquet.

"Since everyone must be hungry, let’s eat first and chat afterward."

At her clap, servants filed in, continuously filling the table with dishes.

The long table, which could seat about ten people, was lavishly adorned with a feast from end to end.

Even Naidrian, who was usually indifferent, couldn’t help but swallow at the sight of the dishes.

However, only the sound of clinking cutlery filled the banquet hall.

While it was a relief that no one was eating loudly, the silence made both Lina and Reinhold uncomfortable.

Even in this tense atmosphere, Lucy hadn’t touched any of the food.

Like the magician, she watched the others eat with an impassive expression.

No one felt at ease.

"Hero, aren’t you hungry?"

"Oh, I’m starving."

Oh? How dare this fallen noble brat...

"Why don’t you try a bite? I’m sure you’ll like it."

"Well, I have no idea what kind of poison might be in it. I’ll just eat what I brought."

"Poison…!"

Crash!

Without answering, Lucy pushed all the dishes in front of her off the table with her arm.

The food, still steaming, fell to the floor.

Lina was about to shout at Lucy for her rudeness when she noticed the food Lucy had taken out and froze.

Arsil also stopped eating and looked over at Lucy.

A sandwich.

What Lucy had pulled out was a sandwich that Lin had made for her the night before.

He had made so many that even the big eater Lucy had one left over.

She delicately bit into the sandwich.

It had cooled, but it was still delicious.

Finally, a warm smile spread across the hero’s face.

Plop.

The jam and mashed potatoes that Lin had generously spread began to ooze out, dripping onto the tray in front of her.

Recognizing the familiar combination, Lina found herself unconsciously watching Lucy eat.

"Um…"

But Arsil was different.

Looking somewhat desperate, she cautiously spoke to Lucy.

"Can I have a bite?"

"You want to take the liver out of a flea."

"Come on, just one bite…"

She knew she was being pathetic, but Arsil needed to confirm.

She wanted to know if that sandwich was the same as the one she remembered.

If it was, she wanted to know who had made it.

Arsil wasn’t a fool.

Lina and Ravin had both come from Filthy Alley.

If that was the case, it was likely that Yi had also left the alley and ventured out into the world.

He was good at cooking, so he might be working as a chef or running a street stall somewhere.

The bastards from the Holy Nation, even Pope Agreus, insisted that Filthy Alley was doing just fine.

She had no allies and no way to send her own spies, and she didn’t want to talk about it openly, fearing that it might make her seem untrustworthy to the common people.

She wanted to go herself, but she was always stuck on the front lines fighting the Demon King and the demons or tied down in the palace or the Holy See.

So Arsil had no way of knowing, no matter how much she wanted to.

And now, before her was a sandwich that could be a clue to Yi’s whereabouts.

The very reason she had betrayed the Hero and struck a deal with the Empire and the Holy Nation was for Yi and Filthy Alley.

She had wanted to bring peace to the world, then proudly return to her hometown and develop it alongside the one she loved.

But Arsil now knew.

She knew that to save her hometown, she would have to dirty her hands.

That’s why she desperately wanted to find Yi.

"Get lost."

"Then at least tell me who made it."

"…The porter."

"The porter?"

"Why are you so surprised? He always made our meals."

Lucy continued to chew on her sandwich.

It was just jam and mashed potatoes, but it was so delicious.

It must have been because Lin had made it with care just for her.

Unknowingly, another smile spread across her face.

"This rudeness ends now!"

Lina, who had jumped to her feet, signaled to the guards at the entrance.

Two guards, waiting for her signal, moved to restrain Lin.

And then,

They died.

Smack!

Crunch!

"How dare you try to lay a hand on him?"

Lucy had sprung from her seat and kicked one of them.

He died before even hitting the wall, his abdomen bursting open.

The other guard, who had been holding the bent halberd, was struck in the left chest by her fist.

His ribs shattered and pierced his heart, killing him instantly.

"Wh-what…!"

"Lucyena, isn’t that excessive?!"

Both Lina and Reinhold were shocked and cried out in disbelief at yet another killing within the palace after the teleportation incident, but Lucy only sneered.

“After having my limbs cut off, I’ve become someone who can’t forgive anyone who tries to harm me or my comrades.”

Lucy pulled out a handkerchief from her pocket. The red silk, matching her own hair, was carefully used to wipe the blood splatters off Lin’s face.

“Thank you, Lucy.”

Ah, yes.

As long as she had Lin, nothing else mattered.

Even on the battlefield, where comrades would betray each other, Lin was the one person who would never abandon her.

He had already proven that by saving her life.

“Guards…!”

Lina, about to call for more guards, met Lucy’s gaze and froze.

Killing intent.

For someone who had only experienced Ravin’s restrained combat in Filthy Alley, the true killing intent of a warrior was overwhelming.

It was something that could not be handled by someone steeped in arrogance and pretense.

And the killing intent of a hero was something that no one could withstand.

The oppressive atmosphere was so intense that everyone in the Hero’s party felt as though they were nailed to their seats.

“I’ve held back twice.”

Lucy warned.

“There won’t be a third time.”

With her red hair flowing, the hero left the banquet hall with the porter in tow.

It was only after a long while that Lina finally collapsed into her seat.

“Your Highness, are you alright?”

As Reinhold moved to help her, he heard a squelching sound under his foot.

“Ugh…! This is wine! I spilled wine, that’s all!”

Lina hastily tried to explain, but Reinhold clearly saw the momentary look of disgust on his face before he quickly smoothed it over.

Humiliated, she hung her head in shame as he took a step back, ordering the maids to take Lina away.

As she was escorted out by the maids, Lina kept muttering to herself.

“This disgrace… I will never let this go… never…!”

The banquet ended in chaos.

As the servants began to clear away the bodies of the dead guards, Arsil made her way over to where Lucy had been sitting.

There was a single bite left.

In her rush to protect Lin, Lucy hadn’t finished the last bite of her sandwich.

Without hesitation, Arsil picked up the remaining piece and put it in her mouth.

“This…”

That taste.

The taste she had longed for ever since she left for the Holy Nation.

The sandwich made with an unknown fruit jam and mashed potatoes.

The taste she had missed so much, the taste that tore at her heart with longing.

“The porter made this?”

Suddenly, Arsil remembered that the porter had black hair.

“No, it can’t be…”

It couldn’t be.

Because if he was Yi,

Her world would collapse.

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Because if he was Yi,

Then it would mean that she had subjected him to the Demon King’s magic herself….

“No, it can’t be…!”

Fear gave rise to hesitation.

And hesitation would only further inflate the tragedy that might have been avoided here.

It wouldn’t be long now.

But that short wait would change everything.