Raising A Hero – Chapter 74

Ch 74: I was even thinking about marriage

Three days have passed since arriving in the capital.

Ji-hyuk sat in his office for the first time in a while and slowly worked through the backlog of tasks one by one. While he was doing so, the administrator, Durka, came to the hero’s office. It was news that a guest had arrived. It was an unscheduled visit.

“…A guest? Who?”

“It’s Hero Elizabeth.”

Ahㅡ.

Hearing that name, the corners of Ji-hyuk’s mouth automatically curled up. He didn’t expect her to come in person. He wondered what brought her here.

“I see. I’ll be there soon.”

Ji-hyuk sent Durka away first and finished the work he was doing before leaving his office. When he went to the reception room on the first floor, he saw a familiar face sitting there, sipping tea. It was Princess Elizabeth, the daughter of Duke Balkan.

It was the first meeting since they both became heroes. She and he hadn’t seen each other for a while, as their paths had been intertwined.

Still, he hadn’t expected her to seek him out first. Wasn’t she a woman whose pride was not ordinary? On top of that, she’d likely be armed with jealousy.

“Long time no see, Elizabeth.”

“…Yes, it has been.”

Elizabeth couldn’t treat him with disrespect as she used to. They were now in an equal relationship. No matter what, she wasn’t the type of person to ignore such things and act recklessly.

Ji-hyuk sent his greetings first.

“It’s late, but congratulations. On becoming a hero.”

“I congratulate you too. …The rumors are widespread. A record-breaking achievement.”

“Well, I was lucky.”

Of course, Elizabeth knew that it couldn’t have been accomplished by luck alone. It was, after all, a perfect score of 100. Moreover, didn’t he come back this time having succeeded in an 80-point mission as well? …She honestly couldn’t imagine how difficult that mission must have been.

After becoming a hero, she had accumulated 60 points by completing two 20-point missions in a year. She was filled with dreams. She believed she would be promoted within the next year. Although she was somewhat behind him, she had no doubt that she could catch up someday if she kept trying.

However, when she heard the rumors after Ji-hyuk’s return, her mood plummeted. She had painstakingly accumulated 60 points after going through such hardship, but he had earned 80 points in a single mission. At this rate, he might even become B-class this year. …It was a distant story for her, who hadn’t even escaped D-class yet.

A rival of destinyㅡ.

She once thought so. However, as time passed, she increasingly felt that it might be her own delusion. …He was moving away too quickly.

In fact, the reason she came today was different. It was because of her father, Duke Balkan’s, recommendation.

If it was money, he had money; if it was land, he had land; if it was power, he had power. Duke Balkan had only one thing that was lacking: strong martial power.

Of course, there were many strong people under him. However, there was no existence that could be called overwhelming. Ji-hyuk, the hero, appeared in that situation. A hero who was a record-breaking genius.

Furthermore, he was a foreigner, so he had no family. If they could embrace him completely, they could make him a person of the duke’s family completely. …So, of course, his mouth was watering.

━ The hero named Gang Ji-hyuk, what do you think of him?

━ …Why do you ask?

━ I am considering marriage with you.

Elizabeth knew that she would be used as a weapon for a political marriage someday. Her father, Duke Balkan, was that kind of person. For him, children were merely a means to expand his power.

However, she hadn’t expected that Gang Ji-hyuk’s name would be on the list of potential marriage partners.

━ Are you serious?

━ I mean, I have it in mind. Of course, we still have time, so you don’t have to think about it so quickly. …Still, why don’t you test the waters? What do you think of it?

━ …Yes, I understand.

So she came.

Of course, she didn’t come to decide whether or not to marry him. Still, since she had considered him a rival until now, she was also curious about how he was doing, and she was also curious about this 80-point mission…. In any case, a complex mix of such reasons was intertwined.

“Well, it seems he’s doing well.”

Strangely, her tone was somewhat blunt. Even considering her sharp personality, there was a bit more sharpness in her tone.

However, he smiled generously and accepted that attitude without any trouble. …Looking at this, he didn’t seem to have a bad personality at all.

Perhaps because she had heard about the marriage talk, she kept sizing him up as she looked at him. As if she was scoring him.

There was no fault with his skills. He was a record-breaking genius, so there was no room for doubt.

He was also physically excellent. He had a good appearance, he was tall, and he had a good physique. …His penis, um…, would it be big?

…What am I thinking?

Elizabeth was slightly surprised at her own vulgar thoughts. It was probably because she had overheard her colleagues’ vulgar conversations that men had to have a big penis to be a good man.

Anyway.

Although he was a foreigner and his family was humble, Elizabeth’s father, Duke Balkan, seemed to favor that fact. It was because he thought it would make him easier to handle. The daughter, who knew her father’s ruthless personality well, was sure that would be the case.

The princess would have to get married someday. In that regard, he was definitely a perfect match for many conditions. Although the first meeting wasn’t very pleasant, it was a long time ago, so it was a petty thing to still make a fuss about it.

She was contemplating for a while. Whether to bring up the marriage talk or not.

“…Elizabeth?”

“Yes? What is it?”

“What was the purpose of your visit?”

Ahㅡ.

Many things flashed through Elizabeth’s mind. …But, in the end, something different from her true feelings came out.

“I just wanted to hear about this mission. …They say it was an 80-point one?”

Ji-hyuk, who had no idea of the princess’s thoughts, thought it was for that reason. Wasn’t she a woman who was already very jealous? She would probably want to hear the story to see if she could aim for a high score too.

Of course, Ji-hyuk had no intention of hiding anything. There was nothing that would change if he told the story anyway. Likewise, she wouldn’t be able to do anything she couldn’t do if she heard this story.

…There’s no need to make an enemy. She doesn’t seem to have any ill feelings toward me, seeing as she came here in person….

Ji-hyuk treated her kindly, even though she was somewhat blunt. Didn’t he already know the princess’s nasty temper?

He began to speak calmly. Even she, who had been sitting there unpleasantly at first, gradually became engrossed in his story. She hadn’t known that he had gone to the monster plains, which was notorious for its terrible reputation.

The story was really exciting. Elizabeth unconsciously leaned her body toward Ji-hyuk.

She walked through vast grasslands, passed through a nasty swamp, and entered a eerie demon’s labyrinth. The long story ended with her killing the Demon Genevy.

There was a moment of lingering emotions. The princess, realizing her own unsightly behavior late, quickly changed her expression and readjusted her posture.

“I’ve heard the story well. …Something amazing happened.”

“It’s amazing when you hear the story, but it’s chilling when you experience it yourself.”

“Right, I wouldn’t go to the monster plains even if they gave me 100 points.”

Actually, it was a lie. If they offered 100 points, she would have gone right away. However, she wanted to show off a little in front of him for some reason. Even though she knew it was meaningless.

“I see.”

Ji-hyuk didn’t retort and just gave a light smile, easily brushing it off. In a way, she looked a little cute. The way she desperately tried to preserve her pride until the end.

There was a moment of silence. She just kept gulping down the hot tea. She couldn’t think of a suitable topic for conversation.

Ji-hyuk looked outside. It seemed to be around noon. He looked at Elizabeth again and asked if she would have a simple lunch with him. She nodded eagerly as if she had been waiting.

“Well, if you’re treating me, I’ll eat and go.”

He told the maid to prepare the meal. The two went to the dining room.

Elizabeth was troubled as she cut the meat. Whether to bring up the marriage talk or not. …Strangely, the words wouldn’t come out of her mouth.

Ji-hyuk, by then, noticed that she had something to worry about. Of course, he still had no idea what it was.

The meal that began in silence ended in silence again. After finishing the meal, she couldn’t stay any longer. It was time to leave.

“Well, I had a good meal. I’ll treat you next time.”

“I’ll be waiting for it.”

The two walked side by side. She was still lost in thought. She had to say it, but she couldn’t.

The two men and women soon left the entrance of the mansion. He escorted her to the carriage. It was his consideration to maintain a good relationship.

“Then, I’ll be going.”

“Yes, be careful on your way.”

Elizabeth slowly climbed into the carriage. Until then, she was agonizing inside. She had to say it, she had to.

“Hero Gang Ji-hyuk.”

“Yes.”

“…Thank you for the treat.”

“Yes.”

Ji-hyuk wondered why this woman was taking so long. However, she finally couldn’t bring herself to say it and slammed the carriage door shut.

Yi-rapㅡ. The carriage moved. He watched it for a moment and then turned his body.

…But, suddenly, the carriage stopped abruptly. The carriage door flew open, and Elizabeth jumped out. She walked toward him with a hardened face.

Ji-hyuk, who was about to enter the mansion, turned around with a bewildered expression and stared intently at the princess. She, who had approached him again, had a flushed face.

“What is it…?”

“Hero Gang Ji-hyuk.”

“Say it.”

Elizabeth took a deep breath. And licked her dry lips with her tongue.

Her gaze, which had slightly dropped, looked up at him again.

“…About marriage, what do you think?”

· · ·

Thud.

The carriage door closed.

“Hurry up and leave. Quickㅡ!”

Elizabeth shouted and covered her face with her two hands.

I’m crazy. I’m really crazy.

Not only did I go to the mansion of the guy I thought of as an enemy and had a relaxed meal, but marriage? …My head seemed to have gone crazy for a moment.

Why did I stop in the middle when I could have just gone on the road…!

I was really too embarrassed to die.

Yi-rapㅡ. The carriage set off again. It soon left Ji-hyuk’s mansion and ran along the avenue.

━ …About marriage, what do you think?

She felt a chill after speaking. But the water had already been spilled.

At that moment, his eyes widened slightly. It seemed he hadn’t expected those words to come out.

━ Marriage?

He thought for a moment and then opened his mouth.

━ It’s too sudden…, well, I can consider it positively.

It was too vague an answer. But, her head was already filled with embarrassment, so she couldn’t give a more definite answer. She just wanted to escape from this place right now.

━ I see.

Elizabeth replied and immediately went back into the carriage.

I’m crazy, I’m really crazyㅡ!

Her feet were automatically tapping. She couldn’t stay still.

…But, shouldn’t this damn guy give me a clear answer? …Bad guy.

━ I can consider it positively.

Still, the human animal is strange, and she instinctively drew a positive conclusion from that statement.

…Considering it positively means he has some feelings, right? If he had no feelings at all, he would have just said he would consider it. …Right? Why would he attach the word positive?

Elizabeth was lost in imaginative thinking with the single word “positively.”

Yes, I’m not lacking anythingㅡ! Princess, Hero, pretty, good personality…, he probably doesn’t have no feelings for me.

The hero was full of confidence.

There’s no woman like me. When a marriage proposal comes, you should just bow and accept itㅡ!