After the severely wounded and completely immobilized Valga Cromwell was dragged away by the Royal Guards.
Regulus and the King chatted in the ruined study for a while longer. During this time, Regulus could clearly feel that the King's attitude towards him had become even more enthusiastic and genuine.
When it was finally time to depart, the King even personally saw him off to the palace doors.
Just as Regulus was about to leave...
"Lord Regulus," the King called out.
"Your Majesty, do you have anything else?"
"I saw you staring at this child earlier. Are you very fond of her?" Saying this, the King beckoned the Ninja Girl, who was standing silently in the shadows a little behind him, to step forward to his side.
Regulus's gaze immediately focused on the girl in the dark shinobi attire.
"I am indeed very fond of her," Regulus admitted straightforwardly, a greedy smile forming on his lips. "Is His Majesty the King willing to part with her and bestow her upon me?"
There was nothing to hide about this; after all, his fondness for beautiful women and his ever-growing mansion of wives were basically common knowledge throughout the Royal City.
"I do have that intention," the King nodded warmly. "Here in Lugnica, meritorious deeds must be rewarded. Furthermore, you not only protected my life tonight, but also rendered an undeniable service to the Kingdom's future peace. However, since you have no interest in status, territory, or even reputation, all I can do is cater to your specific preferences."
The King's words and expression were filled with genuine frustration over how difficult it was to properly reward a man who wanted nothing but women.
Regulus smiled at this. "Thank you for your bestowal. I will gladly accept your kind intentions."
"This is what you deserve. And truthfully, merely offering this child, Zero, is far from enough to offset the monumental merits you have achieved," the King said. "In the future, if you take a liking to anyone, just tell me. Whether it's a high noble lady, the daughter of a wealthy merchant, or even a royal princess, if you wish, I can personally act as a matchmaker for you."
The King made a firm guarantee. This kind of matchmaker was politically absolute. With the King himself stepping forward to propose the union, absolutely no family in this country would be able to refuse.
"I won't be polite with you, then."
"Hahaha! I like your straightforward and unpretentious nature."
"I apologize, but I must refuse you on that point," Regulus deadpanned. "I have absolutely no interest in men."
"Uh—"
The King's expression instantly stiffened. That was truly a sharp, unexpected retort; it almost made the monarch choke on his own breath.
"I'm not interested in men either!" the King coughed, his face flushing slightly.
"That's good," Regulus nodded in mock relief. "If His Majesty the King were interested in men, I would have to seriously consider whether I should pack up my wives and flee the Royal City overnight."
"You can rest assured about that," the King sighed, shaking his head at the sheer audacity of this man. "Alright, it's getting late. Go back with her quickly. This child, Zero, was adopted by the Crown since she was young and trained into an elite among elites. And most importantly..."
At this point, the King leaned closer to Regulus, dropping his voice to a conspiratorial whisper.
"This child has had absolutely no contact with the opposite sex. She is definitely a top-quality maiden. If I weren't so old, it certainly wouldn't be your turn, you brat, to pick up such a great bargain for free."
"Are you sure it's not because you already have too many wives and your body just can't handle it anymore?" Regulus smirked.
"Go away, go away!" The King waved him off in a fit of pique. "This old bone of mine can still last another forty or fifty years, no problem!"
"Are you sure?"
"You talk too much! Hurry back and enjoy yourself!"
After shooing Regulus away, the King adjusted his demeanor, clearing his throat and returning to his dignified, monarchical persona.
However, the Ninja Girl standing beside him...
She seemed to show no change in her stoic expression, but if one observed carefully, one could see her lips trembling slightly. She was a master shinobi! An ordinary person might not have heard what they were whispering about, but she, having undergone brutal sensory training, heard everything clearly, word for scandalous word.
But this entire situation also deeply surprised her.
'His Majesty the King's attitude towards this man is not at all what it should be between a monarch and a subject,' Zero thought. 'Rather... he treats him as an equal friend. He even banters with him.'
"Your Majesty," Regulus bowed slightly. "Since there's nothing else, I shall take my leave."
"Go back. Don't keep your wives waiting, and I also need to rest soon."
After he finished speaking, Regulus turned to leave, and the Ninja Girl silently followed behind him.
Facing this situation, Regulus suddenly reached out his hand, directly grasped her slender wrist, and smoothly pulled her flush against his embrace as they walked down the palace steps.
Zero's body stiffened instantly. Even when Regulus had merely reached for her just now, she had almost made an instinctive, lightning-fast dodging movement. However, remembering her orders, she held back at the last fraction of a second and did not pull away from Regulus's grip.
To be honest, this girl was really incredible. Not only was her face strikingly beautiful and composed, but her athletic, perfectly toned figure beneath the tight shinobi gear was absolutely top-notch.
"Lord Regulus, walking like this will be very inconvenient," a hint of shyness finally leaked into the girl's words, yet she maintained relative composure.
"Inconvenience doesn't matter," Regulus replied cheerfully, his arm wrapping around her waist. "What's important is that I want to do this."
"...Yes. Please do as you wish."
Zero fell into a tense silence. If it were just simply being held while walking, there wouldn't be a massive problem. But the problem was that this man's hands were brazenly wandering as they walked. As a tool who had been 'given' away, she had no right to resist her new master's wandering fingers.
While forcibly enduring the harassment, her sharp gaze constantly surveyed everything around them.
Fortunately, it was late at night, and because of the recent giant attack, most of the soldiers and guards remained inside the palace to protect the King. The courtyards were empty.
Yet, even as she felt a wave of relief at the lack of onlookers, a deep sense of worry couldn't help but well up in her heart.
'Could I truly accomplish the secret task given to me by His Majesty?' Zero wondered.
Although this task was her first major assignment, it was also meant to be her last—a task that would consume her entire life.
The true content of the King's order was very simple: Observation and companionship. Or rather, existing as a sleeper agent and a monitor. It would be fine if nothing went wrong in her future life, but if any problems arose—for example, if Regulus decided to do something detrimental to the Kingdom—she would have to assassinate him, stop him, or relay the information back to the Crown.
Therefore, the King had not given this walking demigod his complete trust after all. And perhaps the terrifying man currently groping her already knew this too. How her future life would unfold, and how she would ever gain this monster's trust while acting as a spy, were all heavy questions she had to consider.
Just as she was deeply lost in her espionage thoughts...
"Guh~!"
A soft, startled gasp escaped her lips. Her body, which had just relaxed a fraction, stiffened violently again. She realized she had just been pinched right on her behind.
The man beside her was casually reminding her that they had arrived in front of his dragon carriage and it was time to snap back to reality and board it.
The next moment, she felt his grip release her waist.
Zero, who had just taken a step forward and was about to formally board the carriage, suddenly felt her body completely lose its balance. She was pulled backward and swept directly off her feet, falling securely into the arms of the man behind her.
A bridal carry!
Although it was her first time experiencing such a romantic, embarrassing gesture, her mind raced. 'If he was just going to carry me inside anyway, then why did he pinch me just now?!'
Thoroughly harassed and flustered, the Ninja Girl, her stoic face now flushed a brilliant red, stared up at the smug person holding her.
But after glaring at him for only a brief moment, her shinobi instincts suddenly noticed a sharp gaze coming from inside the dark cabin. She immediately turned her head to look at the presence staring at her.
There was someone already waiting inside the dragon carriage!
....
....
....
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