Carlisle's gaze rested quietly on Natsuki Subaru. She was chatting animatedly with Old Man Rom, a brilliant smile gracing her face, and lively light sparkling in her eyes.
The girl's voice was clear and cheerful, and Old Man Rom's originally wary expression gradually relaxed, a faint smile unconsciously gracing his lips, even occasionally letting out a few hearty laughs.
Carlisle couldn't help but feel a little surprised. He had initially thought that communicating with a giant of Old Man Rom's eccentric personality would be very difficult.
However, Natsuki Subaru seemed to possess some kind of magical charm. In just a few words, she broke through Old Man Rom's wariness, making him drop his guard, open up, and start chatting about topics like Gundam and robots.
"This is truly incredible..." Carlisle murmured in his heart. He looked at the girl's vibrant profile, a feeling of admiration welling up within him.
Her social skills far exceeded his imagination. No matter who she faced, she could quickly find common ground and bridge the distance between them.
"Little girl, it seems you've been well-protected since childhood, with an innocent demeanor as if you've never encountered danger, not even knowing about the Witch of Envy who devoured half the world."
"Sorry, Old Man Rom, I've only just arrived here, so I'm not too clear on things yet."
"Just how much do your parents spoil you, that they don't even tell you scary stories? Anyone in this world would know about such things."
"Oh, I see, it's like describing a swordsman from the Edo period with two swords when you're looking for someone. If you were looking for someone in Japan and found out you were looking for Miyamoto Musashi, the person opposite you would definitely be furious."
"Miyamoto... Musashi?"
"It's nothing! This question about the world... it's a bit hard to answer, but I really haven't heard that story. Can Old Man Rom tell it to me?"
"You're really quick to make friends. It's not impossible, but little girl, this isn't a story; it's real. You should know that the Witch of Envy's true name is forbidden as a taboo."
Old Man Rom's voice gradually softened as he began to tell Natsuki Subaru the story of how, 400 years ago, the First Sword Saint, the Divine Dragon, and the Great Sage sealed the Witch of Envy and saved the world.
He even spoke with a hint of elder-like affection, having long forgotten his initial impatience and wariness.
This warm atmosphere lasted for a while, until a knock sounded at the door. Old Man Rom stood up and said,
"The person I just mentioned has arrived. Wait a moment, I'll go open the door."
"To deal with a mouse."
"Use poison."
"To deal with the White Whale."
"Use a fishhook."
"To deal with a noble dragon."
"Go eat shit."
Carlisle, who was drinking milk, was already a bit speechless at the previous passphrases, but upon hearing the last one, he nearly spat out the milk he had just drunk, coughing violently several times.
It should be known that dragons are the most supreme beings in the country of Lugunica. In the past, this country was protected by an alliance with the Divine Dragon Volcanica. Whether it was war, plague, or even famine, all crises could be avoided under the dragon's protection. Throughout the long history of the kingdom, the word "dragon" has never disappeared.
Logically, as a member of the Knights Order affiliated with Lugunica, he should now arrest Old Man Rom and the person outside for insult and hand them over to the Guardsman.
"What's wrong? Carlisle, you look a bit pale."
Hearing the concerned voice, Carlisle gave the girl a forced smile.
"Nothing, I'm just a bit surprised by the passphrase."
"Never mind, anyway, today's mission isn't as a Knight of the Kingdom, so I'll just pretend I didn't hear it." Carlisle thus convinced himself without any psychological burden.
Then Carlisle and Subaru looked as Old Man Rom moved aside from the door, and a very cute blonde, red-eyed girl appeared at the entrance.
"Old Man Rom, do you have other guests today?"
"They're here to gather information, Felt. Go on in, they're good people."
"There are no good people in a place like this, Old Man Rom, you're just too trusting."
Felt walked in, her gaze falling on Natsuki Subaru. She frowned, a hint of disdain in her voice.
"I say, what's a young lady from a rich family doing here, and her... K-K-K-K-Knight!"
As her gaze shifted to Carlisle, Felt's expression changed from initial disdain to horror, and she even unconsciously took a step back. Her eyes were fixed on Carlisle, as if she had seen something terrifying, her voice trembling slightly: "You, why are you here...?"
"Felt, long time no see."
Carlisle greeted her with a smile, as if meeting an acquaintance.
"Who wants to see you! Why are you here, you guy?"
In Felt's heart, if she had to pick the most troublesome person, it would definitely be Carlisle. As a thief, she possessed the world's blessing and had superhuman agility and speed, but for some reason, every time she encountered this Knight, she could never escape him.
What she found most unacceptable was Carlisle's way of doing things. As long as he saw her stealing, he would absolutely not let her go. Every time she faced him, it always ended with Felt being caught.
What made her even more of a headache was that this guy often patrolled the Royal Capital, which sometimes forced her to first find out his whereabouts before deciding whether to act.
However, strangely, although Carlisle caught her, he never sent her to prison. He always said, "You only steal, you don't harm others, and besides, you're still a minor, I can't send you to prison."
But this didn't mean he would let her off easily. Every time he caught her, Carlisle would forcefully drag her to return the stolen goods to the owner and make her apologize in person.
Of course, that wasn't the end of it. He would forcefully drag her to clean the streets of the Royal Capital, personally supervising her, and she would clean for several days. He even gave it a fancy name: "This is community correctional service."
Thinking of this, Felt's face grew even uglier. She gritted her teeth, looking at Carlisle, her voice filled with a mix of anger and helplessness: "Old Man Rom, it's this guy! He's a Knight, but he's as annoying as a nagging mother!"
Old Man Rom's gaze fell on Carlisle again, a flicker of understanding in his eyes. "So he's the troublesome guy you've always been talking about."
Hearing this, Felt, as if her secret had been discovered in public, hastily shouted: "Old Man Rom! Who was talking about him! That was a grievance! A grievance!"
However, Old Man Rom ignored her protest. He walked up to Carlisle, and to everyone's surprise, the tall giant actually bowed his head, his voice filled with sincere gratitude: "Thankyou for taking care of felt, I am truly grateful to you."
The atmosphere in the room instantly froze. Felt's eyes widened, her mouth agape, somewhat disbelieving what she had heard. Her cheeks flushed crimson, her voice filled with a mix of panic and indignation: "Old Man Rom! What, what are you saying! Why are you thanking that guy!"
Carlisle was also a little surprised, but he quickly regained his composure, nodding slightly, his voice humble: "You flatter me. I merely did what I should."
Old Man Rom looked up, a complex expression in his eyes: "Felt is a child, I understand her personality. I am grateful that you patiently guided her instead of simply throwing her into prison."
The atmosphere in the room became somewhat strange. Subaru stood to the side, her gaze darting between the two, her heart full of questions: "What exactly happened between them?"
...
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