Chapter 543 : Lecia and Dorothy, Pick One, Felyn.

The king placed a bookmark in the book and slowly closed it.

"Felyn Sorester."

He turned around, his sharp gaze sizing Felyn up from head to toe.

Felyn found this feeling of being scrutinized very familiar.

When Daiyi's father, Aurilean, learned that Daiyi's lover was him, he had also sized him up in the same way.

It was a gaze that wanted to dig out and examine every single cell in his brain.

However, Felyn didn't overthink it; he assumed it was just the king's habit.

"I am very curious about the battle of Varil Village," he began. "It seems there were some individuals present in Varil Village who shouldn't have been there, correct?"

Felyn's heart skipped a beat. Neither Olivia's evil god nature nor Seraphina's existence could be made public.

"Let me rephrase the question. How did you survive Silvana's attack?"

"Your Majesty, it was only because Her Highness arrived in time, coupled with Miss Eitani's protection, that I was fortunate enough to survive."

The king's face remained expressionless; he neither spoke nor refuted.

Felyn felt a chill in the study, his mind racing to figure out the king's true intentions.

Is he going to ask about my relationship with the dragon girl? After all, I hugged her in public.

Or is he going to ask about the evil god within Olivia? Or who the masked Bernice by my side really is?

Or even ask how I broke Silvana's shielding magic, wanting to know if I have a secret divine art?

This is bad. Thinking about it this way, I'm full of secrets that can't be told.

The light in the study began to dim.

The world was also exceptionally quiet.

His throat felt a little itchy. Felyn swallowed.

"Felyn."

The king spoke.

"You saw Dorothy in Varil Village, didn't you?"

"Eh?" Felyn hadn't expected the king to suddenly bring the conversation to Dorothy. "Yes, I did."

"What do you think of her?"

"Her Highness charged at the very front, saving Varil Village. Her Highness is not only gentle but also has a strong and brave side."

The king nodded. "Then, what do you think of my daughter, Lecia?"

"Her Highness Lecia? I haven't had much time with Her Highness, but I feel she is a good princess."

"You like them both?"

"Hmm?"

Felyn looked up in disbelief.

Who's speaking?

But in the entire study, there were only himself and the king.

Unless he was starting to have hallucinations, it was the king who had just asked the question.

"Your Majesty, I am just an ordinary commoner of the empire. I am not qualified to think about such things."

"Is that so? Have you really not thought about it?"

"Of course."

What's wrong with the king?

Under Felyn's somewhat astonished gaze, the king picked up a document from the desk and handed it to Felyn.

"From today onwards, you are no longer a commoner."

This was the king's reward for Felyn, Viloti, and the others.

「In view of Felyn Sorester, Viloti Silafiel, and Zervanie Estella leading the people of Varil Village and the empire's border patrol guard to bravely resist the enemy, successfully defending Varil Village; and in collaboration with the forces of Her Highness Princess Dorothy, exterminating the Demon Lord's daughter Silvana, their merits are outstanding. This reward is hereby bestowed to commend their loyalty and courage.」

「Felyn Sorester is awarded the Imperial Medal of Courage, promoted to a third-rank noble of the empire, and granted the corresponding title.」

「Viloti Silafiel is awarded the Imperial Silver Star Medal, promoted to a second-rank noble of the empire.」

「Zervanie Estella is awarded the Imperial Silver Star Medal, promoted to a third-rank noble of the empire.」

The empire's nobility had a total of six ranks. In addition, there were the Imperially Decorated Nobles above the first rank, which was the title held by the likes of Claude and Silafiel.

Felyn had jumped directly from the status of a commoner to a third-rank noble, already reaching the same rank as Zervanie.

And the Imperial Medal of Courage was also a necessary condition for promotion to an Imperially Decorated Noble.

Although it couldn't be called a meteoric rise, this had far exceeded Felyn's expectations.

He had thought he would get a bit of money and maybe a sixth-rank noble title, which would have been nice.

But this third-rank nobility...

Felyn was beginning to suspect that the king's next step would be to propose a devil's bargain.

"Now you are no longer a commoner, Felyn."

The king finally stood up. He was a head taller than Felyn.

"Do you dare to think now?"

"I do not."

Wait, what's going on with the king?

Why does he keep asking about his daughters? What is this situation?

"Felyn, you now have a good relationship with the Demon Lord's daughter. It seems she only gets along well with you."

"And Elder Aurilean of the Church of Truth also holds you in high regard."

"Even Silafiel and Claude have submitted multiple reports, stating that you have great potential and are a future pillar of the empire."

"Are you really a pillar?"

Felyn really wanted to say, I'm just a guy who mooches off women. If I've become a pillar, then the empire has no talent left.

"It is all up to Your Majesty."

If you say I'm a pillar, I am. If you say I'm not, I'm not.

Felyn found that meeting the king was not much different from accompanying a client.

He had to both guess his thoughts and give answers that would satisfy him.

"You certainly know how to talk." The king sneered and patted Felyn's shoulder heavily.

His gaze shifted to the door, as if he saw something through it.

"I have five children in total, three of whom are daughters."

"Sylvain's mother... I have wronged her, so I let her have her way, allowing Sylvain to pretend to be a boy."

"The remaining two, Lecia and Dorothy, are both very promising."

"Felyn, you've heard the story of Lianlora, haven't you?"

Felyn nodded.

The first princess of the empire, who went deep into a dragon's nest alone and slayed an evil dragon.

"Who do you think, Lecia or Dorothy, can become the next Lianlora?"

Outside the door, Lecia and Dorothy both pressed their ears tightly against the door, listening nervously to the conversation inside the study.

The guards on both sides acted as if they saw nothing, ignoring the two princesses' transgression.

"I believe both princesses have that potential."

"Pick one," the king said.

"I have not met with the two princesses many times and am not very familiar with them. If Your Majesty could give me some time..."

"Not familiar?" He leaned close to Felyn and whispered in a voice that couldn't be heard outside the study, "I think you're very familiar, aren't you?"

"Eh?"

Felyn's body couldn't help but tremble slightly, his breath catching for a moment.

What does that sentence mean?

Felyn's mind raced, and he could only think of one possibility.

Has the king already discovered my contract with Dorothy?

Does he already know about me going to Dorothy's chambers late at night?

However, the king did not delve into this issue. He raised his voice and said, "Pick one, Felyn."

Felyn felt he had to make a choice.

He took a deep breath and spoke the answer in his heart.

"Her Highness Dorothy."

"Thump..."

A strange sound seemed to come from the study door, making Felyn subconsciously turn to look.