The Goddess Granted Me the [Hatching] Skill and Somehow I Became the Strongest Tamer, Commanding Mythical and Divine Beasts - 168

Chapter 168: Yggdra Empire Second Princess Louise

I explained that I’d come to help at Emperor Kasis’s plea, and when we emerged from the forest, the entire Yggdra Empire delegation waited there.

“Big brother!”

Princess Louise’s eyes welled with tears as she threw her arms around Prince Grain.

“Grain, report.”

“One carriage completely wrecked, two knights dead.”

At those words, Emperor Kasis furrowed his brows too.

“What about the seriously wounded?”

In response to Emperor Kasis’s question,

“That guy healed them with magic, so no one’s hurt now.”

I answered that way.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t save everyone.”

I told him that with regret weighing on me.

“It’s fine. Without you, the casualties would’ve been far worse.”

That’s what Emperor Kasis said, but…

“You’re a Stesia noble, right?”

“Yes, I was just granted my title the other day—Baron Klaus de Luminas.”

I’d given my name earlier too, but I repeated it now.

“Why the hell were monsters swarming the highway?! Didn’t you clear them out before this crucial time?!”

Prince Grain’s voice carried his anger as he yelled at me.

“No, that’s not the case at all, but…”

I knew Dwight-san and Nicholas-san had been rushing around to arrange things.

The knights and soldiers had all turned out to hunt down monsters in the area.

“Then why were there so damn many B+ rank ogres?!”

I had no clue about that either. With bodies that huge, anyone who spotted them should’ve reported it right away.

“We had B+ rank minotaurs too. Without his help, we’d have been in real trouble.”

At Emperor Kasis’s words, Prince Grain finally couldn’t hold back anymore and shot me a fierce glare.

“No way—did Stesia deliberately leave those monsters alone to harm us right here?”

In truth, after taking such damage, my words wouldn’t reach him. And with his higher status, I couldn’t afford to provoke him, so I stood there unsure how to reply when…

“That can’t be.”

“Why not, Father?!”

Emperor Kasis denied it for me.

“If Stesia meant us harm, Baron Luminas never would’ve helped me.”

“That might be the whole point! Selling the empire a favor here to worm his way in!”

Prince Grain accused me as if to say, “I see through your scheme.”

“That’s not it.”

Carol cut in.

“Who the hell are you?! A beastkin like you showing such disrespect!”

It was blatant discrimination, but Carol ignored it and cleared my name.

“We’re here because Klaus helped with my job. We decided to head out this morning, so it’s just coincidence.”

“Even so, we lost knights—how do you plan to make this right?”

Prince Grain, his temper flaring hot, demanded to know what we intended to do, but…

“Enough, Grain. Accusing a national adventurer and a foreign noble without proof is a serious breach.”

It had gone too far, so Emperor Kasis stepped in.

“But Father!”

“Call me Emperor in public.”

No room for argument. Emperor Kasis cut off Prince Grain’s words sharply.

“We got help, yet my son was rude.”

Emperor Kasis bowed his head to me. For royalty to bow—even unofficially—was unheard of. He must’ve felt that sorry about it.

“No, it’s no problem.”

“And to you too, Carol—I’m sorry.”

“…It’s fine.”

If he’d bowed, we had no more to say.

“By the way, Baron Luminas. I’m sorry to keep asking favors.”

Emperor Kasis said that and fixed his gaze on me.

“Everyone from the Yggdra Empire is an important guest. Just tell me what you need.”

I saluted and waited for him to continue.

“I thought we’d brought plenty of guards, but things are still uneasy now. If it’s all right, could you escort us to the capital?”

Prince Grain clenched his lower lip tight. As the one leading the current guards, it must’ve stung his pride.

“Of course. His Majesty’s safety will be under my and Carol’s protection.”

Once we settled that, we reorganized the formation, putting Carol and me up front for guard duty.

We national adventurers were used to protecting VIPs anyway, so no issue there. Thanks to Emperor Kasis’s consideration, Prince Grain took the rear.

Emperor Kasis boarded the carriage, and we were about to set off when someone tugged my clothes.

“Princess Louise?”

Princess Louise, who’d been quiet until now, looked up at me.

“Thanks for saving us. That was so cool.”

Her cheeks flushed red as she climbed into the carriage.

“Klaus, looks like you made a good impression?”

Carol must’ve overheard, even though I’d whispered, thanks to her sharp ears.

“Well, getting praise from royalty is an honor.”

We headed back to the capital alongside the Yggdra Empire group.