Chapter 279: Calling on Her Majesty (1)

Even after I poured something thick into Lily in the changing room, it was not enough. I went into the bath and came again, and even then the fire in my head would not go out, so I went at her once more. Lily said,

"Please stop already... I know you just fought, but my body simply cannot take any more..."

and that put an end to it. If a man puts his mind to it, he can do it. Yeah!

Morning came, and in a bright, clear mood I headed to Her Majesty the Queen with Rudolf in tow. Lily and I had gotten that heated. Did Rudolf get heated with Carla too? My mind wandered to unnecessary places.

Anyway, Rudolf’s face was calm. Just seeing that expression made me glad we had won.

"With this, Rudolf, you will not need the brothel bouncer work anymore, right? When are you quitting?"

"That is the problem. We cannot find a replacement. I never meant to stay there that long to begin with, but they will not let me leave."

"In that case, once last night’s performance of yours gets around, they will be even less willing to let you go, will they not?"

My question hit a sore spot. Rudolf made a very sour face.

"Yes. I am worried about that too. I am also worried the prostitutes who find out I work at the embassy will start telling me to bring Lord Robin along."

"Huh. You think so?"

"I do. I am already dreading how last night will be told. I do not think it will be told badly, but an incident this satisfyingly spectacular is rare. Commoners will be delighted and eager to hear it."

"Satisfyingly spectacular?"

"Absolutely. A child ambassador from a small country beating a great count’s house all by himself. Unprecedented. Anyone would want to hear the story. And if the person himself showed up to tell it, the whole brothel would surely make everything free."

"Would they go that far?"

"Without a doubt! Though I suspect a great many of Lord Robin’s children would be born a year from now."

"That would be a problem. Being a father at eleven."

"The prostitutes will not ask Lord Robin to acknowledge the children, so you need not worry."

"You think so?"

While we were talking nonsense, we arrived at the palace.

In the corridor on the way to Her Majesty’s audience room, people passing by and people standing there looked at me and whispered.

"That is..."

"Last night..."

"Incredibly..."

"Count von Kirchhoff got demolished..."

"Division Head Hütter..."

Until yesterday, nobody had paid me any attention. Suddenly becoming the man of the hour and drawing every gaze was fairly embarrassing. From last night to this morning, in a world with no newspapers or television, I had thought word of mouth was the only way news traveled. It spread this fast anyway.

We were received at once. Her Majesty was in high spirits from the morning, and Anouk came out with her. I promptly produced two doses of medicine, and both of them downed theirs in one go.

A face lit with a full smile. That described Her Majesty right now. She truly looked delighted.

"Welcome, Lord Robin. Last night was quite something. On the carriage back to the palace, His Majesty talked about you the entire way. He enjoyed himself so much he even said he wanted to find a girl of age among the royalty and marry her to you. I have never seen His Majesty that excited. Of course, I had never been that tense and thrilled in my life either. It was not because money was on the line. Whenever you looked like you were in danger, my chest hurt so much I squeezed Anouk’s hand and made noise. Just as His Majesty said, I want to see it again. But after watching you last night, I wonder if anyone will even want to challenge you? Ufufu. I truly fluttered like a young girl."

She said all of that in one rush, hands clasped before her chest. Anouk nodded hard as well. Both of their faces were flushed. Were their eyes red because they had been too excited to sleep last night?

"Ufufu, my eyes are red, are they not? Anouk and I talked nearly until dawn! It is such a shame there were parts of your exploits we could not see! I wonder if Mariska could see them? That is it, Anouk. Let us go to Mariska this afternoon! I am sure she is dying to talk to someone about last night too! She will not even want to speak to that idiot duke, so I have to go to her! Anouk! Send a messenger at once!"

Anouk’s eyes sparkled at Her Majesty’s words.

"Yes!! Right away!"

she said, and instructed the maid who had been waiting on them. She even stressed that it was urgent. That idiot duke...

Noticing her own excitement, Her Majesty came back to herself, gave a little cough, and turned to me.

"I would love to hear about last night’s exploits from you yourself, Lord Robin, but I will save that for another day. I am not the only one who wants to hear it, so I will gather the ladies who are interested! I will contact you about that. That is all right, yes?"

She asked with tremendous force in her eyes.

"Now, about the money you came for today. For now I will have a thousand gold coins loaded onto your carriage, and the rest will be delivered separately to the embassy. It is good the debts will be gone. Rudolf, was it? You had a terrible time of it as well, but now you can finally operate as a proper embassy. Keep supporting Lord Robin from here on."

To think even Rudolf received words from Her Majesty. A retainer of a foreign ambassador being addressed directly by the head of the nation had to be exceptional among exceptions. Rudolf was so startled he lifted his face once, then kept it down and could not speak. The hands gripping his knees were trembling.

I gave thanks in Rudolf’s place.

"Your Majesty, thank you for speaking even to Rudolf. We will repay this kindness by working for you from now on, the both of us."

I bowed my head.

"My, I did not hand over gold or speak those words to put you in my debt, Lord Robin. I was able to give them because you did so well. If you do feel indebted, then please make the medicine free from now on. My share and Anouk’s, free forever. Could you do that?"

Oh. If that was all she wanted! I should have been the one to offer it.

"Yes, gladly. If that is all, it is no trouble at all!"

"Then I am glad. And Lord Robin, Anouk says she wants to thank you as well."

At Her Majesty’s words Anouk stepped forward, a little teary-eyed.

"Lord Robin, thank you so very much! Because of you I got to see a sum of gold I had never seen before. I intend to buy a home with this money. I thought I would rent for the rest of my life. Being able to buy one feels like a dream. Thank you, truly!"

She spoke with real heat.