How to Suck Honey at a Warrior’s Party

I woke up early in the morning, feeling refreshed from my bath.

I tossed and turned on the bed with a sense of urgency, then slowly got up.

It was just past breakfast time. I wasn’t hungry, as I don’t usually eat breakfast.

I’ll just go straight to the palace.

When I entered the palace, I stuck out my collarbone from the beginning. The knights guarding the front of the palace saw the sign and opened the gate for me. A servant was summoned to show me the way.

I opened my robe and walked behind the servant.

We passed several huge, beautiful palaces and went further inland, until we saw a roof with a familiar style.

It was a temple.

‘So that’s where the room says the emperor spent his days and nights praying,’

His robes were hooded, shading the corners of his eyes, making it easier to roll his eyes. No one could tell if I was fussing around with my hair in place.

Huhu.

I thought I laughed inwardly, but it escaped my lips and the footsteps of the servant ahead of me paused for a moment. It was a pause that you wouldn’t even notice if you didn’t pay attention. The imperial palace was tight, even in a fantasy world.

I must pretend not to notice.

The innermost and most central palace was the Sun Palace. They were led straight to the place where the emperor would hold court.

The sun was carved into each of the massive pillars, as if to proclaim that this was the Sun Palace. Surprisingly, there was no sign of a God. It looked more like a palace used by emperors who claimed to be sons of the Gods in their previous lives.

“Your last companion has arrived!”

Damn, I really am the last. I’m guilty of living on the edge of the empire.

Massive doors opened on either side. They opened slowly and made no noise. A red carpet was laid out in the doorway, and at the end of it was a large throne.

The emperor was already seated on the throne. On either side of the red carpet were rows of what looked like nobles, and further back were knights standing against the wall. The emperor looked down at the men standing alongside him at the bottom of the altar.

The attire of those under the emperor’s gaze suggested they were warriors and companions.

I walked the red carpet at a glance. The massive doors slammed shut behind me. I felt like a mouse in poison.

The emperor’s gaze fell on me as I slowly walked up. It remained there even after I joined my companions.

“I see you’re all here at last. So, did you have a good journey?”

Then he turned to me.

I inclined my head slightly toward the emperor.

“Greetings, Imperial Sun. It took me a long time, for I was at the very edge of the Empire. It does not please me to think that I kept you waiting.”

Oh, no.

I’m picking up words at random, but I don’t know if they’re polite. Even though the tower was part of the Empire, it was almost treated as a separate country, and most mages lacked Imperial etiquette. I was careful to keep my voice and tone as timid as possible.

“Hmm, the edge of the Empire…. I see.”

That was the end of the conversation with the emperor, who left a few words of encouragement and sent the party of heroes on their way. It was like he was telling them to get out of here, because he was excited for them.

It was monarchical and insincere. It was an amazing royalty to be allowed to work like that.

“Warrior and companions, please follow me this way.”

We didn’t say a word to each other and walked behind the servant again. I thought that because I was the last one to arrive, everyone was friendly except me, but apparently not. The atmosphere was awkward.

There were only four of us, as expected. One warrior and three companions. Well, it was an illusory number. If only those three were loud. The Three Musketeers are good, right?

The servant led us to the guest palace. There were four of us to share a palace. The attendants and servants were to move about quietly and unobtrusively, and if they needed anything, they were to ring the bells in each room.

‘This is… medieval nobility?’

Even if I’d been living in a fantasy world set in the Middle Ages all my life, it was strange to be attended to by someone. All I’d ever known of fantasy was small towns and magic shows in magic towers. It felt strange to be served by a full-fledged maid and servant.

Wow, not only have I stepped into a fantasy book, but I’ve somehow become a warrior’s companion!

“So… shall we introduce ourselves?”

Oh, and introduce ourselves, the light blond-haired man, whose hair would look like platinum in the sunlight, reminded me shyly.

He’s handsome.

He’s a warrior. He was just the guy.

There was a saying that was said to be the same as the truth in a previous life.

‘If you’re good-looking, you’re in business’.

It was usually said by my colleagues in the lab. They used to tell me to go to the salon and wash my face.

There may have been some truth to what they said when they muttered that good looks save the world while looking into the screen of their mobile phones.

The warrior in front of me was handsome from every angle. His smile was beautiful. But his body was so angular and strong that I couldn’t help but be impressed.

It was a divine appearance that made me think that a handsome man like that would save the world, and that handsomeness would save the world. Moreover, he must have divine powers that had only recently been gifted by the gods.

The others, perhaps sensing leadership in the warrior’s appearance, obeyed and sat down on the parlor sofa. The warrior introduced himself first.

“My name is Mohan Wood, and I have been graciously chosen to be a warrior this time. I use a sword.”

His voice was sweetly low. He was a wonderful man in many ways. I envied him.

But with such a striking appearance, I’m sure he’d be a pain in the arse to be around. He didn’t look like the kind of person who would be lazy. When you’re as blurry as I am, you have a pale presence.

“Wood? If you’re Wood, aren’t you a marquis?”

“Yes, my father is the Marquis of Morocco.”

He looked surprised, wondering if any of his colleagues knew of the Marquis’s family. He was apparently a nobleman. It was a shame, because he would have made a good living as a marquis if the trust hadn’t been imposed. If he wasn’t the eldest son, he would have to live with rumors of danger for the rest of his life.

“I’m Herrin the Elementalist. Please take good care of me!”

The next person to greet was the only female member of the warrior’s party. I recognized her family crest. Was this the female companion who plays the heroine in fantasy novels?

She was an elementalist, which seemed to overlap a bit with my own skills as a mage. If I stayed in the background, I felt that I would quickly get into a fight with the warrior. I could fade my presence and wish the warrior happiness, killing two birds with one stone.

I thought it would be quite a sight to see a happy face like that.

“I’m Legpion, former head of the mercenary organization Red Lion. Call me Leg.”

He was the largest of them all. His hair was crimson, in keeping with the mercenaries’ name. He had a strong face. The scars on his forearms suggested he wore a shield. They were perfect for a fantasy character.

As I admired my companions, I felt eyes on me, and I quickly spoke up.

“I’m Cylon Hale, a wizard. I don’t want to be a nuisance, so I will make sure to do just my exact share.”

“What?”

“Yes?”

“Oh, no.”

Herrin, who was sitting across from me, looked surprised. I shot her the same questioning look, and she quickly shook her head.

What?

We stammered out words of good wishes to each other, and then went our separate ways. At the warrior’s insistence, we set our departure date for three days later.

Despite being a marquis, which is a fairly noble position among the nobility, the warrior used a lot of respectful language to all of his companions. This was despite the fact that I was the only one with a surname, which is rare among commoners, and the other two had no surnames. I really liked him. As a former Confucianist, I smiled.

“Hey, Hale. Is there something on my face?”

“No, you’re smooth.”

I must have been caught admiring the warrior’s face while hiding in the hood of his robe. As it turns out, a swordsman’s senses sharpen as he rises in rank.

So I can’t sneak a peek? I felt like I’d lost a privilege. But I’d feel bad if I snooped. I’m supposed to be the sullen, silent companion, the one you don’t know is there.

As I lay quietly in the snow, the warrior spoke again.

“Hale, can you go to your room and rest?”

This is a celebration, isn’t it? My head tilted in disbelief. He wasn’t even leaving the parlor, and he was trying to kick me out. He had a nasty side to him.

“…Are you uncomfortable?”

“Oh, no. I was just worried.”

He’s got a good social life.

He nodded and stood up. By this time, sweat was trickling down the nape of my neck through my robe. I’d need to take some time to enchant my robes with a temperature control spell before I left.

I wasn’t sure what the intrepid warrior was going to do on his own, but I decided to make way for him.

“Good night.”

“Yes. You too, Hale.”

He smiled sweetly. Even if it’s all socializing and acting, you admit it, bastard.

Apparently, a superior’s appearance has more influence on the mindset of his subordinates than he thought. If I’d known this would happen, I should have bought the professor some hair loss pills in a previous life.