The Reward for Saving The World is a Husband - Chapter 28
Facing the woman’s gaze, laced with a hint of hostility, I found myself intrigued. What was the reason for such an overt display of dislike toward someone she was meeting for the first time?
“Are you the physician Elias mentioned?” I asked.
The woman hesitated for a brief moment before rolling her eyes slightly and answering,
“My mother is Lord Elias’s physician. She’s a bit busy at the moment, so I came in her stead.”
“Hm… Is that so?”
Having left the lab and wandered with my companions to complete quests, I’d encountered all sorts of people.
Among them were plenty who believed they were more deserving of the position I held, and in their jealousy and resentment, they often tried to sow discord between me and my comrades.
‘Her eyes are giving off a similar vibe.’
In such cases, recording every conversation usually worked wonders, but right now, I didn’t have any items on hand that could serve that purpose.
‘In that case, the best approach is to simply avoid engaging.’
Frankly, my comrades were… well, not the type to be swayed by petty rumors or attempts to turn them against me. Besides, they had tempers bad enough to ensure that anyone who tried would likely get beaten, either verbally or physically.
But Elias was different.
If both mother and daughter worked for him, their relationship with him was probably far more established than mine. Which meant that in any conflict, I was the one at a disadvantage.
“Then I’ll take the treatment later.”
“…What?”
“You’re not the person Elias assigned. You’re a stranger to me, and I have no desire to show my wounds to someone whose skills I don’t know.”
I turned my body slightly to the side, and noticed the corners of the woman’s eyes trembling faintly.
“Excuse me.”
I waited, curious as to how she’d respond to my perfectly reasonable statement. Then, in a calm voice, she replied:
“You don’t even know who I am, so why are you addressing me so rudely?”
…That actually made me flinch a little on the inside.
I wasn’t unaware of the concept that one should be polite depending on the person they’re talking to. It’s just that, back in my world, I didn’t have much experience with that, so I wasn’t exactly sure how to go about it.
‘I suppose I should learn it eventually.’
While I could somewhat manage with figures like the Cardinal or the Saint, speaking this way to someone from the Imperial family—who could be considered Elias’s superior—might cause him significant trouble.
“Let’s put it the other way. How am I supposed to know who you are and be all polite?”
It was obvious that trying to attempt politeness now, without any practice, would make me a laughingstock, so I responded boldly instead.
“What an arrogant person. Do you think Elias’s kindness has somehow elevated your status?”
“Well, I have become something, actually.”
I had long forgotten about my decision not to engage with her and instead replied with full confidence.
“I’m his mistress.”
“…What?”
The woman’s expression showed she had absolutely no idea what she had just heard.
Instead of repeating myself, I simply crossed my arms and stared her down.
Right then, there was a knock, and the door opened. Someone who had been lingering outside had apparently overheard and could no longer stay out of it.
‘What was his name again?’
The man Elias had introduced as his lieutenant was pale as a ghost.
“Lady Elesha.”
‘Right, Callen. His name was Callen!’
I remembered just in time, and with a bright smile, I asked,
“Yes? What is it?”
Callen hesitated for a moment before bowing his head and replying,
“His Excellency’s personal physician will arrive shortly, so you should receive treatment.”
“I’m fine…”
It wasn’t an empty claim—my wounds had already healed considerably. There was no real need to summon someone for treatment at such a late hour. I was only going along with it quietly for Elias’s sake.
“If you could just send them all back. I’m tired and would like to rest now. Elias told me to ask you for anything I need, so you’ll take care of it, won’t you?”
After saying that, I walked towards the large bed sitting in the middle of the room.
It was likely Elias’s bed, and as I placed one knee onto it—
“That’s impossible! No way!”