Chapter 12
Carl’s gaze sharpened only for a moment at the appearance of the familiar face. The careless expression “ladies” clearly meant that he had not recognized Carl, disguised as Karen, as the prince.
“It’s alright, it’s a common occurrence. Usually, when people think of mercenaries, they first imagine sturdy men.”
“I’m grateful for your understanding.”
When Sian spoke generously, Alfred bowed politely.
“I am Alfred Rubens, the regent and acting lord of Ivarid. Due to an unfortunate accident, His Highness the Prince is absent, so I have come to receive the guests in his stead. However, we haven’t made any requests, so I wonder what brings you to this distant place…”
“We’ve heard the rumors circulating about the accident. We haven’t come with any specific request for His Highness the Prince.”
“…Then…?”
Alfred glanced at Carl sitting behind Sian. Feeling the sudden gaze, Carl quickly lowered his eyes.
Realizing that Alfred and Sullivan’s gazes were directed not at her but at Carl behind her, Sian naturally moved to block Carl while pretending to speak.
“Due to the unexpected absence of His Highness the Prince, the leadership structure must be in disarray, and with the ominous rumors, public sentiment must be unsettled. With only Ivarid’s soldiers to maintain public order, guard the borders, and repair the castle walls, you must be severely understaffed.”
At Sian’s smooth words, Alfred’s gaze, which had drifted to Carl, returned to her.
“Our mercenary group, Dragon’s Claw, though small in number, consists entirely of elite soldiers who have carried out various missions over many years. We will certainly be of help in Ivarid’s chaotic situation.”
“Ah…?”
As if accustomed to it, Sian displayed her eloquence. Clear pronunciation, refined intonation, and a smooth tone. Everyone, including Alfred, Sullivan, and even Carl, stared at Sian’s flawless and perfect self-promotion.
“In other words, you’re asking to be hired…?”
When Alfred summarized, Sian answered with a subtle smile and a slight nod. Alfred tilted his head.
“Well… It’s a very sudden proposal. Moreover, as you know, given the reason for His Highness’s absence…”
“Confidentiality of assigned missions is the most basic clause in any mercenary contract.”
Fearing rejection, Sian pushed Alfred’s back with a firm voice. Alfred pulled the corners of his mouth into a bitter smile.
“I don’t mean to disrespect your mercenary group upon our first meeting. However, given how complex our internal situation is, it’s not easy to readily bring an unverified mercenary group into the castle.”
As he spoke, Alfred looked at Carl again towards the end of his sentence. Carl, who was still sitting, didn’t avoid Alfred’s gaze this time.
It didn’t seem like he had noticed that Carl was the prince in disguise. There was no sign of bewilderment or suspicion. But because of that, Carl couldn’t understand why Alfred kept looking at him instead of Sian.
“We don’t aspire to tasks important enough to know the internal situation. Being treated just like the ordinary people living peacefully outside this castle is enough. After all, what we want is work with appropriate compensation, not a key position.”
“Well… Even if you say that…”
Alfred laughed awkwardly, showing his perplexity. Despite his warm appearance, it was easy to predict that he wouldn’t easily back down.
“I don’t intend to trouble you, Lord Regent. I understand that it’s impolite and unreasonable to come unannounced and ask for immediate work.”
Sian smiled brightly.
“Our mercenary group plans to stay in Ivarid for a while. We don’t discriminate between menial labor and guard duty, so please call us anytime if you need extra hands.”
“Ah, yes, I see…”
Alfred looked disgruntled. He didn’t seem particularly pleased with the unexpected visitors.
Sian hadn’t expected to be able to enter the castle so easily anyway. Therefore, she wasn’t disappointed by Alfred’s firm rejection.
“Then we’ll take our leave. …Let’s go, Karen.”
Sian bowed politely and withdrew without resistance. Carl, who had been distracted trying to figure out why Alfred kept looking at him, turned to Sian with a peculiar expression at the sudden call.
His face suggested he had much to say, but he quietly rose from his seat without adding anything, following Sian.
Alfred and Sullivan looked even more flustered at their neat retreat. It was because their request was too simple for mercenaries who had boldly come to the castle looking for work.
“Um, that person who was sitting…”
As Carl was about to follow Sian silently as if he couldn’t speak, Alfred spoke with a voice dripping with inexplicable lingering feelings. Carl carefully met Alfred’s eyes.
“…Yes?”
And the short voice he produced, several octaves higher than his original voice while pretending not to know, was quite detestable to Sian’s ears, satisfyingly so.
“That, are you also a mercenary, young lady…?”
Alfred asked with an awkward laugh. Carl briefly met Sian’s eyes and then smiled shyly as if embarrassed. Sian found herself inadvertently smiling along with Carl’s smile.
Despite being raised as a delicate prince, his acting is really reaching the heavens… Where did he hone such acting skills?
Thinking this to herself, Sian quickly stepped between Alfred and Carl again.
“This is my sworn sister, Karen. We lead the mercenary group together.”
“You’re quite… tall.”
“I suffered from an illness when I was young, causing my joints to overgrow…”
Alfred let out a sound that was either admiration or a sigh upon seeing Carl’s height, which was a full span taller than him. Carl responded in a small voice, barely audible, shyly covering his lips with his long fingers.
“Oh my, how unfortunate…”
Unlike Sian’s thoughts of ‘What nonsense about overgrowth,’ which were hidden behind a pleased expression, Alfred seemed genuinely sympathetic.
“Karen’s dream since childhood was to become a cute and dainty woman, so that incident is a very painful past. I don’t want to discuss it further… Is there any problem with our Karen?”
“Ah, no. I didn’t ask because there was any problem…”
When Sian implied that the joint overgrowth was a painful past, Alfred’s face instantly became flustered. His face turned red as if he might break out in a cold sweat, and he hastily waved both hands.
“Well, if I may be so bold…”
And Alfred soon became very shy.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a beautiful woman before…”
“…Pardon?”
Sian and Carl spoke almost simultaneously. Their gazes also intertwined fiercely in mid-air at the same time.
“Ah, I don’t mean it with any impure intentions, it’s just pure admiration, admiration.”
Whatever emotion he read from Carl and Sian, Alfred laughed awkwardly, waving both hands again.
Sullivan, who had been standing behind Alfred like a decoration without uttering a single word, also lowered his head with a similarly embarrassed face. It was a reaction that fully agreed with Alfred’s opinion.
Carl’s expression twisted uncontrollably.
“You’re too kind. Our Karen is pretty, but not to that extent…”
His expression was as if he had been betrayed by a close friend. Seeing Carl’s face crumble, Sian quickly stepped in.
“No, no. I’ve even lived in the imperial palace when I was younger, but I’ve never seen such a beautiful woman before.”
Alfred and Sullivan simultaneously raised both thumbs. Of course, it was difficult for them to imagine that the more they praised, the more it was like pouring oil on Carl’s anger.
“Ahaha…”
Sian could only laugh awkwardly. Although he was trying his best to hide it, Carl’s face was a mess of red and blue.
I thought he might have noticed something since he had been staring intently earlier, but far from noticing, it seems he had drowned his perception in soup.
Carl felt anger instead of relief. He must have felt a considerable sense of betrayal that the man who had followed him for half his life not only failed to recognize him with just a bit of makeup but even looked at him with impure eyes.
“Thank you very much for the compliment. Karen is too shy to know how to respond.”
Looking at Carl’s clearly angry eyebrows, Sian lied without even wetting her lips.
“Well then, we really must be going now as our companions are waiting.”
“Yes, of course.”
Alfred and Sullivan, having thoroughly praised Karen’s beauty, let Sian and Carl go without any lingering attachment.
“She’s really tall and beautiful!”
Alfred and Sullivan once again gave a thumbs up, expressing their admiration for Karen’s beauty.
“Hey, commenting on someone’s appearance like that is rude… Mmph!”
“We look forward to good news. Thank youuu!”
Sian covered Carl’s mouth as he tried to protest and dragged him away. Even in his anger, Carl was a true professional, maintaining his fake voice raised by two octaves.
Alfred and Sullivan, unaware of the deeper circumstances of the Dragon’s Claw mercenary group, just laughed innocently.
“The young lady seems to be very shy.”
Sian didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as she dragged Carl away, who was about to protest again at those words.
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midori
thanks! hahahha he succumbed to the cross-dressing