Elyshara, though slightly annoyed, chose to let it go and returned to her seat.
"Thank you for saving my daughter, Hastora," Valeriane prostrated herself before him.
"It's nothing, it's not a big deal. Besides, this isn't free. So stand up, a queen shouldn't prostrate herself before someone as lowly as me."
Valeriane flinched, her eyes widening.
She had just remembered that Hastora had asked for something incredibly valuable in return.
In truth, it was incredibly difficult for her to accept that demand.
However, what else could she do? She had no other choice.
Valeriane stood up, "I understand. But I want to ask one thing."
"What is it?"
"Why do you want the Eidolith Crystal so badly?"
He had anticipated Valeriane asking this.
He'd had his answer prepared from the start.
"Because I need it to become stronger," he said.
"You have to train if you want to become stronger. If you don't train, then the Eidolith Crystal won't be of any use at all," Valeriane retorted, her brow furrowed.
Valeriane was talking too much.
It was slightly irritating Hastora.
Valeriane seemed incredibly reluctant to give up the Eidolith Crystal; it was evident on her face.
Hastora knew it was difficult.
The Eidolith Crystal was like a treasure to the Imperial family.
In fact, even Valeriane, the Empress, and her husband, the Emperor, had never used the Eidolith Crystal.
However, that couldn't be a reason for Valeriane to not give him the Eidolith Crystal.
Hastora closed his eyes. "Your Majesty Empress, are you not going to give me the Eidolith Crystal even though I saved your beloved daughter?"
Hastora opened his eyes, then glared at Valeriane.
"I didn't expect Your Majesty, the Empress, to have such an attitude. Breaking a promise is a bad thing, you know?"
Valeriane fell silent, unable to utter a word.
She realized she had talked too much.
She felt a little ashamed of her behavior, which didn't reflect the demeanor of an Empress at all.
She took a deep breath.
"Forgive me. You'll get the Eidolith Crystal tomorrow morning. Just come here." she said.
"Alright. I'll pick it up tomorrow morning," Hastora replied.
Valeriane smiled, then quickly averted her gaze when she saw Valeska's fingers twitching.
"Ughhh..."
Valeska opened her eyes; a black-haired man with red eyes was sitting with her mother.
"...Mother?" Valeska whispered, trying to confirm that the woman in front of her was indeed her mother and not a hallucination.
Valeriane hugged Valeska tightly; she couldn't hold back her tears.
Mirellia suddenly returned to the room upon hearing Valeriane's cries.
"What happened, Your Majesty Empress?" she asked.
"The princess is awake. Aren't you going to join Her Majesty in tears?" Valeska pointed towards Valeriane.
"What... This... It's not an illusion, right?"
"It's reality, not an illusion. Just accept it, and please don't cry too loudly."
"Hiks!... Hiks!...!"
Mirellia cried her heart out.
The atmosphere in the room was incredibly noisy.
Hastora and Elyshara covered their ears and sat in their chairs, waiting.
After waiting for a few minutes, the three stopped crying and wiped their tears.
Hastora stood up, then glanced slightly at Valeska, who was sitting on her bed.
She was beautiful—undeniably so.
But beauty alone couldn't stir his heart.
For now, Hastora wasn't too interested in romance.
No matter how beautiful a girl was, she wouldn't be able to make him fall in love.
"Then, can we both leave now?" he asked Valeriane.
"Not yet, you can't leave yet. You haven't had dinner yet, have you? We should have dinner first. Consider this a gift from me for saving my daughter."
Dinner, huh?
That sounded slightly appealing.
He hadn't eaten since noon either.
There was no harm in accepting Valeriane's offer.
"Alright, I don't mind." he said.
"I'm glad you accepted."
Valeriane helped Valeska to stand up and led her towards the kitchen.
All the maids in the palace cried after hearing the news that Valeska had recovered.
They were happy.
Their loyalty to Valeska wasn't in vain.
Along the way, Hastora realized that the system notification hadn't appeared yet.
He had saved Valeska from the curse.
Then what else?
Maybe... there was a mistake?
He didn't know.
The best option for now was to wait.
Hastora sat on the prepared bench after arriving in the kitchen.
Soon, a voice echoed in his mind.
Ding!
[Quest completed]
[Save Valeska von Asterea from the curse (completed)]
[Reward: •+5 to all stats •New magic: Prime Genesis (obtained)]
[Note: Congratulations on your success]
Hastora stared at the screen in front of him.
'Good' he thought.
It seemed the notification had just appeared now.
Most likely, Valeska hadn't fully recovered yet, and she had just recovered now.
That might be why the notification didn't appear immediately.
Soon, five maids served dinner on the table.
Grilled fish, roast chicken, fruits, and fruit juice were on the table.
The smell was so good that Hastora couldn't wait to eat it.
Valeriane stood up from her chair.
"To celebrate my daughter's recovery, I want you to enjoy this dinner. Especially you, Hastora. I won't be happy if you don't like this food," she said.
She returned to her seat.
"Then, enjoy your meal."
Everyone quickly ate their food after hearing that.
It didn't take long for Hastora to finish.
After eating, he sat silently, leaning back in his chair.
"Where will you go after this, Hastora?" asked Valeriane, who had just finished eating.
"Of course, home."
"No, I mean, where do you want to go after this? Like, entering the Academy."
"...?"
Academy?
That had never crossed his mind at all.
This was slightly interesting.
"I don't have the money to enter the academy," he said.
He wanted to test something.
Hopefully, this would work.
"If you really want to enter the academy, I can sponsor you. This is one way of expressing my gratitude."
His plan worked.
He deliberately played the part of someone too poor to afford it in front of Valeriane.
Having saved her daughter, Valeriane would definitely sponsor Hastora to enter the academy.
He knew that.
In the novel, Valeriane was known for her dislike of owing favors.
Hastora successfully exploited that trait.
However, he had to pretend not to know to hide his secret.
He mustn't look suspicious in the slightest.
"But... Isn't that a little excessive, Your Majesty, Empress?" Hastora said, feigning surprise.
"No, it's not excessive. I will sponsor you to enter the Academy if you want."
If offered like this... who could refuse?
It was an offer too good to refuse.
At the academy, he could learn about things he didn't know about this world.
He knew this world well—perhaps too well. But relying solely on old knowledge in a shifting story was a fool's game.
However, he shouldn't rely too much on his knowledge.
The story had changed.
Many things had happened.
The Arcanum Water, which could easily cure even high-level curses, didn't work at all when used on Valeska.
He had to avoid the bad possibilities that would happen in the future.
"If you insist, I don't mind," Hastora replied, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Will you sponsor Elyshara too?"
Valeriane was slightly surprised to hear that; she frowned. "Why? Is Elyshara important to you?"
"No," Hastora answered briefly.
"Then alright. I don't mind."
As he expected.
With her abundant wealth, sponsoring Elyshara, who currently held the status of Hastora's companion, to enter the academy was an easy thing to do.
As expected of the Empress.
"Then we have an agreement?" Hastora asked.
"Yes," Valeriane answered briefly.
Hastora just realized that Valeska had been glancing at him since a while ago.
He didn't understand.
Valeska had been looking at him with a strange gaze since a while ago.
She should be looking at him with a surprised and confused expression.
However... this was beyond his expectations.
What made Valeska like that?
Did she already know that Hastora was the one who saved her?
If it's yes, then it's impossible.
Valeska didn't know anything because she didn't know anything while she was sick.
It's impossible for her to know that Hastora was her savior.
Feeling awkward, Hastora stood up.
"I think it's time I head back," Hastora said, rising from his seat.
"Wait." Valeriane's voice stopped him mid-step. "Why don't you stay here tonight?"
"Eh?"
"Do you want to stay here?"
"..."
"I'll ask again. Do you want to stay here?"
Hastora didn't respond.
What kind of invitation was that?
That... was too sudden.
A commoner staying at the Imperial family's palace?
What would people say about him later?
Shameless? Trash? Unaware of himself?
The mere thought of it made his head spin.
However, there was no harm in trying, right?
He wanted to know how the maids in this palace would react when they found out that a commoner was sleeping in the palace.
Without hesitation, Hastora accepted the invitation.
"Alright, if you insist."
"Then follow me," Valeriane stood up. "Come, I'll show you your room."
Hastora followed Valeriane and the others from behind.
"This is your room. You can sleep alone here," Valeriane said as she opened the bedroom door.
"You shouldn't have bothered escorting me here," Hastora said as he stepped inside.
"It's alright. This is my way of showing my respect," she replied. "Then, sleep well."
Valeriane closed the door. Hastora could feel Valeska's gaze on him just as the door was about to close.
That gaze...
Innocent, cold, and... he didn't know the other one.
"It's useless to think about that, besides, it's not important."
Hastora went to the bed.
"This... is comfortable..."
Very sleepy.
He felt like sleeping.
However, he had to hold it for a moment.
He had to find out Sigvard's whereabouts first.
He had to kill Sigvard as soon as possible.
That person would most likely trouble him one day.
Until he had to be eliminated as soon as possible.
But how?
Valeriane didn't even know Sigvard's whereabouts, let alone him?
This was a bit complicated.
But he couldn't let Sigvard live.
He would definitely find and kill Sigvard someday.
Hastora wrapped the blanket around his body.
He closed his eyes; after all the activities of the day, he fell asleep like a sloth.
To be continued in the next chapter…