Even if one were to cause a commotion, there was a procedure to follow.
If he’d decided to reveal himself as the hero, preparing a hero-like appearance was the first step.
As soon as Jake entered the city, the first place he sought out wasn’t an inn or restaurant, but a clothing store.
“This is it. This is exactly what I was looking for, Klad.”
Jake went around to all sorts of shops and finally managed to find a place that sold high-quality clothing. While the clothes weren’t expensive enough for nobles to wear, the material itself was different from what he’d been wearing.
Jake picked out the most splendid outfit among them.
‘What a piece of work.’
Klad clicked his tongue watching Jake like that.
They say nobles indulge in luxury even when fleeing, but to think he’d end up keeping such a noble by his side. Perhaps because his unfavorability rating had risen from their conversation earlier, Jake’s actions looked twice as annoying.
“How is it, Klad? I’m glad I can finally wear clothes that suit me.”
“Right. You must have been uncomfortable all this time wearing the lowly clothes commoners wear.”
“That’s not it.”
Jake turned to look at Klad while putting on a robe with elaborate shoulder decorations dangling from it.
“I simply want to wear clothes befitting my dignity as a noble. That is an action that maintains my standing and is also for the sake of the territorial people.”
“How is wearing fancy and expensive clothes an action for the territorial people?”
“That’s because my role isn’t to wear the same clothes as commoners, sleep in houses the same size as theirs, and match their eye level. Even if they feel friendliness seeing me in commoners’ clothes, who could benefit from that?”
Feeling friendliness was the same as feeling like one was on familiar terms.
Jake, who would someday become a duke and wield influence second only to the emperor, tearing down the wall between himself and the people he would rule was the same as destroying the pillar that would support them.
If, by any chance, other nobles were to look down on such a Jake, there would be nothing beneficial for the people under him.
The more expensive and precious the clothes he wore, the greater the responsibility that followed, so there was no need to deliberately seek the same attire as others.
He’d obediently worn the clothes Klad got for him only because he acknowledged the fact that the current Jake was a fugitive, not a noble or hero. Now that he had to put forward the name of hero, he had to wear clothes befitting the heir of Duke West’s family and the hero, and act accordingly.
“What the territorial people want isn’t for those who rule them to wear the same clothes as themselves, but a safe haven where enemies don’t invade and the assurance they can spend tomorrow safely as well. Is it wrong to wear clothes befitting my standing to protect that?”
“…I’ll acknowledge it’s not wrong.”
Though his tone was grumbling, Klad’s gaze looking at Jake had changed from before.
It had to change.
Even if they equally insisted on expensive and splendid clothes, how many nobles knew how to shoulder the responsibility that came with it?
Perhaps hundreds or thousands of years ago, but nowadays it was hard to find such nobles.
Among the Wests, even more so.
“How is it, Klad?”
“It’s white.”
“I was asking about my appearance, though.”
“Aren’t the decorations too flashy?”
“A hero’s shoulders are meant to be heavy.”
“I don’t think that meant to make them heavy by wrapping chain decorations around your shoulders.”
No matter what Klad said, Jake firmly selected his clothes.
As a rule, a noble’s attendant must also have attire befitting that. Jake didn’t forget to get clothes for Klad either.
“Dark colors suit you very well.”
“Put it away.”
“If you wear this black coat… Oh my. You’ll be black from head to toe.”
Jake said the clothes needed to look even more luxurious and ran out into the street to find the next shop to pick out accessories and a sword.
‘Noble dignity or whatever, isn’t this just… enjoying shopping?’
Jake’s shopping continued until he regained the perfect appearance of a hero.
“I feel like I’ve finally found myself, Klad.”
“Didn’t you think your actions just now would have reached the ears of the lord governing this city?”
“In my entire life being born a noble and living as a noble, I’ve never heard of a noble who receives reports on everything that happens in their territory.”
“But this place has rare entry of outsiders and is under Duke West’s management.”
“Mm.”
Only then realizing this wasn’t the time to leisurely enjoy the situation, Jake stopped on the street and looked around.
There were no spying gazes on them. But he couldn’t be relieved.
In this place where there was almost no entry of outsiders except for merchants and a few travelers, two men appearing in beggar-like states would be enough to arouse the lord’s suspicion. If invisible gazes had been constantly monitoring Jake, if he went to find the lord’s castle wearing these clothes, the plan could fall apart.
Perhaps Jake’s location had already been reported to the Duke and the hand of death was approaching…
“Why such a dead expression again?”
“I’ve never hidden my identity and fled before, so I couldn’t think that deeply.”
It was funny how while he planned things surprisingly meticulously, he was careless in parts like this instead.
Klad placed his hand on Jake’s head with a pat, as if to comfort him.
Jake, who would normally have spouted nonsense about it being a grave offense, didn’t complain, perhaps acknowledging his mistake.
“If you end up being dragged away and executed together because of this incident, I apologize in advance.”
“Is that something that ends with ‘I apologize’?”
Jake became even more dejected.
“Don’t worry. I’ve been hiding our identities with magic from the moment we entered this place.”
“…Klad!”
“Everyone we met today will have perceived us as ‘someone we’ve definitely met before but can’t remember the exact personal information of.'”
“Then there’s a high probability they’ll consider us residents of the city rather than suspicious outsiders. Truly amazing!”
Jake looked at Klad with sparkling eyes again.
His appearance was grimy since he couldn’t even use cleaning magic after rolling on the ground to avoid the sandworm, but when dressed in suitable clothes, his bearing was quite…
Thud.
Klad brushed off his hand as if pushing away Jake’s head that he’d been lightly holding.
“Ah.”
“Let’s find lodging for today and take a rest.”
“The sun hasn’t even set yet? We need to move even a little before Father sends someone.”
“If you go around insisting you’re the hero looking like that, people will really believe you. It won’t be too late to rest well today and visit early tomorrow morning.”
While he’d been eating and sleeping sufficiently while traveling with Klad’s help, the fatigue from being imprisoned in the underground prison and the exhaustion from the journey couldn’t have completely disappeared. If he went to find the lord like this and a sudden situation arose, there was a high possibility his judgment would be clouded and he’d make mistakes.
Jake also acknowledged that point and obediently nodded.
“I’ll follow your words.”
“Follow me.”
Klad chose a room at the inn with the most outside guests among those he’d seen while going around. Jake was greatly pleased at the fact he could wash with warm water.
“When did you say it was good to become clean in one go with cleaning magic?”
“That magic is very convenient, but the satisfaction when you apply water and soap to your body and wipe away the dirt can only be felt when washing directly.”
“Yes, yes. Of course you’d say that.”
“Are you disappointed that I’m not saying I like your magic better, Klad?”
“No.”
Klad turned his head away from Jake, who was trying to examine his expression, and secretly handed a gold coin to the inn owner.
“I’d like it if no one else enters the bathroom while my companion is washing.”
“Such an unreasonable request… Hup! Of course I should grant it, yes, yes.”
The inn owner ran off excitedly holding the gleaming gold coin.
***
Jake filled his stomach heartily with meat dishes rather than fruit for the first time in a while and fell asleep in a soft bed. When Jake, who had properly rested for the first time in a while, woke up, a pure white horse was waiting in front of the inn.
“Klad. Is this horse for me?”
“The lord here knows the hero is a fugitive. In that situation, what more would showing signs of fleeing hastily do besides fail to seize the initiative?”
“You plan to pretend we came here on horseback!”
“Right. At this level, you’ll look like a hero leisurely enjoying the journey. When we leave this place later, if we ride horses, we’ll be able to arrive at the next destination a bit faster too.”
“Didn’t you say we couldn’t ride horses because they’d leave traces?”
Instead of answering right away, Klad made an awkward expression.
“Whether it’s horses or carriages, whatever we ride, I can erase traces of us two traveling.”
“Then why did you tell me we couldn’t ride horses?”
“…Magic originally can’t be used so recklessly.”
“I see it wasn’t me but you who needed rest. I’m glad you’ve sufficiently recovered your mana.”
“…”
Klad, who couldn’t say he’d minimized magic use because he didn’t want to waste mana on a mere West, ended up being treated as a mage with a small mana capacity.
He couldn’t even say that wasn’t it.
Jake, unaware of Klad’s feelings, was excited about obtaining a horse and rode to the lord’s castle.
Upon arriving at the lord’s castle, two knights guarding the castle gate blocked Jake’s way.
Jake puffed out his chest covered with all sorts of decorations and said proudly.
“Go and announce. The hero has come here.”
