The Protagonist's Party is Too Diligent

Chapter 204

Of course, saying that the entirety of Lutetia’s streets belonged to us would be an overstatement.

Lutetia itself was Belvur’s territory, and naturally, no Imperial citizen could claim it as their own.

Nor did the streets belong to Charlotte, despite her accompanying us. While the royal capital was directly under the King’s domain, even Belvur couldn’t fully escape the winds of capitalism.

Some individuals had bought parcels of this royal domain, built homes, and settled there. The streets, however, remained public spaces—open to all, including other people who weren’t part of our photo session.

In modern South Korea, people are familiar with cameras and might intentionally avoid the frame or wait until the photo is taken. But in Belvur, cameras were still novel. It wasn’t uncommon for a passerby to unknowingly appear in a corner of the photo without a second thought.

What was strange, though, was that the face captured in the corner of our photo was one I recognized.

"..."

And I wasn’t the only one. Alice, my roommate, knew the face as well.@@@@

“Isn’t this Damien?”

Alice immediately voiced the name I was thinking of.

“The last time we saw him was two years ago, but... this really does look like Damien, doesn’t it? What do you think?”

Alice waved the photo Claire had given us, her tone curious.

“I believe you’re correct.”

Damien Fangryphon.

A character the Emperor would dispatch only to the most covert and dangerous missions. In the original story, he didn’t even appear until much later.

Even then, his role wasn’t particularly significant. He served as a gatekeeper, opposing the protagonist’s party on their way to confront the Emperor.

However, his androgynous design, unlike the conventionally masculine characters dominating the story, made him a fan favorite—especially among female players.

Given the early 20th-century aesthetic, most male characters were broad-shouldered and exuded a traditional masculine vibe. Leo and Jake, for instance, didn’t have long hair like female characters. Damien, on the other hand, sported long hair that reached his back.

During battles, he wore skintight black shirts and pants. In scenes where he was in disguise, he tied his hair back, leading many to joke that the character was explicitly designed to appeal to female players.

“But why is Damien here?”

Good question.

In the original story, Damien was stationed in the Holy Nation.

Alice didn’t know where he had been dispatched, but I had that knowledge from the source material.

Despite all this, Alice and I instinctively knew someone was waiting for us inside.

Exchanging nods, we moved cautiously.

No one had followed us. Charlotte had dismissed the knights earlier in the day, and we’d snuck out discreetly. I had taken the lead, guiding Alice along.

After checking our surroundings multiple times, we reached the shop and turned the doorknob.

Despite its outward appearance, the door opened effortlessly.

“Lock the door,” a low voice came from the shop’s darkest corner as soon as we stepped inside.

“Huh?” Alice uttered in surprise.

Without hesitation, I locked the door.

A faint light flickered on, illuminating a lamp in the corner.

In its glow, we could see a large man seated in a chair, his presence exuding quiet authority.

“...Father?”

Alice’s voice was laced with disbelief.

“It’s a strange feeling, meeting my daughters so far from home. But it’s a welcome one,” the Emperor said calmly, as though this meeting were entirely natural.

“Why are you here?”

Alice, forgetting her usual decorum in the Emperor’s presence, raised her voice in shock.

“Lowering your voice would be wise. These thin windows and planks don’t do much to keep sound from escaping.”

At his warning, Alice snapped her mouth shut, visibly struggling to process the situation.

“You seem less surprised,” the Emperor said, shifting his gaze to me.

“I wasn’t expecting this,” I admitted.

If Alice hadn’t reacted first, I might’ve blurted out, “What are you doing here?”

Behind the Emperor, standing in the shadows, was a pale man with long hair and a strikingly androgynous face—Damien. His presence was quiet yet eerie, his fair complexion and reserved demeanor amplifying the unsettling atmosphere.

“So, why go through the trouble of coming all the way here?” I asked calmly, my voice steady. Alice, now regaining her composure, turned to look at her father for an explanation.

“I have my own preparations to make,” the Emperor replied. “Just as you have your own plans that you haven’t informed me about.”

...Well, that was a petty response.