Chương 14: Chapter 12 : The Lords of the Manor

The door slowly swung open with a faint creak, revealing the interior of the studio apartment. Daylight streamed through a single window overlooking a quiet street. The walls were painted a uniform white, the hardwood floor looked recently renovated, and a small kitchen occupied one corner of the main room. Nothing was out of place. Nothing had been left lying around. The whole place felt clean, almost impersonal, as though no one had truly lived within these walls yet.

Emma stepped inside first, switched on the light, then turned back toward Aldric.

"Here we are. It's a studio apartment just over twenty square meters. Fully equipped kitchen, separate bathroom, central heating, third floor, south-facing. It isn't very big, but for one person, it's more than enough." Aldric stepped across the threshold without answering immediately. He first approached the wall beside the entrance and rested his hand against the painted stone. He applied gentle pressure before continuing his inspection to the next corner.

His gaze then rose to the ceiling to judge its height before dropping to the floor, where he studied the arrangement of the wooden planks. He moved on to the window, checked the thickness of its frame, and examined the street several meters below. His eyes swept over the neighboring buildings, the surrounding rooftops, and every possible route leading to the apartment building before returning inside. Emma followed him in silence. At first, she assumed he was simply looking for hidden flaws.

Then she noticed he was almost unconsciously counting the openings. One entrance. One window. No other exit. He was genuinely evaluating the apartment's defensive capabilities. Aldric continued his inspection to the kitchen area. He opened a cabinet, examined the sink, let the water run for a few seconds, then shut off the faucet. He checked the remaining storage spaces before giving a slight nod.

"The water reserves appear to be connected directly to an underground network."

"Yes... well... that's the plumbing."

"The flow seems stable."

"Thankfully." He then opened the refrigerator. Empty. He studied the shelves before closing the door again.

"Food supplies will need to be secured quickly."

"You really do inspect an apartment as if it were a fortress."

"Every position must be inspected before it is occupied."

"Even a twenty-square-meter studio?"

"A poor fortress is still preferable to no fortress at all." Emma let out a quiet, amused sigh. She still couldn't tell whether he was serious. The most unsettling part was that she was beginning to think he absolutely was. Aldric continued his reconnaissance into the bathroom. He tested the sturdiness of the door, examined the fixtures, then returned to the main room before stopping precisely in the center. He closed his eyes for a few seconds.

In his old world, this was always the moment when he mentally evaluated a castle or an outpost. Capacity. Defensive lines. Retreat routes. Food storage. Weak points. By the time he finally opened his eyes again, his verdict had already been reached.

"This fortress is small. »"It's an apartment."

"Even so, it would be suitable for a small garrison."

"One person."

"Two at most." Emma decided not to argue. At that moment, footsteps echoed through the hallway. A few seconds later, a man in his fifties entered the studio. Dressed in a navy-blue suit with perfectly polished shoes and a briefcase tucked under one arm, he greeted Emma before offering his hand to Aldric.

"Good afternoon. Philippe Garnier. I'm the owner." Aldric studied the outstretched hand for a brief moment before shaking it respectfully.

"Aldric of Valdor."

"Ms. Martin told me you're looking for your first place."

"That's correct."

"Very well. We'll just make sure your application meets the usual requirements." Emma immediately felt a knot of tension tighten in her shoulders. She knew this part all too well. She also knew exactly how it was likely to end. Philippe glanced through a few sheets of paper.

"What do you do for a living?"

"I'm a hero." The landlord blinked.

"I'm sorry?"

"My mission was to defeat the Demon King."

"I see..." He made a note on the application.

"And what are you doing now?"

"My mission has been completed." Emma parted her lips. She considered stepping in, then thought better of it. Philippe continued patiently.

"I was asking about your current occupation."

"I'm searching for a fortress to establish my headquarters."

"I see... And what about your income?" Aldric rested one hand on the hilt of his sword.

"I possess a blessed sword that slew the Demon King." Philippe looked at the sword, then at Aldric, then at Emma, and finally... back at the sword. A flush of embarrassment slowly spread across Emma's face.

"Mr. Garnier," she began with a cautious smile, "I think there's been a slight misunderstanding. Mr. Aldric has only just arrived in France, and..." Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

"So you don't have a steady income?" the landlord asked.

"No."

"No employment contract?"

"No."

"No salary?"

"No." Philippe quietly closed the folder.

"I'm truly sorry, but I think it's best if we end the viewing here. Unfortunately, this apartment isn't a good fit for your situation."

"I understand." They left the studio together. Philippe walked them to the landing. Just as he was about to close the door, Aldric stopped. He placed his fist against his breastplate.

"Thank you for the time you devoted to us. Your fortress is exceptionally well maintained, and your hospitality has been honorable. I hope this residence continues to shelter those who live here for many years to come."

"Uh... Thank you." The door slowly closed. The landlord stood there for several seconds, staring at the empty hallway. He still had no idea what had just happened. Meanwhile, Emma made her way downstairs beside Aldric. △ QUEST PROGRESS △ 6% The hero looked at the glowing window before allowing himself the faintest smile. He had not yet found his fortress, but the quest was making progress. They stepped outside the building.

Emma kept her hands in the pockets of her jacket while Aldric walked at his usual pace, studying the streets with the same careful attention he had shown ever since arriving in this city. The rejection they had just received seemed to have left no trace on his face. He looked neither discouraged, frustrated, nor even disappointed. To him, the viewing had simply provided valuable information about how this modern kingdom worked.

Emma, on the other hand, was still replaying the landlord's expression when Aldric had presented his blessed sword as his primary financial asset. The whole situation had been so absurd that she had wanted the floor to swallow her whole. They crossed several streets before arriving at a newer apartment building. The facade was more modern, the lobby more spacious, and the common areas were impeccably maintained. Emma quickly checked the time on her phone. The owner was already waiting for them on the third floor.

He watched them approach from the landing with a stern expression, his arms folded across his chest. His dark suit, rectangular glasses, and neatly organized folder gave the impression of a man who valued order above all else.

"Good afternoon," he said.

"I'm Mr. Lenoir." Emma exchanged the usual greetings before quickly introducing Aldric. The landlord gave a brief nod without taking his eyes off the armor. He seemed torn between amusement and concern, but quickly regained his professional composure. The apartment was noticeably larger than the previous one. A separate bedroom overlooked an interior courtyard, the kitchen opened onto the living room, and several large windows filled the space with pleasant natural light.

Aldric took a few moments to study the place. As usual, he checked the entrances and exits, examined the apparent sturdiness of the front door, and spent a long moment looking out over the courtyard from the living room.

"The neighboring buildings provide several elevated positions," he observed calmly.

"In the event of an attack, they would allow archers to maintain considerable pressure."

"I'll be direct," the landlord said as he opened his folder.

"The apartment is available immediately, but I'm very selective about my tenants. Do you have a guarantor?"

"Actually, Mr. Aldric is currently in the process of..."

"The king," Aldric answered matter-of-factly.

"I'm sorry?"

"The king is my guarantor."

"The king of which country?"

"Asteria." Silence immediately settled over the apartment. Mr. Lenoir remained perfectly still, his pen suspended above the folder. His gaze shifted from Aldric to Emma.

"I'm not familiar with that country."

"It lies beyond the Eastern Mountains," Aldric explained.

"Its capital is Valoria." Emma's shoulders slumped. She already knew exactly how this conversation was going to end. Mr. Lenoir quietly closed his folder.

"I'm sorry, but I'll have to decline your application. Foreign guarantors are already difficult enough to accept in some cases. A kingdom that doesn't exist is simply out of the question."

"Your decision is entirely reasonable." A few moments later, they were already making their way back down the stairs. Emma took a deep breath before turning to Aldric.

"You know," she said, "it's not always necessary to answer every question with complete literal accuracy."

"Are you asking me to lie?"

"Let's just say that some answers can be phrased differently."

"Why should I hide the truth?" Emma searched for a simple explanation. She couldn't think of one that sounded truly convincing. They continued on to the third viewing of the day. This time, the building was older. The stairs creaked softly beneath their feet, and the common areas carried the faint scent of floor wax. The landlady welcomed them with a warm smile.

She was an elderly woman with completely white hair, wearing a light blue cardigan, and seemed far happier to have visitors than concerned about choosing her next tenant.

"Come in, my dears," she said.

"Take your time." The apartment was modest but pleasant. The furniture was simple, the rooms were filled with soft natural light, and several plants lined the windowsills. Once again, Aldric took his time inspecting the place. The elderly woman watched them for a few moments before smiling.

"So, young man, what do you do for a living?"

"Mr. Aldric is currently in a period of..."

"My mission has been completed," he answered calmly. The landlady tilted her head slightly.

"Oh, so you're unemployed."

"That's correct."

"I'm sorry, my boy. I'd truly like to help you, but I'm looking for someone with a stable situation." Aldric bowed with the same respect he had shown the previous two landlords.

"Thank you nonetheless for welcoming us into your home." The elderly woman smiled at him.

"I hope you find what you're looking for soon." They left the building a few minutes later. As they reached a small tree-lined square, a blue window appeared before the knight's eyes. △ QUEST PROGRESS △ 17%"We're making progress." Emma looked at him in complete disbelief.

"Three rejections in a single day, and you think that's progress?"

"We now know which obstacles are preventing us from acquiring a fortress. Once the enemy has been identified, it becomes possible to develop a strategy." Emma fell silent. For the first time since they had met, she wondered whether, deep down, this way of looking at things wasn't actually a much calmer way of dealing with failure. The square was quieter than the streets they had just crossed.

A few trees offered welcome shade in the late afternoon, while a small fountain produced a steady murmur that almost completely drowned out the noise of traffic. Several people were enjoying the sunshine on the benches. Some were reading books, while others chatted leisurely over coffee. After spending hours going from one apartment viewing to another, only to be turned down each time, Emma suddenly felt the weight of exhaustion settle onto her shoulders.

She nodded toward an empty bench before dropping onto it with a deep sigh. Her legs ached, her throat was dry, and she had the unpleasant feeling that she had spent the entire day repeating the same explanations without moving the situation forward by even a single step. Aldric sat down beside her. His armor creaked softly as he settled into place. Emma remained silent for a long while. The three viewings replayed themselves in her mind. Mr.

Garnier, who had closed his folder the moment he realized Aldric had no income. Mr. Lenoir, who had ended the interview as soon as he heard about a king from a kingdom that didn't exist. The elderly landlady, who would probably have liked to rent him the apartment but had ultimately changed her mind after learning that he had neither a job nor a stable situation. Until now, she had found Aldric's answers mostly exasperating. They made her job impossible.

Yet the more she replayed each conversation in her head, the more one undeniable truth emerged. Even if Aldric had been wearing jeans, a perfectly pressed shirt, and a smart jacket instead of his armor even if he had left his sword at the hotel and answered exactly like any other applicant the outcome would almost certainly have been the same. He had no employment contract. No bank account. No guarantor. No administrative history. Even his identity was incomplete.

The rejections weren't really caused by his appearance. They were the consequence of a system he simply had no way of fitting into.