Under Keira's teasing gaze, Triss reacted belatedly, and the tips of her ears gradually reddened.
Wasn't she being a bit too forward? But remembering Keira beside her, she straightened her chest again, looking as if she swore with confidence.
"Um... See you this evening, Triss."
"Hey, Sir Karl, what about me?" Keira saw Karl and the others leaving and asked again.
"Keira, I don't think we can cooperate. It's best if we never see each other again!" Karl didn't even look back and answered decisively.
Keira was startled, looked at Triss indignantly, and pouted.
"Hey, why? Hmph!"
"Triss, does he have a grudge against me? Why does he hate me so much?"
Triss's beautiful eyes rolled, and she replied angrily: "Maybe he just has a problem with your style and doesn't like you."
"Impossible. Nobles are more open with each other than with me. There must be another reason. I'll come to your place this evening and ask him." Keira crossed her arms with a firm tone, as if it were a fact.
"Sorry, this evening belongs to me and him. You can ask another day." Triss snorted softly and immediately refused.
......
Karl and the others returned to the inn, which was very lively, with many people drinking and boasting.
Someone held a glass of wine in one hand and was pulled by a server, pretending to be drunk.
At that moment, Phillip was frowning in the hallway, nervously pacing back and forth.
Shortly after Karl and the others had left for the central square, Phillip had come to the inn alone.
He asked the innkeeper about Karl and the others' room.
Unexpectedly, he was told that the two had left the inn and hadn't returned yet, so he had to wait in the lobby on the first floor.
And when Karl pushed open the door, the people who were drinking and talking stopped upon seeing the plate armor he was wearing.
In an instant, the noisy atmosphere fell silent.
Sensing the sudden quiet around him, Phillip couldn't help but look up and saw Dalton, who had spoken to him the day before.
"What? Even if I look good, it shouldn't affect your drinking." Karl held his helmet in one hand and said half-jokingly.
"Hahaha... My lord, you really know how to joke."
"You look ugly, so we're not like demon women."
"Yes, my lord, you are the coolest person I've ever met."
No one expected a noble to be so friendly towards them.
Karl's self-deprecation revived the atmosphere in the inn again.
He shook his head and smiled, looked at Phillip, who was standing foolishly in the hallway, and walked straight towards him.
When he stood before him, Phillip immediately bent down and tried to lower himself onto one knee to show respect to Karl.
Karl paused for a moment and reached out to support Phillip.
He glanced at the other's confused, awed, and tense eyes.
He said quietly: "Phillip, this isn't the first time we've met. Don't be too restrained. Come with me."
"Yes, my lord." Phillip nodded sincerely and followed behind them.
......
In the room, Karl stood in the center, disassembling his plate armor, while Dalton occasionally took the components, helping him remove the armor.
Phillip stood before him, at a loss, his gaze wandering, and he lowered his head, not knowing what to do.
In the end, Karl spoke first.
"Phillip, it seems Dalton roughly explained to you earlier that I'm short on people, and I have a job that requires someone."
"Yes, my lord. I can do everything neatly—clean shoes, maintain armor, handle daily life, and solve problems for you."
Phillip lifted his head and listed his talents.
"Ahem! Dalton, how did you explain it to him?"
"I'm not recruiting a servant. I need a squire, a loyal subordinate."
Karl coughed softly, interrupted Phillip, and glanced at Dalton.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Lord Karl. I misunderstood your intention."
"Since training a servant takes years, I thought a servant was only needed for household chores." Dalton immediately lowered his head and bowed in apology.
Phillip listened to the conversation between them, a flicker of disappointment in his eyes.
Alas, it seemed his interview was over before it even began.
This was an extremely rare opportunity, and he thought he could get close to the nobility and climb the social ladder.
Then Anna and Tamara could live prosperously, but now it seemed he still needed to join the army.
"I'm very sorry, my lord. It seems I'm not qualified for this job."
Phillip bowed and dejectedly saluted Karl, then turned to leave the room.
"Stop, Phillip. How old are you?"
"Uh... My lord, I'm seventeen."
Phillip was stunned, not expecting the other party to suddenly ask his age, but he answered honestly.
Hearing this, Karl's face twitched, and he looked at Phillip's beard and weathered skin.
Looking at the skin type, forehead, and face, the other party did indeed have a relatively young appearance.
It was the full beard that doubled Phillip's age.
Of course, it was inseparable from Phillip's somewhat worried appearance.
It was precisely because of the beard that Phillip looked more mature.
"Seventeen? A little old, but not too late."
"From today, you are my second assistant. Well, you're on a temporary probationary period. If you learn quickly, you can become a permanent assistant ahead of time."
"Dalton, from today, Phillip will work with you. You need to teach him more."
"As you command, Lord Karl!"
In a few words, Karl had settled Phillip's future work.
The sudden surprise stunned Phillip.
"Thank you... Karl, no... Lord Karl." Then he reacted and said gratefully.
"Phillip swears to be loyal to you and never betray you for the rest of his life!"
Phillip looked firm, knelt on one knee facing Karl, and bowed very solemnly.
"Heh, I value a person's real actions more than so-called oaths." Karl seemed to smile and said this lightly.
"By the way, you'll be subsidized one Oren each month, and this month's subsidy will be given to you in advance. It will be distributed only at the beginning of each month."
Before he finished speaking, Karl lifted his chin and signaled Dalton.
Dalton rummaged in his money pouch, took out an Oren, and placed it in Phillip's hand.
Phillip pinched the gold Oren with his fingertips and stared at the king's head engraved on the Oren, still unable to believe it.
At this moment, he was a bit dazed, as if dreaming.
Obviously, he had just wanted to be a servant, but unexpectedly, he had become a higher-ranking attendant.
His monthly income had more than tripled compared to before, almost catching up to a craftsman's.