A day had passed since the solstice festival.
I headed to the plaza in front of the city gates to go fishing like I'd promised Tanta and
the others.
"It's fishing time!" Tanta said.
"Yeah!" I raised my rod in reply.
Rit, Ruti, Tisse, Tanta, and I had all gathered.
"Hm? Where's Gonz?" I asked.
"Uncle Gonz drank too much at the festival yesterday. He said he'll pass for today. I
think he's sleeping off the hangover."
"It was his idea to go fishing in the first place."
"He took your medicine, so I think he'll be all right by lunchtime."
Sheesh.
"Fine then, guess we'll just go ourselves."
Tanta nodded excitedly. "Okay!"
Perhaps he'd been worried that the trip would be canceled because of Gonz? He
laughed as I patted his head to reassure him.
"I've got food for everyone, too," Rit said as she held out the large basket she was
carrying. Numerous foods had been packed into it. I had made them all, of course. "So,
where are we going?"
"I was thinking we could maybe rent some horses and ride to the sea," I replied.
"In that case, Rit and I can summon some spirit beasts," Ruti stated.
"Is that okay with you, Rit?" I asked.
"Of course!"
With that settled, we ventured beyond Zoltan's gate. We'd set out from town on a
journey to the Wall at the End of the World a few days ago, but it was for a far more
relaxed trip this time.
Once we were out of the town, Rit summoned a pair of spirit dire wolves, and Ruti
conjured two spirit steeds. Rit's wolves rivaled bears in size, and Ruti's horses had
beautiful white coats and came equipped with saddles and reins.
Tanta looked shocked initially, but he quickly settled down. One of the wolves carefully
grabbed Tanta's clothes with its mouth and lifted him onto its back.
"So cool!" Tanta was petting the spirit beast's fur excitedly. Evidently, he was enjoying
himself.
"I guess you're good there then. I'll ride with you." I hopped up onto the wolf's back,
sitting behind Tanta.
"Are you sure? Wouldn't the horse be better since it has a saddle?" Rit questioned.
"We'll be fine," I assured her.
The dire wolf snorted in response to Rit's worrying, as if to say, "Leave it to me."
Tanta grew even more excited at that. His eyes were sparkling as he clung to the wolf's
neck.
Simply put, fishing was profound.
Of all the skills in the world, there were only three related to it—the common skills
Fishing and Angling, and the inherent skill Advanced Fishing. That last one was only
available to blessings like Fisher and Angler.
I'd taken the Fishing skill and raised it to level 3. Doing so granted me Improved
Visibility Through Water. The effect was pretty self-explanatory. It let me ignore light
diffraction and allowed me to peer through the cloudiness of the water for a clearer
view. It was likely intended for spotting how many fish were beneath the surface.
The common skill Swimming granted some maneuverability and a bit of battle
aptitude in the water, but it did nothing for your eyesight. Aquatic Combat also
provided access to Improved Visibility Through Water and was the superior skill
overall. While it was available to the vast majority of fighting-oriented blessings, it was
still an inherent skill, which meant I couldn't get it.
Battling while submerged was difficult. Armor became a hindrance that kept you from
moving properly, and swinging weapons was all but impossible. Thrusts were the only
halfway usable attacks with swords. The best choice was to avoid underwater combat
if you could help it. Some situations left you with no other alternative, though. There
were countless monsters dwelling beneath the surface, just like there were up on land,
and both fishing and shipping over the water were necessary aspects of our lives.
One of the reasons it was difficult to navigate around the Wall at the End of the World
by sea was because storms frequently plagued the waters to the east of Zoltan. A more
significant reason, however, was because that region was infested with giant sea
monsters.
Krakens, deep sea serpents, great whites, and luscas all prowled the region. Even
worse, there were Sea demons, familiars of the legendary Leviathan demon, which
were capable of changing shape into giant aquatic dragons.
If a ship were attacked from below, there'd be no recourse but to dive into the water
and dispatch the creatures on their terms, which was all to explain why I had the
Angling skill and was pretty good at fishing.
"All right, got another one."
I was dropping the fish I caught into a container filled with seawater, one after the
other. I had landed six so far.
"Ghhh."
Rit was glaring at her bobber floating on the surface.
Skill or no skill, if you allowed your intentions to leak out that much, no fish was going
to approach.
We were on a jetty not far from Zoltan. It was a small port used to offload goods from
merchants who traveled around coastal villages. There were fees to use Zoltan's docks,
so the traders who went around peddling day-to-day necessities loaded and offloaded
their boats here.
"Ruti."
"What?"
"Throwing your hook into the water and hitting a fish with it isn't Angling."
Ruti already had more than thirty fish in her container. She wasn't baiting her line at
all. Instead, she cast the hook so that it landed in her target's mouth and pulled it out.
It was an absurd brute force method, but effective nonetheless. Ruti was reeling in fish
from the seabed, fifty meters down. She hadn't missed yet, so I couldn't fault her
method, but it could hardly be called fishing.
"But it's faster this way."
"I mean, yeah, but…"
Ruti looked at me incredulously. She'd never done this before, so I wasn't too
surprised.
"Okay, I'll teach you how to fish," I decided, standing up. "When you take a day off to
go fishing, the goal isn't to catch anything; it's to have fun."
"How so?"
I adjusted Ruti's rod, then picked a blue worm for bait. The little things were easy to
come by, and fish liked them. Some people didn't like the way blue worms wriggled,
though. I threaded a bobber and sinker onto her line and then hooked the blue worm.
"This is the basic method for baiting your line. Generally speaking, it's best to make
sure it's snug on the base of the hook," I explained.
Ruti nodded earnestly. "Okay."
"You don't have to throw it too far away. Just toss it close by and then wait patiently
for the fish to come."
"Really?"
"If you throw it with too much strength, the worm might come free, and the fish we're
dealing with here aren't that big. Threadfish can pick bait clean off the hook, so you've
got to check your line occasionally. For now, just toss it right in front of you and take it
easy."
"Fishing is so much work."
"That's just part of the fun."
Ruti took the rod back and cast again. The bobber floated gently atop the waves. A bird
cawed overhead.
"The weather's nice."
"Mhm."
The colder months made the ocean frigid, but beautiful.
When winter came to Zoltan, the winds from the Wall blew out to sea, and the surface
water would shift from the coasts toward the open ocean. Conversely, deeper water
rose to the surface.
Even without my skill, the water appeared a clear blue. It was easy to spot the red fish
swimming around. Knowing the reason behind this phenomenon did nothing to mar
its allure.
"Such an amazing thing to see," I muttered as I looked out at the ocean.
Rit and Ruti, both struggling for different reasons, gazed upon the lovely vista with me.
"Zoltan is great."
"It sure is."
They both had tranquil smiles on their faces.
"How about we take a break for lunch?" I suggested.
Tanta was the first to respond. "Yay! I was starting to get hungry."
"Gah, it's not like I was going to catch up to you anyway," Rit pouted playfully.
Turning to my sister, I asked, "What about you, Ruti?"
She stared at the bobber floating on the water before reluctantly reeling it back in and
setting her rod down.
"It was fun."
Ruti had only reeled in two fish the proper way. Honestly, that was exceptional for a
beginner. Still, I had been slightly worried that the more laid-back nature of proper
Angling would bore her. It was a relief to see she'd enjoyed herself.
Initially, she'd seemed perplexed at not getting many bites, but she settled into the
pleasure of kicking back and waiting.
On that point, Tisse was something else. She'd only caught a single fish, but it was so
big that it couldn't fit in her container.
Tisse had paid no attention to the small fires and had set her sights on the big score.
At first glance, it may have seemed she was only casually casting her line, but she was
truly proficient.
We gathered around the picnic basket.
"What did you make?"
"All sorts of things."
Inside the basket were sandwiches, a tomato salad, omelets, roast beef, ground steaks,
and milk to drink.
"Ohhh, it's all so colorful." Tanta immediately went for some roast beef.
Rit took a ground steak, while Ruti and Tisse started with some of the salad.
""""So good!""""
My effort in the kitchen this morning had all been worth it to see their smiles.
When we had nearly finished everything, Tanta suddenly pointed out toward the
water.
"Look over there! It's a ship!" he exclaimed.
Following the direction of his finger, I spied a galley with two square sails being rowed
systematically by oars that looked like countless legs extending from its sides.
"That's a warship."
And not a Zoltan one. Zoltan's armed forces only possessed three caravels with
triangular sails, so there was no mistaking it.
"…A vessel from Veronia or thereabouts, I'd guess?"
Observing it closely, I noticed that the uppermost of the three layers of oars had
noticeably fewer rowers than the lower tiers. Such a design was unique among galleys
from southern nations like Veronia.
Its deck was set higher than most other ships' so that when it lined up alongside an
enemy boat, they could fire a volley of arrows from on high. Veronia had designed this
model around eighty years ago for dealing with pirates who primarily relied on melee
combat. However, Veronia had converted their old-style galleys into large sailing ships
in more recent times.
"They aren't pirates, right?" Tanta asked nervously.
"It's certainly possible, but raiders around these parts wouldn't have such massive
boats." Plus, Danan had supposedly sunk no small number of pirate ships on his
journey here. The buccaneers would be lying low for a while. "There's no way a galley
will survive the eastern passage's storms. I wonder what they want in Zoltan."
I chewed on a sandwich as I watched the Veronian warship sailing in the distance, and
I pondered what it might be up to.
"We should probably start heading back soon," Rit said.
I glanced up toward the sun starting its path down in the sky. "Yeah… I guess it's about
time to go."
"Awww. But we can keep going!" Tanta whined.
"If we don't head out now, it'll be dark before we get back."
"Fine… We should do this again, though."
"Yeah, we should all do this together again," Rit agreed.
"Are you okay with that, Ruti?"
"Yes. It was fun. I want to try it another time."
In the end, Ruti caught fewer fish than Tanta once she started actually fishing. Yet it
was clear from her reluctance as she packed up her gear that she had enjoyed today.
I was glad that I'd agreed to do this.
On the morning of the next day, Ruti awoke when she always did. No matter how late
she stayed up or how early she went to bed, it was always the same.
"I was able to sleep again."
Ruti's eyes sparkled as the morning sun shone through the window. The simple human
action of resting at night was moving to her. Red and Tisse were probably the only
ones capable of noticing how excited she was, though.
She rinsed her mouth out with water from the pitcher and then drank from a glass.
Then she stripped down and wiped down her body with a damp washcloth. After
changing clothes, she started into some light exercise—a loop around the room while
doing a handstand. Next, she gripped one of the ceiling beams with her toes. Finally,
she hurled a ball out the window, striking a tree in the yard with enough force that the
ball bounced back to her. She did this one hundred times with each hand and foot. This
was Ruti's daily routine to make sure she was still fit.
"Mhm."
All told, the exercises generally took fifteen minutes.
Ruti did everything at a tremendous speed. Because the Hero blessing always kept her
in peak physical condition, the idea that her reflexes might dull, and even the act of
warming up, were fresh experiences.
Ruti did not break a sweat through all of it. Her cheeks were ever so slightly red, but
that was only because the next thing she had planned for the day was breakfast at
Red's place.
Fortunately, no one else knew about the absurd things she considered warm-ups.
Basking in the morning sun, Ruti and Tisse were walking along the Zoltan streets,
headed toward Red's shop.
Tisse had a shortsword concealed beneath her clothes, a carryover habit from
working as an assassin. Ruti was not carrying anything. She always left her blade at
Red's shop. When she would go out for an adventure, she would make a point of
stopping by his store first to get her sword.
Obviously, it was just a clumsy excuse to see Red, but no one seemed to mind.
The neighborhood was a bit rowdy today. People were gathering around the well or in
the back alleys, looking concerned as they discussed the latest rumors.
Probably about that warship from yesterday.
The galley would never be able to navigate the stormy eastern passage. That meant it
was bound for Zoltan.
What could the crew of such a vessel want in the middle of nowhere?
"It was delicious."
"Indeed."
After finishing their breakfast at Red's shop, Ruti and Tisse headed to their medicinal
herb plantation in the North.
Their meal had incorporated their catches from yesterday: cabbage and fish stewed in
tomatoes, an onion and fish marinade, refreshing lemon water, and fluffy white bread.
Both Ruti and Tisse were amazed that Red could throw together so much food so early
in the morning.
And also…
"This is the fish you caught yesterday."
When Ruti thought back on how Red had said that to her and eaten the tomato soup
with such gusto, she couldn't help but grin.
The manor she and Tisse were living in was on the southwest side of downtown.
They'd chosen it to give Ruti easy access to Red and Rit's apothecary, which was
nearby. Conveniently, Oparara's oden cart was situated at the edge of the harbor
district to the west, making it an easy walk when Tisse wanted chikuwa.
Ruti's farm was a fair hike to the north, but neither she nor Tisse seemed to mind.
Upon arriving at the plot, the pair had a look around. Ruti's medicinal herb plantation
had normal fields and two greenhouses. The latter had glass ceilings and walls on their
southern sides to increase the temperature within them.
"There are sprouts, Ms. Ruti."
"Oh. You're right."
Little green seedlings were peeking out from the soil. The nigh-expressionless pair
glanced at each other. They were both incredibly moved, but an outsider would never
have realized that. Ruti and Tisse shared a deep enough friendship to recognize each
other's feelings, however.
"That's fantastic."
"Mhm."
The girls smiled ever so slightly.
Come noon, Ruti and Tisse were carefully giving the plants just a bit of water, as Red
had taught them. They were nearly done with the work. Ruti and Tisse would surely
be busy dealing with weeds and pests when the plants began sprouting bushy green
leaves. Fortunately, Red had told them that their crops had been cultivated from wild
plants, so they should be fairly resistant to such nuisances. In fact, the girls would
probably need to keep a close watch on the lines between fields to make sure nothing
encroached on other areas.
"That's all for today, right?"
"Yes."
The pair discussed what they'd do for lunch while stowing their tools.
"Pardon me!" a loud voice called out.
Glancing in the direction of the noise, the girls saw Megria from the Adventurers Guild.
She must have hurried over, because she was sweating. Had another request from the
guild come in?
"Ms. Ruhr! There's something we'd like to ask you to do!"
Ruhr was the alias that Ruti was using in Zoltan. It was a rather shoddy moniker since
the full name she used was Ruti Ruhr. Still, it allowed people she was close with to call
her Ruti while she went by Ruhr to all others.
It was absolutely critical to Ruti that her older brother, Gideon, address her by her real
name. That was something she refused to budge on. Not even God himself could
change her mind.
Fortunately, the name Ruti was uncommon enough in Avalonia that anyone would
realize the Hero was in Zoltan.
Tisse's alias was Tifa Johnson, and she used Tisse as a nickname.
Ruti wiped her dirty face with a towel and hurried to Megria, who was looking pale.
"What is it?"
"Prince Salius of Veronia has come to Zoltan with a warship."
"Mhm."
Megria was shocked when Ruti nodded calmly at the revelation.
"That's Ms. Ruhr for you. So then you already knew?"
"I saw the galley yesterday, though I didn't know Prince Salius was on it…" Ruti thought
back on that name for a moment. "If I recall, Prince Salius is… the eldest son of the
Veronian king, but he is the son of the current king and the previous king's elder
daughter and was dropped to lowest in succession when the first queen disappeared,
right?"
"Yes, that is what I've heard. I'm not particularly well informed on the details,
though…"
Megria was just an employee at the Adventurers Guild and couldn't respond
confidently. Veronia was a major power, but it was still a far-off nation. The ins and
outs of the country's political situation were useless in Zoltan—until yesterday.
"So then, what does the Prince want?"
"He insists we share the holy church registers of Zoltan and the neighboring
settlements."
"The holy church registers…"
Holy church registers were written records of the births, deaths, marriages, and notes
of residents moving in or out. The documents also listed each entry's Divine Blessing.
Clergy used this information to collect taxes for kings and lords while receiving a
percentage of the take.
It was required to update the registers for significant life events. Even residents who
disliked their taxes put up with it without complaint because the holy church was
involved.
A given lord might also keep their own register separate from the holy church's to
track the territory and wealth they controlled. The holy church register was only for
keeping tabs on people, so it could be used for a per head tax, but not for a wealthbased one.
From time to time, arguments arose among clergy about changing how the records
were kept. However, the main goal of the registers was ultimately to assist holy church
members, not to collect taxes, so there were currently no plans to change how the
records were kept.
"The registers detail our residents' Divine Blessings. The Zoltan clergy were quite
indignant at Prince Salius's demand," Megria explained.
Even if they assisted with taxation, the holy church didn't turn over the registers
themselves to kings and lords. Salius's request was an outrageous affront.
"I'm surprised he would be so brash. After all, the holy church has a presence in
Veronia," Tisse remarked.
The holy church was a tricky organization to deal with, even for the Assassins Guild.
Its intelligence network spanned the continent, and it had been a significant obstacle
to many a hired killer before.
Megria replied, "Perhaps he thinks word of his action won't reach back home. Veronia
and Zoltan are far from each other, after all."
There was something about that that did not make sense to Tisse. The holy church
was united in its faith, regardless of national borders. Would the organization truly
forgive the prince's insult simply because it happened out on the frontier?
Tisse felt it was unlikely.
"Why does the Veronian prince want Zoltan's holy church records?" Ruti inquired.
"Supposedly… he's searching for someone."
"Who?"
"He refuses to say."
Ruti's eyebrows twitched a little.
"I see. So then it's something unrelated to Zoltan?"
"Yes."
"Then what if we refuse?"
"…Nothing. However, he intends to remain on the water outside Zoltan until he finds
the person he's seeking. We were also informed that we need not worry ourselves
about their supplies because they'll handle that themselves."
The prince was effectively threatening Zoltan with piracy if the holy church records
were not turned over. It was an act outrageous enough to justify a declaration of war.
However…
"It goes without saying, but Zoltan's navy is no match for that vessel."
Zoltan's navy consisted of three small caravels, each capable of carrying twenty
people. They couldn't stand against the Veronian war galley carrying three hundred
soldiers when it came to combat ability. And even if Zoltan did manage to win, there
was a distressing difference in power between a major power like the Kingdom of
Veronia and a tiny little backwater city-state like Zoltan.
Ruti couldn't imagine that Veronia was plotting to attack Zoltan, but if it did come to
war, Zoltan had already lost.
Even if they pled for help with another of the major powers like Avalonia, they had
their hands full dealing with the demon lord's armies. They would not have the
capacity to spare on a war with Veronia.
In other words, Zoltan was in a situation where they had no choice but to accept the
prince's demands.
"Eeep?!" Megria shrieked as Ruti looked at her.
Ruti frantically tamped down her emotions. "Oh, um. I-I'm sorry."
Megria felt the gaze of some giant monster on her for a split second, but after blinking
her eyes, she saw that the only other people around were the members of the everreliable B-rank party, Ruti Ruhr and Tifa Johnson. She placed a hand on her chest to
calm her racing pulse and took a deep breath.
"…"
Ruti was surprised at how much Megria's story had bothered her. She wanted to force
her way onto the Veronia ship right that instant, split it in two, and send it to the
bottom of the sea.
"What did you wish to ask of me?"
For the moment, Ruti did her best to remain calm and figure out what the Adventurers
Guild wanted.
"We'd like for you to participate in the ongoing discussions among Zoltan's
leadership."
"Me?"
"Currently, you are Zoltan's strongest fighter. Were a battle with the army out of the
question, then Zoltan would have no choice but to rely on your individual strength.
That's why we want you to participate in discussions on how to proceed, and we'd be
grateful for whatever thoughts you might have, too."
"Okay," Ruti responded immediately.
Megria looked surprised, but answered, "Th-thank you very much. Many adventurers
hate these sorts of councils, so I didn't expect you to accept immediately."
"It's okay. Don't worry about it."
During Ruti's time as the Hero, she had frequently been a part of military councils.
This was nothing new for her.
Seeing Ruti so at ease filled Megria with respect and awe.
"Where is the meeting being held?"
"At the Zoltan Assembly."
"I see. What is the status of the council?"
"Bishop Shien of the holy church is opposed to acquiescing. Galatine from the
Adventurers Guild agrees. Moen, the head of the guards, is on their side as well, and is
resolved to fight if necessary. On the other side, Mayor Tornado and Lord William, the
head of Zoltan's army, believe a battle is foolish."
"Shien, Galatine, and Moen. They're the old B-rank party," Ruti said.
"Indeed. Perhaps they feel the way they do because they're heroes themselves."
"Thank you. I'd like to listen to what everyone has to say. Let's go."
Megria followed after Ruti as she strolled off gallantly. At some point in their exchange,
her fear and dread at dealing with a threat like Veronia had faded away.
What a mysterious person.
Zoltan's newest B-rank adventurer was quiet, rarely showed any emotion, and it was
impossible to tell what she was thinking. Her strength was undeniable, though. Even
in the direst of circumstances, she and her partner Tisse resolved everything
immediately.
At first glance, Ruti appeared less reliable than Rit, Albert, or Bui, but her might far
surpassed them all.
Curiously, that didn't feel unnatural or frightening to Megria. When she looked at Ruti,
she instinctually believed that the girl would be able to help.
"I hope Ms. Ruhr will stay in Zoltan…"
Megria blushed as she realized that she had accidentally spoken her thought aloud.
The Zoltan Assembly stood at the center of town.
Mayor Tornado. Baron William, Zoltan's general. Moen, the captain of the guard.
Harold, who was the leader of the Adventurers Guild, and Galatine. Bishop Shien from
the holy church. These well-known local figures had assembled in a single room with
a few leaders from various other guilds.
"Pardon me," Megria said as she led Ruti and Tisse into the chamber.
A few present raised questioning eyebrows. That was more because Ruti was still
wearing the clothes she had been while working out in the fields, however.
Baron William made no effort to mask his scorn, but Ruti remained unbothered as she
sat in the seat Megria guided her to.
"My name is Ruti Ruhr, and this is Tifa Johnson. Thank you for having us. What is the
current situation?"
"Thank you for joining us, Ms. Ruhr." Baron William's vexation only deepened at Ruti's
introduction. It was Mayor Tornado who replied to the girl with a smile. "Right now,
we are debating how Zoltan should react to the Kingdom of Veronia's demand."
"Have you reached a decision?"
"Unfortunately, it's a rather difficult topic. Typically it would be unheard of for a
government to intrude into the holy church's domain, but Veronia seems very
determined to find whoever they're searching for. Agreeing to their request would be
the best course for maintaining amicable relations between our two nations…"
"Mayor!" Galatine interrupted, staring Tornado down with a twisted, terrifying glare
that was better suited to a high-ranking member of the Thieves Guild. "To demand
without explanation that we hand over the holy church registers is nothing less than
a diplomatic slap in the face. It's an insult!"
Several of the other participants in the council recoiled at Galatine's intensity, but
Tornado remained calm. Harold, on the other hand, was breaking into a nervous sweat.
"Galatine, tell me, can honor protect our country?" the mayor asked.
Baron William nodded in agreement. "As the leader of Zoltan's army, let me be clear, if
it comes to war with Veronia, we have no hope of winning. Dealing with that single
warship out on the water is only barely within the realm of possibility. Were there a
second waiting on the sea, I'd suggest we surrender immediately."
"Be that as it may, a demand to turn over our registers is unheard of. That is something
the holy church cannot accept. We should request that Father Clemens at the Last Wall
fortress make our complaints known to Veronia proper." Bishop Shien's tone made
apparent his belief that this was not something he would budge on.
Tornado furrowed his brow and heaved a sigh. Bishop Shien was known for his mildmannered appearance, gentle personality, and tolerant and forgiving nature. It
seemed to trouble the mayor that Shien was having such a difficult time agreeing to
turn over the registers.
The Last Wall fortress, huh?
That made Ruti a little bit nostalgic. She had met her comrade Theodora there. At the
time, the Hero's party had nearly been declared heretics conspiring with the enemy,
thanks to the machinations of the demon lord's army. It had almost come down to a
battle with the monks of Demis.
Fortunately, Theodora had believed in the Hero and her allies, ignored Father
Clemens's orders, and gone with them. Her aid led them to uncover the conspiracy
and resolve the incident.
Oh yeah, wasn't there some secret shrine deep inside the Last Wall fortress that no one
had ever entered? We had nothing to do there, though, so I never saw it…
"As stated before, as far as the holy church is concerned, be it the Kingdom of Veronia
or anyone else, we have no intention of turning over our records."
While Ruti was reminiscing, Shien had explained that the holy church stood separate
from the authority of the secular world and reiterated that his position on this matter
would not change.
"I see…" Ruti nodded.
She had a fair grip on the predicament now. Tornado and the majority of Zoltan's
leadership believed that they should turn over the records, while Shien, Galatine, and
the holy church were adamant about not giving in. Moen had not voiced any opinion,
likely because his superior officer, Baron William, was present. From the look on his
face, he seemed to be in support of Shien's side.
"I understand the situation. I'd like to comment."
"Ah, Ms. Ruhr. As one of the current B-rank adventurers, I would love to hear your
thoughts. You are an adventurer, but please don't let the guild's presence hold you
back. I assure you that whatever you say won't hurt your standing," Tornado replied.
"The Adventurers Guild would never do such a thing…" Harold, the head of the
Adventurers Guild, wiped the sweat from his wrinkled brow and waved his hands, as
if to dismiss the very notion. Then, seemingly experiencing a bout of stomach pain, he
took some medicine from his pocket and drank it with a cup of water.
Ah, that's Big Brother's remedy.
The Adventurers Guild was on the north side of Zoltan. Harold wouldn't have gone all
the way to the opposite end of town just to buy medicine. One of the local doctors who
bought wholesale from Red had likely prescribed it. Harold appeared a rather
unreliable sort, but Ruti felt a little goodwill toward him now that she knew the man
used one of Red's curatives.
"First of all, we don't have enough information," Ruti stated.
"Information?" Mayor Tornado repeated.
"Their goal, I mean. Who are they searching for, and why? They must have a reason for
keeping that a secret."
"We asked, of course. But they've no intent on telling us," Baron William responded.
Tisse grimaced at that. If a party's refusal to answer were always sufficient, there'd be
no need for diplomats. For the people of Zoltan, lack of an answer was sufficient,
though.
At most, all the Zoltan army dealt with were small bands of thieves or monsters. Actual
war was entirely outside Baron William's experience.
"I'll investigate," stated Ruti.
"You will? How?"
"Prince Salius believes that he will learn what he wants from access to the holy
church's records. The registers track names, birthdays, current location, job, parents'
names, Divine Blessing, and the date of immigration. Among those, names and dates
of birth can be faked. If that were enough to determine what they wanted, they
wouldn't need to ask for the holy church's accounts. Current location, job, and parents'
names aren't necessary when searching for someone. That must mean the one they're
after can be identified by date of immigration or Divine Blessing."
"I—I see."
"However, if they know enough to identify this person simply by their date of
immigration, they would not need the holy church registers. The prince could simply
insist the government hand over their records. That would be far simpler than making
an enemy of the holy church. Which would imply that Veronia only has an idea of when
this person arrived in Zoltan, but they need to identify them via Divine Blessing to
narrow it down."
"Still, can something like that really be deduced with a blessing? There are plenty of
people with the same blessings, and there are some who have not reported theirs to
the holy church at all," Baron William responded.
"And that makes it possible for us to surmise who they're looking for as well," Ruti said,
nodding. "It can't be a common blessing, and I don't believe it's one that'd go
unreported, like Manslayer or Ripper, either. It must be a rarer, upper-tier blessing.
The Champion, Sword Saint, Archmage, Hierophant, Crusader… Someone with a
powerful blessing that isn't the sort you'd keep secret."
"I see…!"
Limiting the scope to those who'd come to Zoltan rather than natives would
significantly narrow the list, too.
"Also, if possible, I'd like to meet Prince Salius directly to glean what I can. I suspect
that he might not be acting as an official representative of Veronia."
"Why is that?"
"Right now, Veronia is isolated and separate from the rest of the continent. King
Geizeric managed to make Veronia a world power in a single generation, but he's
ninety years old now. The nobility and common citizens are uneasy about their
nation's stance of neutrality toward the demon lord's armies. Making an enemy of the
holy church could spark a major insurrection. Could there really be someone in Zoltan
who's worth that tremendous risk? It's hard to believe Veronia would gamble by
refusing to explain its actions."
"When you put it that way, it is certainly odd."
Mayor Tornado, Baron William, and the various guild heads listened intently to Ruti.
The young woman was by no means eloquent, but her words carried the experience
of her many battles. Even without knowing her past, the dependability she exhibited
removed the doubts of the assembled officials.
Typically, Ruti struggled when it came to communication, but in situations like this,
there was no one more reliable.
Tisse was reminded of how incredible her friend was.
"I'd also like to see the official letter bearing Prince Salius's request to see whether it
really has the seal of the Veronian royal family—"
"There isn't one," Baron William cut in.
Ruti went stiff for a moment. "What do you mean there isn't one?" she asked.
"Exactly what I said. Prince Salius made a verbal demand for the records. There's no
mistaking that Prince Salius is who he claims to be, however. One of my subordinates
was an adventurer before settling in Zoltan. He's seen Prince Salius before and
confirmed his identity."
For the first time since arriving, Ruti looked a bit troubled. After taking a moment to
consider, she replied, "I'll investigate concerning that point as well, then. In ten days'
time, I'll report my progress, so please stall as best you can. Claim that the mayor is
working to persuade the holy church. Bishop Shien, please gather together a list of all
the things that the holy church wants to ask and have it sent to Mayor Tornado
tomorrow. The guard should be on watch for the townspeople getting on edge and
take care to prevent any rumors from spreading. Baron William, you should keep your
knights at the ready and train them in evacuation procedures to ensure they can get
the villagers out of town at a moment's notice in case the prince decides to attack.
With the water routes blockaded, trade by land will become all the more crucial, so
the guilds should seize the initiative and start preparing the necessary infrastructure."
"U-understood."
"That's something I can do! Leave it to me!"
The deadlocked council leaped into action at Ruti's words. Now that they knew what
they should be doing, the various guild heads were no longer hesitant.
"Wow, I never would have guessed you to be so skilled in these sorts of matters, too.
It'd be a weight off my shoulders to know that someone as capable as you might stand
among Zoltan's leaders someday."
"Indeed. If you ever want to join the army, we would gladly welcome you immediately
at the level of a squire. Or, if you would like, I can lend you some soldiers to reclaim
the lands being held by the hill giant Dundach, and you can become a noble. I'd gladly
endorse your request for a grant of peerage as the guardian of those lands."
Both Mayor Tornado and Baron William readily pitched their offers to Ruti. However…
"I don't need that. I have my herb farm."
She turned them both down without so much as a polite smile.
The two were silent for a moment before forcing grins to escape the awkward mood.
Then they insisted that Ruti come to them should she need anything.
With the meeting over, Ruti and Tisse left.
"So then, where should we begin?" Tisse asked.
"I need a dose of big brother," Ruti responded bluntly.
"Huh?"
"It's been a long time since I had to endure a serious talk for so long, so I need more of
him to recharge."
At first, Tisse thought Ruti was joking, but her face was deadly serious.
"W-well, you do need to get your sword, I suppose."
Tisse could not help breaking into a smile at seeing Ruti say something like that with
such a genuine expression.
For the two of them to protect Zoltan, Ruti needed to see her brother, and so they did.
"So that's what was going on."
"Mhm."
I served up a couple of plates of tomato and cheese pasta I had thrown together with
what was available while listening to Ruti.
"Sorry it's just leftovers."
Ruti and Tisse had been called to the meeting right as they were getting ready to break
for lunch, so they hadn't had anything to eat yet.
Obviously, Ruti could reactivate her blessing's skills that gave her immunity to hunger
and fatigue, but she elected not to.
After finishing off the pasta, she sighed contentedly.
"Your cooking is always so delicious."
Seeing her happy face, I broke into a smile, too.
"Happy to please."
My little sister had cleared her plate perfectly. Not even the tiniest bit of tomato
remained. She looked pleased as she wiped her mouth with a handkerchief.
I started to clean up the dishes, but Tisse stopped me with a polite gesture.
"I'll take care of that," she said before standing up and gathering the tableware herself.
"You and Rit should talk with Ms. Ruti."
"Got it. Thank you, Tisse."
"It seems like there's a bit going on under the surface with this incident," Tisse added
before leaving to wash the dishes.
That was true. This could easily become the most significant incident since the
founding of the Republic of Zoltan.
Hopefully, it would resolve peacefully before it got to that, however.
"What do you think, Big Brother?"
"Hmmm… I agree with your line of thought. Given that there isn't any official
diplomatic message, it's hard to believe that Prince Salius is acting under the direction
of the Kingdom of Veronia itself. He's threatening Zoltan even though Avalonia has
recognized it as an independent state. With the war against the demon lord's forces,
Avalonia won't go to war with Veronia to protect us, but there will be diplomatic
upsets. Even if Prince Salius were the future king, it's incredibly risky to do something
like this on his own."
"He's not even very high on the succession list, right?" Rit asked.
"Yeah. Prince Salius is the king's eldest son, but his mother, the king's first wife Queen
Misphia, disappeared, so he dropped to third place. The children of the king's second
wife Queen Leonor moved ahead of him. Prince Yuzuk is first, and Prince Silverio is
second.
In Veronia, the primary successor inherited everything, with some land and wealth
being allotted to the remaining brothers afterward. Given Salius had dropped in the
order, Yuzuk could use his actions in Zoltan as an excuse to cut him out of any
inheritance or provision," I replied.
"That's… pretty substantial. That would affect more than the prince; it'd destroy his
allies as well."
"Whatever he's after must be important enough to gamble everything."
There was plenty I could guess at, but I'd never met Prince Salius before.
The Kingdom of Veronia had once been a potential enemy to the world. Even now, it
remained neutral in the war with the demon lord's armies. During my time in
Avalonia, all I ever heard of Veronia were biased claims based on peoples' disapproval
of the other nation.
"If it were you, what would you do next, Big Brother?"
"Hrmmm." I thought a bit before continuing. "Well, going to Veronia to investigate
would be the best, but…"
"With the airship, it would probably be half a month for a round trip," Ruti said.
My eyes went wide. "Wow! It's that fast? But the airship would draw too much
attention."
"Mhm."
A one-way voyage would take over two months by sea. If airships were ever massproduced, the world would change pretty dramatically.
"The holy church will need to share whatever they know regarding the current
political situation in Veronia. We can likely entrust that task to Bishop Shien. Our goal
should be deducing who Prince Salius is seeking," I stated.
"I've already asked Bishop Shien to look into any people with notable, rare blessings
using the holy church's records," Ruti responded.
"All right, so let's focus on what you and Tisse can do, then."
"Mhm."
"At least one person in Zoltan already knows who Prince Salius is after."
"There is?" Tisse asked, having returned from cleaning up after our lunch.
I smiled. "Of course. The person he's searching for would know."
"I guess that's true…"
"No one in Zoltan knows what Prince Salius's goal in all this is. That's why we're all
shocked and having discussions like this one," I explained. "However, if there were
someone who was aware of the prince's aim, they'd have an entirely different reaction.
It might be to hide or run away. See what I mean?"
"Ahh." Ruti nodded in comprehension. "So we should keep an eye out for any who are
behaving differently."
"If it were me, that's probably how I'd start."
"Thanks, you really are reliable, Big Brother."
Ruti stood up and leaned over the table to hug me.
"Do you need any more help?" I asked.
"No, it's fine. You have your slow life."
My sister released me, and, with a smile, she grabbed the goblin blade she'd left in my
shop.
"This is my slow life."
The next morning.
Riding one of the Zoltan navy's ships, Mayor Tornado headed out to the warship where
Prince Salius was staying.
Calling it the "Zoltan navy" sounded nice, but the members were all sailors from trade
and fishing vessels without any maritime combat experience. An unease was quickly
settling over the boat as it approached the galley, and conversation died down.
"Can't blame them for getting nervous."
Mayor Tornado himself was doing his best to keep from being intimidated by the
enormous warship that seemed to grow larger the nearer he got to it.
He knew little of boats and had to assume that the sailors, who were more
knowledgeable on the subject, were dreading this even more than he was. They
understood just how easily they would all be killed—how little they could do to
resist—if the looming warship decided to go after them.
In truth, however, Veronia would be the side to regret any open hostility. For on the
boat with Mayor Tornado was the Hero and one of humanity's strongest Assassins.
"It's reassuring to have the two of you accompanying me," Tornado admitted to the
pair of women standing beside him. "Tifa and Miss Ru—Erm, I suppose I should go
with Miss White Knight?"
"Mhm."
Tisse had her standard light armor, shortsword, and hidden throwing knives, but Ruti
was wearing a different outfit than usual. Today she was clad in full plate armor and a
helmet with a visor that concealed her face. Her chest plate bore a lion crest—the
emblem used by masterless knights who traveled the lands in search of selfimprovement and glory.
I've never been to Veronia, but the royalty of a major country might well know my face
from somewhere.
Red had been wary of being targeted by the demon lord's army ever since he and Ruti
had embarked on their quest, and he'd been careful that there were no pictures of his
sister's face. Thus, despite Ruti's fame, only people who had met her in person knew
what she looked like. It was quite unlikely that Prince Salius would recognize her, but
Ruti had donned the armor just to be safe.
She and Tisse were accompanying Mayor Tornado under the guise of protection, but
they also wanted to see Prince Salius for themselves and hear what he had to say. They
still did not have enough information to negotiate with the prince, though, so this trip
would only be for the purposes of sizing up the person whom they were dealing with.
Neither Ruti nor Tisse had any intention of speaking during this meeting.
Finally, the little Zoltan sailing ship pulled up alongside the giant Veronian warship.
The galley's characteristic long oars loomed overhead, not unlike guillotines waiting
to fall.
A ladder was lowered from above, and Mayor Tornado, Ruti, Tisse, and three soldiers
climbed up to the warship's deck.
The Veronian sailors wore chain mail vests. It was light armor, but anything heavier
would make it difficult for them to swim. They had daggers and long cutlasses at their
waists, and bows and quivers on their backs. Each of them had a shabby shirt over
their armor to keep it from getting hot from the sun.
They looked more like pirates than a true navy, or at least that was the impression
Tisse had.
"Ahoy, my dear Zoltan friend. It's only been a day, hasn't it?"
A smiling, well-tanned man who looked to be in his late thirties appeared from the
door into the ship. Ruti had heard that the prince should have been pushing fifty years
old, though.
"Standing around on deck in winter is poison for the body. Please, come inside."
Standing three steps behind this man was a beautiful woman with silver hair gathered
into a side ponytail. Her ears were long, and she wore an eyepatch over her right eye.
Ruti could see a scar poking from above and below the bit of cloth.
"Lilinrala of the Elven Corsairs," Tisse murmured.
The strange band of pirates led by a high elf whose infamy had spread far.
Crueler than humans and unaffected by the passage of time, Lilinrala's fearsome deeds
had earned her a place in legends the world over.
When Geizeric betrayed and overthrew the previous Veronian king, Lilinrala's crew
had sided with him and destroyed the country's navy. After the battle, Lilinrala and
her pirates became the new navy, and had served King Geizeric ever since. Their
longevity meant that even though their liege was getting on in years, they were still
hale, and sat at the heart of Veronia's government.
It's possible she's a body double, but that wound matches the stories of Lilinrala. Which
means one of Geizeric's allies, the head of Veronia's entire maritime fleet, came all the
way out to Zoltan… Why?
Tisse quietly explained about Lilinrala to Mayor Tornado, who blanched. In Zoltan,
Tornado was considered able, skilled, and bold, but the current situation had pushed
the man entirely beyond his limits. He started to pull back uneasily.
"It's okay," Ruti assured from behind her visor. "No matter who we're up against, our
goal remains the same."
"R-right."
There was no hint of nervousness in Ruti's voice. Mayor Tornado took heart in that,
and reassumed a demeanor befitting Zoltan's leader.
The Republic of Zoltan was nothing more than a city-state established on the frontier
by pioneers. Still, it was an independent entity. There was no denying that Zoltan paled
in comparison to Veronia's might, but Mayor Tornado could not be abasing himself
before a prince.
"By all means, please lead the way." There was a tremble to his voice, but the mayor
flashed a grin as he responded to Lilinrala.
Prince Salius, Lilinrala, and Mayor Tornado sat around a table.
There were two high elf guards behind the prince. The scars and burns on their
handsome faces attested to the fact that they were experienced sailors who had
survived more than their share of combat.
"So then, do you bring good news?"
There was a friendliness to the prince's tone, but also an arrogance in his gaze that
was almost as if he were addressing a retainer. Tornado furrowed his brow ever so
slightly in discomfort, but his smile did not slip.
"Unfortunately, the holy church is rather vehemently opposed. As you are undoubtedly
aware, your request is unprecedented. I am currently in the process of persuading the
bishop, and I believe the results will be to your liking, if you would be willing to give
me just a little bit more time. The bishop surely recognizes the reality of the situation.
He merely wishes to take all steps necessary to assert that he did his best to defend
the holy church's prerogatives.
It won't be an issue. With just a little time, it will all be resolved. With regard to your
highness's request, the upper levels of Zoltan are all in agreement that we should
cooperate."
Having said that much, the mayor wiped away the sweat on his forehead with a
handkerchief.
Partway through, the grin had vanished from the prince's face and he stared straight
into Tornado's eyes without expression. The mayor of Zoltan felt a dull ache as his
heart raced from the tension, but he bit his lip, refusing to show weakness.
"I see, so the holy church refused."
"I'm doing my best to persuade them."
"And you say you require more time."
The prince's tapping finger echoed through the room. It was clear from his expression
that he was irritated. Ruti watched him in wonder.
There's no way he didn't anticipate opposition from the largest organization on the
continent. As prince, he has been immersed in politics for decades now. Surely, he'd
understand that much. This can't be more than a façade to increase the pressure.
Ruti was staring at the prince from behind her visor.
I don't get it…
She had always struggled with those sorts of things. When it came to working out what
other people were thinking, she just could not seem to get the hang of it. Ruti screwed
up her face in frustration.
Because of the Hero blessing, Ruti had grown up without knowing many human
emotions, leaving her overwhelmingly inexperienced when it came to empathizing
with others. This was why she had unintentionally intimidated Tisse so many times in
the past. Her natural difference in mentality likely had something to do with it, too.
That quirk and the fact that she only had eyes for her older brother were why Red had
handled all critical negotiations when they'd traveled together. Until recently, Ruti had
not even realized that she was actually a terrible communicator.
It's fine, though, because Big Brother understands me.
Having quit being the Hero and settled down in Zoltan, Ruti had started to feel the
need to better express herself. However, she was also glad that Red had no problem
comprehending her, tempting her toward a turn for the worse. Ultimately, she decided
to leave it all up to Tisse, this time.
Fine, fine, I've got it.
Tisse flashed a slightly troubled smile, as if to indicate she had known it would come
to this and observed the prince in Ruti's stead.
It feels like he's impatient.
Salius looked on edge, even though he was clearly in the superior position. It wasn't
as though he'd been unable to get his desires across; he'd done a fair job of pressuring
Zoltan without doing so outright. By Tisse's assessment, he was by no means a master
negotiator, but he certainly seemed as skilled as the average member of a royal family.
Which means that whoever he's searching for is just that important. It also suggests
some kind of time limit.
All that, combined with what Red had mentioned the day before, was helping Tisse
piece things together. The only thing that remained was to test whether her conclusion
was correct.
…!
Just then, Tisse felt a chill down her spine.
Lilinrala was silently staring daggers at her.
That was a whole lot of bloodlust out of nowhere. I guess that's a former legendary pirate
for you. No, maybe she still is a pirate?
Lilinrala's gaze felt less like the well-honed blade of a famed sword and more like that
of a blood-drenched cutlass that had robbed untold people of their lives.
It's still nothing compared to when I first met Ms. Ruti, though.
A slight grin crossed Tisse's lips as she thought back on that. She quickly braced
herself, but the discussion came to a close without incident.
No matter how impatient Prince Salius was, this was not a place where he could resort
to force. The holy church's opposition was predictable, and the administrative forces
in Zoltan were doing what they could. That was already more than conciliatory enough
for the current stage of negotiations.
Lilinrala agreed with the mayor's idea of a two-week deferral before meeting again for
further discussions, and though he seemed dissatisfied, the prince had accepted this
as well.
For now, Zoltan had gained some time to search for whoever Salius was after, which
was what Ruti had wanted.
As the Zoltan group climbed down the ladder back to their boat, a small shadow
hopped down onto Tisse's back.
"Nice work."
Tisse thanked her little partner, who had been off investigating the ship on his own.
Mister Crawly Wawly waved both his front legs gently, as if to say, "It was nothing."
There was a sound of boots walking across the wooden floor.
Lilinrala was pacing slowly back and forth in the cabin.
"Who is that girl?"
Lilinrala bore the Divine Blessing of the Pirate and was a natural born buccaneer,
taking to her blessing like a fish in water. She had acquired her own ship, formed the
Elven Corsairs, and sailed all around Flamberge, Veronia, and Avalonia, building her
fame and carving out many bloody legends in the process.
She was confident that her blessing level, forged in decades of battle, was second only
to the Pirate King Geizeric's in all of Veronia. Her skill Strong Impression hit targets
with an intense bloodlust that instilled terror and robbed them of their judgment.
No one in some backwater place like Zoltan should have maintained their composure
in the face of her ability.
"But that girl… Not only did she keep her calm, she even smiled."
The discussion today had been the equivalent of testing their blades on each other.
The young girl serving as the mayor's guard had faced Lilinrala's haughty strike and
parried it deftly. Lilinrala was loath to admit that of an enemy, but it was true. There
was a hint of frustration in her astonished sigh.
Lilinrala had only agreed to Zoltan's proposed two-week extension because she
recognized that the situation would not be as easy to deal with as she'd first
anticipated. She felt it necessary to investigate the heroes of Zoltan more closely and
devise how best to deal with them.
"It was careless not to research what these people have been keeping here. As a pirate,
I'm ashamed of myself." Lilinrala's face twisted into a ferocious expression she had not
worn in years. "Fine, bring it on."
She began to rework her plan for raiding the town, considering her minions and the
man she had hired.