――Nothermost Mansion of Luserhall
Below the mansion was a spacious and luxurious room. Ten men dressed in
nobles' attires were drinking wine during the day as they sat around the
table in the center of the room.
They were the nobles from the faction of the first prince, Gilbert Loto
Amelia; these were the people who had contacted the empire and even
provided the funds to sell Rosemary, their princess, to the empire.
The reason they had gathered in Luserhall was to observe the knight the
Gilbert faction had nominated as he would participate in the sacred martial
arts tournament. Moreover, they were also waiting for the good news from
the empire.
「I guess this confirms Lord Fracton's failure.」
A man with a barrel-like figure didn't even try to hide his displeasure as he
slammed the wooden mug containing cider onto the table.
「No doubt about it. After all, someone witnessed Her Highness strolling in
Luserhall.」
A man with a well-built body and with neatly shaved blonde hair—except
for the top part of his head which was like that of a pineapple—affirmed so
while crossing his arms.
「Does that mean the empire betrayed us at the last moment? Even as a
joke, we pushed this marriage plan forward without even asking for His
Majesty's permission. So Lord Fracton's death penalty is pretty much
confirmed. It'd be the best if His Majesty doesn't suspect our involvement
in this matter, but…」
An abnormally thin noble murmured those words with a ghastly pale face.
「D-DON'T JOKE AROUND! I only agreed since you people said it'll be
successful for sure!」
「THE SAME FOR ME! I only lent my name since you said it was for
Prince Gilbert!」
The anxiety that they had been suppressing until now blew up at once since
there were only nobles of the same faction in this room right now.
「CALM DOWN! There's no evidence of our involvement since Lord
Fracton has confessed that it was his own plan. Even His Majesty can't
punish all of us here on baseless suspicions. Moreover, we've prepared a
perfect scapegoat. That's why we won't be punished for this!」
The surrounding nobles regained their composure upon hearing the loud
voice of the noble with a barrel-like body.
「So? What is Princess Rose doing in Luserhall? Lord Lunpa, if it's you,
you should be able to catch her, no?」
He asked that question to the well-built noble with pineapple-like hair.
「It's the incompetent.」
Lunpa spat out the answer to the noble with a barrel-like body.
「Eh?」
「She's being escorted by the Sword Saint's disgrace, who is currently
participating in the tournament.」
Since the nobles here were too busy to save their asses after Fracton's
failure, they had no chance to see the sacred martial arts tournament.
「Sword Saint's disgrace? Ah! The pitiful child who received the joke-like
gift, [The Most Incompetent in This World], huh!」
The faces of the nobles around the table bloomed into smiles when they
heard that.
「So? How's the result of Her Highness's knight?」
「No need to ask the result. He must be running with his tail between his
legs, right?」
「Nonono! I bet he has fainted while wetting his pants upon being exposed
under the other martial arts dojo's pressure, right?」
When Lunpa heard the noble with a barrel-like body, his expression turned
into that of disgust. Then…
「The incompetent achieved perfect victory and passed the preliminary
round.」
He replied in a blunt voice.
「Passed? IMPOSSIBLE! He is [The Most Incompetent in This World],
right?」
The nobles inside the room jumped from their chairs in shock.
「In fact. I didn't see his fight with my own eyes. But, according to my
knight, who saw the preliminary, Kai Heineman is by no means weak. He's
way too powerful!」
「THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! He must be cheating!」
「YEAH! He must be using some underhanded means!」
Lunpa nodded upon hearing the other nobles' claims of disbelief.
「That's also my speculation. It must be some plan Princess Rose
concocted. The assistant instructor of the Heineman-style had sent a protest
to the tournament committee, saying that Kai Heineman must be cheating
using some special item. But no evidence was found for his claim.」
「HOW DARE he resort to cheating in this sacred martial arts
tournament!」
「Such a complaint should be processed immediately, right! Is the
tournament management even doing their job properly?」
Not a single noble in that room thought that Kai Heineman might have won
with his own strength; everyone voiced their vilification toward him.
Lunpa raised his hands, telling the swearing nobles to pipe down.
「The candidate for His Highness Gilbert's escort knight is also
participating in this tournament. I can't stomach the fact that our knight
escort candidate lost against that princess knight candidate, even if the other
party was cheating. It's like plastering mud on His Highness Gilbert's
reputation. Thus, our only choice is to win!」
「I agree with Lord Lunpa, but at this rate, that incompetent might advance
to the final with his cheat item, right? Doesn't that mean our knight escort
candidate might lose too if he meets that incompetent in the tournament?」
「Humph! Regarding his cheat item, we just need to create a regulation to
prevent the participants from bringing their possessions aside from those
provided by the management of the tournament. Moreover, it's not like the
knight candidate we raised with care will lose to that incompetent. There's
no problem. We're in control of all situations!」
Lunpa drank the cider in his wooden mug as his face warped into that of a
devil.
「I see! It turned out to be just needless anxiety, huh!」
The noble with a pineapple-like hairdo heaved a sigh as he drank the cider
in his wooden mug.
The other nobles could finally heave sighs of relief. Then, they exchanged
the story about the rumor of the incompetent swordsman and the escort
knight's goal while enjoying their drink.