[ Part 1]
The magic item in his pocket vibrated, and Climb took it out.
It was a pocketwatch, just large enough to fit into his palm, with three hands ― the hour, the minute, and the second ― which traced a halo of twelve numbers.
While large mechanical clocks existed, personal watches only existed within the Kingdom as magic items. As pocket watches were closely linked to everyday life, they were fairly cheap, as far as magic items went. That said, they were still not something a commoner could afford.
Climb had borrowed the pocketwatch which he now bore, and so it differed from regular magic items in that it possessed a magical ability. The name of the watch was Twelve Magical Power. Once per day, when the watch reached a set time, it would unleash its magic.
However, one would need to have carried the pocket watch for at least a full day in order to enjoy that ability, so Climb ― who had just obtained this watch ― could not make use of its magic.
"Hm? Is it time already? That was fast..." said the girl who seemed to be looking aimlessly at the blue sky. Naturally, those words were addressed to Climb.
"It seems that way," Climb answered the girl ― Tina, a member of the adamantite-ranked adventurer party "Blue Rose".
"Hm~ It's hard to tell the time when we're spacing out."
One could poke many holes in that statement.
To begin with, Tina was not spacing out. She was guarding the main door of the building behind Climb. While she had said things like "Is it time already" and "That was fast", the fact was that she had a very acute perception of time.
There were some people in the adventuring community whose time perception was preternaturally keen. In particular, many people in the thieving profession had trained up that ability. It was very important to them, given that they often needed to move independently on stealth operations.
"Hm? Were you about to say something?"
"No, not really."
Tina replied with a "Is that so," when she heard Climb's answer, and then looked at the sky again.
She was hiding something. Yet, there was no way someone like Climb could ask why she was lying.
In the first place, they did not have the money to hire Tina and the others; they just happened to be operating in the same area by chance. Given their lack of manpower, he could not do anything which might upset her.
"Then, I will go report to the Princess."
"See ya~"
Climb turned toward the building he had been protecting all this while.
He had seen it during its construction several times, but this was the first time he had laid eyes on it after it was complete. The size of the building ― and the presence of his mistress within it ― filled the depths of Climb's heart with warmth.
After opening the door, the unique scent of recently-completed woodwork reached Climb's nose.
He continued forward, and after passing through the corridor, he opened the door to a room in the depths of the building.
Within that room was his mistress.
She was a stunningly beautiful princess, Renner.
Surrounding her were several children.
The way she smiled tenderly at the rowdy children and the posture which she took to listen to their words made all who saw her think of a saint.
As he beheld this picturesque scene, Climb lost the ability to speak.
He was afraid that he would ruin this sacrosanct vision before him. The same applied to the women who stood by the window, none of whom dared do anything unnecessary.
However, someone within the room did not share their feelings.
"Oi, it's the little punk. Well, it's about time."
Renner raised her head in response to the cold voice which came from below the mask, and looked directly at Climb.
Climb could see himself reflected in those eyes which reminded him of sapphires.
"...My deepest apologies, Renner-sama. It is time to return to the Palace."
"Is that so~ Then, although it pains me to do so, I must take my leave."
The kids chorused "Ehhhhhh~", in voices filled with longing and reluctance. They would not have made such a sound if she had not thoroughly ensnared their hearts.
In response to the children, the other women hurriedly sprang into action. They patted the children soothingly, and pulled away those children who were slower on the uptake from Renner's side.
"Everyone, can I come play with you again?"
The kids energetically answered in the affirmative to Renner's question.
"Then, we'll cook next time. Climb, let's go, You too, Evileye-san."
"Hm~ Well, I'm your bodyguard too, even if you don't say it ― although, since this isn't a request, it's more like we happen to be travelling together. Don't worry, I'll be behind you."
The group exited the building just as a horse-drawn carriage drew up nearby.
Tina entered the carriage without introducing herself. Although it seemed like she was being rude, she was simply ensuring the safety of the carriage. Shortly after that, Renner, Climb and finally Evileye entered one after the other, and then the carriage set off.
Within the bumpy carriage, Evileye could not help but mumble:
"...It must have been pretty hard to build an orphanage like that."
"Pretty hard?"
"Yes. A lot of people are saying that too. Where in the world did you get all that money to spend on a place like that?"
Renner cupped her chin with one hand, tilting her head slightly.
"I don't think so, right? Onii-sama was quite happy to listen to my request. Besides, it's because the world is like this that we need to take good care of the children, right?"
Evileye raised her chin slightly, as though to permit her to continue speaking.
"As we all know, the ruler of the Sorcerous Kingdom has caused many deaths. As a result, I believe there are many orphans who have lost their parents. Thus, this orphanage was built to protect those orphans. In addition, those women who have lost their husbands will also need a place to work, right?"
"The Sorcerer King, huh... well, we'll talk about that later. Couldn't that money be better spent on things besides these brats? If you ask me, the weak losing their lives is just the way things work in this world, no?"
"That's not right."
Renner's statement was clear and succinct. Unlike her tone from just now, those words were filled with tremendous power.
"Saving the weak is what the strong should do. And..."
Climb felt Renner's eyes suddenly turning to him.
Perhaps―
The image of himself as a child appeared in Climb's mind.
Perhaps the Princess had built the orphanage because she remembered his state from that time. In a way, it was to prevent children like Climb from appearing again.
A wave of heat flashed through his chest.
Of course, he could not verify the Princess' actual thoughts. Even so, Climb did not doubt that it was that way.
"Well, I'm sure some people would think that way, And it seems wrong to force my own views on others. Still, did you really have to make it so big?"
"Yes. After all, we have to consider that we will take in many children in the future, and there will be others from those regions directly administered by the Crown. With that in mind, even a building of that size might not be big enough. Children are my treasure, and we need to take care of them to make sure they don't go down the wrong path."
"Hmmm. Hime-sama, that's a good head on your shoulders."
"What are you trying to say, Tina?"
"I was thinking about how children without their parents would live, Evileye."
"That is... I see... since we can't spare precious manpower to replenish the depleted number of troops, you're using alternate means to maintain public order... I see."
"One can live a good and righteous life under supervision. But people will end up following their desires if they are not careful. And then, when they commit those crimes, they will fall further into wickedness. Thus do small sins grow larger, like a rolling snowball, so we should not let such chances appear. However, since it is difficult, we use these methods to reduce those chances."
"Hm. So you're saying, '―Not everyone has a strong will', then?"
"Well, people have said that about you before, Evileye ― could it be it's bothering you?"
"I think she's said something like that about three times already."
While the latter half was something that nobody but Evileye and Tina could understand, the first half was simple enough that even Climb could understand.
Those children who had lost their parents often turned to crime in order to survive. If that happened, even the weakened Eight Fingers would soon return to full strength, which would worsen the security of the Royal Capital.
In other words, his beloved lady had done this to prepare for the future.
However ― Renner asked Evileye in a curious tone:
"―What does that mean?"
"Oi... did we read too deeply into it? Or is this just an act?"
"Hm~ it looked genuine enough at a glance."
"Well, if you say so, then it must be true. I feel like I was moved for nothing."
"Well, it feels like you've decided to lower your opinion of me all of a sudden... but, it's true. I think about a lot of things, you know? Right now, this orphanage is giving these kids a certain degree of education, and once we start identifying talented individuals among them, the other nobles will surely start to copy us. Because of that, we need a certain amount of kids... Although that's not really something to be proud of."
"No, I can understand gathering those brats for that reason, and it's pretty admirable too. If you can actually produce results, it would be worthy of praise. It's just that people are going to be suspicious if you do something without expecting anything in return."
"Evileye's heart is twisted because she works too hard."
"Oi! You're the same type as me, aren't you?"
"Certainly not. I am very pure. It's only you who has been stained."
Cheh! The sound of an explosive scoff came from beneath the mask.
"Yup, yup. Brain-san gave me the idea of building the orphanage."
"Brain Unglaus, huh. What happened to him. How come he isn't around today?"
"Brain-san is busy with something else. He's running around the Capital now."
"Hoh? Could there be something more important than protecting the Princess?"
"Yes. He's doing something in order to fulfil the wishes of the late Warrior-Captain. And, about the Warrior-Captain... well, thank you for your help."
Tina narrowed her eyes, as though to conceal her feelings.
"Well, I'm pretty annoyed that our oni leader's pretty face got hurt."
"I am very sorry about that. Please allow me to apologize on Father's behalf."
"I know you've already apologized to the boss, which is why I forgive you."
"Thank you very much."
"...It seems that sometimes, the words of the dead are more powerful than those of the living."
For a moment, Evileye glanced out of the carriage as she was deep in thought. Of course, that was just for a moment.
"Speaking of which, what is Brain Unglaus doing?"
"Well, the Warrior-Captain told Brain that he hoped for Brain to succeed him as Warrior-Captain, but he felt that he was not up to the task. Therefore, he's looking for someone suitable to become the next Warrior-Captain and then he's going to train him up."
"So he's looking for someone who's not from a noble family... I see ― after all, both Gazef and Brain were commoners. So he was thinking in that direction. And what you took away from that was―"
"―That's right, to build the orphanage. Next time, I'll go visit the children with Brain-san. For all we know, there might be a talented child among them."
"Well, I'm hardly that perceptive," Tina said. "How about you, Evileye?"
"You can't discern magical talent at a glance. At the very least, they'll need to go through a lot of magical training before I can roughly understand whether or not they can use magic. In addition, that's only for arcane magic. If those brats are talented at spiritualism or divine magic instead, I won't be able to see anything."
Renner went "Hmmmm~" in a bothered tone, and then a smile blossomed on her face.
"Then, in future, I think we ought to invite all sorts of people to the orphanage and have them look over the children for talents."
Renner was looking at the two of them, apparently trying to convey something with her gaze. To some extent, it was more persuasive than actual speech.
"...That's pretty naïve. But if it was her, ah―"
"I'm sorry, Evileye, if it was our oni leader―"
"―Yes. Still, I won't agree so easily, even if it's for her, no? After all, we need a certain amount of remuneration for this ― since we've been hired, we'll need a minimum payment. Besides, if we don't collect anything, it'll be bad for the others too. It'll also violate the adventurers' rules. In addition, a price has to be paid for teaching techniques."
"Well, I do agree with everything you've said, but I'm very sorry. The truth is, I don't have any money..."
Renner hung her head in dejection as she said that.
The Third Princess was a spare among spares, and nobody had any expectations of Renner besides her ability to join a noble family to the royal bloodline through marriage. Because of that, no nobles backed her, and she thus lacked any money of her own to spend as she wished. Of course, this was not much of a hardship for Renner, who lived a simple lifestyle. However, there was no way that the First or Second Princesses would be able to tolerate this sort of thing.
Because of that, Climb could keenly feel her intentions through the armor he wore.
"I've heard princesses all wear pretty dresses and lead graceful lives..."
"Reality's hardly that nice. Still, we can't say there aren't any princesses like that."
As he watched Princess Renner's eyes light up with admiration, an emotion which he could not express with words welled up within Climb's heart.
How he wanted to give that sort of life to she who was both the most beautiful person in the world, and who had the most noble soul in the world.
On the flip side, all this had been because of her. He was standing here now because she had saved him. Just then, Renner turned her face, and her sparkling eyes met Climb's own from the side.
"―Thinking of something, Climb?"
"Ah, no, it's nothing, Renner-sama."
"Is that so? Well, if you think of anything, you should speak up. We need to help each other in tough times, after all."
"Ah, yes! Thank you very much!"
"Oi. Sorry to interrupt you lovebirds, but I really don't like handing down my skills for free. No matter what she says, I'm still going to ask for an appropriate payment."
"I will strive to meet your price."
Renner lowered her head.
"Hmm~ but what you want to know is whether they have talent or not, right, Hime-sama? If it's me, I can watch their movements, but how about you, Evileye?"
"Ah, I'll level with you. You can't fathom a person's depths just by seeing them carry out a few exercises. Magical ability is more internal than external. In addition, I might seem like a genius when it comes to magical ability, but that's all there is. I don't have the abilities of that great magic caster from the Empire."
"So, identifying talents―"
"Talents, huh," Renner sighed. "It would be a big help if we could identify them during childhood. It would also help soften the nobles' stubbornness toward the commoners too."
"Then, how about setting up a universal identification system for talents in children? There are 3rd-tier spells which can verify the presence or absence of a talent. However, if you want a full picture of what that talent might be, you'd probably need a higher-tiered spell... well, in the end it's just an idle conjecture."
"Really? Can you really identify talents?"
"Well, I don't know what that sparkle in your eyes is for, but don't get your hopes up. I've heard there's a 3rd-tier spiritualist-only spell which can verify if someone before the caster's eyes has a talent. That said, even if there was such a spell, the troublesome part would come after that. You'd need to learn how to properly develop that talent. And it's also quite likely that after expressing that talent, it'll end up being a meaningless ability."
"Is that so..."
The light in Renner's eyes dimmed.
"I think it would be better to test them in various ways. Have them stand under a waterfall, or have them inhale some relatively safe sleeping drugs to go into a trance. Apparently, it makes you sense your own natural talent, mixed up with something else. "
"Really? ...Hm, is that really true?"
"Ara, do you have a natural talent too, Evileye-san?"
At this, the hitherto chatty Evileye suddenly fell silent. It would seem someone had brought up a topic she did not want to discuss.
However, his master was clueless enough to actually ask that question.
"Could you tell me what kind of talent it is?"
It was not that she liked such incisive questioning, but the fact was, she tended to be this way. One might say she did not know how to read the flow of a conversation, or perhaps that she would unintentionally ask about things which were usually quite difficult to bring up.
Neither was it because she did not care about the other party; it was simply because she had grown up in the royal family.
"What, are you getting excited over a question like this?"
"There are very few people with such talents around me, so I'd like to know what sort of ability you have, Evileye-san."
"Is that so. Well, since it's gotten to this, I might as well tell you."
Evileye leaned her body forward, and Renner ― her face a picture of excitement ― leaned forward as well.
Natural talents could sometimes serve as a trump card, and this was even more so for adventurers. While he did not think Renner would go around blabbing out that secret, Climb felt that this was something which should not be shared lightly.
"This isn't something I really want other people to hear, so could you bring your ear closer?"
"All right."
Renner brought her ear close to Evileye.
And then―
"AS IF I'D GO AROUND BLABBING IMPORTANT THINGS LIKE THAT!!!"
Her angry voice echoed through the carriage.
Tina seemed to have anticipated this, and had plugged her ears beforehand.
"How mean! My ears are ringing!"
Renner threw herself into Climb's embrace. A suitable sound effect for this would be pomf.
She looked up from his chest, her eyes brimming with tears.
Climb immediately cast aside such thoughts like "She's cute", "She smells nice" and other meaningless things from his mind. It was forbidden to have such fantasies about one's mistress.
"Evileye-sama, I understand how you feel, but could I ask you to forgive―"
"―Ah? Punk, she's become like this because you keep spoiling her, no?"
"It, it's nothing like that, I, it's not like I spoil the Princess or..."
Even if he wanted to spoil her, there was no way he could do it.
"Yes, I feel that Climb can and should spoil me more. I approve of what you said, Evileye-san."
"No, no, that's not right, Princess-sama. It feels kind of wrong..."
"Of course not! If you spoil me more, I can take scoldings like that more easily. Therefore you must spoil me more. Let's start by napping together like we used to as children. Come, Evileye-san, please go on!"
"Ugh, it's fine. I'm such an idiot... In any case, I don't intend to go around telling others my talent, kid. Got it?"
"Is it really that dangerous?"
"Ah, yes. It's my ace in the hole. If I use it... yes, it would be like if our leader's sword went berserk. It could easily annihilate an entire city."
There seemed to be a terrible weight in Evileye's voice as she said this.
Still, a baffled "Hm?" made its way up from his chest. He wanted to look down, but if he did, it would make him very aware of the reality that Renner was very close to him. There was no way he could do that.
He thought about pushing Renner away, but after taking her soft and fragile body into consideration, he did not know how much force he should use.
As Climb's heart continued pounding, the conversation continued without him.
"The sword Lakyus carries?"
"Ah, according to her, once it goes wild, it'll lead to grave consequences. A city, no, a nation, was it? Apparently it'll be completely wiped out. She did say something about having to use use part of her strength to suppress it..."
"So that's what was going on... I didn't know about that..."
Climb had not told his mistress about that demonic sword yet.
"It's best not to mind it. Our oni leader didn't mention it to the two of you because she didn't want you to worry. I'd be glad if you continued pretending like you didn't know."
"...I see. I understand. Then I'll do as you say."
"Speaking of which, what happened to Aindra-sama? I haven't seen her around recently..."
"Hm? I don't think anyone mentioned it, right? Princess, didn't you tell him?"
"...I forgot. It seems like she's training with Gagaran-san and Tia-san."
Evileye took up the verbal baton from Renner and continued.
"The two of them lost their lives during the battle with Jaldabaoth, the Demon Lord who attacked the Kingdom. Of course, they were resurrected after that, but it expended a large amount of their lifeforce. Thus, they need to place themselves in danger, treading the edge of life and death in order to regain their strength."
"In truth, I wish I could have gone with them."
"Still, if you did that, you'd begin to depend on that method somewhere in your heart. The best path to strength is through a small amount of short battles."
"I doubt that."
"Umu, it does seem like the an effective way to "lair-bellup" (level up)... Well, if you don't rely on that method, you might not even be able to stall for time when that fellow attacks the Royal Capital again."
"Stall for time? Ahh ― time for that person you recommended, Evileye?"
"Of course! Until that hero-sama can arrive!"
Evileye's mood seemed to have suddenly changed.
One could clearly feel her passion and excitement through that mask of hers.
"It's Momon―sa―sama, right?"
"That's right! The great hero, Momon-sama! The mightiest warrior ever, who swings his twin greatswords like they were little more than twigs! There's no doubt that he's the strongest fighter in the land! Even if Jaldabaoth comes again, as long as Momon-sama is around, he'll definitely slaughter him! Although, it was a shame that he managed to escape last time. Still, that great man should have come up with some way to deal with that by now!"
Overwhelmed by the ardor of her words, all Climb could do was weakly answer, "Ah, yes."
"But will that person really come? Isn't he a minion of that Sorcerer King?"
Tina's expression suggested she was thoroughly exhausted as she spoke out to Evileye, who had her fists clenched.
"Ahhhh~ Momon-sama! Shit, that damn Sorcerer King! To think he would actually dare to take control of that great man! Even if Heaven permits it, I won't! If only I could defeat him and free Momon-sama! What on earth was he thinking, anyway? Maybe I should go to E-Rantel and ask Momon-sama about his thoughts, how about that?"
"...That will have to wait for after the two of them recover."
"I'll just pop over for a bit, and once I familiarize myself with the place I can just teleport back. Plus, if I use [Fly] and travel by myself, it won't take much time!"
"Evileye, you really do break down once it comes to Momon... Didn't our oni leader say you can't do that sort of thing?"
"So help me keep it a secret!"
"Well, my lips are pret~ty loose, so they'll reveal everything in an instant."
"Oi, that would be impossible given your prior vocation, right?"
"Alas, I am now Tina of "Blue Rose", also known as 'Can't Keep A Secret To Save Her Life'."
It was then that Tina's eyes took on a serious gleam.
"...Hm, this is a good opportunity. I've been wanting to ask you, Evileye ― can you kill the Sorcerer King?"
Evileye froze. Her excitement drained away in an instant. In its place was the highest-levelled magic caster among adventurers.
"If those rumors are all true ― then he is more powerful than any other magic caster. I did some investigations after the incident at the Katze Plains and looked up all my contacts ― I even got in touch with that granny ― and then analyzed the information I obtained. However, it's so ridiculous it's not even funny any more. It's absurd to the point where I was seriously suspecting if the punk was mesmerized by an illusion."
"That was definitely not an illusion. And there were so many dead..."
Renner's face twisted in agony.
"Of the 260,000 people who took part in that war, 180,000 of them lost their lives. I've also heard that there are survivors who were mentally scarred and can't live a normal life any more. Some of the orphans had fathers who ended up like that."
"...Well, after listening to the punk, I can see how they'd end up like that. If they were chased by such monsters..."
"...Yes. It was hell. Fortunately, I had Brain-san... and the Warrior-Captain with me, and thanks to those two strong men, I didn't suffer any mental wounds. Even so, sometimes I reflexively find myself wanting to look back over my shoulder. It must have been worse for the peasant levies, and it wouldn't be strange for them to become mentally ill as a result."
"You really need to thank your luck for that."
Climb could only nod in response.
"Then, Tina. Let me answer your question honestly. I cannot defeat the Sorcerer King."
That was the answer she had expected.
"As I thought..."
"Well, yes. I might be able to think of a way to deal with those monsters he summoned. Granted, it's hard to say that, given that I was not at the scene. Still, the Sorcerer King ― who can not only summon multiple monsters of that kind and control them ― is a being that should not exist in this world. Someone like that possesses the power of the gods."
"Is it possible that they could have been summoned from an item, and not from the Sorcerer King's power?"
"The possibility does exist, but if that was the case, it would also be very dangerous. That said, we have no way of verifying that."
"If only he would end up coming into conflict with Jaldabaoth."
"That's a development we're all looking forward to. After that, the best-case scenario would be Momon-sama slaying the Sorcerer King..."
...」
"Who do you think is stronger, between Momon-sama and the Sorcerer King?"
The person who asked this question was Climb, but personally, he felt that the Sorcerer King that had summoned those powerful monsters was far superior. Yet, Evileye's pensive expression shocked him.
"I'm not sure. Personally, I feel that Momon-sama ― who drove off that Jaldabaoth ― is stronger. But the Sorcerer King also possesses unimaginable might. Both sides are far superior to us, to the point where I can't even picture the outcome."
"Still, having someone like him under the banner of the Sorcerer King is pretty much the worst-case scenario. Nobody would dare declare war on him."
Indeed.
The only person who might be able to take the Sorcerer King on even terms had instead become his vassal. That was a truly troubling development. Anyone who declared war on the Sorcerer King would effectively be declaring war on two Sorcerer Kings.
Just as the mood in the carriage grew grim, there was a knocking on the board which separated the passenger compartment of the coach from the driver's seat, and then it opened.
"We'll be reaching the Royal Palace soon."
As she heard the driver's words, Renner slowly rose to her feet, and locked eyes with the two adventurers seated before her.
"Today, I have received your care in various ways. When Lakyus returns, I will thank her properly. May I ask if you have time to dine with me?"
-x-X-x-
After the report of his younger sister's return reached him, the Second Prince ― Zanack Valreon Igana Ryle Vaiself ― departed his chambers to welcome her home.
The location of his elder brother ― Barbro Andrean Ield Ryle Vaiself ― was still unknown. Given that a long time had passed, his chances of survival were considered extremely small. That being the case, Zanack was effectively the heir to the throne. Thus, the way in which he went to receive his younger sister was entirely inappropriate. While they were siblings, there was a clear distinction in their respective stations.
The reason why he had chosen to go in person despite knowing that fact was because he had a proposal he urgently wanted to discuss with her. Zanack might not have been entirely willing to do so, but he had lost his closest confidant and thus had nobody else to turn to.
Soon, his younger sister appeared before him.
Climb ― clad in his pure white armor ― was close by. Wherever Renner went, Climb often followed her. This too was nothing out of the ordinary.
The pauper's child that Renner had picked off the streets ― Climb.
In the past, he had thought she must have gotten a bee in her bonnet and picked him up out of a moment's fancy. However, after he came to understand Renner's strange personality and her incomparable intellect, Zanack began to think she might have had a reason for doing so.
And then, after Jaldabaoth assaulted the Royal Capital, and the Sorcerer King wrought his grand massacre, he slowly began to understand the meaning behind her actions.
There were very few warriors in this city who were stronger than Climb. Even among the men of Gazef's hand-picked warrior band, one could count the number of people who were stronger than Climb on one hand.
In addition, there was the man called Brain Unglaus, who had come with Climb, as well as her close friendship with Lakyus, the leader of the adamantite-ranked adventurer party called "Blue Rose". There was no doubt that his younger sister now possessed the most physical power in the Royal Capital.
―Was she really not conspiring to overthrow him with military force?
Zanack was right to suspect her of doing so.
Even if Renner was not one to resort to such measures so easily, one still had to take precautions. Therefore, Zanack had begun to secretly build ties with orichalcum and mithril-ranked adventurers.
Zanack quietly thanked his elder brother.
The reason why he could work so hard on these matters was because his brother had gone missing and had virtually left him the throne. Another big reason was because his brother's stipend now went to him.
That said, the fact that Crown Prince Barbro's corpse had not yet been found left a hint of unease in his heart. It would be very troublesome if he had been imprisoned by the Sorcerer King or was hiding in a village somewhere while recovering from his wounds.
"Really... Is he going to give me trouble right until the end?" Zanack muttered, quietly enough so that the members of his retinue could not hear.
He had to avoid agitating the nobles before he consolidated his position.
Currently, Zanack's backing was still not very secure.
Marquis Raeven ― who had joined with him to revitalize the Kingdom ― had thrown off Zanack's hand as he reached out to pull him back, and returned to his own lands. It could not be helped, as he had lost many people from his demesne, but at that time, there had been an air around him which seemed to say that he would never be coming back again.
Part of the reason for that must have been the deaths of his formerly orichalcum-ranked adventurer team and that of his peasant-turned-strategist, a man who Raeven considered a treasure.
Zanack felt a slight pain pricking at his gut. Could discussing matters with his younger sister soothe that pain?
He had been agonizing over a certain problem for the past few weeks.
That was ― should he offer a tribute to the Sorcerer King? If he did so, should he send them in the name of celebrating the founding of his nation? Or should he do so for another reason?
Judging by the current circumstances, not sending the gift would be the right choice. Why would anyone send a gift to someone who had taken one's own territory and founded a nation on it? The surrounding countries would surely take it as a mark of vassalage. That said, it was crucial to remain on the best of terms with the Sorcerous Kingdom.
Though the Sorcerous Kingdom's fighting strength remained unknown, the fact that the Sorcerer King could destroy a nation by himself was common knowledge.
No matter what, he had to avert the possibility of that man's eye turning to the Kingdom once more.
Because of that, he had to send a gift. Zanack felt that it could not be helped, even if other nations believed it to be a sign of fealty. No matter what, he had to buy as much time as possible.
However, the nobles would never accept that. This was the troublesome part.
The Sorcerer King's might was widely known. That said, there was no way they would accept an attitude of submission from the future ruler of the Kingdom (Zanack), even in the face of that strength.
The nobles had suffered tremendous losses, so they were looking for scapegoats upon which to vent their frustration.
Due to the loss of his confidant Gazef Stronoff, the current King, Ranpossa III, was overcome with grief and despair, and had fallen into a state of extreme mental distress. To some extent, seeing the King in this sad state had mollified the nobles' anger, but their hatred toward their broken King ― and perhaps the entire royal family ― would not vanish so easily.
If that fellow was around, he'd probably be able to come up with something good.
If possible, he would have like to have come to a conclusion himself. However, time was tight, and he needed a plan for action soon.
Zanack stood in place, while stomping his boots loudly.
Renner reacted to the sound, and turned to look at him. Then, she changed her direction and headed toward Zanack. That way, Zanack's dignity as one of higher rank would remain intact.
Soon, his younger sister stood before him, but Zanack did not speak first. Moments like this were very delicate. He had to let more people understand who exactly was on top here.
"I've returned, Onii-sama."
"Welcome back, my sister."
In the face of Renner's respectful greeting, Zanack responded with equal generosity. He saw Climb saluting from the corner of his eye, but there was no need to return the salute of a mere soldier.
"Let us walk together."
"It would be my pleasure, Onii-sama."
Zanack and Renner set out together, side by side. He raised his chin, indicating that his retinue should keep their distance. If he had looked over, he would have seen Renner gesturing to Climb that he was permitted to stay further away.
"Speaking of which, Onii-sama, you seem quite worried. What has happened?"
Renner smiled as she gently asked her question.
"Could it be that the Sorcerous Kingdom has sent an envoy over?"
Zanack could distinctly hear his heart thump in his chest. He had been too focused on what action to take on his part, and had completely overlooked the fact that they might try to initiate contact with him.
In other words, Renner felt that it was about time for the other side to take action.
Zanack made a mental note of that, and shook his head.
"It's not like that."
"That is to say, you came all this way to see me for some other reason?"
"Ahh. I was pondering the problem of tribute."
"I think that once their emissary arrives, it would be better for you to offer twice as much as what you are currently imagining, Onii-sama. Half of that is a token of thanks for their coming all this way, while the other half ― I trust that goes without saying?"
Zanack did not say anything, but carefully reviewed Renner's proposal.
Indeed, it was a very good move.
Surely none of the nobles would object to presenting a gift to a guest who had come to their home, even if there were ulterior motives for doing so.
The fact that Renner had instantly solved a problem which had been troubling him for a long time once more struck fear into Zanack's heart. In addition, as long as Renner possessed her powerful subordinates, even assassination would not be effective. That being the case, his only option was to try and appease her.
"...When I become the King, I will grant you land on the border. You will proceed there."
"I understand. I shall obey any orders that you give me, Onii-sama."
"After I send you out, I will not summon you to the Royal Capital again. It might somewhat limit your freedom, but I will choose a domain which ensures you do not suffer hardship. You should spend the rest of your life there."
"I see. My deepest thanks."
In all likelihood, Renner already understood what he was aiming for, but he had to actually vocalize it in order to let her understand the kindness he was showing to her.
"You may take any of the orphans to be your children. In that respect you may do as you please."
"Thank you very much, Onii-sama."
The fact that she replied without a delay was evidence that Renner already knew what Zanack was going to say.
Zanack could not understand why Renner loved Climb the commoner. His looks were very plain, and he was not particularly special. He did not seem to match his little sister at all.
Ahh, come to think of it, I heard of her fetish back then.
Once he recalled that shameful memory of his little sister, Zanack began to feel a little sorry for Climb.
"Then, I do look forward to the day you will become King, Onii-sama. After your coronation, I would be happy if you would think of me from time to time as I live on a farm."
"Ohh, I shall, my dear sister. However, it would be best if I could look you up for a discussion from time to time ― muu?"
Zanack turned his gaze to the soldier that was jogging over to them.
That man was one of the surviving members of Gazef's warrior band.
He had fought to protect the King on that battlefield. Now that the Warrior-Captain was gone, he had a good position and the trust of the King. Incidentally, Renner's two subordinates enjoyed that same trust.
The mental image of his father's withered frame appeared before his eyes.
"My Prince, His Majesty desires your presence."
The instant he finished that, he turned to look at Renner.
"He requests your presence as well, my Princess."
"What happened?"
"We have just received a report that the Sorcerer King will be sending a diplomatic party to call on us soon."
Zanack snuck a look at Renner, but still managed to answer the man.
"I understand. Notify him that we will be arriving shortly. My sister, I will be proceeding first. Please proceed with all haste once you are ready."
"I understand, Onii-sama."
Given that she had been at the orphanage until recently, Renner's clothes were plain and weathered. Appearing like that before the nobles would only embarrass herself.
With that, Zanack stalked off with a stern expression on his face.
"Hmph. Things being as they are, that proposal is no longer appealing. Ah, it's too late, after all."
-x-X-x-
[ Part 2 ]
It was estimated that the envoys of the Sorcerous Kingdom would take about a week to travel from E-Rantel to the Royal Capital.
Today was the seventh day. If all went according to plan, the envoys would reach the Royal Capital today.
Zanack, dressed in armor that he was not accustomed to, stood in line with his knights at the gates of the Royal Capital which faced E-Rantel.
The cloudy weather of the past few days had cleared up, like it had all been a joke, and the sky was the very picture of spring.
However, one could see heavy cloud cover in the distance. It would seem the azure sky was limited to the air directly above the Royal Capital.
This sort of scenery was quite bizarre. In fact, the Royal Capital's meteorologist had shouted, "This is impossible!" as he scratched his head.
He had been working in the Royal Palace for a long time now, and he could predict the next day's weather with over 90% accuracy. Thus, when he declared that this was impossible, it implied that these blue skies were anything but natural.
Zanack sighed deeply under his helmet.
He had never heard of weather-controlling magic from his teachers. However, that Sorcerer King might well be able to use such magic with contemptuous ease.
Zanack's men were not only unskilled in the area of magic, but they lacked any knowledge of other strange phenomena. This made his head ache. More accurately, it was because he had relied too heavily on Marquis Raeven.
He had gathered the knowledge from his adventurers, compiled it, and called it the Tiger Scroll. It contained information on various kinds and appearances of magic items, the types and powers of various monsters, all sorts of spells, and so on.
Until now, he had freely shared that scroll with Zanack, his ally. However, since Raeven was no longer in the Royal Capital, the Tiger Scroll was naturally gone with him.
He had tried to find nobles who had learned from adventurers, like Raeven had, but sadly, there were none. This was not because these nobles were stupid, but because they lived in a completely different world from those adventurers. While some nobles did hire adventurers, it was merely to make use of their strength. The nobles were not interested in the adventuring world or the news which adventurers had.
The nobles had been that way throughout the Kingdom's 200 years of history. From that point of view, Raeven was quite atypical.
It's probably hard to find retired adventurers ― especially those of mithril rank and above.
He heard that adventurers hated troublesome things like politics. Indeed, once one entered the world of politics, one would lose one's freedom. Would adventurers like that want to work for him after retiring?
Zanack's heart sank as he thought about that.
"―My Prince!"
The shout of the knight next to him brought Zanack back to his senses. He looked to the end of the street ― and saw it.
He could begin to make out the Sorcerous Kingdom's envoys.
They had exerted pressure beforehand to shut this street down for today, closing it to traffic. As a result, nobody would be popping out of doors behind them. The city gates had also been locked down just for today.
"All right, let's go over this again. We are to treat them like foreign dignitaries. Trying anything on the envoys of the Sorcerous Kingdom is a grave offense. It will be punished by summary execution."
"Sir!"
The reply of the ranked knights was quite forceful, and the swords at their waists made a clear, crisp and unified sound.
"All right! Then, show them the utmost respect, and impress the glory of the Kingdom upon them!"
"Sir!"
The group remained absolutely still until the envoys had arrived.
Before long, the envoys' vanguard reached them.
It was a black-armored knight. It rode a red-eyed unicorn that had a jet black body and sported two horns on its head. One could imagine that the rider was not human either. It emanated an aura of mortal danger, as radiant as the sun. Its full plate armor pulsed as if it was alive.
Zanack could feel his warhorse trembling in fear beneath him.
It clenched its clawed gauntlet and thumped its chest.
"Apologies! We are the envoys of the Sorcerous Kingdom of Ainz Ooal Gown!"
One might compare that voice to music squeezed out of rotted instruments. It made its listeners' hair stand on end just by hearing it. Zanack gathered up his courage to banish his fear, and then he spoke.
"I am the Second Prince of the Kingdom of Re-Estize, Zanack Valreon Igana Ryle Vaiself! By His Majesty's order, I am to guide your party to the Royal Palace. Please follow behind us!"
"Acknowledged. Then, we shall avail ourselves of your guidance. This one ― forgive me, this one does not bear a name, so please allow this one to introduce itself by the name of its species. This one is a Death Cavalier!"
Zanack gawked a little when it had given the name of its species, but he responded immediately so as not to give offense through his delay.
"Then, may I address you as Cavalier-dono?"
"This one would be honored to be addressed in that manner."
"I see. Then, may I greet the leader of the envoys? As the Second Prince, I am also responsible for said leader's actions within the Kingdom. If possible, I would like to explain the circumstances to your leader."
"Acknowledged. This one shall convey your message to our leader-dono."
"You have my deepest thanks."
With that, the outrider retreated to deliver his report.
While the whole process sounded quite laughable at times, he was facing up against the Sorcerous Kingdom, after all. It was a nation that could control the undead and make use of monsters, so it would be best to assume that the usual ways of doing things were inapplicable here. He felt stupid for even expecting the leader of the envoys to have a vaguely human shape.
"Now then, stiff upper lips, everyone. We cannot afford to do anything that would offend them."
"Sir!"
As he heard the knights' response, Zanack poured strength into his belly.
The envoys had passed through several towns on the way here, which was how Zanack knew of the party's composition.
There were five coaches.
Each of them was pulled by a horse-shaped monster that radiated an inauspicious air. Then, there were numerous Death Cavaliers, who had been tasked with perimeter security. There were also other monsters beside them.
Zanack was unclear on the names of those monsters or how dangerous they were. Still, whether he knew them or not, his duties remained unchanged. Since they were envoys dispatched by the Sorcerer King, he could not possibly allow any slight to be shown to them.
A Death Cavalier ― probably the same one from just now ― approached him from the envoys' side.
"Forgive the long wait. Our leader ― the right hand of the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown, Albedo-sama, has agreed to meet with you. Zanack-dono, please, proceed this way."
After signalling to the other knights to hold their position, Zanack guided his horse after the Death Cavalier.
In all honesty, it was quite terrifying.
After all, Zanack was moving amongst monsters he had never seen before.
Even so, he still had his pride as a member of the Royal Family. Zanack would soon be the King, and since he would have to meet with emissaries of the Sorcerer King, he was forbidden to disgrace himself. Instead, he had to demonstrate his ability at this time, and let them take home news of the talented people in the Re-Estize Kingdom.
Zanack's horse could not keep itself from breaking out into a cold sweat as it approached the coach. Zanack dismounted, standing before the coach.
"Then, this is the leader of the envoy party, Albedo-sama."
What sort of monster is going to show up next? Zanack willed his expression not to change.
The door slowly opened, and a human figure slowly emerged.
What he saw there ― was beautiful.
No, Zanack could not think of an adjective that could better describe her. The only thing which came to mind was "world-class beauty"
Nobody in this world could possibly possess looks comparable to Renner's. Zanack had believed this until now, but then he realised that was mistaken. If Renner's was a radiant beauty, then Albedo's was a seductive beauty tinged in darkness.
Albedo trod on the stepboard of the coach. The faint sound of her high heels jolted Zanack back to reality.
Zanack immediately genuflected before her and lowered his head.
One might think that it was embarrassing for a prince of a royal family to kneel before anyone, even if they were an emissary from another nation. However, after considering the difference in power between the Kingdom and the Sorcerous Kingdom, this was the right course of action. What the Kingdom needed now was not glory, but concrete benefits.
"Could you please raise your head?"
The quiet, lovely voice rang out from above him.
"At once."
As he looked up, the fair maiden's face was all smiles as she tenderly looked down on him.
This was a practiced attitude which superior men would adopt ― no, was she even human?
Zanack moved his eyes to size her up. First, were the wings on her waist magic items, or something else? Similarly, the horns curling out from the sides of her head.
Whether they were magic items or if she was actually a heteromorphic creature, neither of them seemed particularly bizarre once he considered that she hailed from the Sorcerous Kingdom.
"I am the envoy of the Sorcerous Kingdom of Ainz Ooal Gown, Albedo. Though it is but for a few days, we will be imposing upon you. Rise, Prince-dono. You certainly cannot continue speaking as you kneel."
"You have my deepest thanks."
Zanack straightened up, and then a problem presented itself.
Though he had learned her name was Albedo through conversation, was that really all?
In the Kingdom ― and in the Empire ― commoners had two names, nobles had three names, and titled people had four names. For the royal family, they had four names ― plus their titles for a total of five names.
This was why Jircniv Rune Farlord El-Nix and his four names were mocked for not being an actual member of royalty. However, a name like Albedo sounded like an alias, or a nickname. One could not possibly be as foolish as to address a member of the nobility by such a moniker.
Though he might have been worrying needlessly, he could not be sure that such a situation would not occur.
The reason why he said this was because many nobles had died in the previous battlefield. It was not just family heads who perished, but even the firstborn heirs of some families. Currently, many noble families were led by the "spares", the second or third sons.
Spares were spares. Nobody expected much of those nobles. Not only did they lack class, but they lacked knowledge as well. In short, they lacked the appropriate upbringing.
Under normal circumstances, they would have been properly educated by the higher-ups in their faction, but the previous war meant that they no longer had the manpower for such efforts. As a result, many incompetent people were forced onto the center stage, and these incompetent people gathered together to form a faction of incompetents.
Currently, the class of the Kingdom's nobility had plummeted, thanks to these people. At this crucial moment, could they meet a woman like Albedo with adequate etiquette?
"...Forgive me, but may I know how I should properly address you, Albedo-sama?"
This was a somewhat disrespectful question.
Normally, he should have asked. "What title do you hold among the peerage, Albedo-sama, or perhaps what is your position in the Sorcerous Kingdom?"
The problem was, she might have shot back, "Do you not even know the rank of an emissary from your neighboring country?"
Still, that was the fault of the Sorcerous Kingdom.
After all, no information about the Sorcerous Kingdom had flowed out from its borders. Though it had declared its own sovereignty for several months now, they had largely restricted themselves to internal affairs. This was the first time they had engaged in diplomatic relations of their own accord.
All Zanack knew about Albedo was that she was the leader of the envoys, and the hand of the Sorcerer King.
The Empire would probably know... but they didn't tell us anything... Well, anyone who would have asked for that sort of spell to be used on us must hate us to the bone.
As though sensing his worries, Albedo answered:
"Though it may not appear that way, I have been appointed as the supervisor who leads all the Floor Guardians and Area Guardians within the Sorcerous Kingdom of Ainz Ooal Gown."
"Ohh, I see."
He said that, but he had no idea what being the "supervisor" meant. In addition, he was completely clueless regarding the "Floors" of which she spoke.
Albedo continued speaking, having seemingly seen through his concealed confusion:
"Indeed. I am Ainz-sama's ― no, I should say, I am the Sorcerer King's second-in-command, the Guardian Overseer . Perhaps that would be more appropriate?"
"Ohhh, I see now!"
Ainz-sama, it looks like she's close enough to address him in that manner. So she's a marchioness, no, a duchess, perhaps? I need to get this information back to the others. But still, Guardian... Overseer?
"Then, Albedo-sama, permit me to escort you to the Royal Palace. There are suites in the Royal Capital where I pray you will take residence for the time being. My father ― King Ranpossa III is of advanced age, so he assigned me the task of meeting you at the gates of the Capital. I pray you will forgive us this slight."
"It is fine."
Her smile had not changed at all.
Normally, she should have been thanking the Prince. However, he could clearly sense who was the superior party from her attitude.
Zanack was gushing cold sweat from his back. This was because he understood that forging good relations with them would probably be a very difficult task.
"...In addition, we would normally ring the bells in celebration, but the unfortunate misunderstanding between our countries led to tragedy, so please forgive us for not doing so. In addition, the common folk do not yet know of your arrival, so please take that into consideration."
"Of course, it is not a problem."
He had no idea what would the people would do if they knew that an emissary of the Sorcerer King had come to call on them. In that respect, Albedo's answer was a great relief.
Is it better to think that I owe her a favor?
He was not at all worried that the envoys would be attacked by an angry mob. Those Death Cavaliers ― indeed, everyone present was probably very strong, even within the Sorcerous Kingdom. He could easily believe that each of them was a match for that Gazef Stronoff.
"Then, may I ask a few questions of my own?"
"Of course! I will answer as long as it is in my power to do so."
"Well then, could you tell me of the itinerary after we reach the Royal Palace?"
"Yes! First, there is a dinner scheduled with myself and the rest of the Royal Family tonight. Tomorrow, we will visit the theaters in the day to watch the dances and hold a dinner party at night, where all the nobles of the Kingdom will be invited. The day after that will feature a concert by the Palace's orchestra ― after which we will begin the diplomatic negotiations."
"So that's how it is... then, I trust there will be no issues if we decide to freely tour the capital?"
"Of course. We shall select exceptional knights to serve as your guards."
Although the word itself meant that the knights would defend them, it also implied observation, and even to restrain them if the need arose.
"May I know if any place interests you?"
They would need to completely lock down the area on that day, to make it impossible for commoners to go near that place.
"No... there are no places which particularly interest me. Since I do not know which locations are worth visiting in the capital, could you guide me on a tour?"
"Understood. I shall make the appropriate preparations."
Albedo smiled as she nodded.
-x-X-x-