Chapter 310: The King of Playas, Playking, was plain, despite being a playa.
Day 75 – Daytime, the Capital, the Royal Palace
The top floor of the Royal Castle Diorer. Absolutely impenetrable marvel of defense that none can infiltrate. There, in a certain room for noble visitors, a boy in a black mantle is eating a packed lunch. It seems tasty.
「Finally here. Errr, if it’s tomorrow or after, then any day is fine, I’ve finished with weaponry preparations, and with everyone gathered and ready to move out in full battle gear I think we can beat the Royal Palace immediately, but do we have to get invited every time? Or rather, I’ve already been here dozens of times for a restocking, a regular visitor if you will, even without a guide, I completely memorized the layout of the underground storage, and have full grasp of hidden rooms and corridors, so I can come and go any time and reach any area? Is what I came to say?」
It seems this is what he came to say.
Certainly, he is now casually eating a meal in the most well-guarded room inside the fortress under protection of『Ultimate Lock』and the Royal Guard. He appeared before the messenger that was sent to his place could return. In such a case he’d have no problem taking both the Capital and the Royal Castle. Killing Kuzaryusvery (Second Prince) at any given moment was within his ability, as well as even destroying the Royal Castle itself.
This boy, who isn’t just acting nonchalant in the presence of Mellotosam Shim Omui hailed as the Kingdom of the Frontier, but chattering with hints of the entire situation being somewhat of a bother to him, is that black-haired strategist, the foreigner called Haruka. That is our benefactor and the savior of the Kingdom, and the very person behind the miracle of the Frontier.
「Tomorrow is just right, the nobles and the visitors have already gathered, so let’s ask that King over there「King, it’s cool, right?」, it seems it is, so tomorrow night… I’ll send someone to pick you up, so could you allow yourself to be invited? No, it’s not a problem if you just waltz in on your own, but you are being welcomed as an invitee, so if that’s not possible, just attend normally, no need to beat anyone. Or rather, Haruka-kun, there is not a single massage chair in the Royal Castle, could you place at least one here? Long journeys really take a toll on my back. Good grief, getting called here over and over again like I work at this place or something.」
When I came to talk privately with Mellotosam, I found that this boy in a black cloak was here as well. Wismregzero-dono, the legendary magic swordsman, considered by some the strongest bodyguard on the continent, was merely looking with a smile.
And this careless attitude. It’s nothing out of the ordinary for Mellotosam outside of the public’s eyes, but this boy, facing the Kingdom’s King, and being well aware of that, is still casually making small talk like he doesn’t care at all.
Dungeon Slayer, the Lord of the Frontier, the Mushroom Evangelist, the Lord of the Evil Forest, the Strategist of Annihilation, Slaughterer of Monsters, Dungeon Ruler, Souvenir Store Manager, the Slum’s Messiah, the Liberator of the Capital, the Master of Scythes of Death, Elusive Phantom of Death, the black-haired boy known to everyone by a different nickname. God of War Mellotosam calls him benefactor of the Frontier, the previous Knight Princess Murimur called him Killer of Tragedies, and Miss Meriel called him One who doesn’t accept the impossible.
Just as his names would have it, he annihilated the stampedes from the nine dungeons that would’ve destroyed the Kingdom, and wiped out the nobles army which numbers are said to have been somewhere in between 40,000 or 50,000 people strong.
「Since I was unconscious the last time, this makes it our first meeting, Haruka-kun. Nice to meet you. I’m Diarusez di Diorer that was saved by you, for my job, I’m employed as the King here, more or less, though I’m just a foolish King, so it’s just in name only. Let me formally thank you for saving the Frontier and this Kingdom. Although mere thanks definitely wouldn’t be enough, and as I heard you even saved my daughter… And I think my brother must’ve caused you trouble too, but let me thank you as their family too. And I’m really sorry for my foolish sons.」
I guess it’s good that it’s a private meeting? There are too many nobles and bureaucrats who would’ve had issues with their King bowing head to anyone. However, not showing gratitude and respect to the ones deserving of it is far greater of an issue, and it doesn’t matter how much we thank this person, it still wouldn’t be anywhere near enough. The nameless foreigner? While his name itself isn’t known, is there anyone in the Kingdom who hasn’t heard of the Dungeon Slayer? Is there any citizen of the Capital, who hasn’t heard of the Slum’s Messiah? If all of the rumors currently circulating through the Kingdom are about him, then it’s only natural to bow head in gratitude.
Mellotosam was narrating with tears in his eyes, Lady Murimur was talking as if she was gazing at the great heights, and the princess of the Frontier Lady Meriel replied with a troubled expression, but all of them were overflowing with gratitude. The Kingdom left alone to its demise the Frontier, where the entire continent pushed their tragedies to seal them for good. The benefactors of the entire continent, House Omui, shouldered those tragedies and continuously protected the Frontier. Doomed Omui of the Farthest Land.
And he is the one who is said to have brought them happiness.
Allowing everyone to smile.
It’s not strange to find it hard to believe.
But looking at the orphans in the slums, I can tell.
They did become happy.
It is not possible, no one can do anything about this, it’s hopeless, even trying is pointless, it’s already beyond help, this is what everyone was saying in unison, instead of voicing any ideas to remedy the situation, let alone actual solutions. The sealed fates that everyone already gave up on. One of the rumored black-haired maidens was calling him 『Mass killer of tragedies』, and another one『Destroyer of the impossible』and another one 『Natural enemy of common sense』.
The tragic fate of the Frontier was killed.
The inescapable doom of destruction was crushed.
Along with the common sense calling it impossible.
That’s why Mellotosam is calling the boy who made the impossible dream come true『Benefactors of all successive generations of Omui』.
And that boy,
「He doesn’t seem like a playa! Wait, is he fake? But if Playking lacks play-part… Then what he’s even called?」
「It’s a King, told you already. Eerm, and could you please treat that like a King in public? I mean, it’s like the Kingdom’s main poster?」
It’s, like… a poster?… After all that happened, I wouldn’t be able to complain if my incompetent self was killed either by this boy or Omui House, but isn’t this treatment a bit much?
「I mean, if it’s Playking, he has to be saying stuff like 『Let’s rock this joint』or『Let’s party~』, right? That’s the one we are talking about?」
「Let’s rock? Joint? If necessary, we can have that say it?『Let’s rock this joint』, right? And we are going to have a party (ball) too? You are invited, you remember? It’s not a big deal if you forget That, but please remember this? Also, it’s fine not to memorize That’s name, but could you remember my name already? It’s all Meri or Muri but Mello is not coming up at all. Even though I’m Mellotosam, Meripapa-san is kind of close, but not quite.」
That… And they are going to make me say something?! Let’s rock this joint? Is that some sort of foreign greeting? I’ve not heard it before, but it sounds kind of irritating? Do I have to say it?
「Which reminds me, Shariceres went to the Souvenir Store, weren’t you together? I hope at least she isn’t causing you any troubles, she is a stubborn girl whose only interests lie with fighting, giving me quite a lot of headache in the past, but when I saw her recently, after finally waking up, she had changed beyond recognition. That was quite a surprise. She must’ve learned her lesson in the Frontier. Sorry for both parent and daughter causing trouble?… Don’t tell me that my brother did something too? Was everything alright? He is quite serious at his core, and also bullheaded, obsessing over formalities, but he is doing his best in his own way.」
「Shari? Sharishari-san? Ah, you mean Royal Girl? Yeah, she dropped by. She and Merimeri-san seemed to have much fun trying clothes, hanging, sucking, and going hooray, so I left them there? Yeah, they are like, aren’t getting up?」
Just what these girls are doing? I can understand trying clothes, but what is it about having fun handing, sucking and hooraying?
「Does the party have some sort of a limit for the number of participants? Even if there is, it doesn’t really matter, since we can just enter on our own regardless, but the hidden passages here are narrow, so if we try to squeeze with a large crown we might end up with a situation where the party wouldn’t be among our concerns, having to survive a marvelous threat to my life as my HP drops into single digits, just barely holding out against the waves of squishy, and jiggly flesh, pressuring me with lovely smooth skin, totally blocking the passage and causing a traffic jam? Kind of?」
「Any number is fine, he will welcome everyone. No need to worry about how much you eat, fuss, or break, That will do something about it. 」
So this is a conversation between the King of the Frontier and the Dungeon Slayer… A king is nothing but『That』? 『That will do something』, huh, well, I’ll do anything. If it’s within my power, then anything is fine. I owe them much more than that. I’m sure I owe them countless debts none of which I can hope to ever pay back. I’m eternally indebted to those two, there is no way for me to say no to them.
They are poking fun and joking, but normally, it would’ve been only natural for me to be killed by now. Being harshly rebuked and belittled is but a matter of course, I’m not even in a position to laugh it off. Since everything is ultimately my responsibility as a king, but those two shouldered all of it, fought, and won.
The Royal Family is no different than a decoration, and I’m in turn also but a decorative king. But if everyone is fine with that, then I can at least take responsibility, and perform my duty that way, since putting this head of mine on the line and taking responsibility for everything is the only thing I can do.
I’m not a person worth including in heroic epics, then I can at least be a figurehead to shoulder responsibility for the heroes.
Ever since my friend succeeded as the lord of the Frontier, anguish was carved into his face, with deep exhaustion showing even through his smile, but today I was able to see him happily laugh from the bottom of his heart, that alone is enough for me.
Our Royal Family put this burden upon him and forced him to fight alone against inevitable doom, if he was able to make him smile, then that alone makes him a benefactor of our Royal Family. Our Royal Family was unable to repay the generations of Omui, if he is a benefactor of successive generations of Omui, then it makes him a benefactor of successive generations of our Royal Family. Let’s include『Kingdom’s Benefactor』among his names too.
…But what Shariceres was sucking?
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