A raid attack.
That word was the first thing that came to mind.
There’s no prior connection between me and Orshian.
If she’s a beautiful girl, I’d like to seek a physical connection with her, but at present there’s no reason for her to visit me.
Even though they say they are Nobles, guardians of the land, in the end, it’s probably because they rule the region with the logic of violence.
I can’t help but think of images of hot-blooded young people belonging to the Milendorva family of the designated gangster Levios group attacKing the Quordenze family, which they have always disliked.
[Send someone to my father. It may be an assassination plot planned by Milendorva.]
It is said that the Milendorva family holds a grudge against the Quordenze family.
It was from about 20 years ago.
At that time, the Levios family regarded the western part of the Kingdom as the greatest security threat.
Since the founding of the country, the Levios family has fought only a handful of wars. In the early days of the nation’s founding, the Kingdom’s army was raised several times.
Even so, it would be more accurate to describe it as a mass assault incident by the Royal Nobles rather than a war. And the infighting with the Milendorva family was nothing more than a battle on the scale of a sibling quarrel.
Around 60 years have passed since the founding of the country, and by that time, most of the people who had experienced the life-or-death “killing each other” period had already retired or passed away.
The soil of peace has brought forth the fruits of prosperity in the Kingdom.
In terms of scale alone, Levios Kingdom’s military power was the largest in history, and it had become a presence that made the surrounding areas vomit. But on the other hand, the training of the soldiers had declined significantly compared to the period of turmoil.
Especially conspicuous was the decline in the consciousness of the Nobles…the Highlords.
A Highlord would prefer not to fight another Highlord, who is basically of the same species. For them, who are in perfect health in their lives, physical disabilities caused by residual magic are terrifying.
Not to mention that the threat of Zinkaen Empire is still there.
The Nobles and knights who survived in the western part of the continent, where the turbulent times heated up the most, have experienced brushing with death every so often. Moreover, there was a tendency for the higher Nobles, who gained power in the midst of the chaos of the turmoil, to be more aware of themselves as invaders.
Although the absolute number is not large, the number of [Pro-War Nobles] is definitely higher in the Imperial Nobles’ side than in the Royal Nobles’. And it was still too early for them to retire, as they were involved in territory management together with veteran knight military officers.
A rapidly growing new system ruled by a powerful Lord. An emerging country and an invading country. This shouldn’t be a threat.
If war broke out, it was obvious that the Nobles of the Kingdom would be destroyed one by one under the name of self-reliance. From the point of view of the Zinkaen Empire, which was originally an united nation, the Kingdom of Levios was nothing more than a rabble.
It was a difficult time for the Levios family to walk a tightrope――until the Quordenze family, with the Sylopea and Evenafis families, defected from the Empire and joined the Kingdom, declaring war on the Spierzeig family.
It goes without saying that the situation changed completely due to the defection of these three Imperial Nobles.
The Quordenze family, who should have been the commander of the invasion of the Kingdom, fell to the Kingdom’s side, and enjoyed crushing each other with the Spierzeig family, who was also a threat. Loud laughter must have echoed in the Royal castle.
When the Quordenze family entered the Kingdom, they made a clear declaration of support for the Levios family regarding the internal conflict with the Milendorva family.
Until then, things had been progressing in a sluggish way, and everyone had pretended not to see them. In a sense, it can be said that the air is not read.
It was only after the appearance of the demon beast Yersinia that the Milendorva family would be cornered in earnest, but as a result, it is said that this was the turning point of the storm.
A plan to divert the interest of the Levios family from the western part of the Kingdom to resolving the family dispute…that’s what my father said.
Of course, it might’ve soured the Milendorva family’s impression on us.
[Yessir. We have already sent personnel to the Royal Palace.]
[Okay. Prepare for battle, depending on the situation, I’ll stand at the front.]
Assuming the worst possible situation, it seems that both the civil and military officers had already taken action.
The soldiers brought from the Quordenze territory are outside the capital’s central area.
If I’m only concerned about safety, I should form a small elite unit, mainly consisting of our Lord-class military officer who is here now, escape the Quordenze mansion, join the soldiers, and wait for my father’s return.
However, I will lose face in the process. Rather than Milendorva’s family rudeness, it will be the Quordenzes’ weakness that stands out.
[A white-skinned person hides seven troubles] is how people said it on my original earth, but if we were to change this to the language of the Eruo continent, it would probably be something like [a strong person hides seven troubles]. Nobles are attracted to strong Nobles, albeit to varying degrees.
[Young Master, Princess Orshian…]
However, all such thoughts should be saved until after getting through this.
The important thing is what the Princess of the Great Noble Milendorva family had in mind when the owner of this super-class magical power came to visit.
[Didn’t you say she came to see me? Milendorva’s Princess, what the hell did she come to do with such a rude imitation?]
Regardless of whether there is an assassination plan or not, what Orshian is doing is extremely disrespectful. It could be taken as an action that disrespects the Quordenze family…or rather, it can only be taken as such.
If I make a mistake here, it will give the impression that the Quordenze family has succumbed to the Milendorva family. It must be avoided at all costs.
[That’s just one point when I talk directly to the Young Master… Right now, we’re holding her back at the main gate, but if we let our guard down, they’ll come barging immediately.]
[You were able to hold her back at the main gate?]
I’m a little optimistic, maybe mixed with aspirations, but somehow I feel like Orshian didn’t come here as an assassin.
Wandering around in front of the main gate and arguing with the servants, she was quite stupid for an enemy.
If you’re seriously aiming for their lives, it would be more effective to blow away the Quordenze mansion with a magic attack from a distance.
Besides, a human with this amount of mana can defeat a Lord-class servant with one punch. There is no point in asking politely.
When I think about it, it comes down to [She doesn’t know anything about etiquette, but she has no intention of being hostile, so let’s talk about it].
The principle of behavior is too suspicious and I no longer want to see her all of a sudden.
[So, it’s still unknown why Princess Orshian is…hmm?]
I felt my brain shake slightly when the shadow of Orshian’s magical power caught on my magic detection.
I couldn’t say for sure due to the distance and the perception of magic power, but I feel like it’s similar to the fluctuations when using detection magic.
[…..magic detection?]
As if answering my words, the shadow of the mighty magic left the main gate and began to move around.
It was probably walking along the outer wall surrounding the Quordenze mansion, and it was clearly aiming at me in the garden.
The Quordenze residence is in the style of a samurai residence. The premises are surrounded by outer walls, and you can’t enter the house or the garden unless you pass through the main gate.
Orshian may be looking for another entrance.
Near the magical power that shines brightly like the sun, small shadows of magical power that are likely to be painted over were also moving. I wonder if my servant was trying to keep her still.
[It’s coming closer. It’s over the wall.]
[Wha…!?]
Since this civil officer is also a Lord, he could cast magic detection as well. In response to my remark, he also activated it and seemed to understand that a monster was approaching.
[Young Master.]
The civil officer looked at me with a more nervous expression than before.
We were at the edge of the garden. To return to the mansion, we’d have to walk closer to Orshian.
We might be able to make it in time if we run away, but this is an abnormal situation, and it’s possible that a Noble from the Quordenze faction is using detection magic to keep an eye on the situation.
Putting aside Orshian’s bizarre behavior, it might be considered uncool for the eldest son of the Quordenze family to run away….. Why should I, the one being attacked, be concerned about this?
……Well, even if I ran away, if she was someone who would enter the garden without permission, she would probably enter the house as it was. In that case, I think it would still be better to welcome her here.
[I’ll allow the use of anti-Highlord armament. Send signals to the room…..also, take the opportunity to keep Eve safe.]
The civil officer immediately released his magic power and informed the people inside the mansion of my permission to arm ourselves against the Highlord enemy.
It is possible to convey a predetermined message by properly using the magic emission like Morse code. However, transmission by magic power is perceived by senses, and only fairly simple information can be delivered.
If you compare the colors, red indicates an emergency, orange indicates a non-serious problem, and yellow indicates a possible problem…but a clear message cannot be communicated. The drawback of transmission by mana emission is that red may be perceived as yellow by the person receiving it.
Therefore, it is necessary to define in advance that all red and yellow colors are for emergency situations, and their use is extremely limited.
While in the Royal Capital, you are not supposed to be armed against Highlords unless there is a serious reason.
Since we are gathering for a peaceful meeting between the Royal Nobles, such provocations should not be done.
However, in this situation there shouldn’t be any problem with issuing the arming permit.
The preparations must have already been made, as the military officers armed against the Highlord appeared all at once from the house, deployed in the garden and formed a formation.
Then, an officer ran up to me and held out a sword.
[The opponent is unarmed, but she possesses extraordinary magical power. I would like Young Master to avoid fighting if possible while also never letting your guard down… Sometimes, there are things that are more important than honor.]
[I know.]
Just as I was about to receive it, I noticed that my palms were sweating.
To be honest, I want to run away.
If it’s just regular a Highlord, the intruder would just end up dead.
But what about this opponent? I don’t know exactly because the fluctuation range of magic power is too wide, but I feel that Orshian’s magic power is almost the same as mine.
Unfortunately, I don’t have the shonen manga temperament to get excited the stronger the opponent is. If possible, I only want to fight against opponents that I can win with certainty, or fights with insurance that is okay even if I fail.
[Master…?]
Then, I noticed the existence of Eve, who couldn’t keep up with the situation.
She didn’t seem to understand the current situation, but she appeared to be able to sense the tense atmosphere. Her expression was uneasy.
Seeing people who are more distraught than me calms me down a little. When I calmed down like that, the feeling of wanting to show this cute girl a manly side also welled up at the same time.
If I can’t escape anyway, I have no choice but to open up.
I took a deep breath and wiped the sweat on my pants.
I turned my face to Eve as I gripped the sword firmly as if to crush my trembling fingertips.
[I’ll protect you, so don’t worry. I’m your master after all.]
In order to motivate myself, I dared to speak loudly and show off.
Because if I didn’t say that, my legs would tremble with the magical power of Orshian, which felt somewhat strange.
A man can muster up the most courage when he’s trying to show a cool figure to a woman.
It was the exact moment when I made up my mind.
[Young Master!]
A young girl entered the garden by jumping over the 2-meter outer wall made of red bricks.
…..It may be similar to the landing of an Earthling double jumping rope. With just a little effort on her feet, she splendidly flew down to the Quordenze residence without bending her knees.
[You, wait here.]
[Yessir.]
Because the civil officer and Eve were unarmed, I made them wait on the spot.
I approached Orshian slowly as if to show my composure, and in fact, I was cautious to see if she would suddenly release any attack magic.
The military officer who jumped over the wall after Orshian, the military officer preparing for an interception, and me. We were in for a pincer attack.
Considering the amount of mana, the presence of military officers is something of a margin of error, but the difference in weapons is large. I am conscious of keeping that position.
A military officer’s role in a battle between Highlords is to be a nuisance.
They now wield weapons that act like lightning rods against magic. By maintaining an appropriate formation, it is possible to disrupt the flow of the enemy’s magical energy, hinder the activation of magic, or reduce the power of attack magic directed at allied Nobles, albeit slightly.
Achieving a one-sided attack on allies while interfering with the actions of the enemy… This is the basis of crushing a Highlord-class enemy.
With the help of my leisurely movements, the military officers were able to complete their deployment with plenty of time to spare.
However, Orshian didn’t show any signs of flinching even in front of this perfect formation.
This fellow, is she here to talk to me? Didn’t she even think about the possibility of a fight breaking out?
Or, is she confident that she can easily blow away the pressure force with her own amount of magic power?
I raised my palm and called out while I was a little away from Orshian.
[Let’s first try to have a talk… You, stay there.]
It seemed that my message got through, as she stopped walking closer.
The military officers will make the formation more perfect according to their position.
After confirming that they were ready, I moved forward and approached Orshian within a distance of about 10 meters.
[What do you want from me, Princess of Milendorva?]
I decided to ask with a little intimidating tone.
The one who suddenly intruded was the other side, so there’s no problem even if I’m acting a little impolite here.
She shook the magical power of her body again. At this distance, it’s easy to see that she’s doing something like detection magic. I wonder if she just confirmed my magical power.
Then, instead of the amount of her magic power, I took a look at Orshian herself.
The first thing that caught my eye was her pure white hair that was glimmering divinely in the sunlight.
Her hair, which was long enough to sit on her shoulders, was inappropriate to describe with the word “gray hair”. There is a brilliance that makes it seem like it has been dyed white, not that the color has faded.
In the Eruo continent, where there are many people with colorful hair, this is the first time I’ve seen someone born with white hair. Therefore, my eyes were fascinated by the beautiful and warm luster that resembles that of a pearl.
She turned her eyes, blue and red, toward me as if to match my line of sight.
Blue on the right, red on the left. The different shades on the left and right confuse my brain as to where to look. My gaze wandered, and when I looked at the whole face, there was the face of an innocent girl with a smile on his face.
She must have been the same age as me, but she looks much younger than that. However, I could easily imagine the beauty that would eventually bloom.
She’s pretty.
If I were to express her appearance, that would be the only word I could come up with. Hers was so pure that I felt like any poison would be purified when I’m looking at her. I couldn’t even get an erection.
Being beautiful is an advantage. Just looking at it softens the hostility.
I could feel my guarded heart relax, but I couldn’t stop it.
However, in contrast to her dazzling appearance, her clothes are that of a commoner.
She’s wearing what could be described as a collarless polo shirt, a linen jacket, and a long black apron.
It’s not a costume a Noble would wear, but it’s simple and attractive.
A grape-stomping maiden.
Such a nickname that was rumored in the streets suddenly crossed my mind.
[Hello.]
A young sounding, high pitched voice greeted with a smile.
Her attitude, which makes it hard to believe that she understands the current situation, is somewhat comical.
[I’m Orshian. Nice to meet you.]
Then, she paused her words. As if to say that the greeting was over.
[…..Wilk Quordenze.]
Since the other party didn’t show their gratitude, I couldn’t break down my arrogant attitude either.
She does not show any courtesy as a Noble should be, and does not mention her family name. Does she want to claim that the Milendorva family had nothing to do with this shocking visit, and that she did not come here as a Noble?
That’s a very selfish way of thinking, and it’s completely unacceptable.
I can’t afford to disrespect the Quordenze family, so I will try my best to behave arrogantly. I never thought that I would take such an attitude in the Royal Capital.
Even so, it’s really scary at this distance.
To feel an extraordinary magical power coming from such a little girl. I feel like I’m going to be timid and back off.
When I met the Quordenze Royal Nobles who hadn’t participated in my first battle in Calahanasso, they were a little hesitant. I know how they must be feeling all too well now.
[Eastern culture is really wild, I gather?]
[???]
I tried to sarcastically say that the Milendorva family is a barbaric family with no respect, but she just nodded her head as if to say “I don’t get it”.
She doesn’t seem to understand anything.
[Um. I’m sorry for suddenly coming here? I just wanted to talk to Wilk-kun for a bit…]
The girl who speaks in an easy-going tone and the image of the rumored incarnation of the battlefield spirit Getoranaga, the Arch Duchess Orshian, do not mesh at all.
Due to the pressure of her magical power, she felt so big, but if I look closely, she’s also short, and I’d think she’s 2 or 3 years younger than myself.
As if enforcing that, her chest is flat as a pan. Even our Fanny has a much more erotic body.
The military officer was more surprised by his gesture, which did not seem like what a Noble would do.
I don’t know what to say, but she just looks like a reckless idiot.
[Unfortunately, we, the Quordenze, have just arrived at the Royal Capital, so we didn’t have the time to prepare tea. It seems that the Milendorva family, who entered the capital yesterday, are short of candles. We are both in trouble.]
[???]
Seeing her stop thinking about each and every one of my words makes me feel like I’m doing something that isn’t very popular, so it’s strange. In the end, it felt as if I’m talking to a kid whose mind could only process simple words.
I intended to say something quite strong against the Milendorva family, but she didn’t seem to understand it at all.
For the time being, Orshian took a step forward, probably thinking that she could just talk in this place.
The feeling of wanting to run away overflowed like juice from the fact that the mass of mighty magic power was approaching, albeit only slightly. I use my guts to suppress my heart, and turn my palm to make her stand still.
Even with her beauty, I don’t want her to get close to me.
[…..So, you said you want to talk?]
In order not to convey my impatience, I asked as if throwing away my words.
I was relieved that my voice didn’t tremble and that I managed to show off my rude attitude.
[Yes, but before that, let me confirm one thing. I heard that Wilk-kun is the mayor of Nambonan City. Is it true?]
I didn’t expect Nambonan to be brought out here.
I wonder if she’d just go home if I told her that she’s wrong. But, I nodded anyway.
[That’s good. Well then, let’s talk!]
Orshian, whose face suddenly brightened, happily began to speak.
Her narrations were often sidetracked, maKing it difficult to understand the main points.
In summary, it seems that there was a commoner merchant from Nambonan who had a small business in Ivurmas City, Milendorva territory. It took her a few minutes to explain that, even though it should normally take only one line.
She also said that the clothes that she’s wearing today were also made from the fabric bought from that merchant. An irrelevant point, really.
[….So, the merchant uncle said that Nambonan city is run by neither knights nor Nobles, but it is run only by commoners. That’s why he said he was very worried when he heard that Nambonan City was at war with the Quordenze family. It’s sad that everyone’s hard work is gone….. But, even after becoming Quordenze territory, Nambonan City hasn’t changed at all!]
[…..When and from whom did you hear all that?]
[From a Nambonan merchant who came to Ivurmas City after the new year’s festival. Do you happen to know the kind uncle? The nuts I got as a souvenir were delicious, but after all I…]
For some reason, the story derails to the food she likes.
While listening to her talk about delicious seafood, I thought to myself.
Orshian’s view of Nambonan is a fairly biased perception.
Since the Quordenze family has infiltrated Nambonan City’s governance structure, the ruling commoner style in a pure sense has already collapsed.
[I don’t get what you’re trying to say. Nambonan city is certainly under my protection, but what about it?]
I interrupted her just as she was mentioning her preference for raw oysters to grilled ones, then asked what she really wanted to talk about. I prefer fried oyster by the way.
At that point, she had a slightly annoyed expression, but as if remembering her purpose of coming here, she opened her mouth.
[I want you to tell me how Nambonan City is governed.]
What did she really mean by that?
That’s what I thought on the spur of the moment, but judging from Orshian’s behavior up until now, I didn’t think there was a very deep meaning behind it.
It may be that she simply wants to create a city with self-government by commoners.
In any case, there’s no need and obligation for me to teach her.
If you want to ask me for a favor, then sleep with me once or twice. But I suppose that’ll be a bit difficult, with her being a Noble Princess and so on.
For one thing, it’s probably best to find out what’s going on inside the Milendorva family by hanging food that you don’t intend to give to others.
Even though she’s such a disappointing daughter, she’s still a Noble. I should be able to get some information.
[Oh, Princess of Milendorva…]
Like a Nobleman, I asked a question with pompous words mixed with sarcasm. As I was speaking, I realized that this was a mistake.
[?]
When she stiffened with a question mark floating on her face, I decided to narrow down the main points and rephrase.
It might be better not to add unnecessary embellishments to my words when talking to this simpleton. However, I still tried to maintain the arrogant attitude.
[…..Why are you interested in such a thing? Milendorva territory is not short on knights. Governing shouldn’t be of any problem.]
One of the reasons why the Levios family and the Milendorva family turmoil had been tumultuous was that they didn’t aim for the knight’s head.
In addition to the fact that there were few battles, even when there were battles, most of them were just clashes between commoner soldiers, and it was said that the General’s life was rarely taken.
Compared to the Quordenze-Spierzeig war, in which the heads of many knights and officers were chopped off and rolled around on the ground, it was like a pretend play.
Although the number of magical power holders in the Milendorva family has decreased due to the Yersinia calamity, the territory has not increased. Therefore, it is unthinkable for the pattern of [Since there are too few knights, they are reluctantly thinking of using commoners for interim rule].
In the first place, using commoners to govern is an act that goes against the righteousness of Nobles, so unless you’re a Noble with a fairly crazy idea, you shouldn’t even think about it. If there were an exception, it would be Viscount Galiana.
[Because everyone says it’s no good.]
[Do they?]
[Uncle Milendorva and the knights. Even though everyone in the town says that Milendorva territory is good, it’s terrible. So I’m doing my best instead… But, it didn’t go well. That’s why I wanted to know how things are going in Nambonan City, so I just came here.]
Orshian let out a ‘tehee☆’ while not going straight to the point again.
But, at least this time I got the gist of it.
[I want to ask you one thing, Princess Orshian.]
[Ask away. Also, feel free to call me Lucia. My full name is long and hard to call, isn’t it? I’m used to that.]
[…No, that won’t do.]
It would be a problem if we were strangely familiar with each other and made this visit seem irrelevant. If the story ends peacefully like this, I would like her to explain the situation to my father, so that we can protest against the Milendorva family, and grab some rights and interests.
I won’t fall for it even if she says “We’ve called each other by nicknames, so feel free to fuck me!” or something along that line. I don’t want to get caught up in her pace.
[Princess Orshian, which city would you like to leave to the commoners? I would like you to tell me the name of the city.]
[There are several, but Quordenze is far away, isn’t it? Do you know what I’m saying…?]
[I don’t mind. List them in descending order.]
[Really? Umm, isn’t Constar City the biggest city? The second largest city is…]
She doesn’t seem to have any etiquette or education as a Noble, but she doesn’t seem to be completely smooth-brained as she could list the cities in descending order of scale.
However, I figured everything out when the first city name was mentioned.
The cities she mentioned were all Levios territory cities…or, to be more precise, cities that were Levios territory until just recently.
[…..I, I think that’s all? Do you get it?]
[Yeah, I get it.]
After the Yersinia Calamity, the Levios family made serious efforts to sanction the Milendorva family.
After that, the Milendorva family suffered a series of defeats, lost their home base after repeated defeats, and the family was driven to a city on the east side.
It was only after Orshian became the commander-in-chief that they managed to turn the tide.
Orshian rushed through former Milendorva territory and restored it, even crossing the river that was the territory’s original border.
From there, they carried out the counter-invasion into Levios territory.
The Milendorva army continued its rapid advance to occupy several cities, but the advance eventually came to a halt.
It’s because Levios-Adellahan allied forces managed to repel Orshian’s army and deplete the latter’s ability to continue the war.
Thus, Orshian’s invasion of the Levios territory ended, but I heard that the cities that had already been occupied had not been returned.
[So what do you think of those cities? Is Wilk-kun also think it’s no good?]
Considering what she said earlier, it seems that the Milendorva family wants to abandon the city, but Orshian wants to continue owning it as an individual.
Maybe I should check the water to see if there’s a difference in plan between the current Head of Milendorva family and Orshian.
[Just for confirmation. Does princess Orshian want to claim possession of these cities for yourself? What does Archduke Milendorva have to say about it?]
[Uncle says he’ll return it to the Levios family. But, that’s absolutely ridiculous! Besides, the people hate Levios soldiers. I definitely don’t want to give them up.]
An easy-to-understand and irritated Orshian spoke of the legitimacy of the possession.
As always, there were a lot of digressions, but I’m going to put together my thoughts based on the residents’ requests and actions told by her.
[…I see, so the residents of the city want to be ruled by Princess Orshian.]
It is possible that she is saying something appropriate out of territorial ambitions. It’s also quite possible that all her behavior so far has been acting.
However, perhaps because we were talKing face-to-face like this, I couldn’t believe that she was lying. Really, I can see nothing but a pure, thoughtless child.
Maybe she simply dislikes the Levios family and doesn’t want to return those cities to them.
It’s probably true that the residents want Orshian to rule them, but that sounds like an excuse. Not wanting to hand over things to someone she disliked, I felt it close to the selfishness of a mere child.
[Yeah, everyone says it’s better that way.]
I remembered the character of the people of the Levios territory that the pioneering association employee had just mentioned. It is said that the people of the Levios territory strongly believe that the strong are just.
For them, Orshian, who repelled the Levios army and cut into the Levios territory, which had been impenetrable for a long time, could be called the greatest of Nobles.
Yersinia Calamity may have had an effect on the Levios’ family’s prestige after all.
With a super-strong Princess who suddenly appeared, it might not be that strange even if there were people in the territory seeking protection from her.
The image of those idiot citizens saying things like [Yahoo! The strongest and the best!!] while welcoming Orshian came to mind.
[Why do Archduke Milendorva want to return the city that he took so much trouble to acquire?]
[That there’s nothing good to be done in fighting Levios any longer, so uncle has been telling me to do the same as before the battle. Even if I say that I can defeat the Levios army alone, my uncle won’t believe me… When the red flag army came, I was pushed a little, but it can’t be helped.]
Archduke Milendorva must’ve understood. Even if they have the humanoid weapon known as Orshian to overrun Levios territory, they would not be able to govern it well after the war.
On the contrary, if it is poorly handled, the surrounding Royal Nobles will piggyback on the war, and a mini chaotic era may occur in which the entire Levios territory might get divided.
He must have had various feelings about the Levios family from the circumstances up to this point, but he must have endured them and chose the path of cooperation for the sake of the stability and profits of his territory.
Perhaps because Orshian here is too clumsy for her own good, the turbidity Archduke Milendorva had to swallow felt unnecessary large.
[So, since he won’t send governing officers, you want to delegate the rule to the commoners.]
[That’s right. Even if the Levios army comes, I’ll drive them away, so it should be fine. Besides, the Milendorva army said they were running out of money, so I don’t plan on relying on them in the fight.]
Princess Orshian, who was talking about the internal affairs of the Milendorva family like a coloring pot that crumbles when touched, said so with a proud face.
[However, regarding the governance of Nambonan city, it is something that cannot be explained overnight.]
Or rather, since I’ve heard this far, I can’t explain it.
My cooperation with Orshian here would benefit only the Levios and Milendorva families. To put it bluntly, there is nothing to be gained from this.
As long as she stays in bed without getting spoiled, I can give her some advice secretly, but this little girl has an air of ignorance about men.
Looking at her attitude toward me reminded me of the sight of children in the lower grades of elementary school playing together regardless of gender.
A business-like physical relationship is one of the attractive situations, but I don’t think it can be realized in this situation.
…..No, having a sexually ignorant girl commit a shameful act is, in its own way, really hot…..
…..No, no, I don’t think there’s any point in teaching her.
I believe that the residents of Nambonan City were able to create a self-governing city because they had a strong will to become independent without relying on the strong, and they made efforts to match that.
Therefore they could reach autonomy and rarely required the Noble’s assistance.
From my position as a Noble, and as someone with the strong body of a Highlord, I can even feel a sense of respect for the residents of Nambonan City.
Compared to that, what about the residents Orshian talks about?
It seems like a silly group of people who are simply carpooling because a strong princess has appeared.
What’s more, in response to requests from city residents, she reduced taxes for the time being and expelled merchants with vested interests connected to the Nobles. In the end, they probably just want to use the Princess who is kind to commoners to escape from the exploitation of the Nobles.
To put it bluntly, residents with such a low moral standard shouldn’t be able to exercise proper autonomy. They would just put the blame on me, saying that I gave her strange advice, and push all responsibilities on me when it fails.
The reason why it becomes a favored idea is because I’ve somewhat corrupted Anna’s thoughts.
However, I can assure you that there is no general mistake.
[That’s right. You can teach me. Right? right?]
She tilted her head and winked her odd-colored eyes. She’s really cute.
However, this cuteness is the so-called [cuteness of a pure and spoiled child], not [cuteness of a woman who misleading a man]. Therefore, it does nothing to me.
[In any case, I don’t even know Princess Orshian yet. I’m not so good-natured enough to be empathetic to people I’m not familiar with.]
[Hmm…then, you can ask anything about me.]
Orshian smiled proudly and put one hand on her flat chest as she said so.
[I see. First of all, I would like to ask, but is it true that Princess Orshian is from the Shadow House of the Milendorva family?]
[I’m not.]
She continued prattling on, ignoring the frustrated me.
[Speaking of Nobles, I was once a commoner. Up until about a year before? Uncle Milendorva brought me. When I first went to Ivurmas city, I was very surprised. Up until then, I had lived in a small village, so it was the first time I knew that there were so many people. That was the first time I ate oysters…]
This girl really is a motormouth…
With all of our civil officers smiling wryly, it probably isn’t the kind of thing that can be talked about freely. Isn’t it pretty much a guarded secret to the Milendorva family?
[Ah, it’s supposedly a secret…don’t tell anyone else, okay?]
Of course it is.
However, if the story is correct, there is something obviously wrong with it.
[Is that really true?]
[True what?]
[…..Next question. Do you know of your magic power capacity? It seems like it far outstrips ordinary Nobles.]
It’s the first thing that bothers me.
Just talking normally makes me feel like I’m approaching a terrifying onomatopoeic sound like “gogogogogo” or “oohhh…”.
Even if Orshian invites me to bed now, my dick might not get erect. That’s how restless my heart is.
However, she doesn’t hold any hostility towards me.
This is just a matter of how I perceive it. It’s just that I’m subconsciously terrified of her level of magic power that I’ve never seen before.
[Hmm? My uncle said that too, but I don’t know. Magic power…capacity? I know it’s something like that, but size and quantity are completely useless. No idea.]
I wonder if the accuracy of her magic detection isn’t very high. It didn’t seem like she’s lying and trying to get away with it.
There are two possibilities.
For the first, I consider the possibility that Orshian is a reincarnated person who has the same past life as me.
At least there is an example like me, so the possibility is not zero. After all, if you think only about the amount of mana, she’s almost on par with me.
However, I can’t directly ask, [Are you a reincarnated person?] just like that.
This is because there is no concept of reincarnation or previous lives on the Eruo continent.
The view of life and death of the Zeth Church Holy High Society, which states that the dead are absorbed by spirits and float evenly in this world, is still deeply rooted in this world. There is no concept of afterlife or reincarnation.
It’s not a good idea to say that here and be known as a person with dubious thoughts.
This Princess seems lighthearted, and I can’t help but feel like she’s going to spread the word.
Now then, I wondered if there was a good way to check, so I decided to ask a question.
[Didn’t you look into any documents related to magical power? There must be books in the Milendorva family.]
[I can’t read the letters, so it’s impossible. It takes time to have them read…]
There were people in her home village who could write, but she herself was illiterate and could not write. According to her, she didn’t feel like memorizing it.
I see, I got the answer I wanted to hear.
[I see. So you don’t know how much is your magic power amount.]
I concluded that Orshian is not a reincarnated person. Or at least the possibility of having a previous life in a civilized world is extremely low.
If you were Japanese in your previous life, there’s no way you wouldn’t know the importance of literacy. Regardless of the fact that there is no one who can write letters in a hopeless remote village, there is hardly anyone who does not master it in an environment where they can learn.
Thus, there is a high possibility that this little girl named Orshian is really just a pure Eruo continental person.
In other words, the answer is the second possibility.
A special existence born from two Serfs parents, just like the child of blessing. Its existence itself is almost like urban legend.
However, there is no way to confirm that now.
[Although I don’t really know how much my magic power is, but I can tell by the feel of it. Wilk-kun’s magic feels the same as most Nobles that I’ve seen. Am I different?]
The amounts of mana of Lord and Highlord are different, but there are other subtle differences as well.
Her remarks were, in a sense, the part I had overlooked.
The feeling of magical power…should I say quality? I can make this assertion precisely because I have carefully detected it at this close range.
This is not a Highlord’s magic power.
[The feeling you say?]
[Yes. I’m not sure about mine, but you can divide it into about three, right? When I came here, I was looking for the feeling of being that could possibly be a Noble.]
[…You were looking?]
It seems that Orshian’s detection magic is not like a radar that simultaneously detects all magical powers in the surrounding area, but rather a type that searches for a specific quality of magical power.
Magic relies heavily on one’s sense of magic, and there are regional differences due to the skill of passing it on from person to person. Perhaps hers is Milendorva-style detection magic.
The reason why I wasn’t quite sure when she activated the magic detection was because the magic had a slightly different technique.
It’s an interesting topic. Perhaps we should kidnap some Milendorva Lords and steal this magic technique? I’ll ask my father later if I can put it on as a bonus before dropping this time.
[…So, it’s usually troublesome, so I narrow it down and check it. For the time being, I can check all the types. Look, like this.]
Orshian’s magic flickered. She must have activated detection magic.
I was wondering if she wasn’t activating all the time, but I was late in noticing that the smile had disappeared from her face.
[Let’s go back to the topic. Putting aside the amount of magic power, I understand that you are in the Milendorva house. If you are a child of blessing, they must’ve found you during the hunt in the territory… But, Why are you leading the army and fighting on the front lines? You were originally just a commoner, and you have no obligations to the Milendorva family.]
Her gaze seems to be directed at me, but it’s not.
The gaze was directed at my back.
[No way…]
Orshian muttered and fired a detection magic that was slightly different from before.
I guess that was just for confirmation, but she immediately raised her voice.
[…Isn’t that an elf?! From what tribe!? What is the chief’s name!? Answer me!]
With a swish, Orshian moved her hand to her hip. It’s definitely a movement to pick up the sword hanging on her waist.
However, she seemed to have forgotten that she didn’t bring a weapon.
[What are you trying to do?]
Earlier, Orshian said that there are three qualities of magical power. I agree with that, with the exception of Orshian.
Highlord-class, Lord-class, and elves’ magic power all have subtle differences in qualities. The difference is so small that you can’t tell unless you look closer.
I think Orshian just detected the magic of an elf.
[Hey, get out of here. I have business with that girl.]
There is no longer a gentle smile.
[State your reason. We can’t just let a savage draw weapon on our turf…everyone.]
[Ha!]
The military officers surrounding Orshian raised their hidden anti-Highlord weapons all at once.
Suppression formation.
The magic that Orshian shoots will be distributed among the military officers, and I will be able to cast magic on her without problem.
…..That is if the opponent is a normal Highlord.
[Why are you in the way? Hey]
[I don’t know unless you tell me why.]
I drew the sword hanging from my waist. However, I will not point my finger at her.
For me, it would be most desirable if we didn’t have to fight.
It’s someone who’s on the same level, or even better than me afterall.
Besides, in a battle, the dispersed magic attacks would hit the military officer. They will almost certainly be wiped out for my victory. I’m not so cold-hearted that I can immediately see this as a precious sacrifice when familiar military officers are scattered like a wall of meat.
And above all, the second possibility I can think of… When I think about this, I want to avoid fighting.
[I will answer the previous question. I am indebted to Uncle Milendorva. So, defeating the Levios army is nothing.]
In other words, that kindness must be related to the reason for targeting Eve. Otherwise there is no point in answering.
I raised my voice and asked once more.
[What’s the reason? What’s the relationship between that favor and the elves?]
She let out a sigh of anger and clenched her fist tightly, glaring at me.
[The elves attacked my hometown… Everyone in the village and my father and mother were killed. My brother was poisoned by corrupted land… I’m alive because my uncle helped me but…but…!]
Tears fell from the corners of her eyes, and she said so while shaking her shoulders.
Judging from that, I expect that the next question will be the last.
[…Your hometown where you were born and raised was not in Milendorva territory? Where was it?]
I decided to confirm instead of asking a question.
[What you Nobles call the Mist Land.]
She wiped her face with the sleeve of her clothes as if to say that the story was over.
About half of her magic power was already dyed with anger.
[Now that you get it, move.]
She took a step forward.
For a moment, I had the illusion that a murder weapon had been pointed at me. That’s because Orshian’s magic was getting thicker. For ordinary people, this alone is enough to intimidate them.
[I refuse.]
Although I said so, I was frantically searching in my mind for a way to make concessions and get Orshian to back off.
However, the trouble is that my detection magic has already detected signs of several Lords nearby.
Because of the long conversation, there is a possibility that a military officer serving a Noble of the Quordenze faction or a person equivalent to that came to scout.
They must have used physical strengthening magic to strengthen their hearing and are watching what’s going on here.
If I give in here, the dignity of the Quordenze family will rattle and crumble.
I was so indignant that I wanted to scratch my head at the troublesomeness of the Noble society, and Orshian who is ignorant about it.
I can’t afford to give up at this point. If so, I have no choice but to face her head on.
In the first place, I planned to enjoy Eve’s body to the fullest tonight.
Dying is certainly not my hobby either, so I can’t afford to be killed here.
[Fiend!? D, don’t come closer…!!]
The faint voice coming from behind me was Eve’s.
Ah, why are you reacting like “I know you” so frankly?
Even if it’s a lie, I should have said something like, “Our tribe is a fictional tribe. It has nothing to do with real people or groups”.
[Fiend… Ah yes. They call me fiend too. The elves of the Slade tribe…so there are still survivors.]
There was a calm, quiet smile.
Her clenched fist trembled quietly, and the magic power that surged through her body shook like a storm.
[Stop.]
[I’ll say it one more time, move.]
Looks like there’s no helping it.
I use my fingertips to instruct the military officer to start fighting at any time, and raise my voice a little.
[This is the Quordenze residence, Princess Orshian. Whatever happened in your past, I will deal with any ill intent in a decisive manner. And whatever your intention, I will interpret that all further actions were taken at the behest of the Milendorva family.]
[I see.]
That declaration was not only meant for Orshian, but also people who were listening.
It’s a precaution to claim that whatever I do after this is done in self-defense.
Even so, Orshian was unmoved by this warning, so it’s a problem.
She said that she’s a blessed child from the Mist Land. In the worst case, I should just throw everything away and run away because I don’t know anything about the Milendorva family. Or does she really believe that she’s beyond the reach of rules thanks to her own strength?
[As the successor to the next generation of Quordenze, I will not give in to unreasonable demands. Protecting those who follow me from unreasonable demands without just cause, that is the duty of those who have power.]
While promoting my position as the next leader of the Quordenze faction and our reliability, I gripped my sword tightly.
If we can win the battle, we may be able to cooperate with the Nobles of the Quordenze faction to storm the Milendorva mansion. It’s because you have to let them make a mistake somewhere.
For that reason, I would like to make my own appeal here, and show the ability to raise the Quordenze Allied Forces even if my father is absent.
[So?]
Orshian laughed.
The atmosphere was suffocating, and it wouldn’t be strange for the battle to start at any moment.
Even the sound of the wind swaying the trees and rustling the leaves could be heard loudly.
I gave her the final warning.
[Stop. This will be my last warning.]
[Move. This will be my last warning.]
Then it was quiet.
“Isn’t the center of the world right here, right now?”, the tension made me think so.
At the same time, Orshian’s magical power, which was wriggling so violently, vanished completely.
But it didn’t cause me to let my guard down. It’s on the contrary.
There was an eerie and frightening silence there, like the sea receding before a tsunami hits. In the next moment, Orshian’s whole body seemed to shine.
[Kuuh!!!]
Suddenly, my field of vision was painted black with malice.
It took me some time to swallow my saliva and reach my stomach to realize that it was a magic release filled with murderous intent.
I didn’t expect my body to stiffen and dizzy in response to the threat I knew was coming. Anyway, the heart was beating very loudly.
[Huh? You’re still alright?]
I felt like I could hear a slightly over-the-top voice coming from far away.
Orshian was right in front of me. However it was difficult to hear sounds, as if my ears were stuffed with sludge-soaked cotton.
Even though I know in my heart that this is due to mental pressure, my body can’t keep up.
Am I standing up straight now? Even that confidence wavers.
I’m probably fine. Maybe.
[…The escorts didn’t faint either?]
The mana released by intimidation is not attracted to the weapons possessed by military officers.
However, most of the military officers fell to one knee due to the intense murderous intent that was radiating radially, and managed to keep from falling by using their weapon as a cane.
It’s an overwhelming amount of magical power.
I see, I can understand why she dares coming to other people’s mansions without carrying a single weapon.
If it wasn’t for military officers having already accustomed to my magic power, they would have fainted the moment they received this magic release.
But, this amount of intimidation is almost on par with mine.
In that case, now is the time to win while the military officer hasn’t fainted yet.
[Ooohhhhhhh…!!]
I raised my voice to move my heart that was trembling with menace, and imbued my magic with murderous intent.
It’s not all that difficult to release murderous intent. All the more so now that I’m being threatened.
The law of action and reaction also applies to the heart. If you are hit with the feeling of dislike, the feeling of dislike will naturally arise for the origin.
I unleashed a magic release filled with murderous intent towards Orshian.
[Hii!?]
Now it’s her turn to feel the chill.
My intimidation pierces her body and spreads radially around the western district of the Royal Capital.
[What…is this…!?]
As if to protect her body from the rain, she hid her face with her arms and twisted her body to stare at me.
[Wow…as much as me…!? S-strong…!]
Magic diffusion produces no wind, no sound, no light. Despite this, a roaring sound resounded in my head, my vision was flickering, and I was closed in darkness.
I wondered if my nerves were being shaken by magic, and the feeling like the earth shaking under my feet was terrible.
It’s loud even though there’s no sound. This unpleasant feeling is uncomfortable anyway.
If I let my guard down even for a moment, I’ll die. No, worse.
The only salvation is that we have our share in the long-term battle.
Because of my magic release, the military officers regained their strength and started rebuilding their formation.
[Oh…! Stop it! You idiot!!!]
[Guuuuu!?…..Damn! You, you monster…..!!]
I wished I could yell at the military officers to move faster. Their movements were so sluggish.
I knew that my heart was unstable to the point that I might turn my malicious feelings toward them. But even if I knew it, my trembling heart wouldn’t listen to me.
I started wondering how long the exchange of magic release had gone. I lost my sense of time.
It could be just 10 seconds, or it could be 10 minutes. If someone says it’s 10 hours, I think I’ll be convinced.
In any case, I hope Orshian will eventually give up. I will continue to put up with it until then.
My ears were ringing and my tongue went numb. My vision blurred that I could barely see Orshian’s figure.
An unpleasant feeling, like scraping the skin of the whole body with a file. I could tell that I was sweating from every hole in my body just by standing there.
The intimidation of mana is like the master’s instinct to avoid remnants of mana. Therefore, no residue remains.
However, being exposed to malice in this way should never be good for your health.
[…What is it…!? I don’t know…! What it is!!]
[What’s with, this level…!! You think you’re powerful! What about now!]
The menacing battle is a battle of will.
I could understand it precisely because we are colliding with each other’s magical powers and our emotions. Both the opponent and myself were close to their limits.
The military officer’s formation was once again in perfect shape.
In terms of intimidation, it’s a useless fighting style, but their presence inspires my spirit.
[I…I won’t lose! I absolutely won’t lose!!! I won’t lose…!!!]
[You can’t beat me! Never!]
Due to the continuous release of emotions, my heart was beating abnormally.
This is the power of unity, and I want Orshian to give in like a final boss who is defeated by the main character.
I already felt like I was the main character of a shonen manga.
My thoughts are not working properly due to malice and magic, and I no longer understand what I was saying in the meantime.
However, the fact that it was a home battle was a great mental advantage.
[Uuuuuuuuuuu!! Absolutely no!! I won’t lose!!!]
At that moment, Orshian’s magic release suddenly ceased.
For a moment when they were convinced of their victory, smiles appeared on the military officers’ faces.
But, I knew better.
Orshian made her final bet.
[Really, this is ridiculous…!!]
Normally, there is a limit to the amount of mana that can be produced at once.
The reason why it’s not easy to run out of gas even when releasing magic power is because the amount that can be released is small compared to the total capacity.
Orshian is now trying to release magical power beyond that limit.
But it’s a double-edged sword. Because in order to realize it, it is necessary to use magic to create a path for magic.
The gas mileage is so bad that I think it’s really a joke. The body’s magical power will be depleted in no time.
But, Orshian still intends to do it.
I could tell from my magic sense. Her whole body was filled with brilliance.
From here comes the final threat of ignoring profitability.
[You guys…! Get ready! It’s not over yet!!]
But, my voice didn’t reach.
The world was dyed in black.
A strong feeling of murderous intent pierced my body along with a huge amount of magical power.
There was no sound.
The silent roar that was so loud disappeared cleanly.
I couldn’t hear the rustling of the trees or the collapse of the unconscious military officers.
I didn’t even know if I’m raising my voice or if I was just opening my mouth.
Does air exist in this place? Even breathing stops.
Orshian stood still, glaring at me desperately.
I want to run away.
But I couldn’t.
This magic release won’t last really long. I just have to endure silently.
But I couldn’t breathe.
Will I suffocate first, or will Orshian’s magic run out first?
At this rate, I feel like I’m going to lose heart and die.
Unconsciously, I stopped my own magic release. I gathered magic power from my whole body and filled it with murderous intent.
Just like when you can’t control the magic of goodwill, you can’t hold back your emotion when it comes to malice.
I can’t let this pressure crush me. Will it be destroyed?
A triumphant smile appeared on Orshian’s face as my magic release stopped.
It was the first time, including in my previous life, that a beautiful girl’s smile felt so disgusting.
[Do you think you’ve won at just this level!? Don’t underestimate Quordenze!!!]
I don’t know anything about the battle after this.
I made full use of my magical powers to break through the limit, releasing my magical powers along with a large amount of murderous intent.
[Kyaaaaa!!!!!]
My blurred vision returned to normal and I could see Orshian leaning forward.
At the same time, I could feel the magical power in my body suddenly diminishing.
Cold.
I think my blood pressure is dropping, along with my body temperature.
The sensation of life’s energy gurgling out to the outside is so disgusting that I want to spit it out together with my organs.
The pressure from Orshian had decreased.
However, fighting the fear of my rapidly weakening body was even more frightening.
[Uooooo!!!]
The mana emitted as a threat was evenly matched once again.
But which one of us has the highest amount of mana stored in its entire body? You won’t know until it’s exhausted.
The amount of magic that I usually check is just superficial. Only the person themselves knows how much magical power is lurking in the depths.
I smiled and took a big step closer to Orshian.
As if to show that there is still plenty of room here.
[Hii!]
In the next moment, Orshian took a step back.
I’m not going to miss that opportunity.
I took another step forward with the momentum to destroy the earth.
Frightened, she tried to take a step back, but her legs got tangled and she fell to her bottom.
[A, Aaaaaa…..!]
Then, she stopped releasing magic.
Have you run out of magic, or is your heart broken? I don’t know which one.
[…..it’s… M,my…win…]
My tongue was numb and I couldn’t speak well.
I also stopped my magic release and immediately circulated my remaining mana throughout my body to recover my physical strength.
Without magic power, a Highlord body would be no different than that of a serf’s. And the loss of a large amount of mana in a short period of time seems to have made my physical condition worse at once.
Even though it’s too late, I’m cold hearted that I’ve used my magic power to the limit.
As the remaining amount of magical power circulates throughout the body, it warms the body slightly and I can feel my strength returning.
[…Princess Orshian, do you, have, anything to say?]
She sat on her butt, unmoving.
I brandished the anti-Highlord sword into her white nape…even this single sword felt incredibly heavy. As if I’m terribly exhausted.
[Hi…]
Orshian’s eyes glistened with tears.
[Young Master!]
[Y, you’re safe…!]
In the meantime, civil officers emerged from inside the mansion and rushed to the garden.
Even from a distance, Orshian’s serious murderous intent seemed to be intense, judging from their staggered movements that seemed as if they would fall over at any moment. In fact, some fell and got covered in dust.
[Can you wake the officers up?]
[Certainly.]
My magic power is depleted. This fact made my mind really uneasy.
I felt the need to have some bodyguards, even if they’re only Lord-class.
The civil officers must have noticed that things were different from usual.
Most of them stood by me, and the military officers were healed by a few other people.
If it’s just a simple faint, hitting them a bit would wake them up, but this time the mental damage was too great, so healing magic was needed to wake them up immediately.
[What are you looking at?]
[Gushu… Uuu…uee…]
When I and the civil officer were having a conversation, Orshian was looking at me half crying.
It’s the same for me, but maybe I feel like I’ve been poured cold water on my head because I released too much mana.
The frustration I had felt towards her until just a little while ago disappeared beautifully. Instead, I’m absent-minded and my thoughts weren’t organized, and everything was getting hazy.
She rubbed her nose and rubbed her hand. I was checking the power input by paring.
From what I’ve seen, now is the perfect time to kill her.
[What to do…]
There shouldn’t be anything wrong with killing Orshian right here, right now.
Aside from the squares around here, this is the Quordenze residence. No matter what the circumstances, it ends with the punchline that Orshian was at fault.
If she ended up being the type who would aim at Quordenze as long as she lived, I would rather kill her here and there.
However, until she noticed Eve, Orshian was stupid, but I didn’t think she was that bad.
If only she’s ugly, I would just kill her just in case. But for better or worse, in a few years, she’ll grow into an exceptionally beautiful woman. I definitely want to see how her beauty blooms.
[Sanctions are not a good idea now.]
A civil officer standing next to me whispered.
I’m just going out of my way to say this on this occasion, so it’s kind of a big disadvantage. Well, rather than dealing with it alone, I feel like I’ll get a bigger profit if I leave it to my father.
Besides, the Milendorva family feels like they have too much of this girl.
I can’t help but feel that if I leave this bomb girl behind, she will successfully stir up the Levios and Milendorva households.
Isn’t that better than me messing around poorly?
For the time being, the fact that Wilk Quordenze did not yield to Orshian Milendorva will soon be shared throughout the capital. The menacing battle just now should have definitely reached the entire Royal Capital.
First of all, let’s be happy that I was able to keep Quordenze’s face.
It might be for naught, but I should try to settle this matter regarding Eve.
I put the tip of my sword to Orshian’s chin and showed her a sneer.
[You’re so stupid, Princess Orshian. To think that you would give in after trying to lay a hand on someone unrelated to your enemy.]
[Hic… Uh, lies.]
Of course it’s a lie.
When I bought Eve, I didn’t ask about her native tribe. The slave trader Dolan only told me that she’s an elf.
[That elf girl is from a tribe called the Fiction Tribe…you still remember, right?]
[Yessir. Indeed. I remember the document saying she originated from a tribe called Fiction.]
There was no pre-meeting, but that was such a smooth followup.
As expected of our civil officers, they can read the atmosphere.
[…See? You said it earlier, that it was the Sla-something tribe. Or is it that you actually don’t care from which tribe she was? Then, it can’t be helped. Do you want to have a go at it again?]
[…It’s…Slade tribe…but, she called me…Fiend, earlier.]
[Couldn’t they just hear stories about friends while interacting with other tribes? The Fiction tribe is also a tribe of the Mist Land. They were taken into custody in Quordenze when they were enslaved after being captured during the Levios army’s expedition.]
As much as possible, I continued to talk as if it were nothing.
Rather than making strange excuses, it would be more realistic to pretend that someone with a lot of leeway is teaching them to make fun of rude people.
[Nkuh……….An, expedition?]
Orshian’s shoulders were moving up and down. I guess she’s desperately enduring the feeling that she’s about to burst into tears.
[What, don’t you know? The Levios family regularly goes on expeditions to the Mist Land. What I’m saying is true. When you return home, go ask Archduke Milendorva.]
This is an undeniable fact. So when Orshian hears about the Northern Expedition from Archduke Milendorva, I hope he takes the fictional tales about the Fiction tribe for truth on set.
If she trusts me enough to hesitate to attack, then it’s all right.
I was about to remove the sword from her jaw at the exact moment.
[Wilk-dono! Are you alright!?]
A knight of the Levios family appeared from the front gate accompanied by a civil officer.
He was the knight who served as our guide from Callahanasso City to the Royal Capital, and is the most familiar Levios Knight to me.
It seems that he heard about this emergency and rushed over, but he didn’t jump over the outer wall and entered through the main gate…is that normal?
[I just experienced how “good” the security of the Royal Capital is.]
Thinking that the Levios family is not necessarily an ally, I felt like saying something ironic.
Now that it is highly likely that this is a raid by Orshian herself, it may not be a compliment to harass the Levios family.
[Please call my father, he should be in the Royal Castle. I need him to make the decision.]
[If that’s the case, don’t worry. Marquis Quordenze should be here soon.]
It seems that this Levios knight returned to the Royal castle after guiding me to the Quordenze residence.
A civil officer from Quordenze residence brought an urgent report, so he decided to go straight to the scene with a few personnel for the time being.
How far can we believe the words of the Levios Knight, who is still unconfirmed as an ally?
[Wilk-dono, please lower your sword…]
[Stay where you are.]
At the very least, I cannot fully trust him.
Now that I was exhausted from the large release of magic power, I didn’t want to be approached by a person with a questionable position, even if it’s just a Lord-class.
I’m so timid that I’m even surprised.
I held the sword firmly at Orshian.
Although I don’t really feel like I’m holding a sword because my grip strength was weakened.
[Uhhh… Hic…]
Only Orshian’s voice, who continued to weep while wiping her face alternately with both hands, dissolves in vain.
[…Uuu…huh, Gusu…hicc…uu…]
The tears that had been spilling out little by little seemed to trigger more sobs.
Orshian’s cries gradually grew louder.
I thought that she’d be ugly when she’s crying. But looking at her now, she’d still make a picturesque look even when crying.
It makes me feel like I want to hold out a handkerchief for her.
Without context, it might look like a boy who bullies a girl.
But I couldn’t help but be afraid of when this little girl would throw a tantrum and start rampaging again.
In terms of time, it took about tens of minutes, but to me it felt like an eternity.
[Young Master!!]
A civil officer from Quordenze appeared from the direction of the main gate.
The civil officers standing around me yelled that they were waiting impatiently, so I guessed that he was the messenger who ran to the Royal Castle.
[What’s going on in the Royal Castle? What about father?]
[Master is on his way back here. I went ahead and came back]
The civil officer was breathing heavily despite being a Lord-class. It seemed that he cast his own physical strengthening magic on himself to fulfill his task.
Several civil officers, including him, rushed to the Royal Castle, explained the situation to the Levios knights here, went up inside the castle, and then explained the situation to my father.
[They will return here after arming themselves at the Royal Castle, so it will take some time.]
My father had gone to the Royal castle with several knights and military officers. However, he was not armed to go against a Highlord. We didn’t come here to fight a war after all.
For this reason, the knights and military officers attached to my father decided that it would be dangerous for him to return to the Quordenze mansion as is, where a dangerous person named Orshian would be waiting.
King Levios said that he lent out the anti-Highlord weapons that were kept in the Royal Castle. It seems that the group, including my father, will arrive a little late in order to receive and equip it.
[Very well, then let’s stay like this for a while.]
But, the civil officer advised me otherwise.
[We have already lodged a formal protest to the Milendorva family through King Levios….. If possible, we have agreed to keep Princess Orshian in the Royal Castle, so if you don’t mind, I would like you to put down your sword here.]
…..I’m glad I didn’t get so angry that I blindly killed her.
[Certainly, we can’t keep this kind of thing in our garden forever.]
If you think about it carefully, when my father returns, the next generation of the Quordenze family will be complete. I feel like it would be pretty bad if Orshian went out of control again in that state.
I’d like to ask you to pick her up as soon as possible.
I lowered my sword, but without putting it on my waist, I slowly moved back in a movement that doesn’t seem like a retreat.
It’s important for Nobles not to let their guard down at this point.
[Wilk-dono, may I enter the garden? I would like to take Princess Orshian to the Royal castle.]
I gave permission to Levios Knight, who had been frozen still ever since I told him to “stay where you are”.
It seems that several Levios’ military officers were already waiting near the main gate, and when the Levios knight gave a signal, about 5 people entered the garden.
For the time being, the case is closed, and it’s great that Orshian is the only one to commit the crime.
With all the information that came out, and the fact that the battle was about to start all of a sudden, my head was about to burst with information. I don’t want any more trouble.
[Do, don’t wanna!! Don’t get too close!! You’re an idiot!! Uwaaaa!!!]
…..And Orshian is at it already.
[I hate the Levios army!! Don’t come closer!!]
Lying on the ground, she thrashes her arms and legs to keep the Levios knights away. Somehow, she’s a complete idiot….. Is this because she’s still 13 years old?
Compared to Earth, the Eruo Continent is a world that is harder to live in, so I have no choice but to say that 13-year-old commoners are relatively strong-minded. Orshian is really child-like in comparison.
Well, it seems that some of the Nobles have grown up to be such disappointing children after being so spoiled. In a sense, in the sense of a princess who failed in education, she might be that kind of Noble.
[I’m not going to the Royal Castle anymore!! Get back!!]
Orshian said she dislikes the Levios army, but it seems she really hates them.
The Levios knight couldn’t even step in, and was holding his head wondering what to do.
[But, Princess Orshian, Archduke Milendorva is…]
[Don’t wanna! Don’t wanna! Don’t wannaaaaa!]
No matter how he tried to persuade her, she ended up only saying “don’t wanna”.
Since she looks like an incarnation of beauty, she should be a good Princess if she calms down a little more.
Because she was a blessed child, she may have grown up spoiled by her parents.
Even the Levios knight seemed overwhelmed by the princess’s yelling, so he gave a brief instruction and stepped back.
The military officer talked to the civil officer, then after a while, returned with another person in tow.
[May I please enter the garden?]
The person who was brought out by the Levios’ military officer turned to me and said so quietly.
Over her robe, she wears a hood that looks like Little Red Riding Hood from a fairy tale, and her face cannot be seen at all.
From her voice and height, I had the impression that she was in her late teens, but I wasn’t sure if that was correct.
When I asked the civil officer next to me to use detection magic, I was surprised to find that she was a serf.
But there’s something elegant about her movements. Somehow, I feel like there’s something to her.
……Very suspicious.
[Lucia-sama.]
The suspicious Little Red Riding Hood approached Orshian and called out to her.
It seems that Orshian, who was making noise like a small dog, noticed her.
[….. The person from yesterday?]
[Yes. It’s been a while. I never thought we’d meet again in a place like this.]
They don’t seem to have a very close relationship, but they seem to be able to talk.
I thought about whether I should approach and listen to them talk, but I don’t want to get close to Orshian anymore because of my current physical condition. I didn’t want to strengthen my hearing with body strengthening magic as it would reduce my magic power further.
That’s why I instructed the civil officer to eavesdrop, while I decided to wait and see.
Little Red Riding Hood got closer to Orshian and continued the conversation for a while.
The Levios knight was looking at the spectacle with unease, but when he tried to approach, Orshian glared at him and pushed him away.
[…Is that suspicious woman someone from Levios?]
I asked the civil officer who had a conversation with military officer Levios before Little Red Riding Hood appeared.
After refusing that everything I said was just speculation, he quietly told me.
[It seems to be someone who is in the position of an outsider, a collaborator.]
According to him, the Levios family officials wear a recognizable certificate. But, Red Riding Hood doesn’t have that.
[Princess Orshian seems to dislike the people of the Levios family, and I think she was looKing for people who she could talk to in advance.]
Since Knight Levios called her as a last resort, it was said that she might have been brought along as a conversation partner in case of emergency.
They should also understand that they are hated.
[How did you know that she’s not from Levios family?]
[That red hooded woman was waiting outside the mansion until she was summoned by a knight. I assumed that it was someone who didn’t want their existence to be known, in other words, an outside collaborator.]
Then he declined, saying that this was more speculation, but continued.
[Perhaps she is someone related to the Adellahan family or the Zeldomitra family. We will become one. The knight’s attitude toward her is unnaturally polite….. This is also one of the reasons why I decided that he was an outsider.]
It seemed that the conversation between Little Red Riding Hood and Orshian came to an end while I and the civil officer were talking.
Orshian stood up and brushed off the dirt on her clothes. It’s not a good move for a Princess to do, but considering that she was a commoner until just recently, it doesn’t bother her anymore.
Her gaze was directed at me, but I ignored it. I want her to go home as soon as possible.
[Princess Orshian, please come this way…]
When the Levios Military Officer, who was acting as the group leader, approached her, she walked out of the garden with a momentum that seemed to brush off his words and quickly left the garden by herself.
The leader hurriedly chased after her, but the other side was left dumbfounded.
It looks like she left through the main gate this time, so it’s still better than when she arrived.
When the left-behind Levios knight greeted Quordenze to leave, he made the Red Riding Hood disappear among the military officers and began to walk away.
I was a little worried, but I decided to call out.
[Red Riding Hood over there.]
But, the one who responded was the Levios knight.
[Wilk-dono, I’m very sorry. But, Princess Orshian is waiting for her outside…]
Little Red Riding Hood doesn’t seem to want to talk on her own. Without interrupting Levios Knight’s words, she just watched what happened.
Only her body was facing me. What kind of expression did she have under that hood?
[Am I talking to you?]
I gestured to the knight to not interrupt me again.
Even if she’s not a Highlord, there is a clear hierarchical relationship between Highlord and Lord. To block the words of a Noble, you need a reason. It is difficult to refuse in the garden of the Quordenze mansion without a suitable basis.
[Red Riding Hood.]
[Yes, Wilk Quordenze-sama. What’s wrong with me?]
Knight Levios acquiesced to Little Red Riding Hood’s answer.
The gesture of worrying about the outside of the wall must be an appeal to end the conversation as soon as possible.
Of course, I’m the one who’s the most annoyed when Orshian throws a tantrum. I’m not going to talk too long.
[I’m not going to take your time. I want to ask you, who was close to Princess Orshian. Answer my one question.]
If, as the civil officer says, this Little Red Riding Hood belongs to another family, she may give a different answer than when he asked the Levios family.
With the Royal Capital’s social gatherings coming up soon, I wanted as much information as possible about Orshian.
[As long as I can answer it.]
This turmoil is a matter for the Milendorva family, and the Levios family has only come to mediate. That’s how it is for now.
Therefore, it is not possible to force someone to ask something by entrusting it to authority.
When I tried to ask a question, I realized that the contents of the question were not well summarized.
My head was still a little hazy.
[Orshian Milendorva… What is she?]
The words I spoke were so abstract that they could not even be called questions.
However, Little Red Riding Hood didn’t seem confused by that question. Rather, she replied in a cheerful tone, as if that was the best question to ask.
[By the way you look, don’t you already know?]
For some reason, it seems like Little Red Riding Hood has a faint smile under her hood. At the same time, it seems that she is strongly wary of me.
With that familiar voice, she told me what I wanted and what I didn’t want.
[Progenitor.]
Then she turned her back on me and walked away at the end.
[…..The supreme existence that reigns above us.]
Until my father came back, I spent a long time in the garden thinking about the meaning of that word.
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