Encounter

Once the task was decided, the rule was to act immediately.

After paying Zikmel for the information and hurriedly leaving the shop, we headed straight for the Noble Council. Still, I felt a bit uneasy about going there with a tail still attached, so this time Asilie stepped up.

"Take care, big sis."

"Don’t worry. I’m good at this sort of thing."

With a confident expression, Asilie parted from me, pulled her hood over her head, and vanished into the crowd in an instant. Say what you will, but the grace and skill of an elf who'd lived over a hundred years were not to be underestimated.

After separating from Asilie and walking the streets, I started mulling it over once more—whether I could actually get help from Duke Lesrom.

All wyverns in the kingdom had to be under royal management.

But that only meant wyverns could only be managed at wyvern stations and wyvern breeding centers designated by royal decree. Nothing more.

If you paid the corresponding price, most people could use them. Wyverns were ultimately just one of those transportation methods.

Among them, certain high-ranking nobles held the right to rent wyverns to a location of their choosing outside of the designated wyvern stations in emergency situations.

Of course, it wasn't something you could just do for free—you had to stake your family name, or obtain a permit bearing the royal seal with a justifiable reason recognized—but in any case, it was possible.

Naturally, a duke would have enough pull to rent a wyvern in his own name. Though he couldn't use it like a personal car.

That was why, despite my deep reluctance, I was still heading to see Duke Lesrom. As he himself had said, if he truly intended to serve the kingdom and prevent treason, it would be possible to saddle him with the task of dealing with Count Bosha's rebellion boot camp, including the wyvern rental.

Obviously, I couldn't walk up to some wyvern pilot I'd never met at a wyvern station and announce that I was off to slaughter a mercenary band, so the target for the rental was Gies and his wyvern.

Wyvern pilots and wyverns, so long as they were within the kingdom's territory, were under the royal family's jurisdiction and counted as their property. So, even if he'd been officially missing for nearly two years, he still fell under the story I'd mentioned earlier.

...Probably. If not, things were going to get annoying.

"Halt. This is the Noble Council, not open to the general public. State your business."

What greeted me at the entrance of the Noble Council—which I'd reached while torn between admiration and embarrassment—was a guard demonstrating movement brimming with discipline. The halberds crossing in an X from both sides as if choreographed reminded me of an honor guard's precise sword drill, and that alone seemed to prove these were no half-trained private soldiers.

"I have come to see His Excellency, Duke Rawinera."

"Did you make an appointment in advance?"

"No."

Doubt began to cloud his solemn face. Naturally it would. To someone who looked like nothing more than an adventurer, showing up unannounced to see a duke would make me look like a madman.

But the guard, without any outward sign of it, spoke a perfectly reasonable point while maintaining decorum, which impressed me.

"Forgive me, but without a scheduled appointment, if there are no special circumstances arising from your business or status, even conveying a message is difficult."

I'd been seeing so many abnormal things that even a normal response moved me. Still, judging by his reaction, Duke Lesrom was inside.

"Would you convey that I have urgent words regarding a boar hunt? If speaking directly to His Excellency is difficult, I would ask that you tell Sir Ruserik, the agent, that Eldmia Ega has come on business."

In that instant, the guard who had been standing silently beside him flinched. The movement was so blatant that my gaze shifted involuntarily, but he ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠seemed to have no other intent, just staring into empty space.

That gaze did look a bit too unsteady though... probably my imagination?

"...Understood. I know it's an inconvenience, but please wait a moment."

In contrast, the guard I'd been speaking with gave a light nod and approached another guard further inside, relaying the message. If the guards at the temporary detention center had shown that kind of protocol, no one would have died, honestly.

As I stood there staring blankly at the sight, it wasn't long before Ruserik appeared, as composed as the last time.

"Welcome, Sir Eldmia Ega. Your visit is a welcome one."

"Thank you for your hospitality despite my sudden visit, Sir... Ruserik...?"

I gave my greeting according to etiquette, and when I raised my head, Ruserik was wearing an expression like he'd just seen something that defied the laws of nature, all his composure from moments before completely gone.

Why are your eyes open that wide?

"Hm, hm-hem. Let us go. His Excellency Duke Rawinera awaits."

A guy goes to the trouble of acting with proper decorum and that's the reaction he gets. Anyone watching would think a barbarian had just greeted someone with royal court etiquette.

Perhaps aware that he himself had failed to manage his expression, Ruserik turned and guided me with a bit of haste.

"That guy was the Guillotine?"

"I wondered what kind of monster he'd be, but even his build is something else."

That was all well and good, but unlike the last visit, I couldn't help being quite flustered by the stares pouring onto me from all around. Why were they treating a person like some execution device?

Reading my bewilderment, Ruserik coughed lightly and quietly explained.

"The reactions around you differ greatly from your last visit, but I ask for your understanding. The incident at the temporary detention center spread by word of mouth faster than expected..."

He'd come at me dirty with facts, so I had nothing to say even though it felt unfair. Ruserik hurried his steps a little more than usual, showing consideration so that I could quickly escape the surrounding gazes.

Guided by him into the office, Duke Lesrom greeted me once again, showing a warmth that didn't match his appearance.

"You visited sooner than I thought. Did you find our chat to your liking after all?"

At first it had been awkward, but thinking about it calmly, this was the normal reaction.

Still, I was, after all, a talent who'd saved an imperial princess and bested the Hero. Wouldn't it be incredibly shortsighted to openly antagonize me just because I served a Royal Faction noble, or to try recruiting me immediately despite never having met me?

Attempting to build rapport first, as Duke Lesrom had, was an utterly common-sense course of action. Though it felt like the world was full of people with no common sense whatsoever.

"Honestly, I didn't want to see you a second time, but things turned out this way again."

Of course, I acted out because I didn't want to get involved in any of that, but Duke Lesrom was formidable.

"Ha ha ha. It could happen. The affairs of the world don't go as one pleases, as they ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠say. However, despite your young age, knowing how to act out of necessity is an exceedingly good thing. Sit down. I do hope you can drink your tea with a relaxed mind this time."

Since he always treated me with goodwill, from the position of someone who considered him an adversary, he was a uniquely uncomfortable figure. Worse, seeing him inevitably move to serve tea with practiced motions, I couldn't even refuse this time.

Why does this elder keep trying to serve tea and make people feel so burdened? Just how obsessed is he with tea?

"So, you had something to say regarding the boar hunt? If you handled it the same way as two days ago, no one would be chattering about your tracks... but seeing as you visited only today, I suppose that's not why you came."

The sofa turned into a pincushion the moment I sat down.

"You really... are quick with your news."

"Of course. I have to be quick. Otherwise, you can't deal with the parasites gnawing away at the kingdom. It's tiring work, and costly."

Had he hired someone so skilled that Asilie and I hadn't noticed them tailing me? More than that, back then I'd hit places from Rubilla's to the slave merchant group—did he know all of that?

My doubts didn't last long.

"You handled the Baron Rubila matter really well. Boys your age usually lack discretion, but you wrapped it up cleanly. Did you happen to know that he'd been secretly breeding wyverns behind the kingdom's back?"

"...No. That's the first I've heard of it."

"Based on the wyvern pilot's testimony tomorrow, a raid is scheduled under the guise of tracing his treasonous activities. He probably hid them under his own lead... but now he can do nothing, and they'll simply be seized."

"Isn't that good news for the Royal Faction? You look... incredibly satisfied."

Duke Lesrom, who had carried the tea and utensils over with immaculate poise, sat opposite me with an elegant motion and spoke firmly.

"It is good news not for the Royal Faction, but for the kingdom."

"Those are two very different things." Stroking his chin with a smile, Duke Lesrom continued.

"The same goes for the slaves. It might look like an attitude of not caring as long as they aren't citizens of this kingdom, but our country has maintained long-time maritime trade with the Kingdom of Radan, where slavery is deeply involved in the national foundation. We cannot openly deny their system, so it is maintained in the form of recognizing slaves from overseas. That is the way of those in high places, you see."

Damn. He knew everything. My expression unconsciously turned to one like I'd bitten into something foul.

"Naturally, from the kingdom's standpoint, those who deceive and sell its own people into slavery must be severely punished, but if we take a hard line, we inadvertently incur the dissatisfaction of slave traders in the Kingdom of Radan. Yet if we begin an investigation half-heartedly, they slip away with all sorts of excuses. Having someone like you, with no ties whatsoever, sweep them cleanly away and bring back evidence is convenient in many ways. In the manner of, 'We hadn't intended this, but the result turned out this way, so deal with it. Isn't there evidence, after all?'"

Duke or not, did it make sense to acquire information this definitively? If a duke was at this level, then just what level was the royal family's intelligence capability? It felt like Duke Lesrom's competence alone couldn't explain it.

"Did you have a tail placed on me?"

"That can't be. Did I not say during your last visit? Whatever happens after you leave the Noble Council has no connection whatsoever to the will of the Noble Council."

"And yet you are fully aware of everything I've done."

"I know as much as His Majesty the King knows."

As I watched Duke Lesrom shrug his shoulders, answer as if it were nothing, and pour tea, I was absently mulling over his words when a sudden realization flashed through me.

"Do you have people in the Royal Intelligence Department as well?"

Isn't that treason...?

As I stood frozen, not knowing how to react, for the first time Duke Lesrom was startled and waved his hands in denial.

"What a terrifying imagination you have, young friend. I merely receive information directly by requesting it from His Majesty."

"Ah, directly... pardon? Directly?"

What the hell had I just heard? The head of the Noble Faction receives information directly from His Majesty the King?

As I stared at him with a dumbfounded expression, Duke Lesrom, after savoring his tea once, nodded lightly and assented.

"I told you. So long as you are of the Royal Faction, we can maintain a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠good relationship."

With an air so nonchalant it was hard to believe he was the one who'd ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠dropped that bombshell, Duke Lesrom smiled.