Are You Out of Your Mind?
When I first told my master that we would be heading to the Royal Capital, I half-expected a very different answer. Something along the lines of, “I’ll just hide my presence and slip in unnoticed,” or “I’d rather die than let a bunch of suspicious fools watch my every move.” After all, I knew how much he disliked being the center of attention. He had already suffered through that nightmare back in the gangho, and he had no desire to repeat the experience. Having stayed by his side for so long, I thought I could predict his reaction.
But Master surprised me. He agreed to follow my suggestion without complaint. He would willingly endure the stares of others and accept their surveillance. He gave his consent so casually that, for a moment, I wondered why. Yet I soon let the question go. No matter how powerful he was, no matter that he was the Heavenly Demon himself, he was still human. And every human, at one time or another, feels the urge to see how the world truly works with their own eyes. Perhaps he simply wanted to walk through it openly this time, without hiding. I decided that was reason enough and pushed the doubt from my mind.
“What the hell are these?”
“They are the ones sent to escort us, Master.”
“…So this is how they greet guests here? If they make one wrong move, I might just draw a sword.”
If anyone asked whether that was sarcasm, I would answer with absolute certainty: yes, it was. I had told my disciples to at least pretend to be humble, but I had no intention of forcing the same behavior on Master. The fact that he was willing to go along with this at all, to follow these obviously scheming escorts and even agree to being disarmed, was already more than enough. If a person only ever showed a gentle side, they would be taken lightly. So we had decided inside the carriage that I, as the master of the Heroes, would strike a moderate balance, while Master would sit in the back and toss out blunt complaints whenever he felt like it. Each of us would play to our strengths.
“….”
The vice-commander stared at Master in a daze. Watching that gaze made irritation bubble up inside me. It wasn’t as blatant as the pig-like noble we had met in the west, but staring so openly was still rude, wasn’t it? I cleared my throat loudly. The man jolted as if struck.
“M-my apologies. I never imagined someone like… like him would be here…”
“That’s understandable. After all, he stands even higher than I do.”
“Pardon? Uh, wait a moment. What did you just…?”
The vice-commander’s voice cracked with panic at the words “even higher than I do.” Accepting three Heroes into the palace was already an enormous burden. Now he had to let in their master as well? And on top of that, this master had someone he himself looked up to? From the vice-commander’s perspective, this was enough to drive a man insane.
Of course, the decision to accept the Heroes had come from the royal family. Someone of his lowly rank had no say in the matter. Still, when things went wrong, the person standing on the front line was always the one who took the blame. He probably realized that all too well. The royal family had chosen to welcome the Heroes, but the longer this absurd list of additional personnel grew, the more it would be his head on the chopping block.
“How long are you going to keep us standing here? Aren’t you going to guide us inside the Royal Capital?”
Iris muttered, her voice laced with irritation. The vice-commander flinched, let out a heavy sigh, and quickly spoke up.
“My deepest apologies. We will escort you into the Royal Palace at once.”
I gave him a small nod. At his signal, the knights and soldiers finally began to move. They formed neat ranks that could have been interpreted as an honor guard for the carriage… or as guards keeping it under watch. Once the troops were in formation, the vice-commander glanced nervously in my direction. Even someone ignorant of military matters could tell what this atmosphere meant. These men were not surrounding the carriage out of pure goodwill. They were making a deliberate show of force, even if it was ultimately meaningless. The true masters of the Royal Capital were the royal family. The Heroes were nothing more than guests who had entered their domain. Therefore, those tasked with protecting the palace would welcome the Heroes while remaining wary of them.
“Let’s get moving. The sun will set at this rate.”
Gerard spoke as he climbed back into the driver’s seat. A few people sent him bewildered looks, especially the knights. For proud warriors who valued honor and dignity above all else, seeing the Guardian Hero willingly take the reins must have looked utterly bizarre.
“Here.”
“…Yes?”
“What are you waiting for? Take it.”
“What is this…?”
Iris shoved several bundles into the vice-commander’s arms. Watching his flustered reaction almost made me laugh out loud.
“We’re guests and you’re the ones in charge here, right? Then you should carry the guests’ luggage. I’ve been lugging these around the whole way. You’re not seriously going to make me haul them inside too, are you?”
It was a strange argument, yet somehow strangely logical. The poor vice-commander stammered for a moment before finally nodding in defeat. Iris, now unburdened, climbed onto the roof of the carriage with a refreshed expression. When I asked why she preferred the roof over riding inside, she said being cooped up felt suffocating and the open air was far more comfortable.
“We’ll be in your care, knights.”
After offering a polite greeting, I led Iris and Master into the carriage. Soon the signal to depart rang out, and the carriage finally began to move.
“…They’re far more pathetic than I expected.”
Master clicked his tongue in disapproval. No matter how strong we were, these men were still warriors in their own right. Those who protected the royal family should have possessed pride and self-respect. Yet they bowed their heads so easily. How disappointing, he added.
“It can’t be helped. This isn’t the gangho, Master. People of the gangho fight for their own sects, but my disciples—the ones called Heroes—fight for the entire world.”
“So the weight carried by that title is different. Is that what you’re saying?”
“Exactly. It must be an immense burden. If they treat them carelessly, there’s no telling what kind of backlash they might face.”
“…Now that you mention it, that makes sense. It seems I misjudged the situation.”
The fact that Master so readily admitted his own mistake was surprising. No, it was downright shocking.
“Master, what are your plans after this?”
“I’m not sure. I don’t know the schedule either. It seems Iris and Gerard will enter the palace to meet the king. Whether I join them… I honestly don’t want to go.”
“But you are the master of the Heroes. They can’t very well ignore you, can they?”
“I suppose not. Master? What will you do? Will you come with us?”
Master shook his head violently, letting out a groan. He had no desire to even look at politicians. The situation was already stifling enough. Entering the royal palace would only make it worse. He firmly refused, explaining his reasons in detail.
“Hmm. Then you can stay with Senior Daisy, who is waiting inside the Royal Capital, Grandmaster.”
“That does seem like the best option.”
“What are you saying, Iris? You stay right by my side too.”
“E-eh? Why?!”
“Why? What do you mean, why? Do you have time to waste? Shouldn’t you be working to become stronger as quickly as possible so you stop being a burden to your master? And here you are, already trying to slack off!”
“I am not slacking off! I have my own reasons as a Hero for wanting to enter the palace first!”
“You rascal! Don’t make excuses! How dare you try to escape from me! Didn’t you say you wanted to become stronger? Was that nothing but a fleeting whim?!”
Goodness, my ears are going to fall off at this rate, Master. I love him dearly, but when he scolds someone, his voice is far too loud. It was a relief that he was containing his energy so the sound wouldn’t leak out. Otherwise, everyone nearby would probably think we were about to start a knife fight inside the carriage.
“My disciple.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Are you really planning to take that troublemaker with you?”
At Master’s question, I reflexively glanced at Iris. It wasn’t out of pity. If the regressor had some specific purpose for entering the palace—if she sensed something she needed to uncover—then I would have to step in and stop Master from going with her.
“….”
A quick look at Iris told me everything. She didn’t seem entirely certain herself. If she had been sure something was inside the palace, she would have worn a grim expression. Instead, she looked troubled, unsure which choice was better. She was clearly torn between entering the palace and receiving even a little instruction from Master. When I thought about it, that was only natural. According to what Iris had experienced, she had arrived at the Royal Capital much later—after events had already unfolded. Even a regressor couldn’t be certain exactly when, how, or in what manner those events would occur.
“Iris, wouldn’t it be better for you to stay with Grandmaster and focus on your swordsmanship?”
“But… but…”
“I’ll inspect the palace thoroughly and tell you everything I find.”
“…Ah.”
The hidden meaning behind my words was clear: I would search for anything suspicious inside the palace myself. Iris seemed to understand. After a brief moment of hesitation, she nodded.
“…Then, Master! And Grandmaster! I have a request!”
“A request?”
“Yes. It’s actually a request for Grandmaster!”
“You dare ask a favor of me?”
“If you refuse, I’ll follow Master no matter what and pester you the whole way!”
…What is this idiot disciple saying?
“You’ve finally lost your mind.”
Master seemed to share my exact thoughts. Still, I couldn’t help wondering what kind of request would make her act like this.
“Instead of following Master, I want to explore the Royal Capital together with Grandmaster!”
“…What?”
…Iris and Master together? That fool’s head is going to get hit with a real Heavenly Demon chestnut flick.