True National Power: Rolling Around
National power level for real—rolling around. I was tumbling lazily across the guest room bed. So fluffy! It felt like lying on a cloud straight from the sky! The bed was so huge that even when I rolled every which way, I never hit the edge!
Moonlight filtered through the luxurious red curtains on the windows, and the paintings on the walls were truly magnificent. But the real star was last night's dinner...
"Mmm! It was so delicious!" I smacked my lips and gazed up at the ceiling. Roasted whole pig, tender steak, sweet wine... Come to think of it, what should I do tomorrow? Lying there staring at the ceiling, I pondered my plans.
First things first, head to the adventurer guild in the morning to check if my rank went up. It has to have by now. If not, I'll raise hell about including the evil god cultists I wiped out and demand they promote me on the spot! Then, storm the royal castle for revenge. How dare they try to capture me and kill my bugs! They need to pay!
What would be the best way to get revenge? Since they tried to nab me, maybe kidnap a princess or prince? But what would I even do with them? Extort money or treasure? Nah, Master already has tons of that... Slaughter them all and offer them as sacrifices to Lady Michael? But that'd leave innocent people upset... I only spared two of those knights anyway.
"Hmm... That feels a bit off." Tough dilemma. What should I do... Ah! A brilliant idea hit me!
"That's it! I'll make the king build an amazing lair for Master!" I bolted upright and clapped my hands together. Perfect idea! Order him to construct a splendid lair on the kingdom's best land for Master. Then Master can use it like a vacation home whenever she visits. And of course, I'll tag along! Hehe...
Cecilia and Miel must have noticed my good mood, because they flew over my head and started circling gleefully. Lote sped up its orbit in response to my emotions too.
"Hehe! You guys think it's awesome too, right?" Cecilia, Miel, and Lote nodded their tiny heads. Even Glessia, lounging at the foot of the bed, gave a nod. You too, Glessia?!
"Great! It'll be my gift to Master!" I flopped back down and let my imagination run wild. A palace adorned with massive ice pillars, an ice garden around it, and a lavish bedroom for Master and me. Just thinking about it had me buzzing with excitement. Lost in these pleasant daydreams, I drifted off to sleep.
...
"Lady Ricoris, are you awake?" A voice and a knock pulled me from slumber. Blurry-eyed, I glanced at the window—dawn light was seeping into the room.
"Mmm... Come in~" The door opened, and Levy and Liandel entered. Levy looked brighter than usual, while Liandel was his typical neat self.
"Good morning, Lady Ricoris."
"Sleep well?"
"Yeah, slept great! The bed was super comfy!" I stretched with a yawn and sat up. Cecilia, who'd dozed off by my pillow last night, fluttered to the windowsill to bask in the morning sun. Miel was buzzing around Levy. Glessia seemed to still be sleeping.
"We sent a letter to Baron Silverbrook reporting the evil god cultists' extermination. He should be relieved now."
"Ooh, nice work!" I was impressed by Liandel's report. I'd totally forgotten!
"Are we heading back to Desmeer now?" Levy asked brightly.
"Nope. First, the adventurer guild to raise my rank, then the royal castle for revenge on those knights!" I declared my all-night plan with gusto. I didn't miss the flicker of unease in Levy and Liandel's eyes. The word "revenge" must've scared them. My plan was more like demanding compensation, though.
"...What form will your revenge take, Lady Ricoris? Do you have a specific plan?" Liandel asked cautiously, gauging my mood.
"Yep! Thought about it last night. I'll make them build a lair for Master on the kingdom's prime land!" I proudly unveiled my genius idea.
"Ah... I see. That sounds like a fine idea." Relief washed over Liandel's face. I could see him exhale deeply.
"Yeah, I thought you'd go on a killing spree or something." Levy blurted out more honestly than expected.
"What kinda monster do you think I am?!" Okay, I did consider it briefly, but I know life's precious! Geez! I reflexively flicked her forehead for the cheeky remark.
"Ow!" Levy yelped in pain. But then something unexpected happened. Tears welled in her eyes, and a baseball-sized lump ballooned on her forehead.
Eh... What the...? I barely tapped her...?
I looked at Liandel in shock—his eyes were wide with surprise too.
"Ugh... I was just kidding..." Levy whimpered, tears streaming.
"S-Sorry... I swear I hit you lightly..." I stammered, flustered.
"Lady Ricoris, please heal Levy..." Liandel said worriedly.
Right! Healing! I'd panicked and forgotten my powers. I quickly invoked my ability—a golden arrow shot from my fingertip to her forehead, followed by green healing pollen. Her lump glowed gold and vanished in an instant. The tears stopped, but she still looked sulky, like her feelings were hurt.
"Levy, really sorry... I didn't realize my strength was that much..." Ugh, I forgot to account for my level and attack power. No more pranks from now on... Her face stayed gloomy, avoiding my eyes with pursed lips. She was definitely pouting. How much did it hurt...? That lump was huge—she didn't even pass out, which is impressive... Hmm... How to cheer her up... What does Levy like...? Ah, right!
"Next time we go to the Heshet Empire, I'll set you up on a date with the prince!"
Levy's expression flipped instantly. Her eyes sparkled as she snapped her head up.
"How...?" she asked, incredulous.
"I'm Lady Michael's apostle—what's a little 'divine revelation'? Or I'll make it happen by force!" I replied confidently.
"Hehe... For real?" A huge grin bloomed on her face.
"Yep, totally!" I hooked my pinky for a promise.
"An apostle making promises like that..." Liandel sighed.
Hey! Jealous? Shoulda been the one chosen then! And from the novels I read, most high priests were corrupt anyway! This is just cute charm! Lady Michael would approve!
"Alright, let's grab breakfast!" I said brightly to lighten the mood.
On the way to the dining hall, the count's mansion decor caught my eye anew. Portraits lining the walls chronicled the Haind family history, and ornate chandeliers lit the path. Red carpet muffled our footsteps.
Levy pointed to one portrait and whispered, "That's the first head of House Haind. A famous war hero—even I knew of him growing up in the Heshet Empire."
Oho, a war hero...
"Stronger than me?"
"Er... Probably not..."
Hehe. Knew it! Liandel gave me a deadpan look, but I ignored it.
In the dining hall, a massive table awaited, but the count and Edgar were absent. The butler greeted us politely instead.
"Where'd the count and Edgar go?"
"The count and young master were summoned to the royal castle and left early this morning."
"They were originally summoned along with you all, but the count didn't want to disturb Lady Ricoris's rest and insisted on handling it alone."
Ooh... Count... so sweet! But I'll be at the castle today too, so maybe we'll cross paths later.
So the three of us ate breakfast together. The table overflowed with fresh-baked bread, candies, and my favorite meats. The bread was made by my pal Milo, but since it looked different, no qualms there. Gotta eat bread from now on! Especially the bacon—crispy yet juicy. I demolished a whole plate in seconds.
"So good!" And without the count and Edgar, my noble trait didn't trigger—perfect.
"Breakfast done—off to the guild!"
Outside the mansion, a carriage the count had thoughtfully prepared waited. Black and luxurious with the Haind crest, pulled by four sturdy horses. Plush leather seats and small windows inside.
Gazing out at the city through the windows as we left the noble district for the center. Neje unfolded before us. Passing noble areas into the bustling commercial hub—shops, markets, people of all trades hurrying about.
"That's the adventurer guild," Levy said, pointing out the window. A massive five-story wooden building came into view. Fitting for the capital! Weathered but sturdy, with the guild's sword-and-shield emblem hanging proudly.
As the carriage neared, a huge crowd gathered in front. They buzzed at the sight of us.
"Why's a noble carriage here? Named request?"
"Looks like House Haind."
"What's on top? Wait... an ice hornet...?"
Adventurers stopped to gawk. Some backed away slack-jawed; others pointed and whispered. Plenty stared wide-eyed at Glessia's size.
"Who's that riding?"
"Taming a monster like that..."
"Not Haind family, though...?"
All this fuss over a noble carriage and Glessia! Wait till they see me hit national power level! Hehe!