Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Mastain Ducal Family (2)
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Muscles that seemed ready to burst.
Even a beard overflowing with masculinity.
Tanes, with his appearance perfectly matching the North's reputation as the land of rugged men, possessed a presence that instinctively made anyone standing before him shrink back in intimidation.
He stood in stark contrast to Laura, who could be called somewhat delicate, and looked down at us with a stern expression.
“I greet the ruler of the North.”
True to my upbringing in the land of Eastern etiquette, I bowed at a perfect ninety degrees on reflex.
We were in a position to ask for his help right away, so even if it made me look servile, I had to bend my waist.
“Are you Baron Raden?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“So, what brings you to our territory? I clearly promised five thousand gold on the condition that you take care of my daughter in your territory.”
“The truth is, we’re in charge of the hero party.”
“The hero party?”
Tanes twitched his thick eyebrows.
His eyes said, *What nonsense is this all of a sudden?*
His massive build gave off an intimidating pressure, but I answered confidently.
“Yes. It’s a classic hero party made up of the hero, the saintess, the archer, the wizard, and the thief.”
He stroked his chin beard and scanned us over.
“Hmm… a former saintess and an elf… Yeah, that checks out as a hero party.”
I’d prepared a demonstration of Purifying Flame, assuming the duke wouldn’t believe me right away, but I was caught off guard.
Contrary to my expectations, the duke seemed to take my word for it.
*This is weird. Things shouldn’t go this smoothly…*
“So, what do you want from me? If you’re a hero party, I’ll provide whatever support you need.”
Rainy and I exchanged baffled glances at how easily this was unfolding.
Laura looked flustered too.
It felt a bit suspicious, but since he was offering help, I stated our request honestly.
“We’re trying to get the Church to officially certify us as a hero party, but our relations with them aren’t good, so we need Your Excellency’s assistance.”
“Hmm… Because of the excommunicated saintess?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Well, I can help with that much.”
Seeing the duke nod so readily made me reflect on whether I’d been too cynical.
Things in the world can go smoothly sometimes too, but after so much hardship in a row, I’d gotten into the habit of only thinking negatively.
“Thank you.”
As I bowed my head in gratitude,
“But.”
An ominous voice rang out.
“Send my daughter back to Daven territory. I won’t even ask you to send Yumi back. I’ll also procure a skilled wizard to replace my daughter.”
“…”
*As expected, things in the world aren’t that easy.* There was a condition attached.
“Father!”
Laura cried out.
“What.”
“Why can’t I go?!”
The duke narrowed his eyes.
“Dealing with demons is far too dangerous. A kid like you still wouldn’t be of any help there.”
“No way!”
“Laura!”
“I want to join the hero party too! For my sister’s treatment at least!”
“Even so. I don’t want to lose you too.”
Father and daughter exchanged heated shouts.
I’d naturally planned to side with and protect Laura, but I hesitated upon hearing the duke’s words.
A hero party was undeniably extremely dangerous.
It was a job fighting against brutal demons.
From a parent’s perspective with children, it was only natural to hope their kids wouldn’t do something so risky.
Especially for a duke who already had one child in poor condition.
“But it’s a hero party! A hero party to protect this continent. Does Father not care about protecting this continent?”
“Laura.”
“…”
“Do you know why I sent you to Daven territory?”
“Because… to make me reflect…”
The duke shook his head.
“I announced it as exile to the world, but it was actually to protect you. That place is relatively safe from demons.”
“I never agreed to that at all? Why do you decide everything on your own, Father?”
We took a step back and awkwardly watched their argument.
It showed no signs of ending.
“Hmph, Raden. Let’s just go. We don’t need that hero party certification.”
After a long quarrel, Laura whipped her head around and said to me.
She must have figured the duke wouldn’t be easily persuaded.
Laura strode toward the exit, and the duke clutched his forehead as if exhausted.
I could understand the duke’s feelings too, so after giving him a brief sympathetic look, I followed after Laura.
For now, as the hero party leader, I should prioritize the will of my party member Laura.
As we were about to leave the family castle, the butler came rushing over.
“The Family Head says to have a meal before you go.”
Apparently, unlike his appearance, the duke still wanted his child to eat.
“…No thanks.”
“Lady, please have your meal before leaving.”
“…”
Laura, perhaps feeling uneasy about leaving just like this, nodded silently.
***
Family castle dining hall.
Amid a spread of all sorts of lavish delicacies, our party ate listlessly, glancing at the downcast Laura.
I’d thought the duke would join us for the meal, but he was nowhere to be seen, and only enough food for our group had been prepared.
“…”
Even though we were eating top-quality food, it didn’t taste right.
It even made me think the hard bread we’d eaten huddled together back at the barony had tasted better.
We were picking at our food like that when.
“Huff… huff…”
One of the maids came rushing into the room.
Feeling the premonition of another incident, I jumped to my feet urgently.
“What’s wrong?”
“Uh… The duke says you must leave this place immediately.”
“Pardon?”
It was the duke himself who’d prepared the meal and told us to eat before going.
Yet now he was ordering us to leave in the middle of the meal?
I could guess some kind of incident had occurred.
“What…”
Laura seemed to think the same, her face turning deathly pale.
The composed Bine asked,
“What’s going on?”
“Uh… I can’t tell you that…”
“I am Bine, princess of the Elf Empire. If you don’t tell me honestly, I’ll consider this chasing away the empire’s princess without justification.”
“P-Princess…”
The maid’s face went pale.
I’d never seen Bine pressure someone with her status before, but she must have judged the situation serious and decided to actively use her position this time.
The maid hesitated before finally speaking honestly.
“Black mages have been detected stirring in the mountains around the ducal house… So it would be best if the guests leave quickly…”
“B-Black… black mages?”
“Yes… Apparently, students visiting the academy found traces of the black mages.”
Black mages were a group that used forbidden magic unacceptable by this world’s standards, like corpse resurrection or chimera creation.
They were infamous villains known for human sacrifices and constantly trying to summon demons.
Their deeds were so bizarre that countless fairy tales about their dangers circulated throughout the empire.
They’d held the top spot as the villains children feared most—above even ghosts—for centuries.
What caught my attention, though, was that academy students had discovered them.
Why had those guys, who should be in the eastern academy writing their romance novels, crawled all the way up to this freezing North?
“How did academy students end up here?”
“I heard it’s because academy club students came for a group field trip over break.”
“…”
“The subjugation force has been dispatched urgently, but there are so many black mages that the effects might reach this territory. So please, guests, leave quickly.”
My party members and I exchanged looks.
We hadn’t said anything, but our thoughts aligned.
“Understood. Let’s go.”
“Yes, thank you for cooperating.”
The maid looked relieved that we were leaving without fuss.
I felt sorry for her, but a hero party doesn’t run from injustice.
For now, we’d pretend to obey and leave, then sneak off to the mountains where the black mages were stirring.
We had Rainy, the ultimate weapon against black mages, so there was no need to fear the fight at all.
The only concern was the academy students who’d discovered the group of black mages.
Academy students wandering off on a hike or climbing mountains for assignments and stumbling upon a black mage dungeon or ancient ruins was a classic plot.
And those who encountered such destined developments were usually protagonist-level characters in academy stories.
One such academy story protagonist came to mind.
It looked like I’d finally meet that person face-to-face this time.