Preparing to Leave
Daily life after the succession ceremony was, as expected, monotonous.
A backwater village buried in snow on every side had precious little worth doing. There were no inhabited settlements nearby, and merchants never passed through. Aside from the hours he spent asleep, Shiron devoted himself to training and to his research into killing the Evil God.
Even so, a few things had changed. The most immediately noticeable was that he no longer ate alone.
After finishing his shower, Shiron headed to the designated place for lunch. Unlike the extravagantly decorated banquet hall, the room held only a plain table and chairs. His younger siblings and Hugo were already there, having washed up lightly.
“You could have started without me.”
“If I had, it would have looked as though we were excluding you.”
Hugo spoke evenly. Shiron gave a short laugh and took his seat—directly across from Hugo, where their eyes could meet while they talked. Others might have found it uncomfortable; Shiron felt the necessity of it. Having already declared that he possessed the power of prophecy, drifting away from the man would only seem strange. Courting needless suspicion was a bad idea.
Hugo has to become my solid backer.
Building goodwill started with the smallest gestures. Not bolting down his food the moment his stomach growled was basic etiquette. Shiron sliced a piece of meat into a bite-sized portion and looked at Hugo.
“When do we leave?”
Asking a question before an elder spoke first was normally impolite, but a child could get away with it. Showing interest through questions was the easiest way to express concern. Shiron voiced the doubt he had never managed to ask when answering Hugo’s questions last time.
Hugo glanced at him while cutting his meat.
“Do you still have something to finish? If you need time to prepare, we can delay as long as necessary.”
“I just like making plans.”
“A good habit. Preparing so you can respond at any moment sometimes produces results beyond your actual ability.”
Having answered, Hugo put a neatly cut piece of meat into his mouth. His movements were refined and elegant, at odds with his large frame—as though he were personally demonstrating what proper noble manners looked like.
Siriel and Lucia, eating quietly beside him, listened to the exchange.
“Originally I planned to leave as soon as we finished clearing the magical beasts around here. According to Yohan, it will take about three more days.”
“I see.”
Three days is more than enough to get things done.
A short stretch of time that somehow felt long, yet Shiron felt no urgency. Staying longer here would only mean more of the same swinging practice he could do anytime.
He dipped a piece of bread into the thick soup and thought that the quality of the meals had improved lately. Spices and similar goods could not be produced on-site and had to be restocked once a year through outside trips. Once Yuma learned that the children would soon leave Dawn Castle, she had stopped rationing the warehouse stores.
“Well then.”
Hugo, his plate already empty, dabbed his mouth with a napkin and looked at Shiron and Lucia.
“Have either of you ever fought magical beasts?”
He had many questions about his nephews and nieces, and he hoped they would not feel awkward around him. The fastest way to grow closer was simply to talk and learn about one another. Having finished his meal, he asked the usual round of questions.
“I’ve fought a few frost wolves.”
“Same here.”
Shiron answered first; Lucia chimed in right after. Their faces held calm rather than excitement. Neither seemed to regard frost wolves as anything worth bragging about.
“Impressive.”
Hugo nodded slowly.
“It’s true that frost wolves appear frequently near Dawn Castle.”
He rinsed his palate with coffee and continued.
“But if you travel as far as the lake where the succession ceremony was held, the danger of the beasts rises steadily. The mountains especially are home to far more dangerous creatures. Some even cross the range from the Demon Realm.”
“How strong are those?”
“Strong enough that your current skills would not be enough to face them.”
Hugo regarded Lucia, who had asked the question. From the few times he had watched the children train in the practice yard, Lucia clearly stood out. Yet she was still a child. No matter how gifted, he judged her insufficient against the beasts of the mountains.
“That’s one reason I brought the knight order here. This place is ideal for those who have never set foot in the Demon Realm to get some preliminary experience.”
At the mention of the Demon Realm, Siriel leaned forward with interest.
“Father, is the Demon Realm really that dangerous?”
“It is.”
Hugo answered briefly and nodded.
After that, conversation about the Demon Realm faded, replaced by ordinary small talk.
“What’s this?”
Back in his bedroom after the meal, Shiron lay on the bed and flipped through the bundle of papers Yuma had handed him.
“The handwritten introduction forms I prepared yesterday.”
“Huh…”
They had gone this far without him even knowing. Shiron felt their determination secondhand and grinned. Yuma had been present during his interview with Hugo; she had already selected the maids who would accompany him to the capital in order to spare him the trouble.
“Hmm…”
Shiron narrowed his eyes and made a thoughtful sound. Deep consideration flickered in his gaze. Yuma spoke.
“I recommend Encia and Roseline.”
“Why those two?”
“Based on yesterday’s interviews, I judged them the most useful to you, Young Master.”
“……”
Shiron looked away from her and turned the pages. Names, faces, and assorted details filled the sheets. Simply reading them made the maids’ eagerness to follow him palpable.
“Can you explain the standard you used for ‘useful’?”
“Of course.”
Yuma inclined her head once.
“Every guardian of Dawn Castle is exceptional, but what concerns you most, Young Master, is temperament—someone who will not cause problems.”
“…Go on.”
“Taking that into account, I concluded Encia and Roseline were the best fit. Just as Encia has always been affectionate with you and the young ladies, she has shown a friendly disposition toward young Priens for the past five hundred years.”
“I figured as much.”
Shiron pictured the playful maid. Unlike the others who maintained strict servant decorum, the golden-haired one freely needled him—which, in its way, meant she was warm.
Encia passes easily enough…
Her combat ability from the game and the temperament he had observed since possessing this body both suggested she would be versatile and useful to keep close.
Rustle—
Rustle—
When Shiron reached Roseline’s profile, Yuma continued as if she had been waiting.
“The second factor is versatility—how many ways you can make use of her. I did not overlook her temperament either.”
“Versatility?”
“Yes.”
Yuma gave a light nod.
“Roseline can manipulate mana and command a considerable number of spells. That will surely provide you with many options.”
“Those are decent reasons, but…”
Shiron rose from the bed and walked to the fireplace. One by one he fed the papers into the flames.
“I want to take you.”
“…”
Yuma’s body flinched for an instant.
“You’re the best in versatility and sociability. You’re skilled with magic too. And you always address even that uncle of mine—who means nothing to you—with proper respect.”
“It is a fine idea, but I cannot fulfill that wish, Young Master.”
Yuma shook her head with a sorrowful expression.
“Why not?”
“…Because of the contract.”
“What does the contract say?”
Shiron’s brow furrowed slightly.
Something I don’t know about.
In the setting, the demon-race maids were not naturally well-disposed toward humans. Yet the shock of betrayal by the one they had trusted had been strong enough to suppress their true natures. With the single purpose of taking revenge on the Evil God, they had gathered here and walked a path of hardship. The fact that such strong-willed, domineering beings had willingly become servants suggested some form of compulsion.
A fact that never appeared in the game.
Shiron decided this was an opportunity he could not afford to miss. Better to hear it now.
“The content is nothing special. As you know, Young Master, it is to continue raising a savior who will kill the Evil God here at Dawn Castle.”
“Who did you contract with?”
“…An Apostle of God.”
“Right. I more or less expected that.”
Shiron exhaled a long sigh.
Is this Apostle of God the real mastermind? There’s nowhere he hasn’t stuck his fingers.
He had given the first hero a Holy Sword and even involved a suspicious house like the Priens. Shiron considered the so-called Apostle more dangerous than the Evil God himself.
“Are the others contracted to that Apostle too?”
“No. The other children are contracted to me. I serve as a kind of representative and proxy.”
“So taking you with me is impossible.”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
“Then call Encia and Ophelia. We’ll renew their contracts. Roseline is out.”
Yuma tilted her head at Shiron’s confident expression.
“May I ask the reason?”
“Ophelia is more my type.”
“……I see.”
A rare flicker of fluster crossed Yuma’s face. Shiron grinned.
“Relax. I’m kidding.”
“No… it was simply unexpected. Ophelia would certainly be of great help to you, Young Master.”
“I prefer women with a bit of edge.”
“……”