Chapter 385: Us (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 385: Us (4)
Kwaaang!
Out of the blue, a group of knights burst through the door while I was napping on the sofa. Even half-awake, their words caught my ear.
"Riehen Schuitz, you are under arrest on suspicion of collusion with Noark."
Collusion, huh?
This was likely just an excuse to arrest me. They probably planned to arrest me on any charge and use that as a jumping-off point to start a full-fledged investigation. No matter how they looked at it, there must have been a lot of things about me that were suspicious.
But they came sooner than I thought.
To be honest, I was mentally prepared for this to some extent. Going around with Erwen attracted attention, and I even ended up involved in a battle with Raven. I figured something like this was liable to happen at any time.
Clunk.
The knights occupied the living room and surrounded me in an instant. They didn't seem to be underestimating me at all. They kept their distance and leveled their swords at me, their eyes locked on the target.
"Riehen Schuitz, drop your weapon," the knight who appeared to be the commander ordered me.
While all this was happening, I took stock of the situation.
Now, then... What should I do from here?
First, I didn't see a wizard. That meant that everyone who came to arrest me was a knight. Considering the reputation knights had in PVP, this could be interpreted as excessive manpower, but it was good news for me. It meant that if need be, I could wreck them all and run away.
The problem is that the moment I do that, I'll no longer be able to stay in this city...
This was an option I could only choose in the worst-case scenario. More importantly, it would conflict with my ultimate goal of reclaiming the name Bjorn Yandel.
It's about time to enter the lion's den.
Ultimately, to get my name back, I had no choice but to make contact with the palace. Of course, my anxiety would be significantly reduced if I had a way to figure out their intentions beforehand, but it wasn't like I knew nothing.
"...The palace already knows the GM's identity."
The GM was the psychological pillar for all players. According to the information that Soul Queen gave us, the palace knew the GM's identity. No, they didn't just know it—they purposefully controlled the flow of information so that it wouldn't be revealed to the outside world. That meant the palace didn't kill evil spirits indiscriminately. Even in the worst-case scenario where I was exposed as Bjorn Yandel and an evil spirit, there was room for negotiation.
It's worth getting a feel for how much they know.
Once I was done deliberating, I immediately parted my lips. "Since you say there are charges against me, I'll participate in the investigation, but let me inform my comrades before I leave."
The reason for this request was very simple. They should already know that the comrade I was talking about was Erwen. If they refused, there was room to interpret this situation in a more optimistic light. This would mean they deliberately chose a time when Erwen was out, which was consistent with the presumption that they didn't know enough about me to also want to interrogate Erwen.
"If you're talking about Blood Spirit, there's no need. You'll be able to see her if you come with us."
My mind momentarily went blank at the commander's words.
What? Did they take away Erwen too? Then what about Amelia, who was with her? No, let's first check if he's telling the truth.
"What's your proof that Erwen is there?"
The commander answered my question without any hesitation. "I swear on the royal family of Rafdonia."
Ha, that means he's not lying...
This wasn't good. Arresting Erwen, who was beloved by the elves? That meant the palace had enough justification and grounds to arrest us both.
Damn it all...
I wanted to resist arrest and run away right now, but I couldn't do that while Erwen was captured.
"I will say this for the last time. Riehen Schuitz, drop your weapon. Otherwise, your actions will be considered treason against the palace."
In time with the commander's ultimatum, I felt a high-density mana strong enough to be sensed by even a barbarian with no magical talent flare up outside the mansion. So, they did have a wizard, after all. They were just on standby somewhere out of sight.
Thorough bastards.
I lowered my hammer weakly.
Slide.
For now, there was no other option. The only thing I could do was stay on guard.
After I lowered my hammer, things proceeded quickly. I placed the weapon in sub-space as instructed and the knights came forward to collect my sub-space ring.
"The items will be returned in perfect condition once the charges are cleared." The commander's demanding tone was now polite. In fact, the treatment I received was far from how you'd treat a criminal. "A carriage has been prepared."
As soon as I stepped out, surrounded by knights, a carriage was waiting for me. It was visibly different from the ones used to escort prisoners. As opposed to a cart with steel bars, it was the kind of elaborate carriage only a wealthy aristocrat would use.
"Get on. We will be going to the imperial capital, Karnon."
My only companion in the carriage was the commander. The rest of the knights rode on horses, flanking us like an escort. It was the kind of royal treatment I never received even when I was Baronet Yandel.
Drag, slide.
The carriage started to glide down the main road and I studied the commander sitting across from me.
"Is something making you uncomfortable?"
You think something wouldn't be?
I thought this was a ridiculous question but it wouldn't be smart to have an attitude here. "What are my real charges?" I asked cautiously.
"As I said earlier—"
"Don't say collusion. I know if that were true, I wouldn't be treated like this."
The commander pursed his lips, troubled, but I guessed he realized I would only continue to pester him if he kept quiet. "There's not much I can tell you right now."
"Still—"
"You will find out once we arrive at the imperial capital."
The commander put his foot down and ended the conversation. In the end, I was only able to learn two things.
"What's going to happen to me now?"
"He will decide that."
First, someone very high-ranking was waiting for me.
What? Did they take away Erwen too? Then what about Amelia, who was with her? No, let's first check if he's telling the truth.
"What's your proof that Erwen is there?"
The commander answered my question without any hesitation. "I swear on the royal family of Rafdonia."
Ha, that means he's not lying...
This wasn't good. Arresting Erwen, who was beloved by the elves? That meant the palace had enough justification and grounds to arrest us both.
Damn it all...
I wanted to resist arrest and run away right now, but I couldn't do that while Erwen was captured.
"I will say this for the last time. Riehen Schuitz, drop your weapon. Otherwise, your actions will be considered treason against the palace."
In time with the commander's ultimatum, I felt a high-density mana strong enough to be sensed by even a barbarian with no magical talent flare up outside the mansion. So, they did have a wizard, after all. They were just on standby somewhere out of sight.
Thorough bastards.
I lowered my hammer weakly.
Slide.
For now, there was no other option. The only thing I could do was stay on guard.
After I lowered my hammer, things proceeded quickly. I placed the weapon in sub-space as instructed and the knights came forward to collect my sub-space ring.
"The items will be returned in perfect condition once the charges are cleared." The commander's demanding tone was now polite. In fact, the treatment I received was far from how you'd treat a criminal. "A carriage has been prepared."
As soon as I stepped out, surrounded by knights, a carriage was waiting for me. It was visibly different from the ones used to escort prisoners. As opposed to a cart with steel bars, it was the kind of elaborate carriage only a wealthy aristocrat would use.
"Get on. We will be going to the imperial capital, Karnon."
My only companion in the carriage was the commander. The rest of the knights rode on horses, flanking us like an escort. It was the kind of royal treatment I never received even when I was Baronet Yandel.
Drag, slide.
The carriage started to glide down the main road and I studied the commander sitting across from me.
"Is something making you uncomfortable?"
You think something wouldn't be?
I thought this was a ridiculous question but it wouldn't be smart to have an attitude here. "What are my real charges?" I asked cautiously.
"As I said earlier—"
"Don't say collusion. I know if that were true, I wouldn't be treated like this."
The commander pursed his lips, troubled, but I guessed he realized I would only continue to pester him if he kept quiet. "There's not much I can tell you right now."
"Still—"
"You will find out once we arrive at the imperial capital."
The commander put his foot down and ended the conversation. In the end, I was only able to learn two things.
"What's going to happen to me now?"
"He will decide that."
First, someone very high-ranking was waiting for me.
"Was there someone else with Erwen when you took her away?"
"From what I heard, she was alone."
And second, Amelia's safety wasn't compromised.
Afterward, we rode without much conversation. The carriage ran along the main road and stopped after about an hour. The military platform in District Seven had teleportation circles that connected you to each district. Originally it was a facility designed for the speedy transportation of troops during emergencies, but now it was usually used as a means of transportation for nobility. For reference, this was my first time here. I became eligible to use it once I became a baronet, but it was ridiculously expensive.
Interesting that this is how I get to use it.
Without having to get off the carriage, we rode into the teleportation circle and soon arrived at the imperial capital's military platform.
This isn't the royal palace.
The carriage carrying me instead entered a mansion located near the palace. Thanks to that, I was able to figure out who brought me here, as their family crest was right at the entrance of the estate—a shield with a bamboo-leaf oak tree drawn on it. This was the symbol of the Marquess of Tercerion, and it was safe to say almost everyone in the city could recognize it. For decades, the king had been absent from the public eye. Marquess Tercerion, the prime minister of Rafdonia, had been performing most official duties on his behalf.
The kingdom's second-in-command, huh?
Since the commander wore the crest of the palace, I had been thinking it would be a high-ranking member of the royal family.
But this isn't bad. The person I'll be talking to is second only to the king in terms of power.
Even as I thought that, I grew tenser and tenser. It felt a lot like I'd entered a lion's den. You could call this a high-risk, high-return situation. If things went well, all my problems could end up solved with only a brief exchange. But in return, I could just as easily end up falling into the pit.
"You may get off."
When I stepped out of the carriage, a crowd of knights was in front of me, and I accepted their warm hospitality and entered the building.
Rattle.
It was clear a lot of money went into the drawing room.
"...Where is Erwen?" I asked after giving the space a cursory scan.
The commander had a conflicted look on his face. "I lied about her being here."
"...What did you just say?" Alarm bells started going off in the back of my head. I was sure this son of a bitch even swore on the name of the royal family.
When I shot him a look, he averted his eyes in a way that suggested he'd had no choice. "It was necessary to bring you here as quietly as possible."
"You won't get away with using the king's name if you're caught."
"Then I'll be fine as long as I don't get caught."
Had I ever met a knight who was so quick on their feet? I praised him without thinking. "You would have been a better adventurer than a knight."
"I don't care if you're being sarcastic. I just chose to be practical to fulfill my master's orders."
This guy is the type to leave you flat-footed, huh? Damn it all...
In a way, I often did this too. You could argue that using the prejudice against barbarians to make false oaths and deceive my opponents was basically the same thing he just did to me. As it was a clever method, it was incredibly effective. Who would've thought a knight would use the king's name to lie? And a knight who appeared to be a member of the Royal Guard, no less.
I decided not to get too caught up in the fact that I had been deceived. Who cared if Erwen hadn't been arrested? In fact, if I framed this in a different light, this was a positive. At least this meant Erwen was safe.
Besides, I had to go through this at some point.
The important thing was not what mistake I'd already made, but what I was going to do next.
"Now then, what do I need to do? Just wait again? Until that person you mentioned earlier gets here?"
"There's no need." The knight shook his head and placed a mana crystal on the table. Without even having to ask what it was, I immediately pieced together what was going on. No wonder there were no guards in the room. He planned to speak to me through this thing from the start. "Then I'll leave you." The knight instructed me to activate the mana crystal and left the room.
I was now alone in the drawing room. Quickly looking around to see if anyone was hiding nearby, I noticed something strange and swept the carpet aside.
Damn it.
Underneath the carpet, colorful, geometric magic circles were drawn. Goosebumps ran down my spine.
Is he planning to blast this whole place sky-high if I try to escape or get on his nerves?
Was it because he was the kingdom's second-in-command? The firepower I was seeing here was no joke. It pretty much meant this entire mansion was a gigantic execution device in itself.
...Let's turn on the mana crystal now.
Momentarily appalled by the other team's thoroughness, I pressed the button to activate the mana crystal.
Shaaaaaa!
Before long, the mana crystal lit up and projected the image of a person. It was a face I remembered: the prime minister of Rafdonia and a high aristocrat with the title of Marquess, Ageni Lawton Tercerion. He was the same person who had hosted my conferment ceremony on behalf of the king in the past.
"It's been a while," his deep voice greeted, and I stiffened a beat later.
It's been a while?
As soon as I picked up on the fact that something was off, my heart started pounding.
Thump!
Was this just psychological warfare? How much did the marquess really know? I forced myself to swallow back the questions bubbling up in my throat. There was something I had to worry about before all that. Right now, what was the best answer for me to give here? It didn't take long for me to finish deliberating and take action.
"Are you..." I spoke politely yet cautiously, "Marquess Tercerion?" I judged this would be the natural reaction of an adventurer who suddenly got dragged here by a bunch of knights in the middle of a nap.
"I'm sure you haven't forgotten my face already... You are unusually clever, unlike the rest." The marquess chuckled at my response and said: "Baronet Bjorn Yandel."
I hadn't heard my full name in a very long time.
"Was there someone else with Erwen when you took her away?"
"From what I heard, she was alone."
And second, Amelia's safety wasn't compromised.
Afterward, we rode without much conversation. The carriage ran along the main road and stopped after about an hour. The military platform in District Seven had teleportation circles that connected you to each district. Originally it was a facility designed for the speedy transportation of troops during emergencies, but now it was usually used as a means of transportation for nobility. For reference, this was my first time here. I became eligible to use it once I became a baronet, but it was ridiculously expensive.
Interesting that this is how I get to use it.
Without having to get off the carriage, we rode into the teleportation circle and soon arrived at the imperial capital's military platform.
This isn't the royal palace.
The carriage carrying me instead entered a mansion located near the palace. Thanks to that, I was able to figure out who brought me here, as their family crest was right at the entrance of the estate—a shield with a bamboo-leaf oak tree drawn on it. This was the symbol of the Marquess of Tercerion, and it was safe to say almost everyone in the city could recognize it. For decades, the king had been absent from the public eye. Marquess Tercerion, the prime minister of Rafdonia, had been performing most official duties on his behalf.
The kingdom's second-in-command, huh?
Since the commander wore the crest of the palace, I had been thinking it would be a high-ranking member of the royal family.
But this isn't bad. The person I'll be talking to is second only to the king in terms of power.
Even as I thought that, I grew tenser and tenser. It felt a lot like I'd entered a lion's den. You could call this a high-risk, high-return situation. If things went well, all my problems could end up solved with only a brief exchange. But in return, I could just as easily end up falling into the pit.
"You may get off."
When I stepped out of the carriage, a crowd of knights was in front of me, and I accepted their warm hospitality and entered the building.
Rattle.
It was clear a lot of money went into the drawing room.
"...Where is Erwen?" I asked after giving the space a cursory scan.
The commander had a conflicted look on his face. "I lied about her being here."
"...What did you just say?" Alarm bells started going off in the back of my head. I was sure this son of a bitch even swore on the name of the royal family.
When I shot him a look, he averted his eyes in a way that suggested he'd had no choice. "It was necessary to bring you here as quietly as possible."
"You won't get away with using the king's name if you're caught."
"Then I'll be fine as long as I don't get caught."
Had I ever met a knight who was so quick on their feet? I praised him without thinking. "You would have been a better adventurer than a knight."
"I don't care if you're being sarcastic. I just chose to be practical to fulfill my master's orders."
This guy is the type to leave you flat-footed, huh? Damn it all...
In a way, I often did this too. You could argue that using the prejudice against barbarians to make false oaths and deceive my opponents was basically the same thing he just did to me. As it was a clever method, it was incredibly effective. Who would've thought a knight would use the king's name to lie? And a knight who appeared to be a member of the Royal Guard, no less.
I decided not to get too caught up in the fact that I had been deceived. Who cared if Erwen hadn't been arrested? In fact, if I framed this in a different light, this was a positive. At least this meant Erwen was safe.
Besides, I had to go through this at some point.
The important thing was not what mistake I'd already made, but what I was going to do next.
"Now then, what do I need to do? Just wait again? Until that person you mentioned earlier gets here?"
"There's no need." The knight shook his head and placed a mana crystal on the table. Without even having to ask what it was, I immediately pieced together what was going on. No wonder there were no guards in the room. He planned to speak to me through this thing from the start. "Then I'll leave you." The knight instructed me to activate the mana crystal and left the room.
I was now alone in the drawing room. Quickly looking around to see if anyone was hiding nearby, I noticed something strange and swept the carpet aside.
Damn it.
Underneath the carpet, colorful, geometric magic circles were drawn. Goosebumps ran down my spine.
Is he planning to blast this whole place sky-high if I try to escape or get on his nerves?
Was it because he was the kingdom's second-in-command? The firepower I was seeing here was no joke. It pretty much meant this entire mansion was a gigantic execution device in itself.
...Let's turn on the mana crystal now.
Momentarily appalled by the other team's thoroughness, I pressed the button to activate the mana crystal.
Shaaaaaa!
Before long, the mana crystal lit up and projected the image of a person. It was a face I remembered: the prime minister of Rafdonia and a high aristocrat with the title of Marquess, Ageni Lawton Tercerion. He was the same person who had hosted my conferment ceremony on behalf of the king in the past.
"It's been a while," his deep voice greeted, and I stiffened a beat later.
It's been a while?
As soon as I picked up on the fact that something was off, my heart started pounding.
Thump!
Was this just psychological warfare? How much did the marquess really know? I forced myself to swallow back the questions bubbling up in my throat. There was something I had to worry about before all that. Right now, what was the best answer for me to give here? It didn't take long for me to finish deliberating and take action.
"Are you..." I spoke politely yet cautiously, "Marquess Tercerion?" I judged this would be the natural reaction of an adventurer who suddenly got dragged here by a bunch of knights in the middle of a nap.
"I'm sure you haven't forgotten my face already... You are unusually clever, unlike the rest." The marquess chuckled at my response and said: "Baronet Bjorn Yandel."
I hadn't heard my full name in a very long time.