Chapter 158: The Educating Guard (13)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 158: The Educating Guard (13)
Rominas, the second prince of the Hugo Kingdom, traveled throughout the capital to scout for talent. Originally, he had focused on finding civil servants and artists for the kingdom's development, but lately, he had been searching for individuals with great martial prowess in preparation for war.
Through tireless searching, he had managed to discover several useful people: knights and commanders to send to the battlefield, soldiers to hold the front lines, mages specialized in mass destruction, and merchants capable of managing supplies.
However, compared to the talent found for maintaining the front lines, he had only found two individuals capable of protecting the kingdom itself. One of them was an interrogator, whom he planned to put in charge of guarding prisoners of war.
‘She has a thing for young men, but her skills are undeniable. She knows where to draw the line, too. She only touches criminals and doesn’t mess with those who are out of her league.’
In peaceful times, he might not have employed her, but with war on the horizon, he had to use every resource available.
"Are you listening?"
"Yes. I heard up to the part where the ninjas surrounded you from the front and back."
"They were tightening the perimeter, so it was hard to break out. Right then, some guy threw a net at me. I could tell at a glance it was tough, so I decided I had to dodge it immediately. I feinted at a ninja who was trying to block me with their body and..."
Rominas recalled the news he had received via his portable communicator: the report that ninjas had attacked a guard on patrol. As soon as he heard the direct report from Oceania, one of the Guard Captains, he had taken a teleportation circle to the clinic.
It cost a high-grade mana stone for a single activation, but he accepted the expense because he wanted to see Sma in person. His detection artifact—an essential item for royalty and high-ranking nobles—informed him that Sma was an Upper-Rank Aura User.
The last time he had seen him, Sma was nothing more than a guard with a somewhat strong will and a sturdy body, but now he had become an Aura User. Rominas decided it was time to stop hiding his identity.
"Sma."
"You're cutting me off right at the good part. Are you ready to do the examination?"
"Actually, I am the second prince of this kingdom."
Hearing such an absurd claim, Sma simply laughed. There was a limit to how far a joke should go. What kind of prince would be hanging around a clinic?
"You certainly have a talent for telling jokes with a straight face. Actually, I'm a woman."
"It is no joke."
Rominas pulled a royal seal from his robes. However, there was no way Sma would recognize it.
‘How can I make him believe me?’
Should he take him to the palace? Rominas remembered that among the women following Sma were Elizabeth, whom he had personally sponsored, and the disciple of the Vice Commander.
"The examination is over. Everyone, come in."
"Finally!"
"At last!"
The women rushed in, only to freeze when they saw the seal in Rominas's hand. Iruna, who was from the countryside, and Cathy, who wasn't even human, didn't recognize it, but Rena and Elizabeth identified the seal clearly.
"Greetings to Prince Rominas!"
"To the Prince... Rominas? Greetings to the Prince!"
Elizabeth quickly prostrated herself. Rena, who knew he was a prince but hadn't known his name, hurriedly corrected herself, and the rest of the women awkwardly knelt as well.
Just as Sma was debating whether he should kneel too, Rominas waved his hand.
"Formalities are unnecessary. I didn't reveal my status because I wanted to be treated with deference."
"Understood."
Elizabeth stood up with practiced ease. Sma felt a slight twinge of discomfort.
"You seem pretty close with the Prince."
"He is the benefactor who sponsored me when I was in trouble. He's also the one who introduced you to me."
"Ah, he truly is a wonderful person then. Thanks to him, I was able to connect with Elizabeth. Thank you."
Sma didn't particularly like men, but there were a few exceptions: those who posed no threat to his women. Geum Taeyang, the monster-fucker, was the prime example of this.
And then there were those who gifted him virgins. Until now, there hadn't been anyone, but Rominas had just fulfilled that condition.
"At any rate, there is only one reason I revealed my identity. Guard Sma. Will you become a knight directly under the royal family?"
"What?!"
"Oh my god! Lord Sma as a Royal Knight!"
The women jumped for joy. With so many women filling nearly half the treatment room and each chiming in, Sma felt like his head might split.
"Everyone, calm down."
"How can we? We're not talking about being a knight under some noble house, but a Royal Knight! Even my master is a Royal Knight!"
Rena, who had received some squire training, was the most excited. Rominas waited for the women to settle down before speaking again.
"There are many benefits to becoming a Royal Knight. In addition to a salary, you'll receive a stipend for maintaining your status, and honor follows the position. A guard's uniform is fine, but it cannot compare to a knight's armor."
"Hmm..."
After a moment of thought, Sma asked a question.
"Why do you wish to accept me as a knight?"
"It would be stranger not to recruit a talent who became an Upper-Rank Aura User at the age of twenty. Will you accept?"
"No."
It was an answer without a hint of hesitation. Rominas, who had expected a possible rejection but not one so firm, was slightly taken aback.
"Why?"
"That's right, Lord Sma! It's a Royal Knight we're talking about!"
"I like being a guard. If possible, I'd like to rise to the rank of Guard Captain."
"That is a perfectly achievable dream."
Rominas regained his composure. Usually, an initial proposal was just bait thrown out with the expectation of rejection; if they accepted, great, and if not, he could move on to his true objective.
He laid the groundwork according to the principles he had learned in his studies of statecraft.
"Then let us discuss something else. The ninja attack is a very serious matter."
"I think so too."
"It is likely far more important than you realize. For several years now, the Stejaishi Empire has been watching for any opportunity to target our country. We have also devised plans to counter them. Both we and Stejaishi are fully prepared; what matters now is who holds the 'just cause.'"
Sma thought to himself.
‘Is a just cause really that important? It’s an eroge world, can’t they just attack?’
"You look like you're wondering why a just cause is so important. It is a critical issue that determines whether or not we receive aid from neighboring countries, the Hunter Guild, or the Temple."
Rominas began a lecture for those who didn't understand. To summarize, most cities in this world contained dungeons.
If war broke out, dungeon cities would be engulfed in the flames of conflict. In such cases, hunters were often conscripted. To resist indiscriminate conscription, the Hunter Guild had established regulations.
They would not involve themselves in a war without a just cause. Even if there was a cause, they would not intervene if its legitimacy was difficult to judge. If they were forcibly conscripted, they would refuse to clear the dungeons.
The resources coming out of dungeons were one of a city's primary sources of income. Mana stones in this world played a role similar to electricity in modern civilization, and since they could only be obtained from dungeons, their importance was paramount.
Under normal circumstances, declaring a dungeon uncleared would result in punishment, but during wartime, when troops had to be moved to the front lines, it was a very effective threat.
The Temple received donations from nobles, but since their income from treating hunters was also significant, they took the same stance.
"Do you understand?"
"Yes."
"Regardless, we intend to secure the capital's public order before the war begins. We will interrogate the ninja you captured to identify and eliminate spies who may have entered the capital—or perhaps the entire kingdom. The Guard Captains will lead the effort, but it doesn't hurt to have more trustworthy people involved. You have already proven your skill by emerging almost unscathed from a fight with ten ninjas."
As he spoke, Rominas's voice grew more solemn. The women's expectations also began to rise.
"I want to use you as a figurehead to root out the ninjas. You have the skill, the symbolic value, and your public reputation is excellent. Now that you've secured fame, there could be no better candidate. You said you didn't want to be a Royal Knight, but how about accepting royal sponsorship?"
"Hmm..."
Sma pondered. He was living well enough without sponsorship, so did he really need it? But if he refused, would he be looked upon unfavorably and face disadvantages?
"If I accept sponsorship, do I have to participate in the war?"
He didn't want to leave his women behind to go to a battlefield. He wouldn't be able to have sex and would just be rolling around with a bunch of men.
"You said you wanted to remain a guard, so you would be responsible for the capital's security. Even if the enemy reaches the capital, I won't put you on the front lines of the walls."
"Also... I see you have many women. If you receive royal sponsorship, you could be granted a title once the war is won. You've already provided our kingdom with a just cause, so your merit is sufficient. If you eliminate the ninjas hiding in the capital, it will be even greater. Then, no one will be able to say a word against you. It is common for nobles to have multiple wives and concubines, after all."
"I'll do it!"
He had been looking for a way to marry all his women anyway, so this was perfect. Having a title would be much better than being a mere commoner guard.
Having reached a win-win agreement, Rominas and Sma both wore satisfied smiles. Rominas decided to show a bit more kindness to further win his favor.
"Since we're all gathered here, I shall examine your wives as well."
"Uh... would that be alright?"
"We're fine!"
The women, who had been watching with bated breath, were shocked. To be examined by a prince? What a luxury! But Rominas, having made up his mind, brushed off their refusals.
He first checked Iruna's pulse. He tilted his head in thought, checked it again, and then broke into a wide grin.
"Sma. Congratulations."
"Huh? For what?"
"You're going to be a father soon."