Chapter 90
Chapter 90
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 90
Chapter Title: Settling the Negotiation - 3
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Whoosh. Whoosh.
Kaild was swinging his sword furiously through the air.
Sweat poured off his body like mad, and his breath reeked of acetone.
Back in the day, he could've swung it thirty thousand times without stopping.
But now, he was collapsing before he even hit three thousand.
“Urk.”
Clang.
In the end, he dropped his sword and crumpled to the floor.
Idria, who had been watching him silently, spoke up.
“It feels like I’m witnessing the world’s most pointless endeavor.”
“Huff. Huff. Shut up.”
“You really don’t learn, do you? I told you your body’s not the same anymore. Do you only get it after experiencing it firsthand?”
“Urk...”
“Your filthy sweat, your disgusting breathing—everything about you is irritating. Just stop already.”
Kaild couldn’t do that.
He ground his teeth and said.
“If I don’t do something, it feels like I’ll just die!”
“You’ve already died once.”
“Meanwhile, Maide’s just racking up fame left and right. How much longer do I have to waste time like this?”
“Sigh.”
Thud.
Idria closed the history book she’d been reading.
Kaild flinched, thinking the nerve-shredding pain was coming again, but fortunately, it wasn’t.
“I’ll explain it simply for a moron like you. I won’t say it twice, so burn it into that thick skull of yours.”
“What?”
“First, take a look at this.”
Suddenly, space tore open.
And split apart.
A garden came into view.
But it was far too bleak for a garden.
Guards lay sprawled everywhere, drenched in blood.
In the middle sat the emperor on his haunches, legs limp, and...
“Maide!”
“Right. Maide’s facing off with the emperor. Looks like His Majesty tried to mess with him unwisely.”
“...”
“So now he’s advising him never to do it again. Listen to the conversation closely.”
From beyond the rift, Maide said.
“I seem to have more in common with Lady Lepia’s side.”
“...”
“With precedent like Lady Lepia’s already set, it’s not entirely impossible. So please don’t block my path from now on.”
“Ah, I understand. So I shall.”
Idria snickered.
“The emperor’s got a small mind for someone who fancied himself a hero.”
“He wanted to be a hero? The emperor?”
“Didn’t you notice? Maide figured it out ages ago, apparently.”
“...”
“Let’s hear more.”
Beyond the rift, the emperor asked where he planned to go next.
Maide answered as if it were obvious.
“To Dronoer Territory, of course.”
“...”
“I have to complete the quest Your Majesty assigned me.”
Snap.
Idria flicked her fingers, and the rift vanished as if it had never been.
Kaild twisted his face and said.
“Dronoer’s that place where I treated the lord before.”
“Serein probably did it.”
“...Anyway, it’s a place where my fame shoots through the roof. What’s Maide planning there?”
Idria replied in an exceedingly light tone.
“You already know. He’s aiming to pull that so-called Kaild-fan lord to his side.”
“Urk. As expected, this can’t go on. At this rate, even my reputation in the south will tank!”
“You can turn it around.”
For a moment, Kaild thought he’d misheard.
But he hadn’t.
Idria repeated it.
“You can turn it around.”
“W-What? How, in this situation?”
“I have a hidden card that upends everything. I’ve been preparing it diligently, so shut up and wait.”
“Can’t you give the main character here at least a hint?”
Idria snickered.
Even after such harsh berating, the guy never forgot to talk back point by point.
In a different way from Maide, this one was an intriguing specimen.
Intriguing, but annoying.
“Quit grinning like that and spill your brilliant plan alrea—Arrrgh!”
He rolled on the floor.
Idria had activated the worms tearing at his nerves.
As Kaild writhed, clutching his hair, Idria said.
“Now it’s getting fun, thanks to your stupidity.”
“Grurk. S-Stop...”
“Beg me.”
“What?”
“Rub your head on the floor before me. Kiss my feet. Then I’ll stop.”
Kaild bit his lip.
The hellish pain devoured him, but he didn’t budge.
‘Ho.’
A glint entered Idria’s eyes.
“What’s wrong? Can you handle it?”
“I won’t bow before anyone’s feet. Urk.”
“Why?”
“I don’t want to stoop lower. Not any lower than this.”
“...Hmm.”
Snap.
Idria flicked her fingers.
The pain stopped.
Kaild spat blood and collapsed before her.
Idria snickered.
“Fine groveling.”
“Shut up.”
“I’ll be a bit more lenient. Here, look at this.”
Idria gestured lightly.
Slide.
Space tore open once more.
But this time, it wasn’t showing some distant landscape.
There were people inside the rift!
Frozen solid, as if preserved in ice.
“Th-Those people?”
“Things I’ve collected over long years of wandering.”
“Collected?”
“To be precise, I referenced what I collected to make these. I kidnapped humans with exceptional talents in various fields and remade them to my tastes. Each one is my masterpiece.”
“...”
“Now I’ll awaken them and put them to use. They were originally meant to debut after I made you the hero... but with things as they are, no choice.”
Kaild snickered.
“Ha. What can those makeovers do to spark a reversal?”
“It’s not them that’ll reverse things. The real hidden card is separate.”
“...”
“But while I prepare that, Maide’ll keep building fame. They’ll serve as proper checks. That’s how I’ll use them.”
Idria stroked her “masterpieces” here and there with her fingers.
“Come to think of it, I never made a single subordinate in all those years. Maybe I’ll make these my vassals this time.”
“...”
“The newer demon kings were all about Four Heavenly Kings or Five Generals and such nonsense. Lately, that sounds pretty good.”
Slide.
Idria’s finger paused somewhere.
She grinned and opened her mouth.
“Such a cute one. You’ll have to work hard now.”
“...”
“I’ve set the perfect stage for you, so go on. Go torment Maide.”
Click.
Idria opened the rift.
She shoved one of her beloved creations inside.
Kaild stared blankly at the sight, then spoke.
“How’s that one supposed to torment Maide? Doesn’t look particularly strong.”
“Getting sleepy.”
“Hey.”
“I think I’ll sleep now. You know what you have to do, right?”
“What’re you talking about? That doesn’t even connect.”
“Idiot.”
Idria continued coldly.
“Didn’t I say I’m going to sleep?”
“...”
“So hold your breath.”
“...?”
Idria lay on a flat rock and rolled over.
“Or I’ll kill you if your breathing wakes me.”
Our carriage was entering Dronoer Territory.
I leisurely took in the passing scenery out the window.
Then Neril spoke.
“You look way too calm. It’s annoying. The rest of us are stressing out.”
“Why? What’re you worried about?”
“This is enemy territory smack in the middle. Kaild’s treated like the flawless hero here. And you’re seen as the guy who framed him.”
“...”
“The vibe’s totally different from the territories we’ve passed. How do you plan to convince the lord here?”
Serein answered in my place.
“Easy. With brute force.”
“Hmm. Wanna say that again? Monster.”
“Seen a monster this cute?”
“Or one this righteous?”
“...Sigh. Anyway, no need to worry too much. I’m the one who treated the lord here.”
Neril looked convinced.
“I see. So if you testify to Kaild’s misdeeds, it’ll work?”
“Yeah. Count Akaen bowed his head to me in thanks several times.”
“Hmm.”
“If the one who treated him testifies, the count’ll have to accept it.”
I turned from the window and replied.
“I hope it goes that smoothly.”
“Huh?”
“Back then—and even now, really—Idria was backing Kaild.”
“Ah.”
“Idria would’ve twisted the fame you earned toward Kaild. It wasn’t just treatment and done; there had to be more to it.”
Serein looked queasy.
Then Adwin spoke.
“But why’s Jenia acting like that?”
As he said, Jenia had been staring silently out the back window the whole time.
Risel answered matter-of-factly.
“Carsickness, probably. I’ll go open a window for her.”
“Doesn’t seem like it... And she can open it herself.”
“She doesn’t want her hero party status revealed via carriage sickness. Act like you don’t know. I’ll crack it open for her.”
Risel approached Jenia confidently.
She whispered something from the back, then returned blushing.
Neril asked.
“Not it?”
“Yeah. But it looked exactly like carsickness to anyone.”
“You’re the only one who thinks that.”
“Hey, even if it’s me, I’m older than you, Neril...”
Neril’s tone shifted.
“Oh! Right! Yeah.”
“...”
“How’d I forget something that important?”
Is it really that important?
Offense changed the subject.
“I figured it wasn’t carsickness from the start. Hungry, maybe?”
“That’s basically the only other option.”
“But we ate breakfast an hour ago?”
“An hour’s plenty.”
“Hmm.”
That was when it happened.
“Ugh, seriously, the more I listen, the louder you all are.”
“Sorry. Didn’t think you’d actually hear me say it loud enough.”
“What kinda nonsense is that.”
Jenia grumbled and shifted toward us.
I asked.
“But seriously, what’s up?”
“I’ve been wallowing in sentiment.”
“So why?”
“I’ve been to Dronoer a few times.”
“Hm? You have ties here or something?”
Jenia scratched her head.
“Don’t let the mood get heavy just ‘cause I said it. I hate being the reason.”
“...”
“This is Ophelia’s hometown.”
Good thing she warned us, or it really would’ve sunk.
Jenia continued.
“To be exact, Ophelia was almost Count Akaen’s daughter-in-law.”
“Ah. Got it.”
“Yeah. The count has a son named David de Hoffman, and they were lovers.”
“...”
“Whenever Ophelia got long leave from the Knights of Light, she’d invite me here. So I know David a bit.”
She let out a light sigh and said.
“If things don’t go well with Count Akaen, I’ll talk to David.”
“Jenia.”
“Come on, lighten up. I didn’t say it earlier ‘cause I didn’t want this.”
I snickered.
“We’ll find Ophelia soon.”
“Yeah. We will.”
“If not, we’ll use the wide-area search magic circle later.”
Jenia’s eyes lit up.
“Oh yeah, that exists! Why didn’t I think of it sooner?”
“I’ve been thinking about it. Since we snuck into the imperial palace basement last time.”
“Maide... thank you so much.”
“No big deal. It’s obvious.”
Jenia’s eyes welled up with emotion.
Offense nodded vigorously.
“I’ll yield the first shot to Jenia. Let her use the magic circle.”
“That was the plan from the start.”
“I applied first, though.”
“This isn’t first-come, first-served.”
“Then what order?”
“My whim.”
Our chatter brought Jenia’s smile back.
She covered her mouth and laughed.
“Hehe. Yeah, this is what our party’s all about.”