Chapter 94
Chapter 94
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 94
Chapter Title: The Imperial Palace (1)
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Chapter 94
The Imperial Palace (1)
Landel, the capital of the Empire.
As befitting the greatest city on the continent, its resident population alone easily surpassed one hundred thousand.
Its sheer vastness was staggering.
Even Esterize, who had been the princess of a nation, was overwhelmed.
*Ugh, this is on a whole different level…*
*I never knew the Empire was this powerful!*
She grew despondent, as if the capital's scale told her everything she needed to know.
It seemed her ambition to rebuild her fallen kingdom now felt paltry in comparison.
*Come on, that's not a fair comparison.*
The Empire was a superpower that ruled half the continent.
Even a fairly prosperous kingdom was small fry in comparison to the Empire.
Well, there was no need to worry about it.
The princess was a strong girl; she would surely overcome this quickly.
She would probably resolve to one day build a capital even more magnificent than this.
“Hmm, this is a fresh reminder of humanity's potential. It's all quite dizzying.”
The elf girl clicked her tongue as if she had no choice but to admit it.
Whether elves, dwarves, or beastkin, they hadn't moved beyond tribal societies, so the disparity must have felt quite large.
Ilensia was better off than most.
Unlike other elves, she had spent a considerable amount of time in the human world.
She was gradually becoming so humanized that she might one day lose her elven identity.
And as for our little cutie…
“Aah, I was just a fox in a well!”
Humbly accepting the limits of her experience.
She was simply thrilled by the fact that she was learning something new.
She looked around everywhere.
Her eyes wide, she observed her surroundings.
A sort of downtown area had formed around the gate.
It seemed like time would fly by just wandering around this neighborhood.
Going on a food tour also seemed like a good idea.
As the heart of the continent, there would be plenty to enjoy.
“I can't wait for that!”
The fox beastkin wagged her tail excitedly.
She looked like she was pestering us to start our adventure right this instant.
My dear cutie.
The cost of living in the capital is very high, you know.
It'd be one thing if you ate a normal amount.
But if you eat more than ten servings in one meal, even your master can't afford it!
Well, that was a pointless worry for now.
The Imperial Palace would be providing an unlimited supply of the finest cuisine.
Just as I was placating Aruru with this fact, a group of soldiers approached us.
An officer in uniform, who appeared to be their leader, greeted us politely.
“I am Major Carlyle of the Capital Defense Force. Are you Sir Jace, the heir to the Crodain Family?”
The Capital Defense Force was composed entirely of elites.
Not only were they skilled, but they were also characterized by their strong loyalty.
This man who introduced himself as Major Carlyle was likely a noble, even if a low-ranking one.
After a simple confirmation, he got straight to the point as if he'd been waiting.
“It is an honor to serve you, even for a short while. We will now guide you to the Imperial Palace.”
It seemed their mission was to guide and escort us.
By the way, an honor to serve me… he seemed to know we were the Hero's party.
*Hmm, has the rumor already spread?*
But the soldiers' reactions were mixed.
While some looked like they knew what was going on, others seemed to just be following orders.
I can't stand not knowing.
When I subtly asked him about it, he lowered his voice and readily answered.
“Rumors of a new Hero's birth have already spread far and wide. All sorts of wild tales are flying around, but at my rank, it's not difficult to ascertain the truth. Or perhaps one could guess with just a bit of sense… In any case, may the Goddess's blessing be with you, Hero.”
So, it hadn't been officially announced yet.
I could picture them planning a grand reveal through a massive event.
Then again, that was probably for the best.
If everyone already knew, we would have been swarmed by a crowd of a hundred thousand.
Even if they weren't ardent supporters of the Hero, they would at least want to see his face once.
It seemed some officials and quick-witted people had already figured it out.
Carlyle and a few of the soldiers following him seemed to be among them.
“Do you happen to believe in the Goddess?”
“Of course. I attend worship at the temple every week. Hmm, perhaps I'll have the chance to see the Saintess as well.”
“…”
No wonder he mentioned the Goddess.
He seemed like a devout believer, which made me dislike him a little.
One Goddess fanatic like Luciel was more than enough.
She's the Saintess, so I can let it slide, but it's a bit much when other people do it too!
Maybe it was because we'd just met.
Unaware of my feelings, Carlyle went ahead and made the sign of the cross.
As if that wasn't enough, he stared at me expectantly, as if asking why I wasn't doing it too.
When I reluctantly made the sign, he finally looked satisfied and wore a proud expression.
“…”
I was starting to feel weird, but there was nothing I could do about it.
The Goddess in this world was the one and only god, so she had a vast number of followers.
Most of the important people I would meet from now on would likely be the same.
Just pretending to believe in the Goddess would earn me favor, and it would be a shame to give that up, wouldn't it?
The Hero is the Goddess's apostle.
I'd better get used to that preconception.
We boarded the prepared carriage.
As expected of a carriage bearing the imperial crest, it was ornate, and the ride was smooth.
Our destination was the Imperial Palace, where the Emperor resided.
Everyone was silent, as if slightly nervous.
Aruru, of course, was the exception.
She stuck her head out the window, letting out a stream of exclamations.
Soon, she was completely captivated by the grandeur of the distant Imperial Palace.
“The place where the most powerful person on the continent lives… Everything must be the best… The food must be prepared with care by first-class chefs, right?”
My little cutie.
Your logic is sound, but isn't it a bit one-sided?
Well, it was better for her to be her usual energetic self than to be anxious.
Anyway, try to refrain from any sudden outbursts.
If you cause trouble in the Imperial Palace of all places, there's no fixing it.
“Okay!”
In truth, I wasn't too worried.
Even if she did cause some trouble, she was such an adorable girl that most people would let it slide.
After traveling down the main thoroughfare, we reached a massive gate.
The carriage continued on even after passing through it.
Indeed, the grounds of the imperial castle were immense.
There were several splendid palaces, and it looked like we would be staying in one primarily used for receiving guests.
Eventually, the carriage came to a stop.
Having completed their mission, Carlyle and his men bowed to us once more.
“We will take our leave now. Well then…”
He added that he would eagerly await the start of the official events.
Carlyle left immediately, but a new guide was waiting for us.
“You've arrived on time.”
The royal I had spoken with before, Marcel, greeted us.
It seemed he had been chosen to look after the Heroes and their party for a while.
“We've met before. You'd be more comfortable with that, wouldn't you?”
“Yes. I'll be in your care.”
There was nothing bad about this at all.
He was someone I could reason with, and he seemed to have a bit of a favorable impression of me.
Marcel walked slowly.
A dozen or so attendants assisted him.
The number of servants visible here and there was even greater.
“If there is anything you lack or need, just let me know.”
A detached palace used to house foreign diplomats.
He said it was a bit smaller but fully equipped, so we wouldn't be inconvenienced.
It was essentially this world's version of a seven-star hotel, and we had it all to ourselves.
The treatment was just as I'd expected, but I didn't feel very good.
It was because of a message from the system window, which had appeared for the first time in a while.
[Main Quest]
[Achieve Max Affinity with the Imperial Family]
[The Imperial Family's response will vary based on the affinity level]
[Reward: +300,000 Achievement Points for each level increase]
Well, that much was fine…
[Imperial Family Affinity]
[Current Level: Bad]
“Huh??”
Wait, why is it so low?
It wasn't the worst it could be, but in terms of percentage, it was only around 20-30%.
I wasn't sure, but it must have meant they were that wary of the Crodain Family's power.
Of course, they wouldn't be openly hostile.
However, there was a high chance they would show their animosity in subtle ways.
What should I do about this?
My background of being born into a powerful family had turned into a disadvantage.
I had suspected it to some extent, but the reality was far more severe.
Well, maybe I didn't need to worry that much.
I had already raised my affinity with the Dwarf Tribe by leaps and bounds.
This time, too, it would likely improve quickly depending on my actions.
In any case, I was a Hero, so I didn't have to worry about being disadvantaged.
Though I would have to endure some rather annoying problems…
The moment we entered the detached palace's lobby, a very unwelcome face greeted us.
“You're finally here. I've been waiting.”
Erich Greaten.
The guy who was a Hero candidate and a royal.
Given his status, it wasn't strange.
He was just one of many royals, but the Imperial Palace was his home, after all.
“I'm going to stay with you while you're here. How about that? You're welcome.”
“…”
*Hmm, I'll have to think about that.*
He's from the academy, but it feels a bit weird to consider him a friend.
It doesn't really matter to me, but.
The girls who had received confessions from Erich openly showed their aversion.
Aruru hid behind me, as if she couldn't even stand to make eye contact with him.
The princess, who had recently been pestered by him, furrowed her brow as if her head was throbbing.
“…Your reactions are a bit harsh, don't you think? What did I do wrong?”
He was simply reaping what he had sown.
No one acknowledged his plea of innocence.
Erich shrugged, then glanced at Esterize.
“As I thought, my eye for people is sharp. You actually became a Hero.”
“!!”
That she was a being worthy of him.
At his words implying she was a woman worth falling for, the princess looked distressed.
*Seriously, why is he like this!*
*He might as well just torment me openly!*
*If he's not joking and is actually serious…*
*Give me the Empire's entire annual budget in a lump sum! Until then, not a chance!*
The last part was a bit of a stretch, but that was the general gist of her expression.
She was at a loss, like a girl who'd been on the receiving end of an unwanted confession.
“Ah, that's over now. You can forget about it.”
“Huh??”
“I've given up, because you seem like a woman I can't handle.”
“…”
The princess seemed to be at a loss for words.
His tendency to change the target of his affection so often was just absurd.
*Huh? What's with that bittersweet expression?*
*Shouldn't you be cheering now that the bomb has been defused?*
She hadn't wanted his attention, but it seemed she felt a little strange now that it was gone in an instant.
Right then, our little cutie trembled as if in fear.
*Ah, don't tell me I'm his next target! That's horrible!*
The fox beastkin's trauma was resurfacing.
Fortunately, Erich just shook his head silently.
Just as Aruru breathed a sigh of relief, the elf girl made a show of being fed up.
“Ah, so you're planning to aim for me this time.”
“Huh??”
“You don't stand a chance, but it would be a bit pitiful to reject you so coldly… Well, fine. I suppose I should at least give you an opportunity.”
*Who do you think you're looking at?*
*I'm a noble elf, a high-maintenance woman!*
*Still, I can't pass this up.*
A golden opportunity to bask in my superiority.
*If it were some insignificant human, I wouldn't care, but being courted by a royal might be quite interesting.*
She looked like she was planning to have some fun with it.
She seemed so carefree that I was almost envious.
Her egocentric thinking, combined with her simplicity, made it seem like she was single-handedly bringing shame to all elves.
Anyway.
Erich simply shook his head again.
“Hmm, you've got the wrong person…”
“What did you say?”
“I was thinking of Luciel. It's about time I challenged that holiness of hers.”
“!!”
Ilensia let out a silent scream.
She had acted all high and mighty like a fool, only to be utterly humiliated.
Her following reaction was even more of a spectacle.
Embarrassment aside, she was indignant, as if she couldn't possibly understand.
*Why was I passed over again?*
*Is my charm that lacking?*
*No, that's definitely not it. It's just not.*
*I mean, I'm an elf, right?*
*It's obvious I'm the most beautiful of them all, so why?*
The girl's anguish was palpable.
Objectively speaking, she had a point.
If you looked at faces alone, no one could surpass her, but it was just… something else.
The girls around me had all surpassed a certain standard.
At that level, arguing over who was prettier was meaningless.
In the end, it came down to the sum of their overall charm.
And since the elf girl was such a ditz, she was bound to be relatively undervalued.
Unlike what I was thinking, Erich seemed unbothered.
He gazed at the elf girl and revealed a hint of ulterior motive.
“Hmm, if you feel that strongly about it… I don't mind changing the order.”
“N-No, thank you! It's too late for that!”
Foolish guy…
He'll hit on Luciel soon and face judgment.
After that, he'll aim for Ilensia, but he'll fail without a doubt.
It's pitiful if you think about it, but it's none of my business.
Being born a royal, he had a life others could only envy.
Well, when all was said and done, Erich was an ally.
He wasn't exactly dependable, but he was someone I could trust to a certain extent.
Erich was, for now, a member of the Imperial Family.
Without him, our affinity might have been even lower.
“Alright, let's get down to business.”
The upcoming schedule, the atmosphere in the Imperial Family, and so on.
He said he would kindly inform us of the things we didn't know.
I had a rough idea, but it was uncertain if everything would go as planned.
I had to be careful and calculate even the deviations from the original story's flow.
“First…”
I listened intently to what Erich had to say.
He seemed to want us to do well, so I figured I should try to raise the Imperial Family's affinity accordingly.