Vice-Minister of Tourism
Satou here. When you enter a new environment, like starting school or a job, sometimes you realize how many different people you have connections with, even if you never realized it in your day-to-day life previously.
“Viscount Satou Pendragon, I wish to appoint you Vice-Minister of Tourism.”
One morning a few days after the auction, I was back at the royal castle.
Though I’d only come to collect our prize money from the king for defeating a floormaster, for some reason I was called to the prime minister’s office first. The muscular minister gave a very lengthy preamble before he hit me with the offer.
“Thank you, but I’m afraid that is far beyond my abilities.”
Naturally, I turned it down right away.
As tempting as the word tourism might be, I knew it was only a cover for an intelligence agency.
“Besides, I can hardly accept an official position with the kingdom without permission from my actual master, Count Muno.”
Sorry, Count Muno, I’m using you as a scapegoat.
“Not to worry. I have already gotten Count Muno’s permission to make this offer. Although that blasted Nina strong-armed me into making all sorts of concessions for Muno County in the process…”
My “Keen Hearing” skill picked up on the latter muttered remark.
I didn’t realize the prime minister was close enough with Viscount Nina Lottel, the capable councillor of Muno County, to call her by her first name.
“But surely someone of more noble birth and sound experience would be far more…”
“You’re perfect for the role.”
The prime minister didn’t even let me finish my protest.
And I don’t know why he had to strike a weird pose to show off his muscles as he spoke…
“Tourism is an excellent field. As of now, the ministry only consists of myself and a few office workers. However, we are already furnished with golem horses that can tirelessly travel great distances, and armored carriages designed to hold up against attacks from even the most savage tribes. Once it is complete, His Majesty also intends to loan us a small airship for sightseeing.”
The prime minister must be into vehicles like that. He looked eager to take it for a spin himself.
While I’d certainly appreciate the means to travel more, it wasn’t that big of a deal when I had my own golems and airship. I guess the main advantage would be the ability to use them out in the open?
“We can also lend you a valuable Long-Distance Magisignal artifact. You’d be able to contact the capital at any time, though it requires high-quality cores for use.”
Evidently, a “Long-Distance Magisignal” was a magical communication device that couldn’t be recreated with modern Shiga Kingdom technology. It was used to call for advice and information from anywhere on your journey. Sort of like a credit card helpline, maybe?
As convenient as that sounded, it also seemed like it would anchor me more than I’d prefer.
“In addition, you would no doubt be able to use the prestige of the Shiga Kingdom to get a firsthand experience of facilities and events no ordinary tourist would ever see, enjoy cuisine only provided at the royal courts of each nation you visit, and so on.”
Okay, now that tempted me a little.
Sure, I could theoretically use Unit Deployment or Arisa’s Space Magic to sneak into off-limits areas, but I’d probably feel too guilty to enjoy it.
“You’d also be permitted to use the Ministry of Tourism’s budget for this year, one thousand gold coins, however you please. Of course, we’d have you submit expenditure reports—only as a formality, you understand.”
Since I’d been making money faster than I could spend it lately, I didn’t really care about the cash. If anything, I was actively looking for ways to invest it.
Still, what exactly was the prime minister fishing for with all this prime bait?
“…Of course, these privileges come with responsibilities.”
The prime minister broached this topic with such perfect timing that I almost wondered if he’d read my mind.
I knew it. The other shoe was about to drop.
He was probably going to start talking about the secret intelligence work.
I’d better change the subject and get out of here fast before I get in too deep.
“When you visit other nations and cities, we would like you to write up a report of local places of interests, food specialties, and the like. If there are any local specialties that travel well, be sure to secure a sample and bring some back.”
…Huh?
“In addition, you must either acquire a recipe for any notable specialties or investigate ways for you or one of your cooks to recreate it. If it requires ingredients not found in the Shiga Kingdom, look into substitutions as well. Ideally, in the case of produce, it would be best if you could secure seeds and the best methods of growing them.”
Wait a minute…
Prime Minister, are you just trying to live vicariously through me because you usually can’t go on trips outside the kingdom yourself?
As if sensing my suspicions, the prime minister cleared his throat and began to give what sounded like an official excuse.
“This is all in order to cultivate and preserve the cultures of various nations, lest they be lost in these unprecedented times known as the ‘Era of the Demon Lord.’ It is most certainly not to satisfy my personal interests and appetite.”
Then why did you just mention your appetite…?
Knowing the prime minister, this might actually be a serious offer. But I had to make sure it wasn’t just an act.
“So I wouldn’t be required to make an intelligence assessment in these nations?”
“Of course not. Any areas that require such assessment have already been assigned to agents on the ground for dozens, in some cases even hundreds, of years. There would be no point in rushing a noble out onto the scene now.”
Ah, so there were agents already blending into these areas like undercover spies.
“The main reason I’ve come to you with this offer is your unique capability to efficiently accumulate food culture and recipes. And in the process of this collection, we hope that more nations will develop a positive relationship with the Shiga Kingdom.”
“A positive relationship? I doubt I would be able to cultivate something like that…”
“You need not worry about it yourself. Focus only on the food—or rather, cultural preservation, if you please.”
I didn’t quite understand, but focusing on food sounded easy enough to me.
Oh, I’d better ask one more question.
“What if the nation we’re visiting is invaded by monsters or demon lords?”
“If you face the likes of a demon lord or a dragon, run away at once. Otherwise, if you believe you and your party can triumph, you are free to save them or abandon them as you see fit.”
I just nodded. If he was serious about all that, then the prime minister really didn’t have any intentions to restrict my actions.
“In the case of a cross-national conflict, of course, you are forbidden from backing one side or the other as a representative of Shiga Kingdom.”
So if I want to get involved in fights between nations, I just have to make sure I do it without anyone finding out who I am.
Uh-oh.
My thoughts were starting to lean toward accepting the offer.
I guess you don’t get to be a prime minister without mastering the art of influencing people.
“Are there provisions for retiring or stepping down?”
“As long as you’ve provided a report of the places you’ve visited, you are free to do as you please.”
Judging by this answer, he really didn’t intend to use me for intelligence gathering or diplomatic matters.
“Well, in that case…isn’t this a bit too beneficial for the appointed person?”
The prime minister snorted a laugh at my question.
“You’re a bit too soft for your own good, you know. Prudence is a virtue, yet you must have the mettle to at least take advantage of another’s verbal misstep, or you will surely be taken advantage of in older nations like the Saga Empire or the Garleon Alliance.”
The prime minister’s tone was serious.
“Besides…Nina and Duke Ougoch both said that if we send you off unfettered into the world, you’re likely to go ahead and take actions that will benefit the kingdom anyway.”
This last part was muttered so quietly that I wouldn’t have heard it without my “Keen Hearing” skill.
I certainly couldn’t deny that it sounded like me.
“Let us hear your answer, then.”
I fell silent for a moment.
Though it was tempting, there were few advantages to accepting the post.
But there didn’t seem to be many disadvantages, either…
Still, if I wasn’t sure about it, it was probably better to decline.
A political position like “vice-minister” could only bring trouble, even with a made-up reason like this one.
Just as I opened my mouth to decline, the prime minister seemed to sense my intention and patted a stack of books on his desk.
Then he handed me the twine-bound volume on top.
“What’s this?”
“A collection of information about local specials and gourmet dishes from each nation that I’ve personally compiled.”
What?!
“Surely a travel lover like yourself would do anything to get your hands on this, hmm?”
Oof, I can’t believe he pulled out a trump card like that at the very last moment…
Well played, Prime Minister!
“If you accept the position of vice-minister, I will give you all of these books, as well as letters of introduction that I’ve acquired from influential people throughout the land. It should make negotiating easier with even the most temperamental chefs.”
GG!!
Clearly, I wasn’t getting out of this one.
I had to hand it to him this time, even if his smug smile irked me a little.
After a brief moment of thought…
I finally gave my assent to the prime minister.
“As reward for defeating the floormaster of the Upper Stratum of the Celivera Labyrinth, I hereby award Viscount Pendragon and his party with eight thousand seven hundred gold coins.”
“We humbly accept.”
Once I accepted the prime minister’s offer, my group and I went to accept our floormaster reward from the king himself.
Of course, the majority of the money came from the spoils that had been sold at the auction.
It was nearly four thousand coins more than the reward given to the Scarlet Nobleman Baronet Jelil and his party for the Middle Stratum floormaster. It wasn’t that they didn’t earn a lot; we just earned way too much. That was probably thanks to all the dummy bids I made at the auction.
I was planning to split this money equally among the members of the party. They would probably need it once they all reached adulthood.
“This concludes the award ceremony.”
At the prime minister’s prompting, we left the audience room.
The ever-busy king apparently had lots of other visitors waiting.
“That’s a crazy amount of money. Are you going to invest it in the Echigoya Company again?”
Once we left, Arisa addressed me, her lilac hair hidden under a golden wig.
“I figured I’d split it among all of you.”
“Whaaat? No, don’t do that! You spent plenty of money raising and equipping all of us, didn’t you? Just keep it to compensate for all that. The rest of us already talked about this.”
I sent a questioning glance toward Liza, who was walking by Arisa’s side, and she gave a calm nod and affirmation. Judging by the sparkle of the orange scales that decorated her neck and wrists, as well as the magnificent swing of her tail, she didn’t seem to resent this. If anything, she almost looked proud.
“That wasn’t an investment on my part, though. It’s just standard child-rearing expenses, so you don’t need to worry about it.”
“Yeah, maybe, but stiiiill…”
Arisa didn’t look convinced.
“Then why don’t we all decide together how to use it?”
It was more than a thousand gold coins per person, which should have been enough to do all kinds of things.
“Master, we should use it to raise the larvae, I propose.”
The blond-haired, busty Nana chimed in with her usual distinctive way of speaking and lack of expression.
She always called young children “larvae,” even though she herself was technically younger than they were, being a homunculus who’d only existed for about a year.
“Mm, agreed.”
Mia nodded wisely, her pale aqua-colored twintails shifting to show a hint of her slightly pointed elf ears. Unlike Nana, she looked like a child but was actually over a hundred years old.
“Maybe you could make a cooking school in Labyrinth City or something, Lulu?”
“Oh, that’s a lovely idea! There are lots of kids there who want to learn how to cook.”
Lulu beamed with a smile so beautiful that it seemed to put the sun to shame. With each step, light bounced playfully off her glossy black hair.
“I think you should teach them to make lots and lots of meat dishes, sir!”
Pochi, who sported a brown bob as well as dog ears and a tail, raised her hand in a brisk salute as her eyes sparkled.
“A sign shop, tooo?”
Next to Pochi was the laid-back Tama, who had short white hair along with cat ears and a tail.
An unexpected master of the arts, Tama had created signs for various food stalls in Labyrinth City that led to a massive spike in sales. While art supplies were relatively expensive, it might be possible to reduce the costs in Labyrinth City. I decided to try making paint recipes using labyrinth materials and offering them to the merchants’ guild.
“…Sir Pendragon, do you have a moment?”
I turned to the source of the voice and found Baronet Jelil, the Scarlet Nobleman, in red armor.
His Magic Sword Icebranch Fang already hung at his waist again, even though he must have had to surrender it during the audience with the king.
“What is it?”
“I hear tell that you and Ms. Black Spear have withdrawn your candidacy for the Shiga Eight Swordsmen. You’ll not change your mind?”
“No, neither Liza nor I have any desire to join the Shiga Eight.”
He probably had a vested interest since he was also a candidate.
“No desire…? Are you implying that if you desired it, you could join whenever you wanted?”
There was a faint note of anger in Mr. Jelil’s voice.
It was unlike the normally intellectual Jelil to latch onto someone’s verbal gaffe like that.
He must be really on edge.
“I apologize if I misspoke and struck a nerve. I only meant that we withdrew because I judged that we lacked the qualifications to be candidates for the Shiga Eight.”
I reassured Jelil with help from my “Fabrication” and “Making Excuses” skills.
“What sort of qualifications?”
I couldn’t very well be truthful and say “We aren’t loyal enough to the Shiga Kingdom,” so I just smiled vaguely without responding to his query.
Luckily, he didn’t press the matter further, and I told him I looked forward to his appointment as a new member of the Shiga Eight before we parted ways.
I really did think his chances were pretty high. He was an ideal candidate in both strength and personality, and now that Mr. Gouen had been expelled due to his involvement in the attempted assassination of Duke Vistall, there were three open seats for the Shiga Eight Swordsmen.
“Sir Pendragon, Your Excellency.”
This time, it was a castle chamberlain who addressed me.
I thought he might be a messenger for Mia’s and Arisa’s friend Princess Sistina, only to find that he was actually from the military minister Marquis Kelten.
He said that he had a letter and message from the marquis.
“Who’s it from?”
“Marquis Kelten. It says Miss Cyna’s grandfather wants to thank you for saving her and invites you to visit his mansion.”
I addressed the former part to Arisa, and the latter to Tama and Pochi, the invitees.
“We’ve been invited to our bestie’s house, sir!”
“Yaaay, fuuun!”
Pochi and Tama spun around in a dance.
They appeared to be beside themselves with joy at being invited to their best friend’s home.
Several other people stopped me in the hall after that, until finally a messenger from Princess Sistina came to summon all of us to the princess’s reception room.
“Lord Satou, Lady Mia, Arisa. Welcome, all of you.”
When we arrived at the room, the princess greeted us with a smile.
She addressed Mia with an honorific title because the elves of Bolenan Forest are highly respected throughout the kingdom; for me, a much lower rank than she, it was because of her fascination with my spell-developing abilities.
“Who?”
Mia tilted her head at a young girl who bore a strong resemblance to Princess Sistina.
“Lady Mia, allow me to introduce you. This is my little sister Doris.”
Princess Doris stood and curtsied to Mia.
“Pleased to meet you, Lady Misanaria of Bolenan Forest. I am Doris Shiga, twelfth princess of the Shiga Kingdom, ten years old.”
Honestly, from her appearance I thought she was even younger.
“My name is Misanaria Bolenan, youngest elf of Bolenan Forest, daughter of Lamisauya and Lilinatoa.”
“Pochi is Pochi, sir!”
“Tama is Tamaaa?”
Pochi and Tama couldn’t resist joining in after Mia’s formal introduction.
“Oh my! Animal-eared folk!”
With the pair’s permission, Princess Doris touched their ears.
Once she appeared satisfied, I introduced the rest of our number to the princesses.
Princess Doris seemed to take an immediate liking to Tama and Pochi; before long, they were sitting on either side of her, eating snacks together.
“Oh dear. And here I only allowed her to join us because she wanted to meet Lady Mia…”
While Princess Sistina sounded exasperated, there was obvious fondness in her eyes as she watched her younger sister.
Before long, I was deep in conversation about spells with Princess Sistina. While Arisa and Mia seemed relaxed, Liza and Lulu looked nervous throughout the entire proceedings, so I cut things short as early as possible without seeming rude.
Nana, of course, was able to fit into her surroundings at her own unique pace as usual.
“Ah yes, Lord Satou. If you wouldn’t mind, might I introduce you to my elder brother Sortorik?”
“As in His Highness the Crown Prince?”
“Yes, he shares the same mother as Doris and me. I’m sure he’d be happy to meet you if I were the one to request it.”
Princess Sistina was trying to do me a favor by offering me a connection to Crown Prince Sortorik, the next in line to be king…but to be honest, I didn’t really want that.
For one thing, I didn’t exactly get a positive impression of him during the auction.
“I appreciate your kind offer, but I’m afraid a youngster like myself would only be wasting the Crown Prince’s valuable time. I would much rather let him use that time to the kingdom’s benefit.”
“Ooh, Satou hates our big brother.”
Princess Doris spoke up a little too frankly.
“That isn’t true at all, Doris. Lord Satou is a wise and modest man who doesn’t wish to interfere with our elder brother’s work, that’s all.”
“…Really?”
“Yes, it’s just as Her Highness says.”
I latched onto the lifeline Princess Sistina had tossed me with all my might.
“You must be rather free today, I imagine? Would you like to join me for dinner? My maid tells me we’ve some Ohmi beef of the finest marbling in store for this evening.”
Although the beastfolk girls’ eyes sparkled at this invitation, we unfortunately already had plans for the rest of the day.
“I’m sorry. I’m afraid we have business in the villa.”
“You mean Gou…? No, very well. I suppose there’s nothing to be done, then. I do hope you’ll join me for dinner soon—at least once before you leave the royal capital, that is.”
I agreed to this with a smile, and left the princess’s room with the rest of my group in tow.
Our next destination was the detached villa on the castle grounds where nobles were kept for house arrest.
“Miss Lulu! Miss Nana!”
“Good to see you, Sherin.”
“Have you been practicing? I inquire.”
“Of course!”
The girl who greeted us with a big smile was Miss Sherin, eldest daughter of the former Shiga Eight member, Mr. Roitall Gouen.
After training under Lulu’s and Nana’s instruction, she was officially starting at the knights’ school of the royal academy this spring.
“Hellooo?”
“Meowdy, sir.”
“Aah, it’s Tama and Pochi!”
Sherin grinned and high-fived Tama and Pochi.
The three of them had become close after surviving an intense battle during the spring expedition that involved both the knights’ school special class and the preschool class.
“Hey, Satou.”
While I watched the kids chatting happily, a giant man emerged from the courtyard with a woman and young child in tow: Mr. Gouen and his wife and second daughter.
“Thanks for looking out for our Sherin.”
“Oh, I haven’t done anything much. If you must thank someone, thank the girls.”
“I’ll do just that, then,” he said with a slight smile, and headed over to Sherin and the others.
“Miss Lulu, Miss Nana. Thanks to you, Sherin was able to keep a level head on the battlefield and survive. It’s your training that helped her get accepted into the knights’ school, too. I’m deeply grateful to ya both.”
“Oh, no, not at all…!”
“Yes, Gouen. We accept your thanks, I reply.”
In stark contrast to Lulu’s flustered response, Nana sounded aloof.
“These ladies are your teachers, big sis?”
“That’s right. Miss Lulu is much stronger than she looks, you know.”
“Ooh, coool!”
Sherin responded proudly to her younger sister, who’d whispered in her ear.
“Oh, right—Miss Pochi, Miss Tama. I only got to see my daughter again because you beat those big strong monsters. I thank you and honor your bravery.”
“Tee-hee.”
“I’m blushing, sir.”
The pair of them wriggled shyly.
“It was Hikaru who finished off the really big monster, sir,” Pochi added.
“Hikaru…is that Duchess Mitsukuni?”
I nodded, a little surprised that he knew about her.
“Don’t worry, I already thanked Her Excellency.”
Tama and Pochi nodded at this.
Hikaru had apparently come to visit the day after the incident.
While we were chatting about Hikaru, Miss Sherin, and so on, the supervisor of the villa eventually directed us to take our leave.
“Hey, Satou, if you get the chance…look out for Lady Somienna, too, yeah?”
Somienna was Duke Vistall’s youngest daughter and had personally prevented Gouen from killing his master Duke Vistall at the risk of her own life. He must have felt deeply grateful to her since he wasn’t doing the deed of his own free will.
“Of course. I can’t promise I’ll be of much help, but I’ll certainly listen to her troubles, at the very least.”
“That’s more than enough. Thank you, Satou.”
Ignoring the persistent supervisor, I shook hands with Mr. Gouen, waved to the rest of his family, and left the villa.
“Now that we’ve received our recompense from His Majesty, let’s decide who should use the Gift Orbs, shall we?”
Since our plans for today were highly confidential, we gathered at our secret base. Nana’s sisters and Hikaru were there, too, of course.
“You got ‘Paralysis Resistance’ and ‘Water Magic’ at the auction, right?”
“That’s right.”
Lulu had already used the “Analyze Goods” orb we got from our floormaster spoils and acquired the skill.
“Why not just stick with what we talked about before? We’ll have either our tank Nana or our healer Mia take ‘Paralysis Resistance,’ and Nana or Lulu take ‘Water Magic.’”
“Okay, which one would use ‘Paralysis Resistance’?”
“Nana,” Mia responded immediately.
“True, it might be best for our shield user to have it.”
Since no one else had any objections, the “Paralysis Resistance” skill went to Nana.
“What about ‘Water Magic’?”
“I will withdraw, I declare.”
“I’ll hold off, too. I can technically use skill level one spells without having the right magic skill, as long as I don’t mind a little headache, so I don’t really need it. What about you and the other sisters, Adin? You don’t have anyone who knows Healing Magic, right?”
As a compromise, Arisa offered the orb to the eldest of the sisters, Adin, also known as Number 1.
“Is it really all right for us to take such a valuable item? None of us can use Healing Magic, but we are all capable of foundation techniques to stop bleeding and accelerate regeneration…”
“Me! Me, me, me! Huit wishes to try Healing Magic, I declare.”
Adin’s attempted show of restraint was interrupted by Number 8, Huit.
“Request denied.”
Number 2, Ithnani, immediately rejected Huit’s request.
“Why? I inquire.”
“Because you would forget to heal us, I reply.”
“Agreed. The reliable Vier would be a better fit, I propose.”
Number 5, Fünf, agreed with Ithnani’s assessment, while Number 6, Seis, suggested Number 4.
“Tria too! Tria is also interested in Healing Magic!”
Tria hopped up and down with excitement until Adin shut her down.
“You are not a suitable choice. You are often away from the rest of us scouting or setting traps.”
“Boo-hoo. Tria is disappointed.”
“What do you think, Mito…I mean, Hikaru?”
“I think Vier is a good fit, too. Do you want to do it, though?”
When Adin asked Hikaru, she turned to Vier for her opinion.
“…I don’t mind,” Vier mumbled.
She was the quietest of the sisters.
“Master, is it all right if Vier uses ‘Water Magic’?”
“Sure. Whoever you all choose is fine with me.”
I nodded at Nana’s sisters.
Thus, Nana acquired the “Paralysis Resistance” skill, and Vier acquired “Water Magic.”
“Vier, I’ll give you some Water Magic spellbooks. These three books contain the standard spells used in the Shiga Kingdom. This one is military-use ‘Water Magic,’ and this last one is original spells that I created. Make sure you don’t use those in front of anyone else.”
“Yes, Master.”
Vier nodded and stored the spellbooks in her Fairy Pack.
The sisters had each gotten their own when they finished training in Bolenan Forest.
When Lulu went back to our home to prepare for dinner, I gave everyone permission to do as they pleased for a while.
The beastfolk girls went to get some exercise before dinner, while Nana and her sisters went to support Vier’s “Water Magic” training.
“Master, are those the scrolls we got in the auction?”
“Yeah, I figured I might as well use them now.”
I headed for an open area while I talked with Arisa. Mia and Hikaru came along, too.
We acquired three scrolls in the auction.
The Space Magic spell Material Transfer could move nonliving things. The basic version could only transport things about as large as a pebble, but from my magic menu, it could transport boulders, too. Maybe I could use it for a “Mini Meteor” attack.
“Wow.”
“Turning ‘Material Transfer’ into ‘Meteor’…”
“You’re like a one-man siege machine.”
Mia, Arisa, and Hikaru all commented from the sidelines. Honestly, I’ve had enough skills to do a one-man siege for ages now.
Next, I tried the Summoning Magic spell Summon Pigeon.
This spell summons a carrier pigeon and sends a letter to a chosen person or location. Sadly, using it from the magic menu didn’t change the effects.
“Eh, kinda boring.”
“I was hoping you’d at least be able to summon an Elder Pigeon.”
“Cute.”
While Arisa and Hikaru were unimpressed, Mia was happy to cuddle the friendly pigeon.
The next spell, a combination of Water Magic and Wind Magic from the Overgrown Labyrinth, was a lot crazier.
From the scroll, it only produced a vaguely unpleasant smell. From my menu, however, it was as powerful as a tear-gas bomb. When I turned its strength up to the max, it started killing demi-goblins left and right. I’d have to be especially careful with this one.
“It’s like a biological weapon.”
“Yeah, I actually feel bad for the demi-goblins.”
“Mean.”
The crowd didn’t like this one.
With its strength reduced to the minimum, it might be useful for distracting people. The demi-goblins of the labyrinth would have to put up with my experiments until I got the hang of controlling it.
“Is that all? Didn’t you get some sketchy scroll from Viscount Siemmen?”
I’d forgotten about the mysterious scroll until Arisa reminded me. Now was as good a time as any to use that, too.
“What kind of spell is it?”
“It’s a Shadow Magic spell called Shadow Mirror. I’m not sure what it does.”
This spell wasn’t in the Undead King Zen’s Shadow Magic spellbook I found in Trazayuya’s Cradle.
“Do you know it, Hikaru?” Arisa asked.
“Yeah, I had a minor run-in with some folks who specialized in it in the Flue Empire.”
Hikaru explained that there had been an annoying group of people called the Phantom Peach Orchard, and she was getting riled up as she reflected on the past.
“So what does the spell do?”
“It uses one shadow to display something that’s visible from another shadow. You can hear voices, too, but it goes both ways, so it’s not great for secret surveillance. If anything, it’s sort of like a video call version of Telephone.”
Most users of the spell were limited to a distance of a few miles; a few were able to use it within the range of a single city at best.
“But since there aren’t many spells that let you see someone and speak to them directly, powerful people in the Flue Empire had their own hired Shadow Mirror users. That’s what gave those Phantom Peach Orchard jerks free rein to cause trouble, though.”
Hikaru looked bitter as she finished this statement.
This group must have given her a lot of grief.
Lulu came to get us before I could get into really testing it out, putting an end to the day’s magic experiments once I added the new spell to my magic menu. I also used the other scrolls I’d gotten with the prime minister’s help, like the military Earth Magic spell Iron Toss and the Wind Magic spells Turbulence and Fallen Hammer.
Since the other scrolls I ordered from Viscount Siemmen probably wouldn’t be ready before we left the royal capital, I would have to find a good time to go pick them up as Akindoh, Viscount Pendragon’s personal merchant.
The day after we visited the villa, I went with the beastfolk girls to the mansion of the military minister, Marquis Kelten.
Beyond the imposing gate that suited the home of a military man was a gorgeous garden full of beautifully blossoming flowers.
“Pochi! Tama!”
“Bestie, sir!”
“And our henchmen, tooo?”
A garden party was in full swing. In addition to Viscount Kelten’s granddaughter and Pochi and Tama’s best friend Miss Cyna, their apprentice-like “henchmen” were also present, as well as other young boys and girls.
Pochi and Tama looked up at me for permission, and I nodded to indicate that they could go play.
“Why, hello, Satou.”
As I watched the pair run off, a sultry voice summoned me.
Turning around, I found Mrs. Rayuna Raffol, a marquis’s wife with a perpetually sensual air about her.
Behind her was her close friend Mrs. Ema Litton, a count’s wife who held a great deal of influence in the royal capital’s noble society.
“Hello there, Lady Rayuna, Lady Ema.”
When I greeted them, a murmur arose from the nearby nobles.
Judging by my experiences at previous tea parties, they were probably shocked that I addressed the ladies by their first names.
“How unusual to see you at His Excellency Kelten’s home. Are you trying to make connections in the military now, even though you’ve just been made Vice-Minister of Tourism?”
As usual, Count Litton’s wife was on top of the latest news.
“Since you’ve so many friends in the Shiga Eight, I would suggest you aim to get in with high-ranking officers and imperial knights next.”
I thanked them for their advice before clarifying that I wasn’t here to network.
“I’ve come today because young Lady Cyna kindly befriended a few of my kids during the spring class at the preschool, you see.”
“Oh my, is that so? Well, more importantly, you must look at this necklace.”
“And my earrings, too.”
Mrs. Litton and Mrs. Raffol showed me their spoils from the auction.
The Echigoya Company produced this jewelry for the auction using magic gemstones.
After a round of compliments for the jewelry as well as for the ladies themselves, I explained that I would soon be leaving the royal capital to travel around to various nations.
“What a shame. Just as we were getting to be such good friends.”
“How long will you be traveling?”
“My apologies. I plan to return to the royal capital by the time the items you both requested arrive.”
Since the jewels with their family crests that they’d requested by way of Satou were supposedly being made by a jeweler in a southern island country, I’d told them it would be at least six months.
While we lamented our parting, I asked the well-informed ladies to tell me about any interesting places they knew of in the surrounding nations.
As we were wrapping up our conversation, I heard cheers from the direction of the garden party.
“What’s all the fuss about?”
“Well, these are military folks. Perhaps a Shiga Eight member has arrived?”
Brimming with curiosity, we headed toward the source of the commotion.
“Incredible, Marquis Kelten!”
“Truly the work of a master! That iron armor’s been sliced in twain!”
The military nobles were all clamoring around Marquis Kelten, who had a Magic Sword in hand.
“Marquis Kelten? Really?”
“Is he really all that special of a swordsman?”
The two noble wives whispered to one another.
“Your Excellency! One more time, please!”
“Oh yes, do let us see as well!”
“Hmph. If you insist.”
Marquis Kelten channeled magic power into the sword.
The magic blade glowed dimly, creating a faint outline of red light around it.
“Why, it’s ‘Spellblade.’”
“He must have won that at the auction.”
Mrs. Litton and Mrs. Raffol correctly identified the red blade of light.
“Oh, Grandfather, you’re at it again?”
A little girl appeared next to us, crossing her arms.
Her facial features bore a strong resemblance to Miss Cyna’s. According to my AR display’s information, she was a daughter of the Kelten family by the name of Dumolina.
“Masterrr?”
“It’s Master, sir.”
Tama and Pochi popped up behind me and latched onto my legs. Cyna had come along with them, too.
Always minding her manners, Miss Cyna gave me a polite, ladylike greeting.
“Would you believe it, Cyna? Grandfather’s already getting carried away again, even though he only just ran out of magic and collapsed the other day from using ‘Spellblade’ too much. I must say, I can scarcely believe that he’s the head of the military!”
In spite of her cherubic appearance, Cyna’s elder sister Dumolina was evidently quite harsh.
“Ha-ha-ha. Show a little mercy, Dumolina.”
Cyna’s and Dumolina’s father, the honorary Viscount Kelten, strode over with a chuckle. The second son of Marquis Kelten, he headed up the budget bureau of the royal military. He was the spitting image of his father.
“Father, this is Viscount Pendragon.”
“Oh-ho, the one I’ve heard so much about? Why, you’re much younger than I expected.”
After we exchanged greetings, Cyna’s father gave me his thanks that Pochi and Tama had saved his daughter.
He had already thanked the two of them directly.
“Look at this, sir!”
“We got a giiift?”
Grinning delightedly, Tama and Pochi held up the decorative gift basket they’d gotten from Cyna’s father.
It contained an assortment of carefully wrapped high-quality ham, sausage, and so on. I’m sure their “bestie” Cyna had some input on the gift selection.
“I’ve already sent a formal gift of thanks to your mansion. Please don’t hesitate to accept it. I assure you there’s no underlying meaning of any sort.”
After whispering in my ear, Cyna’s father went to collect the Marquis and bring him over.
“Were you watching, by any chance, Sir Pendragon?”
“Yes, I saw your magnificent ‘Spellblade’ from over here, Your Excellency.”
Marquis Kelten was in a smashing good mood.
“Pochi can do it, too, sir!”
“Tama tooo?”
Before I could stop them, the girls pulled out sausages from the gift basket and used them to create ‘Spellblade.’
“‘S-spellblade’ on something other than a Magic Sword?!”
The marquis looked shocked.
But true to his seasoned position as the military minister, he quickly recovered.
“No wonder you’re mithril explorers! Such mastery at such a young age.”
With that, Marquis Kelten patted Tama and Pochi on the head.
“Viscount Pendragon, I must thank you and your vassals for rescuing my granddaughter from grave peril. If the Kelten family can do anything to assist you, you need only ask me.”
Another wave of commotion ran through the nearby crowd of military nobles at the marquis’s generous offer.
Using my “Poker Face” skill to the fullest, I responded with a simple “Thank you, you are much too kind.”
“Although the Shiga Eight Swordsmen candidates have been chosen, the final round of selection will take place from the second squadron being sent to suppress the rebellion in Vistall Duchy.”
Oh, right. I read in a newspaper extra that the first squadron sent to stop the rebellion took back one city in Vistall Duchy only to be wiped out.
“They leave tomorrow. If you like, Sir Pendragon, I can put in a recommendation for you to join up?”
“No, thank you. With my lack of experience, I would only hold them back.”
“Nonsense. Everyone’s a beginner at first. Why, I could even get you signed up as an officer in the royal knights and…”
Uh-oh. Marquis Kelten was getting a little pushy.
“All right, that’s enough of that!”
“Hear, hear! It would be unthinkable to let our Sir Satou’s talents go to waste in military service!”
The gourmet-loving noble pair from the old capital came to my rescue.
“Marquis Lloyd and Count Hohen, eh? Seeing the two of you get along so swimmingly makes me fear that hellfire might rain down from the sky next.”
Marquis Kelten turned to the duo with an unreadable expression.
“Hmph. No feud is worth fighting over in the face of shrimp tempura.”
“Indeed, I see no purpose in clashing with a fellow appreciator of the greatness of red pickled ginger tempura.”
What does that even mean?
“I, too, am well aware of Sir Pendragon’s magnificent cooking, you two. Yet is it not the finest honor any master could dream of to be appointed to the Shiga Eight Swordsmen?”
I recognized the military man who came over and addressed the pair.
It was Baron Jeetbert, a noble of Ougoch Duchy who I rescued when he was shipwrecked in the Seadragon Islands.
“It’s good to see you again, Your Excellency Baron Jeetbert.”
“I apologize for not greeting you sooner. Been a while—I mean, it is an honor to see you again, Viscount Pendragon. You need not call me ‘Your Excellency’ or anything of the sort, you know. Congratulations on your well-deserved promotion to viscount.”
Baron Jeetbert corrected his tone to a more formal one partway through.
“I do apologize for my lateness. I know I promised to see you at the kingdom meeting.”
Oh yeah, I guess he did say that when we parted ways in Sutoandell, the trade city in the Ougoch Duchy.
“Though it hardly makes up for my negligence, I’ve collected many fine products from the coastline and peninsulas of the Shiga Kingdom, just as promised. I will deliver them to your manor in the near future.”
What an upright guy.
Baron Jeetbert and Cyna’s father had apparently been classmates at the knights’ school of the royal academy. Soon, they were clearly getting back into their old rhythm, holding an arm-wrestling tournament in a corner of the garden party.
Incidentally, I should note the winner wound up being Liza, who accidentally used her full strength.
“Your Majesty, I have come to report that we will be returning to our territory.”
In one of the smaller audience rooms of the royal capital, Count Leon Muno bowed to the king.
I was there accompanying him and his councillor Nina Lottel.
Uncharacteristically, the prime minister wasn’t by the king’s side. Instead, he was flanked only by Sir Reilus, the Holy Shield and third seat of the Shiga Eight, as well as a few aides.
“Very good. I trust you will work hard to continue developing your nation for the betterment of the Shiga Kingdom and its people.”
The king paused for a moment, gazing at Count Muno, and continued in a softer tone.
“Take good care of Muno County, Leon.”
“O-of course, Your Majesty! Understood.”
Count Muno bowed his head deeply.
I found out later that when Leon was studying heroes in the royal capital as Baronet Donano, it was the current king who appointed him lord of the former Muno Barony. That might be why the king seemed to have a vested interest in Count Muno.
While I was reflecting on all that, the meeting came to an end, and we left the audience room.
“Count Muno, will you be going back home on the next airship, too?”
Count Kuhanou called out to us in the hall.
He was on his way to report his return like Count Muno just had.
“Yes, that’s right. And you, Count Kuhanou?”
“Indeed. I look forward to our journey, then.”
The trip to the northeastern part of the kingdom would be via airship until they reached Ougoch Duchy, then by ship on the great river to the northern edge of the county, and farther north from there by carriage. This meant that Count Kuhanou would be on the same route with them until Muno City.
“Will you be traveling with Count Muno as well, Sir Pendragon?”
“No, I’ll be stopping by Labyrinth City, then traveling to various nations.”
“Oh? Well, it is good to travel while you’re still young. Broaden your horizons, and find new ways to be of help to Count Muno, eh?”
I nodded at his encouragement and thanked him for lending me his sword during the Evil-Cleansing Ceremony incident.
“Oh, not at all. A sword is little more than decoration to a lord. Although, speaking of the sword you returned to me, where in the world did you take it for maintenance?”
“I asked a friend of mine to fix it up. Was there a quality issue?”
“Quite the opposite—I’m amazed at how well they sharpened it up. It cut cleaner than it ever has before when I took it for a test run. I was hoping you’d introduce me to this master craftsman.”
Sorry, I can’t. I did it myself.
“It was the work of a blacksmith known as Hephaistos. He’s very talented, but I’m afraid he is also quite flighty and moves about frequently… I haven’t the faintest idea where he might be at the moment.”
“A wandering master blacksmith, eh…? Your connections never cease to amaze me, Sir Pendragon.”
Thanks to my “Fabrication” skill, Count Kuhanou bought my story.
“Well then, please tell this master blacksmith of yours to come by my castle if ever he finds himself in Kuhanou County. Hmph, er…”
“Hephaistos.”
“…Right, Hephaistos. I’ll let my gatekeepers and viceroys know about him, too, then.”
“I’ll be sure to tell Sir Hephaistos as soon as I can get in touch again.”
Since Count Kuhanou seemed so taken with my work, I would have to make a new disguise mask and pay him a visit if we stopped by Kuhanou County sometime.
It could be fun to check out the capital, Kuhanou City.
After parting ways with Count Kuhanou, I chatted with Ms. Nina as we continued down the hall.
“You said you’ll be traveling to different nations, yes? Is this for your new job as the Vice-Minister of Tourism?”
“Yes, that’s part of it.”
Mostly I just wanted to travel for fun.
“Still, I have to admit, I didn’t think you’d take the gig. As part of the deal, Muno County is getting bumped to the top of the list for a small airship from the kingdom, ten Champion’s Swords and Spears, and a two-year extension of our special tax exemption, to boot.”
She really squeezed the prime minister for all he was worth. I should’ve expected no less from Ms. Nina.
“By the way, if you’re hitting the road, what about Miss Karina? Will you be taking her along?”
“No, Lady Karina was hoping to train in Labyrinth City. Some friends of mine—Nana’s sisters—will be training in the labyrinth there, so I thought she could work alongside them.”
“Miss Nana has sisters, eh? Are they strong?”
“Well, they’ve trained in the elf village. I’d say they’re around as strong as my group was when we arrived in Labyrinth City ourselves. Besides, Lady Karina has Raka to help her.”
Even putting her own strength aside, Miss Karina could probably handle most situations with the support of the Intelligent Item Raka. He provided great protection, too.
“…Hmm. What do you think, Count?”
“As her father, I would prefer to keep her out of danger. But if that is what she wishes, I would like to let her do as she will.”
“You’re way too soft on her.”
Ms. Nina rolled her eyes at Count Muno, then turned back to me.
“I wish she’d just settle down with you and stay at home.”
“If you forced Lady Karina to do such a thing, she would run away from the castle again.”
“…Right. She did go running to the giants for help when I was stuck in jail.”
I had to convince Ms. Nina, given that I’d promised Miss Karina that I would make a case for her going back to Labyrinth City to train.
“Oh, all right. We’ll let her have her way for a year or so. Does that work for you, Count?”
“Yes, of course.”
Count Muno nodded.
Within a year’s time, she’d probably reach around level 50 and get bored of training in the labyrinth, anyway.
“Satou, now that you’re an upper noble, you’ll have to land a wife in the next year, too.”
“Oh, I’m still too young for that.”
“It’s kingdom law, you know. An unmarried head of an upper noble family without a legitimate heir has to have a child within a year. So whether it’s a proper wife or a mistress, you’ll need to get yourself a wife and start making a baby right away.”
“You’re joking…”
“Would I joke about this? For your information, if you don’t have a child within three years, you’re required to get a second wife or a mistress.”
…For real?
Multiple wives, or husbands in the case of a female head of household, are mandatory? I can’t believe they have legally enforced polygamy… The Shiga Kingdom is truly next level.
Well, the stipulation specifies “a legitimate heir,” meaning hopefully all I need is a successor. If they try to force me to get married, I’ll just find some clever kid who wants to be a noble and adopt them into the Viscount Pendragon family.
“Come on, I heard from Ema and Rayuna that all the girls wanted a piece of you at their tea parties and get-togethers. Isn’t there a single girl that interested you? Any maids you might’ve taken home?”
I didn’t realize Nina was friends with Mrs. Litton and Mrs. Raffol. She really does know everyone.
“Unfortunately, no.”
“If you say so. Well, if you don’t find a wife in the next year, you can just marry Miss Karina. Having a wife who’s older than you isn’t so bad, you know.”
I do prefer older women, but from my perspective, Karina is still way too young.
I invoked the classic procrastination password phrase known as “I’ll think about it” to evade the question, and accompanied Count Muno and company to check out the mansion he received from the king.
That evening, after I visited the new Muno manor, I went to the Echigoya Company to finish off some work before we left the royal capital.
“Welcome back, Lord Kuro.”
“Thank you, Miss Manager.”
The blond, beautiful manager Eluterina greeted me with a shining smile.
“Lord Kuro, I’ve gathered all of the various ingots, scrap gemstones, and refinement scraps you requested. The precious metals are in the underground treasury, and the rest had to be kept in a spare storehouse at the factory, due to the sheer amount.”
“You really work fast, Tifaleeza.”
The managing secretary, a lovely silver-haired girl named Tifaleeza, handed me an inventory list.
I mass-purchased the different kinds of ingots for transmutation, magic tool creation, and other assorted uses. The scrap gemstones were for magic jewels, and the refinement scraps were for extracting rare metals. From the looks of it, she’d managed to purchase the latter in bulk at bargain prices.
As I looked over the papers, it took all the power of my “Poker Face” skill to keep a satisfied grin off my face.
“Platinum and iridium are rare finds. Did you make a new business contact?”
“Yes, the Sahbe Company heard we were looking to buy metal ingots and came to strike a deal with us.”
The Sahbe Company was run by the weaselfolk man, Mr. Homimudory.
Since these ingots were difficult to process, they had no interested buyers and were willing to sell them to us for the same price as gold ingots. They’d also tried to sell us three Spirit Magic scrolls, a purchase that the managers put on hold.
“Spirit Magic scrolls? Were they the undead summoning scrolls from the auction?”
“Most likely, yes.”
They’d tried to sell these to me as Satou, too, but I turned them down as well, because Spirit Magic scrolls are considered a morally gray area and might lead to unsavory rumors.
So they tried selling them to the Echigoya Company instead.
“And you put them on hold?”
“Well, purchasing Spirit Magic scrolls is seen as taboo, so we wanted to get your permission first.”
“I see. But did you have a buyer in mind if we purchased them?”
Those certainly weren’t the kind of thing we could use at the company.
“Yes, Viscount Pendragon collects scrolls.”
“So, you’re trying to win his favor?”
“No, if anything, he’s already done plenty of favors for us. I hoped we could return it a little.”
Huh? When did I do the company favors, again?
“I see. I’ll allow the purchase. The final decision is up to you.”
Since I’m really not a fan of horror, I don’t particularly want to get mixed up in controlling the undead with Spirit Magic.
I do get plenty of use from the Spirit Magic spell Bonecraft, though.
“Are the other materials in the storehouses, too?”
“Yes. Anything that requires cold storage is in storehouse number two.”
I had them bulk-purchase a lot of ingredients we were running low on, like grains and seasonings. This sort of thing looks a lot less unusual when a company is making the purchase as opposed to an individual.
I also ordered plenty of supplies that aren’t very widely circulated, like coffee beans from the Saga Empire, and items that aren’t sold in normal stores, like high-quality Ohmi beef. Starting a company really was a great idea.
“As for the mementos Viscount Pendragon requested, we’ve found a home for the last one. It was deemed to belong to a family member of Countess Kageus, so we delivered it to their royal capital estate.”
“Good work.”
The mementos in question were items we found on the sugar route on drifting or sunken ships.
I put in a request as Satou to the Echigoya Company to return them discreetly, since it would’ve been more of a pain to do it myself. Any gifts of thanks from the owners would be used for philanthropic purposes after a handling fee went to the company.
“But did we really have to leave out Viscount Pendragon’s name, I wonder?”
“That was a condition of his request, right?”
“Well, yes… I still feel guilty, though. It’s as if we’ve robbed him of a perfect chance to make positive connections with all manner of nobles and taken all the credit for ourselves.”
“Don’t worry about it, Manager.”
I didn’t want to go making connections that might result in more marriage proposals.
“If he wanted that sort of thing, he wouldn’t have asked us to keep his name private.”
“…Of course.”
While the manager still didn’t look satisfied, Tifaleeza moved onto the next subject with more papers in hand.
“Lord Kuro, His Excellency the Prime Minister has approached us about hiring a few new personnel.”
“What kind of personnel?”
“Well, erm…” Eluterina hesitated.
Tifaleeza supplied the answer. “Phantom Thief Pippin and Shadow Thief Sharururuun.”
I’d had run-ins with Pippin as Kuro, and Sharururuun as Satou. I caught Pippin when he stole the Prayer Ring from the auction house, and apprehended Sharururuun when she tried to steal the Dragon’s Eye in the royal castle. Both were turned over to Shiga Kingdom authorities and ultimately sentenced to be slaves, or so I thought.
“Thieves? How would we use them at the company?”
If anything, I would think the prime minister would have more use for them in his intelligence-gathering agency.
“His Excellency suggested that they could be of use gathering information for Sir Nanashi the Hero or for undertaking various handiwork.”
Fair enough; we were short on that kind of talent. But I didn’t think such strong-willed individuals would be easy to manage. I’d rather just handle things with Space Magic and my stupid amount of skills then take on more unnecessary labor.
“Sir Nanashi has no need for such things.”
“They could help us in other ways, too, like gathering information when we look into opening more branches, or with their connections with criminal guilds.”
“If you have a use for them within the company, fine. But they’re quick on their feet. Don’t let them near any confidential information.”
“Understood, sir. But there was one condition for hiring slaves…”
“A condition?”
“Pippin and Sharururuun each had one request.”
“What is it?”
“They said they would only talk about it when they meet you, Lord Kuro.”
“All right.”
I was a little curious anyway. I could go meet with them once I finished my business at the Echigoya Company and had picked up the materials I purchased.
I checked on the progress of the farming village and mines we were developing and got research reports from the young Japanese reincarnation Aoi and his eccentric master Professor Jahado.
“Leave it to Professor Jahado. He’s already working on a new prototype?”
“Yes, and his assistant Aoi is also developing something called a ‘drone’ using the coaxial skypower engine.”
That wasn’t surprising for a Japanese reincarnation.
However, I hoped he would develop more items for everyday use, like soap dispensers, instead of the kind of technology that might be used for military purposes.
Since I’d already told him about the technologies that the gods forbade in this world, which I heard about from the reincarnations who lived in the labyrinth’s Lower Stratum, I’d hopefully prevented the worst-case scenario. Still, researchers have a tendency to be motivated by curiosity. Maybe I should set up a system of restrictions to keep him in check.
As for the requests of the two thieves, Sharururuun’s was to rescue her younger brother, who’d been taken hostage by a criminal guild, while Pippin wanted vengeance against the villainous noble who abused and then killed his older sister.
I was able to track down both parties in no time using my map search. I rescued the little brother right away, physically destroying the criminal guild while I was at it, then uncovered the noble’s evil deeds and had him destroyed socially.
When I told them as much the next morning, both the thieves and the little brother were a little more grateful than I would have liked. Thanking me for doing a side job is all well and good, but I’d prefer they didn’t swear their undying loyalty to me with such intensely serious expressions.
I told them to obey the Echigoya Company managers in my stead; no doubt Eluterina and Tifaleeza would put the former thieves to work in no time. I designated Manager Eluterina as their official master.
“Why must people fight, I wonder…?”
Standing on the veranda of Duke Vistall’s manor, gazing up at the night sky and giving off a wistful air, was the duke’s youngest daughter Somienna.
“Sucks, doesn’t it?”
“Wh-who’s there?!”
I responded to her from the shadows, and Miss Somienna warily put her hand on her dagger.
“Good evening. Lovely sky tonight.”
“Sir Hero…!”
To my relief, she seemed to remember me from my help defending against the attack on their home.
I tried to meet with her as Satou, but my request to meet with her was rejected because Duke Vistall had just departed from the royal capital with the second squadron to quash the rebellion in their duchy.
“What brings you here?”
“Eh, a friend of mine was worried about you. He asked if I could come check in on you, even if you just wanna complain to someone.”
“A friend…? Ah, of course.”
Miss Somienna crossed her arms, thinking in silence.
“Would you be able to stop a war, Sir Hero?”
“I don’t get involved in conflicts between people.”
As much as I would’ve liked to help her out, I didn’t want to stick my nose into a place where even a hardened warrior might develop PTSD. Even with skills like “Psychic Resistance” and “Fear Resistance,” I couldn’t stand to witness such a bloody battle.
“Yes, of course…in that case, could you perhaps deliver a letter to my elder brother, Torriel? Surely a kind soul like him will stop this needless fighting.”
“Sure. That I can definitely handle.”
Personally, I doubted that her gentlehearted wish would get through to someone who was willing to try to take the life of his own father to fulfill his ideals. Still, hopefully it would at least make her feel better.
I waited for Miss Somienna to finish writing her letter, then put it away in my Item Box, complete with her signature ribbon.
“Got it. I’ll make sure this gets to your brother, don’t worry.”
“Thank you, Sir Hero.”
I gently wiped away the tears that quivered at the edges of her eyes, then took off into the night sky with a jaunty wave.
Looking down, I saw her gazing after me even after I was probably out of sight.
Maybe I should make a little effort to help bring an end to this conflict once I took care of my business in Yowork Kingdom.
“Thank you for coming all this way to see us off, Your Highness.”
“It’s the least I can do as your apprentice. I’ll keep researching new subjects until you return to the royal capital.”
On the day of our departure, Princess Sistina came to our royal capital manor to say her farewells, accompanied by her two guardian maids and the Sakura Protector, Miss Athena.
“Misanaria of Bolenan! I swear you won’t beat me again next time.”
“Mm. Okay.”
Mia brushed off Athena’s challenge with a deadpan expression.
“My dear Karina, be sure to win Sir Satou’s favor no matter what.”
“H-he’s already turned me down once, you know…”
“Don’t be so faint of heart! So what if you’ve been turned down a single time?! With that flawless face and body of yours, you should be able to sway any boy his age easily. Keep going after him, and even Sir Satou will fall head over heels sooner or later.”
My “Keen Hearing” skill picked up on Princess Menea’s whispered encouragements to Miss Karina.
Karina’s magical bust certainly is powerful enough to send me head over heels, literally if not figuratively.
We’ve got lots of other visitors, too.
Some sculptors from the studio had come to see Tama off.
“It’s not official yet, but your statue won the judges’ special award in that competition.”
“Oh, très bieeen?”
That was impressive. We’d have to celebrate later.
“Young master, this is from our managers.”
“And this one’s from all of us employees.”
Louna, the noble girl who rode on a stone wolf, and the redheaded Neru had come on behalf of the Echigoya Company.
“Thank you, Miss Louna, Miss Neru. Tell Manager Eluterina and the others that Satou sends his heartfelt thanks.”
“I’ll let them know.”
“You got it!”
I could tell that the wrapped-up package contained the three scrolls I’d discussed with them as Kuro. Maybe I’d keep them in Storage unless I needed them.
Neru also gave me some wrapped-up pastries and deep-fried sakura salmon bones. They’d make a perfect snack for our journey.
Once we’d said most of our good-byes, it was time to for us to pile into the new armored carriage from the Ministry of Tourism and three other borrowed carriages.
“All right, we’re off.”
Noticing that Hikaru looked sad, I called out to her again before I got on board.
“I’ll call you later tonight.”
“Okay. I hope you have a safe journey.”
“Thanks. I hope you’re able to meet your Ichirou Suzuki, too, Hikaru.”
“…Yeah.”
Once I was sure her expression had brightened a little, I got into the carriage.
As hard as it was to leave everyone, we waved and went on our way.
“Miss Miaaa! Miss Arisaaaa!”
The magic school students, teachers, and even the principal who all admired Mia and Arisa were waiting near the south gate of the royal capital to see us off.
Pochi’s and Tama’s bestie and henchmen were there, too.
Once they’d all said their good-byes to each other, we reluctantly set the carriages moving again.
“It’s a departure song.”
Mia closed her eyes and listened to the melody playing from a distance.
Atop a tower on the outer gates, a group of master musicians was playing a farewell tune for Mia and all of us.
This made for a very auspicious exit. Many citizens of the royal capital watched us go by with fascination.
“Miss Luluuu! Miss Nanaaaa!”
“Sherin…!”
“Pupil Sherin, continue training until we meet again, I declare.”
Miss Sherin came running after the trundling carriages, waving frantically. She must have run all the way here to see us off.
“Pochi, Tama!”
“Miss Pochiii! Miss Tamaaa!”
“Bestiiie!”
“Let’s meet again, henchmen, sirs!”
Tama and Pochi leaned out the window, waving to the young henchmen tripping over themselves to chase the carriage, as well as to Miss Cyna, who was being carried by a brawny knight running along beside them.
Finally, the carriage picked up speed, and we left the children behind as we took to the main road.
It’s always hard to part with people you’ve grown close to, but we can come back and visit anytime, and we’ll meet new friends on our travels, too. Rather than mourning a good-bye, I think it’s better to enjoy the journey so you have fun stories to share with them when you meet again.
The gentle spring sunlight warmed our spirits, promising a fun journey ahead.
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