Episode 17. Mysterious outfit (1)
“Duke Calus, do you think Prause’s plan is really possible?”
After the meeting of the nobles, Chris called in the nobles of his own power, including Calus.
Originally, the dukes were supposed to be in this position, but after Prause secured the circumstances of meeting the grand dukes, he became completely unreliable and had to be composed of people he had no contact with at all.
“If Prause’s words are not false, there is a high probability that he will comply with our request. But there is no guarantee that it is certain.”
“I see.”
“…… Over there, His Highness the Crown Prince.”
Kalus said cautiously.
“Huh?”
“If this plan succeeds, the slaves’ right to live will have to be strengthened, is that okay? The budget may be cut, and the slave buyers may complain.”
Chris had other thoughts while listening to Duke Calus.
‘Prause, if you listen to his tone, he always has confidence. Unlike confidence or arrogance…….’
Chris got the feeling from Prause’s way of speaking that he didn’t assume the possibility that he would be wrong, not that he was always right.
‘Come to think of it, he’s heard that there’s a formidable intelligence organization behind him, but he hasn’t revealed it yet. He never saw any contact with anyone associated with the organization. Did the Empire really have such an organization? What the hell is Prause doing?’
As Chris was recalling Prause’s tone and voice, which he had heard during the noble meeting, Calus cautiously opened his mouth.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince?”
“…… Oh yeah. Uh… Let’s look at the situation first. If Prause can’t do it anyway, then we have no obligation to keep our promise either.”
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“Yes. All right.”
‘There are still many questions, but Prause is a card that can be used to fight demons. I can’t be hostile unconditionally.’
He thought for a moment that it might be a good idea to completely free the slaves, but he immediately shook his head.
In doing so, he would at best be ruining his father’s achievements, and would only end up spreading unsettled elements within the empire.
Above all, they could never give up the territories and cheap labor obtained by dominating other races.
“Then let’s move on.”
After Chris organized his thoughts, the meeting began.
* * *
“Whoa… …. Is this proof that you have reached S-class?”
As soon as Tina leaves the adventurer’s guild, she spins the adventurer’s hand under the sunlight.
As of today, the adventurer’s hand, which was the same color as the warriors, has changed to gold.
Thanks to hunting monsters and completing quite a number of requests for the past year, I was able to quickly rise to the ranks of S-class. His skills had already surpassed S-class, so there was no need to formulate them.
Iris, who was looking at the brilliantly shining gold like Tina, opened her mouth.
“Master, is this helpful?”
“Yes. If you are an S-class adventurer recognized by the Empire, you can be trusted wherever you go. Even if it’s the Aium Kingdom.”
I think it’s great to have an influence overseas. Of course, if you have a history of accidents like Incuro, you seem to feel a sense of rejection, but if you are an S-class, you seem to welcome it with open arms.
“I can easily gain trust with something like this.”
“So, among other races, there are many who jump into adventurers after being freed from slavery. This world of adventurers is relatively less discriminatory no matter where you go.”
It was a world where this side had a very rough atmosphere, and no one could discriminate against anyone with skills.
You can’t exactly discriminate. No one wants to be hit for nothing.
This world is an era where human rights are not as important as in modern times, so it was unavoidable that there was a basic rule of thumb.
In the first place, if it was a modern mind, slavery would not have been legalized.
“But is the story about leaving for a foreign country true?”
“Yes. I plan to go to the Aium Kingdom.”
It will take some time until they send an envoy to the Aium Kingdom to talk, but they won’t be able to refuse.
Even if they refuse, they won’t be able to handle Stellar Forna when the human race breaks out. Stella For I am sharpening her sword towards the kingdom of Aium.
In the end, time was on the Empire’s side.
“…… It’s kind of like having to do something for the empire. It is the Empire that oppresses our people.”
“If this is accomplished, the empire will further strengthen the right to live for other races.”
“Isn’t it funny that you have to do it just for the right to live? It’s not like it’s liberating all my people in the empire.”
“Don’t you like it?”
“I don’t like it. Very. Very!”
“Mary, the story… ….”
Just as Iris is about to interrupt, Maria snorts at her.
“But…… Because Master is there.”
“…… Is it because I am?”
“I could have killed the emperor with just Master’s power, but I wouldn’t do that. Is it because the Empire doesn’t want to repeat what it did to our people?”
“…… ?”
What kind of illusion is this again?
It wasn’t for that reason that the emperor was spared.
It was because it was much easier to tell the story by keeping the emperor alive than by killing him. A person who will die soon anyway, there is no reason for me to get my hands dirty.
In addition, if the warriors were toppled the imperial family and Se-ri was established as emperor, it would not be easy to deal with the aftermath of the return.
Although power, position, and everything are at a disadvantage, if an emperor is forced to be established, there is a high possibility that there will be no resistance from the aristocrats who followed Chris, as well as a coup d’état, as well as a constant civil war within the empire. At worst, it could even lead to the division of the country.
Now I had no choice but to watch and wait for a justification to arise. That way, the chaos in the empire could be minimized.
“You don’t talk, but I know everything.”
“…… Is that so?”
“Yes. If I attack the empire here, it will be like ruining what Master has worked so hard for. So I will be patient.”
I don’t know if I should say that I’ve grown on my own or that I’m still the same. After all, the reason she endures is because of me.
Iris, who was next to her and tried to stop Maria, was nodding her head at some point. She seemed to agree with Mary’s words.
“In the end, I think it’s up to the person at the top to do it. The Aus Territory lives in harmony, but the other places don’t.”
“With this opportunity, the persecution of the Elves and Beasts will be a little better. If we don’t keep our promise, it won’t be too late even if we step out then.”
It will be three years until the emperor dies.
I should do what I can from now on so that other races can be even a little friendly to humans.
“S~W~!”
Tina calls for me and I come hugging her from behind. He put her arms around her neck and wrapped her feet around her waist. I barely managed to balance her staggering body.
Obviously it wasn’t this heavy when I first held it. It seemed that the growth rate of the children was not limited to their abilities.
“… What is it, Tina?”
“No matter what the master does, I’m on the side of the master! Hi-Hi!”
“You are strong.”
But do I have to cling to my body to say that? It’s heavy, so why don’t you come down now?
“I am also on Master’s side! Aren’t you confident with me?”
Iris tugged at her sleeves and asked if she was just jealous of Tina, who was bumping into her without paying attention to those around her.
“I was able to overcome the crisis many times because of you. How can I not be reassured?”
“Huh… ! Is that so…… !”
I felt a strange sense of uneasiness as Iris flirted with every word I said. Because she felt her emotions intact, she had a premonition that her relationship with her hero, which she had been maintaining smoothly, would be disrupted.
“…… What about me?”
“Thanks to Maria, my life is convenient, and I am receiving a lot of help in fighting demons. I always feel grateful.”
“Everything, of course. Because Master can’t do without me. hehehe.”
It was funny how he quickly became flattered by my compliments, but it was true. In fact, without Maria, her life would have been very uncomfortable. Putting a warming spell on a house costs money.
“Then are you going back to Aus Manor now?”
“Yes.”
Now I have to go back to Aus and retrieve the equipment I left for repair.
* * *
Kikkik.
I open the door of the nearest clothing store from Aus Mansion and enter. He heard the door open, and a blond-haired man came out of the studio in a hurry.
“Welcome oh… Ah, Mr. Prause. Welcome. Hello Tina, Iris and Maria too.”
The man who recognized me immediately greeted me with a smile. The warriors also greeted him warmly.
Having been in the Aus estate for a long time, I felt less distanced from the natural acquaintances. At first, Iris and Maria looked a little uncomfortable, but they were much better now.
Perhaps it is because the couple who run this store are special.
“Have you finished mending the clothes you left behind?”
“Yes, I finished it safely. Wait. I put it near here~”
As if he looked through the clothes placed in each compartment and found them, he brought three sets of clothes. Put it on the counter
At the time of farming, it was torn and covered in dust, but now the dust and stains are completely gone, and it looks clean as if it were made of high-quality cloth.
“Would you like to try it on? Oh, the shoes are all mended, so try these on too.”
There were a total of three sets of clothes that I sent to this house for repair.
I picked it up.
[You have acquired the 「Swift Handyman’s Clothing」.
[You have acquired 「Life-filled clothes」.
[Acquisition of 「Aircraft of the Archmage’s heyday」.]
They were the final armor relics I had obtained while traveling around the empire for a year.
Applied in the form of a set, these relics commonly grant demonic immunity and increase specific stats, but the character’s tactics change depending on how he or she wears armor.
In the case of the ‘Swift Handyman’s Clothing’, the damage and speed are increased.
In the case of ‘clothes imbued with life’, elemental resistance and basic defense.
The ‘clothes of the Archmage’s heyday’ increase magic power and attribute affinity.
Each skill level was different.
In the case of clothing in the heyday of archmages, it is usually thought that wizards use it, but when Tina and Iris, who have risen to the ranks of sword masters, use it, the damage and range of the aura increase, so the range of attack is greatly increased.
The standard build was to give the handyman to Tina, the life to Iris, and the archmage to Maria. This is to amplify the strengths of each.
However, on the contrary, it was also possible to change clothes in a way that overcomes weaknesses rather than strengths.
I could have made up for this shortcoming by giving life to Tina, who has low defense, and putting a trickster on Iris, who has low attack power.
I was planning on deciding on this part later, so I decided to wear it as standard for now.
Distributes clothes to each warrior, and also hands over the shoes given by the owner of the clothes.
The warriors take the clothes from me and go into the dressing room. After sitting in the waiting chair for a few minutes, I heard a familiar voice.
“How are you, Master?”
I slowly raised my head.