13 – S1. Prince, Flower, and Resistance -3
“Do you happen to have a job?”
“………”
At the thrust of Centra into his closed chapter, the Second Prince turned pale.
“Hey, don’t make such a face! I know it’s not easy for the citizens of the empire to find jobs… Especially for those with blonde hair.
Persecution against the empire’s people, especially those with royal blood.
It had only been for three days, yet Erid had experienced more than enough. Even if his status was taken away, Erid was a highly skilled person. His princehood required him to have considerable knowledge and authority.
He had a strong command of martial arts, horse riding, hunting, considerable combat power and a thorough understanding of imperial laws.
Yet, he was unable to find a job.
His persecution had taken away even the slightest chance he could have had to struggle.
Erid thought back to his old life.
The empire needed a vast number of laborers, which were supplied by slaves. They made slaves out of criminals, but they also enslaved the offspring of existing slaves.
Until now, he hadn’t given much thought to the cruelty of the slave laws…
Perhaps the empire’s system of slavery and the discrimination against other races have more defects than he’d thought.
“At our inn, um… we provide job placement services,” the innkeeper said.
“Job placement?”
“Yes! There are a lot of people like Erid, who are not slaves but are not treated as free citizens. We have a small group of such people. I am embarrassed to say that I lead this group. If Erid is okay with it?”
“I object.”
“Ronya!”
A female mercenary named Ronya stepped in, stirring the pot. She looked at Erid with a tipped view and spoke.
“All the riffraff we’ve accepted so far at least had identity verification. But that guy doesn’t. I did a background check while you were feeding him.”
“…”
“There’s nothing. No trace of his past at all. I even asked guys who were spread out to other cities. The only one they know with golden blonde hair named Erid is the fallen emperor. The dude’s like someone who fell out of the sky.”
In fact, he did. He had been dropped into the future 100 years later through a wizard’s dimension travel spell.
Since he appeared transcending time, literally without roots, there was nothing to prove his identity.
Erid checked the tattoo on his wrist. It has been half a day of luxury of eating stew and washing his body with warm water for the first time in a while. He had just five and a half days left.
The warmth of the inn and the gnawing fear in Centra’s eyes looking up at him. The warmth from the gaze. Centra’s hand hesitating to reach out again.
Erid looked out of the inn’s window. Outside was filled with chill.
He really, really did not want to leave.
Erid crossed his arms and looked directly at Ronya. His heart was shattered by the shocks, but the polished movements ingrained in him over ten years didn’t disappear. He mimicked the arrogant royal family.
“Bring me a document.”
“…What?”
“The inn’s account book, a contract, policy proposal, anything. Just bring me one document. I’ll prove my worth with it.”
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“Hey, you’re under suspicion right now. No one would hand over a document to a suspicious person…”
“The suspicious person who couldn’t find a job after being beaten up for three days? Uncertain identity and personal competence and integrity are separate things. I promise, I will not harm Centra.”
“But I have no reason to believe your words…”
Irid turned around and swiftly cut off Ronya. There’s no persuading someone who doubts for the sake of doubt. He changed his target and faced Centra instead…
He glanced at her before speaking, “What’s up?”
“I like it! I happened to have a contract that needs reviewing. It’s for a sewage cleaning service. Do you think you could check if there’s any problem?”
“Of course.”
“Hey! Don’t ignore me!”
After receiving the contract from Centra, Irid identified three toxic clauses, six typographical errors, and a violation of standard employment formality within five minutes.
Five minutes later, he produced three suggested edits to the contract.
Being an emperor in an empire means having to deal with a spectrum of large and small matters. Naturally, a candidate for the throne is expected to have monstrous document review skills, or at least have a capable and loyal subject with said talent. Second Prince, whose influence had been weakened and lacked talent, had no choice but to improve his document review abilities. This skill ultimately brought light to his future a hundred years later.
“This…”
“Wow…”
Ronya, who is meticulous and indifferent, kept her eyes fixed on the document to instigate trouble, but there was a tremendous intellectual gap between the mercenary and the prince.
The surprised reaction of the two caused Irid’s lips to curve up, but he thought, confused, whether it was right that he felt proud about using a skill that he had to learn for governing an empire on a septic-tank cleaning contract.
The crown prince’s self-esteem, nurtured over 20 years, and the validation-seeking urge of the common man born only three days ago, were at odds.
Such confusion, however, was neatly forgotten when Centra held out her hand for a shake.
“Hmm-hmm, I’m hiring you!”
“I hope you keep that.”
Their hands joined and moved up and down.
————-
Three days had passed since Irid took on the task of handling documents.
In the mornings, he got up from the bed – it was the first time Irid learned that commoners used straw instead of bed mattresses – and had stew that Centra had prepared.
Next to the ticking Ronya, he worked on various documents. He also occasionally glared at the people that Centra brought in; Ronya did the same.
The paperwork was plentiful, but for a prince, the amount was small. The piles of papers were rapidly reduced thanks to Irid’s work speed, leaving only a few sheets.
He had spare time, during which he went on short walks.
(Only inside the inn, as going outside terrified him.)
He often chatted casually with Centra, occasionally with Ronya.
Lately, he had been looking at his wrist’s clock tattoo more often. Noticing this, Centra said, “Did a bug bite you? I’ll put some ointment on it!” It seemed that no one else could see this tattoo.
The tattooed clock’s hand was moving from 1 to 0. He was left with roughly two and a half days. The end was approaching.
“……”
“What’s with the morose look?”
“……No, it’s nothing.”
“Nothing with that expression? Did you not learn how to lie, Erid?”
“It’s none of your concern.”
“This punk.”
Erid thought he might need to tell Centra. The fact that he would be leaving for a far-off place in two days.
But if, only if……. if a disciple of the Purple Tower Lord had reached the peak of dimension-traveling magic.
If he could stay in the same world. The goodbye would not be necessary.
In this shabby inn room, whenever he wanted to share warmth, all he had to do was ask him for dimension-traveling.
He regretted not learning more about dimensional magic.
Centra often left his spot vacant when the inn was without customers. Blond mixed laborers who occasionally visited the inn asked, ‘Did Centra leave today?’ indicating that he usually went out frequently.
“Hey, outcast.”
“What is it, mercenary?”
Now, he could casually dismiss the constant insults spat out by Ronya. He still felt stressed enough to give him a headache whenever he heard ‘outcast,’ but it was somewhat better thinking that he was a worthless person who never learned.
“I’m busy, so run an errand.”
“I made a contract with Centra, not you.”
“Go and meet Centra.”
“Where should I go?”
“……”
Erid himself was taken aback by his sharp reply.
“……This is why males are. Hey, go to the intersection next to the East Adventurer Guild. He said he’s buying ingredients, so go and help.”
“Alright.”
Erid prudently turned his cloak inside out to cover his blond hair. Centra had washed it cleanly, so it didn’t stink.
After grabbing the large basket set on the shelf, Ronya muttered when he was about to leave.
“Hey, but you know.”
“Tell me if you have anything to say before I leave.”
“No, just… prepare your mind. The National Founding Day is coming soon, right?”
“The National Founding Day?”
“Yes, it’s the festival commemorating the day when the Kingdom Confederation won against the empire. It’s in two days.”
“……”
Coincidentally, it matched the time of Irid’s return.
“After the establishment festival, it will be hard to see Centra. We are moving into a new era.”
“What kind of era?”
“Of course, the era of beer and shouts. Take care.”
At Ronya’s meaningful words, Irid recalled the documents he had processed.
There were suspicious parts in some documents. It felt as if resources were being diverted and things that could be used for battle were gathering. He could have investigated it but didn’t bother.
Because Irid was a stranger and soon to depart.
He decided to bury the fact that this cozy inn was being used for resistance activities.
————-
Irid passed through Crownhol, the capital of the empire.
He knew the geography well as he often patrolled the area. He had mapped all the shortcuts of the back alleys in his mind, thanks to which he could protect himself from numerous threats.
Threats like retired soldiers, or a noblewoman who suspiciously narrows her surroundings.
Hiding his blond hair and walking proudly, no one thought of Irid as a slave. He waited for Centra next to the adventurer’s guild as Ronya had said.
“……?”
Tap, tap.
Hectic running sounds. Someone must be running away. Irid calculated the direction of the sound and the surroundings in his mind, drawing an escape route.
He didn’t want to be dragged into the commotion.
However, suppose the runner is a murderer. And if they threaten Centra…
It’s a slim chance, but worrying, Irid scaled the wall.
He waited at the end of the escape route with his arms crossed. If his prediction wasn’t wrong, they would appear soon. 3, 2, 1…
“Ah!”
The runner, taken aback by Irid blocking the way, braked abruptly.
A bizarre outfit he’d never seen before. The material shiny and black tightly wrapped the whole body, revealing all curves.
It was full-body tights.
Understandably functional, but showing off one’s body like that, did they have no shame? Irid glanced at the person’s face with such thoughts.
It was a flush-faced Centra.
“…Centra?”
“That, this, let’s run first and think later!”
“That way won’t get you anywhere. Follow me. This way is better to avoid the guards.”
“Understood!”
Irid didn’t even turn around as he jumped over the wall. Partly, it was because now that he understood the figure was Centra, he couldn’t bear to look back.