Chapter 175

It was not possible to allow an army that could suddenly turn into bandit gangs or rebels within the capital.

The open spaces secured for them to set up camp were placed as close to the city walls as possible and far from the imperial palace, and nearby stone buildings were positioned to employ delay strategies in case of emergencies.

Additionally, they tried to block as many from entering as possible through a substantial armed toll.

This is not my idea.

I had recently obtained the position of constable and had been with Sir Barbatos and the Chief of Police every day, but nonetheless, this was not my thought.

Duke Marcus looked at me as if he wanted to fry me.

I subtly hid behind Lady Trentia.

She had received priestly healing and drank a wound healing potion, smiling nobly as if she had never been panting.

Duke Marcus spoke to the security guard.

“How much is it in total?”

“Everyone is so well-armed that… it seems each person must pay five silver coins.”

A rough calculation in my head amounted to around 150 gold coins.

While it wasn’t a huge sum for a high noble with a territory like a kingdom, it was a ridiculous amount to pay as a toll.

I chuckled and said, “Duke, how about you leave the soldiers behind and bring only the knights and battle magicians in?”

The Ironblood Party leader Marcus had a conflicted expression.

He trembled slightly with his steel arm before shaking his head.

“I appreciate the consideration, but I will decline, Your Grace.”

He was a person similar to Sererassie.

Strong in his own domain, yet unable to control his emotions at the slightest deviation from expectations.

Of course, that anger management issue could be swiftly resolved in the face of a more natural disaster.

Hence, the banquet was scheduled for today.

“If you unpack and come out, I will take you directly to His Majesty the Emperor.”

I said with a bright smile.

Flames flickered from Duke Marcus’s mechanical arm.

* * *

While waiting for him to unpack at the hotel and come to the main palace banquet hall, I went to the command center to meet the constables and Sir Barbatos.

Fortunately, the confusion of the capital’s citizens, surprised by the airship, was quickly calmed by Sererassie’s rain clouds and the hail dropped by various magicians.

Upon hearing the report from the Azure Knights, it was said that a courier was coming from the east.

It was likely a messenger sent by the ‘White Shark’ Asenorta.

“Still, the fact that a courier was sent first seems to indicate we have some time before the main forces arrive.”

That was good news.

After that, I used my experience as a drunkard to stop slightly tainted wine from being served at the banquet of the emperor and the duke, and then, to avoid the dull assassination and poisoning attempts of the bored assassins, captured five of them and shoved them into the underground prison. I ordered Lady Trentia to take a one-hour nap, then handed her a leather pouch filled with gold coins.

“Your Grace, what is this?”

“Congratulations on reaching a new level. I noticed the affectionate looks exchanged with your old colleagues earlier. Once the loyalty oath schedule is over, we must have a drink together.”

Lady Trentia opened the pouch and her red eyes widened.

“This amount is no small drink…”

“Ah, when a duke gives, one thanks and accepts!”

Ignoring her objections, I went up to the main palace roof with Rudi and the palace maids in the summer heat.

“Cough, cough.”

“Is it making you laugh? Why should I, not a battle magician, have to stand guard? I’m a researcher.”

“A mage who can summon lightning from the sky is often more competent as a warlock than as a researcher, don’t you think?”

I brought cold drinks and snacks to the battle magicians and Sererassie, who were overlooking the imperial palace and the city from the main palace rooftop.

Sererassie looked more exhausted than Lady Trentia, who had just returned from battle.

Her pinched face bore deep fatigue.

For someone like Sererassie, who spent the whole day reading books propped against a root, the summer sun itself was a form of violence.

“Drink a potion for recovery, sister.”

“That only works for those worn out from physical exertion.”

“I didn’t know that. Ah, do you happen to have the red potion prepared?”

The red potion was an awakening agent, while the blue one was a disassembly agent.

When I looked for the red potion, Sererassie made a worried expression.

“Do you really need it? I wish you wouldn’t become ill, but I do not wish for you to turn into a monster.”

“Still, if I don’t survive today, there won’t be a tomorrow, right? Marcus will be here in an hour. Rudi, was that thing they were carrying a magical firearm?”

Rudi’s green eyes sparkled as he nodded.

“It looked much rougher than mine, but it was definitely a magical firearm.”

The mention of a magical firearm hardened Sererassie’s face.

The magical firearm was an invention of the Ivory Tower to assist battle magicians, but it had a history of turning magicians into slaves for etching incantation circuits.

“That… could be a huge problem. If the magician who creates airships didn’t think to make magical firearms, that’s just absurd.”

“Of course, the power and quality can’t even compare. What they have is practically just hurling steel balls hard. But having a long-range weapon that is faster and stronger than arrows is always a burden. So, hurry and give me the red potion.”

As I rambled, Sererassie spoke to two of her students, who were holding a large parasol behind her.

“Did you hear? Go and fetch it. You know where it is, right?”

“Yes, Master.”

One student set down the parasol and rushed out into the blazing sun.

I casually remarked to Sererassie, “If you keep working them like that, you might get a knife in your back.”

“Isn’t that alright? I’ll also receive an Aquatech of my own.”

“That’s not the point…”

“Besides, how a person is treated is always relative to others, isn’t it?”

Sererassie interrupted my words, looking haughty and smiling.

“Among the mystical magic guilds, we pay our wages the most. Even if it’s biweekly, we do have holidays. Have you seen a guild like this?”

“Biweekly holidays?”

“Yes. It’s enough to take a day off this week, isn’t it?”

Sererassie said it nonchalantly.

The battle magicians and maids around her, along with Rudi, widened their eyes and trembled in disbelief.

They looked as if they had heard something outrageous.

The bronze knights and elite soldiers who came to protect the battle magicians murmured.

“While it may be a criterion for plains rotations, don’t they give a day off after three days of deployment in war?”

Sererassie continued.

“Other guilds give a break once a month, with slightly more merciful guild masters offering breaks once every three weeks. Yet I allow breaks once every week. Plus, I buy the meals. They properly teach magic after they finish their work. Isn’t that a good guild master?”

I found myself at a loss for words.

The gazes of the students standing behind Sererassie were filled with trust and gratitude for their master’s boundless kindness.

“They say when slaves meet, they boast about their collars, don’t they? I too, when I meet wizards from other nobles’ courts, boast that I am under the worthy Lady Jeilliris.”

I could only nod in response to her self-deprecating yet sharp insight.

“Yes, our sister is very kind, well done.”

“Not everything uttered is truth. But I’ll gladly drink the beverage, thank you.”

“Be cautious with one drink. When I was making it, an assassin was caught in the kitchen, and I daresay a drop of paralysis poison might have slipped in.”

At my words, all the mages who had come up to the rooftop were astonished and cast counterspells on their drinks.

Leaving the astonishment behind, I headed back downstairs.

Duke Marcus was approaching from below.

* * *

Inside the walls of the imperial palace, there were no mosquitoes, and the imperial garden was truly beautiful, so the banquet was partially held outdoors.

A large round table made of marble was set inside a tent with open sides.

At the table sat me, Jeilliris, Marcus, and his attendant, while the ceremonial banquet commenced.

The atmosphere of the banquet flowed very peacefully.

Except for the serving maids and attendants, there was no one at this table who couldn’t handle mana or was a noble below the rank of count.

In total, there were 60 knights and 30 battle magicians surrounding the garden, along with six general magicians specialized in reconnaissance.

While it may be a tad trivial to say, in a situation where a wrong word could cost a head, everyone respected one another.

And at this round table sat the strongest swordsman of the continent, the strongest magician of the continent, and the continent’s supreme power.

Under a sky turning red, Emperor Jeilliris laughed merrily.

“Is it truly a fact that it took only five days to arrive here? Remarkable.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. This is Marcus. I’m not the best craftsman or the best magician, but I excel in the combination of the two fields.”

“The airship doesn’t appear to be that fast. How did you manage to move so swiftly?”

“Although it has less maneuverability than a wyvern, it can operate at night.”

“Ah, I hadn’t considered that. Hmm, I would like to have a ship of my own.”

“While I would dearly love to present one to Your Excellency, I can’t do that as I would have no way to return. However! If you could offer me a bit of investment, I can share the technology as much as needed.”

Lady Trentia whispered, with a look of disbelief.

“Your Excellency, is that really the same person who refused entry into the capital this morning?”

If I hadn’t met him before my return, I wouldn’t have understood this situation either.

The conversation I held with Marcus under the premise that we wouldn’t draw swords was quite pleasant.

He exuded natural confidence, having cultivated his talent through hard work into a deep specialization in his field, along with social skills obtained as a great lord.

It was quite remarkable for someone to speak so animatedly about himself in front of Jeilliris, who most people couldn’t even look in the eye.

He wore a neat pinstriped suit, grinned with a charming and enigmatic smile, and drew attention with theatrical gestures using his long arms.

“Your Majesty, the Instrumentum family is currently in a crisis.”

His voice sounded like he might burst into tears at any moment.

“The kingdoms and republics to the west, and the nomadic horse tribes of the steppe are targeting us. So far, we have managed to fend them off, but as you know, there is a limit to defense.”

The more belligerent of the platinum knights muttered sounds of vengeance beneath their masks.

“It has been a long time since the expansion policy of the empire halted. The benevolent Solletarass styled herself as the protector of the world rather than its ruler.”

In my opinion, the most mismatched words in this world would be Solletarass and benevolence.

Using those two words together would either drive benevolence away, or Solletarass would crush benevolence, reshaping it into a form deserving of compassion.

“I too, having sworn allegiance to the imperial family through generations, have no intention of going against the will of the imperial family.”

Tears streamed down both his mechanical arm and uninjured eye.

“I simply wish to show them the power of Instrumentum, preventing them from ever crossing the borders of our empire again.”

The word “loyalty” was mentioned, and the desire to “do something” was spoken.

If one cannot understand this phrase here, they cannot survive as royalty.

It meant that he would swear allegiance if he were allowed to counter-invade.

Jeilliris smiled, nodding with satisfaction.

But I didn’t miss the twitch of her mouth.

“I am deeply moved by your willingness to fulfill the duties of the Marquis family, originally the empire’s shield. I will surely assist you in fulfilling your rights and duties.”

That… meant she wanted to behead him.

The banquet ended amid a cheerful atmosphere.

That cheerful atmosphere had come to an end.

* * *

“Your Majesty, it is absolutely not something you should entertain.”

After Duke Marcus returned to the hotel, Jeilliris and I remained in the banquet hall, discussing the twinkling stars and the lush pond.

“…Do you have any idea why they are pursuing an expansion policy?”

It wasn’t merely speculation; I had heard it directly before my return.

“It seems they are attempting to pillage for maintenance costs.”

“Maintenance costs.”

Jeilliris’s expression showed she understood.

She too was spending vast amounts of money to maintain Wyvernfit and 200 knights.

“Besides, with new weapon development going on simultaneously, their finances have become so strained they are nearly choking.”

“And if we deny them?”

I answered without hesitation.

“They will loot their own territories. They will raise all kinds of taxes.”

“And if we allow them?”

“There will be war, and amid that chaos, the followers of the old ways will creep into the border area. They will incite the vengeful people to sacrifice their bodies and villages…and then humanity’s enemies will multiply.”

Jeilliris nodded.

“In that case, I must devise how to delay and reject them.”

I resolutely advised, “You must behead him.”

Jeilliris was unusually flustered.

Her platinum eyebrows shot up, and her golden eyes contracted.

“Have you never been one to offer counsel that spills less blood?”

I nodded.

“If the death of just one marquis could save countless lives, is that not a solution that spills less blood?”