KR Translators:
・StarrySkySailor
・KawaiiKage
・ImmortalInk
・KingPotato
・SugoiSenpai
Chapter 26: First Come, First Served (1)
Imperial Year 372, July 17th.
Bbabbarabam~ Bbabbarabam~ Bbabbararara~!
Waaaaaaaaah-!
A tremendous roar. The sound of trumpets blown by trumpeters lined up on both sides was almost drowned out by the cheers of the people.
A carpet of flower petals, on a scale different from what I saw in Kinchedin, was laid out every step of the way for the envoy, and flower petals were being scattered from rooftops all over the street. Not only the envoy, but also the people who came out to welcome them had flower petals piled on their heads, almost enough to fill a flower shop.
The Azot Kingdom seemed to be risking its life solely for the welcome. Nobles and commoners alike came out to greet the Anopuri Empire’s goodwill envoy.
Levidian said with a truly impressed face.
“The welcoming ceremony was successfully held, so grandly.”
“It was His Highness the Crown Prince’s idea. He said that when the country is in a celebratory mood, problems should be solved with a joyful heart as much as possible. Although I doubt if the Breedpo issue can be resolved with a joyful heart……”
I turned to look at her and spoke, then turned my head and smiled towards the people, nodding or waving my hand.
The Crown Prince told the members of the envoy to refrain from speaking about the incident that occurred in Breedpo after leaving. While there was a part of me that thought it might be a cover-up, the bigger part was to prevent the story from leaking out through other channels, as the royal family would make an official announcement.
In any case, our purpose is goodwill. So we must do our best in that regard. Now that we have arrived in Ast, shouldn’t we return to our original task?
In that sense, the Empire’s 7th Knight Order has already succeeded.
They used only one formula.
Those who fought against the same enemy are all comrades.
Therefore, the Azot Royal Knights are our friends.
It was so simple that it was almost a headache-inducingly simple and clear formula. But what could I say to the knights who asked why we couldn’t be friendly if the purpose of the envoy was goodwill?
In the end, although a few days late, the welcoming ceremony was successfully held with a good atmosphere at its foundation.
“Phew, I’m a little tired. Joey, are you okay?”
“I, I’m nervous.”
“Well, you’re in a slightly better situation. How do you think I feel, having to go out to the King of Azot myself? Phew……”
“It can’t be helped. Good luck.”
Despite Levidian’s encouragement, I sighed repeatedly.
To put it bluntly, these sighs were mixed with feelings about what had happened a week ago.
If I thought that the guy who died then, the guy whose name I don’t even know, might have restarted his life just like me, my heart would feel heavy.
I don’t know why, but how many more people are there who received the same benefit as me?
Probably most people, a hundred out of a hundred, would want to change their lives like me. Even those who were satisfied with their lives would have made a mistake or two in their lifetime.
I vowed to dominate the next 10 years.
I felt sorry and pitiful for myself who died driven by uncontrollable circumstances. Furthermore, I was resentful because I had never been accepted as family by my father and brother.
But now, after experiencing such drastic changes, my heart feels a bit complicated. The more people like me there are, the more different it will be from the future I know, won’t it?
It would be troublesome if someone like that guy from 7 days ago, with a terrible grudge, were to be born and seek revenge on the world. Even that guy alone, armed with memories of his past life, obtained a wicked tool.
With great power comes great responsibility.
That’s a part of ‘Monarch Studies to Become a Monarch’ by Magen Trauf. Magen Trauf interpreted ‘monarch’ a little more broadly; he said that one must first rule oneself.
What he meant was this: what you have gained by honing and refining yourself is something that has come into your hands because you have the ability to handle it sufficiently. However, if it has rolled in by sheer luck, you will be ruled by it before you can rule it.
It seems to be true. The guy from 7 days ago was swayed by the power he gained because he couldn’t use it properly. He spread the anger that should have been enough to kill a few people he had a grudge against to the entire city.
Furthermore, he resented the world.
Well, I don’t think he really resented the world, though.
“Risel, is that big temple over there the Light of Origin?”
“Let’s see……Yes, it is. It’s the Grand Temple of Lynin.”
Perhaps for today, or perhaps it’s always like this, the Light of Origin, the temple dedicated to the God of Light, was dazzlingly magnificent, with its white marble emitting radiance.
Come to think of it, I wonder what the High Priest, who serves the same shining god, would think looking at that building? Thanks to Levidian, Damachi has been spending more time alone lately.
“Oh, right. Young Master, please check the greeting one more time.”
“Okay. I should.”
At Marlin’s urging, I read the greeting I had put in my pocket once more. I had already memorized it, but I might forget it if I get nervous. As I read the greeting for a while, I slightly rolled my eyes to look at Marlin.
She was looking around at the sights of Ast in amazement, and I pressed my temples, which were aching even more.
It’s more of a certainty than a guess, but the guy from 7 days ago probably died on the same day he died before. Since there was something in his words that implied that, it seems certain.
Thinking that way, one could say that a person’s death is predetermined by fate. A person has a set time to die and a set time to be born, and it will happen in one form or another.
……I thought so, but Marlin is still alive.
Ah, I’m not so heartless as to be dissatisfied with the fact that a person is alive.
The problem is that the day before yesterday was Marlin’s original death date.
The biggest event that happened the day before yesterday, on July 15th, Imperial Year 372, was that she made salmon marinade with the salmon I caught! It was delicious, by the way!
I’ve been closely observing her behavior since the day before yesterday, but far from dying, she seems to be getting more and more lively as the days go by. She didn’t seem like someone who was about to die at all.
“Phew, this is complicated……”
When I sighed again, Levidian said to me with a slightly pitiful face.
“It’s only natural, considering it’s a greeting between nations. But cheer up, as the representative of the nobles.”
“Hey, you keep telling me to cheer up, but if you keep doing that, I’ll expose the fact that the Sword King is right here, you know?”
“Go ahead. If you’re not afraid of the repercussions.”
She smiled brightly. And I felt pressured.
If the word ‘brightly’ had a physical form, it would be like her expression. But is it just my imagination that it feels like a shadow has been cast over it?
On top of all the agonizing I’ve been doing about death, time, and the future, seeing her acting as usual suddenly makes me feel a sense of relative deprivation.
Really, I have to say something. Can’t you just take a joke when you’re feeling down? If you keep threatening me so seriously about every little thing, how can I live in peace? Huh?
I said confidently.
“I’ll do my best.”
I don’t want to be beaten up so badly that I can’t get up, even in the capital of another country. Sob.
Bbabbarabam~! Waaaaaaaaah! Sparkle sparkle. Mumble mumble. Munch munch. Chomp chomp. Thump thump thump thump thump.
If I were to summarize today, it would be like the above. Somehow it’s a combination of onomatopoeia and mimetic words, but let’s just go with it.
I properly greeted the King of Azot, and a welcoming banquet was held for a whopping six hours. The latter half was a ball, so instead of relieving the fatigue of the day, it only piled up more.
Who was it, the person who planned a ball on the day of the visit?
I can’t even remember what happened today. At this rate, I doubt I’ll be able to properly carry out tomorrow’s schedule or my own plans.
“First……tomorrow, there’s breakfast with the royal family, lunch with the nobles, and dinner is another banquet……”
All three meals and the schedule in between are dizzyingly busy. And the thought of having to do it while sorting out people according to the information I received from Edikinz makes my head hurt even more. Ugh.
The root cause of this headache is that guy from 7 days ago.
“Ugh, my head hurts. What am I supposed to do? Sigh……”
I collapsed onto the bed without even changing my clothes and just sighed.
At times like this, I would just go to a tavern and drink, swayed by the boisterous atmosphere and lively music……but the legal drinking age in the Azot Kingdom is 18, just like in the Empire. If I went, I would just hear, ‘This establishment does not sell alcohol or tobacco to minors.’
Knock knock.
“Who is it……”
I mumbled weakly, lying on the bed. The answer came in the form of the door opening.
Creak……
“Ah, you’re here.”
“Aila? You’re just barging into other people’s rooms now.”
The ash-gray haired girl quickly closed the door and said with a grin.
“I’ve already barged into your heart, so what’s the big deal about a room?”
“Don’t try to ruin a healthy bachelor’s marriage prospects. What’s up? So late. And secretly, too.”
“Isn’t it a given when a woman secretly enters a man’s room at night?”
To the girl who spoke with her hands on her hips, I gave a smile mixed with indifference and ridicule. Are you joking around? I’m feeling down, want to have a go?
“That’s right, usually. But not if you’re wearing clothes that scream ‘I’m going out’. Are you trying to seduce me? Better luck next time.”
“Oh my, you’re quite skilled.”
“Shut up. What’s up? Are you really going out?”
“No. I came to warn you. But it seems unnecessary.”
“What?”
She walked towards the bed and observed me, then nodded. Then she turned and approached the fireplace on the opposite side of the bed. More precisely, the wall next to the fireplace.
What, are you going to have a conversation with the wall?
“Come out, Daisy.”
“Yes.”
She really talked to the wall?!
The momentarily ridiculous thought disappeared as I saw the seemingly seamless wall slide open. What emerged from inside was a girl dressed in simple clothes, just like Aila.
Putting aside the fact that there was such a secret passage in my room……the girl seemed awfully familiar……
“Ah, ahhh……!”
Mideijel?!
She closed the secret door and lightly curtsied to me.
“Greetings, Sir Arisein Pen Herduke.”
“Your Highness……!”
She greeted me haughtily.
She is Mideijel Riche Leajotian, the princess of the Azot Kingdom.
The princess who will marry into the Empire in 7 years.
Ugh! Why is the princess here?!
“Uh, uhh……!”
I was shocked, and Aila chided me.
“What’s with the ‘Your Highness’? That’s weird. Drop some letters.”
“Did you perhaps not tell him?”
“Tell him what? I was properly dressed.”
For some reason, Aila and Princess Mideijel were speaking informally to each other.
When did they become so close? Come to think of it, they seemed to have left together at the end of the ball……
Princess Mideijel lightly glared at Aila and then said to me.
“I apologize, ‘Knight of Peace’ Sir Arisein. I told them to leave this room empty, but it seems the palace staff didn’t understand. And I told Aila to tell you beforehand, but she didn’t listen either.”
I quickly got off the bed. And kneeling on one knee, I greeted her politely.
“Ah, greetings, Your Highness.”
“Yes. We’ve already greeted each other, so let’s skip that. Aila, let’s go.”
“Okay. Ah, Risel, don’t tell anyone about this. Got it?”
Princess Mideijel took Aila’s hand and pulled her towards the side of my bed, and she fiddled with the wall, moving her fingers in a strange way. Then a part of the wall slid sideways without a sound.
“Aila, where are you going?”
Princess Mideijel was about to enter the passage when she turned to look at me. The brown-eyed girl with her red hair neatly tied up answered instead of Aila.
“There’s something we couldn’t do at the banquet.”
“Yes?”
“It’s silly. This, this.”
Aila lightly gestured, and I realized what it was. That gesture with two fingers was something everyone in the Empire knew.
I understood. There was a reason they were using a secret passage in the middle of the night.
After they had completely entered the secret passage, and just before Princess Mideijel closed the door, I hurriedly called out to her.
“E, Excuse me, Your Highness.”
“What is it?”
She tilted her head, and I said with a slight hint of desperation.
“Could I perhaps go with you?”
“Huh?”
“Yes?”
Her and Aila’s eyes widened simultaneously.
When I asked if it was okay to reveal the royal secret passage to an outsider, Princess Mideijel answered simply.
“It can’t be opened by anyone who isn’t royalty anyway. It reacts to bloodline. And the opening method is complicated too.”
When I think of secret passages, a gloomy and musty atmosphere comes to mind, but in reality, it wasn’t like that. Well, if it were made like that, what would be the difference from a sewer? The condition of the secret passage was much better than the one in our family’s mansion.
Although I think putting flowers there is a bit of a bad taste.
Except for my room, all the rooms connected to the secret passage were empty. Somehow, it seems like I was the only one who ended up in that kind of room. So I didn’t run into any other guests from the envoy.
After passing through several rooms, several corridors, and descending dozens of stairs, we arrived at a passage with several rooms.
Princess Mideijel hummed a tune and took out a bunch of keys from her pocket.
“We’re here.”
“Excuse me, but may I ask where this is?”
“It’s the Royal Family’s Exclusive Shelter. About 100 people can live here for 3 years without going outside.”
“……Isn’t that confidential information?”
“Are you planning to report it to the Imperial Family?”
“That’s not what I meant……but Aila and I are outsiders……”
Princess Mideijel chuckled and lightly flicked my nose with her finger. She said with a mischievous smile.
“Pretend you don’t know. It’s a secret that you came here today.”
She walked down the hallway, jingling the bunch of keys.
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