Chapter 15: The Exiled Marquise Becomes an Adventurer 1
Twelve days passed since then.
By the time I stopped feeling nervous calling her Erica, no longer hesitated to look her directly in the face, and our skills in the board game we played inside the carriage called Shinru became evenly matched.
We crossed the border.
Although I say border, there wasn’t a checkpoint or anything.
There was just a stone pillar standing atop a prominent hill.
Although it stood along the highway, it was the kind of thing you’d miss if you weren’t paying attention.
I wondered if this was really enough, but our country, the Faltar Kingdom, and the Orclaugh Kingdom we were heading towards are allied nations. Furthermore, the founding monarchs of both countries were brother and sister, and even now, they maintain blood ties through marriages. Their relationship is such that you’d think, “Just merge already!”
It’s the top candidate destination for nobles who’ve messed up and face Exile.
However, because the two countries are so close, it’s usually only for nobles whose offenses are minor.
Normally, nobles who plotted to assassinate the Maiden of Light wouldn’t be accepted, but this is where the Faltar Kingdom’s desperate maneuvering came in.
Somehow, they managed to get the Orclaugh Kingdom to agree.
Honestly, it’s a real mystery.
Finding a country willing to accept someone who plotted to assassinate the Maiden of Light into their own territory is an extremely difficult feat.
Their relationship with the Church would undoubtedly worsen, and the more I think about it, the less reason there is for them to accept her.
What price did our kingdom pay this time, both to the Church and to the Orclaugh Kingdom? They’re pulling off too many miracles.
It’s not my place to worry, but things will probably be tough from now on.
Well, it’s none of my business, though.
“I’ve finally taken the lead.”
Erica said with a confident look, placing her piece onto a peg on the board.
The Shinru’s board was designed for playing in a carriage, with pegs set into it, and you place ring-shaped pieces onto them.
“It’s only the fortieth move, and it looks like a draw to me, though.”
“If that’s the case, Shin, then my victory becomes certain, wouldn’t you agree?”
She countered my move without a moment’s hesitation.
It seemed she was definitely confident.
“Still,”
I said, fiddling with a piece in my hand.
“That attack was the only one, wasn’t it?”
“Indeed,” Erica replied, her eyes fixed on the board.
The sight of her looking so serious, even during a game we started just to kill time, was beautiful.
“Have they lost interest in me, or is there another reason? Perhaps, surprisingly, they simply ran out of pawns.”
Even while talking, she seriously followed the pieces on the board with her gaze.
Her Golden Magicka flowed along with her line of sight.
Hmm, I see, so that’s her move. Yeah, I’ll definitely lose.
“I’d be happy if that were the case.”
I considered the movement of the pieces.
Where’s the weak spot?
Ah, I remember now. It’s a move I fell for several times at the Adventurers Guild tavern.
“With that kind of resolve, the enemy probably won’t go so far as to aim for your life.”
As I said that, I placed my piece, targeting her weak spot.
Erica made an “Ah!” face, then puffed out her cheeks and glared at me.
“Was that conversation just now what they call an off-board battle?”
What is this cute and beautiful creature?
“Following the line of play with your eyes is a bad move.”
I shrugged unrepentantly and prompted her for her next move.
Erica glared at me for a few moments as if wanting to complain, but in the end, she said nothing and returned her gaze to the board.
“Speaking of which,”
she murmured, as if to break the silence of her long thought process.
All the while, her Magicka danced dazzlingly, following her thoughts.
“According to the plan, I am to become an adventurer in the border town, was it not?”
“That’s the plan.”
Yes, Erica was supposed to become an adventurer.
This too was part of the Farce.
Currently, the Solntsalri House is officially unable to support Erica, whose Nobility Status has been revoked.
The Kingdom wouldn’t care if the Solntsalri House supported their exiled daughter, but there’s a faction that does care.
The Church.
To the Church, she is an unforgivable person who tried to assassinate the Maiden of Light.
I don’t know how it came to this, but through discussions between the Kingdom and the Church, Erica’s punishment was settled as Exile in exchange for having her Nobility Status revoked.
From the Church’s perspective, if this is merely a formality, they would surely be greatly dissatisfied.
If things go wrong, various matters could be overturned, which neither Erica’s father, the Prime Minister (honorific), nor the Kingdom desires.
Therefore, Erica must become self-sufficient in the place she was exiled to.
At least, on the surface.
“If there’s something else you want to do, that’s fine too, though.”
The reason we planned for her to become an adventurer is simply because it’s the easiest profession to get into.
Additionally, while you belong to the Adventurers Guild, it’s freelance work. It might be impossible not to work at all, but considerable leeway and deception are possible.
“The luxury of deciding for myself what I would become… I gave that up long ago.”
She placed a piece on the board.
I see, so she decided not to give up.
“In that case, it seems I’ve been living quite a luxurious life.”
I might be in trouble if I don’t end this quickly.
“My old man only ever told me to do as I pleased… No, wait, was it just that he didn’t expect anything from me?”
I countered her move, feeling slightly shocked by the sudden doubt about my parents’ affection.
“Shin, you are an adventurer, aren’t you?”
“Well, yeah.”
I answered Erica’s voice, which sounded more like a confirmation than a question during her renewed long thought process.
“Although, that means I’ll be unemployed in the Orclaugh Kingdom.”
“Is that so?”
“It’s often misunderstood because there are connections between Adventurers Guilds, but each country’s Adventurers Guild is an independent organization.”
If she plays there, my strategy collapses.
“Otherwise, they couldn’t handle the specific circumstances in each country. There isn’t much difference between Faltar and Orclaugh, but if you go to a different country, about the only thing they have in common is the Rank evaluation criteria, maybe? So, if I want to be an adventurer in the Orclaugh Kingdom, I have to start over from scratch.”
Suddenly sensing a gaze, I looked up from the board.
Erica was looking at my face and smiling.
Stop it, I’m gonna die.
“Starting over as adventurers from scratch with you sounds like it could be fun.”
Smiling like that, she placed her piece right on my critical spot.
Strategy collapsed. And incidentally, my loss was now certain.
“By the way, isn’t staring intently at your own weak spot a bad move?”
It was a smile that seemed to say, “Gotcha.”