Chapter 149: When You Say Master, You Mean an Old Sage, Right?
It seems Ignat wants to make our strength—Yuri’s and mine—known.
Since I’m hiding my identity, I’d prefer to be in a position like your errand boy, Ignat…
Well, it’s too late for that now, though.
“Oh?” Lloyd-san was also looking our way with great interest, and Honoka-san asked again, “You’re joking, right?”
Amidst all that, Yuri and I held a mental conference through Mei about what to do.
“No matter what, they won’t easily accept us at this age, right…?”
“Then, how about we just pretend to be old, despite looking young?”
“Can you even do that?”
“I don’t know…”
While Yuri was giving me a reproachful look, Honoka-san approached us.
“Sorry to bother you, but could you spar with me a little?
Given the situation, I want to get a grasp of things.”
Well then, shall I give it a shot…? I opened my mouth with a lighthearted feeling.
“Impatient, aren’t ye… But a serious child, ’tis true. Very well, just one move, eh?”
I put on a benevolent old man act, nodding several times with a heartwarming smile.
But, having done it on the spur of the moment, it felt nothing but awkward.
Huh… This is probably a bit much with this appearance, isn’t it? Cold sweat ran down my back.
Yuri, who was behind me, trembling with a smirk playing on her lips, scolded me, “Why did you go for the old grandpa act?!”
“Sorry. I don’t have a middle-aged man in my repertoire, so I just… it was spur of the moment.”
“You idiot!” she said, but her voice was cheerfully buoyant.
That alone was my only salvation.
“Huh…? Are you making fun of me? Well, fine. I’ll see for myself.”
Ooh, she’s angry.
It seems she’s not pleased.
Well, of course.
Being treated like a child with a heartwarming smile by a galge protagonist doing an old grandpa routine would obviously be irritating.
I messed up. I overdid it, going with the flow like I did with Leben.
But it’s true that things are easier if they genuinely believe I’m not a child.
This is a world where people who look abnormally young exist here and there, so maybe there’s a chance.
It’s not a serious lie, so maybe I’ll continue with it a bit longer.
Yeah. It’s a temporary persona, so it’ll be fine, fine… probably.
No, to be honest, the atmosphere isn’t one where I can retract it now, so I have no choice but to continue.
As I continued to smile while cold sweat dripped, she created a sword and lunged at me.
While putting a hand on my lower back as if to say my back hurt, I instantly moved my hand and placed a single finger in the path of her sword.
Naturally, doing so would get my finger sliced off, so I gathered Magical Power at my fingertip, compressed it, and hardened it.
The sharply swung sword, upon touching my fingertip, shattered with a cracking sound.
“Eh…?” While showing her surprise, she instantly recreated her sword, reversed the lowered blade, and swung upwards.
It seems she intends to continue.
I felt hesitant to continue fighting in a place like a conference room.
To stop her movements, I decided to intimidate her a little, dodged her sword, and stepped into her range.
“I said one move, did I not?”
I stood at her side at point-blank range and pressed my fingertip to her temple.
I hadn’t increased the output of my Enhancement Magic, but I was surprised I could somehow move at a speed as if I had pushed it to its limit, yet I feigned composure.
Even she, it seemed, couldn’t even react to this speed.
“?!”
She flinched, trembled, and took some distance, finally lowering her sword.
“My apologies… From your appearance, I mistakenly thought you were trying to deceive me.”
She looked a little frightened, observing my expression.
No… you’re right about that. I’m sorry.
“…As long as ye understand.
Now that I’ve shown my power, let me tell ye this. I’ve come to help, but I basically act on my own.
My disciple told me I should at least show my face once if we’re allies, so that’s all I came for.
Ye were in the middle of a discussion, were ye not? I’ve shown my face now. Ye may continue the Military Council.”
Alright, I somehow pulled it off!
This is the timing.
If I’m going to leave early, this is the only chance!
“Yuri, let’s go now, okay?”
“Huh? Aren’t you going to listen to the Military Council?”
“No, no, um… look!
If this continues, Yuri will have to act too, right? You wouldn’t like that, would you?”
“Eh…? Just Rui is fine, you know?”
Eh…? Ah, I see.
This is probably for when Ignat can’t accompany us due to family matters, so Yuri, who’s always with me, doesn’t need to, huh?
Besides, we can just leave the room now, can’t we!
Even if we don’t hear it from Ignat, Mei can show us the footage, so there’s no problem, right!
“Don’t tease me just because you want to have fun,” I said, pushing Yuri’s back to leave, but for some reason, Ignat knelt beside us.
“Please wait, Master. If I have caused you any displeasure, I apologize.
Please, just a little more of your time…”
Hey, Ignat-san?!
No, he probably thinks this is my strategy and is playing along, but…
Ugh. If things have come to this, storming out would make a terrible impression.
“W-wellll…” I ended up giving a vague reply as Yuri and I took the seats we were guided to.
Looking around, it seemed most had accepted it, showing expressions of being deeply impressed, like “As expected of the one Shuperu-sama calls Master.”
Except for a few who looked terrified, that is.
As if to divert the gazes concentrated on me, Ignat stood up, stated his reason for leaving home and that he couldn’t stay long, and bowed his head with words of apology.
I thought the atmosphere might become awkward, but the vassals, with “The Emperor shall not be forgiven,” showed their anger, their eyes sharp.
From there, they immediately moved on to the Military Council, but as expected, those who didn’t know the circumstances were vigorously proposing that they should attack.
Receiving those voices, Shen-kun stood up and replied.
“Everyone, please listen.
I believe that, at least in the current situation, we should not go on the offensive.
There are several reasons, but one, as you all know, is the existence of the Strange Disease.
Until that settles down, I simply want to draw a line within our territory.”
In the Empire, the terror of the Strange Disease is well known.
The atmosphere was such that many showed understanding at the few voices murmuring, “That is, indeed…”
However, a man who seemed to be military personnel stood up and raised his voice.
“I cannot accept this!
The trash who insulted our lord should be given their due punishment!
Now, and only now, is our chance to avenge years of resentment! Please, please reconsider!!”
From others too, questions like “That’s right! Can you forgive them?!” flew towards those who were beginning to understand, creating an atmosphere almost like a brawl, with replies like “There’s no way we’d forgive them!”
“Wait. I said that was one of the reasons. If we attack now, we will lose.
However, if we focus on defense, we can win a defensive battle.
That’s why I decided not to invade. It’s as simple as that. That’s what’s most important, isn’t it?”
Saying that, Shen-kun brought up the topic of the Ancient Race.
That the Empire was trying to tame intelligent Monsters capable of destroying the world.
After finishing the general outline, he declared that this was highly accurate information and swore there were no lies in it.
“B-but, in that case…”
“Yes. If those Monsters are tamed, it’s over. That’s why we must also obstruct that.
We are in the midst of arranging the means for that, but it will still take time.
If we attack now and provoke those intelligent Monsters, our domain will be the first to be crushed.
Even if we were fortunate enough not to be crushed, we would be blamed for provoking a calamity ourselves and endangering the world.
Please understand. In this state, if neighboring countries also glare at us, we won’t be able to survive.”
At Shen-kun’s words, which sounded like they were cornered from all sides, almost everyone fell into deep thought with serious expressions.
“Roy-dono, can even you not match them?” Honoka-san spoke, and everyone’s gaze turned towards me again.
“Well, Rui?” Yuri nudged me with her elbow, giving me an expectant sidelong glance.
I know I brought this on myself, but you don’t have to rush me… I sighed.
“Impossible, ’tis… I have trained for this time, but it is still not enough to resist the Ancient Race.”
They reacted to the words “Ancient Race,” which came up for the first time, but Shen-kun interjected with, “As expected, Roy-dono, you were also aware of them,” so I wasn’t questioned further.
“I see. So even Roy-dono cannot manage it…
I thought I had mastered my skills, but I was just a frog in a well after all, wasn’t I?”
“Well, my purpose from the start has been to stop them. I have no intention of giving up, mind ye.”
I said that to make them think it was natural for us to be the ones to deal with Ver-san; as I did, questions flew from others as well.
“Will you stake your life on this battle?” they asked.
“If defeat means the end of the world, it’s all the same.
In that case, it should be self-evident that I, who likely has the highest chance, should act, no?
In the first place, I have been preparing for this for a long, long time. I won’t let it end so easily, ye hear.”
At those words, voices tinged with hope echoed, “O-ooh…” and Shen-kun spoke again.
“Everyone, I believe you’ve understood the reason for dedicating ourselves to defense.”
“This is an order. This time, I absolutely will not permit you to act on emotion.
Understand that such actions will lead to the destruction not just of your houses, but of humanity itself.
Don’t make me strike down my own beloved vassals, will you?”
A synchronized “Yes, sir!” was returned, and they began organizing the defense force, but that discussion ended quickly.
After all, it was a matter of handing over full military authority to Ignat and entrusting everything to him.
After that, the topic shifted to domestic affairs, moving into a detailed discussion with the regional magistrates.
It was a meeting to procure military funds in anticipation of what would likely be a long war. The main point of discussion was economic revitalization.
In the current situation where supply could be said to be excessive, they were continuously discussing how to increase demand.
Since I couldn’t very well interject in another country’s domestic affairs, I just watched silently. It seemed the main points were decided, and the meeting was adjourned for the time being, next transitioning to a Military Council within the army.
When Ignat stood up, the group that had been clamoring to strike down the Emperor all rose at once and followed him.
Leading such a large number of people, he came straight to me.
H-hey, it’s kind of troubling for you to bring so many people over…
“Master, we will be moving to a different location. Let us go.”
“R-right…”
Isn’t this enough already?
I’ve done plenty, haven’t I?
I asked Ignat in a low voice, but he just said, “Please bear with us a little longer.”
I’m well aware that I brought this on myself, but I really want to go home now.
Just as I was thinking that, Yuri was looking at me with sparkling eyes, so I met her gaze, wondering why.
“You’re amazing after all! To be able to push through something so outrageous!”
“Well, yeah. It was… pretty outrageous, wasn’t it…”
Staring off into the distance, escaping reality, we moved to the new location.
At the new location, Ignat sat at the head seat, and the council began with the appointment to a position called “Guardian Deputy.”
It was apparently a special wartime position, temporarily assigned to the defense of a Town, granting authority higher than that of a magistrate.
I watched on, worried if it was okay to fill these roles with those who had been eager to go on the offensive.
Next, Lloyd and the others’ assignments were announced.
It was the Town of Guel, the closest Town to the Imperial Capital on the path from here.
There seemed to be no objections, so the discussion proceeded, and then it turned to Yuri and me.
“Master, I would like you to head to Guel first as well.
From there, you can quickly proceed anywhere.”
He looked at me as if asking if that was alright, and I slowly nodded.
“Thank you very much,” he said with a handsome smile, then turned to face those he had appointed as Guardian Deputies.
“As you all know, I have eagerly awaited this moment. This moment when the heavy shackles of the Empire are removed.
However, this is not to vent my own frustrations. It is to protect all those I love.
Having endured harassment together, I know how painful it is not to be able to vent one’s frustrations.
And knowing that everyone’s anger is for Shen’s sake and mine, allow me to say this:
Cast aside the selfish desire to lighten your hearts and devote yourselves to the domain. I believe you all can do it, can’t you?”
Many showed expressions as if they were holding something back, but everyone bowed their heads, indicating their consent.
“I’m sorry… I have no right to say such words now, but I still had to say them.”
As Ignat bowed his head, saying “Forgive me,” voices cried out, “Please stop!”
“We do not think for a moment that you lack the right!
We were told you had died, and we regretted not being able to avenge your grievances. Now is the time…”
“Is that so? Even now, knowing I’ve abandoned my family, you still say that… It makes me happy.
Yes. If everyone is with me, Shen’s future will also be secure. You are all treasures of the Ignat Family.”
At those words, they looked at him with sorrowful eyes.
It was probably because Ignat had clearly stated he had abandoned his family.
However, he didn’t touch on that matter and returned to the topic at hand.
“Well then, shall we return to the Military Council?
You all are likely aware that if war breaks out, Guel will, with high probability, become the focal point.
When the Imperial Army attacks, Honoka-dono, Lloyd-dono, and I will move from there.
I want to entrust the defense to all of you until we arrive.”
“Does that mean my army will be at the vanguard?” Lloyd asked, his gaze sharp.
“I wouldn’t do such a thing to you, our guest. Naturally, I will be on the front lines, providing support.
Lloyd-dono and Honoka-dono, you may advance or retreat based on your own judgment of the situation.”
“Even if the twenty thousand from the north arrive?”
“Yes, of course. When I am overwhelmed, Master will lend a hand, so please rest assured.”
“Ah, I see…” he said, directing a meaningful gaze towards me, then replied, “Understood. I’ll be sure to do enough work so you won’t regret it.”
“That’s reassuring. Now, is there anyone else with questions that must be asked?”
“U-um… What about Kai-dono…?”
“Ah, Kai should be out touring various places.”
When Ignat returned a meaningful smile, the questioner’s face lit up.
Well, I did tell him to go travel, so he should be touring various places…
But he’s just getting along well with his girlfriend, you know?
So that’s what happens when you skillfully use words and expressions. This is quite a learning experience, I thought, observing Ignat. The Military Council ended without me needing to say anything in particular.
Finally freed from prying eyes, I took a breather in the room Ignat had shown me to.
“Come to think of it, what about Kai?
I think we should tell him, but we also need to find a place to entrust Yukina-san to, don’t we?”
It would be best if we could leave her in the village, but that’s impossible… Should I take her to Pops’ place?
“Indeed. We must ensure all precautions are taken, and I believe we should also borrow Kai’s strength.
There is still time before the war begins, so how about we expedite his marriage to Lady Yukina?”
If she is registered as the wife of a Belfast noble, correspondence to foreign countries will apparently be subject to inspection, reducing the possibility of information leaks.
Becoming the wife of the Prince’s Guardian Knight would also improve her own standing, so it would be a good thing for Yukina-san as well.
By solidifying her position like this, the number of safe places where she can be entrusted will increase, he said.
Um, right now, the situation is that Pops has spoken to Lestall’s side, and the engagement has been settled, but things have stalled there, right?
At that time, both the Marquis Randall Family and Yukina-san’s parents were apparently enthusiastic, so there shouldn’t be any problems.
“Alright, then first, I need to take Kai to Pops’ place and get him a proper position.”
Currently, I’m just saying he’s my Knight, but that’s it.
To properly solidify his standing, I need Pops to grant him a title and explicitly appoint him as a Guardian Knight.
“Yes. Kai would surely be pleased if that happens. Please, I entrust this to you.”
He probably feels responsible for Kai having to seek asylum.
Ignat bowed his head very deeply with a solemn expression.