Chapter 52: Huh, Wait a Minute. Why?
Seven days had passed since I introduced Cornelia-san and the others to Aunt Mary, and I was also able to have Uncle Rudolf meet them.
I had been worried they might try to stop it, but the Viscount approved without saying anything in particular.
Since my uncle had brought along people I didn’t even know, I decided to hold back.
And so, there were no problems up to the point where the two princesses were summoned first.
However… something unbelievable happened during that meeting.
For some reason, King Lestall apparently said he would return Razbel to Belfast.
Cornelia-san, looking somewhat dazed, told me this, and when I went to confirm with the Viscount, he admitted that the King had indeed said so.
The reason given was that since they couldn’t uphold the agreement made at the time of annexation, they would return the country to the Belfast Royalty.
But, no matter how you looked at it, that was just a pretext.
The current Belfast had no power whatsoever.
Since the Kingdom of Lestall essentially held all authority over Razbel, there was no need to return it.
It’s true that the fact they broke the agreement wouldn’t look good to neighboring countries, but even looking ahead, under these circumstances, it wasn’t so bad that they’d be seen as a country you couldn’t even negotiate with.
Lestall’s governance wasn’t bad, so public sentiment shouldn’t be that poor either.
As I was tilting my head wondering why, the Viscount prefaced his explanation with, “Don’t tell the princesses. Though this is just my speculation,” and gave me a brief rundown.
“This decision is probably a way to buy time against the Empire.
It’s almost certain now that Mildrad has allied with the Empire.
If we were to confront them head-on right now, it would likely be difficult to even defend ourselves completely.
They probably want Belfast to be restored as a country, able to operate fully, and fight as hard as possible while we make our preparations.
At the same time, it also, for the most part, removes the Empire’s justification for attacking Lestall.
If the princess returns and Belfast is re-established, there’s a chance that soldiers scattered in the wilderness might gather, so it’s convenient for both sides.
Well, in reality, it’s not that simple, but I suppose they decided that if they were going to lose it anyway, it would be better to return it.”
I see… So, it became a situation where returning it and taking responsibility for breaking the treaty was more advantageous for Lestall.
Hold on a minute!
We’re going to fight not just all of Mildrad, but also the Empire backing them?
Belfast, alone?
A small country with only the Razbel territory?
Isn’t this a seriously bad situation?!
“Wait a minute!!
If Lestall would lose to them, then Belfast has no chance of winning, right?!”
“Yeah, no chance. And His Majesty was also troubled about what to do with you.”
Apparently, they had intended to entrust me with a corner of Razbel’s southern region.
The reason being that if it was within Razbel’s territory, there would be no problem even if I participated in the war.
That area, while part of Razbel territory after the annexation, had been temporarily under royal custody, so it was a place where they could send people and make excuses.
But if it’s returned, it’s Belfast’s.
Naturally, Lestall would have no personnel authority there.
Since my goal is to protect Razbel, it seems they can no longer grant me a peerage now.
“Sorry, but if you don’t change your mind about participating in the war, the matter of the peerage is off.
It will be a different reward.”
That doesn’t matter to me.
If Belfast loses, it means Yuri will be killed.
As both Margrave Razbel and a general of Belfast, she’s right in the middle of the targets to be eliminated.
There’s no way the biological child of the Razbel family who fought alongside them would be forgiven.
At best, she’d become a slave. Even I can tell that execution is highly probable.
But I can’t accept that reality.
“Viscount, is there… is there any way to save Yurisia…?”
“Sorry, but I can’t do it. Now that things have come to this, we absolutely cannot take her in.
This is a matter that concerns the very survival of the Kingdom of Lestall.”
No way… If we can’t even escape to Oldam, then there’s nothing we can…
“Give up. If you choose to stay in Lestall, you’ll undoubtedly have your pick of brides.”
“Impossible. I’ll protect her at least until the very end.”
“An immediate answer, huh… What a waste.
If only you had time, you could become the strongest hero in the country.”
The strongest if I had time, huh… If only I could stop time.
No, if I could do that, I’d be able to win anyway.
“For now, I understand… Um, for the reward, I’d like money, please.”
“You can tell him that directly. Your audience is tomorrow, as scheduled.”
After being told that, I returned to the room I was given, where Cornelia-san and Yunon-san were waiting with tense expressions.
“Um, Rui-sama… I hear the situation is exceedingly bad.
Will you still fight alongside us?”
“Ah, yeah. I’ll do what I can. Or rather, I’ll save Yuri no matter what.”
When I said that, their expressions brightened a little.
Though, it’s not like me alone trying my best will change much…
“You’ve heard the story from Uncle Rudolf, right? What’s the situation now?”
I originally planned to join as a common soldier, so I hadn’t thought about it much, but if the country is returned to Belfast, Cornelia-san and the others should have some say.
If I ask, they might be able to assign me and Yuri, still rookies, to a specific post.
It’s meaningless if we can’t defend them completely, so I won’t say inside the safe castle, but my Maso is most effective in the rear guard.
Luckily, Yuri can also use a Gun. If we provide continuous support from there, it should be quite effective.
That was my thinking when I asked, but I was confronted with a rather harsh reality.
Although the information isn’t fully confirmed yet, they are apparently in the process of gathering an army of twenty thousand.
In this world, where the total population is overwhelmingly smaller than in my previous life and quality trumps quantity, an army of four thousand could be called a national-scale force.
Twenty thousand in this world is a massive army, on the level of a major power’s entire military strength.
“Belfast’s military strength is…?”
“Currently, it’s said to be nineteen hundred. It’s hopeless. I thought their response was strangely lenient…
We were deceived!! It was just cutting off the lizard’s tail!!”
Yunon-san cursed, her eyes welling with tears.
Apparently, they had requested the treaty be upheld rather than the country returned, but it wasn’t accepted.
Haa… I knew it would be tough, but more than ten times the numbers?
This is impossible. Should I try to escape with Yuri and our acquaintances at some point?
No, that itself is probably impossible.
Yuri wants to protect her family even if it means risking death, and that’s why I decided to join the war.
Uncle, Aunt, Cornelia-san, and the others probably can’t escape either.
“Well then, tomorrow, after the audience is over, I’ll head to Razbel too, so please go ahead and make preparations. Though I don’t know what kind of preparations to make…”
“In that case, perhaps you could accompany us… No, you’re right. Understood,” Yunon-san said.
Even Chinatsu and the others fell into a somber, wake-like mood, and we dispersed.
Faced with this suddenly harsh reality, my own thoughts couldn’t process it properly, and I spent the night that way.
In Lestall Castle, in the audience chamber, I was looking up at the King, kneeling on both knees.
Incidentally, this is normal for commoners; only those of Knight rank or higher are allowed to kneel on one knee.
Even for Hunters, it’s common practice to kneel on both knees and prostrate themselves.
In that situation, King Lestall was pressuring me to reconsider participating in the war.
He told me not to choose a path of futile death now that any chance of victory had vanished, especially for a promising young man.
“Ho, so you insist on joining the war from Razbel… no, from Belfast, no matter what.”
“Yes. There’s a benefactor I absolutely want to save.
That was my original purpose for training this hard…”
When I sincerely stated this and bowed my head again, he finally uttered words of resignation, “Enough.”
“If your will is that strong, then it cannot be helped.
However, in that case, I cannot grant you a peerage.
Your reward will be something else, is that acceptable?”
“Yes. I heard as much from the Viscount. And with that, I have a request––––––––”
While enduring the pressure of making a request to the King, I asked for what I had been thinking about last night.
It was to issue my Hunter ID and, at the same time, a Dungeon entry permit right here and now.
It was already decided that I would receive my Hunter ID, but there was still a month to go.
The Dungeon permit was so I could continue entering the school’s Dungeon.
If I wanted to gain power quickly, that Abyss was essential.
“It is true that there are Dungeons with restricted access. However, that is asking a bit too much.
You are likely seeking a Backpack, but this is directly linked to national power, you see.”
“Ah, no… If I can just enter the Oldam Dungeon, then that’s…”
“Hmm… I see, that place was for students only, wasn’t it? If it’s limited to Oldam, then it should be fine.
In return, you will hand over half of what you obtain to the Kingdom of Lestall. Is that acceptable?”
“Yes! That’s more than enough! Thank you very much!”
Alright!!
If I can keep half, that’s incredibly helpful.
I’ll probably sell them in Oldam, so if I flood the market, it’ll also be a way to repay the Viscount for his cooperation.
“However, for one hundred Elixirs, that reward alone would not be fitting.
I shall bestow upon you one thousand large gold coins and the First-Class Holy Knight Medal.”
A th-thousand coins, that’s amazing!
Wait a minute. Holy Knight…?
Doesn’t that mean I’d become a noble…? Isn’t that a bad idea?
“Um, if I, who am participating in Razbel’s war, were to become a Knight in this country, wouldn’t that cause trouble for you?”
“No, if it’s a decoration, there’s no problem. Decorations and peerage are separate matters. Holy Knight is originally a title given to Knights, but it has also been bestowed upon Hunters before.”
Hearing those words, I felt relieved.
The thought of Lestall going to war because of me is horrifying.
“But that genuine Elixir is truly something, isn’t it? I was about to be floored seeing its effects. Right, Holy Knight Albert?”
“Yes. I, too, wish to express my gratitude to Rui-dono. To think that even lost eyesight could be restored…”
The Imperial Guard Knight protecting the area closest to His Majesty stepped forward and bowed his head to me. From what I heard, he had apparently been blind.
It seems Healing Magic can’t cure blindness. That’s the first I’ve heard of it.
“Ahaha, I’ve been surprised by it many times myself. It seems to work on poison too, so I imagine it would be highly valued by the nobles, wouldn’t it?”
The moment I said that, I was suddenly hit by intense glares from various directions.
Not only that, King Lestall even stood up.
I might have said something I shouldn’t have.
“Oh…? Have you tried it?”
“Yes. I learned of the material’s effects when I was poisoned by a Monster and was on the verge of death… I don’t know if it works on other poisons, though…”
Feeling intimidated, I still made sure to tell them I had only tried it that one time.
This way, surely, even if it doesn’t work, it won’t be my fault.
“With this, the audience is concluded. We will be moving. Albert, lead the way.”
“Yes, sir!!”
Eh, what’s this? I didn’t hear anything about this!
I looked to Viscount Oldam, who was also attending as part of the noble contingent, for help, but he just gestured with a jerk of his chin towards Albert-san, signaling me to follow.
No way… Resignedly, I followed behind Albert-san.