Chapter 11: Subtle / Awakening
The next morning, I felt a bit sleep-deprived, but my condition was nearly perfect. By the time we arrived in the Royal Capital, we had held numerous meetings, and our final preparations were already complete. All that was left was to get ready and head to the castle.
Staying at the same inn with me were Sensei, Anon, Ash, and the Tezoro Brothers. Eris had returned to her family home, while Orphe accompanied her, and Mika headed to the church. Ange and Pul-san sought out old acquaintances.
The representative of the Berserga Mercenary Corps, Saga? I didn’t know him well. Speaking of which, I heard rumors last night about a bespectacled, intellectual-looking handsome guy (Camus) being dragged off by a gorilla into the entertainment district while desperately trying to escape. I can only hope they aren’t the same ones.
After finishing our preparations at the inn, everyone gathered in my room.
“Ichiro, here.”
Anon handed me something.
“What’s this?”
“You need to hide your face.”
It was a mask shaped like a fox. I donned a black cloak to conceal my gear and slipped on a couple of rings. Despite feeling a bit embarrassed, I put the mask on without saying a word.
“Hehe, it suits you!”
Anon smiled at my appearance. Don’t laugh! I look cool, right?
“Ichiro, you’re good to go!”
Ash, who had briefly furrowed his brow, gave me a thumbs up. Hey, what kind of pose is that?
“I think it looks cool!”
“Yeah, it’s mysterious and fits you perfectly, Ichiro-kun.”
The Tezoro Brothers praised me without reservation. However, if they genuinely thought it looked cool, there was a risk of them being afflicted with a case of chuunibyou. Oh, wait, that’s just like me.
“That’s right! Just like Kuroe said! Son-in-law, it looks amazing on you—whoooa!!”
His laughter was so loud it could be described as “unavoidable laughter in the vast grasslands” in the online world. I felt a deep sadness.
But still, this was all part of Sensei and the others’ kindness to ease my tension. “Faaah! Burusukofuah!”
No way! That’s definitely not the kind of noble kindness I was hoping for! I steeled my heart and turned my back to them.
“Wow, the son-in-law is angry!”
“Ichiro, I’m sorry!”
Hmph, I am angry.
Time is a merciless thing, falling equally upon everyone, whether desired or not. After some foolish antics, the moment arrived in the blink of an eye. It was bittersweet, but I could always do it again after everything was over.
The carriage prepared for us was indeed luxurious. There was some congestion on the way to our destination, but no significant issues arose, and we swiftly arrived at the Arcana Royal Castle. Strangely, there was no weapon check, and we passed through the gates smoothly. Since this world has Magic Bags, perhaps it’s endless… When I mentioned this to Anon, he said this time was an exception, and the royal palace had taken appropriate measures.
☆《Multi-layered Purification Barrier》☆
A purification barrier that reduces all abilities, such as the Mana and physical strength of those with evil hearts, layered six times. It requires a skilled user of Light Magic to activate, and for six layers, it is believed that at least six practitioners of Archbishop class or higher are needed.
This gathering was a celebration to honor the achievements in the Sealed Domain’s subjugation, primarily inviting clans, parties, and seekers who had made significant contributions. If it were a clan or party, the leader would represent them at the castle, but there were simply too many people.
Even among us in Bordaf, there were thirteen. If you multiply that by three, it’s nearly forty people. It was only natural for the numbers to swell.
For that reason, we were each assigned to different guest rooms based on the members we had relied on in various battlefronts.
The guest room was incredibly spacious, adorned with what were likely expensive furnishings. I sat down on a sofa to calm my nerves, sinking deeply into it. Ah, this is definitely a high-end sofa. Sensei sat beside me, and across from us—
Saga and Camus had taken seats on the sofa facing us. The sofa creaked under Saga’s weight. He sprawled out, taking up space with his legs wide and arms stretched, while the unfortunate, bespectacled Camus was squished uncomfortably beside him. No, even if you adjust your glasses like that, it doesn’t look cool.
“Row, or should I say Ichiro? I’m a novice here, so I can’t help like those guys. But if you ever need some muscle, just let me know, I’m here for you.”
If I ignored the rather ominous word “muscle,” it was a kind and cool line, but this gorilla had been hopping from luxury brothel to luxury brothel until morning yesterday. It ruined the moment entirely.
At that moment, the atmosphere around Saga, who had been laughing heartily, shifted. Following his gaze, I turned to the back door.
There stood Prince Ryuguin. Dressed in an ostentatiously flashy outfit, he looked down upon us with a smug expression, as if assessing or belittling us.
To his right was Mika, to his left was Angelica, and behind them was Eris. Even more surprisingly, behind Ryuguin, behind Eris, were seven beautifully dressed women, who filed into the room behind him.
It’s okay. Stay calm. The battle hasn’t begun yet. I desperately tried to rein in my emotions. When Ryuguin turned his gaze toward us, he narrowed his eyes to slits and smirked. His sticky gaze shifted to Ash, Orphe, the Tezoro Brothers, and Sensei.
“Wow, this is amazing! You’ve got a lineup of beauties here! I’d welcome anyone as beautiful as you anytime. Pink-haired girl, you’ve got a great body despite that serious expression. I wonder what kind of sounds you make? And you, the cool one… hmm? Have we met somewhere before? Well, whatever, that confident expression of yours is enticing. I definitely want to break that down.”
Ash’s face turned red, while Orphe’s expression became as stiff as a mask.
“And you two boyish ones are nice too. Since coming here, I haven’t touched anyone like you, so I’ve gained some insight. Plus, there are two of you. You must be sisters, right? Speaking of which, I’ve never had a pair of sisters at once…”
Kuroe covered Kuroa’s ears with his hands.
“That woman in the purple kimono… oh, it’s a kimono. A beautiful woman in traditional clothing… this is also a first for me here. You’re quite voluptuous. You seem to have a strong maternal instinct, so I might just ask you to play the role of my mother. I think you’d fit perfectly.”
Ryuguin smirked, his lips curling like a crescent moon.
“Everyone, after this is over, come to my place. I’ll take you to paradise.”
He continued, oblivious to the awkward atmosphere.
“Huh? You want to know my name? You’re so eager! I wanted to be adored before revealing my name, but… fine, I’ll tell you! My name is the Hero of the Ages, Prince Ryuguin! The one who saved this world!!”
Brightly, clearly, and with that ever-so-charming voice, Ryuguin lied as easily as breathing. He struck a pose, flipping his hair back, completely unaware of the emotions behind our gazes. That’s right, this is the kind of guy he is. My body trembled with anger again. This wasn’t a rekindling; the flames of anger had already been raging in my heart long before I arrived.
Just then, I heard the sound of the door opening again.
“───”
I turned my gaze. I barely managed to suppress the voice that almost escaped my lips.
“Ah! Hero-sama! I’ve been waiting for this day with bated breath!!”
It was a sweet voice. The one who entered the room was Puffy. She rushed in, propelled by the force of opening the door, and leaped into Prince Ryuguin’s chest.
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Announcement
On Piccoma, the comic adaptation of this work is available for free reading up to Chapter 15 for a limited time. If you’re interested, please check it out!