Chapter 2: Chancellor Madison II
Madison, the Chancellor, still remembers him. Each time, his heart aches.
It was a little over two weeks since he was summoned to this world. The Arcana King had called him privately, citing some troubles. Of all places, it was in the private room deep within the king’s office—a place known only to the king and his close kin. The message conveyed that there was something to discuss.
Having experienced such rare occurrences only a handful of times, Madison couldn’t help but worry. Was there a political rival plotting behind his back? Or perhaps some meddling from the Empire or the Divine Kingdom? He hoped it wasn’t anything too troublesome.
However, it turned out to be completely unfounded anxiety.
The king and the chancellor had brought their own collections of wine, but as the king fumbled for words, Madison sighed inwardly while actively pouring wine for him. Finally, when the king began to speak, he started to weep.
Taken aback, Madison braced himself, only to hear the king lament, “Princess Puffy is in love! What should I do?” When the king approached him with such a childish concern, Madison was left speechless, his mouth agape.
But as he listened further, it became clear. The object of Princess Puffy’s affection was one of the boys summoned to this world. Madison himself had internally stamped this boy as someone who would become remarkable in the future.
Normally, Madison would not hesitate to offer his opinions to the king when necessary, but regarding this matter, he chose to remain silent, especially about any negative thoughts concerning the boy.
As the king became increasingly intoxicated, combining phrases like “What should I do,” “My daughter,” “Puffy,” “I hate the boy,” and “But I don’t want to be disliked,” Madison couldn’t help but smile inwardly.
He understood the boy’s strong desire to return to his original world. Madison knew that this very determination fueled his rigorous training. Thus, he also understood that the stubborn boy would not remain in this country—the Arcana Kingdom.
Yet, if by any chance the boy wished to stay and live his life with Princess Puffy, Madison mused that he could become the boy’s guardian and watch over their future together.
The real issue lay with the king.
What should he do if the king exercised his authority and forbade their union? If the princess was denied, that would be acceptable. As the chancellor supporting this nation, he had two beloved daughters. Perhaps he could marry one of them off to the boy. No, that would be even better. That way, they would become family. With such thoughtfulness, toughness, and vitality, he would surely succeed in any field. Incorporating a talent like him would benefit the kingdom.
With that thought, Madison stood up hastily, only to trip and fall flat on his backside.
In his eagerness to pour wine for the king, he had long since succumbed to the effects of alcohol, and his rationality, which should have curbed his runaway thoughts, had loosened.
Even after sobering up, Madison retained a clear memory of his drunken thoughts. The next day, as he regained his composure, he both understood and felt exasperated by his previous musings. “What a fool I’ve been.”
The saying goes that those who interfere with others’ romantic paths should be kicked to death by a horse, a proverb passed down from the summoned Hero.
Though he had entertained the notion of the boy remaining in the kingdom and possibly marrying one of his daughters, he decided to adhere to this proverb and refrain from meddling in the boy’s love life as much as possible.
However, even so, on that day, at that moment, Chancellor Madison could not suppress his emotions. He felt as if the blood in his veins was boiling. Words like passion and anger were fitting descriptors for his intense feelings.
That was the day the boy was to depart. Madison would never forget the fervor he felt that day.
He was astonished by Princess Puffy’s bold confession to the boy.
That was the day the boy was to depart. Madison secretly shed tears at his words. And for Princess Puffy’s bold confession to him, he silently cheered for them, thinking they were truly a perfect match.
After the boy set off, the achievements he brought forth were astounding and known to all citizens.
Yet, why was it that—
Madison pondered. When had the tide turned? Perhaps it was when the news of their conquest of the Blade Labyrinth arrived.
The support for the Hero Party was intertwined with the very foundation of the nation, and the future of the kingdom depended on their success. There was no way the nation would not monitor their party and gather information.
The information collected about the boy since his departure and after conquering the Blade Labyrinth seemed to belong to entirely different individuals.
It was a tale from the past. Wherever he went, he would laugh off the troubles of those in need, saying, “Hey, don’t worry about that!” and “Don’t cry, come on!” while helping them find solutions. To Madison, he was noble and, above all, beautiful.
Yet now, he seemed to have vanished completely. He indulged in debauchery, squandered wealth, and hurled insults at the people. This was the boy he had become, as if possessed by a fallen Holy Knight.
Chancellor Madison’s troubles continued. The diligent Princess Puffy, in addition to her usual allowance, was regularly sending money to the boy by depleting her own wealth. However, there were whispers that all that money was being wasted on the extravagance of another Holy Knight boy…
That aside, when Madison heard the amount Princess Puffy was sending, he suspected he had an ear ailment. The sum that spilled from her beautiful lips was so outrageous and excessive.
Thus, the chancellor found himself troubled over whether to admonish the princess.
But even that now seemed like a laughing matter.
The issue was not just with Princess Puffy. There was also the king, who would nod in agreement to nearly everything she suggested.
After conquering the Blade Labyrinth, the boy took a much longer rest than before, and now he set off to explore the next labyrinth, heading to Lemone, the closest and largest town from their previous base.
From this point onward, the boy would lose all restraint and make irreparable mistakes in judgment.
If you found this interesting, please consider supporting with a “☆Review,” “Review Comment,” or “♡”! The author will be delighted!
The tale of the Chancellor continues!