Chapter 29
-But you seem to be adapting surprisingly well.
“Me?”
-Yeah! This must be your first time living this way. I heard that although you're from a noble family, you've never lived in the lord's castle of a barony.
“I don't remember it. Strictly speaking, these aren't my memories. They're Jade's.”
Jade shrugged.
As Silairon said, he had never once lived in such a lavish palace.
But since it wasn't Earth, he found it merely fascinating; he wasn't particularly overwhelmed or astonished.
He would have been more surprised if it had been a hotel.
-The Crown Prince has really changed. He's chopping off heads left and right!
“You don't really need to report that to me.”
-The smell of blood is no joke!
“It was certainly enough to make someone change. And new wine belongs in new wineskins. Untrustworthy allies can be more frightening than enemies. Besides, he takes good care of his own people, doesn't he?”
After entering the royal palace, Jade never left the detached palace.
Many people were curious about him, but Jade himself had nothing he was curious about.
He had come to the royal palace intending to stay only briefly.
But because there was someone who told him all the details of what was happening in the palace, he knew quite well how matters were progressing.
-Of course he should look after them. They stayed at their posts to the very end, ready to die. He mustn't forget their loyalty.
“Apparently there's talk of promoting me, too. In a way, it's only natural. The Crown Prince has to build his own faction, after all. The noble faction is still going strong.”
-Politics is hard!
“It's easy if you have power. If you don't, you have to use your head.”
-Then it must be easy for you, Jade.
Silairon chuckled and lightly tapped his cheek with her elbow.
But Jade shook his head.
“I hate dealing with headaches.”
-Looks like they're thinking of giving Jade a title, too. Quite a few vacancies opened up, after all.
-They have to secure him no matter what, even if they have to bestow a title on him. They've seen Jade's power.
Elestra said as if it were obvious.
There was a reason the noble houses had been sending Jade invitations.
The Crown Prince couldn't have failed to realize that either, so even if he didn't show it, he must have been burning with anxiety inside.
“I'd prefer something reasonable.”
-What level are you hoping for?
Silairon's eyes sparkled.
She was curious which of the titles—duke, marquess, count, viscount, or baron—Jade wanted.
“It should definitely be higher than a baron, at the very least.”
-Considering Jade's worth, it should be something like a duke.
“That's impossible in practical terms. There's only one duke in the Kingdom of Polstein. Even so, there's only one way to receive a title above a duke.”
-You could do it by becoming the king's son-in-law.
-I hate that!
Silairon shook her head vehemently at Elestra's words.
Jade was only twenty-five, and marriage was already being discussed for him.
She could never allow that.
“I hate it too. The higher the title, the greater the responsibilities and obligations. I'd prefer something moderate. Something that lets me enjoy a reasonable amount of privilege without taking on responsibilities and obligations.”
-Aren't you trying to have it too easy?
“Humans all have that kind of inclination. I suppose you could call it a trait of the species; it can't be helped.”
-Are you trying to brush it off like that?
“You caught me.”
Jade snickered.
But Elestra smiled back at him.
She knew that Jade, consciously or otherwise, usually thought of himself as an outsider.
Yet from what he said, he didn't seem to have any definite goal of returning to Earth, either.
‘Is this world simply uncomfortable for him? I really don't know. He isn't the type to reveal what's in his heart.’
Elestra wore a strange expression as she watched Jade humor Silairon's silly jokes.
It was because, despite the considerable time they had spent together, there was still not much she knew about him.
-Then wouldn't a marquess be suitable? I think Viscount Aus will be promoted to count. In that case, Jade should receive a marquessate. He accomplished more than Viscount Aus.
“By that logic, Lady Arrelia should receive a title higher than marquess. Lady Arrelia was the one who took down Marquess Madrain.”
-Elves aren't interested in human titles. We have ranks because of the duties each of us handles; we don't particularly cling to them.
Silairon firmly wagged her index finger.
She spoke as though it were certain that she would refuse even if offered a title.
Although Arrelia and the War Elves had come all the way to the royal palace for the Crown Prince and Princess, they would leave as soon as things stabilized.
“There are honorary titles, too. I'm leaning that way myself. Noble titles are convenient in many ways when traveling the continent. They should keep the pests away, too.”
-That's certainly true.
Jade said, looking at Whid curled up.
Being a noble, rather than a mercenary, was unquestionably more convenient.
That was true when traveling or engaging in all sorts of activities outside the palace.
The two siblings would want to forge some kind of tie with Jade as well.
“Accepting a nonhereditary title might not be so bad, either.”
-I wonder if they'll give you what you want. They're both incredibly ambitious. The Crown Prince seems intent on overhauling the entire country.
“Aren't you spying a little too much?”
Jade let out a dry laugh.
He thought she was eavesdropping a little too diligently, even if he couldn't see her.
-It's not like I listen because I want to. My little ones tell me on their own. There are more spirits in the royal palace now because there are so many War Elves. The humans living in the palace don't actually notice them, though.
“True. People with an affinity for spirits really are rare. I haven't seen a single one. There are so many people living in the royal palace, too.”
-That's because, even if there are any, their affinity is faint, or they don't even know they have that kind of ability.
-That's why a spirit mage to guide them is essential. Unless they're someone like Jade.
-Someone like Jade is truly rare.
Silairon put both arms behind her neck as a pillow and floated through the air as though swimming.
She drifted back and forth, lazily swinging her legs.
“In a way, it really is a blessing. My unique talent is one thing, but my abilities are considerable too. If I didn't have an affinity for spirits, I doubt I'd have survived like this.”
He had worked as a hunter since childhood, but that did not mean he had any extraordinary talent.
Considering his age, he had been merely average, so if he had fled into the Great Forest without an affinity for spirits, he clearly would not have lasted a year.
Even if he had survived, he surely would have barely scraped by from day to day.
-Why think about things like that? It never even happened.
-Exactly. Life's too short to spend thinking about anything but the present and future.
Kkyuu!
Whid nestled adorably into Jade's arms, as if proudly announcing its presence.
Whid had flown in like the wind and settled against Jade's chest.
“You little rascal.”
-Whid understands what we say much better now. Once Whid learns to communicate through thoughts, speaking will come easily.
Kkyuuuu!
Whid, nestled against Jade's chest, nodded vigorously.
As if insisting that Whid was already working hard at it.
It was so adorable that Silairon and Elestra approached Whid and squeezed the drake's chubby cheeks.
-But aren't Whid's cheeks getting chubbier and chubbier?
-Wouldn't it be stranger if Whid didn't gain weight with how much it eats?
-True.
Silairon found herself convinced.
Whid ate an enormous amount every day, even though it was in the prime of growth.
When there was no subspace, Whid ate less than usual, perhaps because it had no appetite or because it was conscious of Jade and those around it, but things were different now.
Whid was devouring Black Drake meat ravenously, as if making up for all the time it had been unable to eat it.
-It hasn't made Whid sick, so what's the harm? This is also an age of rapid growth. Though, like those cheeks, that belly seems to be sticking out a little…….
Elestra pinched a fold of fat on Whid's belly between her fingers.
A plump, yellowish fold of belly fat was caught adorably between her fingers.
Kkyuu!
Unlike the belly fat that yielded so easily, Whid narrowed its eyes in displeasure.
But despite Whid's sullen expression, Elestra grinned.
The feel of Whid's belly wasn't unpleasant.
-Me too, me too!
-Is this why humans like touching bellies?
-It's soft and squishy!
Kkyuuuuu!
Whid flapped its wings in annoyance as the two spirits on either side fondled the fat around its belly and flanks.
Unfortunately, it did little to deter the two spirits.
“Even I can tell Whid's put on a little weight. But Whid is cute even when chubby.”
Grrrrr.
Despite how much Whid was eating, there was almost no visible change beyond a little added weight.
Of course, Whid was getting heavier by the day, but not enough to burden Jade.
-I'll admit that. Our Whid is unbelievably cute.
-Though Whid's true form is completely different.
-Isn't that what makes his appeal so contrasting? He's cute to us, so that's all right.
Whid, savoring Jade's touch, abruptly turned its head.
Then Whid glared at Silairon.
Whid was still sulking.
But even that looked adorable to Silairon.
-Aww, is our Whid sulking?
Grrr!
At Silairon's baby-talk tone, Whid bared its teeth.
But Silairon was not one to back down.
This much fussing was practically just an endearing display.
Crackle!
As if to show it wasn't joking, Whid made lightning crackle in its mouth, but Silairon still laughed.
It was true that Whid's breath grew stronger by the day, but it still wasn't powerful enough to force Silairon to return to the spirit world.
-I'll stop touching you for today, so come here now. Jade needs to train.
Grrr!
Silairon spread her arms with a gentle smile, but Whid coldly turned its head away.
As if it had no intention of forgiving her yet, it flew off with a whoosh and landed nearby.
Then it stared intently at Jade alone.
-Is Whid already going through puberty?
-Idiot, how could a thirteen-month-old go through puberty? Even considering a drake's lifespan, Whid is still just a baby.
-Whid is growing so fast, though.
-Fast? This is your first time seeing a hatchling drake.
Elestra chided her.
She thought it was better to simply watch Whid and live alongside it naturally rather than speculate like this.
She could tell Whid had matured a little, but it was still a baby all the same.
-What about you? You're just as bad.
-I don't treat Whid entirely like a baby, at least. Right, Whid?
Elestra called to Whid in her characteristically soft, lovely voice.
But Whid didn't turn its head even once.
It kept staring fixedly at Jade alone.
“You little rascal.”
Though Whid's unwavering stare was almost uncomfortable, Jade didn't dislike it.
Jade had gotten used to it and knew Whid was still a hatchling.
Besides, Jade thought that even puppies and kittens suffered from separation anxiety, so why should a drake be any different?
Swish.
After holding Whid's gaze for a moment, Jade took a sword out of subspace.
It was the sword that had belonged to Marquess Madrain, who had died in Moulton's territory.
Whid had fetched it itself.
Swish-swish!
When Jade drew the sword Whid had carried in its mouth, the drake wagged its tail vigorously from side to side.
But Whid didn't pounce.
Knowing Jade was about to train, Whid merely watched quietly.
-Drain House Madrain dry! Swallow it all!
-That's certainly true. It might even be more valuable than the territory itself.
As he listened to the two spirits, Jade drew upon the ability he'd possessed from the beginning.
Then he peered into the memories remaining in the sword.