Chapter 16
"Take it."
The scroll was handed over with a light gesture, as if a mother were giving her child a piece of paper with her heart on it.
For a decree granting such vast territory, no matter how nominal, both its weight and the process were far too light.
Normally, the process of being granted territory is long, tedious, and adorned with pedantic formalities.
However, this time, the land was literally handed over directly without going through such processes.
Honestly, while this is more convenient and preferable, thinking that this light scroll is equivalent to the three years spent with the Hero, I felt a complex mix of emotions.
King Germis, immediately noticing the subtle change in my emotions, smirked and said:
"You look disgruntled. I understand how you feel, but with just the four of us here, there's no need to follow unnecessary rituals. It's not like we're announcing this to the whole world."
"That's true."
"If you really want, I could go through the motions of tapping your shoulder with a sword..."
"No, there's no need to go that far. But Your Majesty, may I make one request?"
"A request?"
"Actually, I'd like to borrow a maid."
Normally, nobles are accompanied by attendants, but since I'm supposed to be in the demon realm, I can't call for an attendant from my family.
So when I made the request to borrow a royal maid, King Germis nodded, apparently not finding it too strange.
"It is a bit odd for a noble of count rank to not have even one attendant. But wouldn't a knight be better?"
"I'm sufficient for combat on my own, so I'd like to entrust household matters to the attendant. But asking a formal knight to do such things, not even a squire..."
"Even among knights, if a magician orders such things, there will be at least one who rebels. They're proud, having become royal knights through difficulty."
As Leius chimed in from the side, Germis nodded, seeming to find it plausible.
The chancellor also seemed suspicious at first but didn't appear to be too concerned about it.
"Then let it be so."
"Yes. Once life there stabilizes, I'll certainly return her to the royal household."
"Hmm... You're not some barbarian; I don't think you'd break such a promise."
It seems he had at least minimal trust in me, even if we weren't on intimate terms.
But the conversation I had with Leius last night kept nagging at me, making me suspect there might be some ulterior motive.
Just as that suspicion was about to take concrete form, King Germis cleared his throat and spoke:
"It's not exactly in exchange, but... may I also make a request of you?"
"...A request?"
"Due to the long war, the country has been devastated, and the people's hearts are in turmoil. And this problem couldn't be avoided even in the royal family's direct territories."
"Are you saying bandits have appeared?"
Perhaps too embarrassed to say it outright, King Germis averted his gaze and nodded.
Their numbers must not be small, as an emotion that could only be called shame was evident in his eyes.
"...How many are there?"
"Due to sporadic uprisings in various areas, I don't know the exact number, but it must be in the thousands."
If the numbers have swollen to that extent, there's a significant possibility they'll soon gather and become a rebel army.
The fact that he's bringing this up now must mean the situation in the territories we'll be passing through is that serious.
"Are you asking me to subjugate the bandits?"
"I'm not saying to subjugate them all. But couldn't you at least deal with those you see along the way?"
"...That much wouldn't be a problem."
"Good."
I thought he might make an unreasonable request when he said he had one, but it turned out to be surprisingly insignificant.
Subjugating bandits isn't particularly difficult, and if it's just dealing with those I see, I can do it for the sake of the people.
There's clearly some ulterior motive, but for something like this, I don't mind playing along to some extent.
"...Then I'll take my leave now."
"Yes, you may go."
King Germis saw me off with a seemingly false smile.
Only he and the chancellor would know what's hidden behind that smile.
******
I left the suffocating audience chamber and returned to my room.
Honestly, meeting with King Germis was physically comfortable but mentally exhausting, so it wasn't particularly welcome.
In the past, he just gave the impression of an old king, but recently he looked like a senile old man running amok with swords in both hands.
Even a cornered mouse will bite a cat, and a person with nothing to lose is the most fearsome.
There's nothing he won't do, having gone from being the king of a country to becoming the last ruler of a fallen nation.
Just the fact that he sent troops from the front lines to the capital to subjugate me alone shows that he's not in his right mind.
...The Hero would be better than this.
That bastard's behavioral principles were simple, so he could be controlled by appropriately flattering him.
Of course, the process was utterly disgusting, but at least he wasn't as unpredictable as King Germis.
...To think I'd consider that man better.
The country really must be on the brink of ruin.
But thinking that it ends today, I feel somewhat refreshed.
As I was savoring that feeling, I sensed someone approaching from outside.
A faint mana, slightly above average.
Along with the sound of dragging something heavy, the small mana stopped in front of the door.
*Knock knock.*
The knock that followed.
I had a rough idea of who it was, so I immediately gave permission to enter.
"Excuse me..."
The one who opened the door and entered was that modest maid I had seen in the corridor on the first day.
At the feet of the maid, who had neatly arranged her long brown hair, were several large pieces of luggage.
I approached the maid, who was making a somewhat dubious expression as if she still didn't fully understand the situation.
She met me with an upright posture, without flinching or stepping back.
"First, I should apologize. This happened because I carelessly ran my mouth that day."
"N-Not at all! I've heard a little about the situation from Lord Leius!"
Though she denied it vehemently, saying it wasn't like that at all, she must have had some dissatisfaction deep down.
That's just how people's hearts are.
Distant things like the Hero's death or the country's downfall don't feel real, and more immediate things hit home first.
The El Berg Mountains are a magical realm known to everyone.
Who would be willing to be forcibly taken to such a place?
"Miss. Let me tell you in advance, there's no need for you to force yourself to accompany me."
"What do you mean..."
"If you wish, I can escort you to the territory your parents manage. The place I'm heading to from now on is too dangerous to be at ease."
"......"
A brief silence followed.
Her eyes, which had widened in surprise, slowly closed as her head dropped.
"I'm at a loss for words at your kindness. But my decision to accompany you, Lord Count, wasn't just for my own well-being."
"Then why?"
"Because I've found someone I truly want to serve. Please, I beg you to take me in."
"...Ahaha."
I couldn't help but laugh at her grand words.
If I were another ruler, I might have smiled with raised corners of my mouth, but for me, who was a count in name only and had no such awareness, it was just burdensome.
"You're skilled at flattery. But there's no need to say such things to me."
"No. I admit it's an impulsive feeling, but there's not a shred of falsehood in my heart."
As she said this, her eyes shone so brightly that they were like stars in the sky, and I couldn't look directly at them.
Me, a lord she wants to serve?
At least by my standards, I don't remember ever doing anything worthy of such words.
In terms of ability, there must be plenty of people more suitable to be king than me.
No, that's not it...
If the only king I've seen so far is King Germis, it's not unreasonable to think this way.
I may not have outstanding political abilities, but I don't think I'd be worse than that man.
At least I would never create something as trashy as the Hero Coins.
Her standards have become too low from being next to that man.
In a way, she's a pitiful person.
She's never met a truly admirable person, so she can't distinguish one.
"...Then, until you find another lord you want to serve. Let's travel together until then."
"Yes, it will be a lifelong master-servant relationship."
"......"
I don't know what she sees in me to think of me as a king, but someday the scales will fall from her eyes.
It will be a short journey until then.
We left without paying separate respects to King Germis.
I carried her luggage for her.
At first, she declined, but when she saw me lifting it with magic, she immediately entrusted it to me.
Just before leaving.
We took one last look at the royal palace.
The palace, boasting hundreds of years of history, was displaying its majesty at the center of this country today, just as it had hundreds of years ago.
Why is it that when I look at it, I see not its grand history, but an overlapping vision I once saw?
The scene of the palace ravaged by flames and soot that I once caused with my own hands flickers before my eyes.
As I tried to avert my gaze as if to ignore it, I felt someone's gaze and looked around to see Meria watching me from an upper window.
Our eyes met.
Though we were comrades in name only, perhaps because we had been together for three years, it didn't feel like we were strangers.
"Farewell..."
I waved my hand, bidding goodbye in a voice so small that no one could hear it.
She hesitated for a moment on the other side, then turned away and left the window.
Well, we're not really close enough to exchange farewells.
What was I expecting?
"My lord? Is something catching your eye..."
"No, it's nothing. Let's go. By the way, what's your name? We haven't even introduced ourselves yet."
"How rude of me... I'm Ivanna."
Ivanna Pelgril.
She said, smiling at me.