Chapter 44 (1/2)
Ties to focus on Reiji's party
Klant City is a blessed habitatIt has the sadoeIts only fault is that because it is close to the national border, living there coreat riskVarious battles are said to have been waged there hundreds of years agoHowever, due to the highway connecting it to the Empire and Sardius Alliance, it's also a prosperous place with an abundant circulation of money
Metal's capital city's respect for traditional customs and its proper maintenance lets the people live comfortable livesThe city also preserves a solid defenseThe castle walls as of late are being refurbished with the newly discovered anti-mented as a check to the Eencies, this fortress, being so close to the border, is Aster Kingdom's second line of defense
Reiji and his party have lodgings near the edge of this commercial bastideHadrias invited them after Rajas's defeat and threw them a triumphant parade upon arrivalReiji was praised by the public for defeating the ht him false honor
Reiji, Mizuki, and titania sit in a circle on the sofa inside an inn's rooh”That parade was a”
”Yeah, they ht have even spent more money for this one than the one in Metal”
This parade lasted for three days whereas Metal's only took oneIt was undoubtedly large scale
Mizuki says without ht, ”I just realized this because of the parade, but Klant City is pretty rich…Although, it is the result of that guy's work”
”Duke Hadrias is a powerful aristocrat who governs over a vast a Klant CityHis wealth and ht dom”
Mizuki lances out theat titania's answerHadrias governs over a city that, in ters stand out to them about him when they reflect on the past few daysHe has the eneral, the financial power to host a large scale parade, and the political authority to host said paradeNot only can he do all that, but he also possesses the drive to make them happen
”But is doing all this really alright?I didn't actually do anything…”Everyone contributed to Rajas's subjugationGiving me all of the credit is too much”
”Actually, Reiji-sa this your deed benefits my country”
”Yeah, I understand”Hadrias used themoraltitania, aware of the circue scale paradeReiji also understands the situation, but is also aware to how little he actually contributed to that battleIf anything, he's like a hyena snatching away solory
Mizuki voices her cynicis soeHow typical of the aristocracyIf it increases your country's standing internationally, then why not?”
”You are absolutely rightThat is why you cannot be negligent when dealing with Hadrias-kyoHe did not hesitate to use SuioalsNot even the Erasp” titania adds, ”I shall say this once htly”
She is extreot a bad vibe off of himNow, he's fairly certain he hates the hts, asks, ”Say, Tia, about Suihts about that?Suidom's citizens…”
”In all honesty, I am torn over this matterWhen I consider the harreeing with the decisionHowever, that is not so I want to do”With that said, titania lowers her head
Both Reiji and Mizuki raise their voices at titania's unexpected bow”Eh!”Huh?”Overcome by surprise, neither are able to speak properly
titania continues, ”Reiji-saood strategy when I first heard it”
”No, it's fineYour position forces you to have different perspective froht, Mizuki?”
”…Yeah”Mizuki's eyes glance doard as she gives a reluctant agreementHer mouth droops as she stares out theSui, but such a development could have happened”Suimei-kun, we never did find him”
”Don't worry so muchThere's no doubt that Suimei is safe”
”Because he's cunning?”
”That's right, and besides, don't you remember what sensei said?”
Reiji recalls Fel words”—Suiain, she could have said that out of concern for their anxiety
”White Flame-dono's voice did sound offIf we take that into consideration, then there is a possibility that she knows so Suimei's footsteps”
”Tracking his footsteps?How?”
”With ic…White Flame-dono is an unprecedented spellcaster froic never before achieved”
”Ah…”
Mizuki recalls Felmenia's lessons at titania's wordsThe reether
A modest knock resounds from the doorLoffry's voice soon follows”Excuse me, Reiji-sama, may I enter?”
”Loffry?Sure, that's fine”
”Excuse ive my intrusion!”
Reiji wonders if so with LoffryHe opened the door and ju bubbles out of his mouth as he lowers his head in shameThe most likely explanation is that he's come to a ridiculous conclusion that Reiji and titania were alone together
titania gives a s”No, everything is fineMizuki is also present”
”Huh?Oh, she really is…”Loffry speaks whilea dumbfounded expressionThe moment of silence that follows provides everyone a momentary relief
Mizuki then leans towards hi a ining?”
”Huh? N-No!I wasn't think anything strange!”
”Oh?I never e'”
”A-aha…”Loffry looks left and right as he realizes he dug his own grave
Reiji, feeling pity for , ”Mizuki”She then confesses, with a smile that fuseshim
Reiji says, ”Loffry, did so happened?”
”Yes, an envoy has arrived from Duke Hadrias”
–That Cute Star that I Still Can't Make, Sorry–
Reiji finds Hadrias's unexpected envoy waiting in the lobbyHe follows the er to outside a private room within the Duke's reet hiSo out froentle end
Reiji, while taking in everything, resolves hireet the lord of thethe inn, titania warned him to be careful while Mizuki said she'd pray for his safetyHe was also told that this request is unreasonable and that he should refuse the invitation
Reiji shakes his head at the thoughtInside that private rooilant againstHe's only guessing, but he gets a feeling that he will bewith Hadrias very often in the futureTherefore, he can't just say he doesn't want to meet himInstead, he should take the initiative to see what kind of man Lucas D Hadrias really is
That's why—, Reiji once more resolves his heart and knocks on the door
Hadrias, upon confirives a curt, ”Enter”
Reiji says, ”Excusethe doorThe rooives while stepping forward is brief and to the point
Hadrias, seated elegantly on his chair, stares at Reiji who stands before the door”Yuusha-dono, won't you have a seat?”
”In my country, first time visitors wait for the head of the house to reco this custom”
The sharpness in Hadrias's presence weakens a bit as he voices his wonderHe says, ”Hou, respect is held in high regard within Yuusha-dono's countryThen, is it necessary that I recolass filled with a red liquid on the opposite end of the table
”Is this alcohol?”
”Grape wine, the taste isn't bad”
Not bad?Regardless, ”I appreciate your hospitality, but I'll have to refuse…”
”Are you unable to drink alcohol?”
”People e before they can consume alcohol inin order to stay in compliance with those laws”
Hadrias, at Reiji's tactful rejection, drinks frolass”Hmm, is there a reason for such a law?”
”The hue of 20That alcohol goes on to inhibit the body's developmentTherefore, those laere passed to protect the people”
Hadrias stares at his glass of wine at Reiji's explanation”To think that drinking the Goddess's blood could have such an effectBut to go so far as to ban the drinking of alcohol…No, perhaps the intention is to nurture the capabilities of the populace?”
Hadrias forgets about Reiji as he stares at his glass and ht, asks, ”Why did you invite me?”
”Why, I merely wanted to speak with you for a bit”
”This isn't the right atmosphere for an enjoyable conversation”
”Fuu, excuse y is obviousHadrias, ever since Reiji entered the roo it pointed out, he displays a sy were but an eesture
Reiji feels that this is the utrant to his behaviorIt's the leeway granted by the strongThe only reason he's going this far for Reiji is because he's the Yuusha
Hadrias scrutinizes his ith an indiscriminative stareHe narrows his eyes in appreciation of the drink and asks, ”Yuusha-dono, why did you accept our request to subjugate the Demon Lord?”
”To save the people of this world”Reiji gives the sa this request still hasn't changed
”You wish to save the people of this world despite having no reason to do so?You stand to gain nothing by doing thisYet, despite aware of this outcome, you still say that?”
”What are you trying to say, your Excellency?”