Chapter 182: A secret envoy from Reubens, part 2
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Translator: Denryuu; Editor: Ryunakama
We set off for the Heavenly Kingdom of Reubens.
To shorten the otherwise lengthy journey, we blinked to the royal capital and explained the situation to King Randolph, who allowed us to borrow one of his horses. Lyla rode with me, clinging to my back.
「You should give the other party time to think in situations like that」, she said, admonishing Elvi. 「Such a square person.」
Elvi had been unyielding ever since formally asking for my help.
「Roland was honestly our only lead. If he had turned me down, the circumstances of his Majesty’s death may remain unknown forever.」
「Good grief」, chided Lyla. 「I understand that he’ll be able to help, but the least you could do was to figure something out on your own before coming to us.」
「Yes — the only thing I could do was to look for the most dependable man I know, lower my head and ask sincerely for his assistance.」
「You’re as much of a stubborn mule as Rodje, but in a different way.」
「I’ve always been like this. I found it futile pretending to be who I’m not.」
「You hear that, Roland? That’s just her nature. You can’t change that.」
Making small talk like that, we hurried towards Reubens.
We arrived in Uigar, Reubens’s royal capital, three days later. It was a long journey — we took multiple breaks to rest our horses and found accommodation in cities at night. Despite having experienced a war, it was more or less the same as when I had visited it many years ago.
「What kind of kingdom is this?」, asked Lyla.
「The landscape is dotted with steep mountains, many of which have streams that flow down」, I said. 「They make up around forty percent of the total land area.」
「That’s correct」, continued Elvi. 「We may be smaller than Ferland, but our maritime trading industry is booming thanks to eastern Reubens bordering the ocean. Our rivers are also used to transport goods across the country. I believe that our boat building and handling techniques are second to none.」
It’s no wonder most boatmen are well-versed in water and wind magic, I thought. Whether you can summon the wind and control the water will affect your livelihood — it’s literally sink or swim.
「Transport of goods via the rivers?」, said Lyla. 「That’s pretty demanding.」
「Due to our smaller land area, seafood from the east can reach the west quickly. Even the capital here can enjoy the freshest catches.」
Lyla cleared her throat.
「Fresh, you said? Fresh seafood…!」
I remember hearing that most of the pirates had been stamped out. Transporting goods by boat, unlike by caravan, did not require heavy protection and was thus much cheaper. I had told Elvi that Lyla was simply a person living with me. I don’t know whether she bought it or not, but at least she wasn’t asking any more questions.
「Don’t you have to work, Roland?」
「I do, but don’t worry. I disappeared whenever we weren’t on the road, remember?」
「Yes. Where were you?」
「I went to the guild via a ‘Gate’ to do what I needed to.」
「I assumed you took a leave of absence or something!」
「It wasn’t reasonable to suddenly ask for that. And it’s not like I can explain the situation either.」
Elvi drooped her shoulders apologetically.
「Don’t worry about it」, I said, patting her lightly on the back.
「Anyhow, Iris seems quite lenient towards you. Three, four hours a day… that wouldn’t have flown in my court. You would’ve been kicked out」, said Lyla.
「I told her that I can take a pay cut. I don’t need the rules to be relaxed for me.」
Lyla sighed, blowing air out of her nose. Elvi nodded.
「The working life must be tough」, said Elvi.
「Same to you. Is the royal family fine without you around?」
「They might be a little rattled, but I know that they won’t get attacked. My subordinates, who I left in my place, are also competent individuals. Looking for you was more important anyway.」
As a noblewoman, Elvi belonged to a family that controlled the area from the capital to the southwest. She resided in a mansion in the capital that had been specifically designated for their use. When we approached a stable, a boy who looked like a stablehand came out to receive us.
「We have long awaited your return, milady.」
He bowed gracefully, petting Elvi’s stallion along its neck. He then took its reins and did the same for my horse.
「Did I not tell you to stop calling me that?」
「But you never ob –」
「Don’t do it in front of my guests!」
The boy stared at us in disbelief. He went red when he made eye contact with Lyla, who nodded as if Elvi’s remark had struck a chord within her.
「Ahem. I would have told you to rest well after a long journey, but I need to explain the current state of things and show you a map.」
「Sure.」
「Glad you don’t mind.」
Elvi, who seemed eager to get away from the stable as soon as possible, brisk-walked to the gates of her mansion. Lyla turned around briefly to find the stablehand waving.
「My existence is a sin」, she said.
「You are the root of much evil.」
Fufufu, chuckled the Demon King in response.
We entered through the large gates and walked through a symmetrical garden. Before the door to the mansion stood two female attendants, who bowed in the same way as the stablehand.
To Elvi’s chagrin, they greeted her with the same pronoun as he had.
Her face turning red again, she told them to change the way they spoke in front of us.
「Either way works for me」, said Lyla.
「Same here, milady.」
「S-Stop it. Don’t make fun of me.」
We sat in the drawing room while Elvi, whose face was still red, went to retrieve something. She came back after a while carrying a large scroll. I figured that it was a detailed map of the castle’s interior.
「Though this is but a fraction of a fraction of a real thing…」
She hesitated, looking uncomfortably at Lyla.
「Go on. I don’t have photographic memory. I won’t remember much.」
It’s your turn to speak, gestured Lyla with both hands.
「Why does she act so haughtily?」, asked Elvi, lowering her voice.
「Not only does she have noble blood in her veins, but also ties with a certain royal family.」
「…I see.」
She seemed to buy it. I may not be telling her the whole truth, but at least I’m not lying either.
「Why would someone like that be living with you?」, she continued.
「Many reasons.」
「Almeria said that you were ‘house-sharing’ or something. So that’s what it is, and not some strange relationship going on between the two of you?.」
「Please define a strange relationship.」
If she’s interested in our relationship, I thought, shouldn’t she just ask Lyla directly?
「I, uh… I mean…」
「You don’t have to beat around the bush」, said Lyla. 「It is quite the salacious relationship.」
「Roland, you –!」
Her face turning red for the third time today, Elvi got to her feet.
「Relax, Elvi. The noblewoman here simply jests.」
I mean, Lyla’s not wrong.
「I knew you were a womaniser all along!」
「That’s not true. They come to me.」
「I would do the same… I guess that still hasn’t changed.」
She stopped pouting and smiled. It had been a long time since we last bantered like that.
「Let’s get down to business.」
Spreading the map on the table, Elvi explained what the security had been like on the day that King Reubens — Mephis II, apparently — was assassinated. Lyla immediately made herself at home, calling for a servant to bring her a bottle of wine.
「I arranged all of this myself. Can you spot any vulnerabilities?」
「There are none. Though their strength is lean, each guard covers the blind spots of the others.」
「So…」
「If I were to do it –」, I started, tracing my finger along the parchment.
My path ensured no witnesses — that is, nobody that had to be silenced. It was a picture-perfect assassination that left no one dead except for the target himself.
「…」
I felt uneasy as I spoke.
「Hmm… so had it been you, you could have pulled this off.」
「…」
That can’t be.
I could have pulled this off…?
It was no doubt a strategy that assumed that the perpetrator not only had my skill, ‘Faint Shadow’, but was also me. Notwithstanding the fact that Elvi’s formation left no openings — even with a skill similar to mine, it was almost impossible for someone else to pull it off undetected and with a final kill count of one.
Those with skills in the ballpark that go into crime don’t become assassins. Most become petty thieves. People that can turn themselves transparent will have no problem stealing money. Same goes for those who can transform or mimic different objects. Very, very few people like that will kill for fun — and those who do aren’t suited for assassination anyway.
From what Elvi had told me, there was only one logical explanation.
「Did I do it…?」
I was the prime suspect.
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