Chapter 106: Petition part2
「Your Majesty… are you certain?」
A close minister tried to stop him, but King Amado silenced him with a wave.
「I am. I do not speak lightly. Besides, it was always my intent regarding Sir Corinth. He claims to have built a city in the Great Demon Forest; let us put faith in the man who tamed a dragon.」
「But to raise a baron straight to margrave is outrageous—」
「Indeed, it upsets order.」
「The border needs a keystone with Gantz bereft of its count. Of course, if his ‘success’ proves a fraud, I will punish him. Ah—」
He produced a prepared document.
「As proof of development in the Great Demon Forest, I will have Sir Corinth provide these items. We will provide suitable compensation from our side. When my envoy arrives, tours your city, and receives the prepared items, we will deem the development successful. How say you?」
With permission, I skimmed the contents. The quantity is massive, but there is nothing like a dragon’s fang that would be a nightmare to obtain. It’s just a lot of items—doable.
「Iris, what do you think?」
「We can cover most of it from inventory. No issues, Captain.」
「As you command. I will see them gathered for Your Majesty.」
「Good. Shall we say in a year’s time?」
A year, huh? I owe him for how smoothly he’s moved. I could advance the schedule. A year from now, we might already be at war with the prime minister. Better to deliver what I can early.
「My city, Ares, is already in operation. Half a year—no, three months, and I’ll have everything ready for inspection.」
「Oh? You would assemble all this in three months. That has the envoy leaving the capital in two—no problem?」
「None. I will have it prepared and await the envoy. From Gantz onward into the forest, I will take responsibility for the envoy’s safety.」
「Well said. Then I’ll dispatch an envoy to arrive in three months. You may call yourself Margrave now, but I’ll have the formal seal of office delivered by the envoy; that will mark your official elevation. Agreed?」
「As you command. I’m honored by Your Majesty’s grace.」
I bowed deeply.
「You may withdraw.」
No banquet today, it seems.
「…No, wait. I do want to see the dragon up close, after all.」
「You mustn’t, Your Majesty. If anything happened to you, we could never answer to the prime minister.」
「Tristan, the dragon is tame enough to bear riders. Surely I can at least view it from near at hand.」
His minister tried to restrain him, but King Amado was set.
「Sir Corinth, add your voice—warn His Majesty of the danger.」
Lord Tristan appealed to me. What to do? Frankly, I owe King Amado for his handling. Best to aim for a smooth landing.
「If it is Your Majesty’s wish, I will arrange things so you may safely observe the dragon.」
「Oh? Excellent.」
The king beamed; Lord Tristan looked heavenward in despair. Loyal to the king, clearly. As a retainer, protecting the monarch’s person was the right call.
The king led the way toward the garden. Heralds ran ahead. Doors swung open one after another—an impressive sight. Troops trotted out to ring the path; Sir Bahr strode at the king’s back in long, quick steps. Elna and I followed under watch. Sir Bahr still held my sword.
Someone handed me a proper document case for the sheaf of orders I’d been burdened with. Understandable—not to pass out royal-signed paperwork barehanded.
「Sharon, Gloria—His Majesty wants to see the dragon. We’re headed over now.」
「Eeh…」
「Oh—there it is.」
The king looked up. The dragon waited there, with Sharon still standing on its snout. Too late for her to climb down, she could only freeze in place.
「Sir Corinth, what is that one doing?」
「My apologies for the posture of my subordinate. By my command, the dragon keeps a person on its nose—and so long as someone stands there, it will not attack others.」
「Mm. Fascinating.」
The tall tale I’d spun to keep the guards cautious had grown new tails. Sharon remained on the dragon’s snout even before the king, so she couldn’t kneel. She settled for a deep bow instead.
Bowing on tiptoe while balancing on a dragon’s nose took extreme poise, but Sharon pulled it off. Her feet wobbled for balance, making it full-on street performance.
「You keep many beauties among your people, Sir Corinth. Is this on purpose?」
「No—they were chosen for their capability. They are my bodyguards.」
「What—does the dragonslayer need guarding? Curious indeed.」
Damn. A careless line had piqued the king’s interest.
「I thought her striking even in the hall. If she is not yours, would she not join my harem as a consort?」
King Amado drew Elna close.
「Your Majesty, please—」
His minister tried to stop him, but the king did not. Elna tried to slip away, but the king gripped her arm and wouldn’t let go.
「Closer, your face is fairer still. Your name? You may answer directly.」
「Elna, Your Majesty.」
「Even your name is lovely.」
He leaned in to whisper at her ear.
「Sharon, Gloria—if Elna gets detained, this becomes a pain. Time to exit. Gloria, make a loud move and shake Sharon off. Sharon, jump with Gloria’s head snap, spin once, and land in the garden near Elna. It needs to look like an accident—make it noisy.」
They synced on the fly. It was a reckless cue—but they nailed it.
With a sudden roar, Gloria pitched Sharon off. Spun through the air, Sharon came down near Elna—botching the landing into a perfect tailbone-plop. The ‘accident’ sold it.
Startled, the king let Elna go, and soldiers surged to wall him off. I slipped between the dragon and the sovereign.
「As you see, the grim atmosphere has the dragon on edge, Your Majesty. I think it best I take her and depart the capital now.」
「I see. I had hoped to ride, if she bears men—but at least show me you mounting her.」
「As you wish.」
While soldiers ringed us, I helped Sharon and Elna up and boosted them onto the dragon’s back. No one asked after the witnesses. I judged it safe to leave them behind.
「Then, with Your Majesty’s leave.」
I bowed to the king.
「My lord, this—」
Sir Bahr, standing at the king’s side, tossed me my magic sword. He couldn’t approach any closer with the dragon there.
「Gloria, good work. On my mark, take off.」
「Understood.」
「We’ll return this dragon to the Great Demon Forest.」
I swung up, buckled into the saddle, and looped a retention strap through the document case. Elna slipped the heraldic shield into a pouch and secured it the same way. I fixed my sword down as well. Once I’d checked everything, I patted Gloria’s back.
「Gloria—fly.」
Two, three heavy beats of her wings and we were aloft. Clinging tight to keep from being flung off, I watched the palace garden drop away fast.
The king and his soldiers shrank to specks. Then to stains on the stone.
「Sir Corinth is every inch a hero of our age, is he not.」
King Amado Berti looked up at the flying dragon and sought assent from his retinue.
「Yes. He is not a man I would wish to oppose. Though one day he may well reach for the supreme seat.」
Sir Herman Bahr, commander of the Capital Defense Force, murmured back.
「Herman, I often wonder: how does one win a hero to one’s side?」
「How do you mean, Your Majesty? Such deep stratagems are beyond me.」
「Hypothetically: the hero’s wife’s kin would be rewarded, yes?」
「If Your Majesty had a sister, perhaps such a course might be possible…」
Alas, King Amado’s close bloodline had died out.
「No matter. A cousin will do. An adopted daughter will do. Even if the tie is thin. I wonder if such a match might not fall to us from the heavens.」
There was a peculiar confidence in his voice. Sir Bahr could not plumb its depths, but he sensed a secret plan.
「Would such a tie appear, I wonder.」
「We make ties. We give aid such that none see it for what it is. Then our hearts reach the heavens. And from the heavens may fall a bride for Sir Corinth.」
「As Your Majesty wills.」
「Men sense malice keenly. Show none to the prime minister. Show none to the margrave. When the time comes, the road will open. I believe it.」
「As you command. I understand.」
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