"Hmm? What the hell? Ow! What the hell is this place! Why am I naked?
In the bushes? Why here ...... I look next door and see my beloved son lying on the ground.
"Dublin! You all right! Dublin!"
"Hmm? Father? How can I help you? ...... where am I?"
Well, it looks like you're safe. He is the heir to the House of Galli. I cannot lose him.
I don't know. I found myself here. Son, don't you remember anything?"
"I ...... gave the maid mercy last night and went straight to sleep, but I ...... don't remember anything from there."
"Well, I have no memory as well as I do. So you carried us out unnoticed while you were sleeping?
But how is it possible to do such a thing without going through the Marquise's security? No, it's hard to imagine that your men betrayed you. ...... No, it's hard to imagine that. They follow me and they are sucking the juice out of me. The rebellious are at their beck and call. There is no one in the house who can touch me.
Father this shabby piece of cloth seems to be a garment.
"What?"
I thought they were garbage, but it looks like they are really clothes. When I unfolded the clothes, something scattered on the ground with a metallic sound.
"Father, I have not seen this in a long time, but it is a silver coin. You can't buy anything with all 100,000 elts ......."
Yes, but that seems to be all the money we have. What do the people who brought us here want?
"Father, I know you have your doubts, but why don't you put some clothes on anyway? They are shabby clothes, but they seem to fit, and that's better than being naked."
"Yes, that's right. But to be dressed in such shabby clothes. ...... I will make sure that whoever humiliates me like this gets what he deserves."
"Of course. I will make him suffer so much that he will wish to die.
You know my son well. Even the king is concerned about the Marquise de Galli. You have disrespected the head of the family. The whole family will be tortured and exterminated. But these clothes don't even feel good. Are they not the clothes of a lower class of people?
"Dublin, there's no point in staying here. Let's move on to the village you see there."
"Father, would you like me to go to the village and bring the carriage? It's such a small village. You may not have a carriage worthy of you, but it is better than walking.
"No, I'll go with you."
I should not have to walk, but it is too dangerous to be alone in a place like this, even if I send Dublin on an errand. It is unpleasant, but I must walk.
*****
Stop!
I will not allow a village gatekeeper to point a spear at me!
"Rude! You think you can get away with pointing a spear at a nobleman!"
Dublin, that's quite a dignified rebuke. You've matured well as the next head of the House of Galli. Make sure you teach the lowly ones the greatness of nobility.
"Nobles"? Are you trying to say you guys are nobles? ...... have you got any proof of your status?"
"I don't have any right now. Send an envoy to King's Landing and ask for the Marquise de Galli.
"...... This is the countryside, but I've been to King's Landing as an adventurer. There is no Marquise de Galli in the Iolite Kingdom. At least look up the names of the nobles and come back.
"...... what did you just say? Kingdom of Iolite? Isn't ...... the Kingdom of Chrysoprase here?"
"Are you crazy? I've never heard of the Kingdom of Chrysoprase, have you?"
"...... Father, have you ever heard of a country called the Kingdom of Iolite?"
Dublin looks at me anxiously. I should at least know the names of the nations on the continent of Eltreude. The teacher who gave him to Dublin must be punished. But the Kingdom of Iolite. ...... is not good. It's a long way from the kingdom of Chrysoprase and we don't have diplomatic relations.
We're lucky they're not hostile, but we're on the wrong side of the border. How long have we been unconscious? It's not a distance you can travel in a few days.
"Father?"
"Yes, there is indeed an Iolite kingdom. It's a long way from the kingdom of Chrysoprase, with which we have no diplomatic relations."
"What? What the hell is going on?
I have no idea. But it's something. I may be involved in a plot that could shake the country. I am the Marquis de Galli, a nobleman of the Kingdom of Chrysoprase. You're involved in some kind of conspiracy. You'll be thanked when you return to your country. First rest in the village and then you will be escorted to the capital. Prepare a carriage and bring some finer clothes instead of these shabby ones."
In the meantime, we will have to talk to the Iolite Kingdom and ask for protection, even though we have no diplomatic relations with them. The nearest country that has diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Chrysoprase is ...... about four countries away. ......It will take a long time to get back home.
"......I'm sorry, but we can't let these people into the village if they can't even prove themselves. I will not take you to the capital, nor will I provide you with clothes and a carriage. They must leave as soon as possible."
You're so rude!
Dublin, stop.
"Why, Father! This is an unforgivable thing to say to a nobleman of another country.
Can't you see I can't let you get caught here? If you cannot sense the situation when you see me treating a gatekeeper so politely, you are still inexperienced. It's all right if you're at home, but if you're in another country, you must act with caution.
"Dublin, shut up! Gatekeeper, is there a guild in this village?
It's a small village. There is no guild.
The countryside is an inconvenience. It's a hassle, but you have to go to the town where the guild is. A commercial guild would help. It might be more reliable than asking the lords. Their network is cross country.
"...... I give up trying to get into this village. For these five silver coins you'll get a sword, food and water. And show me the way to the nearest town with a lord."
If possible, I would like to get a horse and hire an escort, but five silver coins at most will not buy a horse, nor a proper escort. I and Dublin are not sure we can do it alone, but we must make it to the town and find a way to return.
"Oh well. I can get you that much. But not a sword. I have a knife.
Hmm, you can't even get a sword? ...... If you run into demons, you're doomed. But you won't get into the village even if you complain here. Small villages are exclusive because they have to defend themselves. We should at least get a knife.
Okay, a knife will do.
"All right, when you're ready, get the hell out of here. Hey, we'll send back up right away to keep an eye on these guys and show them the way to town.
"Yes, sir."
Leave the other gatekeeper to watch over us. The unpleasant gatekeeper enters the village. Gather information while you can. Dublin's too bloody useless. He may be a good nobleman, but he lacks the ability to know what's important now. He will be the head of the House of Galli. We need to strengthen the education in Dublin by hiring more good teachers.
............ We have heard more from the remaining gatekeepers and it seems that we were in the capital of the Kingdom of Chrysoprase until the night before. What is really going on ...... that we can be brought to such a faraway place in only half a day?
"Here's water, food storage, and a knife. Save them and you'll make it to the next town."
The gatekeeper tosses the luggage. He cocks his chin as if to say, "Get the hell out of here. It's unpleasant as hell, but we have to put up with it for now. He quietly leaves the gate and walks toward the town.
"Father! Why don't you just kill such an impolite man? Why do you back down so quietly?
"Dublin, think about it. Our power does not extend to countries with which we have no diplomatic relations. It would be different if we could prove who we are, but we are just suspicious men now. We could be executed if we are caught unawares.
Dublin looks deeply surprised. No wonder, power has never worked before.
"...... But father, I'm so sorry!"
"I know. I don't care how much you spend as long as you return safely to your country. Kidnap that gatekeeper and make him bow down before me. After that you can do as you please.
I will not tolerate that gatekeeper's behavior. I must give him despair.
"Good! We will make sure he gets what he deserves."
The first priority is to reach the town in one piece. Good!
"Ha!"
**
"Dublin, more power to you! Don't drop me!"
Yes, sir!
"Gulli, don't just stand there, carry the next stone!"
"Yes, sir!"
Why do I, the glorious Marquis de Galli, have to carry stones to repair the city walls? After much hardship we arrived at the town only to be stopped again by the gatekeeper.
I managed to enter the town to become an adventurer and went to the guild of commerce and the lord's mansion, but ...... both the guild of commerce and the lord are too blind to see me. They think we're crazy when we know better. I'm not going to let them get away with it. They'll destroy us when we get home!
Gulli, don't be lazy!
Yes, sir!
Patience! I must save my money and go to the land where I know me. If I could prove myself in this town I could send a letter directly to the Galli family and wait for them to come for me, but with no proof of identity I can't stand the thought of waiting for a letter to come for me. I don't even have the money to send the letter in the first place.
I am living on the edge of getting 10,000 elts at the most. If I had one of the ornaments I usually wear, it would be millions of elts. .......
I am exhausted, but I manage to finish my work and return to the humble inn. I force the soup which is so poor that it is not thought to be food and the bread which is hard as a stone into a stomach, and return to the room for two people of the poor.
"Father, I've had enough! How long can life go on like this?"
Back in his room, he lay down on his bed, which was as shabby as a board, and his beloved son asked him a question with a dark look on his face.
"Dublin, don't be weak. Are you going to die here? We must return to our country and get back to the life we deserve. Do not forget the faces of the gatekeepers, those who thought us mad, those who shouted at us. We must return to our country and give them what they deserve.
"...... I agree. We must be punished and restored to the life of nobility we deserve. Father! We will surely return to the Kingdom of Chrysoprase."
"Yes. As long as we get home, there's no problem. Until then, you'll have to bite down on a stone to hold on.
"Yes!"
A glimmer of hope lit up Dublin's eyes. If I and my son are bound, we will return to the kingdom of Chrysoprase! Watch and you will see who you have insulted, and you will regret it.