The Prime Minister's trick
Translated by SoundOfDestiny
Edited by Zil
After that, Raidorl worked vigorously as an adventurer.
He defeated a sea dragon that had appeared in the northern sea.
He conquered the bandits that attacked the villages of the east.
He slayed an undead horde in an abandoned castle in the west.
Gathered rare medicinal herbs to help a sick child in a southern town.
There were some requests that had been rotted away in the guilds of Royal Capital that would have been too much for Raidorl alone, but with the help of Célia, the other holder of the holy sword, he was able to accomplish them with great speed.
Originally, Raidorl’s exploits were known throughout the kingdom through the mouths of the soldiers who fought in the war against the Empire.
The people, by nature, are fond of heroic tales.
The story of the hero chosen by the holy sword to save the poor in many parts of the kingdom has become a legend, and now bards are spreading it in song.
Raidorl Zain, the hero of the Holy Sword.
In an attempt to blow away the gloomy mood of the war with the Empire, many singers spread his prowess throughout the kingdom.
But of course there are those who do not take kindly to the arrival of new heroes.
The first of these was the King of Zain, Granard Zain.
“What a shame that he’s trying to curry favor with the people! He’s wasting the power of the holy sword!”
Granard’s face was contorted in rage.
The hatred on his face means that he is not happy about his brother’s success.
He hates every move Raidorl makes. His face is as red as an evil demon.
“The holy sword, Dáinsleif, is the sword of protection. It is the last trump card to protect the Kingdom of Zain! How dare he use its power for his own popularity! The power of the holy sword is not to be taken lightly, he was not the one who should be chosen by the Dáinsleif!!”
“Your Majesty, ……, please calm yourself. If anyone else hears you, you’ll be in trouble.”
It was Lockwood Marcell, the prime minister, who spoke to the king in a hushed voice.
In the king’s office, there are only two people in the room, Granard and Lockwood.
“Raidorl……! You must be trying to win the support of the people to oust me, you infuriating ……!”
At the Prime Minister’s admonition, Granard lowered his voice slightly, but did not stop himself from vomiting out his hatred towards his own brother.
Although Granard is a foolish king when his brother, the keeper of the holy sword, is involved, he is an outstanding ruler who has supported his country as a wise and powerful ruler since the illness of the previous king.
He saw exactly what Raidorl was trying to do and gritted his teeth.
Lockwood, too, agreed with the king and let out a deep, heavy breath.
“Each one of us is as small and frail as a worm. But when thousands and tens of thousands of insects take wing in one direction, there is nothing to stop them. It seems that His Highness Raidorl is trying to win over the hundreds of thousands of people who live in the kingdom.”
“That bastard……, there’s got to be a way! Lockwood!”
“……it will be difficult.”
Lockwood shakes his head somberly.
The story of Raidorl’s heroism has already spread throughout the country. It is not easy to cool the fever of the people who are excited about the new hero, even if he tries to ruin the reputation of Raidorl by manipulating information.
“That said, it is impossible to suppress him by force. There is no one in this country who can stop him.”
The only possibility is the Kingdom’s army, led by General Bazel Garst, but they are in no condition to move, as they are packed in the fortress of Blaine, wary of the Empire.
Even if they could move, General Garst has indicated that he is no longer willing to stand idly by and watch the conflict between Raidorl and Granard.
It is unlikely that the honest general will change his mind.
“We’ve been trying to keep His Highness Raidorl out of the political arena by giving him time off and leaving him alone, but it seems that he intends to pay it by troubling us. I can’t believe he’s using the time he’s been given to do this…….”
“…… is there no way to control that foolish brother? At least if the curse is broken…….”
Granard scratched his left breast over his clothes.
A month has already passed since Granard was cursed by Raidorl with the curse of the Covenant.
With the help of all the court magicians, the curse has been steadily deciphered, but it has not yet been lifted.
With the curse still on him, he could not actively exclude Raidorl and had to pretend to ignore his actions.
“…… Your Majesty, how about using that curse to your advantage?”
“…… what do you mean?”
Lockwood opened his mouth as if it had occurred to him.
Granard raises one eyebrow and asks the Prime Minister.
“You are not the only one bound by vows. His Highness, Raidorl, is also bound by a curse. ‘Raidorl Zain must fight the Empire to protect the Kingdom of Zain’- a vow that His Highness also cannot disobey.”
“Hmm……,you mean we send Raidorl to the frontline so that he won’t have the time to muster support from the people?…… The war against the empire has already entered into peace negotiations. We cannot afford to cause unnecessary strife……”
“Yes, of course we can’t let him fight the Empire itself. But there are new enemies born of the war against the Empire.”
Lockwood pauses for a breath, then says with a firm face.
“The nobles of the East who have turned to the Empire. Your Highness will have to purge them.”