CH 167

"Conflict and Audience with the Grand Duchess"

Translated by Dawn

“Conflict and Audience with the Grand Duchess”

“Rise your head.”

These solemn words were spoken by Alicia, the Grand Duchess of Saverdales.

Alicia Phil Terra Magwise. She was currently the ruler of the country where I was currently running away, and she was also the client who requested the extermination of the Manticore.

After I contracted with the Manticore as my summoned beast, I returned to the village that had suffered the damage and reported the details to the village chief, Fagares. Of course, I kept it a secret that I had made the Manticore my own summoned beast.

Then, I presented the high-quality monster meat obtained from the Manticore as evidence. At first, Fagares was surprised, but it was determined that such high-quality meat couldn’t be obtained from ordinary monsters, and the news spread among the villagers that the Manticore had been exterminated that day.

Naturally, I was thanked as the hero who saved the village from the Manticore, and a feast was held. It was not hard to imagine.

The next day, when I was asked if there was anything they could do for me, I took the opportunity to ask for some barley grains and their seedlings, just enough to sustain their lives. As a result, 300 kilograms of barley and 5 sacks of rice were gathered.

According to the village chief, there had been abundant harvests for the past few years, and the villagers had stored more rice than they could consume. This time, they generously distributed it without hesitation.

Fagares even declared, “If it is for Rolando-sama, the benefactor of the village, we can give you all the barley in the village.” However, it would have caused difficulties in the villagers’ lives if I had accepted it all, so I stopped him. That old man really insisted on giving me everything…

As for the seedlings, it seemed that it was about time to plant them, and a sufficient amount was secured. Well, I wouldn’t know until I try growing them, but if they could be cultivated, I would definitely like to continue cultivating them.

After finishing my business in the village, I immediately teleported back to the capital and reported to Alicia. On that same day, it was decided that an audience would be held in the Throne Room.

I wondered if it was okay to decide on such short notice, but apparently, the nobles who ruled their territories had competent governors in their actual territories and themselves worked on other tasks in the Grand Duke’s residence.

In other words, if they wanted to gather quickly, they could, and important national affairs like this could be carried out promptly.

“…”

“Rolando, holder of the Mithril First-Class Medal. You have successfully exterminated the mighty monster Manticore that threatened our homeland.”

“I am humbled by your kind words.”

I spoke the prearranged words. Alicia herself might not mind, but the other party was a human with the same status as a king or emperor of a country. As long as the nobles who hold that position were present, I should not speak too casually.

In addition, this country had the characteristic of female supremacy, as it promoted a female as the Grand Duchess. In the previous world, women were discriminated against, and there was even a phrase like “male superiority, female inferiority,” indicating the low status of women. But in this country, it was the opposite.

It was not that men were of low status, but there was a problem with the birthrate in this country. Compared to other countries, the probability of a male being born was extremely low, with a staggering ratio of ten to one.

For example, if there was a city with a population of 10,000, in other countries, about 5,000 would be male, while in Saverdales, the ratio was 9,000 females to 1,000 males.

Therefore, while men were highly valued in this country, it often happened that the country’s politics and the heads of the nobles were mostly female due to the difference in the male-to-female ratio. Of course, there were also male heads, but considering the male-to-female ratio, it was not hard to imagine that they felt somewhat uncomfortable.

As an exception, the Grand Duchess’s husband was the spouse of the person who held the highest position in the country. Therefore, they often hold important positions such as prime minister and commander of the knights. Vista, the current Grand Duchess’s husband, held the positions of prime minister and commander of the Royal Guard, which were crucial roles for the country.

“He’s the hero with the Mithril First Class medal, isn’t he?”

“Well, he’s really small. Did he really kill the Manticore?”

“He’s adorable. I want to take him home…”

Women tend to speak their minds more freely than men, and the remarks I’d been hearing from the female nobles had been piercing through my heart. That feeling… yes, it’s frustration.

“…”

“Silence! What audacity to whisper in front of Her Grace, the Grand Duchess!”

Vista, sensing some unrest from my expression, reprimanded the surrounding nobles. Well done, Vista, even though you were a man, you were quite perceptive. Your judgment was correct. If the noise had persisted for a few more seconds, I was planning to summon a tornado with my storm magic right there, but it seemed there was no need for that.

With the uneasy atmosphere dissipating from me, Alicia and Vista showed expressions of relief, as if a burden has been lifted. However, in such an audience, there was usually a customary troublemaker who envied the achievements of others and attempted to undermine them. It seemed that despite the higher proportion of women, the same old story applied here.

“May I have a moment, Your Grace?”

“What is it, Duchess Margherita?”

Yes, in cases like this, there was usually someone who tried to stir up trouble and even crush others, following the usual cliche.

“Margherita… sounds like pizza… (whispers)”

“Oh, do you have a problem with my name?”

“No, I don’t have any particular issue with it.”

Margherita, the noblewoman Alicia addressed, reacts to my murmured words with a less than friendly attitude. …We just met, but did I accidentally do something to offend her?

Margherita, whom Alicia called Duchess Margherita, was an incredibly beautiful woman. She was clad in a dazzling dress, and her appearance was truly enchanting, with no discernible flaws to point out.

Her long, glossy hair, well-defined facial features, and a perfectly proportioned body with a level of chest armor of I were simply breathtaking.

Standing in front of me as if to compete, Alicia intervened. She, too, possessed an appearance that made the word “breathtaking” pale in comparison. Among the women present, she had one of the top-class looks.

While there might be some concerns about the chest armor aspect, it was not like a woman’s value was determined solely by the size of her chest. And in this case, that aspect was not considered significant in relation to the recent incident, so it was not a problem at all…

“Duchess Margherita, that’s enough. I won’t allow any more insults towards him.”

“Oh my, how the Magwise family has fallen now that they’ve become grand duchesses. If your chest is as flat as your character, it’s quite disappointing. Oh well, I suppose it can’t be helped with your bloodline. Ohohohoho!”

“You…! Elizabeth, hold on! There are things you can say and things you can’t! You’re just a fragile glass doll!”

“What did you say!?”

“What!?”

It all started with an exchange of insults, which escalated into a fierce catfight. Wanting to know the details, I asked Vista, who informed me that there was a deep-seated grudge between the two.

To provide some background, the Saverdales Duchy was originally governed by five prominent noble families, each ruling their respective territories. However, discussions arose about consolidating them into a single country.

During these discussions, it was decided that the five noble families would be recognized as dukes, and a system called the Grand Duke Selection would be held every four years. The chosen head of one noble family would serve as the Grand Duke/Duchess, representing the country until the end of their term.

Naturally, Marishia, the head of the Magwise Duchy, and Elizabeth, from the Margherita Duchy, were both candidates for the Grand Duke Selection.

While Marishia diligently campaigned for the Grand Duke/Duchess’ Selection, Elizabeth resorted to questionable methods to secure votes. Given their equal status as noble families and their childhood friendship, it was inevitable that Marishia, who disapproved of Elizabeth’s actions, would point them out.

However, Elizabeth misunderstood Marishia’s intentions and believed she was attacking her in order to eliminate competition. This misunderstanding led to a deepening conflict between Marishia and Elizabeth.

Ultimately, Marishia was chosen as the Grand Duke, but a rift formed between the two. They began openly fighting whenever they crossed paths, disregarding any bystanders.

“Didn’t you try to explain it to Elizabeth?”

“I did. But she stubbornly insists that it’s all a lie and refuses to listen to me.”

“I see.”

The surrounding noble families seemed to treat their fights as a routine occurrence and no one intervened to stop them. Curious about how their fights eventually ended, I asked, and received this answer:

“In the end, both of them would become tired and the fights would fizzle out naturally.”

“I guess children’s fights are more manageable.”

“You’re right…”

Vista seemed embarrassed by my accurate observation. It couldn’t be helped; as an unrelated third party, I decided to intervene and put an end to their conflict.

“Leave it to me for a moment.”

“Eh? R-Rolando-sama? What are you planning to do?”

Ignoring Vista’s response, I approached Marishia and Elizabeth, who were still entangled in their fight. Disregarding their animosity, I delivered a ruthless blow.

“Stop it!”

“Oof!”

“Ow!”

This unexpected incident, where both heads of the noble families were struck on their heads, would later be recorded as a unique event in the history of the Saverdales Duchy.

Sensing the emergence of yet another troublesome situation, I prepared myself to give a stern lecture to the two of them.