113 Episode 113: Dragon Emperor's Rite

The crusade of the herd of demons that had attacked the town was over and the town was restoring peace.

The townspeople are thrilled with the result that the damage to the town is minimal and that there are no casualties of what is there.

"Gahhhhhh! You knocked down a big demon with one blow from me! Look at this splendid horn!

"Oh man, how many times have we talked about that? More than that, the decadence of the demon fangs I defeated."

"How many times have we talked about it?"

"" Gahhhhhhhh ""

Adventurers whose nostalgia has warmed after hunting massive demons are in a good mood to talk about their martial arts heritage.

And the person in a good mood was here, too.

"The ritual of Princess Ryu will be held soon!

It's Mr. Lune.

Mr. Lune originally came to this town to participate in Princess Ryu's ritual.

There were demonic raids that endangered the holding, but there were unexpectedly few damages, and Princess Ryu's ritual seemed reassured by the decision to hold it as usual.

And it was the people of the town who were more than happy about it.

Not only was the town suddenly attacked by a bunch of demons, but it seemed like everyone didn't mind losing it to the annual pleasure.

"I hope you can win"

"Yes! That's why I've been rigorously trained to this day! I will definitely win!

Liliera and the others are sending a gentle gaze in a relaxed manner to Mr. Lune, who so desires.

"Well, you don't have to worry about it. You're sure to win."

"Well, there's no way you can beat someone who throws a dragon off."

and there Mr. Liliera and the others turn their gaze towards me.

"If you're not there, you won't have to compete in a female-only tournament, and the victory won't waver."

"It's easy to see."

"... where does this ritual bet compartmentalize?"

The women, convinced that Mr. Lune would win, were perfectly moody, and only Mr. Megli was jolting in search of his torso to take part in the bets being made behind the ritual.

"Or won't everyone participate?

This tournament is for women only, so I and Gyro can't participate, but Liliera and the others are women, so they should be able to participate.

"I'll stop. Even this town stands out. I'd like to avoid any more conspicuous imitation."

"Oh, don't bother with that"

and it was then.

A familiar voice has reacted to what Ms Liliera said.

"Are you… guild leader ⁉ …"

️ Yes, it was the guild leader who managed the Adventurer's Guild in this town who spoke to us.

And the guild chief had an unrecognizable, well-width uncle next door.

"Hey, isn't that the guild leader?

"Is something wrong again?

The Adventurers go out of their way when the Alliance Commander shows up in the Alliance lobby.

"It's rumored to be Princess Ryu's comeback in this year's Ryu ritual. If you don't come out, it must be something that lacks uplift."

To the words of the guild chief, Mr. Liliera becomes a fed up face.

"You're all rumouring that, because I'm not Princess Ryu."

When Mr. Liliera says so, the guild leader nods yeah.

"As good as it gets, so is your point. But it's true that you crusaded the dragon alone. It is also in front of the inhabitants of the town. If you were Princess Ryu, you would naturally expect to participate in the ritual of Princess Ryu because you came to town this time of year."

That's why the timing was too good.

It happened to come when Princess Ryu's ritual was held, crusading the detached dragon that happened to show up in town to help repel the herd of demons that happened to hit the town.

Yeah, normally, I don't think I can help but doubt the relationship.

"In a further demonic raid the other day, the Golden Dragon and the Silver Dragon have intervened in battle as if to protect this town. Like a legendary dragon knight."

"I have nothing to do with that dragon. We were fighting on the ground."

"Apparently."

When Ms Liliera claims her alibi, the guild leader affirms it lightly.

"But the inhabitants of this town still expect you to be simply strong. Take part in Princess Ryu's ritual and win."

"As I said earlier, I'm not interested"

"Hey, why isn't Liliera's lady in the tournament? If you win, you'll be famous."

And in the back, Gyro, you ask Mr. Mina a a question in a low voice.

Now that you're an adventurer, Gyro, your goal is to become a first-rate adventurer and gain fame, so I don't see why Liliera doesn't like to stand out.

"Well, normally, I guess it's the best reason you're mistaken for Princess Ryu. Whatever makes you famous for being recognized for your activities as an adventurer, you don't want to be famous for being tied to legends that have nothing to do with you in a way that plunders the hands of others."

"Hmm, you know what?"

Well, I was also told that the Dragon Emperor was resurrected, so I don't know.

Even in my previous life, I kept getting into trouble for being a hero.

So I'll stay still this time, too.

I can't even attend the ceremony!

"So what do you think of my request?

and that's when the guy next to the guild leader broke into conversation.

"Request......?

"Yes, I ask you to join me in Princess Ryu's ritual"

Liliera puts her neck on a sudden and strange request.

"... uh, why bother making such a request?

Yeah, especially Mr. Liliera's questions, right?

Because making a request means incurring a request fee.

I don't know how much Mr. Liliera wants me to fight until I pay him to.

The adventurers around them were also leaning their necks on odd requests.

"Whoa, you're late to introduce yourself. My name is Mornig, and I'm the mayor of this town."

"" "" "Mr. Mayor ⁉" ""

Our client was the mayor, and we raised our voice by accident.

"Princess Ryu's ritual is an important ritual in town. It's not a simple ritual, it's a big aspect of the festival that brings people in from outside of town."

Is that what Mr. Lune used to talk about, making Princess Ryu's ritual like a martial arts tournament to increase the number of customers?

"I want to avoid imitating festivals as they involve running festivals."

"Well, I don't know if that's the case, but..."

I mean, I guess for the people in town, Liliera, who crusaded the dragon, is like a special guest recognition.

Naturally you will attend the festival because you are a guest.

I would be disappointed if I hadn't come out expecting that.

And if expectations fall off.

He said there might be less repeaters for next year's festival.

If that happens, the operation is weak, so I'm thinking of paying you to be a de facto guest.

In a previous life, a merchant I knew said, "Even if it's an event that wasn't planned, it's top notch merchants who live up to that expectation if they're expecting it! Otherwise, sales will go down! You said."

But that's why I still wonder if you forced me into town on a mission.

"Hmm, rewarded..."

Liliera starts to worry when she hears that she gets paid.

"I noticed in the reward, is there any reward for Princess Ryu's ritual itself?

and ask if Megri has any merit in joining Princess Ryu's ritual.

"Yes, I do. Princess Ryu's ritual offers 200 gold coins to the winner in order to attract pride of power."

"Oh! 200 gold coins!

I heard 200 gold coins and Mr. Megri makes his eyes shine.

"200 sheets… double reward, converted into accommodation rent…"

No, no, no, Mr. Liliera, we have a home now, don't we?

"Oh, that? Could there be more competitors?!?"

Mr. Megli starts a preparatory movement, sees Mr. Liliera seriously bothered, and Mr. Lune starts blueing his face and horning.

"No, but I knew there were disadvantages... and now I have enough money to send..."

But I still don't like to treat Princess Ryu, or Mr. Liliera's heart starts leaning in the direction of declining the request.

But here comes a backup fire from the Alliance Commander.

"But if you can join Princess Ryu's ritual on the Alliance side, I can offer you the benefits that go with it."

and here the guild chief also joins the negotiations to cover the mayor.

"Is it from the Alliance?

"Oh, if you're joining me in Princess Ryu's ritual, I'll make sure you get your S-rank promotion"

"" "S-Rank Promotion" "

Into the guild make a fuss about just s-rank promotion speech.

"Wouldn't that taste bad for boulders?

"No, you are a power that can crusade dragons alone. Then there is no problem in promoting the S-rank. There are some fine issues, but if you show strength in a ceremonial setting, it will be enough to build up your track record. [M] Anyway, everything in the audience that comes to see the ritual is gonna be a witness."

Think well, Guild Leader.

Because of the benefits, Liliera turned it down once and for all.

"Ugh, um... double reward and S-rank guaranteed... and direct request from guild leader..."

An additional reward has been proposed, and Liliera is worried about her gaze at the guild leader while holding her head.

"Aww..."

Finally, Mr. Lune stares at Liliera as she blues her face, plaguing her decision.

And put it between the sows, and it seems that Liliera, who made the decision, raised her face.

"... ok. I'll take that request."

"" "" Oh-ooh "" "

"Gahhhhh!!"

Cheers and screams echo within the lobby.

"No, thank you. Now I can face my ancestors who have incorporated martial arts into Princess Ryu's ritual."

Uh, so much so that we've been negotiating so seriously because your ancestors were the ones involved in the ritual... right?

"" "" "That was your ancestor, ⁉" "

Wow, I didn't know Mr. Mayor's ancestors were Teng Himself who made Princess Ryu's ritual like now... I feel blood connected somehow.

"... because it is the immediate nomination of the guild leader. You can't say no."

So long as it was done, Liliera was asked to participate in the tournament in order to put on the face of the guild leader.

Indeed, we adventurers belong to the Adventurer Alliance.

It's so awkward for us to refuse requests from the Alliance Commander.

But the groan that Liliera spoke bossly was wiped out by the blazing cheer in the lobby, and it was only heard by us nearby.

"It's more than that."

and here when the guild leader raises his hand with his voice, the inner guild becomes quiet again.

Everyone puts their gaze on the guild leader wondering if there's anything left.

"Princess Ryu's ritual, but due to certain circumstances, the date of the event was postponed."

"" "" "Eh!?" ""

Everyone voices their dissatisfaction with the mere proclamation of the postponement.

"Did the demon raid have any negative effects after all?

"No, I decided to hold a ceremony at the same time starting this year. I decided to skip the timing just to get ready."

"A ritual?

"It is! From this year onwards, it has been decided to hold not only the ritual of the dragon princess for women only, but also the ritual of the dragon emperor for men!

"" "" "What!?" ""

The adventurers in the guild are coloured when the mayor's mouth tells them that a dragon emperor's ritual will be held for men.

"Are you serious?!? Can we participate in the tournament we've only ever seen?!?"

"Of course there will be a prize at this tournament!?"

"Of course! It's the ritual of choosing the role of the legendary dragon emperor of our country! And to commemorate it's first ritual, the prize shall be 400 gold coins, double the amount of Princess Ryu's ritual!

"" "" "Ohhhhhhh!?" ""

"The ceremony takes place in a month! Sometimes it's called the first ritual of choosing the role of His Majesty the Dragon Emperor, and some aristocrats live in the Wang capital! Depending on your activity, you may be hired as a knight!

"" "" "Uhhhhhhhhhh!?" ""

"Are you serious!? Can you be a knight as well as 400 gold coins?!?"

"Shit, I can't beat you. 400 gold coins and a knight's seat is my mon!

"You're kidding, I'm the one who wins!

The adventurers are excited by the mayor's continued remarks.

Speaking of which, even on the adventures of the Great Swordsman Rygaard, the story of the adventurer being recognized as a knight by the nobility is very popular as a story in which civilians emerge.

In that story, Rygaard, who saved his people and nobles, is recommended to the knight, but Rygaard chooses freedom to decline the story.

But instead, Rygaard recommended his fellow swordsmen as knights.

Everyone said they liked where Rygaard's people became knights, but I felt empathy for Rygaard, who chose to be free even out of honor.

"Brother! Brother! Let's join them!

And when I was thinking about it, Gyro invited me to the tournament the way you were excited.

"Huh? Gyro, did you want to be a knight?

No, but Gyro, your purpose is to become famous, so if you win and become a knight, can you achieve your purpose?

"I don't care about knights or anything. I think I'm gonna hold on to something. More than that, I want to fight in the tournament! Whatever you do, pick the strongest king in the country! And with a prize of 400 gold coins! Absolutely amazing. The strong ones are coming for you! So I want to fight the Soytes and make sure! My brother trained me to be strong!

As long as it takes, Gyro is your aim to fight the fierce men who have come looking for a prize and a knight's seat.

Sure, humans and demons. Then even if they were of the same rank, sometimes they struggle unexpectedly with or without wisdom.

"So let's get your brother out of here with us!

"What!? Me too!?"

No, no, I don't want to stand out, so you don't want to be in these competitions.

"Don't say that, brother - I want to fight my brother too! Norb will be joining us."

"What!? I'm in too!?"

Ugh, Gyro, you're staring at me with your sparkling eyes.

I'd really like to fight a strong opponent.

And Mr. Norb, I'm sorry.

That's what I'm asking you to do.

and there comes the guild chief.

"Up to guild length......"

"I've heard from my men about the demolition site. You're adventurers who can crusade dragons, aren't you? And one of them came with an S-rank adventurer."

Uh, you're the guild leader. Do you know as much about the nature of the adventurer you belong to?

"She is, even for Liliera, but she still needs guests for the festival. In particular, the Dragon Emperor's Ritual is not only the first tournament, it is also a glorious tournament that determines the strongest synonym in our country: the Dragon Emperor. Is it weird that an S-rank adventurer came to this town at that time, even if he felt some kind of fate?

No, it's crazy! It's a coincidence, it's a real coincidence!

"Haha, but I'm not interested in the prize money or the knight's throne..."

"Not good, let's take it, Mr. Rex."

And that was the time.

All of a sudden, Liliera came to the conversation from behind.

"It wasn't originally because Mr. Rex told us to fight the dragons alone in the city. Then I think Mr. Rex is obliged to participate in this competition, too. Wow."

Seeing the look on Liliera's face grabbing Nimmari and my arm, I somehow imagined an undead trying to drag his victims to the bottom of the dark dirt.

It's like you're the only one who can stay in the warm sun.

"No, I'm not in trouble for money, and I'm not interested in honor."

Well, if it's true, it's my purpose to hunt demons and live that day with plain adventurers.

I want to live my next life without honor.

"Oh, then you'll be fine. I have a good idea."

……

I don't know why, I don't feel like a very good idea.

◆

"Looks like the dragon emperor's ritual is being held all over the country as planned."

"Well, now you can smoke out a new dragon emperor in the name of the tournament as planned."

At the corner of the mansion, in the salon that kept the servants away, we were gathered for a ruse.

A gathering for a successful conspiracy to bury the new dragon emperor, who was resurrected in this day and age.

We fought when we heard that a bunch of demons who attacked the town of Tatstron were annihilated by the activity of what (...) who (...) rode (...) go (...) - (...) l (...) de (...) n (...) d (...) la (...) go (...) n (...).

Because the Dragon Knight driving the Golden Dragon, the strongest dragon, means being the Dragon Emperor, the strongest Dragon Knight in Dragonia.

The resurrection of the great emperor, it was not a celebration to be celebrated as our Dragonian people......

At least for our senior nobles.

Once the Dragon Emperor became a man who would not return in a showdown with the Devil, and Dragonia was to be inherited by the prince born between him and Princess Dragon.

But the epidemic of later times left no Dragon Knights alive.

Above all, the problem was that the Dragon Emperor was among the victims, the Dragon Knights.

Even worse was that all Dragon Emperor blood relatives at the time were Dragon Knights.

The terrible fact that not a single Dragon Emperor blood relative has disappeared in a very short time.

There's no way this won't crack the country.

Dragonian upper management, which lost its leader, was rough and rough.

For a while, the country was close to being divided.

Ultimately, the country settled down by using the legend that the then Chancellor would one day return the Dragon Emperor to elect the best of the nobles and make him the acting emperor.

It was also a chair removal game of electing a new emperor's deputy each time we replaced him, and many nobles endorsed a hopeful system in which a de facto emperor's seat might come around to us, if only excellence.

Well, in fact, a grand aristocrat who can be educated enough is a mechanism to monopolize the throne of the emperor's deputy.

Nevertheless, this mechanism was still working.

Even though it's all about form that everyone has a chance, it's likely that the nobles will be taken up as ministers even if they can't act as new emperors because they're starting to cultivate an excellent succession.

But there was also one big hole in this mechanism.

It is only a declaration that we are acting on behalf of the Emperor in order for someone not to monopolize the throne.

That declaration was only a declaration that I was acting on behalf of the Dragon Emperor, and if I rebuffed this declaration, it was a constraint that could invite not only hostile factions within the country, but even other countries to intervene.

Its contents were: "At the dawn when His Majesty the Dragon Emperor returned, the Emperor's deputy would return the throne to His Majesty the Dragon Emperor".

And now, with undeniable evidence of a dragon knight who followed the Golden Dragon, the nobles of the Wang Capital were fussing with the appearance of the Dragon Emperor in the town of Tatsutron.

But...

"The dragon emperor that he has risen has not yet raised his name, nor has he made a demand for the return of the emperor. There is no doubt that there is any intention in this."

Yes, the dragon emperor disappeared after that, even though he said he rode the golden dragon into battle.

It is utterly a creepy silence.

"Are you suggesting that we are unwilling to return the emperor?

"Perhaps the junior aristocrats, who are not amused that our senior aristocrats hold the throne of the emperor, are on the side of the dragon emperor."

That's a good chance.

No matter how good the lower aristocrats are, it is difficult for our senior aristocrats to emerge any further because of their monopoly of the higher office.

It is likely that we are looking to improve our position by welcoming the Dragon Emperor because we are dissatisfied with that.

"Well, what can you do to give me an emperor without the ghosts of the past?"

Exactly. Whatever the intentions, it is an unshakeable fact that it is our senior nobility that has now come to power in this country.

Most importantly, everyone knows that the proclamation to return the Emperor to the Reigning Dragon Sooner or later is just a convenience for us to acquire the throne.

That is why we ordered the mayor of the town of Tatsutron to hold the ritual of the Dragon Emperor in the name of the resurrection of the Dragon Emperor.

Behind that, to carry out the plot to assassinate the Dragon Emperor.

"We have already falsely turned to the assassins as participants in the tournament. As soon as we find out who the dragon emperor is, we're going to finish him off."

"How can a dragon knight follow a golden dragon, make a dragon crash all over the city, etc."

Goddamn it, Dragon Emperor, you'll disappear before the Emperor returns to his throne.

Selected assassins who have so far made a leap to take control of us will gather in one town just to kill one human being.

If you are attacked by a bunch of rabid dogs who choose no means to finish their goal, how can you be safe with the Dragon Emperor?

"The proclamation of the holding of the Rite of the Dragon Emperor has also greatly reduced the number of humans out of the town. As planned, mercenaries and adventurers have chosen to stay in town to participate in the tournament."

Um, the decision to hold the Dragon Emperor's ritual was also made because the purpose was to stop the Dragon Emperor, who could be lurking in the town.

Dragonia, whose emperor himself ruled the country as a dragon knight, pays homage to the strong.

Therefore, if the dragon emperor himself does not show up at the first tournament to determine his role in the ritual, he may be questioned about his strength.

Of course the facts don't matter.

We just have to spread the rumors so the people can assume.

"From that and the Adventurer's Guild, we prepared a roster of men's adventurers staying in the town of Tatstron. In the name of an adventurer who might be used as a knight. One of them cares."

"Hmm?"

Comrade Count Zihou extended the roster on the table, pointing to the name of one adventurer.

"Lex the Big Eater. He says he's an amazing adventurer who's been promoted to S-rank for less than a year since he signed up as an adventurer."

"S rank in a year!?"

Everyone who was on the spot shouts surprise at the words of Count Zihou.

It should also be, for us, an adventurer is the profession of a mountain master who is as cheap as a civilian for a thousand dollars.

Among them, however, only S-rank adventurers are recognized as distinct.

Crusading the unfulfilled warcraft of crusading even through the regular Knights, and bringing back the legendary treasures from the depths of the Labyrinth, the S-Rank Adventurer contributes to all the challenges of the senior nobles of the nations as equal strength to the Kingsguard Knights.

Literally, a monster who looked like a person, that's the S-rank adventurer.

What's more, they don't have proper sexual roots, and if you don't like them, you can bite them even if they're noble.

With its strength and difficulty in handling, even our senior nobility, S-rank adventurers have to be concerned about coping.

"... I'm surprised that such a big man is staying, but there is no reason for him to be the Dragon Emperor."

But only this time, I'm worried about it.

"Right. I don't think Dragon Emperor will stand out as an S-rank adventurer or anything more than he hasn't made a name for himself before."

"Um, still? It's just that... the rank was rank, so I was a little concerned."

"Well, the powerful are off the list of one candidate. It could be a bad thing."

"Um, right. If such a monster were the Dragon Emperor, there would be assassinations and snares."

"" "" "Ha-ha-ha" ""