CH 23.2

The King’s request.

When I said that, His Majesty opened his eyes in surprise.

“… You are not interested in the throne? I’m sure you can desire for it with your ability. In fact, your ability is known even in our country in no small way.”

“I’m sorry, but that’s just a rock on the roadside to me. My greed for status and power would only trouble innocent people, and I really only want to research magic freely. It is tied to Arland’s development. Therefore, I cannot accept your request.”

His Majesty hung his head dejectedly at my reply.

I don’t want us siblings to kill each other or suspect each other like in other countries. But…

“I’m willing to accept your request as long as I don’t get tied to it.”

Hearing my next words, His Majesty let out ‘Hah!’ and raised his head. It seems he understood what I was trying to say.

“I’m planning to register as an adventurer and work whilst hiding my status and identity. So I can accept this request as a neutral adventurer of unknown origins. But it won’t be me who accepts. It will be just this unknown adventurer. Of course, if you can’t accept this, then I cannot get involved.”

This is a way to resolve the situation without my involvement. Of course, there won’t be any remuneration going to Arland, but since the adventurer won’t be me, I won’t get any credit or personal connections from this either. And of course, the Empire and the Imperial State won’t be glaring at me as a result. The mysterious adventurer will have to pick a fight with the Church and the Imperial State, but I don’t like them, so I don’t really care. I have zero sensitivity to them to begin with, so I don’t care to antagonize them.

“This would only benefit me and my country if you attract the eyes of the Church, though. There’s no benefit to you or Arland in this.”

“The Church will be on to me when I use my healing magic anyway. Of course, I don’t have any intentions of getting along with them. So there is no problem.”

When I said that, I glanced at Aletheia who was behind me.

Aletheia looked a little troubled, but she probably knew about this too. But I’m sure she did not expect my decision. Normally, I would not have gone to such trouble and would have simply built up my network.

“… I see, then I have no objection to it. I have no reason to refuse. I’m sorry, but if it hadn’t been for my request, the Church would have been watching you much later, so I will have to remunerate you accordingly. Is there anything you require?”

“I don’t mind if you pay me the normal market rate, but please don’t bestow me with any titles.”

I’m in a position where I don’t want to receive a title, so money is fine. Besides, His Majesty will probably be quite busy. Since he will send a designated request for an adventurer that just registered, it means that he must know the identity of the adventurer, and the Church and the nobles connected to them will try to expose me, but if they do, I would simply flee to Arland, and they will not be able to ask me or “that” adventurer for anything in the future. In times to come. I’d be more than willing to create a relationship between our countries, but I would prefer to make my personal connection with His Majesty after my brother.

“Of course. I will take care of all the details, and I will never tell anyone about you, I promise to take that to my grave.”

“Thank you. I don’t mind creating personal connections with you after my Elder brother. My Elder brother, the future King, will have to meet Your Majesty sooner or later anyway.”

“Hoho, I’m looking forward to it. If you are so supportive, then Arland’s future is secure, and I envy Arland to have you. To tell you the truth, I offered you a marriage proposal between you and my son, but it was returned to me.”

His Majesty presented me with a piece of paper that read, “Is that a new kind of declaration of war?” It was written in blood. I couldn’t stop sweating at this. It was so out of line with international common sense.

“I apologize! I’m going to scold my Father for this (with magic). He has too much of a disregard for international common sense.”

I hurriedly bowed my head and His Majesty started laughing. Why?

“Hohohoh, you don’t have to, I don’t mind. We exchange letters casually, your father and I. This was also not an official letter, but a private one.”

Haah——that shocked me. I will have to 〆 Father afterward.

“I will send a request to the Guild then.”

“I’m going to register right after this, and I’ll take the request tomorrow. But, I will be dressed up somewhat rudely.”

It’s a disguise, after all.

“I don’t mind. I don’t want to cause you any more trouble than I already have.”

“Well then, I will excuse myself here.”

I bowed my head for the last time and left the room with Aletheia. When we left the castle after a short walk, Aletheia spoke to me.

“Is this for the best?”

“It is. Rather than that, can I register as an adventurer now?”

If I register now, there should be no problem. Someone else might register tomorrow, anyway.

“You can do that. You can register until the bell rings, which is about three to four hours from now, so let’s go back to the inn and change.”

Our clothes are at the inn (the school starts in three days), so we will change first, and go to the Guild. Anyone can register at the Guild as long as they are not caught by the magic tool that searches through criminal records, and you can use your real or fake name… After all, in this world, where there is no family register except for the nobility, it is impossible to distinguish between a real name and a fake name, so as long as you haven’t committed a crime, you will be fine.

And since our modified carriage had already been sent to the country, we took a regular carriage back to the inn.