That’s right. This journey to the royal capital was planned by Fiodor, the slave trader.
It might sound negative to put it that way, but I practically agreed to it. It’s an invitation from the royal palace to evaluate my achievements, so I shouldn’t complain.
Speaking of achievements, it refers to defeating the Basilisk, stopping the spread of the Blighted Rotten Sea, discovering the Jiraiya Oaks fruit, and maiking antidote from it.
Including those achievements, I have a track record of working with an Indigo Wyvern. According to Fiodor, it’s undoubtedly an invitation from the king or a high-ranking noble.
Regardless of whether it’s the former or the latter, it’s simply bothersome to me. While I do hope to raise my fame, I don’t intend to do it by “serving someone.” Normally I would refuse official invitation. But I don’t think the nobles and royalty will simply let me go with a simple “Ah, I see.” It will surely be quite troublesome.
That’s why I wanted to find reasons to reject going to the royal capital, but when I heard the following, I couldn’t say, “I won’t go.”
And of course, it concerns Suzume.
Currently, no one in Ishka tries to harm Suzume. This is thanks to the achievements of the slave association—providing materials for the antidote against the Blighted Sea’s poison and the subjugation of the Basilisk. It was the result of spreading that information. Simultaneously, when it was declared that anyone who wanted to harm Suzume would become an enemy of the slave association, the effect was significant.
I entrusted the Jiraiya Oaks profiteering to the slave association for this exact reason. In that sense, I’m grateful for Fiodor’s response.
But it seems that once Fiodor decided to invest, he went all out, thinking of providing Suzume with even more security than she already had.
At this stage, only those who fear the slave association are afraid to make a move. On the contrary, it’s difficult to control those who are not afraid of the association and want to go after Suzume.
Those who are not afraid of the slave association would be the royal aristocrats.
So Fiodor came up with the idea of getting the king to recognise Suzume’s rights. If the king publicly acknowledged the achievements of a Kijin, the royal aristocrats would surely hesitate.
To be honest, when I first heard it, I wondered if it was really possible.
But by the time Fiodor approached me, he was already working with the country’s top noble, Duke Dragnote. It seems that all of this is the result of bringing the Jiraiya Oaks to the Duke and improving the condition of his daughter, who is suffering from an illness.
When I heard this, I was amazed at Fiodor’s ability and remembered the rumours I had heard before in the Guild. The story of a nobleman’s daughter who was cursed and couldn’t be cured by a high priest’s miracle or an elixir. For a tenth class adventurer like me, who couldn’t even make a living, it was irrelevant, so I forgot about it when I heard it.
Anyway, Fiodor realised that the invitation to the royal capital was a great opportunity. That’s great, but I don’t feel very comfortable having extensive dealings with a slave trader.
Well, in Fiodor’s case, he seems to be using the Jiraiya Oaks antidote as bait to deepen his ties with the royal family and aristocrats, so I don’t think he needs to benefit from me one-sidedly. Yes.
That’s why this trip to the royal capital is “inconvenient, but necessary when thinking about the future”.
On the other hand, it must be like sailing a small boat in a storm for Suzume, who has just entered the human world and is being taken here and there for the convenience of others.
No wonder she’s afraid.
I smiled as cheerfully as I could to reassure Suzume.
“I’ll be by your side the whole time in the capital, so don’t worry.”
Saying that, I stroked her head. The girl with the two horns still seemed worried, but she felt somewhat relieved and nodded.
“I’m counting on you. If anything happens, we can always escape on Clau-Solas. Let’s stay calm and take it easy.”
Clau-Solas should be flying above the carriage.
By the way, if you’re wondering why we’re not flying to the capital, it’s because I felt bad that Clau-Solas had to carry four people when it wasn’t an emergency.
We can ride it, but it’s primarily meant for one person. Besides, the comfort is very poor, so I don’t think the three of them, except for me, can endure it.
Above all, we couldn’t simply leave the royal palace official who came to Ishka to pick us up and quickly head to the royal capital.
It’s worth noting that Fiodor is not present because he understands the implications of having a slave trader there. He knows that his role is in the preparation and not to come along unnecessarily. He handles these matters like a good trader.
As for Iria, she’s not accompanying us to the royal capital. In fact, she wasn’t even in Ishka in the first place but stayed in the village of Melte.
This was my instruction.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT GADGETIZEDPANDA.COM
I completely eliminated the orcs that settled in the Rem Mountain Range, but there’s no guarantee that there isn’t one that managed to escape. Additionally, if Iria and I were to leave at the same time, some villages might take aggressive measures in search of the rewards and materials Melte had gained.
To protect the village from such danger, I left Iria—well, to be honest, it’s not for the village, but for Priest Sarah and the children.
Of course, I don’t intend to leave Iria in the village forever. She’s a valuable asset that I acquired. Once the situation has calmed down, I will have her return to Ishka. I was curious about Priest Sarah’s expression in the village, but in the end, I couldn’t do anything!
With a great deal of anxiety, Priest Sarah might notice the change in her daughter, so I told Iria to be careful in that regard. In case she does notice, it will be reported to the village chief and other key figures that I am favoring the priest.
For the village chief and the others, they wouldn’t want to lose connection with me, a generous Dragon Knight. If I were to say that I’m considering marrying a woman from the village, I’m sure they would be willing to cooperate.
The cooperation and support of the villagers are crucial for Priest Sarah, the church operator who also takes care of the orphans. Therefore, I must consider the villagers’ suggestions, no matter how careless they may seem.
It would be possible for me to forcefully take the priest if I influence and rally the village. Unlike before, I now have the reputation and financial resources to do so.
Of course, I really don’t want to do that. However, there’s no harm in reaching a state where I could if I wished.
For Iria, who is unaware of my internal thoughts, it’s a gamble whether her mother will receive my venomous fangs or not. So she must pretend to remain calm with all her might.
It will take approximately two days to reach the royal capital by carriage.
Although we had to spend the night, since we were invited by the royal palace, we didn’t have to camp. Instead, we could stay in a government-run lodging along the road.
Just when I thought of deepening my friendship with Suzume and the others, night fell quickly. Seal led Suzume, who couldn’t keep her eyes open, to her room.
When Luna María and I were alone, the wise elf spoke as if she had been waiting for this moment.
“Master, there’s something I would like to discuss. I mentioned it before, but…”
“Hm? What is it?”
I encouraged Luna María to continue, sensing her hesitation.
What she said was something I had heard before. My blood, being that of a dragon, grants great power to those who come into contact with it.
At the time, I didn’t have the chance to delve into the details due to the issue with Suzume. And since Suzume, who drank my blood, recovered from extreme exhaustion, Luna María’s words may have been accurate.
Today’s report from Luna María further solidifies this conclusion. It appears that the power of Luna María and Seal has returned to their previous levels when I left for Melte.
“Is that so?”
“Yes, Seal and I are exactly the same.”
According to Luna María, their physical and magical strength has reverted to their previous states. In other words, my blood acts as both a remedy and a reinforcement.
This had come up before, and now Luna María seems greatly troubled by it. By mentioning it herself, she’s evidently touching upon my secret.
At that time, Luna María had told me, “I sensed a dragon.” As an elf and a spiritual carrier, she detected the “same source” within me.
But after that, Luna María didn’t delve any further into the matter of the dragon. It was likely because she thought I was trying to conceal the power of the dragon.
Indeed, I have hidden the dragon—my soul equipment.
I use my soul equipment when there’s no one around, and I abstain from using it when others are present, such as when I confronted Lars.
This isn’t because I want to pretend to be weak. I don’t mind if they know I’m strong. By defeating the Griffin and the Scylla, there’s no way they would think, “He’s weak.”
But why am I so strong? How did I become this powerful? In what way do I fight? I’ve been cautious about these aspects.
It’s a precautionary measure. Information about the Illusory Sword Style, soul equipment, and energy isn’t invisible. For an adventurer, there are no true boundaries. Surely, there are those within the empire who are aware of the Illusory Sword Style. It’s highly possible that those who have witnessed my soul equipment and observed my energy abilities could deduce my connection to Onigashima.
And once that information spreads, countermeasures will be taken against me. For instance, Od is a magical ability derived from the magical power within one’s body. Therefore, if there are sealing elements or barriers, it would become a significant disadvantage.
To minimize such dangers and disadvantages, I have concealed my soul equipment. And Luna María noticed that. Naturally, there must have been a reason why she intervened in this manner.
“Throughout history, the method to attract talented individuals has been determined by the opposite sex and the market,” Luna María explained.
“If you were to casually engage with a noblewoman who was offered to you, your secrets could leak. Something like that?”
“Yes. In the case of Seal and me, we won’t speak out. Even if we try, the master can stop us. With this collar.”
Luna María touched the black collar around her slender throat. The collar, provided by the slave association, contains magic that enables “Locate,” “Paralyze,” and “Asphyxiate.” Needless to say, these are magical measures in case they attempt to escape or rebel.
By the way, this collar is made using the association’s unique technology, making it impossible to copy or replicate. On the contrary, if someone were to attempt such a feat, the association would deal with them severely, regardless of their status. Therefore, the slave collar is an invaluable item for the slave association.
Setting that aside, I understand what Luna María means. As a slave, even if she knows the secret, she can be eliminated. However, that cannot be done to a woman who has been offered by a noble.
That’s why she advises me not to readily accept such invitations.
I gratefully accepted her advice. I don’t know if a woman will approach me, and even if one does, I won’t accept if it’s at the request of an overly adorned noblewoman.
To be honest, I have had plenty of experience with banquets as the eldest son of the Mitsurugi family. I have also attended them as a representative.
Well, none of the high-class women I met during that time left a good impression. Therefore, this invitation hasn’t altered my expectations in that regard.
To be honest, I simply want to conclude matters quickly and return to the village of Melte.
Alternatively, going on an adventure with Luna María and Seal might be a good idea. Until now, I had to act differently intentionally because of my soul equipment, but upon hearing Luna María’s words, I no longer believe it’s necessary.
While contemplating these things, I pulled Luna María towards me forcefully. The wise elf appeared surprised for a moment, but upon seeing my expression, she seemed to understand my intentions. Her cheeks flushed red, and she made no resistance.
The following day.
“Wow!”
In the morning, we resumed our carriage journey and passed through the Horus gate of the royal capital when the sun was at its peak. A voice of exclamation escaped Suzume’s lips as she looked outside, feeling somewhat apprehensive.
The kijin girl still appeared tense, but the sight of the royal capital seemed to excite her. For a girl who had lived in a forest since birth, the view of the royal capital must have felt like a dreamlike world.
Horus’s grandeur seemed boundless.
Even the roads differed from those in other cities. A city where roads and sidewalks were well-separated resembled a true city in Canaria. As far as I know, there isn’t such an organized street in the capital of Adastera.
There are two lanes instead of one, and carriages are compelled to move to the left in the direction of travel. As a result, even if hundreds of carriages come and go simultaneously, there are no traffic jams.
The sidewalks are wide enough to accommodate a large number of people without collisions. Between the road and the sidewalk, trees and herbs are planted, providing a pleasant sight and fragrance for passersby.
Horus, the royal capital, is a city with ten boulevards extending east and west, and ten extending north and south, creating a grid-like landscape.
It is a city that has evolved based on meticulous calculations through sophisticated urban planning, rather than simply expanding due to population growth. This was the royal capital, Horus.
The first king who established this royal capital must have been remarkably talented. Just by looking at the landscape, the royal capital of Canaria surpasses the imperial capital of Adastera. That’s what I thought.
At that moment, the sound of an instrument could be heard from outside the carriage.
Looking out, I saw a handsome boy playing the lute on the road. He appeared to be a traveling bard.
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