983. Role Change
Encred enjoyed the conversation with Seriana more than he had expected.
I know a lot.
The breadth of her knowledge is on a different level. It feels like conversing with a sage who has spent her entire life reading books.
She understood general fields such as politics, administration, magic, and swordsmanship with considerable depth. And she added her own thoughts to that as well.
“The job of an Executor ultimately involves taking sides. That is why the law is important. Without the law, factions would simply be divided according to individual inclinations and preferences.”
“Since there is an Emperor, isn’t it simply up to the Emperor’s will?”
“The Empire is vast. Very vast. And there are many people. It is difficult for such a large organization to function properly without the rule of law.”
“Why is that?”
The more she listened, the better. That is why she asked more questions and listened attentively. It was an enjoyable conversation for Seriana as well. This man—that is, the Swordsman, the Knight, the Madman, the Demonic, the Demon Slayer.
A man bearing all sorts of monikers—listened to her story more than anyone else.
It’s not that I’m pretending to listen.
They really listen. It was easy to distinguish that. Hadn’t I seen countless people who just pretended to listen while flattering others?
“If there are established rules for resolving conflicts, everyone lives by those rules. Even if the ruler doesn’t judge everything.……”
“I suppose things will run their own.”
Encred takes the lead. It is truly fun, joyful, and delightful. Seriana felt just as much as Encred did.
An enforcement officer.
Her position is to hold people accountable for their sins. If they do wrong, she informs them of what they did wrong and which laws of the Empire they violated, and punishes them.
What should I call someone like this?
A moral elite? If a knight is the pinnacle of military power and the epitome of an elite minority.
Imperial bureaucrats are the same.
These are the few philosophers who lead the empire.
“How would you describe imperial politics in a single word?”
“That is a fresh question, but it is also a point that many scholars have already agonized over. It is philosopher-king rule.”
Laws created by a select few force the choices of the majority. It was a statement that naturally drew admiration from Krang, who was listening nearby.
If Nowrilia had only just established the foundation of the nation with a small elite bureaucracy through the Council of Ten, the Empire was a massive gear that had already gone beyond establishing a foundation, leaped forward, and was turning with stability once again.
Of course, things won’t go exactly as planned, so the Empire will likely have its share of problems.
Krang and Enkrid shared the same thought. Just looking at the current situation, isn’t that obvious? Why did Seriana come here?
I don’t know how to fight, though.
Executor Princess Seriana’s position is secure because the Sword of the Empire, the Imperial Army, and the Knights are always with her.
Sent off as an envoy to a foreign country.
The fact that Balmung is sometimes uncomfortable with that fact.
The fact that this is the case even though their relationship is not exactly that of lovers or close.
From all these facts, one fact can be inferred.
Seriana is a respected person, so I suppose it doesn’t suit her to get involved in something like this.
Seriana also expected that the two of them would notice at least that much. That is why she spoke to them without hesitation.
I didn’t expect much before coming, but now that I’m actually here, I find there are many enjoyable things.
“I didn’t want to come, but seeing you all here makes me feel good.” That was roughly the literal meaning.
She was elegant and cultured, knew how to listen to others, and in some respects, displayed an unparalleled sincerity.
She would rather not answer than lie about difficult topics, and she was mostly honest, except for serious and sensitive conversations.
Do you know Mrs. Conti?
Encred shook his head.
“I don’t remember.”
“I’m a matchmaker sent by the former Empire. I was the person Madame Conti was supposed to introduce.”
Her words, spoken with a modest smile, felt like a bolt of lightning striking from a clear sky for a moment, yet she spoke with just the right amount of confidence and shyness. She seemed like a master of knowing how to say what needed to be said without making anyone uncomfortable, controlling the level of her tone.
“Oh, did I miss a good opportunity?”
Lightning struck again at Enkrid’s playful banter. It was an unusual day. Although thick clouds were gathering in the distance and approaching, it was still not the time for lightning to strike.
They were walking leisurely even during the day. Since they were traveling on foot after calculating their schedule and route, this process was necessary.
For several days, they had been building rapport and exchanging information through various conversations. That was the case until the disaster known as Sinar Kirhais arrived.
For this reason, Seriana, a sincere and highly clever Executor, was extremely flustered.
You are really ugly.
That is what the fairy says out of the blue early in the morning. Should I get angry about this?
“It is ugly. It is extremely hideous.”
Or should I just ignore it? It’s disconcerting to be treated like this for the first time in my life.
It is like a vine climbing over a wall, eyeing a well-tended garden.
I don’t know if it was bad luck or good luck, but Seriana knew the fairy’s unique metaphor.
It means ivy eyeing the empty lot.
So, they had enough aptitude to understand even without such a detailed explanation.
I’d like to ask why they are acting like that.
Seriana spoke.
Encrid gazed silently at Sinar. Yesterday, he was the fairy who had finally calmed down only after being held in her arms for a brief moment.
“Know that I am holding back because I am a mature fairy.”
That was what was said. I
wonder what on earth she was holding back
. Isn’t it absurd that a fairy who immediately tried to draw her sword claimed to have held back?
“therefore…….”
Encred trailed off, carefully choosing his words. Should he say that the fairy, who was at least several hundred years older than him, was actually just very jealous? Or should he say it was in the realm of play and jokes? Since it was a mix of both, should he just leave it to them to figure it out?
The third option appealed to him the most. However, he felt hesitant to say it outright, so he was lost in thought for a moment when…
So you’re saying you’re not a fallen fairy?
Balmung muttered in a low voice as he chewed and swallowed the thick bacon.
“Corruption? Who?”
Sinar asked back. Since the fairy, who naturally has keen hearing, was focusing her attention on this side, she was practically able to hear the sound of dust falling.
Yeah, this is what I’ve been waiting for.
Esther is constantly cheering for Sinar from the side.
What a mess.
Krang saw it that way, and Encred felt similarly. However, this led to an unexpected result.
What a rude fairy.
The attendant, who had been keeping quiet as if suffering from aphasia, could no longer hold back and spoke up.
Seriana was also dumbfounded and unable to respond. Sinar, who had been habitually spouting one-sided, fairy-like accusations, nodded.
I was rude. Yeah. I am rude.
He must be half-crazy.
He must have taken a bad hit to the head while training in the City of Fairies. Encred decided to believe that.
You’re an interesting person.
Even the priest, who had been keeping quiet, spoke with a troubled expression, but since this was a daily occurrence, Encred smoothed things over.
“A fairy by nature.”
“Is that just how it is? I’m not a fallen fairy, either?” Seriana pressed her lips together and did not answer.
After that, she left Zaltenberg without saying a word.
“If we have to go this way anyway, let’s go fast.”
Balmung spoke, and Krang nodded. Rem and Saxon exchanged blows for a while, then stopped fighting and did not fight again.
It’s a total mess.
As he left, Krang looked around at the people accompanying him.
Rem and Saxen, two who were as bad as cats and dogs, yet did not hesitate to turn their backs on each other.
I’m here.
As Saxon took his position behind the King’s right, Rem walked at the front on the opposite side with a smirk. Anyone could tell he was in a position to volunteer for the King’s escort.
The Royal Guard rearranged their positions with the two at the center, three blocking the rear, and two standing at the front. The Captain blocked the rear, and Learvan stood at the front as the Vice-Captain.
You say they fight, argue, and swear, yet they do their job well?
They are truly interesting people. From a witch who summons lightning out of a clear sky to a fairy who abruptly calls an Imperial Executor an ugly woman.
It seems like everyone is crazy, but well, it can’t be helped.
It seems that the man named Balfir Balmung, a knight of the Empire, has decided to accept the situation no matter what.
The priests, ladies-in-waiting, and presumed squires from the Empire were all not only tight-lipped but also showed no change in expression. They appeared
determined to overlook most things in order to carry out this mission. What on earth does the Emperor want that would make them go to such lengths?
It certainly doesn’t seem like a simple trap.
Should I call it a really fascinating sight?
The best of them is Enkrid. He shares information and friendship with Seriana as if they were playing tug-of-war.
“Hey friend, I clearly said digging up information was the priority, so how can you act like this?”
What was the
point of just getting close to them? Not that it looked bad, though. He felt like he would have done the same thing himself.
Right now, however, friendship or not, the very act of having a conversation was impossible. Sinar always stood on the side that drove a wedge between Encred and Seriana.
“Fall. Before my sword knocks down all the ivy.”
Seriana, far removed from the threat, was constantly flustered.
“I know you don’t really intend to be a bell, but you’d better keep it moderate. Fairy.”
Even if it was unavoidable, Balmung reacted immediately if the line was crossed.
They walked all day like that, found a suitable basin, and set up camp. They spread a damp cloth on the firm ground and laid a thick fur coat over it. Even though the weather had warmed up, the nights were still cold.
Looking at the clouds gathering in the sky, it seemed as though rain would come at any moment.
Sinar and Esther watched Seriana’s every move like venomous cats. Krang observed all of this and reached a conclusion.
A mess is actually helpful.
Seriana was flustered by Sinar, and Encrid held onto Balmung instead of socializing with her.
Aren’t you warming up?
He lured him in by suggesting a sparring match. That way, Sinar would naturally follow him.
“I am fully willing to do so, Enki.”
A dragon named Temares gets involved in that. Seriana thought the whole situation was like a play. In the meantime, Krang stuck close to her.
“I am an unusual fairy, but I do not harm people.”
“……Are you sure?”
After a brief moment of hesitation, the answer returned. Seriana felt not only flustered but also threatened.
Noticing this, Krang nodded and answered with sincerity.
“Probably.”
“……Probably?”
“As long as Enki is by my side, that will be the case.”
“If it weren’t for him, the Mad Knights wouldn’t have united. So you understand what kind of person my knight is, traveling with me to the Empire, right? Since you are the one in a position to convey this, you must deliver all of this properly, won’t you?”
Krang said to himself with a smile.
As if she had read his mind, Seriana replied.
“The Empire guarantees the safety of everyone, including Your Highness and your knights.”
“That is a pledge made by you and the Emperor, isn’t it?”
“Of course.”
“Then we cannot say that we are particularly safe.”
Seriana was very intelligent. She quickly grasped the true meaning hidden in Krang’s words. An ordinary farmer or soldier who overheard them would have wondered what on earth these two were talking about.
“Yes, governing by law implies that there will be people who break it. Within the Empire, there are those who are displeased with Your Highness’s visit.”
“I expected that.”
Even the Council of Ten of Nowrilia has differing opinions among its members. Things were smooth this time thanks to the Duke of Octo deliberately suppressing their arguments, but normally, one would have to at least pretend to listen to all of them. After all, a ruler is supposed to heed the words of his subjects.
Furthermore, the Empire is several times larger than Nowrilia.
Do those within it truly share the same mindset?
That can’t be true.
After setting up the campsite early in the evening, Seriana watched Encred and Balmung positioned in an open field. The interest of the fairy and witch standing beside them had quickly drifted away. She felt a sense of
revulsion and did not want to go over there. Rather than that, it would be better to read the King’s true intentions and take what she wanted.
She had not yet completely dismissed the suspicion that the Kingdom of Nowrilia itself might be a scheme by the devil. She also
recalled the words of the hardline noble who had suggested that if they were going to harbor such suspicions, they should just wipe everything out.
“The rule of law—the only one above it is the truly great philosopher, His Imperial Majesty.”
Seriana cleverly deflected the conversation while concealing information about the Emperor. Krang observed that it would be difficult to obtain information about the Empire from this woman after exchanging a few words, but it did not matter. Sinar’s appearance shook the resolve of Seriana, an Imperial Executor.
Although they did not speak explicitly, Enkrid and Krang shared a deep connection. The two switched roles.
It’s my turn to be affectionate with the enforcement officer.
It is Encred who has a sincere conversation with the knight, Balfir Balmung.
Their plan was appropriate. No, it was more than effective.
* * *
“His Majesty has no children. He is someone who does not need to suffer the pain of giving birth.”
“……Was the Emperor a woman?”
During the exchange of words in the duel, Encred asked back what Balmung had blurted out without thinking.
“kyung!”
Moll, the squire, cried out in surprise. Everything concerning the Emperor is classified and secret. Balmung also immediately realized his mistake.
