203 - Rulebook
I tried changing the title.
After returning from Lusworth to Rolfis, we decided to rent a vacant house in a small village.
It felt like a typical small countryside village, but recently, governance had transitioned from Selva to Rolfis, leading to a bit of minor chaos.
The reason we were staying in such a small village was to deal with Galleria and Lusworth.
Next to the vacant house, which was more like a shack, a porter was parked, and Monica was carrying out repairs with the Valkyries.
Or rather—.
"What terrible construction! If a chicken coward were to stay in a place like this, they'd catch a cold and be bedridden!"
Holding an unfamiliar tool in her hand, she began stripping away the walls one after another.
As Valkyrie Unit One received the nails and boards, she lined them up.
"This is no good. The boards and nails aren't even uniform. Shouldn't we send someone to buy materials? Hey, you mass-produced units, run and go buy some!"
Unit One, who had the same blonde twin-tails as Monica, was giving orders to the Valkyries walking nearby, puffing out her nonexistent chest.
However, the Valkyries merely tilted their heads with smiles. Their right thumbs were pointed downward. They even added a gesture of cutting a throat.
"You have no authority to give orders. Don't get ahead of yourself, you prototype money-sink."
Saying so, they returned to their work. I wondered why they got along so poorly, but they were automatons created by the same ancient person as Monica. Since they shared the same core, perhaps that was influencing them.
Unit One clicked her tongue.
"Tsk, perhaps I should show them the difference in performance."
Monica, who had started removing the roof, looked as if she intended to dismantle everything.
Watching this, I said,
"I mean, it's fine if we just sleep in the porter... but we went through the trouble of renting this place, so it'll be pointless if you destroy it."
Previously, there had been a town that interacted with Galleria and Lusworth, but because of its poor location, we had decided not to use it for Rolfis.
Most of the lords of Selva had been executed, and many others were exiled from the country. Because of this, problems had arisen in the governance.
Among the documents Adele-san had been processing at the Beim estate, there were some related to these circumstances.
Looking around, I saw villagers casting glances at us that were both fearful and resentful.
Seeing this sight, I wondered,
"I wonder why. I feel like Rolfis has lowered taxes and is doing things well."
Taxes were lower than during the era of Selva's rule. Part of that was because they had been too high to begin with, but life should have become easier. Furthermore, this was an important village connecting to Galleria and Lusworth. Road maintenance was also being actively pursued.
The Fourth Head answered my question.
"That's simple. People hate it when their situation changes. To put it bluntly, if the previous lord had only been slightly bad, the people wouldn't accept Rolfis's rule. It's not guaranteed that they'll be happier under Rolfis. It's not just taxes. There are wars, customs, and various other hassles. To them, Lyell is the culprit who did something unnecessary."
I thought they would happily accept a more prosperous life, but it seemed that wasn't the case.
I decided to walk through the village for a bit.
It was a small village, but walking through it covered a fair distance. The sun began to set, and the villagers I passed were working with sweat on their brows. When I approached, they looked at me warily.
It was true that I had cooperated during the invasion of Selva.
Thinking that it couldn't be helped if they feared me, I continued walking through the village.
Then, the Third Head spoke while observing the village.
"That's it. The land is relatively blessed. Even if they were squeezed for taxes until now, there was no problem just surviving. I don't know what the lord was thinking, but perhaps he maintained it at this scale on purpose."
"Maintained? Wouldn't it be more profitable if it developed?"
After confirming no one was around, I asked the Third Head.
The Third Head sighed at me.
"Haa, you just don't get it. Even within the same country, there are times when neighbors invade and loot. Moreover, this place is close to Galleria and Lusworth. Don't you think that if the scale grew, it would be the first target? Besides, if the scale is large, that much work is demanded of them. I would make it a reasonable size, but the previous lord might have intentionally stopped the village from developing. Being small makes you more mobile, and there are times when that's convenient."
The Fifth Head said to me,
"As for road maintenance, if it comes down to it, the enemy will use those roads to invade quickly. As maintenance progresses, anxiety grows. Moreover, the people in charge are from Rolfis, and it's unclear if they know the circumstances or not. The villagers must be anxious."
I learned that even just making it larger or developing it could cause pushback from the people.
Just as I was thinking that different perspectives exist, Shannon came running toward me wobbily. No, it felt like walking would have been faster than running.
Mireia-san looked at Shannon.
"Slower than walking... how unreliable. But doesn't that make her look cute?"
The Seventh Head made a slip of the tongue as usual.
"She's cuter than you, Auntie... right?"
A sound like a gun firing echoed from the jewel. It was a "tang" sound. Once it became silent again, the Fifth Head spoke.
"...Lyell, go to Shannon."
"Y-yes."
When I went to Shannon, who had chased after me, she was out of breath. Perhaps someone had told her to hurry.
However, Miranda, Aria, and Clara had returned to Beim. The completion of the request included escorting the merchants to Beim, and the large porter was loaded with goods purchased in Galleria and Lusworth.
It wasn't possible for all of us to leave.
(Did Novem tell her?)
"What's wrong?"
I asked Shannon after waiting for her breathing to steady. Shannon wiped her sweat while looking at me.
"P-purchasing."
"Hmm?"
"...She said she wants you to buy the missing tools. But since only Lyell can use the porter, she said to call him immediately."
Hearing about missing tools, I tilted my head, and Shannon handed me a memo. Written there were ingredients, lumber, and even tools like nails.
"We should have enough ingredients, right? I'm sure we brought plenty."
Even though Mei eats a lot, I hadn't ignored that. Therefore, I had brought a large amount of ingredients.
"She also said something about wanting you to gather information while you're at it."
What does "something" mean? I wanted her to be clear about that. Mireia-san felt the same way and looked exasperated.
"Honestly, it's because Miranda spoils her. As I thought, I must be the one to train her."
The Fifth Head seemed to be watching Mireia-san's expression. He also looked exasperated.
"The fact that she's saying it so happily is actually scary."
"How rude, Father. I'm simply looking forward to interacting with my great-granddaughter. Look, I am—"
The Seventh Head, seemingly unrepentant,
"A great-grandmother, after all."
As Mireia-san's laughter rang out, another gunshot sound was heard.
Shannon looked at my noisy jewel.
"Hey, it's been flashing actively for a while now?"
I pressed my hand to my face with my left hand.
"Don't worry about it. Let's go back and prepare for the shopping."
——Beim, Guild East Branch.
Since Lyell was absent, Miranda had shown her face at the guild. She needed to convey that they wouldn't be able to take requests for a while, and she intended to report that along with the completion of the request.
Aria, who seemed likely to be swayed by the guild's smooth talking, was instead at the estate having Adele and the others explain the situation to her this time.
The one who handled her in a private room was Tanya.
"The first and third floors are separate, but you're the only one I see on both."
When Miranda said that, Tanya gave a strained smile.
"That's how it is. We're short-staffed. I wish they'd bump up the salary a bit more. Now then, thank you for your hard work on the request. What will you do about the next one?"
Miranda crossed her legs on the chair and rested her elbow on the desk.
"Ah, it'll be impossible for a while. I'm taking a personal request in Rolfis."
"In Rolfis? Well, since we asked a lot of you to take the request, it's fine... Um, for how long?"
Miranda replied with a smile.
"I suppose it depends on Lyell."
Tanya looked troubled.
"No clear duration? What are you planning to do this time? Do you intend to bring back the Princess of Rolfis?"
Miranda recalled Lyell's actions. Thinking that she wouldn't be believed even if she denied it,
"Well, I won't lay a finger on the Princess. Apparently, that would go against the Walt family's house rules."
"House rules?"
Tanya pondered for a moment, but Miranda, having finished her report, stood up.
"If anything happens, you can just contact the estate."
Saying so, Miranda left the room—.
The town that was once a trading hub for Galleria, Lusworth, and Selva was in a state of utter ruin.
"There he is!"
"Damn it, that bastard is messing with us!"
"Kill him as soon as you find him!"
The people saying such dangerous things held weapons in their hands. The town that had once flourished had now lost its vitality.
Its location was awkward, making it a tedious place for interaction.
Within such a town, men with weapons were running around.
Eva, who had visited the town with me, twitched her cheek at the sight.
"What is this? There's no way I can sing in a situation like this. Besides, there are no kin here!"
In the lifeless and desolate town, there wasn't even a troupe of traveling performers.
It was doubtful whether the ingredients and materials on the memo could be purchased, but we decided to head out for shopping.
Eva and I walked through the town, keeping an eye on Shannon so she wouldn't get lost.
We walked the town and peeked into shops. In a shop with a poor selection, I purchased food and, refusing the change, asked the owner for information.
"The town seems noisy?"
The owner, who had a tired expression, began to speak in fragments.
"Wanted posters arrived from Lusworth. There was an adventurer who had been using this town for a while, and apparently, he was moving frequently between Galleria and Lusworth. It seems he had been giving false reports to the guild, and apparently, he's a person from Galleria. People started shouting about trust issues, and the guild's adventurers are running wild."
There was apparently a small guild in town. An adventurer belonging to it seemed to be involved with both countries.
"Can I see the wanted poster?"
"They're posted all over the place."
I thanked him and went outside, searching for the request sheet. I tore one off and used the skill——Map Search Field——to investigate the movements of the people in town.
Shannon looked at me.
"Hey, what are you planning? Let's go back quickly."
I ignored her voice and found a reaction moving unnaturally. It seemed they were running away from reactions moving violently, trying somehow to escape the town.
After memorizing that reaction, I said to Eva,
"I'll leave Shannon to you. I have a bit of business."
If I could approach a person who had been going back and forth between the two countries, I might be able to grasp some clues. Thinking so, I started running and chased the fleeing reaction.
However—.
"Found you!"
An adventurer with a bow and arrow was aiming at the person running across the roof. I tried to chase them quickly, but an arrow was released and pierced the fleeing person's leg. The person falling from the roof hit the ground and tried to escape while dragging their leg.
Adventurers gathered around.
I caught up to the fleeing person. Then, the opponent drew their sword without a word.
From the jewel, the Third Head spoke.
"I wonder if they have something they want to hide that badly? This might become material to exploit the two countries!"
I hated agreeing with the enthusiastic Third Head, but right now, I wanted information if I were to enter or exploit the two countries.
"Sorry, but you're coming with me."
I drew my katana and struck the opponent's solar plexus with the hilt. Carrying the man as he was, I escaped while utilizing the blind spots of the gathering adventurers.
Returning to the village where we were staying, we surrounded the captured man.
Novem treated the leg injury, and the man kept his mouth shut, refusing to say anything. Therefore, we put a gag in his mouth. However, I had already performed a body search while he was unconscious.
Inside the porter, we examined the man's belongings.
Monica was searching through the luggage, but she only looked with her eyes and didn't try to dig through the contents.
"He isn't carrying anything particularly strange. He seems to be hiding some letters, but is this what you're interested in?"
What she took out from the luggage was a water bottle. Receiving it from Monica, I shook the bottle.
There was liquid inside.
"Where in this... Ah, I see."
There was liquid, but when I touched the bottom, there was a mechanism. When I took out the letter from there, the gagged man began to struggle. The man, wrapped tightly in rope, desperately moved his body and bounced inside the porter.
"Mm-! Mm~!"
Monica looked at the man.
"Oh, he's showing quite a reaction. It seems this was the correct answer. However, why did you bring such a person here? I think the risk is quite high."
I replied while checking the contents of the letter.
"Right now, I want any information on Galleria and Lusworth, even if it's a little. Besides, he's an adventurer who was moving around in those two countries. He might have some information. For that matter, he seems to be earning a decent amount."
Looking at the man, there were many expensive items among his clothes and equipment. There were several gold coins in his wallet, and he didn't seem to be struggling for money.
However, as I continued reading the letter, the man simply lay there powerlessly.
"...So that's how it is."
Novem looked at me.
"What is it, Lyell-sama?"
I handed the letter to Novem. Monica looked a bit frustrated.
"Kuh, if you had given it to this Monica first, I would have danced with joy!"
Leaving Monica be, Novem checked the contents of the letter and opened their eyes slightly.
"...Um, the two countries were seriously fighting a war, right?"
I nodded. Mei also agreed.
"Even if someone tells me that wasn't serious, I think it's a lie. You know, there are occasionally those kinds of out-of-spec people."
Both Mei and I had seen the war between Galleria and Lusworth. The fierce battle between the two had ultimately ended in a draw in a duel.
But it seemed that wasn't the case.
The Fifth Head spoke in exasperation.
"Are you serious... Those guys were just playing around?"
The Third Head was also appalled.
"No way. I mean, this letter is a harvest beyond expectations, but if this is true, it might be a bit difficult to suppress both countries with military force."
The letter was from Elsa-san, the Queen of Lusworth, addressed to Glacia-san.
The content was—.
"Thank you for your hard work in this battle. My apologies. Since the damage was less than expected, my subordinates are calling for a rematch. I believe they will invade within a few months, but when would be a good time for you? Also, the cream for skin irritation I received before feels great."
——Along with that, the expected invasion routes were written.
It was written how large the scale of the invasion would be and what actions they would take, so that she could deal with it.
The Seventh Head spoke in a voice that sounded like she was holding her head.
"Is this supposed to be a Rulebook? It basically just says 'we're invading for now, so please handle the rest.' This is why out-of-spec people are..."
Mireia-san also looked troubled.
"It's not impossible to win by moving Zain and Rolfis, but both sides would be quite exhausted, making it pointless. Now, what should we do?"
I couldn't hide my surprise that the captured adventurer held information beyond my imagination.
"I can't believe it, what do you mean by a Rulebook?"
As I muttered, the man, perhaps having given up, lay there brazenly as if he didn't care what happened anymore.
While I was thinking about how to use this information, the Fourth Head alone looked amused.
"Oh, this might be my turn. There are problems that can't be solved just by fighting. Yes, yes, I quite love this kind of thing."
The enthusiastic Fourth Head said to me,
"Lyell, let's have as many Valkyries as possible brought here. Also, letters of introduction for Zain and Rolfis, and for Beim... Fidel-kun will do. Let's have him write proof that we worked hard in the defensive battle."
While I was wondering what he intended to do after getting the letters of introduction, the Fourth Head spoke.
"Let's go and enter the service of Galleria and Lusworth! If we can't do it from the outside, we just have to attack from the inside!"
...Isn't that an action that's forbidden?
Fourth Head (-@∀@) "Alright, it's finally my turn! Once we get inside, it's all over! I've gathered material to exploit them too. From here on, it's the Walt family's turn www"
Lyell |-`).。oO(...Am I being forgotten?)