258 - The Legitimate Successor
What Mireia-san told me was the fact that the person who once defeated Agrissa—the beauty who brought ruin to nations—was a member of the Walt family.
However, the crucial part had been obscured by a sandstorm.
The surrounding scenery was blurred, and the footage continued to show images where it was impossible to tell what was happening, only becoming clear once everything had ended.
"The important part is missing..."
"Quiet! This is the important part."
Mireia-san placed her index finger against her lips, trying to silence me. It was certainly a critical scene.
The hero, who shared my name and was believed to have fought Agrissa, was staggering. The setting was the throne room—the audience chamber's ceiling had been blown away, and the walls and pillars were in a terrible state.
It was night, and under the unreliable light, the young hero stood using his sword like a cane.
I could not learn how he had defeated Agrissa.
Around him, everyone except the youth lay fallen.
"Damn it... that old hag... my comrades..."
The youth, in a wretched state, stumbled forward to search for any surviving comrades. Just then, a group carrying lights flooded into the room.
Realizing they were allies, the youth smiled and waved.
"Hey, you're late. Sorry, please look for survivors. I can barely stay on my—"
He seemed to know who they were. The prominent crest they bore was one I recognized as well.
It was the crest of the Banseime Royal Family.
However, the people of the Banseime family, whom he believed to be allies, silently fired arrows at the youth. Unable to dodge, the youth was pierced by arrow after arrow and collapsed on the spot.
The man who approached the youth, who had fallen on his back, appeared to be the head of the Banseime family.
"W-why..."
To the youth's words, the head of the Banseime family replied.
"This is what happens when a lowly knightly house dares to overstep its bounds. Do not worry. The Banseime family shall rule the continent."
The golden armor looked tasteless, likely because the head of the Banseime family was hideously obese. Large gemstone rings were jammed onto his thick fingers.
"Hey, do it."
The Banseime vassals began to spear the youth's comrades lying around them to death; some who were still alive let out screams.
"S-stop—"
"Tch, stubborn. Kill this one too."
The youth, speared to death by the vassals, vomited blood from his mouth. Once he stopped moving, the vassals returned from the surroundings.
"It is no use. Agrissa's body is nowhere to be found. It is certain he defeated her, but..."
Upon receiving the report, the head of the Banseime family prepared to begin a cover-up.
"Tch, I still need Agrissa's corpse... Fine! Hurry and set up the cover-up. When we arrived, Agrissa had killed these people. We were the ones who delivered the finishing blow."
Saying so, the head of the Banseime family looked at the throne before him. While the surroundings were in ruins, only the throne remained intact.
The head of the Banseime family walked toward the throne, avoiding the rubble. However, perhaps because it was dark and he couldn't see well, he slipped on something and fell.
"...That is."
Mireia-san informed me.
"Yes. Everything had already begun."
A blue orb caused the head of the Banseime family to trip, and the orb rolled toward the youth. When it fell into the pool of blood created by the youth, it glowed faintly.
"W-what is this!"
The head of the Banseime family, bleeding from his nose after the fall, shouted. The surrounding vassals rushed over in a panic and picked up the blue orb.
"This... it does not look like a gemstone. I believe it is a fake."
At the vassal's words, the head of the Banseime family became indignant.
"A mere glass bead made me trip... Throw it away!"
Despite the order, similar red, blue, and yellow orbs were scattered around. There were many of them, leaving the surroundings confused.
"Please wait. I will have them collected immediately."
When the vassal threw the orb, it blended in with the other similar ones.
Then, the footage became highly unstable and showed a different scene.
What was taking place in the square of Central was a parade. A parade claiming that the Banseime family had defeated Agrissa... it signified the birth of a new kingdom.
Watching that parade with a sharp gaze was the youth, Novem. He wore a hood, and upon entering a back alley, he passed through to the street and headed toward a house.
When he reached the destination, I was surprised.
It was the house where the first generation was born. The Walt family home was there, and it held remnants that the first generation had once shown me.
As Novem stood before the house of the knightly family, who were court nobles, a single woman came out. She was a woman with a simple appearance. Her hair was tied back, and she protectively cradled a large belly.
"Listen to me, I will avenge Liel. The situation when he was killed is strange. Agrissa does not use spears. The wounds were definitely made by equipment held by the Banseime family. The lords who find this suspicious will absolutely never recognize the Banseime family's rule over the continent—"
Facing Novem, who spoke up to that point, the woman shook her head.
"Do not get involved anymore. I was able to become the bride here. They promised that if a son is born, he will be made the heir. I will also marry the second son, so please do not involve yourself with us any further."
Novem's eyes widened. This was not content to be discussed in front of the entrance, and as he tried to cross the threshold, the woman screamed.
"Don't come any closer!"
"...Why?"
Novem looked as if he couldn't believe it. However, the woman glared at Novem while shedding tears.
"...Liel is already dead. Isn't that enough? I can live quietly in this house. The people of the Walt family cherish me, saying it is thanks to me that the house remains as a knightly family. So, do not get involved anymore."
The woman seemed to be the person who had been the wife of an ancestor. And, as if she were tired of fighting, she turned her back on Novem and entered the house.
Novem muttered.
"Liel's child is necessary. Otherwise... the continent will not unite. The Banseime have no power to unite the continent. Why can't you understand that?"
An expression of despair.
Then, the orb began to show subsequent events in fragments.
The Banseime family attempted to unite the continent, but they never had such power to begin with. The lord-nobles who would not tolerate the rise of the Banseime family declared independence one after another. The Banseime family became a royal house, but they lacked enough manpower to manage the expanded lands and had no leeway to attack the independent lords.
And so, the youth Novem, told to leave the Banseime Royal Family, abandoned his title and moved to the frontier with a pioneer group. The Banseime Royal Family tried to persuade the capable mage Novem to stay, but Novem declined everything with a smile.
When the continent began to be further exhausted by the independence and wars of the lords, Novem watched the situation from the frontier.
He moved to the frontier with several acquaintances, took a husband, and a child was born.
"...Was this person a woman?"
Novem, who had stopped cross-dressing and returned to being a woman, continued to watch the state of the continent from the frontier lands. She had been beautiful when she was a man, but after becoming a woman, she had become even more beautiful.
"Since long ago, it is women who strongly inherit the memories of the Goddess. I do not know why, though."
Despite the massive amount of blood shed during Agrissa's time, it took over ten years for the continent to settle down.
And by the time the stagnant Banseime Kingdom launched invasions of the surrounding areas and reached a certain scale, Novem had grandchildren.
People who were exhausted and continued to bleed.
In the end, some country caused a labyrinth to go berserk and was destroyed, releasing monsters throughout the continent. Even after defeating Agrissa, the chaotic continent failed to unite, and it was a wretched state of affairs.
The eyes of Novem, now an old woman, were somewhat vacant. The mutterings of that old woman were—
"Even if a common enemy is provided, are humans to remain foolish...?"
—Having inherited the memories of the Goddess, she seemed to have become blurred as to who she even was.
The one who rushed back to the elderly Novem was her great-grandchild.
Mireia-san says.
"Even after her own son passed away, Novem inherited the memories and possessed a part of the Goddess's power. Because she inherited such strong power, it seems she lived longer than those around her."
Why does such footage remain? While I was thinking that, Novem looked surprised upon seeing the youth the great-grandchild had brought along.
A large man with messy brown hair that looked as if he had set it with his own hands entered the room.
"I'm Basil Walt, I'll be pioneering next door. I came to give my greetings... oh, the meat is a souvenir. There's alcohol too."
The man who was the great-grandchild shook his head.
"Basil, Great-Grandmother doesn't eat much—"
Novem raised her upper body from the bed and sat upright before the first generation.
"Perhaps I shall have some for the first time in a while. Also, you said Basil Walt, yes? Born in Central, and your family home is a knightly house of court nobles, I presume?"
At Novem's words, the first generation—Basil—laughed.
"You're the first grandma to look at me and say 'court noble origin.' That's right. I'm the third son of the Walt family."
At the chest of the first generation, who pointed to himself with his thumb, a blue orb hung from a string. Novem looked at it with a slightly serious expression, then smiled.
"Prepare for a drinking party. He is an important neighbor, so ensure there are no discourtesies."
"G-Great-Grandmother?"
The great-grandchild was bewildered. Seeing Novem looking so happy, he likely didn't know what to say.
"Sorry about that. I mean, this is my first time pioneering, so I don't know what to do. Tell me a few things, grandma."
Novem was laughing.
"Very well."
Seeing the brazen first generation, Novem looked happy.
"Really! All right! Next time I'll bring something big as a souvenir, like a bear or a boar. Man, I'm really saved by having such a good neighbor. I heard there's a lot of killing each other in Central, so I was worried."
Novem explained to the first generation with a smile.
"Fighting over water, and food... disputes between neighbors are common. Is Basil-dono the type to silence those around him in such times?"
The first generation crossed his arms and thought about it. It didn't suit him. Then, he stopped thinking and grinned.
"There was a forest nearby. A forest where lots of monsters come out. A labyrinth will definitely sprout there. So, I'll clear that area and secure the land. There should be a water source too. Problem solved. If it's land where no one is, it belongs to the one who clears it, right?"
Novem looked slightly troubled.
"No, that was a hypothetical story, not a confirmation of the current situation. Honestly..."
While saying so, Novem looked happy. It was as if she were remembering the interactions with the youth from the past.
"What's the matter? There are plenty of monsters around, so what's the point of humans not getting along? Well, I've got some strength. If monsters appear, just call me. I'll blow 'em away."
Looking at the laughing first generation, Novem looked truly happy.
Then, Mireia-san says.
"...Liel, to Novem. No, to those who inherit Novem's memories, the Walt family was a meaningful house. That is because they are the strong people Novem desired. They were the form of humans that Novem, who never stopped moving forward, desired. Furthermore, they wish to pass the continent into the hands of the legitimate one. This is the truth of the Foxus family, who continued to support the Walt family."
Today, I learned the truth of the Foxus family.
—Liel's party, who had split up so that Mei could join Novem and the others.
They were moving from the territory of Margrave Resnou toward Cartaphus.
Liel was lying down asleep and didn't look like he would wake up.
Aria spoke to Monica, who was preparing winter clothes while humming.
"We'll reach Cartaphus, and from there we'll return to South Banseime, right? I wonder if we'll make it in time."
Monica was knitting children's clothes with wool to tease Liel.
"I think we'll be fine as we'll make it in time. The preparations are already progressing, so all that's left is for Beime to do his best. I am concerned that the general ruling the former neighboring country is surprisingly capable, though. Oh, a perfect finish, if I do say so myself."
After knitting the baby clothes, Monica looked satisfied. She stored them carefully and began knitting the next one.
Aria let out a sigh.
"Stop with the baby jokes. There are many people around Liel who don't take jokes well. I heard that Fidel-san of the Trace family actually tried to make her produce baby goods."
Monica said to Aria.
"Your information is inaccurate. In fact, I am having them made. I am also cooperating, so no matter when the chicks of that chicken coward are born, I will show them perfect care. My, I'll be quite busy."
Despite saying she would be busy, Monica looked happy.
Shannon was desperately studying reading and writing. Inside the porter's wagon, she was writing out the contents while looking at the paper Clara had prepared.
"This goes like this... why do they write in such a similar way! It's so hard to understand!"
"Hah, why don't you just infer it from the surrounding sentences and words? That's actually written quite neatly."
The one taking care of Shannon was, surprisingly, Riane. After changing from her dress into easy-to-move clothing, she was cooperating in Shannon's education.
To Aria, the princess who had gone mad and lunged at Liel a few days ago and the current Riane did not seem to be the same person.
"Um, it might be wrong of me to ask this, but Riane-sama—"
"Riane is fine, Aria-san. I must be considerate of my seniors."
Though bewildered, Aria asked Riane a question.
"I took you away from Fanbayle, but do you really intend to... with Liel..."
To Aria's question of whether she intended to marry him, Riane laughed through her nose.
"I heard you were originally the daughter of a viscount's house as well? To be blunt, I have no freedom to choose my partner. Besides, this is not a bad arrangement. You all are impressive for preparing this far. Truly amazing."
Riane said toward Aria.
"It really seems like you could rule the continent. However... it is still naive. There are plenty of openings to be exploited. I am the one marrying in. It would be troublesome if you failed, so I will not spare any cooperation."
Aria was slightly bewildered by Riane's smile. She knew the woman herself didn't have much power, but her instinct whispered that she was an opponent who must not be made an enemy.
"Well, as for love, we shall nurture that from now on; for now, let us act for the sake of victory. Nothing begins unless we win, and I cannot overtake my seniors unless I cooperate."
Ignoring Riane's words, Aria said.
"More importantly, have you given up on revenge? Liel has no intention of taking revenge on Celes."
Hearing that, Riane looked down slightly.
"...People cannot change that easily. It is frustrating and hateful... but I hate not moving forward even more. Besides, I dislike not doing what I can do now."
Having received Parselena's words, it seemed Riane had also decided to move forward—.