kscans

Chapter 235 - The Emperor's Reward

Three days have passed since then.

We arrived at the Empire's royal capital.

I wanted to go home and catch my breath, but there was something I had to do first.

Going back a bit, to after the feast at the base…

We were allowed to rest and receive treatment until we were in perfect condition, and once fully recovered, we were permitted to return to the capital.

"Your achievements are worthy of being told throughout history," the General had said. "However, I know that is not what you desire. Emperor Yorune wishes to bestow a reward upon you personally. Please head to the castle when you arrive in the capital. Allow us to do at least this much for you."

He had bowed his head.

To be asked like that, refusing would have been the height of rudeness. Tina and I exchanged a glance and nodded.

"Understood," I said with a wry smile. "As long as it’s nothing too flashy, we’ll accept whatever you have for us."

"The same goes for me," Tina replied with a smile. "Even as an A-rank, I’m still just an adventurer. A reward that suits my station would be most desirable."

That was her way of saying she didn’t want anything extravagant.

Sensing this, the General said, "Not to worry. He said he would prepare a reward befitting an adventurer. By the way, this is a top-secret matter. Can I trust you to understand?"

I thought about it for a moment.

…Top-secret. Meaning it would be done without any public announcement. If it were made public, the details would spread among the citizens, and we’d likely be made into a spectacle with parades and tales of valor. No, it was more likely our story would be passed down through generations.

I absolutely did not want that. All I wanted was to hunt as inconspicuously as possible. That was my only wish.

"I understand," I said, bowing. "Once again, we humbly accept."

Looking satisfied, the General gave my right shoulder a light pat. "I’ll be counting on that same attitude before the Emperor."

Back to the present, at the gate of the royal capital.

A soldier who saw us approached. "Excuse me. I take it you are ‘Red Lightning.’ I have been ordered by His Majesty the Emperor to escort you to the castle. Please, this way."

He led us to a covered wagon, the kind soldiers often use.

"As you two prefer to avoid attention, we will be escorting you in this carriage," the soldier explained. "I imagine it is quite shabby for a beautiful lady such as yourself, but please bear with it."

Seeing his pained expression, Tina smiled. "Please don’t worry about it. I’m an adventurer. I don’t mind a bit of dirt or smell. In fact, you can’t be an adventurer if you do."

Relieved, the soldier said, "I’m glad to hear you say that. Well then, we shall depart."

We climbed into the back of the wagon.

After a few minutes of rattling along, we arrived at the castle’s rear entrance.

As we got out, the soldier said, "My apologies, again and again. The main gate of the castle is currently busy with nobles coming and going. The damage from this war was considerable, so the nobles are advising that we seek aid from other nations, but… just between us, it’s all flattery and reputation building."

He continued in a hushed tone, "The idea is that if the Emperor accepts their counsel, they’ll be the ones to go. Of course, the talks will never go smoothly. They’ll demand unconditional aid because we’re exhausted. That’s what they’ll say. Because they’re arrogant."

…I see. Go to the place in person and acquire more than what’s needed for next to nothing. Then, submit the pre-determined items to the state and pocket the rest. If they’re ever found out, they can just insist the other party gave it to them for free. Which, technically, would be true.

Human greed is the same in any world.

"In that case, it would be dangerous for us to enter through the main gate," Tina sighed. "Who knows what they might demand of us."

We didn’t know how much they knew, but it was unlikely they knew nothing. Nobles always have their own information networks. The thought of being targeted by one of them was enough to make my stomach ache.

"Well, we have no intention of getting involved with nobles," I said, trying to hurry things along. "The sooner we finish this, the better it will be for the Emperor."

"Thank you," the soldier said. "This way."

He led the way.

The throne room.

No matter how many times I see it, it’s always a vast and majestic chamber.

…Present were His Majesty the Emperor and one unfamiliar man. Being here meant it was safe to assume he knew about us.

As I was thinking this, the man spoke. "A pleasure to meet you. I am Magnes, Captain of the Knights. I have heard much of your exploits. And… I would like to apologize for my younger brother’s disrespectful behavior."

He bowed his head.

Tina and I could only look at each other in confusion.

"Younger brother?" I asked. "What disrespect are you referring to?"

Magnes looked puzzled. "My apologies. I am the eldest son of General Goltor. My brother is a former A-rank adventurer. He is the fool who challenged you to a duel to win this beautiful lady, and after losing, tried to use his noble authority to get his way."

He recounted the story with embarrassment.

…I remembered. The idiot noble adventurer who tried to poach Tina when we returned from a job. He had talent in skills and magic, but it had made him a conceited tengu, and I’d taken him down easily. There had been more trouble after that, but the General had arrived and dragged him away.

"Ah, that guy," I said. "Well, I’m not bothered by it. Adventurers who get full of themselves are usually like that. You’re not the same, are you, Captain?"

I asked, just in case.

The Captain looked embarrassed. "Haha. I suppose I can’t blame you for thinking so. But to answer your question, no, I am not such a person." He replied with a serious gaze.

His words conveyed overwhelming confidence and an unspoken warning that he would not tolerate being insulted.

"My apologies," I said, bowing my head. "I’m a bit timid, you see. When something bothers me, I tend to blurt it out."

…If you’ve been rude, you apologize. That’s common sense for a working adult.

"Not at all," the Captain replied. "I was the one who brought it up. Don’t worry about it. Ah—Your Majesty, my apologies. You’ve witnessed an unsightly display."

He apologized to the Emperor.

The Emperor smiled. "It’s quite all right. I’m glad to have seen you settle matters. Having it done out of sight could lead to unnecessary trouble."

‘What does he mean by that?’ I wondered. Tina whispered in my ear, "He means it’s best to avoid being seen by other nobles."

…So it’s about saving face. Powerful people care about appearances. They don’t show weakness.

"Now then," the Emperor began. "I’m sure you’ve heard the story from the General, but allow me to say it again. Thank you for your hard work in the recent battle. Thanks to your efforts and subjugation of the enemy, a war that threatened the continent has ended in a glorious victory for humanity."

"A continental war?" Tina murmured.

"The news will spread eventually," the Emperor explained. "The monsters launched a simultaneous attack on the other nations as well. It was truly an event worthy of being called a war. Every nation struggled and was on the brink of defeat, but with the fall of the leader, the monsters fled, and victory was achieved. Whatever the truth may be."

He delivered the last part with an air of authority.

…He had a point. The one who truly led us to victory was the Dragon. But if that were made public, the legends of the Dragon Race would be proven true, and people would have to live in fear of an even greater threat. After all, they had been on the verge of defeat against the monster horde alone.

At that moment, the Captain added, "And that is why I need you to not spread this around carelessly. You and my father were the only ones who remained conscious on that field. The other adventurers and knights fainted and don’t remember what happened. Do you understand?"

As a final reminder, I replied, "Of course. I have no intention of speaking about this. I have no reason to spread it, either."

…There are people who love to gossip, but honestly, I don’t get it. I can understand complaining, but I don’t see what’s so interesting about spreading stories that don’t concern you.

"The same goes for me," Tina added, also agreeing. "I intend to conduct myself as an adventurer with common sense."

Seeing this exchange, the Emperor said, "Thank you. Now, I shall bestow upon you your reward for this occasion. That."

At his word, the Captain pulled a white sheet off something behind him.

There, in an open treasure chest, was what could only be described as a king’s ransom. There was a mountain of gold coins, as well as daggers and shields made of gold and jewels. And in a small box next to it were five golden stones.

"What are the stones in that small box next to it?" I asked.

"These are called Thunder Stones," the Captain explained. "When exposed to sunlight, they release a bolt of lightning. You can attach one to the tip of a staff, and when you hold it up to the light, you can use lightning magic. In the dark, nothing happens. However, that’s about its only use, so it’s not very practical. But I heard from a Dwarf that you two are interested in rare items. They are produced in large quantities, but they are managed by the royal family because they can be dangerous depending on how they’re used, so they never appear on the market. How is this as a reward?"

…This is great. It might not be very useful in this world, but it’s something I absolutely want on Earth. After all, it’s a stone that generates electricity when exposed to sunlight or something similar. It’s the perfect item to solve things like the electricity problem. Of course, I have no intention of giving it away; I’ll just use it to power my house.

"Not at all. It’s a wonderful item," I said, bowing. "I have various things I’m working on through trial and error, so I would be delighted to use it for research."

"That’s good to hear," the Captain replied. "I’ll have soldiers deliver these to your home later."

It was all over.

Just when I thought I was free to go, the Emperor said, "Now, there is something else I would like to ask of you. I would like you to develop a dish for the upcoming party."

He had just made an unreasonable request.

"Excuse me? The General didn’t mention anything about that," I said, asking for clarification.

"We have not yet held a festival or party for this war," the Emperor replied. "Since this is a victory for all humanity, I was thinking of something new, but the head chefs are struggling to come up with any good ideas. That’s why I want to ask you. Will you grant the Emperor’s request?"

He smiled, but there was an intensity behind it.

…The kind of person who could refuse an Emperor’s request must either have nerves of steel or be a country bumpkin. In any case, I was neither.

After exchanging a look with Tina, I bowed with a bitter expression.

"Understood. I will do my best."

"Thank you," the Emperor said with a satisfied look, before adding a nasty detail. "The party is tonight, so please be quick about it."

This is what you call an unreasonable demand.