Chapter 91
Volume 3 Chapter 3 part2
It was the evening .
Entering the deck, I carried a heavy bag containing the sharp, black armor part .
“Are we really doing this?”
Luxon’s red eye glowed ominously, which was a bit eerie .
[Of course . The preparations are already complete . This destructive impulsive is deeply ingrained into my program . Speaking in terms of humans, it’s an instinct . I have to get rid of it within the next minute, or even the next second . ]
──Is that so? All things considered, it’s scary to have an AI talk about destructive impulses .
[It seems to have been preserved in the ruins as a research object, but it has no value now . Now then, hurry!]
I took out the black part from the bag in order to throw it out, and when I touched it with my hand, the part pulsated .
“Ugh, disgusting!”
There was a gap in the part that opened up to reveal a giant eye, making me let go .
The lively eyeball seemed like a human’s, but it was definitely larger than one .
Twisting tentacles from the part reached out towards me .
[Be careful . This thing is still alive . ]
The part raised a ghastly cry .
Luxon shined a laser from its eye to signal for robots to attack the part .
The tentacles were burned down and the part’s eyeball continued receiving attacks .
The gathering robots carried the part and flung it into the sky──and then Luxon’s main unit, which had been hidden, attacked the part with a direct hit .
“Are you sure we burned it without leaving behind a speck of dust?”
Luxon answered with a robotic voice that seemed satisfied .
[Of course . That thing is a weapon that must not exist . No relics of the new humans have any value in this world . At any rate──is that what they call ‘feeling refreshed’?]
Well, it seems that its mood has improved, which is good .
However, that was a relic of the new humans? How revolting .
Having disposed of the part on the empty deck, we returned to the ship’s interior .
Thereupon, on the opposite side of the deck, Hertrude appeared .
“So you were here . ”
“What are you doing? Actually, what happened to your escort?”
Hertrude didn’t answer my question .
“I wanted to talk with you alone . I already said this at the collective, but could you sell me that object you found? To tell the truth, it’s a valuable item . I will pay a suitable amount for it . ”
──Hmm? That thing had worth?
“That thing was actually valuable? Wasn’t it just a junk part?”
In the first place, how is that thing supposed to be useful?
“You do not know its value . So, sell it to me . It’s even alright if you want me to offer it to the kingdom . I’ll only negotiate with a government official this time . ”
Staying silent might not be the best option .
Luxon said something like [Oh my,] acting as if it has nothing to do with this .
Are you just going to like act you aren’t involved?
“──Sorry . I dropped it . ”
When I said that, Hertrude’s mouth was agape for several seconds .
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“A, are you an idiot?!”
──She was furious .
“No, you see──I got bad vibes from it!”
“That’s not the problem! Idiot! Idiot! Complete idiot! I can’t believe it . You dropped an important treasure? Lower the ship and retrieve it at once!”
[No . ]
Hertrude trembled when Luxon immediately refused .
“T, this matter will be reported to the kingdom’s upper management!”
[Oh, and what is that supposed to mean? The treasure was found by Master and is his property . You’ll only burden the upper management by complaining to them . ]
There’s nothing left of it, so I can’t retrieve it anyways .
“If you can’t handle such valuable treasure with care, you have no qualifications to be an adventurer! What have you been learning at the academy?!”
“Sorry . The academy’s just a place to find marriage . ”
[Too bad . ]
Luxon was quite cold towards Hertrude .
Hertrude turned around, causing her hair to sway, and returned to the ship’s interior .
“K, keep this moment in your memory!”
Seeing her leave that parting remark left me with one thought .
“──What an interesting person . I thought she was just a calm beauty, but surprisingly, she has a plethora of emotions . ”
[Are you interested in her? She’s deviates quite a bit from your tastes, Master . The stats on her chest are too low . ]
“Do you think of me as a guy who only judges people by their chest?”
[I do . ]
Luxon’s immediate reply irritated me .
Upon returning to the academy, I rushed to get ready for the royal palace .
Luxon stared at me as I was changing my outfit .
[A report as soon as you come back? How tough . ]
“I wonder why I have to do all this while still being a student . ”
When I made a complaint, Luxon responded .
[What happened to being an adult male on the inside?]
“My heart is always that of a child who never forgets how to have fun . ]
Since I have to head towards the royal palace immediately, I had no time to rest .
[Didn’t you call yourself an adult beforehand?]
“Did I say that?”
[You did . I haven’t forgotten . ]
“You sure are an insistent one . Listen, forgetting whatever’s inconvenient is also the way of an adult . ”
[That’s called escapism . I suggest you improve yourself . ]
“I refuse . C’mon, we’re going . ”
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[Alright . ]
Luxon and I left the room .
I was in a hallway of the royal palace .
I was dead tired after having to report the latest matters .
It was dark outside .
“It’s already night . ”
[This visit had more to do with a women’s tea party than the report . ]
What awaited me there was a tea party with women who had graduated from the academy .
The daughters of influential nobles and of nobles who had recently gained power were there .
The tea party lasted for several hours despite the report being done in about ten minutes .
“I did not enjoy it at all . ”
[That seems about right . ]
The daughters of baron through earl households were there at the tea party .
However, they all had exclusive servants with them .
They kept talking about money, asking me what kind of revenue I would earn in the future .
It felt like being asked about my annual income at a mixer, I suppose . ──It gave me a headache .
Walking along the nearly vacant hallway in the royal palace, I happened to come across the queen, Milaine, who was wearing a different dress than when I had last met her .
Her platinum blonde hair looked as if it was sparkling .
Her gentle eyes soothed me and her smiling face compelled me to fell delighted as well .
“Oh, it seems that the viscount is tired . ”
The attendant standing behind her stood with a blank expression .
I braced myself and straightened my attire .
“Apologies for the appearance . As for what the queen──”
“Viscount, may I have some of your time?”
──I felt joyed on the inside after having Milaine call out to me .
“It would be my pleasure!”
Luxon muttered something while watching me accompany the smiling Milaine .
[What an easy-to-read person . ]
Luxon had hidden itself when Milaine arrived .
I was inside a room within the royal palace .
I was sitting across from Milaine, drinking some black tea that was brought here .
It’s better than the tea I have .
It’s not just the tea leaves, but also the technique that has to do with it .
While feeling a slight sense of defeat, I listened to what Milaine had to say .
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Luxon stayed silent and hid near my side .
“Have you been getting along well with her Highness Hertrude? I was a bit startled to hear that her Highness was taken along for an adventure . ”
“She was forced to come along . It seemed like she was given permission to though . ”
Milaine’s expression turned gloomy . It seems that she didn’t want to permit it .
“There are people in the royal palace who have varying opinions about it . As for me, I don’t think that this matter falls under studying abroad . ”
It seems that despite Milaine’s objections, someone gave permission .
I suppose anyone would be worried if the princess of a country that declared war was in the same academy their son was attending .
We need to be watchful of Hertrude’s safety, so if possible I’d prefer if she stayed still .
I agree with that opinion .
If some crazed person appeared and Hertrude got hurt, it would be an international issue .
When she’s in the academy, she’s escorted by female knights dispatched from the royal palace and students who have been given detailed instructions .
Even so, there’s still some unease .
“I also spoke with her Highness . She didn’t say it explicitly, but she holds quite the grudge against the kingdom . ”
I didn’t see it for myself, but I did hear about the kingdom’s doings .
Listening to them made me raise an eyebrow .
However, I can’t reply to Milaine by lightheartedly saying “The kingdom sure is cruel, isn’t it~?”
I kept my mouth shut over this dicey issue . Is it cowardly? Yeah, it sure is . I’m a coward .
As I kept silent, Milaine continued .
“Viscount──no, Leon . I don’t think the principality will give up . ”
“It seems that way . ”
It’s not so easy to erase a mountain of grudges .
“Even the matter of the bodyguards is causing trouble . Did you hear about the Lafuan viscount household?”
When I shook my head, Milaine place a hand over her cheek and with a troubled expression, told me about what happened .
“Julian had been working around the clock to solve the saint’s debt, but the Lafuan viscount household increased it further . I thought about revoking that family, but as to be expected, there was a lot of opposition towards destroying the saint’s household . ”
Marie really is cursed, isn’t she?
I wonder if Marie will faint after hearing that her debt increased even though it should have been resolved .
Though, I’d kind of want of laugh if I saw her in despair .
“It would be nice if the royal palace and temple could help pay back the debt on her behalf . However, there are a lot of things to budget for next year . ”
After hearing about it, in order to pay back Marie’s debt──well, it would require a large cut in flexible funds, or in other words a large budget cut .
The debt is that large .
Just hearing about it alone makes this tea tasty .
What fine tea cakes these are .
It seems that I’ll sleep well tonight .
“Now for the main subject at hand . The commanding officer of the saint’s bodyguards is──you, right? Now it’s become a question of where responsibility lies . ”
“──Huh?”
“Even when considering the time of your appointment and other matters, the royal palace and temple will be calling for someone to be punished . ”
This doesn’t look good .
Just what kind of responsibilities do I have?
“W, wait a minute . My job is to be her bodyguard, so I don’t understand why I’m involved in her debt too . ”
“I know that . Even so──this is a world where people will look for someone to blame . ”
This world is the same my previous one .
Society is rotten .
“There are also people who are jealous of your sudden rise . As for me, I can’t bear to see the knights, who supported the promotion, being accused . I’ll need to patch things up as much as possible . ”
“Thank you very──huh? Supported?”
“Right . You see, it was during the suppression of the sky pirates . Brad and Greg visited me and spoke about your achievements . There was also that matter of the principality, so I endorsed it . ”
Milaine gave me a dazzling smile──no wait, something’s not right here!
I didn’t want to get promoted .
“S, say, rather than being me promoted──”
“Rather than being promoted?”
Milaine, who tilted her head to the side, looked sublime .
She’s so charming despite her age! I might be older on the inside, but I’m feeling kind of skittish all of the sudden .
Would it okay to hurt this person by saying that I didn’t want to be promoted?
Perhaps she would regret promoting me .
──I can’t let her feel sad .
I opened my mouth to quickly change course .
“──I want you . ”
“W, wait! W, w, w, we can’t . I mean, the age difference between you and me is akin to that of a parent and child . ”
We’re less than twenty years apart──we can’t? I mean, she’s more splendid than the girls in the academy . She’s perfect!
I clutched Milaine’s hand .
“Even so, I──”
“Ahem!”
I then heard a forced cough .
I don’t know who did it, but it was one of the attendants accompanying Milaine .
Whoops . ──I got carried away and made a move on her again . I forgot that this was the royal palace .
Milaine blushed .
What a nice reaction . It makes me want to tease her .
“Again with the teasing . That’s a bad habit of yours, Leon . ”
If only she wasn’t the queen──I’d really go after her then .
Changing the topic, Milaine spoke about Hertrude once more .
“By the way, there’s something curious about her Highness Hertrude . ”