Vol 5: Chapter 44
I asked Dante-san and Non-san to collect information about “Umibozu” in the Adventurer’s Guild, and I decided to go with Mimino-san to negotiate the renting of a ship. As for Zerry-san, she was gone before I knew it.
We decided to negotiate with the Knights.
This was still a knights’ country, after all, so talking to the knights should help us with our quest.
「—We understand. Since it is Reiji-dono’s personal request, let’s hear it.」
A decision was made quickly.
The commander who oversees the knights of Zackerhafen was a middle-aged gentleman with a curving handlebar mustache. Although he was a knight, he didn’t carry a sword. As a matter of fact, he was concurrently serving as the mayor of the port town, so that duty seems to occupy most of his time.
「There are several magic warships. We shall lend you one of those.」
I was quite surprised when the commander accepted my request so readily.
「Uh, um, is that alright?」
「Of course. There are two reasons for this decision.」
The commander raised two fingers with fingernails neatly trimmed.
「First, the Umibozu problem is serious. Umibozu coming and going as it pleases will continue to cause problems for an extended period of time. We were planning to send out a research vessel, either way. The second reason is——」
He pulled out a letter from his pocket.
「This is a letter from His Excellency Friedrich Berger. We are instructed to accommodate Reiji-dono when you arrive.」
…So that large knight went to this length to favor me, huh.
「Moreover, I’m a big fan of Friedrich-sama. Receiving a handwritten letter from Friedrich-sama is enough reason to cooperate with Reiji-dono.」
The mayor winked playfully.
Fan?, I thought at first, but it seems that the knights are not all the same. There are those who fight in the frontline and then there are those who work in logistical support. A knight like the mayor, who is good at handling paperwork, was delegated to work as a civil official.
In this country, even civil officials are knights.
Although the commander was working as a mayor, as a knight, he still yearned to climb to the ranks of “5 Knights” and “11 Knights”, it seems.
…Those people were trying to recommend me to a managerial position, after all. Let’s not tell the mayor that I refused that position. He might become displeased with me.
「Let’s leave right away. I shall send word to your companions to come to the Knights’ Port.」
After the messenger ran off to the Adventurer’s guild and somewhere else (probably to where Zerry-san is. They seem to know where Zerry-san is… the Saint Knight Kingdom is scary), Mimino-san and I were taken to the harbor by the mayor.
「I am sorry. You must have a lot of duties as the mayor, and yet you have to guide us to the port.」I said.
「No, I don’t mind. It is an honor as a knight to be able to guide someone who might or might not have been recommended to the “11 Knights”.」
「…………」
He knows?
For a moment there, I saw the mayor’s eyes gleaming! He must be angry, after all!
「Fufufu, you don’t have to be so tense. I think that if we display the merits of being a knight of the Saint Knight Kingdom, maybe Reiji-dono will consider living in this country.」
「Y-Yes, indeed…」
「Of course.」
It was not just the mayor and us, but also about 10 knights following in an orderly manner.
The townspeople were not wary of the knights
「——Oh, mayor. What do you say to a game tonight?」
「——Look, it’s the knights. Let’s say hi to them.」
「——The knights are passing through, clear the way.」
A man carefreely invited the mayor to a chess-like game, a child happily waved to the knights, and a cart moved out of the way to provide passage.
It was not that they were respected and revered, nor were they dismissed because of the authority, but the knights blended with the public naturally. I have heard that the capital is more strict and disciplined, but the port towns on the outskirts are probably more flexible.
(Certainly, it feels nice here. It feels like the townspeople and the knights are gently blending together.)
While I was thinking about that,
「By the way, Reiji-dono. This is just a rumor, but word has it that you made a ridiculous request to His Majesty the Emperor of the Lev Magic Empire.」
「!」
I was greatly flustered to hear that the mayor knew about that.
「W-W-W-Why do you know about that!?」
「Rumors are passed around like the wind. However, the contents were not transmitted by any means… I was just wondering what kind of request you made. That even the Emperor could not give an answer immediately and had to hold a meeting.」
…I am actually scared that it has been transmitted to a town this far. How was a rumor transmitted faster even though we journeyed here at a considerable speed?
「It seems like you’re in a hurry right now, so maybe we can have a meal once you get back from the sea?」
「O-Okay.」
We crossed the private port, and started approaching the military port.
Unlike commercial ships and fishing boats, cannons and shields were lined up on the deck, giving it an imposing atmosphere.
The mayor left Mimino-san and I to confirm the status of the warship.
「I was really surprised, Mimino-san. How does the mayor know about that?」
「Reiji-kun, are you sure about accepting the meal with the mayor?」
「I can’t turn him down. They are lending us a magic ship, after all.」
「…………」
「…Mimino-san?」
Mimino-san cast her eyes down.
「We are also curious about that request. Why did Reiji-kun make that “wish”? I can somewhat understand it, but…」
「Come to think of it, I haven’t talked much about that, have I? I don’t know how much of it is confidential, and how much of it I can talk about.」
「It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it…」
「No, that’s not the case at all.」
I recalled the moment when I posed my request to the Emperor.
「What I wished for…the “Liberation of Her Highness Anastasia” was just my personal wish, but I haven’t really asked if Her Highness Anastasia herself wishes for that.」
