第５６掘：酷い違和感 (Part2)
"First, let's confirm our objectives. Not the overall goal, but our specific goal for this village. Covil, do you understand?"
"Hmm? We're getting Rurua to meet that person named Alstaire, right?"
"Exactly. However, Alstaire is surrounded by guards, and there are definitely members of the hardline faction among them. If Rurua-sama simply shows her face, she'll be pushed aside before she can even get Alstaire's attention. We have to find a way around that."
"But that's what I'm here for, isn't it?"
"Right. But there's no need to resort to combat every single time. So, we're going to put on a little performance. We'll stage it so that Kiyu suffers a major injury during a quest, and we'll carry him back into the village. Naturally, Alstaire will be in the village conducting inspections by then—the timing will likely be right as we enter, or perhaps near Rurua-sama's grave. That’s when you shout, 'Someone, please help my companion!!' No matter how Alstaire reacts, Rurua-sama will arrive first and save Kiyu with recovery magic. Anyone with a decent grasp of healing arts can identify a spell just by watching it, right, Rurua-sama?"
"Yes, spells like Extra Heal are very easy to recognize."
"Exactly. Once they see that magic, those around her will realize she is a person of significant standing. Seeing that, Alstaire will likely request an audience with Rurua-sama. That’s when you step in, Covil, and say, 'She’s such a soft-hearted person, even though we need to get back to Litea quickly!' By saying that, we can also signal that the Fairy tribe is cooperating with her, not acting under duress. From there, it depends on Rurua-sama's negotiation skills, but if we can manage to get ourselves hired as her official escorts, that would be the best outcome."
"I see. Through that process, I can announce to everyone that I am alive, and I can also gain Alstaire-sama's endorsement. Rather than trying to sneakily request a meeting, declaring my survival openly makes it much harder for them to attempt an assassination, doesn't it?"
"That’s the idea. And with Covil there, they won't be able to resort to clumsy assassination attempts anymore."
"Hmm, I don't really get it, but if we do that, we can all work together to blow away the people who bullied Rurua, right!!"
After discussing this with Yuki-san, the result of our planning was...
"Alstaire-sama, is it really wise to entrust Rurua-sama's protection to such a young man?"
A Litea Royal Guard voiced his complaint about our decision.
"You understand the situation, don't you? There are fools lurking within Litea who tried to assassinate Rurua-sama. To put it bluntly, as long as that young man serves as a shield, that is enough. If he can buy us even a little time, we can handle the rest. Isn't that right?"
"I see. Rather than placing someone whose allegiance is unknown, it is better to use a young man who is clearly an ally and easy to manipulate, correct?"
"Yes. And those adventurers who act as his mentors have decent skills as well. It will be convenient to use them together."
"Understood. My apologies for the unnecessary suggestion."
"No, it is fine. With this, we can silence the hardliners. Rurua-sama, let us return to the Holy Kingdom quickly and put an end to their tyranny."
"Yes, that is why I have returned."
Alstaire-sama, it is fine to try and use us, but honestly, you are the one being used.
I swayed in the carriage, my head aching as I contemplated what was to come.
This chapter is a bit short.
Rurua easily secured protection and a cooperative relationship with Alstaire.
And Yuki and his group have been incorporated as escorts—serving as convenient human shields.
Man, I'm looking forward to this.
What did you think of Yuki's realistic acting? It was perfect, wasn't it!!
By the way, Deryu is the one suffering the most lol.