第３７３堀：思わぬ出会い (Part1)
**Chapter 373: An Unexpected Encounter**
**Side: Popuri, Principal of Lancer Magic Academy**
"Amanda, make sure you tell Wai-chan not to fly over the Royal Capital under any circumstances. It would cause a massive panic."
"Understood."
"As planned, once the Royal Capital comes into view, lower your altitude until you’re skimming the ground before you start moving in. If you do that, the soldiers will spot us and come to make contact."
"Understood."
I didn’t have the luxury of being moved by the sensation of flying through the vast sky; I was simply relieved.
Well, since I could already fly freely on my own, it’s not like I’d be giddy about it now. The reason for my relief was that we had managed to reach the Royal Capital of Ex before Master Comet.
My intuition was screaming that if I let that master of mine—who currently only cares about things that amuse her—go ahead, the situation might tilt in a very strange direction. That’s why we had to establish a connection in the capital first, to prevent her from arriving later and causing chaos. I needed to maintain the stance that *I* was the one visiting Ex.
Wait, why am I more worried about my own side than King Noble...? No, that’s not it. I need to investigate the interior of Ex before the others do, so that I can help Yuki-dono and the others formulate an effective strategy. That is the primary objective. If I don't, it could lead to massive confusion, unnecessary bloodshed, and results that none of us want.
Until now, I’ve mostly been in a supporting role for Yuki-dono, but this time it’s different. My actions will directly dictate the outcome. Is this what it means to carry the future of this continent on one's shoulders...? My stomach hurts just thinking about it. I finally understand why Yuki-dono gets so annoyed with Hifie-dono and Master whenever he gets dragged into these messes.
"Please don't leave such troublesome things for the next generation to deal with."
"Did you say something?"
"No, it’s nothing. Ah, there it is. That’s the Royal Capital of Ex. Fly low and slow down."
"Yes. Please, Wai-chan."
*Gya-su!*
Wai-chan let out a cry as if to acknowledge the order. She actually understands human speech. After appointing Amanda as a Dragon Knight, I heard about Yuki-dono’s background. Apparently, it was that little girl, Aslin, who actually tamed the Wyvern.
Well, I can’t exactly take back the Dragon Knight title now, and as Yuki-dono said, the brand value of having a "Dragon Knight" is incredibly helpful. That’s exactly why I feel so terribly guilty... Once this problem is resolved, I intend to support them as much as possible so they can live safely and happily. I can’t exactly ask these newlyweds to face the environmental crisis of mana depletion. We’re the ones dragging them into this, after all.
"But still, to think that you and Eris would be coming from this side. Where were Yuki and the others supposed to be again?"
"Let's see... they finished their report in Roday and are scheduled to be heading back to the academy now."
"Ah, Master, sorry about that. We ended up missing Yuki-san and the others..."
"Hm? Oh, don't worry about it. We aren't so fragile that a little thing like this would ruin us."
"Exactly. They’re so lovey-dovey, there’s no need to worry about them."
I don't even know what to say to that. They beat me to a pulp just because I got in the way of their time with Yuki-dono. Honestly, I’m only fine because I see Yuki-dono at Weed every day; if I went even a single day without seeing him, I’d probably go insane. But having these two with me is reassuring. To be honest, their combat strength is higher than Master’s or Hifie-dono’s, so they can handle the rougher tasks.
"Taiki-san, I’m sorry about Airi-san..."
"Ah, well, it can't be helped. If something happened to Eoid or Amanda, who have become my friends, Airi would be sad. I don't have the option of just standing by and doing nothing either."
"Taiki-san... thank you."
And to think, we even have a hero from another world with us. Eoid has been improving his skills lately, too, so we shouldn't fall behind easily.
"Principal, is something wrong?"
"No, I was just reconfirming our combat strength. I’m somewhat relieved that we don't have a team that would lose in a direct confrontation."
"Is that so? But we’re only 'not losing,' right?"
"Yes. If we make the wrong judgment, we’ll be in a pinch. And if that happens, the Royal Capital of Ex will..."
As Yuki-dono and my master said, it would be reduced to ash and dust. ...That’s not even a joke. The members of Weed possess the weapons and the wisdom to make that a reality. King Noble is likely pulling strings behind the scenes to solidify his position, but he’s already on the verge of checkmate. I believe that to overturn this, one would need the resolve to abandon and sacrifice everything they’ve built up until now.
If my assessment is correct, the gap in power between Yuki-dono and King Noble is obvious. If he just wanted to defeat him, it would literally be over with the flick of a finger. But Yuki-dono, for the time being, has a policy of not wanting to deal with troublesome things and hopes to avoid casualties. If something like Grad, a super-large monster, were to be unleashed, it would indeed be troublesome and cause collateral damage.
That’s why we are pulling strings behind the scenes, gathering information on King Noble and his circle through numerous routes, including myself. We’re just starting, but given our positions, we should be able to get closer to King Noble than Mauve-dono or Kirika-tachi, allowing us to obtain higher-quality intelligence.
Our actions will likely hold the key to whether the Kingdom of Ex disappears from the map of this continent or not. I’ll use that to my advantage—first, I’ll make the connection by introducing King Noble to the Dragon Knight Amanda, ask about the magic tools, and from there...
"Um, Principal? I think those are the soldiers, right?"
"Eh?"
Pulled from my sea of thoughts by Amanda’s voice, I looked ahead. Sure enough, figures in armor riding horses were heading toward us. They didn't seem to have their weapons drawn, so this was likely the welcoming party.
"I think you're right. Stop here, and don't attack. I’ll handle the talking, but stay alert just in case."
"Yes."
As soon as I finished speaking, Wai-chan landed on the spot. ...It’s truly a convenient thing. Maybe I should create a separate department for Monster Tamers. People like Aslin and Amanda might be rare, but having monsters at one's beck and call has benefits I never could have imagined. After all, the ability to carry many people instead of flying alone changes the entire meaning of travel.
While I was thinking about that, the soldiers arrived. They seemed cautious, staying mounted in a posture that would allow them to turn and flee at a moment's notice.
"That dragon. That staff. You are the party of Principal Popuri of the Lancer Magic Academy, correct?"
"That is correct. This is the invitation I received from King Noble. Please, examine it."
I handed over the letter. I had taken it out of the cage, as I knew the other side would be wary if I kept it behind the bars Wai-chan was holding, and it served as proof that we were the real deal.