“…Please, tell me more.”
“Oh? Are you interested, Lucia?”
Though I leaned in eagerly, Elmer seemed slightly taken aback but proceeded to share what he knew about my sisters.
He hadn’t met them directly but had heard quite a bit, as their antics had become a topic of conversation.
The self-proclaimed Hero’s party (laughable as it was) had suddenly appeared at the front lines with the demons. The locals and mercenaries watched them with a mix of amusement and mild concern, as if thinking, “Spring is still far away…”
It’s not uncommon for young villagers in countries near the demon lands to occasionally show up claiming to be heroes, and in those regions, it’s treated almost like a seasonal event.
A certified hero, even if not as renowned as us, would receive support from the state, so a party showing up on its own is highly unusual. Even a child could tell at a glance.
To willingly come to the front lines during a war with the demons and call themselves “heroes”… These thick-skinned individuals must be quite free-spirited.
I’m not envious at all…
“There are many mercenary groups stationed in this area, and when they’re not fighting demons, they hunt monsters to sell meat and materials to the locals. It’s a way for mercenaries to avoid conflicts with the residents. But…”
“But?”
“The self-proclaimed Hero’s party also started by hunting monsters and selling the materials. However, since there were many women in their group, they seemed to stay at high-end inns, and the money from selling materials wasn’t enough. So, they started hunting ordinary animals in areas managed by the Hunter’s Guild without restrictions, which led to tensions with the mercenary groups working with the guild.”
“My, my…”
Why do they cause trouble as naturally as breathing?
They’re like the template protagonists of a fantasy story. While it’s one thing to hunt monsters or go deep into the mountains, hunting animals in guild-managed areas is bound to cause problems. The hunters pay taxes to hunt there, after all.
“Moreover, one of the mages, dissatisfied with the situation, directly appealed to the lord, demanding support for their party. But since they weren’t certified heroes, the lord refused, leading to an argument. The elf and the female warrior injured some officials, and they were chased by the military police, eventually fleeing to the demon lands.”
“…………”
What are you doing, sisters?!
If there are still people in the hospital, I’ll have to go and heal them…
“And then…”
There’s more?!
For some reason, Elmer seemed amused as he poured himself a glass of fruit wine and looked at me through the swirling liquid.
“That criminal—excuse me, that party’s mage was spreading some rather bizarre rumors.”
“What kind of rumors?”
Now he’s stopped even calling them the self-proclaimed Hero’s party… And if it’s the mage spreading rumors, it’s probably Ataline, not the more timid Aureline.
“She claimed that Princess Eurushia, the Saint of the Holy Kingdom, had sold her soul to the demons and summoned an evil beast…”
“My, my!”
Close, Ataline, but not quite! It’s more about corrupting souls.
I wonder if she’s figured it out… If she had lived a bit more virtuously, people might have believed her!
“And do you know this, Lucia?”
“What is it?”
“Princess Eurushia, the Saint, is said to be a beautiful girl with golden hair, referred to as the ‘Golden Princess.'”
“Oh, really…”
So, Elmer has noticed. I wonder how many others have?
And what is he trying to achieve by telling me this…
“Noah, pay him his ‘fee.’ Then, shall we go?”
“Yes.”
The atmosphere shifted, and I instructed Noah to pay the information fee while Nia pulled out my chair.
If he’s planning something with me, that’s fine, but I’m here as the Saint, so I don’t need any unnecessary trouble. Feeling that it was time to leave, I stood up—
“W-wait, please, Eur… Lucia-sama!”
Suddenly, Elmer tore off his mask of a nobleman and knelt before me in a panic.
Oh? He’s more perceptive than I thought. But then again, the sudden change in the atmosphere had left the other patrons of the Night Sky Tavern speechless. In that moment, he had cast aside everything and surrendered.
“What are you up to?”
“Please forgive my rudeness up until now. I am not your enemy. I merely wished to inform you that there are those in this land who harbor hostility toward you and pose a danger. ……However, I must admit I was a bit mischievous.”
Elmer spoke earnestly, his face pale.
“Well, that’s fine.”
Was it really that bad? ……Noah and Nia. Even Tina and Fanny outside seemed quite shaken, as if they were sharing information.
These kids really don’t forgive any disrespect toward me, do they?…… Thanks to them, the bar turned into a funeral-like atmosphere just from their presence alone, even though I did nothing. I was about to pay the bill and leave quickly, but then I got stopped again…… Do they have a masochistic streak or something?
When I subtly waved my hand to stop my attendants, the pressure seemed to ease, and Elmer let out a sigh of relief.
“But…… As expected of the legendary [Saint of the Holy Kingdom]. I had heard rumors, but I never expected it to be this……”
No, it’s not me!
But again, this is just another case of “As expected of the Saint.” The level of trust people on this continent have in the Saint, not just in the Holy Kingdom, is truly something……
Could it be that the air automatically becomes more forgiving when it comes to the Saint?
Thinking about that, the only person who seems to have doubts about me, Sister Ataline, now seems like the only sane one!
“Please stand up. It’s strange for someone like you, Elmer, to be kneeling before a mere traveler girl.”
No, really, could you stop? You’re drawing too much attention.
The noise returned to the night sky bar, and the customers were rubbing their goosebumps and tilting their heads in confusion, but if this goes on any longer, the whole point of staying incognito will be lost.
Pretending to be a “human” is really hard, you know!
But my inner cries didn’t reach him, and Elmer remained on his knees, bowing his head with a serious expression.
“No, it was I who acted rudely. Please, punish me!”
“……Huh?”
Wait, are you really not some kind of masochist like Sarah!?
I glanced at the twins for help, but both Noah and Nia nodded as if it were the most natural thing.
No, that’s not it.
Ah, I know!
“Then, do what you must do. It will be for your own good as well.”
“That is……”
I think the evil god from that “world of light” story I read said something similar. Well, in short, it’s just a fancy way of saying “keep doing what you’ve been doing.”
And let’s give him some payment for the information too!
Since he told me about my sister’s recent situation, I’ll be generous!
Three…… no, let’s not be stingy, let’s make it five. When I held up five fingers to Noah, my excellent butler nodded slightly and handed Elmer a black velvet pouch containing the money.
“Wh-what is this……!?”
“The payment has been made. Now, shall we go, both of you?”
“Yes.”
Turning my back to Elmer, who was stunned as he checked the contents, I adjusted my hood and quickly left the bar before the commotion could grow any larger.
Five large gold coins as payment for secondhand information is quite excessive. That’s equivalent to the annual income of an average household!
Still, for the leader of a mercenary group, he seemed too shocked by that amount. I thought I caught a glimpse of something silver inside the pouch, so perhaps I gave him five silver coins instead, and he was shocked by the small amount!?
Oh no, what if they think the ducal family is stingy……?
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT gadgetizedpanda.net
At the Night Sky Bar in Terthed, a strange phenomenon occurred where everyone present was struck by a sudden chill.
It quickly disappeared, and the customers thought it might have been their imagination, but among them, the executives of the Hawk’s Eye Mercenary Group, who had taken over the tented area at the back of the bar, were worried about their leader Elmer, who had welcomed a noble lady in disguise and her attendants—an unusual trio. Some of them went to check on him.
The Hawk’s Eye Mercenary Group was founded by Elmer, the illegitimate son of a certain marquis family, who had received support on the condition that he renounce his family name.
At first, the mercenaries he gathered looked down on him due to his young age, but Elmer, who had trained relentlessly since childhood with the goal of leaving his family, silenced the veteran mercenaries with his skill and determination, establishing himself as the leader.
“……Leader, what happened?”
When one of the members called out to him, Elmer, who should have been at the table welcoming the noble lady, was alone, staring at a black cloth on the table.
“……Ah, sorry. I was just lost in thought.”
“That girl…… was she dangerous?”
Her beauty was extraordinary, but more than that, her aura was anything but normal. Trying to stay alert in front of her beauty felt like trying to think clearly through a fog.
As a noble, Elmer should have some resistance to such things, but when the member asked, he furrowed his brow and opened the black cloth.
“She was a much bigger deal than I thought……”
“Wh-what is this!?”
Inside the cloth were five [Platinum Coins].
They were not made of platinum but of mithril, and due to their intricate design and artistry, they were rare in circulation, said to be worth ten times their weight in gold.
But their value wasn’t just monetary. These platinum coins, engraved with the crest of the Holy Kingdom, held a different meaning when handed directly by royalty.
They signified that the recipient had earned the trust of the giver.
“To think I’d receive such a ’preparation fee’……”
Moreover, if it was given by Princess Eurushia, who was said to be the greatest Saint in the history of the Holy Kingdom, then its value couldn’t be measured in money.
“Leader……”
“Men, we’ve got our next job. We’re heading to the northern demon country.”
Elmer stood up and declared to those around him with a bright expression.
Saint Eurushia would soon be fighting a great evil that threatened to destroy the world.
She told Elmer to do what he must. Elmer realized that his destiny was to ensure her safe passage until she reached that evil.
“From this moment, order all five hundred members of the Hawk’s Eye Mercenary Group to gather here! We will support Princess Eurushia with all our might!”
Then Elmer used his own savings to give one platinum coin each to two mercenary groups he trusted, gathering a total of a thousand elite mercenaries, all mobilized to support Saint Eurushia alone.
TLNOTE:
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