Monster no Goshujin-sama - Volume 11 - Chapter 5

Chapter 5: A Promise of Aid

“Jeez... That Miho. She’s so shy,” Lily complained, pursing her lips.

“Thanks for telling me, Lily,” I said.

“You’re welcome.”

“But cut her a little more slack.”

“Awww, but that’s just about the right amount of teasing for her. She’s actually happy.”

“Really?”

“Yup. She’s grinning like an idiot inside me... Oh, now she’s flailing.”

“Try not to tease her too much.”

“You get along so well,” Philip said, rolling his shoulder. “And you seem to have quite the close relationship.”

The gentle light had returned to his eyes as he watched the two of us interact. He’d apparently recovered from the shock of the unbelievable news we’d shared with him.

“I still find it hard to believe that you’re a monster... Oh, forgive me, that was a slip of the tongue.”

“It’s fine. You’re overthinking things,” I told him, shaking my head. “They’re still monsters, and there’s no point in denying that. One day, I hope everyone can accept them for what they are.”

“That’s quite a thorny path you walk.”

“It’s the one I chose,” I declared without hesitation.

“I see. Decisiveness worthy of a savior. I can understand why the strongest knight of the northern Woodlands has acknowledged you.”

Philip let out a long sigh. I wondered what emotion hid behind that gesture.

“Now that you’ve told me so much, I cannot doubt your words anymore,” he continued with another bittersweet smile. “I apologize for doubting you at all. I will take full responsibility for my behavior.”

“Don’t worry about it. I don’t mind. More importantly, I’d like to discuss the future.”

Philip had acknowledged the truth, but that wasn’t the main point we’d wanted to discuss. That had just been the preamble.

“Will you lend us your aid?” I asked, waiting for his answer with bated breath.

“Please be at ease, sir,” he said with a gentle smile. “I also believe that we must prevent any further tragedy from this incident.”

He sounded both anxious and determined.

“Then...!” My breath caught in my throat, and I bent forward in excitement, knocking my cup slightly but not paying it any attention.

“Yes. I will appeal to the king regarding your request for assistance.”

“Thank you very much.”

I got the answer I wanted. A way of handling things was now in sight.

“There is no need to thank me, Takahiro,” Philip said, shaking his head. “Lending a great savior our aid is only a matter of course. Also, now that we know this attack was real and you repelled it, you are our citizens’ benefactor. We are the ones who should be thanking you. Your selfless conduct has simply come back to reward you. Besides...” Philip paused, a steely aura radiating from his gentle features. “The Akerian royalty must strongly protest the Holy Order’s actions concerning this incident. I’m not saying this is the price for our cooperation, but I’m hoping you will assist us in this endeavor.”

“Of course. I’ll do anything I can.” I’d planned to do so from the very beginning. This was all give-and-take, and I had no objections to helping each other wherever we could.

Our conversation then shifted to more concrete details.

“First, we must contact the Holy Order,” Philip started. “Currently, a messenger is on the way to the king with your request. They were dispatched at the same time I left to come here to ascertain your letter’s veracity, so once I return, I will inform the king of the truth.”

“Thank you. When you leave, would you take a letter addressed to the Holy Order with you? Ultimately, we’ll have to discuss things in person, but before that, I believe it best to explain to them what happened.”

“We were planning to explain things once we prepared a venue for these discussions...but it does seem like a letter written by you would be a good idea. Very well. Please hand it to me when you can.”

“Also, seeing as how we’re asking for aid, I think it’s only right we greet the king in person too. That is, of course, if it’s possible. Could you inform him of this too?”

“Yes, I will inform him with all certainty,” Philip agreed, but then his brow suddenly drooped, and his expression turned apologetic. “Normally, if a savior was to visit our country, we would hold a banquet for them at the castle with all haste, but we must report this incident to the king before all else. Please forgive us for the inconvenience.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m not going to force the issue or be a bother,” I said, shaking my head and smiling bitterly. I had no desire whatsoever to be received like a savior to begin with, so Philip’s guilt in this respect was unnecessary. “Besides, I can’t leave the village right now.”

“Forgive us. This would normally be our job, yet here we are imposing on you.”

“It’s fine. This is an irregular situation, and I know you’re short on hands as it is. This is also Shiran’s hometown. I want to protect the elves here.” From the corner of my eyes, I could see Shiran and Kei smiling. “Besides, my servants can stretch their legs out in this village.”

It was relaxing not having to hide. They didn’t have to be unnecessarily tense all the time. Also, Katou’s plan from the other day was going relatively well. For example, the woman who couldn’t help but be wary when we were watching the children was now slowly opening up to Rose. Gerbera was also making toys and such for the kids, so they had started to look up to her pretty quickly. It wouldn’t be much longer before all the other villagers opened up too.

“All the same, the only thing we can do is protect the village,” I said. “We need the country’s support to rebuild it. So how about it?”

“Hmm... Fortunately, the walls are still standing, and taking the neighboring villages into consideration, it would be unwise to abandon the place. If we are to bring in immigrants, then we definitely need some financial backing.”

Philip paused, sinking into thought for a bit before giving me a nod.

“Very well. We should be able to deliver on that front as well. However, the formalities will require some time. I’m sure there are things the village needs right away, so I’ll requisition them from the army’s storehouse at my discretion. It shouldn’t be a problem if we compensate them once the matter is formally settled.”

“Really? That helps a lot.”

It looked like I had some good news to tell the villagers. Philip, Akerian royalty, had promised to provide what aid we needed. All we could do now was leave it to Philip. We just had to prepare for what would come once we opened a dialogue with the Holy Order.

After delving into the details a little more, our talk with Philip came to an end.

“That about sums it up,” Philip said. “We’ll leave the village tomorrow and return to Diospyro.”

“Thank you. Please take it easy for the day and get some rest.”

We decided to have dinner together, so I signaled Lily to get some food ready. We had to take the future into account, and both sides wanted to get to know each other better too.

“Thank you for preparing this for us, Takahiro.”

“Not a problem. I hope it suits your tastes.”

Our dishes contained a lot of meat. Most of it was from monsters like azure hares. For the safety of the village, I’d asked Gerbera to hunt down the monsters in the vicinity, so a large supply of meat was a side benefit.

I’d asked Philip first, just in case, and he’d told me that monster meat wouldn’t be a problem. Even as royalty, he didn’t normally live a life of luxury, and when he was on active duty as a knight, his meals were the same as everyone else’s. He was actually pleased to have so much meat before him that wasn’t jerky.

“Lily made all this, correct?” Philip asked, deeply moved as he had a spoonful of soup. “It’s been nothing but surprises since I arrived. Well, three esteemed saviors visiting Aker at once is already shocking enough.”

Katou had also joined us for dinner. I’d told her to stay hidden while we were still unsure of Philip’s intentions, but now that he was cooperating with us, she’d said that it was only proper to at least show herself.

This was the first time she was having a meal with a man she’d only just met since she’d developed androphobia. She didn’t talk much, and she didn’t have much of an appetite, but she’d made enough progress to be able to attend.

“I heard an unprecedented number of saviors had arrived in our world,” Philip said, looking at Lily, Katou, and me one by one, “but I found it hard to believe the rumors. Seeing it for myself gives the rumors validity. I suppose the others have gone to the imperial capital?”

“I think so. I’ve heard some are headed that way, but I don’t know the details.”

“I see,” Philip said plainly, perhaps noticing that I wasn’t all that interested.

“Oh, but now that you mention it, the commander...um, your sister, was on the way to the capital with a savior.”

“Is that so?”

“His name is Mikihiko. He’s a good guy and trustworthy. So long as he’s with her, she shouldn’t find herself in too serious a predicament.”

Margrave Maclaurin had summoned the commander to the imperial capital to explain the attack on Fort Tilia and to take responsibility for it. This information was being kept from Aker’s citizens, but as she was a princess, the royal family knew. Because of that, I’d told Philip everything that had happened from the attack up until her arrest in Serrata.

I’d thought Philip would know something about what had transpired since then, but unfortunately, any further news had yet to reach him. There wasn’t much we could do about that. Methods of transferring information across long distances were limited in this world. For example, it was normal for merchants to spend a month traveling from Serrata to Aker.

It would be different if they had those long-distance communication devices that were available at Fort Tilia and Fort Ebenus, but Aker had no such facilities. And since the commander was moving toward the imperial capital, it would take even longer for any information to reach us.

It had been four months since we parted ways with Mikihiko. It was supposed to take two to reach the imperial capital from Serrata, so he was probably already there. It wouldn’t be surprising if all their talks and investigations regarding any responsibility were over by now. It was even possible that they were already on their way back here.

“I see. A savior is with her, then,” Philip said, looking relieved. He then flashed a small smile at me. “By the way, Takahiro, are Mikihiko and my sister...?”

“Oh, no. They’re not in a special relationship. As far as I know, anyway.”

The commander had shown no signs of being interested, although Mikihiko was another matter. That was only according to what I’d seen, however. I didn’t know what the truth was.

“I see...” Philip said dejectedly. “My little sister has always had a strong spirit. She even went as far as departing for Fort Tilia, claiming she would fulfill her duty as royalty. Even understanding that she could die at any moment, she has yet to marry despite being of age. I would personally prefer she consider her happiness as a woman with equal measure.” He paused, letting out another sigh. “If she could just meet someone, I’d be able to relax a little...”

I personally found the commander to be an amazing person, but it seemed a sibling’s perspective was different. This was good news for Mikihiko, who was head over heels for her. At this rate, he’d be able to make an ally of his sweetheart’s older brother.

“In any case, I’m relieved to hear that a savior is accompanying her,” Philip continued. “I suppose this is a boon of so many saviors arriving at once. It’s something to be grateful for.” He smiled, but then suddenly pursed his lips. “Nonetheless, please do be careful. There have been strange rumors on the wind lately.”

“What rumors?”

“They say a fake savior has appeared far to the east.”

“A fake savior?” I repeated, wide-eyed.

“So you aren’t aware. Maybe because so many saviors appeared at once, the rumor is that a scoundrel has been going around claiming to be a savior too.” Angered by the thought, Philip’s tone grew a little sharper. “You passed through Lorenz County and over the Kitrus Mountains to get into Aker, correct? The fake savior is said to be farther to the east of Lorenz County, beyond the borders of Viscum, in the small eastern territories of the Empire.”

“Huh...?” Katou blurted. She’d been quieter than usual during dinner, so that only attracted my attention all the more.

“What’s wrong, Katou?” I asked.

“It’s nothing serious, but...” Katou started, shrinking back slightly. “East of Viscum is pretty far away, isn’t it? I just think it’s weird that the rumors made it all the way here. Philip, can I ask when you heard these rumors?”

“Hm? Let me think... I believe it was just over a month ago,” Philip answered.

“Oh, okay. Thank you.” Katou sank into thought for a moment, curving her finger and pressing it against her chin. “I thought it might be related to the Holy Order, but...”

“To Travis?” I asked stiffly, unable to remain calm at the mention of the Holy Order. “But why would they?”

“Oh. No. I didn’t think it through that far. I drew an association since they would know of affairs beyond Aker’s borders...” Katou paused, then waved her hands. “Sorry, that was careless of me. A month is a fair amount of time before the Holy Order’s attack, so I doubt it’s related.”

She’d apparently thought of it like some kind of word-association game. It was unlike her to lack discretion like this, and she seemed to think so as well.

“I’m a little absentminded,” she said, getting up from her seat. “Sorry, but please excuse me.”

“Want me to take you to your room?” I asked.

“I’ll be fine. It’s right there at the top of the stairs,” Katou replied with a smile.

With that, she left the room. Had I pushed her a little too hard by having her join us for dinner? Even if she’d suggested it herself, maybe it had been a mistake to let her dine with a man she didn’t know. I decided I would go check on her right after this.

“She has a point,” I said, getting back on topic. “I’m surprised rumors of a fake savior have gotten this far. Is it really only about a fake showing up?”

“If that was all, then perhaps the rumors wouldn’t have reached us,” Philip answered.

“Meaning?” I asked, cocking my head.

“They say the villages where the fake savior appeared have suffered great damage. I don’t know the details, but rumors suggest that they were attacked by monsters.”

“By monsters? How does that even follow?”

“I don’t know, but some scoundrel is doing the unthinkable and claiming to be a savior. In all likelihood, the miscreant fooled the villagers and took their money. We believe that they then instigated monsters into attacking the villages to erase any evidence.”

“No matter how you put it, that’s a little...”

I was dumbfounded. Such behavior was unbelievable.

“There are, of course, very few people who would consider doing such a thing,” Philip continued. “All it does is destroy the roof over their own head, and they risk being killed before luring any monsters in. However, there are records of such methods being used in the war between the Empire and the Alliance. There are many documents in Aker that detail House Maclaurin’s invasion of our lands.”

Philip spoke calmly, but his tone was slightly thorny. I’d heard of the great historical rift between the Alliance and House Maclaurin, and it was plainly evident in Philip’s behavior. At any rate, a different possibility came to mind.

“Kudou Riku...”

I muttered the name of the other monster tamer as I recalled his face. It would be easy for him to manipulate monsters into annihilating a village. He hated humanity’s very existence, so it was hard to deny the possibility. But even if it was him, revealing himself as a “savior” before the villagers was a little weird.

At any rate, it was best I kept this news of a fake savior in mind.

“Forgive my discourtesy,” Philip said, “but when I received your letter, this was the first thing that came to mind. I thought, ‘So a fake savior has appeared in our home as well.’”

“That makes sense. I’d suspect the same if I were in your position.”

All that considered, this meeting would have been a little more dangerous had Philip not been such a composed person. I had good luck.

“In your case, Takahiro, I believe you’ll be fine in this village and the neighboring ones, but if you ever leave on your own, please refrain from casually mentioning your circumstances. Things may get unpleasant. If you have business in Diospyro, then you need but send word and I will dispatch someone to get you.”

“Thank you very much.”

I had no intention of announcing myself as a savior to anyone, and I had no plans to go to Diospyro in the near future, but I gratefully accepted his consideration.

The next day, Philip left the village according to schedule. It was terrific fortune to have someone like him working with us. All that was left was to see if this luck would bring about the results we hoped for. Until things began moving in earnest, we did everything we could to prepare ourselves.