Mushoku Tensei Redundancy (LN) - Volume 1 - Chapter 5.1

Chapter 1:

Isolde Looks for a Husband

LONG, LONG AGO, back before Water God Style existed, there was a country terrorized by the Sea Dragon King. They had fished in the Sea Dragon King’s waters and incurred its displeasure. Almost every day, fishing boats were ravaged, and Sea Dragons began to appear in the ports. Though the knights of that land tried to stand against it, the Sea Dragons were vast and glided through the water. They were strong, and rapidly wore down the kingdom’s forces. Doom was nigh.

The matter weighed heavily on the king. He declared that he would give his daughter and his throne to anyone who slayed the Sea Dragon King. In response, many knights, champions, and heroes challenged the Sea Dragon King, yet all were defeated.

One day, a man appeared. A battered old sword hung at his hip, and his garb was ragged. Recent tales paint him as breathtakingly handsome, but in the truest retellings, he was no sight to behold—he looked like a vagabond, his face smeared with grime.

He went by the name Reidar. He presented himself to the king and asked if he might slay the Sea Dragon King. Naturally, the king said yes, though he had half lost hope and didn’t have faith in this stranger.

But Reidar was strong. He froze the surface of the ocean to peer underneath into its depths, spying on the movement of the Sea Dragons. Then, quick as a blink, he closed on the Sea Dragon King. The Sea Dragon King smashed through the ice, writhing as it lashed out at Reidar. With his battered old sword, this brave soul turned aside its deadly attack, then struck back with a blow that lobbed the head right off the beast. 

With the Sea Dragon King’s head in hand, Reidar returned to the kingdom where a hero’s welcome should have awaited him. Though the king lavished upon him enough gold and jewels that he need never work another day, that was all he received, for at the last minute, the king decided to withhold the hand of his daughter and his throne.

Reidar was not angry, but a great sadness came over him, for he was in love with the princess. As he watched her from afar at parades and ceremonies, she had won his heart. Though he knew he could have taken the throne by force if he so desired, Reidar decided that if he could not marry his beloved, he would leave this country.

Yet there was one who became angry in his place: the princess. She railed against the king, punching and kicking at him before storming out of the castle. She went after Reidar, catching up to him as he made to leave the country and throwing herself at his feet.

“I have given up my country. I am no longer a princess. I have no name. In making me yours, you will not gain a kingdom, nor will you become king. If that is acceptable to you, I beg of you—make me your wife.”

With a smile, Reidar took the princess in his arms. Together, they left the kingdom. The pair were married, and they disappeared.

Years later, in some far corner of the world, the Water God Style was born. Or so it is said.

This episode was the basis for the law that states, “The Water God’s companion shall forsake their name.”

***

Isolde Cluel was the head of the Water God Style in Asura, as well as one of the sword instructors for the kingdom’s knight order. At present, she was a Water Emperor, but she had only just learned the third of the Water God Style’s five secret techniques. In a few months, there would be a ceremony in which she would take the name that declared her Water God.

Her age was unclear, but she looked to be in her twenties. She had aristocratic features and lovely hair so dark it was almost blue. Her beauty was plain to see, but some whispered that she used makeup to look younger. In the whole of Asura, the only person who knew her age was Queen Ariel.

Isolde was actively searching for a husband. When she became Water God, it would mean an end to many, many moons of strict training. From here on, she would continue to hone her skills, but it was a milestone, so she felt it was about time she thought about marriage.

Unfortunately, her search was not going smoothly. It wasn’t that she lacked potential partners, of course. The Water-God-to-be was in demand, especially by Water God Style swordsmen. There was no shortage of men who were entranced by her beauty and impressed by her dedication to her training. 

Yet they were swordsmen—they lived by the blade. Few were broad-minded enough to marry a woman who was stronger than they were. Isolde, for her part, would have preferred a man who was her equal, or at least someone with King-tier abilities. An Asuran nobleman would do, and women of the Water God Style were popular in Asura. Swordswomen of the defensive Water God Style, unlike their Sword God counterparts, were not overly ­assertive; they were soft-spoken and feminine. They could be confrontational at times, and they knew their own minds. 

In Isolde’s case, she knew how to conduct herself at court. She was young, pretty, good-natured, and would respect her husband. On top of that, she was a skilled swordswoman. There were many Asuran noblemen who’d have liked to make her their wife. They’d have her wait on them during the day and warm their beds at night. Needless to say, Isolde was not interested in a husband with only prurient interests.

But every now and then, she would meet someone and think, He might do.

He had good looks, a good nature, and a good pedigree, and he wasn’t a bad swordsman. This charmer kept his perversions well-hidden and came up to her flashing a mouthful of pearly white teeth.

It was the prince. Isolde fell for him hard. She fell for him, even as the people around her told her, “Not him. That one’s a scumbag when he can get away with it.” The fact was, the prince was good-looking and friendly, and Isolde couldn’t resist a pretty face. He might do, she thought. But when Isolde gave the prince a caveat, he retracted his offer of marriage without a second thought.

“One day, I will be Water God and take the name Water God Reida Reia. If you marry me, you must forsake your name and family. The Water God’s companion may not have a family name.”

This was the custom of the Water God. There was no penalty for failing to respect it, nor any benefit in ­doing so. It was simply the tradition of the Water Gods, including the former Water God Reida, who was Isolde’s grandmother. Isolde’s father had no family name, either. Cluel was her mother’s name. As such, Isolde, who revered her grandmother, intended to respect the custom as well. But alas, the prince who had so royally reeled her in her was a noble. He had been born a noble and lived as one. His life was built on his family’s rank. No one wanted to marry Isolde enough to forsake their name and family, no matter how much they liked her.

Isolde was worried. Several years had passed since she started looking for a husband. She’d had a few prospects, but always stumbled at the final hurdle. At this rate, she wouldn’t find a husband before she took the Water God’s name.

Yet Isolde had confidence in herself. She was well groomed, a great cook, and could put on makeup like an artist. She never skipped a day of hair and skincare. She liked to think she was an excellent speaker. Her Water God Style training had included the art of conversation—where you coaxed the other party into speaking first. She really was doing her best.

Despite all her efforts, however, she still couldn’t find a husband. Eris had, even Nina had, but she somehow just couldn’t do it. They’d both had childhood friends, and they didn’t have any restrictive traditions to follow. Isolde had thought she was charming enough to make up for that. Her standards had been high, but she believed that at some point, she would find her perfect match. She had always been able to do anything she set her mind to.

“What number was he?”

After a very long pause, Isolde muttered, “Twenty-one.”

She had been dumped twenty-one times. If you included the ones she’d broken up with, that number was even higher.

“I see.”

Isolde was in her living room at home, sitting across from her older brother. The house was adjoined to the training hall. Isolde’s brother, Tantris Cluel, was an Advanced-tier Water God Style swordsman. He was the eldest son of the Cluel family, but compared to his little sister, he was only a minor talent. Despite his grueling efforts, he didn’t have what it took to get any higher than the advanced tier. He was an honest man, however. He had even rejected his grandmother Reida when she offered, “How about I make you a Water Saint, eh?” by saying, “I have no need for a title I do not deserve.”

When Reida was still alive, she had entrusted him with the management of the training hall—and with Isolde’s future.

“Perhaps your standards are too high?”

“I don’t think so.”

“You’re talented and important. You are in a position to choose a suitable match, but if you’re too picky, you’ll run out of options.”

“I know that.” Her older brother was a humbling presence in her life. They had lost both their parents while they were still young. Happily, they had their grandmother, the Water God, so they weren’t destitute, but their grandmother had been too busy to closely watch children. It was Tantris who had filled the role of Isolde’s parent back then, supporting and raising her. 

In the training hall, ability was everything. By the time she was ten, Isolde had already outstripped her brother. Even so, she deferred to shared history.

“You don’t need to consider the honor of the Cluel family. A harsh destiny will surely await you as Water God. Forget about looks or titles—find a confidant.”

Isolde was silent. Tantris was already married and a father. Isolde had met his family, of course, but she did not have a particularly favorable opinion of his wife. She was the daughter of an Asuran noble family. The ­marriage had been orchestrated solely to foster ties with Water God Reida. She obviously looked down on Tantris, and she had a low opinion of sword fighters. In fact, she hadn’t visited the training hall even once. Though they had had a child together, she and Tantris were practically separated. It was because Isolde didn’t want to end up in that sort of marriage that she was being cautious in her choice of husband. 

Of course, she was not so careful as to not be bowled over by a pretty face. All the same, she had set a standard that they had to be at least an Intermediate-tier sword fighter. She didn’t think she was hung up on titles. Her opportunities to guard Ariel had increased since she became a sword instructor, and as a result, the people she talked to all had titles as well. She would have been fine with a poor noble, a commoner, or even an adventurer if it came to that. They just had to have something to make up for it.

“I don’t mean to be picky,” she said at last.

“Then why not leave the choice to me?”

“No, I’ll at least find my own husband myself.” 

Isolde would not budge. It didn’t help that Tantris only introduced her to ugly men. While she insisted she wasn’t being picky, she wouldn’t compromise on that point. Marriage with them was all but impossible.

“I see…” Tantris wouldn’t openly criticize her. This would not be the first time that the Water God went without a partner. The continuation of the Cluel bloodline was being taken care of by him. He did wish to see his little sister happy, and as she wanted a husband, he wanted to support her. That being said, if she didn’t desire his help, then Tantris wasn’t going to force it. He might not have talent, but he still knew the way of the Water God Style.

“By the way, Isolde, weren’t you summoned by Her Majesty today?”

“Yes,” Isolde replied after a pause.

“You’re not going to be late, are you?”

“I have time.”

“It would be terrible for you to keep Her Majesty waiting. Let’s leave things here for today.”

“Very well. I’ll be back later, Brother.” Isolde bowed, then returned to her room. She would make herself presentable before setting off for the palace. 

When she was gone, Tantris let out a sigh. A marriage before she takes the Water God’s name is looking impossible, he thought as he made his way to the training hall to instruct his students.

Isolde walked through the Silver Palace of Asura. Her silver breastplate, upon which was emblazoned a crest of a shield-bearing battle maiden, clinked with each step. Her blue and white cloak billowed behind her, and her boots clicked as she strode along. The soldiers on patrol who saw her pass stood to attention, planting their spears on the ground. Their eyes were full of longing. Everyone in the palace knew the name of Water Emperor Isolde, and her noble figure was the object of many a soldier’s admiration. Few would dream her thoughts were occupied with things like I don’t want to be a spinster and I wonder if there are any good guys around…

“Why, if it isn’t Miss Isolde. Where are you off to?” A man stood before her, blocking her path. Weedy and short with thinning hair, he made for a pathetic figure. He was perhaps in his early forties, a human, and had the look of someone Rudeus might have called the ­office deadweight. He didn’t look anything like a warrior or a swordsman, but he wore a silver breastplate very like Isolde’s own, though it bore a different design. His depicted a praying maiden in a mural crown. 

“Lord Ifrit. I hope I find you well?”

“Yes, quite well. We are the same rank, so you needn’t kneel…”

Sylvester Ifrit was one of the Seven Knights of Asura, known as the Royal Fortress. With a name so ill-befitting his face, he held the highest authority in the guards of the Silver Palace. Isolde was a mere knight. This made her a noble, albeit a lowly one. Sylvester stood at the top of all the knights and soldiers in the palace and was a mid-ranking noble to boot. By custom, Isolde ought to have moved to one side of the corridor, knelt, and stayed that way with her head bowed until he had gone by.

“My lord…”

“We are both Her Majesty’s knights,” he said, his voice suddenly sharp. Isolde snapped upright.

“Very good,” Sylvester said. “It is not the nation we serve, but Her Majesty. The queen is the only one you ought to kneel to.” His aura was so formidable that Isolde only nodded.

Sylvester was a small man. He was prone to illness, and he wasn’t robust. He wasn’t much of a swordsman, nor was he especially good at magic. Yet he had graduated second in his class from the Royal Knights’ Academy. He was a master of finding talent and training it up. This was a man who truly understood the importance of putting the right people in the right jobs, and it was because of this single talent that Ariel summoned him back to the capital from the backwater corner of the kingdom and made him her knight.

“Where are you off to anyway, Miss Isolde?”

“Her Majesty summoned me.”

“Her Majesty, you say? Well, then, I won’t hold you up.”

“Don’t you need something from me?”

“Oh, it’s nothing all that important. My boy said he wanted me to introduce him to you, so if you’ll forgive me for indulging my foolish son, I merely wished to ask if you’d meet him, should you have time to spare.”

Isolde would have liked to bite. She was intrigued by the talk of a foolish son, but her liege had summoned her.

“Thank you for telling me. Let us speak more about it when you have time,” she said with composure, then hurried on her way.

As she made her way deeper into the palace, she passed fewer and fewer people. There were fewer soldiers in plain armor and more knights in expensive armor. These knights were only low-ranking nobles, but they too had sworn their loyalty to Ariel. There was next to no chance they would betray her. In the innermost palace, there were fewer people still. Here there were neither soldiers nor knights, only empty corridors. Occasionally, she passed an unusually sharp-eyed maid—in truth, bodyguards—but no one else. These were Ariel’s people, loyal to the bone. Then there were the Royal Chambers, where Ariel resided. 

In front of the extravagant door stood a giant of a man clad in golden armor and holding an enormous battle axe. Here was the mightiest gatekeeper in Asura. The chances of him betraying Ariel were non-existent. As well as being in the Golden Knights, he was one of the Seven Knights of Asura: Dohga, the Royal Gatekeeper. He wore a golden helmet in the shape of an upside-down bucket, which bore the design of a battle maiden standing in front of a gate. 

“I am Isolde Cluel, here to see Her Majesty.”

“Mm.” When she said her name, Dohga slowly stirred to life. His movements appeared sluggish, but Isolde knew his guard never dropped for a moment. In a crisis, he could swing that battle axe with terrifying speed, and she suspected that if he fought in earnest, she would be unable to get past him.

“Hm?” Dohga had held a hand out to her. Isolde stared at it, her eyebrows twitching. He had a homely face—not coarse, but not to Isolde’s taste. She was a little repulsed at the idea of allowing him to touch her.

“A body search? Go ahead.”

These were the queen’s rooms. It was to be expected—no one could be permitted to bring a weapon into the monarch’s private chambers, knight or not.

Dohga was known for his caution. Even one of the kingdom’s ministers would not be permitted to bring in so much as a little wooden spoon after Dohga’s careful inspection. Isolde wondered if he would touch her breasts but decided to endure it.

“Mm.” 

Dohga did not touch Isolde. His hand reached out toward…her hair. And in that hand, he held something.

Isolde looked questioningly at it. Between his fingers, he held a single petal.

“Was stuck.”

“Huh?”

“Isolde…you’re pretty. Can’t leave…thing like this on you.” Behind his helmet, Dohga smiled warmly. Isolde stared blankly at him, letting the tension in her body drain away.

“Oh, my weapon.” Suddenly remembering, she took her sword from its belt and held it out to Dohga. Dohga did not take it.

“Isolde…you are Queen Ariel’s knight. Need weapon. To protect her.”

Isolde was silent. He hadn’t done a body search, nor had he taken her weapon. As Ariel’s knight, she had won this man’s trust—this man who numbered among the most able individuals in Asura. When she realized this, her heart began to beat a little faster.

But no way, not with that face… She gave her head a shake, then took a deep breath.

“Isolde Cluel requesting leave to enter.”

“Please, come in.”

Isolde waited until she heard Ariel’s reply, then went into the room.

***

The Seven Knights of Asura were led by Luke Notos Greyrat, the Royal Dagger, who had sworn absolute loyalty to Ariel. The Seven Knights held a special position among the knights and were allowed a degree of independence. Isolde was one of them. She was the Royal Shield—a fitting title for a Water God Style swordswoman who would protect the queen. Isolde, Sylvester, and Dohga were the Three Knights of the Left, who were responsible for guarding Ariel. The Seven Knights of Asura had sworn absolute loyalty to Ariel—at least, in theory. Isolde didn’t know how they were selected. They were supposed to be loyal to Ariel, but most of them had come from elsewhere and had no ties to the kingdom. It was likely that each had something that guaranteed they would never betray Ariel.

But not Isolde. She knew in her heart she could turn traitor. She knew it because during Ariel’s battle to seize the throne, her grandmother, the last Water God, was slain in battle by Ariel’s ally, Dragon God Orsted. 

Isolde was a swordswoman; she understood this was a reality of war. In death, her grandmother had passed the role of Water God on to her. If she turned on Ariel, Water God Style might be driven from the Asura Kingdom, so she had never thought of betraying Ariel. It was simply a practical consideration. 

Despite this, nobody who knew her history could ever fully trust her. No one could see inside her heart. She might have been nurturing a grudge over the death of her grandmother in secret, biding her time until she could make an attempt on Ariel’s life. Or she might target the killer, Dragon God Orsted. Many aristocrats and knights had been murdered when Ariel took the throne and still harbored resentment over it. They swore their loyalty to Ariel with blithe expressions and bided their time.

Isolde could easily have been seen to hold such intentions, given her position. She had taken the knights’ oath and sworn loyalty to Ariel. She hadn’t been charmed by Ariel nor was she a patriot—she had done it to defend her position and her pride as a Water God Style practitioner. At present, Ariel’s trust in her protected her, but if that changed, Isolde wouldn’t stay loyal under any conditions whatsoever. This wasn’t a plan, just an understanding of what she was capable of. And yet she had been selected as one of the Seven Knights. It was an odd choice. There had to be a reason for it.

“Isolde. Would you be open to me arranging a few meetings with potential marriage partners?”

When Ariel made this suggestion to her in the royal chambers, Isolde was extremely wary.

“Why involve yourself, Your Majesty?”

“Because you are going to be Water God. It will benefit me as well if you were to settle down with someone. The candidates I have in mind are all related to me by blood, and while many of them have some slightly difficult proclivities… Well, one of them may be to your liking.”

“Related to Your Majesty… You mean royalty?!”

“Yes, that is how that works.”

Potential marriage partners who were royalty. Isolde couldn’t help it; her heart began pounding. She was such an easy mark.

“But when I become Water God, they’ll have to forsake their family name. Won’t that be unfavorable for someone from the royal family?”

“Even without their name, the blood tie will remain. There is no requirement that they cut all ties with their family, is there?”

“Well, no.”

“Then you need not worry. They understand. I have promised them that even if they marry you, the royal family will continue our unwavering support. You need only meet them and choose the one you like best.”

This had to be a scheme to win her over, Isolde thought. The terms were too good. Even if they were from some minor branch, royalty related to Ariel by blood were genuine princes. Their chances of becoming king might be microscopic, but still. Also, everyone in Ariel’s family was good-looking and sophisticated.

“Well? I think it’s an appealing proposition.”

“It is!” Isolde replied with enthusiasm. She had no reason to refuse. If she had been a worldly Asuran noble, she might have considered what Ariel left unsaid and refused. Alas, Isolde was only a swordswoman—and a maiden looking for a husband to boot. She didn’t read much into it.

“Very good. Please let Luke or Sylvester know when you are free. I will take care of the rest.”

“Yes, ma’am. Thank you, ma’am.”

“Yes, yes. You may go now.”

Isolde left Ariel’s chambers as though in a dream. Marriage meetings with royalty… Maybe it was her imagination, but she barely felt the floor beneath her. Her heart pounded. She would go to Sylvester immediately and tell him her days off. As she was thinking, she realized her throat was parched. Maybe she had been a little nervous over being summoned unexpectedly.

“I’m thirsty.”

“Mm.”

Just as she murmured to herself, someone called out from behind her. Isolde dropped into a lower stance, spun around, and came face-to-face with Dohga. He was holding a tiny cup entirely out of proportion with his massive body.

“Here. It’s cold.”

Isolde took it slowly. “Thank you.” For a moment, she wondered if it was poisoned, but then she tipped the contents into her mouth and gulped it down. Feeling the water permeating deep inside her, Isolde realized she was more nervous and much more tired than she’d thought.

“Whew,” she breathed.

“Isolde…good work.” He smiled. Even through the slit in his helmet, she could tell he had no hint of an ulterior motive.

He was attentive. The thought came naturally to her: this was a man whom she’d let watch her back. Too bad his face wasn’t to her taste.

“Same to you, Dohga,” she said. “Keep up the good work with your guard duties.”

“Mm!”

Well, it was what it was. Imagining the days of meeting with prospective marriage partners who awaited her with sharp-toothed grins, Isolde went on her way.