Sasaki and Peeps - Volume 5 - Chapter 6

<The Royal Succession>

Prince Lewis hadn’t betrayed Herz.

We finally understood that just as he finished his transformation into a gruesome lump of flesh. As the Herzian and Imperial soldiers stared each other down at the gates of Erbrechen, Adonis embraced his elder brother, who would never speak again.

The soldiers around them, having witnessed the terrible sight, were very quiet. The only sounds were the one brother’s cries lamenting the fate of the other.

But Prince Adonis couldn’t afford to indulge in such feelings for long.

“The enemy leader has fallen! All troops, take back our town!”

A voice rang out, drowning out Prince Adonis’s sobs. I’d heard that voice before, and I quickly scanned around for its origin. Soon, someone we knew appeared from the Ohgen Empire ranks, riding on a horse.

It was Margrave Bertrand.

“Soldiers of our glorious Empire!” he shouted. “Scatter these detestable troops from the Kingdom of Herz!”

The timing was far too good for this to be a coincidence. After all, the man had on a suit of plate armor; he was fully prepared. If he hadn’t anticipated this situation, it wouldn’t have been possible for him to ride out like this. He couldn’t have been co-leading the troops, either, given his relationship with General Troy.

At the same time, I had misgivings regarding the aide who hadn’t gone to her general’s side. A clash between their soldiers and those of Herz seemed inevitable, and yet the backbone of their combat power hadn’t appeared. Why not? What could be a higher priority for her than striking down Prince Lewis for betraying the Ohgen Empire?

There was only one thing I could think of.

“Peeps, let’s get Prince Adonis and go back to the garrison.”

“Mm. Understood.”

As we made our decision, the Imperial soldiers began to move. The Herzian troops responded in kind, though still disturbed by Prince Lewis’s transformation. A few who appeared to be knights surrounded Adonis in a protective ring, practically forcing him to withdraw to the rear. The sounds of clashing swords and spells bursting began to blanket the area.

Taking advantage of the chaos, we descended from the rooftop, then hurried over to the prince on foot.

“Prince Adonis, we’ve come to collect you,” I told him.

“…Baron Sasaki?”

“It’s dangerous here. Come with me to the rear.”

In order to keep the Starsage’s presence a secret, we couldn’t use teleportation magic. What’s more, everyone with the prince was a knight in full armor. Though they might be Prince Lewis’s men, I would still need clear permission from the prince himself to take him away with me.

“Please, my brother! Help my brother!”

“I’m sorry, sir. But I can’t.”

“Not even you? Neither of you?”

His gaze went to my shoulder. The Java sparrow didn’t comment. He kept his mouth shut and watched the prince.

“I’m so sorry, sir, but no. I’ve asked.”

“Ah…”

His final, fleeting hope now dashed, Prince Adonis hung his head. Red liquid dripped from his tightly squeezed fists.

The brothers’ parting had unfolded in the worst way imaginable. I didn’t have any relatives I kept in touch with, so I couldn’t begin to guess what was going through his mind right now. But if Peeps had fallen victim to something like that, I’d probably hole up in my room for the next few years, wrapped in a blanket.

“I’m so sorry for your loss, sir.”

“…I understand the situation.”

However, Prince Adonis proved even wiser than I’d imagined.

He only stared at his feet for a moment before he brought his face back up. His expression was sharp and determined. I couldn’t see any signs of his previous tears. “We cannot afford to waste the chance my brother has won for us in exchange for his life,” he said in a loud voice.

It seemed he had taken his brother’s words to heart. His eyes were uncharacteristically fiery for someone so genial—they burned with an even greater sense of purpose than when he’d gone to save the village under attack from orcs.

“We will now retreat to the Geschwür garrison. Baron Sasaki, assist me.”

“Yes, sir. I will lead the way.”

The knights surrounding us all asked where we were headed. After commanding them to secure Prince Lewis’s fleshy form and retreat from Erbrechen, Adonis left with us. We avoided people and distanced ourselves from the fighting.

Personally, I was concerned about the soldiers we were leaving here. But if what Prince Lewis had said was true, it wasn’t clear how many of them were loyal to us. I didn’t want to help them retreat through the fighting and risk having one of them slit my neck.

And above all, we didn’t have the luxury to waste time. At this rate, the king of Herz himself was in danger.

We used flight magic to shake off the knights pursuing us, then dived into a back alley. After confirming that nobody was watching, Peeps used his teleportation magic. In a single breath, we’d escaped the chaotic town of Erbrechen and moved to the garrison.

When we got there, we saw the soldiers under Count Müller’s command. While we’d been trying to figure out what Prince Lewis was up to in town, they’d safely made it back. As soon as we reached the garrison’s entrance, the count, who had learned of our return, ran out to us.

He took us to a reception room, where we reported what had happened in town.

“I… I can’t believe it…”

We told him everything we’d seen and heard. Prince Adonis did most of the talking. He spoke with firm composure; anyone could see the sense of duty shining in his eyes. Prince Lewis’s final words must have truly moved him.

“And with that, Count, we will now be heading for the capital.”

“Understood, sir. I will prepare the soldiers at once.”

“Mm. I apologize for rushing you, but please do it as fast as you can.”

Prince Adonis and Count Müller proceeded to discuss their plans from here on out.

Then, once that exchange was over, the Java sparrow perched on the low table between our seats spoke up. “Adonis, do you have a moment?”

“What is it, Lord Starsage?”

“This is only speculation, but I am fairly certain the one we were fearful of is already at the royal palace.”

“…What do you mean?”

It seemed Peeps had come to the same conclusion as me.

In that case, I decided to help explain. “General Troy had an elfin aide with him. She’s the one we were afraid of—a magician and one of the great war criminals. Naturally, sir, Prince Lewis would have been unable to kill the general by himself, had she been present.”

“I believe Margrave Bertrand predicted Lewis’s betrayal. The elder prince’s aid was crucial in the Empire’s political moves against the kingdom. Now that they have lost him—and considering she did not appear in the moment—she can only be in one other place.”

“Wait, then my father, and all the others, they’re…”

It was as Prince Adonis imagined.

If we were to take Lewis’s claims at face value and assume there were enemies among the Herzian nobles, the quickest play for the Empire would be to use them to gain control over the current king. Naturally, unlike their plan to use the succession contest, this would necessitate some internal strife.

But if the elf wished to take down the kingdom of Herz definitively, this was now her only option.

As for Margrave Bertrand, this was the perfect chance to raise his status in the eyes of the central Empire. He hadn’t just eliminated an enemy in General Troy—if the Kingdom of Herz quickly fell, the plan for his brother to replace him as margrave would likely be pushed onto the backburner.

“That’s correct, sir,” I said. “So please, let us go first to scout out the palace.”

“You are now the only heir to the throne,” added Peeps. “We cannot afford to place your life in danger. Whatever our next move, the two of us should head out first to verify the situation at the palace.”

“…All right. But please—I’d like to follow you there as soon as possible.”

“Very well. After dealing with the great war criminal, we will return at once.”

Now that we had Prince Adonis’s approval, our next task had been decided. Without a moment’s delay, we went straight to Allestos, capital of the Kingdom of Herz.

Using Peeps’s teleportation magic, we warped from the garrison to the royal castle. According to him, we were now in its courtyard. Indeed, I could see several well-maintained flower beds and trees between the covered outdoor passages spreading out in all directions around us. In the center sat a nice-looking fountain, with a pavilion-like structure right next to it.

The two of us moved through the trees near the courtyard’s edge, staying hidden. After ensuring nobody was around, I walked over to the fountain.

“Peeps, I have a suggestion.”

“What is it?”

“The castle is pretty big. Should we split up to search?”

“You’re not being serious, are you? If you’re worried about me, there’s no need.”

“If the prince’s family is in danger, that means the people who were good to you in your past life are in danger, too, right? I don’t really know who we’re up against, but I think we can still make it in time if we start now.”

I suddenly got a mental image of the Starsage’s portrait hanging in a prominent spot in the hallway to the audience chamber. This treatment was a display of the king’s feelings toward Peeps, and by extension, Peeps’s feelings toward the royal family.

He’d told me he simply wanted to live for his own enjoyment now, but he’d still been doing so much for the kingdom. I had a strong desire to help him—as his friend.

“…Thank you. I owe you so much.”

“Hey, we have to look out for each other.”

“But you must promise me not to act recklessly.”

“Don’t worry. I intend to live a lot longer yet.”

“I learned on the internet that such a phrase is called a death flag.”

“Huh. Are you the type who believes in stuff like that?”

“I’ve decided to believe only in what’s convenient for me.”

“What a coincidence. Me too.”

We still had the advantage against the elf after our last fight. If I used the beam magic Peeps had taught me, I was fairly sure I’d be able to buy myself some time. As long as the Starsage reached my side before I gave out, I trusted everything would be fine.

“I will search the eastern wing. You handle the west. Should you encounter the great war criminal, you must use your magic—even if you have to raze the entire castle to do so. In fact, make a show of it.”

“Gotcha, Peeps.”

“But once again, don’t be reckless.”

“Safety first. That goes for you, too.”

“Indeed.”

With that, Peeps and I split up.

Taking one of the outdoor passages from the courtyard, I headed into the castle, using flight magic to hover over the ground. It felt like I was riding a motorcycle. I was going pretty fast, too, so I had to be careful not to hit any walls.

Eventually, I saw someone in my path, walking down the hallway toward me. From his clothes, he appeared to be a noble, probably around my age. He was dressed better than a commoner, but his garb was modest for an aristocrat. I figured he didn’t hold a very high position. My plan was to have a quick chat with him and ask about the status of the castle.

But as soon as the man saw me, he unleashed an attack spell. A giant icicle zoomed toward me.

“Ack…” Manipulating my flight spell, I dodged it. The icicle stabbed into the wall behind me with a thud.

“Olive skin, black hair,” said the man. “You must be Baron Sasaki.”

“If I say yes, will you tell me why you’re attacking me?”

“Oh, that’s simple. We need you dead.”

Our assumption had been right on the mark. Apparently, word of Prince Lewis’s betrayal of the Empire had already spread throughout the castle. Considering this world didn’t have any telegraphic communications, and factoring in the distance, the elf had to be here somewhere.

So I gave up on talking. Instead, I soared over the man’s head and continued down the hallway. He must have been one of the enemies Prince Lewis had told us about—the ones deeply rooted in the kingdom.

That process repeated a couple more times, and each person I met tried to chase me. Fortunately, they all seemed to be nobles involved in politics. I easily warded them off with the magic I’d learned from Peeps.

Fleeing from these hostile aristocrats, I wandered through the castle for a little while. Eventually, I came to a large set of double doors. It hadn’t been my conscious aim, but fate had brought me right to the audience chamber.

I couldn’t hear anyone behind me. My suspicions growing, I set foot inside. This would make for the perfect stage, wouldn’t it?

And there she was, again. As beautiful as ever.

“Ohhh?” she said. “And who might you be?”

Maisie, aide to General Troy and one of the great war criminals, was in the middle of an audience.

On the throne sat the current king of Herz. The elf stood next to him, waiting. Just like the first time I’d met her at the inn, she was using transformation magic to make herself into an adult woman. Unlike her true, juvenile appearance, this form was bursting with feminine charm and appeal.

I couldn’t see anyone else in the room.

“Your Majesty,” I said. “Excuse my rudeness, but who might this beautiful woman be?”

“……”

I quickly greeted the king hoping to get a read on the situation. Unfortunately, he didn’t reply. Saliva dripped from his mouth. Looking at him, I realized how much danger we were in.

And noticing that I was steadily falling into the same trap, I chanted a spell. I felt like, at any moment, I might run over and bow deeply before her. She was just that beautiful. But I had to get word back to Peeps like I’d promised.

So I fired my laser beam spell out the window, making it as thick as possible, and aiming it high. That way, it wouldn’t hit anyone. It was like a signal flare. For a few seconds, the air in the audience chamber buzzed with energy.

This was the most conspicuous spell I had, and few others could even use it. If I wanted a meaningful way to distract the elf’s attention, I really had no other choice.

Her expression changed then. “I feel like I’ve seen that spell somewhere before,” she mused.

“Have you?” I replied. “I heard it was fairly commonplace.”

“An ancient dragonkin spell? Commonplace? How ridiculous.”

“……”

It seemed the beam spell Peeps had taught me had a really cool backstory. And given the origin of the transformation spell, I had to wonder if the Starsage had been on good terms with dragons during his lifetime. He didn’t have horns in his portrait, at least.

During our exchange, the attraction I felt toward the elf diminished by about half. If I was lucky, I might have fooled her into thinking her Charm spell wasn’t working—that was the most fearsome spell in her arsenal so far, after all.

“Why do you keep getting in my way, hmm?” she asked. “First with Margrave Bertrand and now this…”

“I should ask you the same,” I countered. “Why do you keep making my job difficult?”

“You were the one who called himself a Lungian merchant, weren’t you?”

“I was. What about it?”

“Ah. I wonder if perhaps they have their own share of troubles…”

That was an odd comment, especially since I’d only been saying things at random to stall for time. Did she have some kind of contact with the Republic of Lunge? Wasn’t she with the Ohgen Empire?

I really wished the mysteries would stop multiplying already. She reminded me of my boss at my previous job; he liked to give his most hardworking employees suggestive instructions in order to meaninglessly wring more work out of us. The fact that what she was saying now didn’t seem meaningless made me extremely anxious.

“What have you done to His Majesty?”

“Oh, nothing at all. He’s just a little, how to put it—entranced with me.”

“……”

She’d definitely used the Charm spell on him.

That meant the king had resisted the elf as much as he could, a fact that brought me some relief. All of Prince Lewis’s efforts and Prince Adonis’s sorrow had meant something. All three of them had fought, and the Starsage had believed in them—and none of it had been a mistake.

I found myself turning toward the throne. “Your Majesty, Prince Lewis fought valiantly for this kingdom until the last. He sacrificed his life to invade the Ohgen Empire and kill General Troy. He had a magnificent end.”

“Oh?” said the elf. “General Troy managed to lose, hmm?”

“……”

I knew my voice had reached the king, but he didn’t respond. He simply sat there staring into space.

“Nothing you say will do any good,” said the elf in his stead.

Ignoring her, I continued my report, making sure to stress Prince Adonis’s survival and his newfound determination. “Prince Lewis has ceded the right to the throne to Prince Adonis, sir. Please rest easy—Prince Adonis is alive. Your two children have grown up into wonderful men, and even now, Prince Adonis is fighting for the sake of this kingdom.”

And then, amazingly, the drooling king shifted.

“I…I see…,” he groaned. “My sons… They’ve done so much…for this nation…”

The elf’s eyes widened in shock. This must have been completely beyond her expectations. I empathized—I knew what it was like to be under that spell’s control. Even now that Peeps had given me his mana, and I’d become an elite human, her magic made me desperately want to court her. The king’s situation had to be even worse.

And yet he continued to look at me and speak. “Baron Sasaki, t-take…care of…Adonis…”

The next thing I knew, his arm had moved from the throne’s armrest. Revealing a dagger hidden inside his clothes, he stabbed it into his neck.

Blood spurted out, dyeing the audience chamber red.

“Your Majesty…!” I cried, immediately casting a healing spell. I was well within range.

But the king, now sunk back into the throne, didn’t move a muscle. The blood silently continued flowing from his wound. But I wasn’t ready to give up, and so I kept casting—as many spells as my mana allowed. After a while, I started to feel dizzy.

Eventually, Peeps arrived at the audience chamber. He must have spotted the signal beam. He dived in through the window I’d broken with my magic and passed by me as I continued to cast healing spells, heading for the king slumped on his throne and the elf standing next to him.

He rammed into the elf, his tiny body glimmering with light.

“Agh…”

His target careened into the wall, and it collapsed around her, burying her.

At about the same time, a magic circle appeared around the throne. It was three-dimensional—a sphere. I knew at once that it was healing magic. Next to it, Peeps had an uncharacteristically serious look on his face as he watched the king. Another magic circle was at his feet.

A moment later, his legs fell off—those tiny little Java sparrow feet.

In a panic, I ran over to him and touched my fingers to his back.

He’d told me once before that if he used magic beyond the advanced level, his tiny avian body wouldn’t be able to endure it. He’d done so anyway, and it was clear what effect it was having on him. Once I touched him, he stopped falling apart.

But the king displayed no change. We waited, and waited, but the healing spell never took effect.

“……”

I wasn’t sure how long that went on. Eventually, though, the magic circle faded. Even the Starsage couldn’t bring back the dead. He’d told me as much himself.

Ceasing his efforts, Peeps turned to me, still floating in the air. I immediately supported him with my hand; he jumped right onto it.

“I would hear of his last moments.”

“When I told him about what his sons had done, he resisted the Charm spell and…well, finished the job himself.” I wished I could explain in more detail, but I couldn’t speak properly. What came out was fragmented.

Peeps nodded slightly, seeming to guess the gist of what had happened. “I see…”

“I’m sorry, Peeps. I wasn’t strong enough.”

“No, that isn’t the case at all. In fact, you did extremely well to convey the truth to him.”

My heart was filled with regrets. What if I had spoken more eloquently? What if I had prioritized the king’s mental state, even if it meant lying to him? I had no idea he was willing to go this far.

“Those who sit atop the throne have met far worse ends,” he added. It sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than me. This characteristically grave remark from Peeps only made me feel guiltier.

“Oh, great. If the king is dead, what am I supposed to do?”

The elf crawled out from underneath the collapsed wall of the audience chamber. Despite taking a hit from Peeps, she didn’t seem to have sustained much damage. She was covered in dirt, sure, but I didn’t see any wounds.

Her body, however, had shrunk. She’d probably lost control of her transformation spell. We were now seeing her true form—that of a very young girl. I’d seen it just the other day in the prison. She looked troubled as she studied the late king on the throne. Her nonchalant attitude was in massive contrast to her juvenile appearance. Her clothes were super baggy, too.

“The Blood Witch was defeated in battle a while back,” she mused. “Was that the two of you?”

“And what if it was?”

“Ugh, I couldn’t have picked a worse opponent…”

No sooner had she said that than a magic circle appeared at her feet. I recognized that one. The teleportation spell again?

“I can’t finish the job like this,” she said. “I’ll be taking my leave now.”

In the same moment, Peeps fired a spell—without any incantation at all. It was the same one I’d seen in the prison. Rainbow beams of light shot at the elf one after another. There were more of them this time, too, pummeling at the barriers or whatever it was she had protecting her.

Eventually, her last protective layer shattered, and a beam plunged into her body. But that very moment, her teleportation spell finished, and she disappeared.

There was a reason someone of her caliber had stayed behind the scenes, only showing up in Herz like this once things got really bad. And that reason was Peeps’s fight with the purple-skinned person. That must be why she didn’t bother the dragons on the border, either, I thought.

I’d had my beam spell on standby, but I wasn’t able to chant it in time.

“…She got away.”

“That last one looked like it hit her.”

“It will take more than that to kill her.”

Suddenly we heard footsteps clamoring down the hallway. When it rains, it pours, I thought as a group of nobles stormed into the quiet audience chamber. They spotted us in front of the throne, and beyond us, the dead king of Herz. I’m pretty sure I know what’s coming.

“Y-Your Majesty!” shouted the first one to run up to the king when he saw the man’s corpse. A moment later, even more nobles and knights began to file into the room.

“Olive skin, black hair—you’re Baron Sasaki, aren’t you?”

“Villain! You’ve assassinated His Majesty!”

“Have you gone insane?!”

“I believe this man was one of Prince Adonis’s supporters, along with Count Müller.”

“Ah, how could this have happened…?!”

It wouldn’t matter what I said in this situation. The once-silent audience chamber had instantly erupted into chaos.

“They’re all supporters of Prince Lewis.”

“I see.”

In that case, getting them to listen to us was out of the question. It was possible all of them had connections to the Ohgen Empire.

“Peeps, if you would?”

“Of course.”

We had other priorities at the moment. We couldn’t let the king’s final act go to waste. Once I’d confirmed that the bird was on my shoulder, we soared into the air with flight magic, then flew out the broken window. The knights gave chase, of course.

But after throwing them off by hiding in the building’s shadow, we used Peeps’s teleportation magic and left the castle behind.

After departing from the royal capital, we returned to the Geschwür garrison. Nearby, we could see the soldiers ready to march back to Allestos, their preparations complete. There, I met up with Count Müller and Prince Adonis. We moved to the reception room, where I explained what had just happened in the castle.

As originally planned, we’d eliminated the threat from the great war criminal. But in the process, the king’s life had been lost. We also mentioned the nobles belonging to Lewis’s faction who had flooded the audience chamber.

“I see, so my father…died a glorious death as well…,” croaked Prince Adonis. I heard him sob midsentence. I felt so bad for him.

“I was with him, and even I could do nothing. I apologize, Adonis.”

“No. This must be far more difficult for you than it is for me, Lord Starsage.”

“There is no stronger bond than that of a happy parent and child.”

I listened as Prince Adonis and Peeps exchanged words. I doubted I’d ever understand what the prince was going through, having just lost his elder brother and now his father—I hadn’t been blessed with great family relationships, myself. Count Müller and I both watched them in silence.

Eventually, the prince straightened up and said, “Now that my father has passed, I believe my brother’s supporters will attempt to elevate my younger siblings.”

“You have siblings other than Prince Lewis, sir?” I asked; this was the first I’d heard of it. The two brothers were the only ones anyone talked about in terms of royal succession. If this was true, then circumstances would continue to evolve.

“All of them are the children of concubines, but they have inherited my father’s blood. Still, they’re significantly younger; the eldest will be ten this year. The traitors will see them as easy puppets.”

“I see, sir,” I said. “I apologize for my ignorance.”

What a relief, I thought. That shouldn’t pose too big a problem. Prince Adonis wasn’t just a cut above them—he was two or three cuts, at least.

“Are you going now, Adonis?”

“I must not waste the opportunity my brother and father have given me.”

“Let us come with you, sir,” said the count.

“Count Müller, I’ve done nothing but pile burden after burden on your shoulders.”

“That’s not true, sir. Nothing could make me happier than to work for your sake—and for that of the kingdom.”

“Then first, we should head to the Rectan Plains fortress. There is no doubt the traitorous nobles will move to block us on our way to the capital. Few soldiers remain at the fortress, but they should prove an invaluable resource.”

“I will dispatch troops from Baytrium as well,” added the count.

“Then should we enlist the aid of Count Dietrich, too, sir?” I asked. “He’s apparently still confined at the capital, but they wouldn’t refuse a request from Prince Adonis himself.”

As soon as I made this suggestion, I realized something. Was that why Prince Lewis hadn’t immediately executed him, instead locking him away in the palace? Had he thought this far ahead? Considering his desire to put Adonis on the throne, I couldn’t discount the idea. We’d need to put a lot of thought into how we cleaned up after that purge.

“That is a good idea.”

“Thank you for your suggestions, all of you. I feel reassured with you at my side.”

With everything decided, we had to strike while the iron was hot. Along with the soldiers led by Prince Adonis, we departed from the garrison, quickly fleeing from the Empire and returning to Baron Sasaki’s lands.

The fortress on the Rectan Plains looked no different from before. Relieved, I walked toward the brand-new building. It wasn’t long before one of Adonis’s royal guards appeared before us. They’d been ordered to stay at the fortress for its protection and hadn’t ridden out with the rest of the soldiers.

The knight held out a fine-looking envelope with a wax seal. “Your Royal Highness, a letter has arrived from the castle.”

“A letter?” The prince took it and quickly opened it up.

Unable to peek in from the side, I silently waited for his response. Soon, he began to read the letter’s contents out loud in front of everyone.

“Prince Lewis is a rebel who betrayed the people, shamelessly allied himself with the Ohgen Empire, and tried to use our nation as a bargaining chip for his own gain. Baron Sasaki assisted him in this, and by his dark deeds, His Majesty was killed. Prince Adonis, you must return to the castle at once.”

Unlike Count Müller, Baron Sasaki couldn’t read this world’s language. The prince was probably being considerate of this—and it meant I wouldn’t need Peeps to reveal himself in front of the royal guard to tell me what was going on.

Over the days we spent traveling from the garrison back to my barony, news of the chaos at the castle had evidently spread. It was a little late to do anything about it, but I still felt uneasy being made into a villain.

“Sir, I have never seen a trap so transparent,” said the count. “Please pay it no mind.”

“They’d probably kill me as soon as I rushed back,” the prince agreed. “Even lacking experience in politics, I can understand that much.”

The prince and count calmly discussed the situation. Meanwhile, the knight next to them looked at me in shock. He reached for his sword. I couldn’t blame him; if I’d been in his position, I would have silently taken several steps back.

“This only further proves that everything is as my brother said.”

“If we are to raid the capital, then we may want to hurry,” suggested the count. “The more time we take, the more obstacles we will encounter on our way. Even the neutral nobles may end up falling to their side.”

“You’re right, Count.”

The question of the route to the capital was a source of great vexation for Peeps and me, too. In fact, we’d debated it at length on our way back from the garrison. We needed some way to safely get Adonis to the palace without revealing the Starsage’s existence. Around half of the territories we’d need to pass through belonged to Prince Lewis’s supporters, and considering the prince’s future reign, we’d also have to whittle down their forces somewhat.

In contrast to our enemy, the prince’s troops numbered a few thousand at most. Even with the assistance of counts Müller and Dietrich, we couldn’t hope for much more. If we simply marched toward the castle, our forces would certainly collapse before we arrived.

“I have a suggestion, sir,” I said.

“A suggestion from you and your adviser, I assume?”

“Yes, sir. Could we move elsewhere to speak?”

“Certainly. I would love to hear it.” The prince nodded.

Finally, the knight spoke up, a ghastly look on his face. “Sir, from what we’ve just heard, this Baron Sasaki—”

“Ignore all further communication from the capital,” interrupted the prince. “That is an order.”

“But, sir!”

“Need I remind you that, as a royal guard, you are duty bound to heed my words?”

“Y-yes, sir. Of course, sir.”

The knight watched as we hurried into the fortress.

We decided that, once the soldiers were all set, we would depart from the Rectan Plains the following day, with Prince Adonis leading our mission to retake the capital. Our plans hadn’t changed. We would crush the rival faction’s nobles on our way and boldly march back to Allestos in triumph.

As the hour of our departure approached, Mr. French came to the fortress’s reception room. “Prince Adonis, sir. The soldiers are assembled!”

Count Müller and I were in the room along with Prince Adonis, who had just finished tidying up his outfit in preparation for delivering his parting address. Mr. French had graciously taken on the more minor tasks, along with some of the knights under the Count’s command, and was helping get the soldiers ready to go.

“Show me the way, if you would,” the prince replied.

“Yes, sir! Please follow me!”

We headed out to a veranda facing an area of the fortress resembling a courtyard. Beneath us we could see rows and rows of soldiers, each one of them standing perfectly straight, their eyes pointed upward.

While they hadn’t faced any battles, they’d been dragged this way and that. It had been a hard journey for them, and they must have been exhausted by now. Considering what was to come, they needed some encouragement from their leader.

And that’s exactly what we were all here for.

Standing in front of everyone, Prince Adonis began his speech.

“As you all know, the decline of our great Kingdom of Herz has been stark. Some of you may even wish to cover your eyes and look away from it. I have thought long and hard about the root cause. Some blame the royal family for dereliction. Others the nobles for exploitation.”

Count Müller, Mr. French, and I were all present with the prince. We stood alongside the royal guards and helped serve to make the man’s presence more imposing. Mr. French, in particular, seemed so nervous he might faint. His legs were shaking badly, though I doubted anyone on the ground could see it. If not for my previous experiences here in the otherworld, I may well have had a similar response.

“But I say to you—none of these claims is the truth!”

Adonis’s voice was sharp and ringing. His exhortations continued with such zeal I thought he might shout himself hoarse.

“Our enemies—pawns of the Ohgen Empire—have infiltrated our nation. Not just one or two—but a countless number. They lurk at the very heart of the kingdom, acting as they please with impunity. Thus does the Empire eat away at Herz, little by little, hour by hour.”

If I was being perfectly honest, I didn’t personally care about this squabble between Herz and Ohgen. Peeps, however, had deep feelings for his former homeland, so I’d allied myself with Herz. I was sure those who had betrayed the kingdom had done so for similar reasons. Anyone would want to side with whoever treated them best—the only difference was whether that stemmed from a sense of duty or a desire for personal gain.

“Hear me! Only the other day, my father, the king of Herz, was slain by an Ohgen Empire spy!”

That remark sent a stir through the soldiers. We’d been concealing the king’s death until now. The news must have been like a bolt from the blue for them.

“Now that my father has passed, the traitorous nobles are sure to support my younger brothers and sisters. They move with one aim: to wrest control of this nation from those to whom it rightfully belongs. Should we allow them to continue, the kingdom’s very existence will be in danger. You, my friends, are the only ones who can save this country!”

The prince and count had discussed the speech’s contents with Peeps the night before. I was certain it included some exaggerations and embellishments, but the ever-reliable Starsage had assured me that it was better to be bold in such situations.

“And now, here…”

The prince trailed off, seeming to suddenly realize something. He then turned his gaze from the courtyard to Mr. French, who was standing next to him. “My apologies. What is the name of this fortress?”

“Huh?! Oh, uh, it doesn’t have a name yet, sir…”

“Then what is your name? I hear you are the one in charge.”

“I-it’s French, sir,” the man answered with a look of consternation.

One could guess from his bafflement that he hadn’t been told what the prince’s speech would entail. The only ones who knew were the man himself, Count Müller, Peeps, and me.

“French? A good name.”

“I… I’m overwhelmed by your kindness, sir…”

“Here, at French Fortress, I lay claim to the rightful succession of the Herzian throne!”

“Wha…?” Mr. French grew even more panicked. He stared at the prince, then glanced between the count and me. He clearly never imagined the fortress would be given his own name. “M-my apologies, sir, but I am no noble! I’m nobody worthy of note!”

“Then from this day forward, with the authority vested in me as king of Herz, I grant you the right to rule this fortress and the title of viscount. While other nobles debase themselves for the benefit of the Empire, you shall be a true noble of this kingdom.”

“Wha—?!”

“Viscount French, together, we shall bring down the hammer of justice upon those deceitful imitations.”

“……”

Mr. French went blue in the face as his nerves reached their limit. His mouth popped open and closed like an oxygen-deprived goldfish.

Prince Adonis ignored this and continued his speech. “This treatment will not stop with Viscount French. Any who accomplish notable feats during the reconquest of the royal capital shall be raised to the rank of knight. You, too, might earn a place among the nobility.”

Their exchange had caused even more commotion to erupt down below. The prince’s plan seemed to have touched the troops more than anticipated.

With so many Herzian nobles betraying the kingdom, Prince Adonis would need to fill all the empty seats after his coronation. Some of them would be court positions, while others would rule over various domains. But wherever they ended up, it would be an unprecedented promotion for any commoner.

That said, at the moment, the prince’s return to the castle was still a pipe dream. No matter how hard we might try, we simply lacked the necessary troops.

“And there is more I must tell you. We will not be alone in this fight—for we have a very dependable ally.”

With that, one of the dragons occupying the huge crater in the Rectan Plains made its appearance. At the prince’s mention, it soared magnificently overhead. We’d had it waiting behind the fortress until now; Peeps had hidden its giant body from everyone using magic. This was the plan the Starsage and I had proposed to Adonis earlier.

As the dragon floated lazily overhead, the soldiers cried out in surprise.

“I-it’s a dragon! A golden dragon!”

“Isn’t that one of the dragons living in the plains crater?”

“It’s huge! It’s even more gigantic up close!”

“Bigger than the fortress, even.”

“Are the dragons taking our side?!”

No matter how much we riled up the troops, our forces could only do so much given their current numbers. The encouragement, in fact, had mainly been to prevent any of them turning traitor. The dragon would be the main combat force in our retaking of the capital.

“As you all know, this is one of the dragons roosting in the crater near the border. Now, at last, I will reveal the truth behind them. My elder brother, in his graciousness, left them here for our sake. Though he was made a slave to the Ohgen Empire via a putrefaction curse, he remained determined to take the fight to them.”

We’d made up that story, of course, using Prince Lewis to hide the fact that the Starsage was here. Adonis, his relative, had approved of it, and we’d all agreed to make that the story going forward.

“He prepared for this moment years in advance, giving up everything he had to a certain renowned magician in exchange for these dragons. My brother, a traitor? Nothing could be further from the truth. Lewis was a protector of Herz until his very last breath!”

With the curse having transformed Prince Lewis into a hunk of flesh and said “great magician” already assassinated, there was no way to verify the story. And depending on Peeps’s inner feelings on the matter, it might not be that far from the truth.

Prince Lewis was becoming known as a traitor in his homeland, and letting the dragons play a major role could go some way to restoring his honor. I also trusted that if we claimed the Starsage had done it while he was still alive, nobody would think twice about it.

In addition, on the way back from Geschwür, we’d sent messenger familiars and magical express post to the town of Baytrium and Count Dietrich’s lands under the names of Prince Adonis and Count Müller. Perhaps we could expect modest reinforcements to meet us on our way to the castle.

“The time has come! By our hands shall we restore the Kingdom of Herz’s former glory!”

Prince Adonis raised his voice even higher to deliver his final line.

In response, the countless soldiers gathered below us began to cheer for the Kingdom of Herz and for King Adonis. We couldn’t have asked for higher spirits before our departure.

With the exception, that is, of Mr. French, who was still panic-stricken and blue in the face.

Adonis, spurred on by Lewis’s dying wish, advanced his troops steadily toward the capital.

After departing from the fortress in the Rectan Plains, we set off for the royal castle, the golden dragon at the head of our forces. The first stop on our list was Baytrium, at the heart of Count Müller’s domain. Once we’d arrived, we joined up with the troops he had assembled and resupplied for the journey ahead.

From there, it was a straight shot to the capital. We passed through each territory in the same manner, using the shortest path, regardless of whether their lords supported Lewis, Adonis, or were neutral.

Naturally, we were met with a variety of responses along the way. The itemized breakdown went something like this: Thirty percent of the nobles pretended not to notice us, 20 percent agreed to keep our advance a secret, and 50 percent attacked without warning. The last group didn’t hesitate to pelt us with arrows and spells, despite the prince announcing himself.

Tens of thousands of troops moved to block our path, descending upon us in grasslands, valleys, and forests alike. It was a series of battles the likes of which even the most experienced war veterans had never seen. Under normal circumstances, we would have quickly lost.

Our respected dragon was the reason we endured. With each breath, it scorched hundreds, if not thousands of enemy soldiers, forcing them to retreat. With a casual swipe of its tail, dozens would go flying. Though our opponents challenged it with skillful magic, most of their spells couldn’t even scratch its scales. And when one did manage to pierce its armor, I simply used a healing spell to restore the creature to full health.

Meanwhile, the soldiers behind the dragon took up the role of scattering the enemy troops once they had lost their will to fight. Overall, the coup d’état progressed speedily—much faster than I’d imagined.

Peeps seemed very entertained as he watched the dragon battle the enemy forces. Personally, seeing him like that scared me a little. I felt like I was getting a glimpse behind the mask. I tended to forget how predatory he could be.

Thanks to all that, our forces traveled at an unprecedented pace, closing in on the royal capital so fast you’d never have guessed we met so much resistance. When Count Dietrich’s soldiers came to reinforce us, they were astonished.

The dragon’s efforts meant we reached the city with zero casualties—not even any wounded. We’d arrived at the boss fight with all our troops still raring to go.

“Count Müller, Baron Sasaki, our final step is to take the castle,” said Prince Adonis, gazing at the front gates leading into the capital. The soldiers had already formed ranks in front of them.

“We are with you all the way, sir,” said the count.

“Yes, sir,” I added. “The dragon seems to be doing quite well, too.”

In response, the dragon let out a roar. A moment later, it breathed on the entrance, reducing it to rubble.

The closed gates were no more, and the resulting hole was big enough for the soldiers to easily pass through. I couldn’t help feeling like we’d overdone it, considering the repair work that would be necessary later. Peeps gave the order, though, so I guess it’s fine.

“Soldiers! We march for the royal castle! You may cut down any who resist, be they warrior or noble. But you may not lay a hand on anyone uninvolved. We must take the castle as quickly as possible!”

At the prince’s command, the soldiers charged.

The dragon’s job was about 80 percent over now. We obviously couldn’t have it spewing its breath all over the city. Its role at this point would be to fly around overhead to intimidate the enemy. Instead, the soldiers we’d been conserving up until now took the offensive.

They all rushed into the city, practically falling over each other to get in. We accompanied them as they headed for the castle. Skilled royal guards formed a perimeter around the prince—as well as Count Müller and me—and they proved themselves superior to the soldiers deployed in the capital. Following their lead, we ran through Allestos.

Mr. French was nowhere to be seen. He’d stayed behind at the Rectan Plains fortress to keep an eye on things. After Prince Adonis’s rousing speech, he’d grabbed a spear and rushed to follow us, only for the prince to personally entrust him with the defense of the fortress. This was probably out of consideration for Peeps’s and my feelings. From the prince’s perspective, he was part of our in-group.

“Sir, the castle is in sight!”

“Our rear lines are keeping pace with us. We charge now.”

“Understood, sir!”

At the prince’s instruction, the knights let loose a volley of spells. Giant balls of fire knocked away all the soldiers in front of the castle. They returned fire with their own magic, but our rear-line troops used barrier spells to block each and every blast. And then, as if in retaliation, our troops added their own offensive spells to the mix.

Soon enough, the enemy soldiers deployed near the castle began to scatter, intimidated by our charge.

“Ignore the fleeing soldiers. Storm the castle!”

Led by the prince and his guards, we all rushed inside. There, we saw knights and soldiers everywhere.

This was an opportunity for Count Müller and Baron Sasaki to show what they were made of. The castle was big, sure, but it was hard for troops to coordinate in its narrow confines. So as planned, we stepped out in front of the prince and dealt with each threat according to our individual skills.

I handled the more distant enemies with my lightning magic. Any who made it past my range, or whom we caught lurking in the shadows, met their ends at the tip of Count Müller’s blade. Prince Adonis swung his sword at the count’s side as well, though his abilities were less reliable.

“Baron, I am reminded of the incident with the orcs—your skills are a perfect complement to a warrior on the front line.”

“And I feel much more at ease having you fighting at my side, Count.”

With the Starsage’s supervision, I was much, much calmer than I might otherwise have been. Depending on his guidance, I aimed my magic at the enemies’ legs, despite the others not hesitating to cut heads clean off. I wanted to force the enemy to surrender without harming anyone so badly that healing magic couldn’t fix them up. My moral compass had been cultivated by modern society, and it stayed my hand.

Aided by the royal guards’ efforts, we swept through all the enemies before us and advanced deeper into the castle.

Eventually, we came to the audience chamber I’d visited only a few days before. We’d already checked the king’s chambers, the chancellor’s room, and everywhere else, arresting several courtiers along the way. The only one we had yet to find was the person the enemy planned to use in their bid for power—Prince Adonis’s younger brother. What do we do if he’s not here?

But as we threw open the doors to the audience chamber, there he was.

“Emil!” Prince Adonis cried out when he saw the child sitting on the throne.

At a glance, the boy was about the same age as Ms. Futarishizuka looked. And as for his name, Adonis had just called it. But for some reason, a figure stood beside him—someone even I recognized.

“Duke Einhart,” exclaimed the prince. “What is the meaning of this?”

It was the noble who had been throwing his weight around in Adonis’s faction. Both Count Müller and I had met him before.

The duke looked at us, cool and composed. “Prince Adonis,” he said. “Why have you drawn your sword against the Ohgen Empire?”

“Why wouldn’t I? They are an enemy attempting to invade our kingdom!”

“But can you be certain what you are doing is truly for the people’s sake?”

“Wh-what?”

“Times have changed, Prince.”

Duke Einhart spoke with an air of solemnity. The boy on the throne, in contrast, had a look of absolute terror on his face. His eyes darted between Adonis and the knights positioned around him. Quite a few of us were covered with the blood of our enemies, no doubt a scary sight for such a young boy. It was easy to tell he’d been brought here against his will.

“Yes, things may be feverish and chaotic now,” the duke continued. “But look at the long term. Happiness for an even greater number of citizens lies beyond the possibilities you have rejected, Prince. Have you ever thought about that?”

“The citizens you refer to must be those of the Empire.”

“No, Prince. This is far greater than that.”

“You talk big, but it’s all just self-justification. Am I wrong?”

Thinking back, Duke Einhart had been the one to suggest setting up a defensive position in the Rectan Plains. If he hadn’t predicted Prince Lewis’s betrayal, then one could surmise he’d suggested it in anticipation of Lewis ascending the throne.

“People come together to form settlements. Settlements come together to form kingdoms. Kingdoms come together to form one world. Many understand that sacrifices are inherent to this process. But even politicians and rulers reject the sacrifices needed to achieve something greater.”

“…Have you lost your mind, Duke Einhart?”

“Your Majesty, you must aim for ever loftier heights. If you do not, you will be powerless against an even stronger enemy.”

“What enemy is that? Hold. Explain yourself.”

“One day, Your Majesty, you will understand.”

Duke Einhart’s calm demeanor raised my suspicions—but only for a moment.

“I pray that your chosen path will bring happiness to the greatest number of people.”

He gave a slight swing of his arm. A magic circle appeared at his fingers—fingers that he used to stroke his own neck.

Then Duke Einhart’s head separated from his body and fell to the audience chamber floor.

The spurting blood splattered the area around the throne with red.

“Ah…” The boy on the throne blurted out—the first sound he’d made since we arrived.

He cringed as blood sprayed over him. Nevertheless, he didn’t flee. Though he was the son of a concubine, he had clearly been educated in the ways of royalty.

Prince Adonis gasped as he watched Duke Einhart’s final act. Glancing at his expression from the side, I saw considerable hesitation.

But he quickly turned back to face the rest of us and raised his voice. “The evil traitor who plotted to deceive my siblings and bend this kingdom to his will has been slain!”

Even in this situation, Prince Adonis showed kindness toward the boy on the throne. Just like with Prince Lewis, he must have shared a loving relationship with his younger brother. I couldn’t help but feel that such harmonious familial bonds were exactly what had led us here to this moment of triumph. At the same time, I recalled my neighbor’s icy family situation.

“I hereby proclaim that I, Adonis Herz, have officially taken the throne as the forty-eighth king of Herz!”

Adonis’s powerful voice rang through the audience chamber.

The knights waiting nearby all raised their voices in praise. This was a momentous, once-in-a-lifetime endeavor, and it had just borne fruit. It seemed they’d taken Duke Einhart’s final remarks as utter nonsense. A moment later, all the soldiers behind us came running in, filling the chamber with victorious cheering.

Naturally, my eyes drifted to my shoulder.

“……”

Peeps’s gaze was on the dead Duke Einhart. Had the man said something that resonated with him?

With the younger prince, their intended puppet, now in Adonis’s hands, the remaining enemy forces lost their will to continue the fight, and the royal castle soon quieted down, with our troops moving swiftly to suppress any remnants in the building.

News of the second prince’s successful coup quickly spread through the capital. We began to receive reports from several locations that enemy soldiers had retreated. Unlike our journey to the city, we had lost soldiers during the combat in the castle. Compared to the defeated army, however, our casualties were minor. Count Müller suggested that the dragon may have served as an effective deterrent.

And so, in just one day, Prince Adonis had retaken the royal capital.

The following day, Prince Adonis held his coronation ceremony. With this, he had officially succeeded his father and gained the title of King of Herz. From here on, we were to call him His Majesty Adonis. As he sat on the throne, he gave off a tiny bit more dignity than when I’d first met him.

The next day, he rewarded those who had participated in the coup. Thanks to Prince Lewis’s last words, Count Müller received the position of chancellor. With so many nobles having sold out to the Ohgen Empire, you could count on one hand the number of people suitable for such important positions. As a result, the job fell to the count. In the near future, his children would assume crucial positions as well; the count’s family seemed poised to exert considerable influence within Herz as a major faction.

And while a little earlier than planned, Lady Elsa’s return to the otherworld was in sight. I wasn’t sure, but I guessed she’d wind up marrying someone from the royal family. There was even a chance she might marry Adonis himself. Actually, if you ask me, he’s the likely winner. She was Count Müller’s only daughter, and she would likely assume a fairly high position in the kingdom after this. In that light, it seemed best to swiftly return her to her original world.

For similar reasons, Count Dietrich was given the stiff role of finance minister. He’d left his younger brother in charge of his lands and would be working side by side with Count Müller in the court for the time being.

Baron Sasaki received a position of his own—that of court minister. The specifics of the job were much like that of the inner minister in Japan prior to World War II. Essentially, my main task would be to support King Adonis in a more private capacity—basically what I’d been doing already. I guessed the promotion was out of respect for our position as frequent world hoppers. He asked me to give him time to assemble the group that would be working under me; unfortunately, King Adonis’s reign was bound to run into significant staffing issues. Personally, I wasn’t sure someone like me should be given that kind of authority at all. Perhaps it was due to the royal family’s immense trust in the Starsage.

Thanks to my change in rank, everyone in the court now looked at me differently.

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Court Minister Sasaki. My name is Lipps. What an honor to meet a hero such as yourself, my lord. When I received word of His Majesty Adonis’s enthronement, it moved me to my very core.”

“You flatter me. Everything we’ve accomplished is the result of His Majesty’s excellent leadership.”

Now that Adonis’s coronation ceremony was over and rewards had been doled out to his subordinates, it was time for a big face-to-face meeting of the next generation of nobles who would take on the kingdom’s burdens. This party was both to celebrate the accession and an important networking opportunity.

I, Court Minister Sasaki, had also been summoned to attend. Unfortunately, Peeps was elsewhere; the true hero of the hour was busy feasting on all the food the party had to offer.

“My house is a distant blood relation of Count Dietrich’s,” the man explained, adding that he was a viscount. “I came here today to express my thanks to you all for your kindness toward him while he was imprisoned by those traitorous nobles. If it would please you, my lord, I would love for you to grace my home with a visit. I promise to show you the utmost hospitality.”

“I only did what was expected of me as a supporter of His Majesty. Please, you needn’t trouble yourself.”

For a while now, I’d been exchanging introductions with one unfamiliar noble after another. I tried my best to remember the names of the first handful, but once things edged into the double digits, I gave up and just said whatever noncommittal, neutral things I could think of.

King Adonis, Count Müller, and Count Dietrich were doing much of the same. In fact, they were far busier with guests than me. Müller’s popularity in particular was astounding. I couldn’t even see the man beyond the throng of people surrounding him. Though I supposed he was the shortest route to getting closer to Adonis.

“Court Minister Sasaki, hello. I am Count Ludwig. I expect we will be working together at the castle in the future in support of His Majesty Adonis, so I wanted to make your acquaintance.”

“Allow me to apologize for my late greeting, Count Ludwig,” I replied. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. As you can see, I don’t hail from this kingdom. I may lack many skills when it comes to serving in the court, so I hope to benefit from your instruction.”

At least a hundred nobles were packed into this huge hall at the palace. The royal succession had seen momentous upsets right up to the conclusion, so everyone was frantic to secure a foothold. They had no idea what might become of their own titles, which they’d taken for granted up until now. This filled the hall with a strange sense of passion and enthusiasm.

The biggest promotion in our little group, however, had gone to Mr. French. He had inherited Count Müller’s position and now ruled over all his lands plus the Rectan Plains region. Adonis had said it was a fitting reward for the man’s accomplishments: supporting the exiled prince until the very end and providing him with a place from which to stage a comeback.

As we’d heard at the fortress, he was now Viscount French. He’d accepted the decoration with a pale face and shaking legs.

“Would you happen to be Viscount French? I am Viscount Mannheim.”

“Oh… I’m honored you would deign to speak to me, Viscount Manheim!”

“As word has it, you not only constructed a frontline base on the previously undeveloped Rectan Plains, but you also helped His Majesty Adonis and gave him an opportunity to strike back at those traitorous nobles. It would have been a waste to leave someone of your talent a commoner.”

“Th-thank you, my lord. But I only accomplished it with the help of Baron Sasaki and Count Müller. My personal achievements are paltry. And so many others at the fortress helped as well.”

He was on pins and needles again today, practically jumping out of his skin whenever one of the more senior nobles said hello to him. According to Peeps, his promotion had been exceptional. But considering his achievement constructing that fortress on the Rectan Plains, I could understand why Adonis and Müller had decided on it. The man was on excellent terms with Baytrium’s most influential individuals, too. What’s more, he was trustworthy, and the land bordering the Ohgen Empire was of great tactical importance. I expected he’d be showing his skills on a more local basis than Count Müller, who would now be spending his days in the capital.

“Allow me to be frank, Viscount French,” continued Mannheim. “Are you friends with Count Müller?”

“The count? He’s been very good to me, my lord.”

“Is that right? I’d like to hear more, if you’re willing.”

“To tell the truth, he provided the very clothes I’m wearing in preparation for this event…”

“Really? Very interesting. Would you mind sharing more details?”

Other than us, a handful of soldiers who had accomplished great feats during the taking of the capital were granted the rank of knight. Many of them had arrested or slain nobles acting against Adonis. In accordance with his speech at the fortress, a notable number of new noble families had been created.

The dragon who had done so much for us remained in Allestos for the time being. Many of the nobles aligned with the Ohgen Empire—the Imperialists, as they were being called for convenience—were still alive and kicking in Herz, and the new king wanted the dragon to help serve as a deterrent. His first task as ruler would be to wipe out the Imperialists.

“Court Minister Sasaki, might you have a moment or two?”

“Certainly. What is it, Count Müller?”

Eventually, as the stream of people began to die down, Count Müller came over to me. When he spoke, many of those nearby turned to look.

“His Majesty Adonis wishes to speak with us. And with Viscount French as well.”

“I understand, my lord.”

It never hurt to make a show of us getting along when those of our faction were watching—partly for our own sake. That was probably the idea anyway. The king looked like he was fresh out of high school, and yet he could handle exchanges like these with such ease. It really drove home the fact that he was royalty.

And so the new king’s societal debut went by with great fanfare.

Time flew after Adonis’s coronation; there was always one social event or another, and the next thing I knew, several days had passed. Soon, I started to worry about how much time had gone by in modern Japan. Despite the slower temporal flow there, we’d been away for quite a while now.

“Would it not be wise to return to your world soon?”

“Yeah. We’ve been over here a long time, huh?”

I was discussing things with Peeps in our room at the court. This was basically the business office for my new post of inner minister. A pair of sofas and a desk, all extravagant, occupied the room of about fifty square meters. It reminded me of that high-class hotel Ms. Futarishizuka had procured for us in the past.

Nobody was present aside from the sparrow and me. While I sat at the desk, Peeps was perched on top of it. He looked like an adorable ball of mochi with his tiny little legs tucked underneath him. My mind painted a picture of him sitting in my palm one day in the same position—a dream I would never realize.

“But are you sure we should just…go back like this?”

“It will be fine. We’ve set everything in motion for them.”

The king and Count Müller still had full schedules. Watching the two of them valiantly struggle to restore the nation, forgoing sleep, made me hesitant—it felt like I was running away. But Peeps was right, and I was concerned about what was happening back in Japan.

A full day had probably passed there. Possibly even more. And though I’d gotten some time off from work, I was probably supposed to be keeping an eye on my company phone. Apparently, employees of foreign-owned companies never checked their mail while on vacation. But I’d been steeped in Japanese corporate drone culture for so long that being away from my email was giving me anxiety.

“Personally, I’m concerned about what that elf is up to.”

“She won’t stage any sort of attack for some time.”

“Because of that business with the purple person?”

“Looking back on it, that one certainly appeared at an opportune moment.”

This made two straight victories for the Starsage against the great war criminals. The results spoke for themselves—they’d deterred the elf, despite the Starsage never revealing his identity. And I, as Baron Sasaki, had managed to intimidate one with my laser beam spell. Maybe Peeps was right; that did sound like more than enough reason to hesitate. She’d fled from the audience chamber when we attacked, too.

All this brought a question to my mind. Why had two powerhouses like them both allied with the Ohgen Empire? Weren’t there only seven in the world?

I’d discussed this with Peeps already, but he didn’t have any solid leads, either. I was still unfamiliar with this world, so I found it difficult to even contemplate. For now, everything would depend on whatever moves they decided to make.

“And if we don’t return, Julius’s daughter will be concerned.”

“Speaking of Lady Elsa,” I replied. “Shouldn’t we get her back to her family?”

“Yes, I was thinking the very same.”

“And considering the situation, I can’t envision her in any position but at the king’s side.”

“I believe you’re on the right track. The castle is still bursting with activity, but once things settle down, I expect Julius will reach out to us. When the time comes, we can stage another farce, just as we did when we took her away.”

“Lady Elsa is really being punted into a crazy position, huh?”

“It is the fate of all those born into noble families. Still, Adonis is an excellent choice. And if she moves into the castle, she will be able to stay near her father as well.”

“The new king is pretty handsome, isn’t he? And he’s earnest and sincere.”

“They’re also close in age. I’d consider it a perfect arrangement.”

As I spoke with Peeps, I got out of my chair. He fluttered into the air as well, landing on my shoulder and spreading his wings, the tips of which barely brushed my cheek. The sensation was ticklish, and brought me a twinge of happiness. I felt the urge to lean in. Not that I would, of course. It’d probably creep him out.

“Actually, one more thing before we go,” I said.

“What is it?”

“It’s about Prince Lewis…”

During the fighting, he’d been recovered from Erbrechen, then carried through the Geschwür garrison all the way to the Rectan Plains fortress unharmed. I’d heard as much when I’d gone to pick up Mr. French during all the title bestowment business.

Just as King Adonis had instructed them on the battlefield, the soldiers had taken good care of his brother the entire way back. The fact that over half of them had been levied from domains supporting Adonis had probably contributed greatly to their obedience. The exchange between the two princes in those final moments had been quite moving as well.

The king and Count Müller had also been made aware of these developments.

But at the moment, we didn’t know what to do with Lewis. I assumed they’d wait for the proper time, then carry him into the royal castle. They were probably holding back for now, with the court still in chaos, but I knew King Adonis would want his brother nearby.

“As I’ve said before, even we cannot change him back. That is the nature of the curse.”

“Right, I remember that. But what about Abaddon?”

“…Ah. I see what you mean.”

Everyone was already treating Prince Lewis as deceased. Even the great sage, who could wield as many spells as there were stars, couldn’t undo his transformation. This putrefaction curse was a truly terrifying prospect for those of this world. But we had options that went beyond its scope.

Recalling all the strange things that had happened around us lately, I said, “I think it’s still too soon to give up on him.”

“Then we now have a reason to contribute to this so-called death game, eh?”

Though he’d claimed it was an exceptional circumstance, Abaddon had told us he’d once revived someone from the dead. Wasn’t it plausible he’d be able to return the once-human prince to normal? Though I suspect it would require significant contributions on our part, I mused.

“Are you sure about this? It has nothing to do with you.”

“I couldn’t save the father, so I don’t want to give up on the son.”

“You were only a bystander wrapped up in our affairs.”

“Hey, you saved us when that Kraken was on a rampage, didn’t you?”

“That threat originated in this world.”

“Well, as a pet owner, I can’t help wanting to spoil my adorable pet.”

“When you put it that way, I can’t think of a good response.” Peeps nodded—Peeps, the one who always had an answer to whatever you said.

He was still going all in on the whole bird act, so like always, I couldn’t read his expression. In fact, I couldn’t even tell where he was looking. But somehow, I felt as though his tiny face had softened, just a little.

One day, I hoped we’d be close enough that he’d share some old stories of Herz’s former king with me.

The Starsage’s magic brought us out of the otherworld and back to modern Japan. We landed in the hotel room we were renting near my old apartment.

I glanced at the display on the bed’s headboard and saw that it was seven AM, two days after we’d left for the otherworld. I hadn’t been counting, but that meant we’d spent over a month there. Peeps immediately headed over to the laptop on the desk, likely to calculate this most recent time difference.

I watched him go, then checked my company phone; I’d left it in the room. One missed call and one unread message, both of them from my boss. The call had come a little under an hour ago, and the message had been sent directly after.

The latter instructed me to come back into the office, starting today. It didn’t include a reason. That made me very nervous.

“Peeps, it looks like my vacation ended yesterday.”

“Already? Only four days have gone by here.”

“That’s a pretty good length of time, isn’t it?”

“…Is it? I seem to recall you having worked the entire day for one of them.”

“Well, it’s pretty common to get called in during a vacation.”

“Much of this world’s labor situation continues to defy my understanding.”

“I agree things are rather busy over here.”

Without much of a choice, I went through the day’s schedule with my pet bird as I got ready. We’d eaten and slept in the otherworld, so despite my reluctance, I set off immediately.

“The treatment of commoners in my world is certainly no point of pride. But when you look at this world’s management of individuals and their time, it appears just as bad.”

“Could I leave explaining things to Lady Elsa to you?”

“Of course.”

With Peeps’s approval, I left the hotel to go into work.

It had been a long time since I’d set foot in a packed train, and it was stressful. I’d have to put more effort into mastering that going-to-work spell. My progress so far wasn’t very promising. In the station, I bumped shoulders with someone, earning a “get out of the way, old man” in response. My powers as a corporate drone were clearly waning.

It was a lot like this when I first moved to Tokyo, I thought wistfully.

Eventually, I arrived at the office, and the section chief called me up right away. I followed him into the adjacent meeting space. Miss Hoshizaki and Ms. Futarishizuka were already there.

The latter, who had been staying in Karuizawa, had probably returned to the city on her own when I didn’t come back after a full day in the otherworld. I had a lot of respect for her when it came to things like this.

Our relative positions were the same as always—myself in between Ms. Futarishizuka and Miss Hoshizaki—with Mr. Akutsu on the other side.

“I apologize for calling you three in from your vacation,” said the chief, looking across the table at us. His usual laptop sat on the desk, ready to be used. “And, Sasaki, it seems your hair grows quite quickly.”

Naturally, my hair kept on growing, even in another world. I normally took better care of it, but with everything going on, it had slipped my mind. Still, it couldn’t have been more than a centimeter or so longer. And he’d noticed it as soon as he saw me? That’s scary. Attractive guys must be extra sensitive to other people’s appearances, huh? I’d never had any success complimenting people on things like that, so I never even noticed little changes in people’s hairstyles.

Pledging to be more careful in the future, I said, “…Does it, sir?”

“They do say the more promiscuous someone is, the faster their hair grows,” mused Ms. Futarishizuka. “What about you?”

I couldn’t tell whether she was backing me up or just dishing out some more sexual harassment. Wistfully, I remembered hearing something like that back in my middle school days.

“Quit being stupid,” Miss Hoshizaki butted in. “Let’s get this conversation moving.”

“Your hair seems to be a little longer than when we first met, too,” remarked Ms. Futarishizuka.

“Wh-what does it matter? It’s my choice whether to grow it out.”

Is she growing out her hair? I wondered. Personally, I thought its current length was really working for her. “With excellent looks like yours, Miss Hoshizaki, I believe any hairstyle would suit you.”

“I, uh… Really? You don’t say stuff like that very often, Sasaki.”

Ms. Futarishizuka had thrown me a lifeboat, and I’d eagerly climbed aboard.

Seeming to give up on the matter for now, the section chief moved a hand over to the laptop. After a few moments, the big screen bolted to one wall displayed an image.

“I’d like to draw your attention to the screen.”

At the boss’s instruction, we underlings turned to look at the laptop’s external output. Several videos were playing in a maximized window, all of them without sound. Next to each was the date and location they were recorded. They were all facing up toward the sky, so it was basically a bunch of blue rectangles.

The subject of the videos appeared to be a kind of aircraft floating high up among the clouds. Its silhouette was striking—angular, man-made. Due to its height, though, none of the videos reflected any finer details. It was hard to even tell what color it was.

Nevertheless, I recalled seeing the same thing myself. Some days ago, after my little verbal battle with the boss, I’d left the bureau, and as I was heading to the posh hotel Ms. Futarishizuka had reserved, I’d seen this exact object up in the clear skies. I remembered how, at the time, all the people around me had been snapping pictures with their phones.

“Rumors about this strange flying object have been everywhere lately,” explained the chief.

“I’ve seen it on the news as well,” remarked Ms. Futarishizuka.

While I’d known the object existed, I hadn’t realized it was such a topic of conversation. After all, I’d been so busy for the last few days. Also, this sort of occurrence had happened many times in the past. I’d figured it would quickly disappear, and everyone would forget about it. So I was quite surprised to hear the chief bring it up.

“As you can see, there are eyewitness reports from areas all over Japan. And it’s been spotted from other countries as well. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to when or where it appears, but we’re getting a steady stream of reports from the ground.”

“I still haven’t gotten a peek at the real thing yet,” Miss Hoshizaki commented.

“I saw it when I went out for lunch the other day,” replied Ms. Futarishizuka.

It seemed like people were seeing it fairly often. I could understand why it had made the news. This would be hell to clean up after the fact if anything were to happen.

“I’d like to ask something of the three of you,” continued the chief. “When you hear the words unidentified flying object, what comes to mind? A classic Adamski-style flying saucer? Or a space battleship from a sci-fi anime?”

Uh, what? I thought. The chief’s going off on a wild tangent again. Whenever he does this, there’s usually trouble waiting for us.

“The true form of this mysterious object is…this,” he finished, clicking to get to the next slide.

A single image appeared, taking up the middle of the screen. According to our boss, this was the same flying object. Unlike the videos on the previous slide, this one was zoomed in quite a bit. It showed the angular, pale object considerably more visible against a pitch-black background.

Its resolution was still quite low; in fact, we could see the pixels at this point. It had probably been cropped from a larger picture and enlarged.

Even so, we could see a much more detailed silhouette than before. It didn’t bear the slightest resemblance to an Adamski flying saucer. If I had to say, it looked more like one of the space battleships you might see in an anime. I wondered how big it was. You couldn’t tell from the picture.

“An image from a spy satellite?” said Ms. Futarishizuka. “Are you sure you should be showing this to us?”

“I’m not sure what you mean.”

“Did you hack into one of our own country’s satellites? Or an allied nation’s?”

“I would suggest not delving any deeper into the matter. It would risk not only your safety, but Sasaki’s and Hoshizaki’s as well.”

“Ooh, very scary.”

Apparently, a lot was happening above our heads. That was the very reason we’d been called in, of course.

“Wait, what do you even want us to do about this, hmm?” asked Ms. Futarishizuka.

“The background is totally black,” remarked Miss Hoshizaki. “Like it’s in space or something.”

“Not or something,” countered Ms. Futarishizuka. “It must be completely outside the atmosphere.”

“I wanted to ask you all to do some information gathering on this unidentified flying object,” said the chief.

He didn’t think we were somehow involved, did he? I understood that might be the obvious conclusion from his position, but… Come on, that’s just absurd. And this is a job for the Ministry of Defense, not us.

I really, honestly didn’t know anything about this one. I very much doubted any spaceships existed in the otherworld—or that I’d be able to get any information from Peeps.

“I’m sorry,” replied Ms. Futarishizuka, baffled. “First a flying boat, and now a manned rocket? Is that where this is going?”

“Nothing in the bureau’s regulations said anything about trips to space,” agreed Miss Hoshizaki. “What kind of bonus pay would we be getting? It seems like a way harder job than just going overseas.”

Hoshizaki? I thought. Are you joking? Or are you being serious? There was a good chance of the latter, and that frightened me a little.

Personally, this was an absolute no-go for me. I couldn’t imagine how much time would pass in the otherworld if I went all the way to space. What if I came back and everyone I knew had already passed away? It wasn’t hard to imagine.

“Not to worry,” the chief assured us. “I’d like to keep you in Japan for this investigation, at least for the time being.”

“Is this one of those orders from higher up the chain again, sir?” I asked.

“Feel free to think of it that way. A lot of other agencies are busy trying to piece all this together. I feel the possibility of psychic involvement is low—but not low enough to dismiss completely.”

Now that I thought about it, maybe that psychic nerd was capable of creating a spaceship. And there was no telling when or where someone else might be born with a similar power. In that sense, I had to agree—I couldn’t fully reject the possibility of psychic involvement.

That was probably why the bureau had been called in. If the chief had declined, and it somehow turned out that it was a psychic pulling the strings, Mr. Akutsu would be in for a very hearty scolding.

As a result, our vacation ended after four days, which felt a lot more like three.

“Just when that giant monster finally disappears, we have a UFO on our hands, eh? We can’t seem to catch a break.”

Ms. Futarishizuka’s words, not directed at anyone in particular, echoed softly through the meeting space.