The next morning.
We finished our preparations and set out from the cabin.
The sun hadn't risen yet.
The forest was dark and deathly quiet.
"Well then, follow me."
With Tris in the lead, we pressed deeper into the forest.
Without the sun, it was hard to tell direction, but the slope of the ground suggested we were heading toward the mountains.
Not one of us spoke a word as we moved in silence.
The forest was deep, seeming to stretch on forever.
But after pushing through one thicket...
"Oh..."
The forest suddenly opened up.
There was a large lake in the middle of it.
You could call it a swamp, but it was more like a lake.
A crescent-shaped body of water, hemmed in by tall cliffs and towering trees, lay clear and blue before us.
There were no rivers or waterfalls feeding it.
Perhaps it was fed by springs.
"This wasn't on the map."
"It's in a position you can't see from a distance. Since our people manage it, the map never circulates."
"Oh."
As I murmured that, Tris explained further.
We followed the lake toward the cliffs. When we reached the base, Tris faced a stone monument and chanted some sort of incantation.
Then, a section of the cliff facing the lake vanished, revealing a cave.
"This way. It's slippery, so be careful."
Tris waded into the lake, walking along its edge beneath the cliff.
The side facing the cliff appeared to be shallow.
The water came up to about knee height.
"Rudeus! Let's go already!"
Eris's eyes were sparkling at the sight.
She couldn't wait to get inside that cave.
She was already twenty years old, but in that regard, she hadn't changed much from the old days.
Well, I was the same way — I loved squeezing into tight spaces too, so I had no room to talk.
"Go ahead, but don't let the horses slip and fall in."
"I know that."
Eris said this while wearing a look that suggested she absolutely did not know that, and dragged our horse Matsukaze into the lake by the reins.
Matsukaze did not seem eager to enter the water at all, but Eris hauled him in regardless.
She was like a kappa...
Eris would probably be strong at sumo too.
Did she like cucumbers?
I'd never really seen her be picky about food.
"Rudy, let's go too."
"Right."
Prompted by Sylphie, we lined up behind Eris and led our horses into the water.
The water was cold.
If it was this cold even now, what would it be like in winter?
Wouldn't the horses freeze to death?
Actually, the lake might freeze over in winter, making travel easier.
Come to think of it, it had rained yesterday, so the water level might have been higher than usual.
Normally, it might only come up to the calves.
The cave entrance sloped upward, so we were able to get out of the water quickly.
"Now, keep up and don't fall behind. It'll be trouble if we get separated."
Tris led the way through the dim cave, holding a torch.
I summoned a light spirit for good measure.
When I looked back, I caught the eye of Ariel, who wore a troubled expression with her trousers dampened.
"Your Highness Ariel. Please hold off on drying those until later."
"Yes, I understand."
Ariel managed a strained smile despite her predicament.
"..."
In the end, the matter of Tris being an acquaintance of Ariel's had been settled with the conclusion that it was "a chance encounter."
They happened to run into each other, and Ariel drew her in with her usual charisma.
That was the gist of it.
The atmosphere inside the cabin had been suffused with an "as expected of Lady Ariel" sentiment, and for some reason, Eris had been in a bad mood.
Setting aside Eris's sour disposition...
Ariel genuinely seemed intent on supporting me.
"...Rudy."
While Ariel and I were locked in a gaze, Sylphie called out to me from the side.
"What is it, Sylphie? My beloved wife."
"Stop staring at Ariel so much, or I'll pull your ear."
"I understand. I just need to look at you, right?"
My ear got pulled.
Sylphie seemed to feel that being too friendly with Ariel was a bad idea.
Eris and Roxy were fine, but for some reason, Ariel wasn't.
Nanahoshi had said she was barely okay, but...
Where exactly did Sylphie draw the line on her jealousy?
As thanks for the ear-pulling, I gave her ear a lick from behind.
---
The cave floor was made of clean tiles.
Apparently, they were artificial.
"It gets complicated from here on out, so don't let yourselves get separated.
Monsters don't appear often, but occasionally some wander out from deeper inside, so stay alert.
Also, even if you see light far off, don't ever go outside.
The outside is Red Dragon territory now."
Following Tris's various warnings, we pressed forward.
The cave was high-ceilinged and wide, but as Tris had warned, it twisted and turned with many branching paths.
Not a labyrinth — an artificial tunnel.
"This is incredible," Sylphie murmured.
"Rudy, this isn't a labyrinth, right?"
"Hm? No, it shouldn't be."
"How was such a huge tunnel made... do you know?"
At Sylphie's question, I tilted my head.
"Hmm... The Red Dragons supposedly moved into this mountain four hundred years ago, so maybe this is a remnant from before that, when the Coal Mining Race or someone lived here?"
"Oh, I see... so these are some really old mine shafts or something."
Sylphie and I chatted as we walked through the cave.
Up ahead, Eris was eagerly peering down side passages, only to be pulled back by Gilleen.
For better or worse, having spent a night under a roof, maybe our guard had dropped a little.
"Come to think of it, Rudy..."
"What?"
"...No, nothing."
Sylphie said this, then cast a quick glance behind us.
A little further back, Ariel and the others were following.
Our formation had gotten messy.
We should probably keep closer together.
Monsters were scarce, but getting separated wouldn't be fun.
---
We emerged from the cave.
Judging by the sun's position, it was just past noon.
From the time we'd set out, that made about eight hours.
The exit, like the entrance, had been concealed with magic.
The only difference was that it was smack in the middle of the forest.
According to Tris, from morning until evening was the window for illegal entry.
From evening until midnight was the window for illegal exit.
They arranged it so travelers wouldn't cross paths on the road.
That was why we'd been made to wait at the cabin — it was all about timing.
"Well then, you're officially in the Asura Kingdom now."
Our current position was apparently to the southeast of the border.
Head south from here and you'd reach the Donati domain.
Head southeast and you'd reach the Fittoa Region.
"Congratulations on your entry, Your Highness Ariel."
"Thank you..."
Tris had said it in a teasing tone, but Ariel was utterly exhausted.
Compared to Luke and the other attendants, Ariel's stamina was notably low.
Well, at that school too, Ariel had reigned as a charismatic figure.
She could do strength and magic training, but things like jogging were out of reach for her.
In her daily life, she probably never used her physical endurance.
The fact that she'd managed this journey without muscle soreness or pulled muscles was thanks entirely to Healing Magic.
Healing Magic was remarkably effective against muscle pain, backaches, and stiff shoulders.
Of course, it couldn't restore lost stamina.
We'd take a few breaks and aim for the edge of the forest.
---
The journey from there went smoothly.
Tris knew the back roads running through the Asura Kingdom.
They weren't criminal paths — just small trails that locals used for convenience, connecting places that the main highways didn't.
Most were dirt roads suitable for carts, so when a princess's carriage rolled through, people stared curiously.
We made good progress, and the anticipated attack by Obert never came.
You could credit Tris's route for that, but it was also possible the Human God simply hadn't pinpointed our location.
They were probably concentrating their forces in the capital or the royal palace.
Whether that was the Human God's judgment or Darius's — either way, we couldn't let our guard down.
---
Along the way, we passed near the Fittoa Region.
Several years had passed since reconstruction began, and wheat fields were starting to appear here and there.
The people's faces seemed to be regaining their vitality.
But the golden sea of wheat that lived in our memories was nowhere to be found.
It might take another decade to restore that.
Eris and Sylphie rode side by side, gazing out at the sweeping grasslands and wheat fields.
Their expressions were contrasting.
Sylphie looked nostalgic.
Eris looked annoyed.
"There are more fields than the last time we came through."
"You think? I don't remember."
"I hope they can rebuild quickly."
"...Hmph. I don't care."
Eris pursed her lips and turned away with a huff.
"Of course you care. It's our hometown.
I mean, you must have at least some acquaintances there, Eris?"
"I don't. I was hated."
"Now that you mention it, I was hated too..."
Sylphie said this, her eyes softening with nostalgia.
Those were the days.
They'd both been loners, but in contrasting ways.
Sylphie, who curled up like a turtle under the bullying.
Eris, who punched her tormentors into submission before they could even start.
If the two of them had teamed up back then, things might have worked out perfectly.
...No, that wouldn't have worked.
I could only picture Eris punching Sylphie and making her cry.
The current Eris had gained some maturity, but back then she was a different person.
Teaming up with that Eris would have been hell for Sylphie.
Every day would've been like getting beaten up by the school bully.
The current Sylphie might even have the backbone to stand up for herself, though.
"Sylphie. Listen."
"What, Eris?"
"If I'd stayed behind there, I wouldn't have been able to do anything anyway."
"...?"
Sylphie tilted her head.
She looked cute, like a little bird.
"Ah, right. Eris was the lord's little princess, wasn't she? I kinda forgot about that."
"Hmph. I was just decoration."
"But you've got the presence for it. If the current Eris became a lord, nobody would bat an eye."
"...Really?"
Eris's mood improved.
She was simple in the best way.
"But it's not like I want to be a lord.
It wouldn't suit me anyway."
"Eris looks better swinging a sword."
"Right?"
Sylphie's flattery of Eris was unstoppable.
"But in a different life, Eris could've ended up as nobility in the Asura Kingdom."
"Not a chance."
"Like Rudeus propping her up and pulling the strings from behind.
Knowing Rudeus, he'd have installed Eris as head of the Boreas family in the blink of an eye."
Ms. Sylphiette, your faith in this Rudeus is way overblown.
"And then Rudeus would've seduced me and gotten close to Ariel.
The Boreas family would join Ariel's faction, bringing Eris and Rudeus along,
and then we'd fight against Darius and Gravel."
Seduced, she says.
In that scenario, was Sylphie intending to get seduced by me?
Also, in that scenario, wouldn't I and Sylphie never have met?
Well, it was all fantasy, so I guess it didn't matter.
"It's not really different from how things are now..."
"Eris would be head of the Boreas family, and Rudeus would be her deputy.
I think that'd suit you both..."
"I just want to swing my sword every day and have children with Rudeus. That's enough for me."
Eris said this without a shred of embarrassment.
I was the one blushing just listening.
That was sexual harassment.
"Sylphie, isn't that enough for you?"
"It is. Honestly, since marrying Rudy, I feel like I've been living a life more than satisfying enough."
"...?"
"Right after we got married, both Rudy and I were like monkeys.
We'd be alone at home, and Rudy would have that incredibly lewd expression as he dragged me to the bedroom.
And I'd be getting all excited thinking, 'Today I'm going to be his again'...
Wait, this isn't really something to talk about during the day."
Yeah, please don't. I'd appreciate it.
Eris's eyes were narrowing with jealousy.
Tonight she might drag me into the bushes with that same lewd look.
I'd be thrilled, but it'd be a problem.
We didn't have time for that right now.
"Maybe I'm satisfied with how things are, so I end up fantasizing about other possibilities."
"...I wonder if having a child would make me feel the same way."
"A child between Eris and Rudeus — they'd definitely be a little pervert, huh."
"What's that supposed to mean..."
If they inherited my genes,
there was no avoiding them becoming little perverts.
Which meant Lucy's future was worrying.
Even if Sylphie wasn't that perverted, her grandmother was Elinariise.
Mixed with my genes, the atavism could kick in, producing a child who devoured innocent boys whole.
Right. Moral education needed to start as early as possible.
"I want one soon."
"It can happen right away. Eris is human, so her compatibility should be way better than mine."
Ms. Sylphiette, with the self-deprecation again.
At least their physical compatibility should be outstanding.
My inner beast was still eyeing Sylphie, intent on getting her to make a second one.
"But for now, protecting Rudeus matters more than children."
"Right."
The conversation continued after that.
It was idle chatter.
Like, when we got home, Sylphie would teach Eris to cook.
How was Roxy doing these days?
Fittoa Region had good food.
Just empty, casual talk.
Sylphie talked plenty, while Eris wasn't much of a conversationalist — you'd be hard-pressed to call it a lively exchange.
But the back-and-forth was pleasant to my ears, and the posture of Sylphie held in my arms from behind brought a sense of comfort.
Even knowing an attack could come at any moment, I was on the verge of dozing off.
---
After spending over ten days on the road, we stopped in a town called Riket.
It sat at the edge of the Donati domain, at the junction with the Asura Crown Territory.
It served as a hub, transporting goods from the north to the central region and vice versa.
However, traveling merchants heading from the south to the north were far fewer than those going the other way.
As a result, the town drew many people who resembled village headmen from across the Donati domain.
They came to sell their harvests southward and to buy goods from other regions.
It was a vital trading post within the Asura Kingdom.
Even so, this was the Asura Kingdom for you — even a town this size, essentially a transfer station, was larger than the magic city of Sharier.
Ideally, we'd want to approach the capital while remaining hidden.
We'd been gathering information in each village, but the movements of our pursuers remained unseen.
A town this large should offer plenty of hiding spots and ambush points.
Which meant, on the flip side, we wouldn't have trouble hiding either.
That was my thinking, anyway. Unfortunately, we were conspicuous.
Though Ariel wouldn't identify herself, she traveled with Gilleen, Eris, and Sylphie — all head-turners.
Within the Asura Kingdom, Luke was also a celebrity.
But we couldn't bypass this town.
Tris certainly knew the roads, but she hadn't built them.
And roads, by their nature, connect one place to another.
I'd gotten a bit poetic there, but the point was simple.
The only road from the Donati domain to the capital ran through this town.
Because of its location, the likelihood of an attack here was high.
It was the next checkpoint after the border crossing.
Or so I thought.
We weren't stopped by guards at the town entrance.
No armored soldiers blocked the streets.
Under Tris's guidance, we moved to an inn that was perfect for going to ground.
At first glance, it looked like an ordinary inn, but it was a thoroughly shady establishment staffed entirely by people connected to Tris's organization.
Every building around it belonged to the organization, and in a pinch, we could escape via underground tunnels.
It was like a ninja hideout.
Ariel retired to the inn, while Tris went out to gather intelligence.
The rest of us stood guard.
---
Currently, Gilleen and I were watching the stairway on the first floor, while Eris and Sylphie covered Ariel's room on the second.
The two attendants had disguised themselves and gone out shopping, and Luke was in the room with Ariel.
I doubted it, but let's pray Luke didn't lose his mind and try to stab Ariel.
Even if he did lose it, I hoped it would at most be a tackle...
And then there was Gilleen.
"..."
She stood by the stairs, ears pricked forward, eyes fixed on the entrance.
Lately, I hadn't been talking much with Gilleen.
She took her role as bodyguard even more seriously than I did.
Even when I tried to talk to her during a watch like this, she'd say something about sounds being important and cut the conversation short.
Could she perhaps dislike me?
That thought even crossed my mind.
But considering she barely spoke to Eris either, she was probably just extremely serious.
"Gilleen."
Today, though, she was the one who initiated.
"Yes, what is it?"
"Thank you for the other day."
...The other day? When was that?
"Blinding that Wi-Tar."
Ah, the forest battle.
"No, support is the rear guard's job."
"Your ability to think on your feet in a pinch hasn't changed much since the old days."
The old days — that would be about ten years ago now.
From my own perspective, I'd changed quite a bit since then.
But from Gilleen's eyes, I apparently hadn't changed at all.
"Even when I think on my feet, it doesn't work most of the time."
"When it doesn't work, you can rely on Lady Eris."
Oh my.
I didn't expect Gilleen to say something like that.
I'd figured she was more of the lone-wolf type.
"Lady Eris has been working hard for exactly this purpose."
"...That's right."
I don't know — with Sylphie or Roxy, I wanted them safe at home.
But somehow, with Eris, I didn't feel that way.
Maybe it was because, as Gilleen said, Eris had worked hard for this.
Effort meant nothing unless it paid off.
I also couldn't picture Eris sitting at home doing nothing.
Come to think of it, Eris kept talking about wanting kids, but would she be able to sit still during pregnancy?
I was worried...
"..."
The conversation died there.
What now?
What should I talk about?
The old days, let's see...
"By the way, Gilleen, have you been continuing your reading and writing practice?"
"Yeah, just as I was taught. I do it when I can.
I'd feel bad forgetting what I was taught."
A commendable attitude.
I wished Eris, who remembered almost nothing, would take a leaf out of her book.
"The folks at the Sword Sanctum really couldn't believe I could write."
"But you actually could, so they must have believed it quickly, right?"
"...Most of them can't read or write themselves, so when I actually wrote something, they just laughed and said I was probably scribbling nonsense."
"Ha ha."
I would've loved to see that.
"What about you? Are you still swinging a sword properly?"
"Fairly well. When I have the time, I do kata practice and the forms I was taught, along with physical conditioning."
"I figured you'd have stopped, being a magician and all."
"Even magicians need muscles."
I wasn't aiming for the top in swordsmanship anymore.
My goal, Paul, was gone.
I only taught Norn a little.
In this world's swordsmanship, the inability to wrap yourself in Battle Aura was truly a fatal limitation.
"Ah, right. Rudeus, do you remember our old promise?"
"Our old promise?"
"Have you forgotten? The one about making me a doll."
Oh, right — we had talked about that.
That was on my tenth birthday, wasn't it?
Those were the days.
"I heard from someone that you still make dolls?
If you ever have time, make another one for me."
"Of course."
"I don't know much about art, but I like the dolls you make."
That was flattering, but...
Why did people in this world always have these conversations before a battle?
It was making me uneasy.
It felt like a death flag.
No wait, I understood.
It was the opposite.
Because I had knowledge from my previous life, talking about things after the battle before the battle even happened made me think of death flags.
But it was the opposite here.
You had to confirm your reasons for surviving, one by one, or when the moment came, the line between life and death would be drawn for you.
"Hm."
Gilleen's nose and ears twitched.
I immediately gripped my staff and took a defensive stance, but Gilleen waved me off with her hand.
"No, it's fine."
The door opened and Tris walked in.
She held bags in both hands and kicked the door shut behind her.
She strode over to us and thrust out one of the bags.
"Good work out there. Here, a little treat."
"Thank you."
"And be sure to thank Tris while you eat."
I took it and looked inside — there were fruits that resembled pears.
I took one out and tossed it to Gilleen. She bit into it without even peeling it, crunching away.
"Well then, keep at it."
Tris waved her hand and headed upstairs to the inn's second floor.
She'd gotten quite used to our group over the past ten-odd days.
In terms of type, she was the same as the two attendants.
An Ariel devotee.
A bit coarse in her speech, but not a bad person.
Her revealing outfit made it hard to know where to look.
In terms of revealing attire, Gilleen wasn't much different, but hers was a warrior's aesthetic.
Muscle is art.
"Tris was in a good mood today."
"Yeah. Something must have come up."
As we talked, I picked up a pear myself.
I used my knife to peel the skin and took a bite.
The texture was grainy, but there was little sweetness — mostly sour.
Fruits in this world weren't really suited for eating raw.
Well, not bad though.
"She probably got some good intelligence. Geese was the same — those types are always in high spirits when something goes their way."
"I see."
Ariel had Tris gathering all sorts of intelligence.
From the locations of Obert's and Darius's private soldiers to everything else.
Anything she was curious about, she had Tris report back.
After sorting and filtering that vast amount of information, she'd consult with me.
I could miss important details in the process, but there was nothing to be done about that.
I simply wasn't capable enough to control everything.
"Come to think of it, Geese said he was heading to the Asura Kingdom.
We might run into him somewhere."
"If he's there, he'll find us on his own."
Yeah, that was Geese's style.
He'd find you himself, but wouldn't make contact on the spot — he'd try to stage some emotional reunion.
"But knowing him, he'd blow all his money gambling within days and move on to another country."
"Isn't Geese actually good at gambling?"
"When he has no money."
This was something I'd heard from Roxy.
The Asura Kingdom wasn't a particularly friendly place for adventurers.
On top of monsters being scarce to begin with, even small villages had knights stationed in them.
Knight orders and magic corps regularly conducted monster hunts as part of their training and drills.
As a result, extermination quests were virtually nonexistent.
Major trading houses had their own gathering teams, so collection and procurement quests didn't exist either.
Dangerous zones were few, and most areas were relatively safe, so escort quests were rare too.
What did exist were dull, time-consuming jobs like people searches and deliveries.
Depending on the season, there might be farm work assistance, but by and large, "adventurer work" was virtually nonexistent compared to other countries.
The closer you got to the capital, Ars, the more pronounced this trend became.
A certain number of young people wanted to become adventurers, but as their rank rose, they'd move to the Fittoa Region, the Donati domain, or similar frontier areas.
If their rank rose further still, they'd move to the south or the north.
If you had above-average skills or proper training, you could find work as a tutor or a bodyguard, but those positions were rare, and you didn't need to be an adventurer for them anyway.
In short, the Asura Kingdom had already established specialized industries for most things adventurers would do, so it had no need for unknown roughnecks.
It made sense why the Adventurers Guild headquarters was in the Holy Kingdom of Millis.
"...Hmm?"
While we were talking, Gilleen's ears twitched again.
Her expression had tightened.
This time it might really be an enemy attack.
I tossed the pear stem aside, gripped my staff, and fixed my eyes on the entrance.
But Gilleen wasn't looking at the entrance door.
She was looking up the stairs.
Straining my ears, I could hear what sounded like an argument coming from above.
What was going on?
"I'll go check it out."
"Yeah."
Climbing the stairs, I found Sylphie and Eris watching the door with worried expressions.
Something must have happened.
"Sylphie."
"Ah, Rudy. Tris came back a little while ago, but... Ariel and Luke got into an argument."
"..."
Ariel and Luke were fighting?
Come on, I'd told Luke to take care of that sort of thing...
Well, maybe arguing served a purpose sometimes?
"Excuse me — it's Rudeus. I'm coming in."
I knocked, then entered without waiting for a response.
Inside, I found Luke standing with a white face, Ariel sitting in her chair with a blank, mask-like expression, and Tris looking troubled.
"Lord Rudeus, you've arrived at just the right time."
Ariel looked at me and, maintaining her calm demeanor, spoke.
"What happened?"
"Yes. Tris brought back some information."
Tris, the one who'd brought the information, wore a troubled expression.
"What kind of information?"
"...Information regarding Sauros Boreas Greyrat."
Sauros.
So this was about her promise to Gilleen.
Tris had been investigating.
"Events in the Asura Royal Palace — it's actually provincial cities like this that know more about them than the capital does.
Anyone who learned something they shouldn't have and then lived in the capital would be killed by a nervous noble."
Was that how it worked?
"So, we've identified the main culprit behind framing Lord Sauros."
"The main culprit...?"
"..."
Luke looked frightened.
Ariel sat with a blank, mask-like expression. No emotion at all.
"It appears that someone from our own faction was involved.
Moreover, a person who held a personal grudge against Lord Sauros..."
Without missing a beat, Ariel said:
"Pilemon Notos Greyrat."
Pilemon killed Sauros.
Well, that was plausible.
Notos had been the leading noble in Ariel's faction.
Boreas, on the other hand, was part of the Gravel faction.
They were enemies.
And on top of that, if Pilemon personally despised Sauros...
There was every reason to seize the opportunity.
That said, it was something we could have predicted.
Sauros was, for all his faults, still a territorial lord at the time.
Even if he'd lost his domain, if he'd been under the protection of the First Prince's faction, it would have taken a noble of comparable power to bring him down.
"...So, what does Lady Ariel intend to do?"
"As promised, I'll have Gilleen execute him."
Luke bit his lip hard.
I see — that was why he was angry.
Ariel knew Luke valued his family, and yet she'd said it so plainly.
It was practically declaring that she'd side with Gilleen over Luke.
"However, this only applies if Pilemon — if the Notos family — truly betrayed us.
It hasn't been confirmed yet; it's still at the intelligence stage."
"............"
"If they did betray us, I'll execute Pilemon and appoint Luke as the family head."
"And if they didn't?"
"I'll persuade Gilleen and ask her to settle for someone else."
"Someone else..."
Ah, right — Pilemon was the main culprit, but there were others involved.
Keep the family alive, kill the outsiders.
Selfish, but understandable.
Even I didn't have the bandwidth to worry about people beyond my immediate circle, and I certainly wasn't a saint.
"Luke, is that acceptable?"
"...Neither the betrayal nor the main culprit has been confirmed."
Luke's face was bitter.
He understood with his head but not with his heart.
Hearing that his parent would be killed, he wasn't screaming.
"Someone might be trying to frame us..."
As he said this, he glanced at me.
"Luke, rest assured.
As I said before, Lord Rudeus will not take over the Notos family."
"Your Highness, to say this in front of Rudeus—!"
"No, it's precisely because he's here that I need to be clear."
Ariel drew a deep breath and declared:
"Regardless of how great his contributions may be in this battle,
I have absolutely no intention of granting Lord Rudeus any noble title."
I had no intention of accepting one either.
I'd never even considered it.
"..."
But the look on Luke's face when he heard this.
It was the face of a man who thought I'd become a full-fledged enemy.
---
The next day, Ariel reported that the previous day's argument had finally gotten Luke to talk.
In short, Luke had indeed been receiving counsel from the Human God.
The advice he'd received was one piece.
It came during the period when we'd been preparing for the journey.
The gist was: "Beware of Rudeus's betrayal."
According to the Human God:
Rudeus had sided with the Darius faction to become lord of the Notos domain.
His goals were status, money, and Ariel's body.
He was apparently operating in secret, all without Sylphie catching on.
During the day, he'd support Ariel while leading her into a trap.
At night, he'd pass information to Darius's spies.
From start to finish, it was something I'd supposedly been secretly plotting for years.
Even marrying Sylphie had been part of the plan.
Truly a well-connected and capable Rudeus.
I'd trade places with him.
If I could be that cold-blooded, life would be a lot easier.
Luke initially hadn't bought it — "I don't think Rudeus is interested in status" — but I hadn't realized I had that much of his trust.
It must have been my daily conduct.
But then, lately, the teleportation circle had been destroyed, the Notos family's betrayal had come to light, and the Human God's predictions had started coming true.
With all that, Luke's trust in me crumbled like sand.
He readily believed the Human God and turned a suspicious eye toward me.
Incidentally, he was apparently still suspicious.
Ariel had ordered me to demonstrate through actions.
She said confidently that she could keep Luke in check no matter what he tried going forward.
Well, if the advice Luke received was that flimsy, I could relax for now.
In reality, I'd never even seen Darius's face.
I had no interest in Paul's family estate.
And I certainly didn't want Ariel's body.
No matter how much Luke suspected me, the accusations were lies that would never come true.
For the Human God, it was remarkably sloppy counsel.
It was clear he didn't expect much from Luke.
But still, even such clumsy schemes — I wouldn't have been able to extract that information while under suspicion.
The right person for the right job really did matter.
---
We departed the town the next day.
Luke, who now viewed me as an enemy, went out of his way to prevent Ariel and me from being alone together.
After Ariel's declaration that she wouldn't make me a noble, he probably thought I'd murder her and deliver her head to Gravel.
But being viewed that way wasn't entirely bad.
Knowing Luke's thinking meant his movements were predictable.
One less thing to worry about during the journey.
I wasn't sure if Ariel had anticipated that far ahead, but her skill was impressive nonetheless.
Oh, right — Ariel also conveyed the news about Sauros's killer to Gilleen and Eris.
"In short, it appears highly likely that someone from my own faction was responsible for framing Lord Sauros."
"I see."
"Hmm."
Gilleen's eyes were filled with killing intent. Eris's eyes held disinterest.
But Eris wasn't entirely disinterested in the conversation — you could tell from her hand resting on the sword at her hip.
Her fingers gripped the hilt so tightly they'd gone white.
"Gilleen. Will you kill me?"
"...No. I'll kill the enemy you prepared for me."
Gilleen didn't seem particularly fixated on being the one to execute Pilemon.
I'd thought she might need convincing, but perhaps she'd reasoned it out in her own way.
Eris said nothing.
But she nodded, as if following Gilleen's lead.
"That's right. If they're going to get in Rudeus's way, I'll cut them down too."
Eris was her usual self.
All that remained was to settle things in the capital.
With that thought, approximately twenty days passed.
Taking numerous detour routes, we arrived at the Asura Kingdom's capital.
The royal city of Ars.