Chapter 199

Translator: Kell | Editor: Weasalopes

The Foreign Minister’s Recruitment

The arbitration meeting for the internal dispute in Ponsonia was nearing its end. The princess, who had a favorable position in the fight, demanded the disinheritance of the prince and the release of Leather Elka. In exchange, traitors would be allowed to keep their lives, assets, and status. It was a huge compromise, but in order for the kingdom to keep functioning afterwards, they couldn’t punish the nobles.

The prince, on the other hand, suggested the kingdom to be divided in half and ruled separately. A rather unrealistic proposition. The Red Priest favored the princess’s proposal, who offered a compromise right off the start.

「Ah… I’m exhausted.」

While in Agiapole, the Foreign Minister stayed in the Tower. As soon as he returned to his room, he slumped down on a chair, heaving a huge sigh, as though exhaling all the fatigue out.

「I’m surprised that Bios, a neutral state, is in favor of our proposal.」a member of his convoy said.

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「Haha. They want to finish this quick. Letting the civil war continue won’t be of benefit to the Church. Asking for a donation after rebuilding the kingdom is the best move they can make.」

「So they don’t care about the legitimacy of the ruler.」

「Einbeast separates our kingdom from this country. Or Vireocean if you go by sea. The farther the country is, the less they care. Although, I’m glad we were on equal terms right from the start. I still don’t know why His Holiness ordered a letter to be sent under such conditions…」

「The ten-day limit?」

「We managed to avoid earning the Pope’s displeasure because the messenger succeeded in his mission.」

Then, a knock came at the door.

「Sir, an adventurer named Hikaru wants to see you.」

「Oh, speak of the devil. Let him in.」

「Are you sure, Sir? He’s a… low-ranked adventurer.」

「It’s fine. If the arbitration proceeds smoothly and in our favor, it would all be thanks to him.」

A few moments later, a young boy with black hair and eyes entered the room.

「I take it you’re Hikaru?」the minister asked, smiling.

「Yeah.」the boy answered calmly.

His attitude caused the other men’s faces to turn red. After all, the boy was a commoner talking to a noble. His tone lacked the proper respect.

「How dare you speak to the Foreign Minister like that!」

「It’s fine.」the old man said.

The men didn’t seem satisfied. Ignoring them, Hikaru pulled out a sealed letter from his pocket.

「May I have your signature? Proof for the guild that I delivered the letter within the time limit and thus completed the request.」

「Haha. Why, of course.」

Hikaru quickly handed the letter to the Foreign Minister. Seeing this, the other men present grew even more furious. Handing something to a noble directly was unthinkable. Normally, his attendant would receive it first, check if it was safe, before giving it to his lord. But since the old man happily accepted the letter, there was nothing else they could do.

After checking the contents of the letter, the Foreign Minister quickly signed it.

「Here you go.」

「Thank you. Well, then. If you’ll excuse me—」

「Wait a minute.」The old man stopped Hikaru as he was about to leave.「I wanted to ask you how you managed to deliver the letter in just seven days.」

「Do you really think an adventurer would reveal his secrets?」

「Why, you! Such disrespect will not go unpunished!」

The member of the Foreign Minister’s convoy shouted in rage, while the bodyguard placed his hand on the grip of his sword.

「………」

Hikaru simply watched them with cold eyes.

「Stop!」the Foreign Minister—a usually-gentle man—roared.

The men present gave a start, their bodies trembling.

「Sorry about that, Hikaru. There are surprisingly many people who care so much about nobility even when in foreign lands.」

「It’s fine. Such a shame, though. Nobles tend to be arrogant, but I thought those working in the government were selected based on their abilities.」

「Haha. That’s quite an interesting take. What would you have done then?」

「If I’m in a foreign country attending an arbitration meeting, I would use anything I could get my hands on. Who cares if someone’s being rude? Unless of course, you’re in a formal gathering.」

「Indeed. You know your stuff, young man. Would you like to work for Princess Kudyastoria?」

The Foreign Minister’s retainers had no clue why the old man snapped at them. Seeing him try to recruit Hikaru just made them more confused.

「You’re quite strange. I’m just a kid.」

「Only a learned person could give such an answer. As an adventurer, you completed a difficult mission. I’m sure plenty of people have their eyes on you. You should know that the princess is building a new kingdom. We’ll need talented people like you.」

「I’ll pass. It’s too much responsibility.」

「Is that so? Just come to me if you ever change your mind.」

The Foreign Minister held this cheeky adventurer in high regard. Yet Hikaru rejected the offer. The men listening had no idea what was going on. Then, a voice came from the hallway.

「Y-You can’t come in here! There’s confidential information about the meeting! This area is off-limits to unauthorized personnel until the arbitration is over.」

「I’m a Blue Knight of Bios, fair and impartial. I swear I won’t leak any information I might come across here. So let me through! The adventurer Hikaru is suspected of violence against a Gray Deacon!」

The door slammed open, revealing the Blue Knight, Conia Mercury.

Fifteen minutes earlier.

Conia was in her room, deep in thought.

Why… Why did Lord Gilbert do such a thing?

Shuva Bloomfield told her what he witnessed. When she asked for confirmation from the knight, he admitted to it.

Conia admired Gilbert who was known as the strongest knight in Agiapole. His fast swordsmanship had earned him the nicknames Gilbert the Light Sword and Sword Flash. It wasn’t clear where he came from, and the man himself didn’t talk much about it. He climbed to the top using his skills alone.

Conia’s parents were the heads of a church in the countryside, and they spoke well of Gilbert too. When a vicious monster attacked her home town and resulted in many casualties, it was none other than Gilbert who took care of it.

Being only five years old back then, Conia couldn’t meet Gilbert, but she’d heart stories of the knight’s bravery from many people. That’s when she said she wanted to be a knight. In the end, with her talent with the sword, she managed to be deployed in the Tower as a Blue Knight.

「Unlike you, I didn’t have support from a regional church, see. So I had to do things my own way. Anyway, there you have it..」

As Gilbert said, it was mostly thanks to her parents’ recommendation that Conia became a Blue Knight. She’d heard similar things from envious people ever since she was appointed to her post, all of which she tried her best to ignore.

But hearing it from Gilbert himself was a whole other thing.

Did Lord Gilbert really work hard just so he could become a Blue Knight?

Conia still remembered the time she first met Gilbert in the Tower. He was dead drunk in his office.

After that, she heard all kinds of stories about the man. He stood out—for better or worse—so a lot of people knew him. All she heard were negative things: a drunkard, a slob, a truant, doesn’t do his job, doesn’t carry a sword, greedy, spotted walking with a prostitute — no trace of the hero that once saved her home town.

Still, Conia believed in him, that he was just taking a break. He’d been rushing it all this time to get here, and was now simply resting. He was only human, after all.

But if his only goal was to become a Blue Knight, then it would only go downhill from here.

「Blue Knights are swords that protect the Tower. They are the model of all knights out there.」

Conia repeated the words her parents taught her. She was from a remote town in Bios. Right now, her parents were continuing their religious work, guiding the lost and healing the hurt, while she was at the center of faith. Yet, doubt and fear crippled her, respect crushed, and she was lost.

「Mom, Dad… What should I do?」

She heard footsteps running in the hallway.

「Lady Conia! The adventurer named Hikaru is in Ponsonia’s Foreign Minister’s room!」

「What?!」

She quickly got up and stared at the man who brought the news.

How? I gave an order for him to be detained at the gate if he ever came. How did he get into the Foreign Minister’s room? He should know that we’re looking for him, given that he never showed up at the appointed time and even moved out of his hotel room. It’s clear he’s hiding. So why did he come to the Tower?

Various questions popped into mind.

「Wh-What do we do?」

「Let’s go.」

Now was not the time to think. She had to grab the opportunity while it was still there. Conia gathered a few temple knights and made her way towards the minister’s room.