Volume 4 - CH 55

Act 4-55: Nightmare of Domino Effect

――High-End residential area in the northern part of Babel.

「Haah, we lost our sponsor.」

Hijiri, a red-haired slender man with an undercut, leaned on his chair while placing his hands on the back of his head.

Hearing Hijiri’s remark, everyone’s line of sight gathered toward a handsome black-haired youth who wore a complicated look on his face, Satoru.

「What’s your problem!? I know already! If you want to blame someone, blame that idiot prince who moves only to his own rhythm!」

Satoru shouted furiously since he felt that he did nothing wrong in this situation, which was true, seeing that he was safe and sound.

「Do you know the details?」

The beauty with long, silky black hair, Mashiro asked to the knight who donned white armour behind her as made a gesture of pondering about something.

「The kingdom investigation corps arrest Prince Gilbert as the suspect of the murder attempt of apprentice knight Tetle and guardian knight Somni, who participated in Babel’s entrance exam.」

The temperature of the room feels like it dropped by a few degrees the moment the words “Kingdom Investigation Corps” came out.

「Speaking of the leader of that investigation corps, it’s that monster-like prime minister, right?」

Even Hijiri who still acted carefreely a while ago spoke with serious look on his face.

「Yes. Since prince Gilbert committed the greatest taboo for royalty, namely, an assassination attempt on his own subordinates without cause, his participation in the crown contest will be suspended indefinitely. That was what the report had said.」

「Yup. Gil ended up infuriating that man. That’s the natural result for ignoring our warning though.」

Hearing Mashiro’s remark,

「You’re right, Mashiro. Gil is already――」

Hijiri gave an appropriate reply and talked about Gilbert’s safety.

「Nope, it’s the Prime Minister after all. If Gil really is dead, he will say “Lost” instead of “Suspended”. Since he says “Suspended indefinitely”, it means that Gilbert is still alive.」

The moment Mashiro said so, the tense air in the room eased out.

「But then, what shall we do now? How do you think we will get our stipends without Gil’s assistance?」

Satoru asked Mashiro while stomping angrily.

「Don’t worry about it. An alternative proposal just came from the high nobles who belong to the Gilbert faction, in regard to Gilbert’s suspension this time. I think we received one part of it.」

""

「Alternative proposal?」

Seeing Satoru frown,

「Yes. It seems Amelia kingdom has another candidate with inheritance rights to participate in the crown contest.」

「Another candidate with inheritance right? The current king only has three children, right?」

「Yes, the other person is the younger brother of the current king, they have a huge age gap between them. According to the ruler of the crown contest, as long as they’re still young, even the current king’s brother can participate in the crown contest.」

「Ha~h, well, since Gil has literally dropped out from the competition, I guess there’s no male candidate for the throne at this point. Is that why a certain someone has to take the burden?」

Mashiro nodded lightly.

「Naturally, this rule has been adopted before the start of the crown contest. It’ll be another case if this rule was added after the start of the contest. Firstly, I think the situation in Gil’s participation in the crown contest being suspended shouldn’t apply to this particular rule, since he isn’t dead. And yet――」

「The reason why they used this particular rule must be because those high nobles are in hot water, right?」

「Do you think that Prime Minister will buck in with their nonsense?」

「He won’t. I can’t imagine a situation in which he loses in an argument. Anyhow, what are you trying to say?」

Seeing Hijiri frown, he asked,

「Well, nothing. But, I feel that the case isn’t that simple.」

「It isn’t that simple? Mashiro, you, are way too vague here, you know!」

Seeing that the annoying sage Satoru was pressing for more explanations, Mashiro just shrugged his shoulders and,

「It seems that a particular little brother of the king had been imprisoned for a long time somewhere far away for several crimes he committed in the past. And he was released from that prison after the Prime Minister buckled into the pleas of those high nobles.」

She disclosed that information with an indifferent voice.

「Several crimes? Can you give a more concrete description?」

「One of them are murdering the previous king.」

「Patricide eh… Just what kind of a person is he?」

When Hijiri stared at the soldiers around them,

「About that…」

All of them were looking at each other as if hesitating what to say. Their expressions were complicated, a mix of negative and positive emotions.

「That’s how they react whenever I ask this question. It seems that he is quite a flippant person, he, along with the prime minister is the leading actor behind the explosive growth of Amelia kingdom in the past.」

Seeing Mashiro shrugging her shoulders as she shook her head,

「So what is the reason for such a dangerous guy to participate in the crown contest at this kind of timing? No, let me change my question. Is there any reason for him to participate?」

Hijiri didn’t beat around the bush.

「I also have no idea of the reason. If Prime Minister has his own agenda in this plan, he is already ahead of us by at least two steps.」

「That’s too. In the first place, Gil’s dropping out of the crown contest seems to be a part of the prime minister’s plan too.」

「Well, about that, Gil might’ve already been considered as a piece of the game by the time he tried to violate the prime minister’s ultimatum. But, this is a bit too much, for the prime minister whose moves are always well hidden. Which reminds me…」

Seeing Mashiro cross her arms, she pondered deeply,

「Ha~h, let’s stop! We’re off-topic! We, who were fundamentally stronger than average before coming to this world, have no one to consult about this matter! Honestly, what that prime minister is trying to do has nothing to do with us! We should prioritize our plan after that! What do you think, Mashiro?!」

Satoru stood up as he gave such a meaningful proposal.

Hearing that, Mashiro heaved a sigh and,

「Yeah. We’re derailed from our topic. With the participation of the rumoured archduke Canute in the crown contest, almost all high nobles decided to support him.」

She started to disclose the information that everyone wanted to hear the most.

「So? Are the two of you interested to become the royal guards of that archduke? By the way, is it impossible for me since I’ve already become Gil’s royal guard?」

Mashiro shook her head upon hearing Satoru’s question.

「There’s no reason for us to dance on top of that Prime Minister(Monster)’s palm.

For the time being, we will just do what we have done, on the surface, we will act as if we’re cooperating with that archduke, in exchange, we will receive undivided cooperation to annihilate the demon race. They should’ve agreed with that offer.」

The air in the room heated up at once the moment Mashiro said so.

「Yes, it’s still too early to feel delighted! The crown contest has nothing to do with our goal after all.

What are you going to do about Gil’s Westland? Are we going to toss it aside now? Well, that will be too selfish, right?」

Hearing Satoru’s question, Mashiro, Hijiri, and the knights around them stared at Satoru with surprise.

「W-What’s with that look!?」

「No, I just never expected that you’re actually such a responsible person.」

Seeing Mashiro expresses her true intentions,

「She’s right. Why did Satorucchi do something like that now instead of me! Aren’t you supposed to say “This cr*ap is bothersome” at some moment?」

Hijiri added in a teasing tone.

「You lot――」

Seeing Satoru’s shoulders tremble in anger, Mashiro raised her hands as if telling the former that she gave up.

「Okay, enough with the jokes. Satoru is right. Westland territory has already become our territory. It’ll become our base of operation after we exterminate the demon race. We’ll do our best to look for a way to return to earth. That’s why I’ve already settled this matter with the people from the archduke’s side.」

「Are you telling me that Westland is ours as long as we cooperate with Canute in the crown contest? Are you going to believe that archduke-san’s words? What will you go to do if he betrays us?」

Hearing Hijiri’s worry-filled question,

「It won’t happen. The reason being our backing is the biggest, strongest, and wealthiest organization in this world.」

Mashiro’s lips rose up as she declared so.

「He~, backed by the biggest, strongest, and wealthiest organization eh. What gall do they have to do that? I mean, they’re the ones who want to get rid of us after we exterminate the demon race, right?」

「Yeah, well, it seems they’re also in a serious predicament which caused them to have no leeway to deal with us. Anyhow, the archduke’s side also isn’t stupid enough to make an enemy of the central church. As long as we don’t become a hindrance during the crown contest, we will get the right to govern Westland.」

「Well, we still have to pay tax to this kingdom. So, it makes no difference with being governed by a noble. They have no choice but to accept that condition.」

Everyone raised their voices of relief upon hearing Hijiri’s thoughts.

""

The nightmare of the domino effect was something that they, as outsiders, could feel at this point in time.

But then, due to Mashiro’s decision, the nightmare which came from Cardinal Pandora would soon haunt the hero team.

Yes. At this point in time, one might say that the hero team had foolishly participated in a war against the most terrifying monster in this world with nothing but a simple wooden stick.