93 – Mistake(4)

After leaving the great forest, I registered as an adventurer in a nearby city and started working as an adventurer.

Of course, I used a pseudonym. I thought about just using Ben, but I stopped because I thought there was a chance that Yuna would find him.

“Woah, this is Bosu!”

“thank you.”

The adventurer’s work was only simple.

Since it was a small city, it was about solving problems in the city or helping with work.

Tasks such as subjugating monsters were not entrusted to low-rank adventurers like me.

Still, that was okay. Because I just wanted to cool my head for a while.

Although I was spending my time doing random things day after day, my mental state was not in good condition.

It wasn’t normal enough for me to even think that way.

Thoughts about the past that come to mind every now and then, and the future shown by Daesu Forest.

The nobles of Helia who are still alive and well, and the former nobles of Regius, including Ceramide who betrayed us.

But for me, the pain that hasn’t gone away and the blood relatives that haven’t returned.

The fact that I couldn’t achieve anything during that time, and that my efforts were ultimately in vain.

And the thought that I might have to repeat that terrible thing again.

Those thoughts continued to torment me.

I just felt helpless every day.

He wasn’t crazy like Syria or Yuna, killing people or getting high on drugs.

Wouldn’t it be correct to say that it is a state of helplessness? All I could do was wallow in pain day after day, wallowing in self-resentment and disgust.

Then one day it happened.

“… You were here. Sir Ben.”

The second prince of the empire came to visit me, who was living quietly in a city on the outskirts. It was a Macan.

“… “How did the prince find this place?”

“Since that day, at the orders of the First Princess, I have been keeping an eye on Sir Ben’s movements, but he suddenly disappeared in a forest. “After that, I continued to search for his whereabouts, and I finally found him.”

“But if you ask me, isn’t this a land of kingdom unity? “How did you get in?”

“But at the same time, it is a place adjacent to the land of a different race. It is also adjacent to a major forest. Moreover, each country is currently recovering from the aftermath of the war, so it was not difficult to hide our identity.”

“Okay… “I see.”

“Please talk for a moment.”

He didn’t seem to have come to catch me or dispose of me, so I followed him quietly.

It was surprising that the Empire had always been interested in me.

I thought they thought it was just a throwaway comment.

“I don’t know if you know, but the peace between the Empire and Helia has been concluded. “For now, there will be no war between the two countries for some time to come.”

“… “That’s surprising.”

Because I had been living in a large forest and then stuck in a rural city like this, I didn’t know much about the situation on the continent.

I thought that no matter how remote it was, the border would still be heavily guarded, and that seemed to be the reason Makan was able to come.

“The King of Helia first asked for peace. “I was also surprised that she was alive.”

“Okay… “I see.”

Considering the timing, it was correct to say that after Yuuna disappeared, she returned to Helia and took the lead in making peace.

Maybe it was a natural choice for her. In the first place, the war happened regardless of Helia’s will, and she had no reason to go to war.

What was surprising was the fact that she tried to correct the situation so quickly.

“What do you plan to do in the empire?”

“First of all, the damage to the empire is severe, so I plan to work hard to recover for a while. Probably no war for a while. Even if I want to, I don’t have the energy to do it. Instead, I think there will probably be a full-blown conflict over the succession structure. “In the meantime, the emperor wants to decide on a successor.”

“I heard that the first prince currently holds the position of crown prince in the empire.”

“… That’s right. that… It’s a bit of a complicated story. Anyway, I hope the First Princess will visit Lord Ben’s empire. “It looks like you probably have something to talk about.”

“… “I guess I’ll be of no use now.”

“We know that. Maybe he was upset that I threw him out like that at that time. Wouldn’t it be better to go to the empire than to be stuck in a place like this? “If you want, I can even offer you a knighthood.”

Now the driver was sick of it. And I had no intention of fighting on the side of the empire.

What do I want most right now? If you ask me, of course it would be an easy way to get revenge.

In my heart, I wanted to just kill them all and be done with it. But now it will be impossible for me to even enter Helia Castle.

“It’s okay to be a knight, but let’s do it.”

“Good idea.”

However, it is also true that nothing can be solved if it stays like this.

I didn’t know if anything would open up if I entered the empire. Of course, I don’t think the empire that will ruin me once will help me.

Ultimately, this means that I am alone now. It will take a long time to build up power.

“Then let’s go.”

“… yes.”

Just go with the flow. That’s how it goes.

According to the elves, the balance is reached anyway. What should I do while worrying?

So I boarded the empire once again.

***

“It’s been a while. “Ben.”

“yes. “It’s been a while, princess.”

“I apologize for throwing you away like that then. “I had no choice.”

“it’s okay. “I’m glad that things seem to have worked out well.”

Is it because so much time has passed? The empire seemed to have quite recovered from the wounds of war.

“The empire is quickly becoming stable. It’s natural. “How have you been lately?”

“Me too… Various things happened. “The situation hasn’t changed.”

“okay… ”

The princess sipped her tea in silence.

“You might be wondering why I found you again.”

“That’s right.”

“It’s not a big deal. Because you are a great swordsman, and I need a sword. “Reliable.”

“It’s a story about the struggle for imperial power.”

It reminds me of the time I met Yuna as Beryl. No, it was the same situation as back then.

From the perspective of the first princess, who is a maternal relative of the imperial family, someone like me may be needed.

It might not be helpful politically, but it would be perfect as a sword.

“If you help me, one day you may be able to achieve that goal again. “You see, there is no way left for you at this point.”

“… Yes.”

It reminds me of the future I saw in the great forest. My appearance wearing the armor of the imperial army and destroying Helia.

Maybe this is just the way it goes. Is this the path to balance that the elves talk about?

So, if we follow the flow like this, it means that we will eventually reach that future someday.

That would really be the only story. As it goes by. Just go with the flow.

“for now… All right. “Instead, I have one favor to ask.”

“… “What is it?”

“You said that Helia and the Empire signed a peace treaty.”

But I was too tired to wait for that time.

If there is a way to end it quickly, I would like to use it.

I just wanted to do a little bit of tailgating.

Even if you can’t go against the wave.

***

Yuuna couldn’t help but move when she heard the news that an envoy from the empire was coming.

This was because, as king, he could not ignore the visit of the empire, no matter how secluded he was.

She was just passing the time recently.

If there is something important that needs to be dealt with, I deal with it. Otherwise, I just pass the time in a daze.

It was a life to the point where it would have been better to see him as dead.

He wasn’t eating, and was only receiving IV fluids as prescribed by the court doctor.

The good news is that I’m so nihilistic that I don’t even think about dying.

“majesty.”

The only person who opened the door for her was Leah.

Maybe it was because of the expectations deep inside me. Maybe he was hoping she would bring him news about Ben.

“… “Lord Mernis.”

“I heard that an envoy from the empire is visiting.”

“… yes. “Lord Mernis is also attending the banquet, right?”

“I think so. “I guess it’s because I don’t have a father.”

Unfortunately, this time too, what Lia brought was not news about Ben.

She often visited Yuna, but she always asked various questions and never brought any news about him.

Of course, she may not have found it yet.

However, for Yuna, I was able to tell stories that I had not been able to talk about before, so I felt at least a little bit alive in that moment.

“Ben… Still no news. There seemed to be no significant discoveries since then.”

“… okay. “I always say this, but it’s okay if you don’t have to tell me this.”

“… yes.”

Although Lia doesn’t particularly like Yuna, she always comes to visit and talk to her.

It was a change that occurred after Yuna found out that she was the only one who opened the door.

Did I feel sorry for her, or did I identify with her?

Maybe it was because he was the only person I could talk to about Ben.

It didn’t seem like much, but their relationship was gentler than before.

“You said that the Ceramide Duke family would also attend the banquet.”

“I guess so. “I guess he is a duke representing Helia.”

“I don’t know if the Duke’s Lady will come too.”

After hearing the story from Yuna, Lia went to Syria to get information.

Of course, on the first visit, as soon as Leah mentioned that she was having Ben’s child, she was kicked out.

Although the situation was similar, Yuuna and Syria’s personalities were very different, so Syria and Lia could not meet regularly.

“He probably won’t attend. The duke will come as a representative. “To begin with, the duke doesn’t have much interest in Syria.”

“… “I will.”

“Perhaps it would be a good idea to take this opportunity to get information about him from the Empire. “It would have been difficult to investigate well.”

“I think I’ll give it a try. “I heard that the 1st princess joined hands with Ben, so I don’t know where she is.”

“is it so.”

Until now, it had been difficult to obtain proper information from the empire.

In a situation where the war had just ended, it was difficult to scrape information from the center of the empire, and the empire was sensitive to information leaks in the first place.

However, if I could hear the story from the first princess this time, I might be able to find out something.

Because she was probably the last person to share the same thoughts with him.

“… “I think I can somehow find a clue this time.”

Leah’s expectations were met.

Although that wasn’t the direction she wanted.

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