“Tek here, people say that the history of mankind is also a history of war and conflict. It seems that even in a fantasy world--Humankind’s acts don’t really change.”

 

“As a reward for defeating the Demon who attacked the city--the Viceroy of Gururian City awards you this medal.” The official, who’s standing next to the young viceroy, reads aloud from the paper in his hands.

 

We are in the audience room inside Gururian City castle, which is only about a quarter of the size of the one in Muno City. There are twenty soldiers in heavy armour and wielding halberds lined up along the walls, ten on each side.

 

At this time, I was thinking that it was nice that this seemed more like a proper meeting, unlike Baron Muno who was completely defenseless when I was there--Arisa told me later that the number of guards were obviously increased, as a precaution against me.

 

The only one of my group actually allowed inside the room, is me--the others are waiting in a nearby room. I’m unarmed, since I gave my Fairy Sword and my short staff to Arisa.

 

After a short time, the meeting with the viceroy ends without any problems and I leave.

 

***

After leaving the audience room, a maid guides me to the room where Arisa and the others are waiting. The official from the meeting is already waiting for me there--he’s the Consul of Gururian City.

 

“Sir Felspar, I can’t thank you enough for your assistance with this terrible situation.”

 

“Even though I’m of the lowest rank for nobles, I’m still one of Shiga Kingdom’s nobility--I was just fulfilling my duty.”

 

After this small talk--we get down to the real business.

 

I tell him about the Demon that attacked Muno City, and how it was defeated. They already knew most of what I told them because of the letter from the Baron, but they wanted to double-check the information.

 

I don’t tell them about the Magic Tool called a Short Horn, since I don’t know either the Viceroy’s character or ability--there is no way I would tell them about an item that’s this dangerous. It’s likely that a lot of nobles would try to use it as a weapon, and others who would go on witch hunts--even more chaos would ensue.

 

He brought up the idea that the attack was probably a diversion, and when I was searching my map while waiting for the audience earlier, I saw that Short Horn Demons had appeared in other cities.

 

Luckily, they were exterminated fairly quickly.

 

Afterwards, we finished the talk after exchanging some opinions and theories. The Viceroy’s butler gives me an invitation to a banquet before I head back. I had originally intended to get a room at an inn and spend the evening relaxing--keeping the nobles company is, troublesome, to say the least.

 

***

When I get back to the waiting room, there are more than just Arisa and the girls waiting for me. I did expected Karina and her maids, but there are also some unknown women. They’re probably not the Viceroy’s servants, since their clothing is too poor. When I check their information, they’re slaves with ‘No Master’.

 

“Chevalier Felspar, I’m sorry for my impoliteness the other day--thank you for saving me during the Demon’s attack.”

 

I don’t remember helping her though?

 

“There was a cart for carrying slaves which fell down during the attack, she was on it.” Arisa said.

 

I see.

 

She is the female guard of the noble from Bollhart City, the one who wanted me to sell them the Fairy Sword--however, why is she a slave?

 

When I ask her, she replies with annoyance, “Actually, we were deceived by the Weaselkin that day. We followed them when they said that they had Magic Swords--they offered us one for 30 gold coins. But we only had 5 gold coins, we agreed to a contract that meant they would loan us the sword until the tournament was over.”

 

Which part of that was deception?

 

She seemed to read the question from my eyes, “The scam came after that. We left straight for Daregan City--but along the way, we were attacked by Tigerkin and Lionkin thieves, who stole the Magic Sword.”

 

“Were they real thieves?”

 

“If they were real, then my master and I would have already been killed. When we returned to Bollhart City, we met the Weaselkin who had loaned the sword to us. He saw through the fact that the Magic Sword was stolen. When I think about it, he obviously knew that we didn’t have the Magic Sword.”

 

Arisa adds that the women who were on the same carriage tell similar stories. As for the young nobles that they originally served have been sold to a mining city in a nearby small Kingdom.

 

The women were taken here by Karina, who had appealed directly to the Consul.

 

“They’ve become slaves and don’t know if their masters taken to the mining city are alive or dead, don’t you feel sorry for them?” She asked with pity in her large blue eyes.

 

“This probably won’t end with just the Weaselkin getting caught and punished--it’s possible a war would occur against the Weaselkin Kingdom, isn’t it?” I asked.

 

No wait, the Weaselkin might be trying to instigate a war themselves, trying to find a valid excuse to attack and expand rapidly. According to some stories that I have heard, it had been 15 years since the Weaselkin merchants entered the Dukedom.

 

Around 18 years ago, there were between 7 and 9 Kingdoms on the border of the Dukedom, and the individual principalities of the Lizardkin and Tigerkin beyond those Kingdoms. The Weaselkin have swallowed those Demi-Human principalities and become quite big, and they’re still growing their empire even now.

 

It seems that they never meddled with Human countries before, but last year--they utterly annihilated one of the small countries and directly touched the border of the Dukedom.

 

Well, let’s hope that even if war happens, it won’t spread to Baron Muno’s territory--they don’t have any spare soldiers to dispatch.

 

***

“This world has quite a few problems--I wonder if there will be a war, and if it will conflict with the return of the Demon Lord.”

 

“Well, it is a fantasy world--they are always like this.” Arisa says with an eye-roll at my naivete.

 

Currently, I’m with Arisa in a jewelry shop--we are getting me some jewels for the banquet tonight.

 

Arisa had said, “Your clothes are already quite noble-like, but you don’t have enough decorations.”, so we went to buy some accessories.

 

Back on Earth, I usually only had a watch, ring and two bracelets--both of which had significant memories attached, I liked it simple. I had no idea what I should choose, so I brought Arisa along.

 

The ones who will attend the banquet tonight are Karina and me. I can’t bring slaves or Demi-Humans, so only Nana could come with me, but since the Viceroy’s wife has the Status Check Skill, I ask Karina instead.

 

The wife is only level 10, so her Status Check Skill is still low level and should only be able to discern the target’s name, but there is a chance of something happening, and there’s no need to take the risk--I have to learn the Nature Magic Fake Patch pretty quickly.

 

I look at the accessories that Arisa and the shopkeepers have recommended but there’s nothing that really attracts me. The accessories in this world are surprisingly rough--they seem to all focus on seeing the limits of how many jewels or how much gold can be put on it.

 

If the banquet wasn’t tonight, I would try making my own.

 

In the end, I picked something that ‘won’t embarrass me me, even if I were to meet the Viceroy.’

 

The cost of 30 gold coins was a little too high in my opinion.

 

***

When I arrive at the room that the Viceroy prepared for me and the girls, a maid is waiting for me, saying that there’s some visitors--the visitors are the pink-haired Princess and her companions. I already intended to meet them, together with Arisa.

 

“Sir Felspar, I want to thank you for saving me.”

 

Menea Rumooku is a Princess of one of the small Kingdoms that border the Dukedom. She’s 16 years old, and level 11--with the Summon Magic Skill. Which is quite rare.

 

Her surprisingly straight pink hair grows all the way down to her slim waist, and she has emerald coloured irises and high cheekbones. She is 150cm tall, with fairly large breasts, C-Cup, almost D-Cup. Which is about on par with Mia, and Pochi.

 

It had been planned that she, as the third Princess, was to marry the Prince of a small Kingdom--but the Weaselkin destroyed his Kingdom and killed him.

 

Therefore, her family decided to send her to a place with a lot of Shiga Kingdom nobles, the Kayou Royal Academy, to find her a new marriage partner--the Academy is located in the Royal Capital.

 

Over half the knights and other subordinates that have accompanied her here died in the Demon’s attack--the remaining three are being healed from serious injuries in a Temple of Tenion.

 

The wise-looking woman who looks to be 20 years old, who is wearing the clothing common among civil officials, is standing behind the Princess--she looks like she is an attendant and is called Poni. Her level is 15, and her skills are Negotiation, Etiquette, and--Spy. She’s a little suspicious.

 

However, the problem is her black-haired attendants--who are obviously Japanese.

 

First, the boy gives his name, “I’m Aoi Haruka. Thank you for the help.”

 

His hair is fairly long for a Japanese male, almost reaching his shoulder-blades. His eyes are quite large, with irises so dark that they’re almost black.

 

He is only level 1, the only skill he has is Arithmetic.

 

He looks quite girly--he is even wearing female clothing. I would have mistaken him, if not for the information from my Heads-Up-Display.

 

“I’m Yui Akasaki. I work as an idol--Onii, do you recognize me?” The girl speaks in a rather arrogant tone. She has shoulder-length black hair and dark eyes, 13 years old. Her level is 2 and her only skill is Acting.

 

She is 148cm, only slightly shorter than the Princess, her breasts are around B-Cup--which is surprisingly large for her age. She is still a year from adulthood in this world.

 

However, even though she says that she’s an idol, I’ve never seen her--I look over at Arisa, who responds with a shrug.

 

“Yui, you’re being rude to the Chevalier.” Poni rebukes Yui for her arrogant tone.

 

With the Lip Read Skill, I see that Yui has been speaking in another language--my guess is Japanese--this entire time, but what I’ve heard is the Shiga Kingdom language.

 

Poni later explains that it’s because of the translation ring that the girl is wearing.

 

It’s obvious from their names that they are both Japanese--they should be transported people, but they don’t even have the Self-Status Skill that reincarnated or transported people should have, according to Arisa, let alone any Unique Skills.

 

There’s a high chance that they’re hiding their skills like Arisa did originally--but it’s also possible that there might be a never-before-seen fourth type of world traveler.

 

“So, which Japan are you from? Is it like this child’s Great Rich Japan Empire? Or my Southern-Japan Federation? You can’t be from the Northern-Japan Republic, right?” Yui asks with a straight face, though curiousity glints in her dark eyes.

 

Oh?

 

Why would she think I am Japanese?

 

I have black hair and blue eyes, which is very common among Caucasians; and not so much among the Japanese, even the half-bloods.