“Anyway, I got the gist of the story. It may be the truth, but it seems it was worth the trouble of dragging myself all the way here.”
Argantir smirked like a snake, slightly shrugging his shoulders in satisfaction.
To be honest, I didn’t expect much, but it turns out he brought decent information.
“Who would’ve thought you’d bring this kind of information? All the hard work I put into thoroughly shutting down the rumors about the hero paid off.”
Then he puffed his chest out and bragged to me that he was the one who had crushed the rumors regarding Friede.
If word got out that the missing hero of the Kingdom of Rhine was wandering through Hervor’s territory, slaying pursuers, it could lead to unnecessary conflict between the two nations, or so he claimed.
For that reason, Argantir had been quite diligent about keeping the information on the Holy Sword’s hero hidden, while letting me’s rumors slide.
He apparently twisted the rumors so that other people wouldn’t even think about Friede’s existence, making it seem like I was the only one on the run.
…Should I be grateful for this?
Not sure.
Thanks to the lack of rumors about Friede, I’ve benefited in a way…
…But if he had the capability to suppress rumors so thoroughly, he could’ve blocked the ones related to me to some extent too.
“……”
Expressing gratitude felt quite awkward. So, I just sat there with a blank face and kept silent.
In the end, if I tried to show thanks, I’d only get a smack in the face. I had a feeling that’s exactly why he was twitching ever since he laid eyes on me.
That statement earlier about how it was tough to prevent my escape from turning into an international conflict linked with the hero, right?
So, there’s no way I would appear favorable in his eyes.
Of course, having learned what information I had brought with me, his thoughts might have changed a little.
‘Abyss Priests are trying to kill Heid, and they are plotting to incite conflict between the Kingdom of Rhine and the Kingdom of Hervor to cover up the aftermath.’
From my almost non-existent knowledge of politics and espionage, even I could tell that if this story turned out to be true, it was classified as super premium information with endless potential uses.
Especially the tidbit that those Abyss Priests, who planned such atrocities, were being backed by a noble from Argantir’s faction would be exceedingly useful.
Argantir wishes for Heid to be dead, but still, he’d never want Heid to die through such a plan.
If he were to fall while fighting monsters or demons, that’d be one thing, but perishing due to the Abyss Priests’ plot would make both the Goddess’ cult and the Kingdom of Rhine lash out simultaneously.
“Anyway, this was worth listening to… So, I guess I must pay for the information. Tell me, what do you want in return?”
Argantir asked. He wanted to know what I was looking for in exchange for the information. It was the question I had been waiting for.
“Well, what I want—No, what I’m asking for is—”
“Please don’t tell me it’s money? I’m curious to know just how extravagant your request is, to have summoned me like this so audaciously.”
“……”
This guy is really getting on my nerves.
Hearing that openly sarcastic tone made me feel like the lower-class butcher within me was about to surface.
Argantir was the highborn of the Kingdom’s third tier, so it never really would spring up, but still.
◆◆
With my fist tightly clenched under the table, I relayed to Argantir everything I was asking for.
How I was in a very uncomfortable situation due to the false accusations thrown at me by Gunther and his party.
While having Friede by my side means I could try to clarify, given my situation, it would be hard to get a fair shake before I have built enough strength due to distrust and annoyance.
So, I needed to gain strength first, but for that, I needed enough time and a place to train.
Thus, I explained that we needed a backer to secure that time and space.
“Hmm….”
Upon hearing my request, Argantir smiled with a somewhat enigmatic expression.
Wait, was that really a smile?
His squinting eyes were hard to read; it was tough to tell if he was genuinely amused or just expressionless.
“What a bold request. Are you indirectly asking me to personally nurture a talent that will become the core military force of the Kingdom of Rhine?”
Argantir tilted his head as if perplexed, which seemed to confirm that he was indeed chuckling—not really laughing out loud, though.
“To think you’d request an act of treason from the crown prince of a nation. It seems the ‘Traitorous Knight’ has a rather unique perspective.”
Uh, did it end up like that…?
On second thought, he was right in a general sense.
The current hero and their party weren’t candidates to defeat the Demon King, but rather were being groomed as tactical weapons for their respective nations.
My proposal was basically asking them to create a nuclear weapon with their funds and hand it over to the neighboring country.
What sort of lunatic would be willing to entertain such a request?
“…That’s not what I mean.”
I explained hastily.
“What Friede and I want is simply to fulfill the duty of the hero bestowed upon us by the Goddess. It isn’t for the benefit or interests of the kingdom.”
Even if my name was cleared, I had no intention of lording over the kingdom as a war weapon.
In simple terms, I planned to focus entirely on tackling the Deep Dungeons and decapitating the Demon King once my name was cleared.
“Oh, a traditionalist hero and their companion? I had no idea I was dealing with such a devout individual.”
This guy doesn’t take any of my words seriously.
Argantir openly smirked at me, as if questioning why I was saying such things in this day and age.
“…I mean it. Neither I nor Friede have any interest in wealth or power. If Goddess’s protection and fortune allow us to accomplish our mission as heroes, we plan to retire and live peacefully together.”
I kept insisting desperately with a gaze full of sincerity.
Once I took the Demon King’s head, I wouldn’t care what condition the kingdom offered, I’d just kick them to the curb and settle down somewhere cozy.
In the meantime, Friede was looking at me as if asking when I’d ever said anything like that, but when I mentioned living together, her expression brightened as if to say ‘When did you ever say that?’
She really was simple-minded. In a cute sort of way.
“That doesn’t sound very trustworthy. Think about it from my perspective. If you were in my shoes, would you believe what you just said?”
“That… well, honestly, it would be difficult.”
In contrast, Argantir was complicated and very suspicious, which was honestly quite tiresome.
At least he was somewhat better than Gunther or Heid.
“This is quite a tricky situation, isn’t it?” Argantir let out an exaggerated sigh.
“Wherever you heard it from, there’s a woman here who knows very few about my true nature. That same woman has walked in and made me demands that are hard to comply with. On top of that, she’s already placed a premium value on the information.”
A thin glimmer lurked between his slightly squinted eyes, and those crimson irises pierced through me like a blade. They were a shade darker than Heid’s.
“What do you think I feel right now?”
“Umm… incredibly suspicious…?”
Argantir shook his head.
“I’m pondering over where to send you. Should it be to a grave six feet under, the depths of a river, a cremation oven, or a dungeon beneath the castle? Which option should I choose?”
Hmm… Is this a blatant threat to kill me to silence me?
Seems like he’s giving me options for being buried alive, drowning, or cremated. Or I could end up being tortured for life and have to confess everything I know.
…This guy really crossed the line.
I didn’t think he’d straight-up threaten me, but it seems I might have made yet another wrong choice here.
“Haah….”
I looked up at the ceiling of the hut and let out a deep sigh.
Well, what can I say, my life tends to follow this pattern.
Still, I had been feeling a little lucky lately, but it seemed that luck had run its course once again.
“…Then you’ve got to choose wisely.”
I lowered my head, staring directly at Argantir and spoke.
“No matter what you choose, you’d be going with me, Prince.”
A blatant threat. I ditched any semblance of politeness. I’m not a courteous person who’d extend formalities in front of someone threatening my life.
“Is that so? Quite an interesting escort request you’ve made.”
Argantir chuckled, pulling out a cigar and lighting it.
“Sadly, it seems quite unbefitting, so I must decline.”
“Whatever works, right? Let’s give it a try.”
Argantir’s taunt suggesting they could kill me made me respond, urging them to try.
“Hmm…”
The air became thick with tension in the once-quiet hut.
The two knights guarding the prince revealed their malice, while Friede, with her right hand subtly lowered, clenched the air.
At the moment even a single person made a move, a chaotic clash was bound to erupt.
Of course, Argantir would have his head smashed in by my fist before that could even happen.
The real problem was that while it wouldn’t be hard to kill Argantir sitting in front of me, covering up the aftermath would indeed be another matter.
“The outcome will be delivered to you over there. You won’t hear it in this world.”
I inhaled deeply and awakened the power that resided in Brunhilde’s flesh. It was evident that trying to settle this situation through dialogue had already reached its limit.
Valkyrie’s overwhelming strength, capable of crushing a person’s skull like a cookie.
Finally, as that mighty punch was about to unleash like a triggered cannonball—
– Clap.
“Hahahahaha! Very good, very good!”
Accompanied by the sharp sound of clapping, Argantir burst into laughter like a maniac.
“That was impressive. I think I can trust this much.”
The atmosphere shifted abruptly. The knights of the two kingdoms withdrew their hostility and took a step back, and Friede released her grip from the air.
“…Huh?”
I stood there, my mouth hanging open in confusion, wondering what had just happened.
“Looks like the title ‘Traitorous Knight’ suits you perfectly. With that kind of personality, who would even dare to work under you? It’s no wonder the Kingdom of Rhine wouldn’t take a madwoman like you seriously, threatening to kill a prince over mere intimidation.”
Argantir explained the reason behind his laughter, chuckling all the while.
A woman who would threaten to kill even a prince when upset. A kingdom that had such an uncontrollable lunatic wouldn’t exist anywhere in the world.
In other words, he was just realizing that climbing the ranks would be impossible for someone as deranged as me, and only then could he actually believe my claim of wanting to retire.
“…I see.”
With a somewhat reluctant expression, I nodded.
Regardless, he was saying he’d trust me, which was something to be thankful for. But honestly, I didn’t feel grateful in the slightest.
How could I be thankful for being labeled a madwoman?
I realized that “taking a person’s life” perfectly fits his description!
