“I am Viscount Simon Travis. It is my absolute pleasure to make the king consort’s acquaintance.”
A few minutes later, Ifriita, Aqual, and I were guided to the reception room of the viscount’s manor, and found ourselves face-to-face with the man himself. I’d left Grande guarding the room outside with the royal guards and ogre girls. I couldn’t exactly waltz into a noble’s reception hall with a dragon draped over my shoulders.
“Ah, thanks. I’m Her Majesty’s partner and the king consort, Kousuke,” I said, offering a polite nod. “These are Her Majesty’s elder sisters. They’re here as supervisors for this entire project.”
“Ifriita Danal Merinard.”
“Aqual Danal Merinard.”
“It is a pleasure to meet you both. I am honored,” Viscount Travis said, bowing low to the two princesses before turning back to me.
Given their royal status, his reaction made perfect sense. In terms of influence, the two princesses outranked nearly everyone in Merinard.
“I come from a commoner background myself,” I said. “I won’t tell you how to behave with them, but please be a little more informal with me going forward.”
“If that is your wish, then as your subject, it is my duty to oblige,” he replied, raising his head with a bright smile on his face.
He was an attractive middle-aged man, sporting a neatly trimmed mustache that gave him a dignified air. His posture and fit build suggested a man who was well trained in the combat arts.
Standing behind him was an elderly man who looked like a butler. He was elegantly dressed and quite dandy, in fact.
I found myself thinking how much first impressions mattered in this kind of setting.
And then I wondered how I came across. Probably not great. I didn’t put that much work into my appearance—maybe that was something I needed to work on. It probably was.
“Then let us get straight to business,” Viscount Travis began. “I am sure you’ve seen them already, but I have gathered the demi-humans from the surrounding towns and villages near Museburg. Since we lack sufficient housing to accommodate them all, I’ve established temporary camps with tents outside the city walls.”
“Yeah, I don’t blame you,” I replied with a nod. “From both a public safety and space perspective, it wouldn’t be realistic to bring everyone into the city. I only got a quick look at their living conditions, but no one seemed to be starving or freezing, and your guards were deployed well. You’ve done good work.”
“It is an honor to hear you say so.”
“That said,” I continued, “this must require considerable funding. I plan to give you some financial support for your efforts, though converting this to cash might take a bit of extra work.”
I spread a large piece of cloth over the table and placed a mountain of raw gems on top of it. Then I stacked a bunch of pinky-sized gold grains, and some silver plates beside them.
“Wh-what is all of this…? Where did it come from…?”
Viscount Travis’s eyes went wide and he was visibly shaken at the pile of treasure that had just materialized from seemingly out of nowhere—or at least, from where it looked like I’d simply swiped my hand. Magic and alchemy existed in this world, sure, but they didn’t give you the power to produce something like this out of thin air. And Adolist miracles—the divine magic of the Holy Kingdom—definitely didn’t allow for this kind of thing either. To the average person, stunts like this just looked like true “acts of God.”
“Don’t sweat the details,” I said with a grin. “I’m just a weirdo who can do stuff like this. Anyway, use these to replace the funds you’ve already spent and to cover any upcoming expenses. If you need more, let me know. And just for the record, these aren’t illusions or anything. If you’re concerned about that, have someone with a good eye appraise them.”
“…Y-yes, Your Majesty!”
For a moment, the poor guy could only stare blankly before bowing his head deeply. Okay, I’d definitely short-circuited his brain. No way was he processing any rational thoughts right now.
“Sorry to spring all this on you so quickly,” I said while getting to my feet. “But I want to start building permanent housing for the people out there as soon as possible. Let’s hold off on any welcome parties or formalities until after that. I’d also appreciate it if you could introduce me to someone familiar with the area and can show us around.”
“B-but… Never mind! I shall do so posthaste!”
He immediately glanced toward his butler, despite the hesitation in his voice. Whether it was because my little display left him overwhelmed or just plain terrified, I couldn’t say. But the look on his face clearly meant, “Do whatever he says.”
“Sorry for dropping this on you so suddenly,” I added as we made for the door. “And don’t worry, I’ll be sure to inform Her Majesty about all the great work you’ve done here.”
Viscount Travis once again bowed his head deeply.