Chapter 6
I WAS SHOWN TO THE COURTYARD of the Stalwart Castle.
There were a number of huge tables set out. Dishes made with the delicacies of the nearby seas and mountains lined their surface. Musicians played elegant songs, and beautiful women clad in thin silk danced for our entertainment.
I was seated at the head of the table next to the duke. On one side of me were my friends (Elisabel took the end seat, looking uncomfortable), and on the opposite side sat the duke’s subordinates.
The duke of Filsand was in a great mood. The court sorcerer, prime minister, the duchess, and her son all had long faces. The duke’s son Agveil looked especially drawn.
“Thank you for inviting me here,” I told them. “My gratitude knows no bounds.”
The duke sat next to me. He’d started this banquet without taking time for any formalities or protocol, so it was a far more casual affair than Clara had warned me it would be. I let myself relax a bit. I was more concerned about the naked, nervous fear visible in the duke’s subordinates and servants. There may have been some fear there over the wizard (me), but it seemed like they feared the duke most of all.
“The pleasure is all mine,” said the duke, amiable. “It’s not every day I get to host someone who is both a great hero and also possesses fantastical magical powers.”
I didn’t answer.
“Go ahead and feast to your heart’s content. It seems like you’ve done a lot for my daughter.”
There was no way I could read his true intentions just by sitting there and watching him. I didn’t have the stomach to put myself inside his head.
While I was making excuses to myself, I grasped and activated my ESP Medal in the sleeve of my robe. Although the duke was decked out in high-grade materia and armor, Elisabel told me in advance that he possessed no defense against mental attacks. I was normally reluctant to look into people’s souls, but it was unavoidable this time.
The internal thoughts of the duke sitting beside me were conveyed to me through the power of the ESP Medal.
There is just no ambition in his expression… He looks like nothing more than a lowly junior officer of the Sorcerers’ Guild.
He was criticizing me right from the start. It was none of his business, but I couldn’t say he was wrong.
“So, what is it that drew you to my daughter? Between you and me, she’s pretty high-maintenance, and frankly, not even that cute.”
But his power is real. That dragon alone could defeat any army. Forget the barbarians, it could even destroy Thanesand with ease. If we were to team up…we could even take on Velde. Eventually, our dominion would spread to every point of the compass!
I almost spit out my (slightly) spicy barbecued beef. Every thought in this man’s head was that of a warlord!
“H-heh. I think she’s an intelligent and attractive girl.” The only thing I was sure of at this point was that there could be no marriage between Elisabel and myself. “Though there is much I want to discuss with you about your daughter. I feel I am not yet qualified to be her husband.”
“Hmph. If you say so, it must be true.”
I was sure he was going to banish me after marrying Elisabel, but maybe that’s not his plan. Is he thinking that someone like me would give in so easily that he doesn’t have to consider such details?
I found my own thoughts growing frustrated. How does he do that? There isn’t even the slightest hint of his true thoughts on his face. How infuriating…
As far as I could tell from reading the duke’s thoughts, he believed that I’d achieved my alliance with the Calbanera Knights, Relis City, and Axeholm through force. It was true that I’d behaved impudently in all of those places. Considering that, from a certain point of view, it wasn’t really an exaggeration to say I’d used my overwhelming power to force the weak into submission.
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“Good wizard, please have a drink.”
“Sure…”
A waitress whose uniform was so skimpy she might as well have been naked poured me a cup. While I was trying to avert my eyes, the duke spoke to me again, still pretending to be in the best of moods.
“Now, where should we start? I have a lot I want to discuss with you, too… Let’s just follow etiquette and start with your business.”
Hmm. Doesn’t even look at the girl. He’s already taken the sorceress, the dark elf—although she’s not here—and now Elisabel. Well, at least I know he likes women. But not this woman, eh? I thought he was partial to the voluptuous type… Does that mean he has his hands full already?
The ESP Medal could truly read what someone was thinking, and it was so effective for negotiations that it was unfair…but it was damaging my soul.
I decided to focus and start with the easily agreeable items.
“I-I beg your pardon. Certainly, let’s get my agenda out of the way. The first item is a proposal concerning Lord Feivel, the Axeholm dwarves, and Castle Getaeus.”
“Aye, that’s right, Your Grace. We dwarves judged Laird Margilus’s overture to be most fine.”
“It’s a straightforward matter,” I assured the duke. With some input from Feivel, I explained the development plan for a new trade route connecting Relis City, Castle Getaeus, Axeholm, and Filsand. I was sure he was already somewhat informed, but he had a surprised look on his face.
“Oh. That’s even more than I could have hoped for. Making it easier to receive goods from Axeholm and the Ryuse Alliance would help Filsand flourish even more.”
I heard about this, but it turns out he can speak for himself after all. He understands not just the importance of force, but of money as well. He’s a dangerous man…but If I have his power, then I really can take over Velde. Maybe I can finally realize my dream…
So, it seemed the duke’s ambition was taking over Velde. They said that war between humans in this daemon-riddled world was rare…but here was one of the exceptions.
If I didn’t do something, I would get dragged along in his ruse and help him take over Velde. It would hurt my efforts with the trade route, but I couldn’t let myself get any more deeply involved with him.
“Hmm? Sorry. Perhaps this wasn’t sufficient inspiration for you, Lord Margilus? Musicians, you are dismissed! Bring the prisoner from the dungeon and the beast we captured! They will fight to the death for our entertainment!” The duke, misunderstanding my sigh for one of boredom, made a shocking request.
“No, no, no. I don’t want to see that. I much prefer the music that was just playing, and the dancers. It was so wonderful that it made me sigh in admiration.”
“Is that right? That’s fine then. Carry on!”
This man, who can freely manipulate dragons and giants, is really interested in such frivolous entertainment? A terrifying man with a dull face.
I was starting to understand. The duke wasn’t particularly stupid. In fact, he had an excellent mind and information network. But according to his beliefs and worldview, he was unable to imagine a person like me, one who had power but didn’t use it for himself.
I still had a few things to discuss with him. I accepted the lavish hospitality and tried to calm my nerves.