Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 2 – The Strongest Onmyoji Reports
“So that’s how it was. His Majesty said such a thing…”
Afterward, I returned to Fiona’s residence and recounted the events to everyone.
While Amu and the others were surprised by the confrontation with Hiltzer, the main topic was undoubtedly what happened afterward—the exchange with the Emperor.
“I had considered the possibility that His Majesty might be involved in this rebellion. Even with the Empire’s limited surplus forces, the delay in dispatching reinforcements was unnatural. However… I didn’t expect such a direct involvement, nearly akin to being the mastermind.”
Fiona said, lowering her gaze slightly as though reconsidering.
“But that’s not the immediate issue. The real problem lies ahead.”
Fiona’s expression turned more serious.
“It seems His Majesty has also reached the conclusion that Seika-sama is the Demon King.”
“Judging from your reaction… you already knew, didn’t you?”
I asked quietly.
“Yes.”
Fiona replied with a faint smile.
“I knew long before we even met, Seika-sama.”
It wasn’t surprising. Fiona approached me and Amu precisely because she already understood the possibility of me being the Demon King.
“I apologize for not saying anything sooner. However… if you could remain unaware of it, that would have been for the best.”
Covering her mouth with her hand, Fiona spoke with a difficult expression.
“It would have been ideal to keep it hidden from His Majesty as well, but it seems that was too much to hope for. His invitation this time may have been intended to gauge your power, Seika-sama.”
That reasoning was only natural. By throwing the Hero and the Demon King into the battlefield, he likely wanted to observe their actions.
“…My apologies.”
When I muttered unexpectedly, Fiona turned her gaze toward me.
“The Emperor managed to piece it together because we stayed in the demon territory this past summer. Regardless of the circumstances, I now think it was incredibly reckless of me…”
Unable to avoid the flow of conversation, I had no choice but to disclose the details of what happened in the demon territory, something I had kept from Fiona. Hesitantly, I asked:
“Could it be… you already knew about this as well?”
“Yes. Although… the future where you disclosed it only became clear to me just before your arrival.”
Fiona said with a practiced smile.
“I was quite shocked. To think that while on the run, you went to the demon territory, interacted with its leaders, and even managed to stir things up.”
“…”
“Such actions could easily be interpreted as collusion with the demons. You’re fortunate the information didn’t spread beyond His Majesty. If the anti-Hero faction had caught wind of it, things could have gotten much more troublesome.”
“…”
Her words stung, and unable to meet Fiona’s gaze, I glanced at Amu and the others, who looked equally awkward. They had been the ones to suggest escorting the enslaved divine demon back to her homeland, so perhaps they felt somewhat responsible.
“…I’m not angry, truly,”
Fiona said, letting out a weary sigh.
“There were circumstances, I’m sure. Besides… this matter relates to your origins, Seika-sama. It’s only natural to want to uncover the truth. I, too, feel a certain responsibility for knowing yet remaining silent.”
“Well… it wasn’t as if I was eager to go in the first place ”
I muttered.
“Oh, are you saying this is our fault? Just so you know, the reason we ended up staying so long was because you made friends with those weirdos and didn’t return to Lurum’s village for over a month!”
Amu snapped
“Amu-chan, calm down.”
“Shut up!”
Ifa and Mabel interjected, trying to pacify her.
They had a point, but Fiona continued with a sigh, looking slightly exasperated.
“If none of you had left Rakana to begin with, none of this would have happened.”
“Ugh…”
“…But I suppose it’s not that simple. Do any of you believe in fate?”
“…Not really.”
I replied hesitantly, while Amu and the others exchanged confused glances.
Fiona continued.
“I didn’t believe in it either. I always thought that what appears to be fate is merely an illusion—humans attributing causality to rare coincidences. After witnessing countless possible futures, that was the conclusion I reached. But… recently, I’ve started to reconsider.”
With a slight lowering of her gaze, Fiona went on.
“For Seika-sama, who grew up in the Empire, it would have been unthinkable to take on a role as a leader of the demons. Yet, after leaving Rakana, he happened to encounter a divine-demon priestess who was on a journey to seek the Demon King. In the end, this led to a face-to-face meeting with the king of the demon realm… Can such a series of coincidences truly exist?”
“……”
“Throughout history, whenever a Hero and a Demon King have been born, they have always confronted each other. Not once has either refused to fight or fallen before their destined clash. Even this time… though it has taken a rather unconventional form, Amu-san and Seika-sama have crossed paths. I can’t help but feel that this is too much to attribute to mere coincidence.”
Silence descended over the room.
I understood Fiona’s point—it was something I had already started to suspect myself.
Even if one were skeptical of divine predestination, there are arts that can manipulate causality. In my previous life, spells like charms for good fortune were quite common. If reincarnations like those of the Hero and Demon King were influenced by such magic, then perhaps a fate-like causality could indeed manifest.
“Um…”
It was Ifa’s hesitant voice that broke the silence.
“So, what’s going to happen to us now…?”
It was a question all of us were wondering. Fiona softened her expression slightly and spoke.
“Let’s see. Since Amu-san’s charges have been nullified… if you don’t plan to return to the academy, you’re welcome to stay in the Imperial Capital as long as you wish.”
“But… there aren’t any dungeons nearby, and there’s not much adventuring work here, is there?”
Amu’s expression soured slightly as she said this.
“It feels awkward to just sit around doing nothing… If it’s all the same, I’d like to go back to Rakana. I’ve made some friends there.”
Fiona responded with a somewhat lonely smile.
“If you’ve grown fond of that town, that’s fine. But winter will be here soon.”
She glanced out the window as she spoke.
“The journey will be cold, and you may encounter snow before reaching Rakana. That would be quite troublesome, so… why not stay here until spring?”
“Ah… that might be a good idea.”
“I’d like to explore the Imperial Capital while we’re here.”
“We’ve never really had the chance to take our time during past visits. But… can we see everything before winter ends?”
The conversation lightened as Amu and the others grew more relaxed, relieved by the prospect of having a plan.
Even so, it was hard to imagine the Emperor would leave us be indefinitely, and how long this carefree adventurer’s life could continue was uncertain. Still, there wasn’t much to be done about it now.
With a small sigh, I said.
“I’m sorry, but I’ll have to trouble you a little longer.”
“Not at all.”
Fiona replied with a resigned smile.
“It is the duty of the Imperial family to protect the peaceful lives of its subjects.”
Her words reminded me of something I had forgotten to mention.
“By the way, the Emperor left a message for you before I left. It didn’t seem to hold any particularly deep meaning, but…”
“A message for me…?”
Fiona said, looking surprised.
Recalling his words, I began.
“‘I won’t lose. No matter how strong my opponent may be. Because I must make this nation a peaceful and prosperous place.’ …That was it, I believe.”
“I see…”
Fiona murmured, falling into thought.
“Taken at face value, it sounds like a warning to me for supporting you, Seika-sama… though it doesn’t quite align with His Majesty’s usual demeanor, does it?”
I had assumed it was just a casual remark, but Fiona seemed to think otherwise.
With a serious expression, she continued.
“I truly don’t understand that person. I don’t know how he feels about me… or how he felt about my mother.”
Then, as if something had just occurred to her, Fiona’s face lit up.
“…Changing the subject, Seika-sama, did you happen to see the goblin His Majesty keeps?”
“…Huh? Goblin?”
“Ah, I see. He must not have brought it with him during the audience. No one mentioned it, so I assumed as much.”
Fiona seemed satisfied with her conclusion, but I had no idea what she was talking about.
“What are you talking about? The Emperor keeps a goblin?”
Fiona began to explain something unexpected.
“Yes, His Majesty keeps a goblin here in the Imperial Castle. Although I’m not sure if ‘keeps’ is the right word… It’s not kept in a cage, but allowed to stay close to him and even roam the castle. Of course, it doesn’t attack people. It’s not an ordinary goblin but a rare type known as a Goblin Cardinal. These creatures are known for their peaceful nature and their role in healing others within their groups.”
“Ah, I’ve heard the name before.”
If I remembered correctly, it was a higher variant of the Goblin Priest lineage. They were said to be monsters that wouldn’t attack even if they were part of a goblin horde.
“It’s said His Majesty acquired it years ago from a merchant who frequented the castle. While it’s not something widely known among the populace, it’s not exactly a secret either, so those in the know are aware of it. Some even claim that the goblin serves as His Majesty’s advisor… but I can’t quite imagine someone like him confiding in a goblin.”
“Hmm… That’s… bizarre, to say the least.”
At the very least, the goblin hadn’t been present in the audience chamber. There hadn’t been any noticeable flow of power from anything of the sort.
“…Well, it’s hard to imagine it serving as an advisor. I doubt His Majesty would find that unpleasant squawking sound soothing when venting frustrations.”
“Ah, about that goblin… Apparently, it can speak human language.”
“Human language?”
I was genuinely surprised.
In my previous life, it wasn’t uncommon for spirits or yokai to speak human language, but I’d never heard of such a case among monsters in this world.
“Are you serious?”
“Yes, though I’m not sure if it could speak from the beginning or if His Majesty taught it.”
“That’s… hard to believe.”
“Is it really so surprising?”
Fiona asked, tilting her head curiously.
“I’ve never seen a monster capable of speaking human language, nor have I heard any adventurer claim to have encountered one. I’ve also never read about it in any texts.”
“Hmm…”
Fiona suddenly gazed intently into the empty air of the room, as if deep in thought. Then, with a faintly amused smile, she said,
“Then it must have worked very hard to live alongside humans.”
“Well, I can’t say for certain…”
There were yokai that could naturally speak human language, but… could there really be monsters like that as well?
I sighed softly.
The court was full of things I couldn’t begin to understand.