Chapter 106: The Duke’s Butler

“Wasn’t this the lord’s mansion?”

“It was, but all the valuables were taken already. There’s nothing worthwhile left.”

“If the wine in the basement is still there, could I have a bit?”

“Very well. If any remains, take as much as you like.”

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Thanks to the Duke’s generosity, I was guided to the wine cellar beneath the mansion. The vault was empty, but I guess they didn’t have time to haul away the wine—there was plenty left.

I slipped a few silver coins to the servant who guided me and had him bring a bunch of wooden crates. I packed bottle after bottle inside and tossed each filled crate into my magic bag.

Twenty crates, twenty-five bottles each. I appraised everything and chose the sets with the fewest missing bottles first. In total, I got around five hundred bottles of wine.

Do nobles just… enjoy hoarding this kind of stuff?

The servant who guided me was stunned, but since the order came directly from the Duke, he didn’t dare say anything. He did look jealous, though, so I slipped him ten bottles on the side.

I also had him make me about twenty extra empty crates, which I tossed into my magic bag. I’ll use them later to box up Count Fleming’s wines when I have the time.

A Rank 5 magic bag feels more like a wine cellar than a food storage tool at this point—but I’ll pretend I didn’t notice.

After receiving a letter from Duke Berlant and heading out to pick up my identification papers, I flew toward Kreis in the Duke’s Territory.

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After seeing Leon off, Duke Berlant summoned Count Arclight to Emilia’s recently seized lord’s manor.

“Duke Berlant, you sent for me?”

“Count Arclight, there is an adventurer named Leon living in your territory. I intended to recommend him for a countship for his achievements, but he refused. So instead, I’ve decided to grant him my personal identification papers.”

“Leon… Is he the mage who was flying all over the battlefield?”

“Yes. They say he’s from Lynas and has family there, so I intend to draw them all in as well. I trust you to handle it.”

Flying freely through the sky—this was the first time Arclight had ever heard of such a mage. He hadn’t even heard the man’s name. And yet it turned out he was one of his own residents.

And to be informed only after the Duke had already granted the man identification… There was nothing he could do but bow silently. Complaining to a Duke was impossible.

He decided he should at least inform Clyde—his steward Eugene—and tell him that Leon and his family were not to be touched.

“Take care of it,” the Duke said easily, but if something went wrong it would be Arclight’s reputation on the line. He couldn’t afford to do anything sloppily.

Still, since the Duke had handled the most troublesome matters—commanding the battle—Arclight could only resign himself to accept this as a small price to pay.

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I couldn’t just fly straight into the Duke’s mansion, so I waited until morning, entered through the main gate, and showed a bored guard the address on the envelope.

“I’m carrying a letter from Duke Berlant of Blange for Butler Nilbert. Could you tell me the way to the mansion?”

“A thuggy adventurer like you…?”

I shoved the envelope—bearing the Duke’s crest—right under his nose. He froze, eyes going wide.

No way anyone serving the duke wouldn’t recognize that crest.

“H-hey, is that real?”

“Do I look stupid enough to wave a fake at you in the Duke’s own territory? I need to deliver this directly to Sir Nilbert and receive a reply, so I need directions.”

He had doubted me even when I showed my guild card. Now, flustered, he muttered “wait here” and ran off to fetch his superior.

“Is that real?” his superior demanded.

“The other guard is fetching him, so you’ll know soon enough.”

Sure enough, the two returned together.

“This is the guy!”

“You. They say you’ve got a letter from Duke Berlant. Show it to me!”

“I will, but I must hand it directly to Butler Nilbert and receive a reply. Is that acceptable?”

I held the letter up again. The man reached toward it.

“Did you not hear what I just said? Touch it and be ready to lose your job. Or do you still not understand what this is, even after seeing it?”

His hand stopped midair. He stared at me, confused.

Well, to them I’m just some random kid, so I get the suspicion… but still.

“If you can’t trust me, then escort me to the side gate of the Duke’s mansion. The gate guards can verify it.”

Only then did they finally bring out a patrol wagon and send me to the mansion. They even told the gate guards they brought a “suspicious person,” and promptly got scolded for it.

The guards at the side gate recognized the crest immediately and let me in. They told me to wait in a reception room while they informed Nilbert.

After a while, an elegantly dressed man appeared, accompanied by the guard and five knights. His expression was… not friendly.

“So, you are the adventurer claiming to carry a letter from Duke Berlant?”

“Yes. His Grace instructed me to deliver it personally to Butler Nilbert.”

I was getting tired of this, so I just thrust the letter forward again. He scowled, but when he saw the crest he broke the seal immediately. As he read, his expression gradually shifted.

“What is your name? Where did you come from?”

“Blange—well, Emilia, technically. Name’s Leon. If you doubt what’s written, I’ll decline the Duke’s offer and go home.”

“Wait. The Duke’s command will be honored.”

“I don’t want it. If you can’t even recognize your own master’s crest and handwriting, there’s no reason to believe any promise will be kept. Tell the Duke I’m declining.”

“Wait—please wait. It’s simply so unexpected that I couldn’t believe it at first.”

“If you doubt a letter from your own lord, then how can I trust you to honor our agreement? Including the promise to speak to the other adventurers—you can consider all of it void.”

“Sir Leon, my apologies. We will carry out the Duke’s orders exactly. Please, forgive the misunderstanding.”

Wow. That was a complete attitude shift. Even the knights behind him looked stunned.

“I’ll report everything to Chancellor Brighton by express courier. Please come to my office.”

Well, at least he had enough sense not to prattle on about victory and war. I guess I’ll let it slide.

“From the gate guards all the way up to you, the only person who treated the letter seriously was the guard at the side gate. If the contents aren’t honored, I’ll return the identification immediately. Understood?”

“Understood. Everything will be prepared at once—please follow me.”

And so, it was now undeniable that I was connected to every member of the Dragon-Slaying Parties. No point trying to play dumb now—the Duke clearly had been investigating me.

He didn’t mention Berna, but if he’d been digging around from the start, he must suspect something. He simply didn’t bring it up. Judging from how he spoke about the identification papers… he wasn’t going to pursue it.

The identification they issued me was the same rank as the head maid’s—apparently high enough to order around city guards. So basically… maid-rank? Great.

My family’s IDs were equivalent to a squad leader in the guard, so they wouldn’t be mistreated.

The Duke said he’d already informed Count Arclight, so that part should be fine.

In other territories, we’ll be considered vassals of Duke Berlant, so he warned me not to embarrass him.

He also said: if the three parties who fought the dragon come to receive their IDs under his commission, I should accompany them and introduce myself. That means I’ll be seeing them again in Rosenne and Kreis for a while—but since I’m well-stocked on bribes, I should be able to negotiate.

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“No movement yet.”

“They know anything they do will be exposed immediately. Plus, the earth-mages are working nonstop producing stakes, making an attack even harder.”

“What about negotiations…?”

“That’s the royal family’s job, not ours. They’re probably busy reporting their defeat and planning their next steps. However, I included a recommendation for the king in the letters we sent to their mansion. If they make use of him, things will resolve quickly. He’ll be in Roxanne and Kreis for a while taking on my commission, so the kingdom will have an easy time contacting him.”

“Is that why you issued IDs to the Dragon-Slayer Parties as well?”

“We can’t let them fall into the hands of petty nobles or greedy merchants. Better to give them IDs under my authority. And besides, before all this commotion, they were all practically unknown groups. If they wanted fame, they could have sought the patronage of a powerful noble—but they didn’t. That makes them harder to recruit. That’s why I promised to never give them orders.”

“Then the first credit for this victory goes to you, Duke.”

“No, no. Victory was only possible because he was there, and he kept casualties to a minimum. Now it’s up to His Majesty to force Holtland to accept defeat, cede territory, and pay reparations. With his cooperation, that should be easy.”

“But will they believe stories about a man flying freely across the battlefield?”

“They’ll believe it once they ask him. That’s why I commissioned him in the first place—to end this while the situation is still in our favor.”