Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 225: The Royal Audience and Tribute
The day of the royal audience arrived in the blink of an eye, much earlier than expected. With preparations in a frenzy—including urgent coordination with Clarisse—morning had already dawned.
“Man, I’m glad the audience isn’t in the morning.”
“Seriously. We were making preparations right up until the last minute.”
The audience was scheduled for early in the afternoon, likely right after lunch.
Since they had been scrambling until the very last moment, Selfers and Nicolette let out a sigh of relief as they sat inside the magi-car heading for the royal castle.
Unlike the Klaufeldt territory, magi-cars were not a common sight in the royal capital.
Charging into the castle in one could easily cause an uproar, so they had considered using a carriage instead. However, due to the size of their cargo, that wasn’t an option.
Normally, for security reasons, tribute items would be transported to the castle in advance and subjected to a pre-screening process.
However, given the nature of the item this time, the Prime Minister had ordered that it be brought directly on the day of the audience, ensuring that only a limited number of people would see it.
As a result, they had no choice but to drive their convoy straight from Klaufeldt to the royal castle.
The only concession they could make was having their accompanying knights switch from magi-scooters to horses.
“…You must be the members of House Klaufeldt. Please present your summons.”
“Ah, here it is.”
They handed the summons to the knight guarding the castle gates.
Despite the unusual sight of an unfamiliar magi-car, the knight didn’t seem particularly surprised—likely because he had been briefed in advance.
Zyle, the eldest son of the Innocenti family and acting head of their house in the capital, had connections within the royal castle’s guard. He had probably arranged this behind the scenes.
“I have confirmed it. You may pass!”
“Thank you.”
Thanks to this, their cargo inspection was minimal, and they were smoothly ushered into the castle.
“…They’re treating us with a lot of care.”
“Yeah. I never expected the royal guards to escort us personally.”
Typically, after entering the castle, a royal knight would lead them to the carriage stop.
But this time, their guide was a knight mounted on a white horse.
Only the royal family and the king’s personal guards were permitted to ride white horses within the castle grounds.
While it wasn’t to the level of an official state visit, this treatment marked them as highly significant guests.
“This is probably the Prime Minister’s doing. A way of warning the anti-royalist faction not to interfere.”
Selfers chuckled, thinking that if Isamu were here, he might have turned around and left in protest.
Shortly after, the magi-car carrying the tribute was directed to a separate entrance.
Led by the royal guards, Selfers and his group entered through the castle’s main gate.
“This way, my lady.”
“Thank you. See you later, Sel.”
“Yeah. Try not to trouble the Queen too much.”
After progressing deeper into the castle, Nicolette was directed elsewhere.
While Selfers was here for an audience with the King, Nicolette had received a separate invitation from the Queen.
“I know.”
“Meow.”
As Nicolette was led away by a group of knights, the faint sound of a cat’s meow could be heard from her direction.
A short while later, Selfers arrived in front of a massive set of doors.
“Viscount Klaufeldt has arrived!”
“Let him in.”
“Yes, sir!”
Upon the order from inside, the guards announced his presence.
“Excuse me. Selfers Klaufeldt, answering your summons.”
Stepping into the audience chamber, Selfers knelt on one knee and delivered a brief yet respectful greeting.
Keeping his gaze lowered, he waited for the King’s response, staring at the luxurious carpet beneath him.
“It has been some time, Selfers. I wish to speak with you—come closer.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
King Nerlich Staleen addressed him in a casual tone. Rising to his feet, Selfers walked across the carpet.
A quick glance around the room revealed four royal guards standing behind the King.
To his right stood two men:
One was Prime Minister Zaid Merkringer, who had also been present at the previous engagement announcement.
The other was a rugged-looking man, clearly a veteran warrior—Minister of Martial Affairs, Bertrand Dragrane, the de facto head of the Kingdom’s military.
Aside from them, only a handful of ministers and about ten royal guards stood along the sides of the throne’s platform.
Typically, vice ministers would be present at royal audiences to swiftly respond to the King’s questions, making this an unusually small gathering.
Upon reaching a position flanked by royal guards on both sides, Selfers knelt once again.
“I am deeply grateful for the honor of this audience, Your Majesty.”
“Heh. You’ve sent something quite extraordinary. There was no way I could ignore it.”
“…I am humbled, Your Majesty.”
The King chuckled in amusement, prompting Selfers to bow his head even deeper.
“Now, let us examine the tribute. First, of the two items listed—present the magic device known as the ‘Golem Writer of the Magic Giant.’”
From his elevated position, Zaid read from the inventory list and signaled to the ministers below.
A minister gave a nod, exited through a side door, and soon returned with several large carts.
They were wheeled directly in front of the throne, and the luxurious cloth covering the cargo was dramatically pulled away.
“Oh…”
“Hmm…”
As the cloth was removed, revealing an eerie magic device resembling a knight’s armored arm, both the King and Bertrand reacted with surprise.
Bertrand, as the kingdom’s top military official, instinctively reached for his weapon for a moment—suggesting that he was seeing this for the first time as well.
“This is the ‘Golem Writer of the Magic Giant,’ correct?”
“Yes, without a doubt.”
Zaid confirmed with Selfers, who nodded.
“According to the inventory, this device allows for remote communication. Could you explain how it works?”
“Of course.”
The inventory list had been deliberately vague to prevent information leaks.
Since no one had questioned it prior to the audience, it seemed that the royal family shared the same concerns about confidentiality.
“As the name suggests, this is a magic device that utilizes a part of a magic giant golem, specifically its arm. By taking advantage of its ability to mimic human movements, it can be made to write characters.”
While explaining this, Selfers made the magic giant golem grasp a pen and placed a sheet of paper on the table.
The pen was a makeshift pencil that had been successfully reduced in size.
“I believe it will be easier to understand by seeing it in action rather than through mere explanation. With your permission, I would like to proceed with a demonstration.”
“I have no objections.”
“Thank you.”
Receiving the king’s approval, Selfers took a seat on the pedestal, which served as the control device, and attached several magical tools to his arm.
The table and chair used for operating the golem and the base on which the golem stood had been standardized for mass production.
This was done to minimize any discrepancies in movement during use.
“The characters I write here will be replicated by the magic giant golem’s arm.”
With these words, Selfers activated the magical device and began writing smoothly on the paper.
—Gyugyui—
After a brief pause, the golem’s arm emitted a faint glow before moving the pen with a mechanical sound.
“To prove this isn’t a setup, I will write whatever words Your Majesty desires. Do you have a request?”
To prevent any accusations of trickery, Selfers made this proposal.
“Hmm… Then write the names of the two royal guards standing there.”
“Understood. May I ask for their names?”
“Yes! My name is Cesaris.”
“I am Raikkonen.”
“Thank you. Then, if you’ll excuse me.”
Selfers smoothly wrote down the names he had just heard.
Once the magic giant golem finished its movements, he stopped the device and handed both the paper he had written on and the one from the golem to the minister who had earlier brought in the cart.
“Oh… These are indeed the names I just heard, along with today’s date. Even the handwriting is identical.”
The king compared the two sheets, which had been passed to him through the minister and the chancellor, and murmured his thoughts.
“I believe this demonstrates that this arm can replicate my handwriting exactly.”
“Indeed, there is no doubt about it.”
The king nodded in agreement with Selfers’ assertion.
“Thank you. Furthermore, the true value of this magic giant’s ‘scribe golem writer’ lies in its ability to function even over long distances.”
“…How far are we talking about?”
Intrigued, Bertrand asked a question.
“According to Isamu, the creator of this device, there is virtually no limit. At the very least, it has been confirmed to work without issue between the royal capital of Plazzo, Latchelio, and my domain.”
“What!?”
“No way!?”
Bertrand, who had asked the question, was not the only one surprised—Zaid was also taken aback.
Even the king, though he did not raise his voice, wore an expression of astonishment.
“That’s over a thousand kilometers from Klaufendam to Latchelio!”
“…Your Majesty, if this is true, it is an extraordinary breakthrough.”
“Indeed. Selfers, can you prove this?”
“Yes. This magic giant’s ‘scribe golem writer’ consists of two connected components—one that writes manually and one that mimics the movements and writes remotely.”
Selfers calmly answered the question thrown from the throne.
“The pair I just demonstrated is for this presentation. However, another set has been prepared for tribute. Its counterpart is in my domain and is ready for use at any time.”
“I see. So, in other words, one could communicate in writing between here and Klaufendam?”
“That is correct. My daughter, Annemarie, should be standing by, so we can test it in real-time.”
“Understood. May I write something myself?”
Zaid, following the king’s gaze, asked Selfers.
“Yes, please do. If you take a seat there and attach the magic device to your right arm, it will be ready.”
“I see.”
Following Selfers’ instructions, Zaid quickly prepared himself and began writing on the paper.
“Since there is some distance involved, it may take a moment for a response, but one should arrive shortly…”
After a brief wait, the ‘scribe golem writer’ began producing a response with mechanical sounds.
“…It actually replied.”
Bertrand muttered in disbelief.
Zaid, meanwhile, observed the golem’s writing before continuing the exchange.
“I see… Your Majesty, I believe this device truly enables remote communication.”
After a few exchanges over approximately five minutes, Zaid stopped the magic device and addressed the king.
“Since the recipient was Lady Annemarie, I asked several questions. Based on the responses, I can conclude that either she herself or someone extremely familiar with the details was on the other end.”
He then displayed the conversation to everyone.
It contained discussions about the name of the host at the engagement announcement, details about Zaid’s attire, and the names of nobles who had managed matters when Isamu had arrived.
“We cannot say with absolute certainty, as the recipient is not visible. However, considering that Lord Klaufeldt has no reason to deceive us, we can assume it to be true.”
Zaid, having returned to the king’s side, reaffirmed his conclusion.
“If Zaid says so, then there can be no doubt.”
With the king’s firm declaration, a murmur of admiration spread through the audience chamber.
“Kuh kuh kuh… Selfers, you have given us something truly remarkable. Not only can words be transmitted nearly instantaneously over distances that would take days even with relay riders, but full written exchanges are possible. Its value is immeasurable.”
“Your words honor me greatly.”
“That said, why is one half of the device kept in your domain? If both were given to us, wouldn’t it allow communication with any location?”
“This relates to how the ‘scribe golem writer’ is operated.”
Without hesitation, Selfers continued explaining the king’s question.
Since each pair functions in a one-to-one manner, increasing the number of users would require a drastic increase in the number of magic devices.
To prevent this, an ‘exchange station’ would be placed at the center to facilitate communication.
This exchange station had already been established, and due to its strategic importance, its location would be kept confidential.
It would be guarded by the Eriksen family’s mercenary knights, ensuring its security.
“…So you’ve already thought that far ahead.”
“According to Isamu, the key to this magic tool isn’t the tool itself, but how it’s used. That’s what he says.”
“Heh, I see. Quite the creation.”
“By the way, Lord Klaufeldt, how widely do you intend to distribute this magic tool?”
This time, it was Zaid who posed the question.
“After presenting it to His Majesty, I plan to first distribute it to noble houses within the same faction. After that, I may consider selling it to friendly noble families as well.”
“…I see. And what about noble families that are not friendly?”
Zaid pressed further.
“Since this is a classified magic tool, I have no intention of providing it to those who are not friendly, at least for now.”
“Oh…?”
At Selfers’ response, the King’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“…However, from the perspective of royal control, we can’t simply exclude them entirely. Therefore, I am considering providing only the magic giant golem side of the tool, which would allow them to receive messages from the royal family but not send any themselves.”
“Hmm. So they would be able to receive messages from us, but not send any in return?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
“I see, that’s a clever approach. If they were completely excluded from the system, that would be a problem, but as long as they can still receive communications, we can’t really object.”
“Indeed. Since this is a classified magic tool, Lord Klaufeldt is not obligated to provide it in the first place. However, considering its impact on national defense… If messages can still be delivered, then it remains within an acceptable range.”
Zaid nodded deeply as he agreed with the King’s words.
“Heh, very well. I will approve of this proposal.”
“…Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Selfers bowed deeply in response to the King’s grin.
“Now then, there was one more tribute, was there not?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. The other tribute is the magic giant golem itself. However, as it is too large to fit in this chamber, I have had it transported to the royal guard’s training grounds within the castle.”
“Oh? First the arm, and now the entire body. You certainly don’t hold back… Very well, we will move to the training grounds after a short break. Bertrand, clear the area during the recess.”
“Yes, sir!!”
“Selfers, we shall meet again shortly. I look forward to seeing the magic giant golem itself.”
“As you wish.”
After formally bowing to the King, who had declared a recess and left the chamber, Selfers also exited once he confirmed the King had fully departed.
“Your Majesty, could this be the moment that changes not just our nation, but the entire world?”
“Indeed. Without a doubt. And the difference between those who possess the magic giant’s scribe golem writer and those who do not… No, more precisely, between those who can participate in that system—what was it called, the exchange bureau?—and those who cannot, will be decisive.”
As they walked from the audience chamber to the lounge, the King and Zaid exchanged words.
“That does seem inevitable. And most likely, Lord Klaufeldt has already accounted for that in his proposal.”
“No doubt. Heh, he’s a cunning one. Well, as long as he isn’t trying to defy me, there’s no issue.”
“Agreed. Whether it’s the scribe golem writer or the magic giant golem itself, he had no obligation to offer them as tributes. There is no doubt that he is loyal.”
“Hmph. To think that the Klaufeldt family, once derided as mere junk magic stone dealers, would become a force capable of shaping the very structure of the kingdom…”
“The ones who will suffer the most are those who opposed them. They will be completely left behind once they are excluded from this system’s framework.”
“Indeed. On that note, I have an idea.”
The King grinned and whispered something to Zaid.
“…I see. That is a good plan. But do you think they will accept it?”
“I don’t know. But even if they don’t, it won’t be a major issue. We can simply come up with another plan when the time comes.”
“As you command.”
“Heh, it irks me somewhat that we are riding on Selfers’ coattails, but now is not the time to be picky. I intend to use this opportunity to purge those who entertain foolish ambitions.”
Muttering to himself, the King narrowed his eyes and gazed firmly down the long hallway ahead.