Chapter 41: A reunion in the castle town

A week later, Ulysses visited the imperial capital.

He had been working separately from Radius until today, investigating various things, but he was different today.

On the balcony of Radius’s private room, the reason for this becomes clear.

It was late afternoon, bathed in the early spring breeze.

“The other day you did an excellent job in subduing the bandits.”

“I can hardly take credit for that.”

“Your courage hasn’t wavered, Your Highness. I’m proud of the fact that you left the castle yourself, determined to catch them by the tail.”

It was the day Ren and Radius met.

He was the third prince, but why did he have to go out to the plains himself to prepare for the survey? Radius had his own reasons and determination.

The reason was the power that Radius himself possessed.

“The demon king’s cult was heavily involved. I was prepared to take some risks in order to obtain information about them.”

That’s why he went to the plains himself.

He took a Kingsguard knight with him and secretly ordered other knights to go to that place while hiding. It was only by chance that he met Ren.

“—- By the way.”

After praising Radius.

“I believe there was one collaborator who had absolutely no contact with His Highness.”

“…… Indeed, you know him?”

“Yes, I know him. If anything, I know all about your Highness’s attempts to contact him.”

“So he was in close contact with you, after all.”

He’s a boy who serves the Clausel family and lives in Elendil.

Radius had already found out what kind of friendship existed between him and Ulysses.

“If you understand, I don’t need to go into detail. So I’ll be straight to the point.”

Ulysses was his usual self, but for the first time he showed such force that Radius gasped.

“I will not tolerate the Clausels, let alone the Ashtons, being touched.”

“…… What do you mean?”

“As it is. If you were to involve them in factional disputes, including the matter of the demon cult, I might not be able to remain on His Highness’s side.—- That’s what I mean.”

“Is it for the sake of righteousness?”

“Yes. To put them in unnecessary danger is not acceptable to me.”

Ren is a brave and powerful boy, and so are the members of the Clausel family he serves.

But that didn’t authorize him to get involved in their plans, and Ulysses was as stubborn as his words.

“Okay, okay.”

Radius had no choice but to say, “I understand.

“I have no desire to be on your bad side in the first place. Frankly, Ren Ashton’s ability is tremendously appealing, but I also promise not to get him involved.”

Ulysses laughed when he heard the satisfactory reply.

This time it was a sardonic smile, without a hint of pressure.

“I’m so glad you understand! As expected of your highness!”

“How can you say such a thing after putting so much pressure on me?”

“Pressure? I was just talking to you and I apologize if I was rude.”

“Enough! I can’t stand you!”

Radius then picked up a teacup on the table and drank the tea, which must have still been a little hot, in one gulp.

He propped himself up on his cheekbones and looked out over the balcony at the imperial city spread out outside.

“But do you mind if we meet?”

“Depending on the purpose, I can’t help but want to get in the way. So can I ask you why?”

“I’d at least like to thank him for the other day. I don’t dislike Ren Ashton’s personality, by the way. I found myself feeling good when I talked to him.”

“Well, if that’s the case, then, it is not my place to interfere. Your Highness has no friends.”

“Stop doubting me. The only thing I want to do is to avoid making enemies with you. I beg you, give me a break. And what’s this about not having any friends?”

“Oh no, I hope you don’t mind my last word.”

Of course, it wasn’t all serious quarreling and probing.

It was nothing more than confirming each other’s feelings by putting them into words.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

One day, on the way back from one of Ren’s trips to the Holy Lion’s Sanctuary.

He had gone to a fancy restaurant on the main street to have dinner, and was enjoying his food alone when he heard a voice saying

“Oh……would you mind if I share a table with you……?”

A strangely nervous waiter brought a dish for two.

Since all the seats in this restaurant are separated by a hedge, I wasn’t sure if the other seats were full or not.

But I didn’t mind sharing a table. So I nodded my head and said, “Okay”.

The waiter looked very relieved and proceeded to put the food on the table. It was the same food that Ren had ordered, but for two people.

It was also unnaturally polite, and there was not the slightest deviation in the arrangement of the forks and knives.

(I wonder what it was.)

The waiter bowed deeply to Ren, who remained silent, and walked away.

Soon, the reason for the waiter’s nervousness arrived.

“I’m sorry for the urgency.”

It was the voice he had heard the other day in the town of Elendil.

The one who came sat down opposite Ren and they looked at each other.

“I see why the waiter was so nervous.”

“I feel bad for the people in this store. I’ve even asked them not to mention me to anyone else, but I’ll pay them for the inconvenience later.”

Besides.

“Speak to me as you did before. I do not mean any disrespect.”

He couldn’t ignore his repeated requests.

Even if I talk to him face to face like this, I can’t ignore it.

“I’m just wondering if you don’t think you’re being reckless yourself.”

“I do, but it’s too late now.”

“I understand. Then I won’t say it anymore.”

“Thank you for understanding so quickly. Let’s talk about it over a plate of food.”

Then Radius took a knife and cut a freshly cooked steak.

“Mm…… it’s quite tasty.”

“I’m certain the restaurant staff will be pleased if you tell them the taste is suitable to a member of the royal family.”

“I won’t say something so arrogant. I will praise this taste on my way back home. If you don’t mind, I’d like to come back for more.”

That was something that would make the restaurant staff very happy.

Of course they would be nervous, but if they were praised by the third prince, they would be more than impressed by the honor.

“So, what brings you here today?”

“I forced myself to come here to thank you —- But you are really calm. How did you know who I am?”

“It’s a long story. I felt strange when I met you on the plain.”

“You really are a perceptive man. Ren Ashton—- or do you mind if I call you Ren?”

“I don’t mind. You’re older than me, so don’t be shy.”

“Did you know my age?”

“No! no! Of course not. I thought you were a year older than me since you’re about to enter the Imperial Military Academy. I mean, you’re older than me, and that’s exactly why I should change my tone…..”

“Me being born a year earlier makes no difference.”

The two men continued to eat their steaks.

The food in this restaurant, including the side dishes, is really tasty.

In addition, during the game days, you could get some buffs by eating this restaurant’s food. For example, the dishes were made with ingredients from monsters, so they had the effect of restoring one’s strength. For Ren, who was on his way home from sword training, the food was just right.

After finishing the meal and enjoying the after-dinner dessert and tea, Radius said to Ren.

“Thank you for helping me out the other day. Thanks to you, I was able to capture a troublesome band of thieves, and I was able to go one step further in pursuit of the demon cult hiding in the background.”

“I don’t mind. I was just doing my best to protect my surroundings.”

“…… Ulysses tells me that you are a truly dedicated man.”

“I don’t know about that. I’m just trying to stay alive.”

“It’s a wonderful thing. It’s an asset to live that desperately.”

Now it was Ren’s turn.

I had already expected this from Radius, so there were no big surprises. I knew it.

But then, something else began to bother me.

“It was dangerous for you, the third Prince to go out there by yourself.”

“I know. But I wanted to move after capturing the bandits at any cost and determining the involvement of the demon cult. For that reason, I thought I should move on my own, even if it was somewhat dangerous.”

“I think you’re brave, but weren’t you stopped by the Kingsguard?”

“How did you know they were Kingsguard?”

“It’s impossible not to recognize them. Swordsmans of such refined movements, your highness.”

“Radius.”

“Your Highness —- Radius?”

“Please call me Radius. I dare say in a pompous tone, but I will allow you to call me Radius.”

“I don’t know. I think it’s a bit rude to call you that. And by the way, you don’t sound pompous, you’re actually very pompous.”

Radius laughed when he saw the stunned Ren.

His voice also fluttered when he saw the expression on his face, a far cry from the dignified and heroic figure he had been shown the other day.

“I don’t have any friends close to my age either. I’m sorry, but I don’t know how to treat you properly.”

He quoted the words that Ren had spoken to him in Hirahara.

“Won’t you say something about disrespect later?”

“I won’t. If I make an enemy of Ulysses with that, it will ruin me.”

“If it were…. you wouldn’t call it disrespectful, so you might ask me to do something for you instead of giving me a free pass?”

“I’ve decided not to say it. Of course, it’s also for the Clausel family. Or, in any case, I’m going to fall out with Ulysses.”

He made the third prince say this.

Ren finally gave up, thinking that it would be a waste of time to keep on pushing him any further.

“Well, then, Radius…”

“Ah, call me whatever you like.”

“If you want me to call you whatever I like, ‘Your Highness’ is more preferable to me.”

“I mean you can call me Radius whenever you like.”

When he saw Radius, who was surprisingly friendly and smiling, it didn’t matter.

Ren sighed once more and quenched his thirst with a glass of fruit water he had ordered for his steak.

“Back to the subject, if people around you had such refined movements, you’d think they were Kingsguard knights.”

Ren had another thought.

“So is the Arne Verde Trading Company yours?”

“Ostensibly, I have nothing to do with them. But in reality, it is half my business association. The head of the Arne Verde Trading Company is the one who taught me my studies, my sensei so to speak. When I was ten years old, we started a business that grew out of small talk, and it took off and has been going strong ever since..”

“You explained everything in a very vague way, but I got the information I wanted to know, so it’s okay.”

I would have told him not to make a big business out of small talk, as he had done.

But I didn’t want to say that because it would have saved my life, and I praised Radius for his brilliance.

“I thought Ulysses-sama was great, but you’re great too.”

“You’re the one who gives a simple impression.”

“I can only say that you’re amazing. Because I can’t do it.”

“How can you say that after showing me such a great swordsmanship?”

Even the hard swordsmanship wouldn’t have been possible without Ulysses’ introduction to the Lion’s Holy Sanctuary. Without him, Ren wouldn’t be where he is today.

Then Ren became curious about the relationship between Ulysses and Radius.

“It seems you’re very close to Ulysses, but is that because you and him are from the same faction?”

“Ulysses and I have a cooperative relationship that is not limited to our factions. Are you aware of the commotion among the factions?”

“Ah, the incident in the Baldor Mountains last year?”

“Yes. I’ve been wanting to have a trustworthy companion ever since that incident. Me and Ulysses at the same time.”

(—It’s easy for you to say, but it’s was big deal.)

For Ren, it would also mean that the two people who killed each other in the legend of the Seven Heroes are now friends.

If the two collude, they would be quite powerful. No doubt.

If Ulysses Ignat and the genius Radius Vin Leomel cooperate with each other, it would be very reliable.

“What you just said sounds reasonably confidential.”

“Not really. But, I’ve talked with Ulysses and told him that it would be fine if it’s you. By the way, I’ll have the reward money for the other day brought to you tomorrow.”

“Huh? You’re really going to give it to me?”

“Why did you think I wouldn’t give it to you…?”

It’s going to be a decent amount of money.

But I’m grateful for what I get. I will definitely let them use it to manage the territory. But in reality, it will be used in a different way. It’s Lessard. He will not accept it for the benefit of the village.

Or he will set aside the money for my tuition.

After a while.

“I’m glad we could talk today. Ulysses and I are going to be working hard again on the matter of the demon cult, but if you want to know how things are progressing, just ask Ulysses.”

“I’m going to go to be on that one too.”

“No. Ren, you will be a powerful ally, but Ulysses has no intention of getting you involved.”

“……Eh?”

“Ulysses doesn’t want to involve you too much.”

He introduced me to the Lion’s Holy Sanctuary only because he thought it would be good for me. He thought it would give me the time to improve myself like he wanted. He recommended the Imperial Military Academy because he thought it would be good for me, even if the existence of his daughter in the picture was ignored.

“So long.”

Leaving that behind, Radius stood up from his seat.

“We had a good talk. I hope we have the opportunity to meet again.”

“Ah —- it’s my pleasure.”

The other party is the third prince of a great country.

Ren knows that the only reason they were able to meet today was because Radius had somehow managed to adjust his own schedule.

He showed us his footwork, which is too light, but he also pushed himself to do so.

I’m certain that’s why I feel like the next opportunity will never come.

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