Chapter 135: Talking with the Lord of “Nosa Town”

“A relative of the Empire’s Archduke is serving as Sophia-sama’s bodyguard?”

I asked the girl, Dorothy.

The girl in front of me smiled at us while her ponytail swayed.

“If the Archduke’s relatives and soldiers from the Grand Duchy have come, then… does that mean the town of Nosa has really become part of the Grand Duchy’s territory?”

“Yes. A decision was made by His Majesty the Emperor, and the area surrounding the town of Nosa has become an exclave of the Grand Duchy.”

Dorothy placed a hand on her chest and gave a polite bow.

“And the Archduke decided to entrust the governance of this land to Sophia-sama.”

“So the Archduke decided to increase the town’s defensive forces. And assigned a relative to serve as Sophia-sama’s bodyguard, is that correct?”

“That’s right. Although, I also came to this land of my own volition.”

“Of your own will?”

“I want to better myself.”

Dorothy said this with a smile.

“Sophia-sama healed her body and awakened her abilities in this land. I’ve also heard that Kharon-sama was able to regain use of both his arms after coming here. This borderland must surely have the power to awaken people!”

“…Is that so?”

Now that I think about it, before Archduke Kharon returned to the capital, he had entered the fizzy bath.

That was something even the Demon Lord Rukie had approved of… I see. So that’s why his left arm became usable again.

His muscles probably loosened up, improving blood circulation and the flow of magical power.

That person was already very strong and skilled to begin with. It wouldn’t be strange if something like that happened.

“Also…Kharon-sama once said: The Empire committed a historic mistake. That mistake was letting the alchemist Thor go to another country.”

Dorothy looked straight at me and said:

“The people Kharon-sama values are you and Sophia-sama. Because you two are here, I want to refine myself by learning from top-class individuals!”

…Her eyes are sparkling. She really seems like someone with high aspirations.

But she doesn’t seem like a bad person.

Unlike the imperial nobility, she doesn’t seem to look down on those who can’t fight.

“Dorothy Listan and the Archduke of the Empire seem to have an inflated opinion of me.”

For now, I just shrugged.

“I’m just an alchemist who likes to research. I’m nowhere near top-class.”

A top-class person, I think, would be someone who made the hero world’s mail-order catalog.

To research and assemble that many magic items…

To write explanations with such clarity…

Those are things far beyond my reach.

“…Even if people say I’m top-class, honestly, it just makes me feel embarrassed.”

“That’s fine. I only admire those who pursue a single path with dedication.”

“Someone who pursues a single path?”

“For example, like Kharon-sama, who purely seeks to master the way of the sword. Aren’t you also trying to master your path as an alchemist?”

“…Yes. Something like that.”

Before I knew it, I was nodding.

Seeing my response, Dorothy smiled in satisfaction.

“I’m a fan of people like that. By watching top-class individuals who dedicate themselves to their path, even someone like me—a third-rate—might be able to grow.”

—Saying that, she suddenly covered her mouth, as if realizing she’d said something inappropriate.

…Third-rate?

No way. There’s no chance someone connected to Archduke Kharon is weak.

There’s no way that Archduke Kharon would assign someone weak to protect Princess Sophia.

And—

“…This person has no openings.”

Agnis, standing beside me, wore a tense expression.

She had been like that for a while now.

Even from Agnis’s perspective, Dorothy must be quite skilled.

“…Oh my, Sir Isaac Omowarisan Miura is here. I must greet him.”

Suddenly, Dorothy shifted her gaze away from us and muttered.

““…Huh?””

Agnis and I turned around reflexively.

We saw Isaac turning the corner and walking toward us.

“So the people from the Demon Lord’s domain are here as well.”

Isaac looked at us and bowed his head.

Dorothy returned the bow to Isaac.

“I apologize, Captain Isaac. I wanted to introduce myself and ended up keeping everyone.”

“Dorothy-sama… You don’t need to be so formal with a low-ranking officer like me.”

“Isn’t it only natural to show respect to a senior?”

“I have deep respect for Kharon-sama. To hear such words from someone who could be called his daughter… it leaves me at a loss.”

Then Isaac looked at us again.

“Let me introduce her as well. This is Dorothy Listan-sama. She will be organizing the ‘Lady Omowarisan Unit’ as Sophia-sama’s bodyguard.”

“The ‘Lady Omowarisan Unit’? That sounds cool.”

“Dorothy-sama is young, but she possesses extraordinary combat ability. Even I cannot keep up with—”

“Shall we save the discussion of my abilities for another time?”

Suddenly, Dorothy interrupted Isaac mid-sentence.

Her tone was polite, but firm and unyielding.

Isaac cleared his throat and said,

“A-Ah, yes. We mustn’t keep Sophia-sama waiting any longer.”

“Allow me to escort you to her room. This way, please.”

“Thank you.” “Much appreciated.”

With Dorothy guiding us, we entered the mansion.

On the way—

“Isaac, may I ask you something?”

“What is it, Alchemist-dono?”

“Did you know there’s a theory that the hero from another world referred to the female guardian spirit ‘Omawarisan’ as ‘Fukeisan’?”

“What!?”

“It’s something I read in the government archives—a record separate from the story of the hero who said, ‘I’ll tell the Omawarisan on you!’ It seems there was another hero who said, ‘I like the female Omawarisan… Fukeisan!’ before disappearing. It’s not a very well-known story, though.”

“S-Such a thing!?”

“With that in mind, how about including ‘Fukeisan Squad’ as a name candidate alongside ‘Lady Omawarisan Squad’?”

“A-Alright! I’ll consult with Princess Sophia!”

Isaac nodded.

Dorothy… was laughing happily.

Did she already know about “Fukeisan”? From the look on her face, I got the feeling she was aware of it and just pretended not to notice.

I can’t read this person’s reactions.

Unlike my father and many others in the Empire who boast about their strength and abilities, this person is the opposite. It almost seems like she tries to hide her abilities and knowledge.

…She’s a mysterious person.

Thinking about such things, we headed to Princess Sophia’s room.

“I apologize for calling you here, Thor Canaan-sama. Agnis Freizad-sama.”

Princess Sophia said this and bowed to us.

We were in Princess Sophia’s room on the second floor of the mansion.

It was just me, Agnis, and Princess Sophia.

Dorothy, who guided us here, had already gone back downstairs.

Looking out the window… I saw Dorothy and several female soldiers right outside the mansion.

I suppose they’re the tentative ‘Lady Omawarisan Squad’ that’s in charge of guarding Princess Sophia.

“There are a few reasons I asked to meet with you today.”

When I turned my gaze back, Princess Sophia was seated in a chair, looking relaxed.

“But first, let me explain how I came to be the lord of this land.”

And so, Princess Sophia began to explain how she became the feudal lord.

—Archduke Kharon had requested additional land as a reward for subjugating magical beasts.

—He chose the town of Nosa and its surrounding region for that reward.

—However, the area was far from the Grand Duchy, making direct governance difficult.

—So Archduke Kharon decided to entrust the territory to Princess Sophia.

—As a result, it was treated as though “the Grand Duchy offered territory to the Imperial family,” making it difficult for the Emperor or the High Council to reject the request.

—That’s the situation.

“The Archduke seems to value friendly relations with the Demon Lord’s domain.”

Princess Sophia said this with a serious expression.

“That’s probably why he thought it best for me to become the lord of this land. I’ve had discussions with Her Majesty the Demon Lord, and I can also communicate with Thor Canaan-sama, Agnis-sama, and the winged fairies.”

“I also think it’s a good thing that Your Highness became the lord.”

“Do you really?”

“Yes, because now, Your Highness can act on your own judgment.”

I spoke.

“I’ve heard the Grand Duchy was granted semi-autonomy. That means Princess Sophia can travel freely and make decisions without being bound by the capital’s intentions. And if any trouble arises, the Grand Duchy will mediate on her behalf.”

I’d heard that Princess Sophia had been confined to a detached palace because of the Empire’s circumstances.

Later, she was forcibly sent to the town of Nosa, but due to her frail health, she couldn’t move freely. She was the commander of the unit, but had no authority to give orders or mobilize troops.

But now, Isaac and the troops under him follow Princess Sophia.

And soon, Archduke Kharon will serve as her powerful backer.

The Empire will find it difficult to manipulate Princess Sophia now.

As a lord, she can make decisions according to her own will.

“—That’s what it means, right?”

I wrapped up the explanation that way.

Agnis, sitting beside me, nodded in agreement.

“Yes. Just as Thor Canaan-sama says.”

Princess Sophia also said that and smiled.

“That’s likely why Archduke Kharon appointed Dorothy-sama as my bodyguard.”

“So she can be Your Highness’s steadfast ally.”

“Exactly. Dorothy-sama and her companions will prioritize my orders and those from the Grand Duchy. Even if an order comes from the capital, they’ll stand with me.”

I see.

Now I can feel a little more at ease.

Because I was thinking of helping Princess Sophia defect if the capital made any unreasonable demands.

Though, just in case, I’ll still hand her a ‘Defection Kit’ later.

“…However, I still feel a bit distant from Dorothy-sama. I would like her to be closer, and to become friends with her.”

Princess Sophia tilted her head slightly.

“She’s very responsible, so perhaps she’s thinking about her role as a bodyguard…”

“Could it be that she’s nervous because she’s dealing with a royal princess?”

“No, Dorothy-sama is the younger sister of the next Archduke.”

“…Huh?”

“Archduke Kharon adopted someone from a distant branch of the family as his heir. Dorothy-sama is that person’s younger sister.”

“Then… she’s to be treated like a high-ranking noble?”

“Within the Grand Duchy, she actually outranks me as a lord.”

“So that’s the kind of person she is…”

It shows how important this region is to Archduke Kharon.

Dorothy probably volunteered to be the bodyguard because she shares that view.

But if that’s the case, then I don’t understand what she meant by wanting to ‘improve herself’ and calling herself ‘a third-rate lady’…

Her status is way higher than mine, and she should be far more capable in battle, too.

“…Dorothy-sama and the others have only just arrived here. Once they’ve settled in a bit more, I’m sure you’ll become good friends.”

“Yes. I hope for that as well.”

Princess Sophia nodded and looked toward Agnis.

“Because I was able to become close with Agnis-sama like this, after all.”

“Eh!? Ah, yes.”

Agnis, suddenly spoken to, nodded vigorously.

“A-Agnis also… thinks of Princess Sophia as a friend…”

“You say such delightful things.”

Princess Sophia took Agnis’s hand.

“Let’s continue to get along well, Agnis-sama.”

“Y-Yes. I look forward to it.”

“Yes. Let’s be the kind of friends who can always speak honestly with each other.”

Princess Sophia and Agnis looked into each other’s eyes.

It was somehow a dazzling sight.

Princess Sophia had been confined to a detached palace in the imperial capital, and Agnis had always worn armor, unable to truly interact with others.

They must get along well because their situations are similar.

“Oh yes, as a lord, there’s something I wanted to consult with the people of the Demon Lord’s Territory about.”

Suddenly, Princess Sophia clapped her hands lightly.

“Oh dear. That was supposed to be the main topic… but I was enjoying our conversation so much, I ended up putting it off.”

Then, Princess Sophia took out a stack of parchment.

It had people’s names, along with names of towns and villages, and beneath those were long passages of text.

“In fact, we’ve received a request to expand the scale of the border trade post a little more.”

“The trade post?”

The trade post was a facility built near the forest at the border.

On the wide grasslands, tents for business were set up, and anyone wanting to do business could freely bring in goods.

However, the market only opened about once every seven days.

Participants were limited to residents of ‘Nosa Town’ or those referred by them.

“…For now, I’ll report this to Her Majesty the Demon Lord.”

I thought for a moment before responding.

“But, just for reference—may I ask? Is this related to Your Highness becoming the lord?”

“Yes. We’ve received petitions from surrounding towns and villages. They want to participate in the border trade post too. The trade post offers rare products from the Demon Lord’s Territory, and it’s very safe.”

At that, Princess Sophia let out a sigh.

“However, with more people, some undesirable elements may slip in. We’ll need to allocate personnel for guiding people and maintaining security. That’s why I wanted to hear your opinions, Thor Canaan-sama and Agnis-sama.”

“That’s true. If the scale increases, a number of problems are bound to occur.”

I replied.

“There will likely be financial disputes as well. In that case… we’ll need to increase the number of guards.”

The guards at the trade post were handled by people from the Reisenga Territory.

Normally they just managed the rest area, but on market days, a large number of soldiers would be present.

If the market grows in size… trouble will also increase.

That would mean the general would need to dispatch more personnel.

But on the other hand, that might itself cause trouble.

Not everyone is as familiar with or friendly toward the Demon Lord’s Territory as the residents of Nosa Town.

…It’s a tricky situation.

If only there were a way to reduce trouble without increasing personnel…

“What is your opinion, Agnis-sama?”

“I think… it’s difficult to make a decision right away.”

Suddenly, Agnis spoke.

“Currently, the trade post is maintained by operating on a small scale. If the surrounding towns and villages are added… there’s a higher chance of trouble. We’d need to reconsider the number and placement of personnel, as well as the layout of the tents for business. It would be a large undertaking…”

“Still, there are benefits. For the Demon Lord’s Territory, it means more trade partners.”

“That’s true. So, if the security issue can be resolved, it should be pursued.”

Agnis had a serious expression.

As expected, more people bring more problems.

Guiding the crowd. Guarding off-limits areas. Removing suspicious individuals. Resolving trade disputes.

It would also increase the burden on General Reisenga and the head civil servant, Kelve.

It’s not something that can be decided today or tomorrow. It’s a good idea, but…

“Let’s take Princess Sophia’s proposal back and seek the approval of Her Majesty the Demon Lord and His Excellency the Chancellor.”

With that, Agnis brought the discussion to a close.

“Understood. I’d be grateful if you could consider it positively.”

Princess Sophia looked satisfied.

She probably didn’t expect a decision to be made here either.

“I’ll also write letters addressed to Her Majesty the Demon Lord and General Reisenga. Could you deliver them for me?”

“Of course. Reisenga Territory would like to consider this positively as well.”

“Thank you very much. And…Agnis-sama.”

“Yes, Princess Sophia?”

“…Did something happen between you and Thor Canaan-sama?”

““Eh?””

“You two seem a little closer than usual…”

No… I think everything’s just like usual.

While sitting in my chair, I look at Agnis next to me.

Agnis, dressed in a gown… meets my gaze the moment I turn to her.

The two of us lock eyes, trying to find something different from usual.

But we find nothing, and both Agnis and I shake our heads.

If I had to say, maybe the chairs are just a little closer together than usual.

But even that is within the margin of error… probably.

““We don’t think there’s anything particularly unusual.””

“You’re incredibly in sync.”

“…Do you think so?”

“When I was in the imperial capital, I was confined to a detached palace.”

Princess Sophia said this, gazing off into the distance.

“Before that, I was in the main palace, but as a sickly child, few people paid attention to me. So, having fewer chances to interact, I became very observant of people. Because of that, I’m quite confident in my ability to read others.”

“Your Highness, how do I and Agnis look to you now?”

“It looks like the two of you have formed a clear bond.”

““──!?””

Agnis and I instinctively looked at each other.

Seeing us like that, Princess Sophia smiled gently.

“I want to have a relationship where I can speak frankly with Agnis-sama.”

Princess Sophia repeated the same words as before.

Or rather… maybe she had already noticed the closeness between Agnis and me, and said “a relationship where we can speak frankly” on purpose…?

…As expected of Princess Sophia. She’s incredible.

“Of course, it might just be my imagination, and I won’t pry further. But… I would like to strengthen our unique bond by giving something that Thor Canaan-sama would be pleased with.”

“You don’t have to do that. You’re already important to me, Princess Sophia──”

“What I’d like to offer is an ancient document from the Hero’s era.”

“──Please, let me see it.”

“…Um, Thor-sama?”

Agnis tugged on my sleeve.

But come on—it’s an ancient document from the Hero’s era! From the same time as the ‘mail-order catalog’!

Of course I’d want to see it.

“Here it is. Please, take a look.”

Saying that, Princess Sophia placed a single sheet of paper on the table.

It’s in worse condition than the ‘mail-order catalog.’

Some of the print is faded and unreadable.

But I can tell it’s written in the same script as the ‘mail-order catalog.’

No doubt about it. This is from the Hero’s world.

“This was apparently found in the Grand Duchy.”

Princess Sophia looked at my reaction and nodded in satisfaction.

“The researchers in the Grand Duchy couldn’t decipher it, so they kept it stored away. But the Archduke thought Thor Canaan-sama might be able to make use of it.”

“They went out of their way to send it to me?”

“As thanks for your help with the ‘Magical Beast Subjugation.’ Since you’re researching the Hero’s world, the Archduke thought you might be able to read it.”

“…Yes. I think I can decode it.”

Come to think of it, I never told Princess Sophia that I could read the script from the Hero’s world.

Knowing her, maybe she just figured it out.

“However, there is one request I’d like to make when giving this to you.”

“A request?”

“I’d like you to read it aloud… while staying near me, so I can hear what kind of document it is.”

Princess Sophia said this with a nervous expression.

…Ah, I see.

This must be Archduke Kharon’s idea, the one who sent the document.

He probably didn’t want the knowledge of the Hero’s world to go only to me—someone from the Demon Lord’s territory.

By having me read it aloud beside Princess Sophia, he ensured she would hear the information too.

Princess Sophia is trustworthy.

I wouldn’t mind sharing the document’s content with her.

If it turns out to be something dangerous, I can just stop reading it midway.

“Understood. Then, Your Highness, please listen along with me.”

“Y-yes!”

Princess Sophia stood up energetically.

She dragged her chair over, right next to mine… Wait, huh? She didn’t need to pull the chair that close, did she? Our bodies are touching. I can feel her warmth through her thin dress…

“…Excuse me, then.”

Thud.

Before I knew it, Agnis had moved her chair right next to mine too.

…Well. It’s fine, though.

More importantly, let’s begin decoding the document. Since it’s different from the ‘mail-order catalog,’ there might be content I can’t understand on my own.

Princess Sophia and Agnis’s knowledge will definitely be helpful.

Also—this is just a hunch—

But I have a feeling the contents of this document might help us expand trade.

After all, the illustrations in the document show things that stop people in their tracks, and devices that control the flow of wheeled objects. None of it looks familiar to this world.

If used correctly, they might help maintain order at trading posts.

“Then, please begin reading it, Thor Canaan-sama.”

“We’re counting on you!”

Princess Sophia and Agnis looked at me with serious eyes.

I slowly began to read the ancient document aloud.

Starting from the top line—the largest text written on the page.

“The document says: ‘For Safe Community Living Within the Town’.”

“‘For safe community living’?”

“Could it be… information about law and order in towns and villages!?”

I nodded at their words.

“Yes. This is a document from the Hero’s world about how to control the movement of people and carriages to ensure safe activity—along with magic items related to that.”

As I explained this to Agnis and Princess Sophia, I continued decoding the text.

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