9-11
The Imperial Domain of Erin
Translator : PolterGlast
A few days later, I found myself with no choice but to
attend the ceremony to formally accept the Imperial Domain of Erin.
Slapped awake by Atomina-aneue,
stripped, and half-forcefully dressed in formal wear, I departed for Erin
in Aneue's carriage.
Naturally, since it was drawn by four horses, it was much
faster than a shared carriage. Arriving before noon at a large mansion called
the Administration Office, I was welcomed there by the current Magistrate.
「Ashley-sama, surely
you are unfamiliar with politics. Please, leave everything to me. I shall see
to it that the governance continues without a hitch.」
「Indeed, Ashley has no intention of living here.. Oh! I know! Why don't you
just come live with your big sister starting today?」
「Yeah, Georg will kill me.」
Erin's Magistrate
looked kind at first glance. Directing a gentle smile at me, at the bottom of
his heart, he seemed to be sizing me up, trying to figure out how to deal with
an unexpected variable like me.
「Yes, by all means, why don't you do
so? There is no need for you to live here. If you leave all the difficult
political matters to me, I will handle them without a hitch.」
You're in the way; go home before you see anything
unnecessary. I can only hear it as saying that.
「Ashley-sama, ish something
wrong...? I understand how hard thish sort of thing is for you. But if you just
bear with it, it'll be over shoon.」
「Even Dulin got used to it. Ashley, you can do it too if you try properly. Big
Sis came all this way for you, so try to look the part!」
Shortly after, the ceremony began in the mansion's great
hall. Gathered were neighboring influential people, magistrates, bureaucrats
from the Imperial Capital, rural lords who rushed from afar, and the
star attraction, Atomina-aneue.
While ceremonial procedures that had become mere formalities
proceeded with this and that, somehow it was declared under the Emperor's name
that it would be ceded to his son Ashley. On paper, it was already
ceded, so this was just a farce.
「Then, finally, let us close the
ceremony with words from Lord Ashley-sama. If you would, Ashley-sama. Please grace us with a few words as the Seventh Prince...」
As if he could make a decent speech, Erin's Magistrate flashed a nasty look for just a
split second, clearly thinking there was no way I could manage a proper speech.
Furthermore, he livened up the venue with exaggerated applause, lifting me up
almost like a dictator.
Did he suddenly come up with the idea to humiliate me and
make me flee back to the Imperial Capital? He grinned maliciously behind the mask of his
good-natured face.
「Dulin... ish glad she
isn't Ashley-sama...
Being a Prince ish tough...」
「When you say that, I'm starting to
get worried. Ashley, shall Big Sister step forward for you?」
「Aneue... That would be like loudly advertising that I'm a
complete failure... Just watch from there; I'll do what I have to do.」
Leaving the guest of honor seat, I went up to the podium in
the great hall. Attention gathered on the silver-haired man who bore no
resemblance to the Emperor. Until just a few days ago, the name of the seventh
son, Ashley, was known to only a
select few.
Is this
guy really up to the task? Probing
eyes gathered on me. The Magistrate watched it grinning in a good mood. It
seems the more I stay silent, the more joy fills him.
I don't even want to think about how many people in here are
colluding with Uncle Morak and the political merchant Hyamar.
「My name is Ashley. Surname Urgos,
son of the current Emperor Ferdinand. For reasons, I was raised in
hiding for a long time, but the other day I officially received recognition
from Father. My hobby is reading; I especially like books from the other world.
I also don't dislike illustrated encyclopedias. ...That said, I'm not asking
for bribes or anything.」
Exaggerated laughter and applause rose at the light joke.
What a hollow world. Seeing me acting properly, the Magistrate made a difficult
face, displeased.
「I have no intention of governing
here directly. I am an uneducated man who hasn't even gone to school. It's best
to leave bread to the baker. However—」
However, the hall stirred at the sudden contrasting
conjunction. The Magistrate's complexion stiffened, and Aneue also
showed anxiety at my unplanned action.
「There are many parts of Erin's
governance that cannot be overlooked. One of the causes lies in corruption. I
cannot possibly entrust this land to bureaucrats who do not intend to serve the
people and the Imperial Family.」
The Magistrate here colluded with Uncle and Hyamar
to torment the people. Naturally, I cannot leave it as is.
「W-What are... Don't tell me you are
naming me, Prince Ashley?! That is too much!」
「You're fired.」
Pointing at the Magistrate from the podium, I fired him. It
must be what he feared most. Losing even words of protest, he fell silent.
「Sorry. I cannot entrust this land
granted by my great father to a corrupt bureaucrat. Therefore, until a
replacement magistrate is found, I will take charge here.」
「No way, Ashley... Big Sis is
going to be so lonely...」
「A-Atomina-oneesama, please don't be sad... But if what Ashley-sama shays ish true, we can't leave Erin to a bad guy...」
The Magistrate—no, the former Magistrate—glared at me with
anger. Having done whatever he pleased until today, he suddenly lost his job.
「Please wait, I have never committed
corruption even once. This is some misunderstanding; I haven't done anything,
anything...」
「Yeah, you didn't do anything. You
didn't try to protect the people of Erin either. That's why you're
fired.」
While there were magistrates bought by Uncle, there
were also honest magistrates who couldn't stomach the current situation. A man
who came to the venue stood up and began clapping, and good magistrates and
local lords followed suit, giving real applause.
「I am merely an ambassador of a
foreign country, but I support the decisive judgment of the new Lord Ashley-sama. Ashley-sama is a person who does not turn
his eyes away from the weak. Oh that's right, let me introduce this woman too.」
It is the lion beastman Begal. And next to his huge
body stood a woman wrapped in a silk hooded robe.
「This is my new assistant. Greet Ashley-sama.」
「Ugh... Y-You didn't have to throw it
to me in this situation, ugh...」
A voice I'd heard somewhere before. When that woman removed
the silk hood, a totally unexpected figure appeared, and I inadvertently left
my mouth open.
「H-Hi,
I am called Yatsufusa Shuria, kyan, Shi—Ashley-sama.
Henceforth, I look forward to our acquaintance, kyan...」
I endured almost calling her Yashu. Considering what
we did, my connection to her must not be known. But if it's a new connection,
there should be no problem.
「Oh my, so cute...」
「Atomina-oneesama, 'cute' is not appropriate
in a formal setting...!」
「But that child is pure white and
beautiful... Ah, I want to touch...」
「Oneesama has Dulin...!」
As expected, she hit Aneue's soft spot. Because she
stared at Yashu with eager eyes, Dulin puffed out her cheeks in
jealousy.
「Pleased to meet you, Yatsufusa-dono. I am honored to meet you.」
Yashu didn't
return to her country. Surprised that the person who treated her to Katsu
Sandwiches was a Prince, she seemed extremely nervous.
I am not such a splendid human. Getting off the podium, I
waited for the curtain to fall on the tumultuous ceremony.
◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇
After that, I immediately called Yashu to the
reception room.
「I'll say something cliché. I thought
you went home.」
「Hehehe... I decided to stay kyan.
Because it's not guaranteed there aren't others like me kyan... So I
decided to be an apprentice ambassador next to Begal-sama, kyan.」
To make a beastman slave who escaped from the Crown Prince
into an assistant ambassador... That man called Begal. He
has a massive frame, but his mind is sharp. I imagine the Crown Prince will
hold him in high regard..
「I see; if you decided so, you should
do so. More importantly, let me introduce my sister and her friend.」
「Eh... Umm, not Shinza, but Ashley-sama's older sister means, in other
words, the one over there—kyan?!」
Before I could permit entry, Atomina-aneue burst into the reception room.
After that, well, it was pretty much as expected. The white and beautiful wolf beastman was embraced by Her
Imperial Highness and vigorously petted all over.
「What is this child, how cute! Aah cute cute cute, haaah, what a fluffy fur, what a cute child?! Ashley, it's unfair! If she's
this cute, introduce her sooner!」
「Hyan, hyau, kyaun kyaun?! T-There, Princess-sama, no good hyan,
touching there, kyu, kyuuuun! Th-There, is... delicate, ukuu...」
Dulin was
sulking again. She directed dark eyes at Yashu, fearing her position as
Princess Atomina's favorite would be stolen.
「Aneue, if you overdo it, you'll be hated. Dulin, how is
your condition lately?」
「Neither good nor bad... Work ish in top form, but right now I'm at rock bottom...」
Is it the influence of the Imperial Bond skill? Glad to hear
she's doing well.
「By the way Ashley-sama, is it really okay that you
fired that person...?」
「Yeah, if I don't find a replacement
quickly, I'll be stuck in a bind. I hope there's someone sincere, clean with
money, and capable...」
「You should have decided that
before firing him...?」
「I don't want to place a villain next
to me.」
This is also a warning to Uncle. I needed to
demonstrate extensively that I won't let them do as they please in my
territory.
「That'sh just like you, Shinza-san. Dulin
owes you for saving her, sho leave Atomina-oneesama to Dulin. To Dulin, Shinza-san ish not Ashley-sama...
but Shinza-san. ...That was a bit of a sudden monologue.」
「Then make me something in return.
Something that leads to Erin's development.」
「Umm... vague requests are
troubling... A-Atomina-oneesama!」
「Oh no Ashley, this child went
limp!」
Atomina-aneue has strong maternal instincts. Out
of excitement, she sometimes hugs too hard, causing the other party to faint or
have difficulty breathing.
「She fainted. This means you were
hated.」
「N-No way... I didn't mean to,
because she's cute, this is unfair! Impossible!」
「Twitch
twitch... Princess, sama, scary...
Princess-sama, scary...」
One person seems to be twitching slightly, but it was
peaceful. Both Aneue and I already know this peace won't last long.
Being just the seventh son, I didn't even have a way to stop it.
◇ ★ ◇ ★ ◇
【Book of the Evil Dragon】
- Adventure -
【Complete a job worth over 10,000
Crowns at the Adventurer's Guild】
- Reward: EXP 600 / [Imperial Bond LV +1]
- Exploration -
【Do another 10 laps around the
Imperial Capital】 7.25 / 10 laps completed
- Reward: VIT +100
- Development -
【Cultivate Erin】
- Reward: Farming LV +1
- Development -
【Secure 1000 Subjugation Points for
Erin's Safety】
- Subjugation
Points: 750 / 1000
- Reward: EXP 200 / Hearts of the People of Erin
- Business -
【Grow the Hez Company】
- Reward: DEX +100
- Purge -
【Bury 7 Villains】 3 Remaining
- Reward: EXP 1100 / Shovel Lv +1
- Purge -
【Steal 1,000,000 Crowns of Dirty
Money】
262,000 / 1,000,000
- Reward: Spatial Detection LV +1
- Investment -
【Spend a total of 10,000 Crowns】 2,420 / 10,000
- Reward: EXP 1000 / Premonition of an Encounter
- Table of Contents -
【Name】 Ashley
【Lv】 29
【Exp】 4155
【STR】 56
【VIT】 147
【DEX】 124
【AGI】 206
【Skill】 Shovel LV 5 Scoop
LV 1 Imperial Bond LV 1 Direction Sense Lv 1
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