Prologue: Demon

"Say, Vel. We have forgotten due to the final moments of

the enemy's boss, but...." (Luise)

"Forgot?" (Wendelin)

"Did the demon die?" (Luise)

"Damn! I totally forgot!" (Wendelin)

Being reminded by Luise, I hurriedly order the soldiers to

search for the demon in the wreckage of the huge golem.

However, faster than discovering him, the demon appeared

from below the wreckage.

Yet, the blisters are terrible and he apparently can't move

well as his body's functions are seemingly paralyzed.

"It's not fatal though, is it?"

"I suppose demons are tough...."

Although she examined the demon medically, there's no

danger to his life. I was astonished by the strength of a
demon's vitality.

"If possible, I would like you to heal me."

"Since we wouldn't be able to handle you if you went on a

rampage after healing you, I'd like you to die just like that, if
possible." (Wendelin)
| Azura Ren |
 There's still a huge amount of mana remaining in this
demon.

It would be difficult to disable him once more, if he went

ballistic after getting healed.

Since I would hate being killed by an opponent that I

already defeated once, I'd like him to pass away here, even
though it's a bit pitiful.

"It might be better to finish him off here." (Ina)

Everyone agrees with Ina's opinion.

"Uuh.... how brutal of you, Earl Baumeister...."

"That's not something I want to be told by you, who caused

a rebellion and took part in a genocide!" (Wendelin)

I responded cynically to the selfish complaint of the

demon.

As I was pondering what to do about this demon, Wilma

pulled my robe.

"Vel-sama." (Wilma)

"Yes?" (Wendelin)

"Won't it turn into a problem with the Demon Country if

you kill this demon?" (Wilma)

"Oooh! There was that, too!" (Therese)

Therese, who should know the most about this whole story
among us, agrees with Wilma and her strangely sharp
| Azura Ren |
intuition.

"The possibility that the demon country will dispatch its

soldiers because one of its citizens was killed certainly exists."
(Therese)

Once it becomes an international issue, I don't know what

excuse to attack they might use. I guess we shouldn't risk
anything.

"Therese-san, this demon has taken part in the civil war...."

(Katharina)

"That's true, but we have no choice but to take an evasion

of a war with the Demon Country into consideration...."
(Therese)

Emotionally I agree with Katharina's opinion, but if one

considers the risk of a dispute with the demon country, one is
compelled to approve of Therese's thinking.

"Even though the civil war has ended at long last, the
Empire would enter a war against the Demon Country. No, in
this case it's also possible that the Kingdom will be targeted as
well. There's a danger that we will be attacked before both
countries are able to mend their relationship." (Therese)

The only one knowledgeable about demons among us is

Therese, the former Duchess Philip.

Katharina, who has become a noble suddenly just like me,

didn't possess that knowledge.

"I believe that mana surpassing Wendelin-san's is

terrifying, but.... is this person, no, are the demons that much
| Azura Ren |
of a threat?" (Katharina)

"It seems that all demons possess a lot of mana. However

at most that's knowledge I obtained from old books...."
(Therese)

I guess that means that their entire army consists of

powerful magicians.

Even if we defeated some of them by throwing the few

magicians we have at them, the soldiers, who can't use magic,
would be simply overrun as soon as we got defeated.

Certainly, we can't easily choose to kill this demon.

"Doushi, what should we do?" (Wendelin)

"Hey, demon! We can heal you, but I can't recommend you

to oppose us!" (Armstrong)

Doushi doesn't seem to be very amused about his own way

of talking to resemble with the demon, but he probably
decided to separate his own feelings and his political
deliberations. He chose the option to save him.

"You magicians of the Helmut Kingdom belong to the

cautious types. Even if I were to fight you here, allowing me
to escape, I will be captured by the imperial soldier on the
upper floors and die. This esteemed me prefers to avoid
anything pointless."

"Don't give me such impudent talk.... Elise, please heal

him." (Armstrong)

"Yes, uncle-sama." (Elise)

| Azura Ren |
 Once Elise cast some light healing magic, the demon, who
couldn't move well, recovered and stood up. Even though he
had received damage from an overdose of healing magic, it's
not like the healing magic will stay in his body forever. Thus,
he easily recovers with light healing magic.

That was one of the reasons why the phenomenon of over-

healing couldn't be utilized readily.

That being the case, it's more effective to attack with

normal magic.

"You have my thanks for the treatment. This esteemed me

is called Arnest Blitz. I'm an archaeologist of the Demon
Country." (Arnest)

"Archaeologist?"

The mysterious, middle-aged man with a big, white tuxedo

on his head introduces himself as archaeologist.

"Quite so. The object of my life is the investigation and

exploration of unknown underground ruins." (Arnest)

We are immediately told about his circumstances by the

demon, but he boasts that he sneaked into this country as
illegal immigrant from the western island that is the Demon
Country. After smuggling himself in, he heard rumors of
many undiscovered ruins within the Nürnberg Dukedom. He
accepted to repair the excavated items as compensation for
being allowed to investigate those ruins.

In the end it was no more than a give-and-take

partnership, he says.

| Azura Ren |
 "Give-and-take, eh....?" (Armstrong)

"That's quite the egoistic view after having caused this

many casualties." (Katharina)

Even Katharina, who endured many things herself as

former loner, follows Doushi's view and seems to be disgusted
with this demon.

"As I am an archaeologist, I wanted to investigate and

explore underground ruins. The permission of Duke
Nürnberg, the feudal lord, was necessary for that." (Arnest)

The demon had also talent as researcher and artificer.

That's why the weapons used by Duke Nürnberg's feudal

army were items which had been made usable by this demon
repairing the excavated items.

"Even if the owner of a knife, which had been given to

them by me after making it usable, commits murder, this
esteemed me can not do anything about it." (Arnest)

"Hey! Don't screw around with us!" (Erwin)

"Eru-san, please calm down." (Haruka)

Eru snapped due to the demon's blunt shirking of any

responsibility.

Haruka restrains him in a hurry.

"Even if you get angry over that; that agreement allowed

me to freely investigate the ruins located within the Dukedom
Nürnberg." (Arnest)

| Azura Ren |
 I could understand and accept it as valid.

He is a scholar with all his heart.

He merely acts for the sake of quenching his thirst for

knowledge, and doesn't consider the problems he creates to
others with that.

I won't go as far as calling him a Mad Archaeologist, but he

might be a typical researcher.

And that type of people is actually capable of achieving

results because they partially lack morals.

In accordance to the contract with Duke Nürnberg, he

repaired the items excavated from underground ruins,
allowing those items to exhibit their might on the battlefield.
He has assisted in the civil war, but the one who caused that
was no other than Duke Nürnberg.

It's also his way of thinking that he fought in the huge

golem to defend himself....and if you consider his birthplace,
we can't simply execute him either.

"Enough of that. Even if you try to harm us or run away, it

will turn into a nice story of us all beating you up. Our goal is
the investigation of the rooms located on this deepest floor. I
will have you guide us." (Wendelin)

"You can leave that to me. First off, the ornamental crest
engraved on this wall is typical for the latter period of the
Ancient Magic Civilization's era...." (Arnest)

"No, not that." (Wendelin)

| Azura Ren |
 The demon was about to start an explanation of the crest
on the wall, but since that's meaningless right now, I directed
the talk towards the whereabouts of the excavated items.

"The location of the excavated items? I have already

finished their examination and as such can't see any scientific
value in them." (Arnest)

"Even if that's the case for you as archaeologist, seeing that

the items are indispensable if you live in the real world, there
will be people who will try to find them, making it necessary
to get rid of them appropriately." (Wendelin)

"I understand." (Arnest)

The demon first guides us inside the room behind the wall
crushed by the golem.

There we found a device that seemed to be a combination

of a huge antenna with a length of around 15 meters and a
typewriter.

"Is this the device jamming 『Movement』 and

『Coomunication』?" (Wendelin)

It looks like it was a good idea to fire spells following

Therese's advice.

With a part of the antenna broken, it lost its ability to emit

jamming waves.

"I guess it'll work once repaired?"

"Is there such a magic tool?"

| Azura Ren |
 There's no merit in expressly saving a device that obstructs
magic, my sole selling point.

"I do not mind if you break it, but I recommend to set aside
the parts that can be used in the future." (Arnest)

Advanced magic tools are an assembly of many parts.

There are also many parts that can be reused in other magic
tools.

The demon advises us that we shouldn't destroy it all of a

sudden, but rather do so after salvaging all those parts.

"Especially the magic crystal that has been used in this

device is huge." (Arnest)

"You supplied the mana used in this device, didn't you?"

"This esteemed me is an expert in investigation and

analysis. I also had the task of repairing and maintaining the
excavated items because of that. Consequently it's not like I
was next to this device all the time. I activated the device by
charging a huge amount of mana into the huge magic crystal."
(Arnest)

The demon opened a hatch on the back side of the device,

revealing the magic crystal installed there.

"I guess he readily explained everything...."

Upon my order, soldiers led by Eru begin to collect the

magic tools scattered on the lowest floor.

They gather various items such as destroyed breath-

emitting devices, the wreckage of the huge golem, spare parts
| Azura Ren |
for the golem, a golem that seems to be a prototype I don't
really understand and items that look like weapons.

"As long as it's explanation and repair of technology, I can

handle it."

"Then it's fine."

I put all the collected items into my magic bag.

There's no issue with that since the handling of the

plundered loot is up to us, even if this is imperial territory.

Since there's the possibility that the Empire will start a war
with Kingdom next because the imperial army got too strong
after confiscating the magic tools from Nürnberg Dukedom
after the civil war, I collect all of them.

What's left is....

"Arnest Blitz, can't you disguise yourself?" (Wendelin)

"I am pleased to hear that you have remembered mine

name. I am able to do as you say." (Arnest)

"Change into a human then." (Wendelin)

There's no way that I can hand over this demon to Peter.

Given that this guy will be happy as long as he can illegally

excavate undiscovered underground ruins, he will join forces
with any kind of villain as long as that's guaranteed.

I will hide him in the Kingdom or the Baumeister Earldom

as it's necessary to learn about demons.

| Azura Ren |
 Because the demons haven't shown up on this Lingaia
Continent for close to 10,000 years, it might turn into a
scramble to understand their true nature.

"Magic tools for disguising also existed in the Ancient

Magic Civilization." (Arnest)

Arnest takes out a ring from his pocket and puts it on a

finger.

He immediately transformed into a middle-aged male

soldier one can find anywhere.

"It will be safe with this." (Arnest)

Having finished cleaning up at the lowest floor, we run

through the underground fortress where fierce battles still
continue despite Duke Nürnberg having died.

The battle between both armies mainly focused around the

military stations and the residential areas still under
construction rather than the lower floor.

Especially the retainers and soldiers in the area with Duke

Nürnberg household's mansion struggle bitterly after having
set up the remaining breath-emitting devices and suicide-
bombing golems. They caused heavy losses among the
approaching soldiers of the imperial army.

"Surrender! Your leader died!" (Wendelin)

"Don't make up such stupid lies! Our Lord went to pick up

a new weapon at the lowest floor!"

The vassal in charge of the defense around the mansion

| Azura Ren |
reply while exposing his anger at my capitulation demand.

He probably doesn't want to accept that Duke Nürnberg

died at all costs.

"Look at this!"

Duke Nürnberg's corpse is held up on my instructions.

There was also the option to only hoist up his head, but
they might have reacted very emotionally if we had done that.

That's why we displayed the corpse in such manner.

"Lord!"

"It's a lie! It's a well-made fake!"

"As if we would have had time for that! It's the real Duke
Nürnberg! His ambitions came to an end with this. Once the
leader's gone, the accomplishment of their ambitions
becomes impossible. I expect an upright attitude from you,
who were left behind." (Wendelin)

"....What are we going to do?"

"Fight to the last soldier!"

"But, is there any sense in doing something like that?"

The remaining officers and soldiers of the rebel army differ

in their opinions and start to quarrel amongst each other due
to my speech.

And then the highest-ranking person fell a decision.

| Azura Ren |
 "Due to the fact that our Lord has passed away, already, at
this point.... we will surrender...."

Even after this I move to all the places where there are still
ongoing battles and persuade the enemies. Eighteen hours
after the start of the underground fortress capture all battle
has ceased with the rebel army having surrendered.

The imperial army lost 7,857 soldiers. The rebel army has
5,678 casualties.

It was a battle that cost many people their lives, but with
this the civil war in the Empire has finally come to an end.

| Azura Ren |
 Chapter 01: Trying to grill eel since it suddenly turned into a
Vacation

"Here's the money."

"Thank you as usual, Earl Baumeister-sama."

"I'm sorry for taking your precious merchandise."

(Wendelin)

"Since the stock is low right now, it has become expensive.

The fishing season is already running for three months, so it's
not that expensive, but...."

"No, you did well to get your hands on it." (Wendelin)

***

With Duke Nürnberg's defeat, the long civil war finally

came to an end.

The Duke Nürnberg household has lost its peerage and

right now the stationed imperial army is ruling the Nürnberg
Dukedom.

Leading that army, Peter seems to still be busy with

rebellious residents and retainers, but we had absolutely
nothing to do.

Currently we are stationed in a sparsely populated region

alongside the Mizuho army.

Occasionally we help with the maintenance of roads, which

| Azura Ren |
had been destroyed due to the war, but the imperial army or
rather Peter play the main act.

Until they finish dealing with the former Nürnberg

Dukedom and return to the imperial capital, we are going to
spend our time leisurely for the first time in a long while.

Accordingly I bought a certain item from a peddling

Mizuho merchant.

Since I was regarded as good customer, who likes the

Mizuho cooking and culture, by the Mizuho people, there are
several merchants I have become familiar with.

"Customer-sama, you have a discerning eye. This is a hair

ornament manufactured from the valuable 『Northern Coral』.
The Northern Coral lives in the colder areas of the ocean. As
result of it being special, its growth is slow and thus it has
become a very valuable item."

"This will suit your black hair well, won't it Haruka-san?"

(Erwin)

"Eru-san. I can't accept something so expensive." (Haruka)

"I intend it to serve as substitute for an engagement ring.

Since it'll be a commemorative present, you don't have to
hold back, Haruka-san." (Erwin)

"Thank you." (Haruka)

Merchants are shrewd beings. He skillfully palmed off a

hair ornament made out of an expensive coral to the
betrothed Eru.

| Azura Ren |
 "Uuh.... Haruka isn't a child that will be deceived by such
an expensive accessory...." (Takeomi)

"You are really bad at giving up.... he said that it's a

replacement for an engagement ring, didn't he?" (Burkhart)

Watching Haruka happily receive the ornament from Eru,

Takeomi-san grinds his teeth out of vexation. Burkhart-san
looked at him with an expression telling that he's a lost case.

"Vel, what's that?" (Erwin)

After the Mizuho merchant is gone, Eru comes to ask me

what I bought.

Moreover, Takeomi-san still looked at Eru enviously.

"It's slightly out of season right now, but as a matter of fact

I bought this." (Wendelin)

"Oohh! Isn't that an eel!?" (Erwin)

"We will eat this after turning it into unadon or kabayaki."

"How nice. Isn't that a real treat!?"

Eel exists in this world as well.

Since their movements become dull during the cold season,

they can't be caught much, but as it was sold on bamboo
skewers prepared by the Mizuho merchant, I got some.

Its freshness will stay topnotch because they keep it in

magic bags, but as supply falls behind demand, the price has
risen.

| Azura Ren |
 I paid quite a hefty sum, but it looked as if the eel was in its
best condition with the fat still clinging to it.

"I have prepared charcoal and a stand to barbecue it. The

preparations of the steamer are okay as well. And!"

I take out an arm-sized earthenware pot from my magic

bag.

There's something very important with a worth

unattainable for something like jewels inside this pot.

"As usual you are holding it with utmost devotion, aren't

you Vel?"

"It's because only this 『Kabayaki Sauce』 is unobtainable,

no matter how much money you pay. It's more valuable than
any treasure." (Wendelin)

"I feel like you are exaggerating a tiny bit, but.... it's a fact
that I'm looking forward to it. I will help you as well, so let's
get grilling as soon as possible." (Erwin)

Why do I have kabayaki sauce with me?

That originates from an incident that took place a little

while after I became an Earl.

***

"Vel-sama, this is it." (Wilma)

"River Fish Restaurant 『River』, huh....?" (Wendelin)

Probably almost two months after I've become an Earl, I

came to the royal capital with everyone.
| Azura Ren |
 Wanting to grab lunch somewhere as we had finished our
business without issues, I wanted to eat something unusual
for a change. Just then I heard from Wilma about a restaurant
she frequented often being nearby and thus I had her lead us
there right away.

That restaurant, which we reached in almost no time,

seemed to possess history and tradition going by its quite old
structure.

"River Fish.... Restaurant, it is?" (Wendelin)

"I often sold river fish here before meeting you, Vel-sama."
(Wilma)

"Wilma caught fish as part-time job in her childhood."

Elise adds.

"That's because I was allowed to dine for free for selling the
ingredients." (Wilma)

"Wilma-san, you had it difficult, didn't you?" (Katharina)

"Filling up my stomach was hard." (Wilma)

Once I consider the amount Wilma eats, she surely had to

catch a considerable amount of fish.

She likely wasn't able to still her hunger unless being an

expert at fishing.

Was Wilma skilled or were the restaurant employees

kind....? No, it might have been both.

"You are good at fishing, Wilma?"

| Azura Ren |
 "I think I'm quite skilled at it. But it was rather difficult for
me to become full." (Wilma)

"Wouldn't the fish vanish around here, if you had always

caught enough to fill your stomach completely, Wilma?"
(Erwin)

"It's a fisher's duty to abide to the periods when certain fish

species are prohibited to be caught and to release small fish.
It's impossible to catch enough within such circumstances."
(Wilma)

Wilma replied to Eru's banter with a slightly sullen

expression.

But for there to be voluntary release rules and fishing

prohibition periods in this world....I was truly surprised.

"Eh? Such restrictions exist? There are no such rules in the

territory of my family." (Erwin)

"It's likely because of the difference in population between

your home and the capital, Eru. Though, there were no such
rules in the Knight Baumeister household either." (Wendelin)

The only ones catching fish in the rivers located in Eru's

family's territory are the fief’s population.

There's no way for the fish resources to decrease that easily

as long as they don't overfish.

But, given that the consumption of fish is different around

the capital, they will probably become immediately unable to
catch any fish if they don't place any restrictions on the haul.

| Azura Ren |
 However, even within the Kingdom such restrictions seem
to only exist in a small area around the capital and in case it
had been independently established by a noble.

Come to think of it, such limitations didn't exist in

Breithilde Margraviate either.

I think at most it's manner to not catch small fish.

As for Baumeister Earldom, there's a heap of fish. Because

of the too many animals inhabiting the area, it’s dangerous for
people to live there, so it’s a situation where I ask everyone to
relentlessly hunt them down.

"Fishermen have to pay an annual fee and a registration fee

in advance. Those who poach without paying are...." (Wilma)

"What happens with them, Wilma?" (Erwin)

"There will be a slightly good haul of river shrimps and eels

in the next year." (Wilma)

"Eh....? Do you possibly mean....?" (Erwin)

"Poachers receive divine punishment." (Wilma)

"That's not a laughing matter...." (Erwin)

Is it her revenge for just now?

Wilma implicitly described the tragic last days of poachers

in order to scare Eru while deliberately staying
expressionless.

"But, it will be alright if you travel away from the capital. In

that case you fish over several days." (Wilma)
| Azura Ren |
 However, if you go far away, the freshness of the fish
becomes a problem.

Since the price will drop if you don't sell them alive, Wilma
apparently limited the types of river fish she caught.

"Won't it be fine as long as you use a magic bag?" (Erwin)

"You can't put living creatures into a magic bag, and since
it's very expensive, it's unlikely that a fisherman can afford it.
Eru, your perception has become deranged since you are
always together with Vel-sama." (Wilma)

"True. You can't buy something like an all-purpose magic

bag unless you are quite rich."

He misunderstood because I can easily use the magic bag

for magicians, but that's a bag that can't be used by anyone
except for magicians. It changes the possible storage capacity
in proportion to the user's mana.

All-purpose magic bags with a fixed storage capacity

experience a fearsomely steep increase in prices depending
on the amount they can carry.

It's not something a normal commoner can afford.

"I guess fishermen have it difficult, too. So, what kind of

fish did you catch?"

"Konul are durable, but they don't sell for much. Namasa
spoil unexpectedly fast, so they are only caught nearby. Pon
turtles and eels are the best." (Wilma)

Konul refers to koi carp.

| Azura Ren |
 I ate sashimi chilled in iced water and koikoku in my
previous life, but I didn't consider it to be overly delicious.

Namasa is catfish. I never experienced eating this one.

Though I heard that it's tasty if you make tempura out of its
white meat.

"Pon turtle; what kind of turtle is that?" (Wendelin)

"It won't let go once it bites you." (Wilma)

Once I hear of its characteristics from Wilma, I judge that it

seems to be a soft-shelled turtle.

Soft-shelled turtle was delicious, but I didn't understand

why it was said to boost vitality.

Even now I remember the tastiness of the first-class

kabayaki I was treated to by my boss in Japan.

Eel-liver soup and grilled-liver-on-skewer were delicious

as well.

"(I feel the urge to eat eel kabayaki....) I'm looking forward
to what kind of dishes will be served." (Wendelin)

As it's meaningless to only talk in front of the restaurant,

we enter at once.

Once we do, they are seemingly not yet open for business.
There wasn't a single customer inside the restaurant.

"Welcome.... ah, Wilma-san, is that you!? It's been a while!"

"I came to eat after a long time." (Wilma)

| Azura Ren |
 "You are very welcome. Now, come on, here are your
seats."

The owner, who looks to be around forty, appeared from

within the restaurant. At first he wasn't very lively, but once
he saw Wilma, he rushed over happily.

"Did you come to sell fish today?"

"Only for eating. I also brought customers along." (Wilma)

"Umm, the ladies and gentlemen here are?"

"Earl Baumeister-sama." (Wilma)

"Ooh! I heard of you in rumors! It's an honor for a so

famous person like you, Earl Baumeister-sama, to kindly visit
my restaurant!"

The owner realized that we are celebrities and seemed

somewhat overjoyed.

Is he possibly going to ask me for my autograph?

This isn't a Japanese restaurant, so I guess it won't happen.

"According to the gossip, it appears you have come to be

Earl Baumeister-sama's wife, Wilma-san. Ah, in that case you
won't come to sell fish any longer, right? Oops, this was a slip
of tongue. I will immediately serve the food."

The owner led us to our seats, served some tea, entered the
kitchen and immediately started to cook.

It looks like there are no other employees.

| Azura Ren |
 "Which reminds me, for me river fish...." (Wendelin)

I remembered that I didn't like them much.

I recall the mud-smelling stew I was offered in the Knight

Baumeister territory in my childhood.

Even so, if there's at least eel and soft-shelled turtle, I

might be able to handle it somehow.

Come to think of it, I wonder whether eel kabayaki exists?

My interest in the dishes here amounts to only that much.

"Vel-sama, are you bad with river fish?" (Wilma)

"I won't know until I try eating them. After all it completely
changes depending on the way of handling the fish and the
cooking methods." (Wendelin)

"I have heard that this restaurant is a longstanding

establishment continuing for more than 200 years." (Wilma)

Since they are in the suburbs of the capital and as they

serve traditional river fish cuisine, it seems that there are very
many customers coming here regularly.

I think them having been kind to Wilma was based on the

leeway of being a well-established restaurant.

"You say it's well-established, but there's relatively few, or

rather no customers here at all."

Just as Eru says, even after a closer look, there's not a

single customer present, despite it being lunch time right
now.
| Azura Ren |
 Since it's not like they have a day off, I felt slightly uneasy
about that.

"It might be a little-known insider tip. Eru, do you like

river fish?"

"In winter I caught, grilled and ate carp and minnow at a

river close to my family's home. The taste was ordinary?"
(Erwin)

Even in Japan cold daces and beeches have become a

specialty in certain areas.

Since it's autumn right now, delicious carp might be served

today.

"What about you, Ina and Luise?" (Wendelin)

"At the dojo we cooked Konul in a big pot after cutting it

into round slices and treated the pupils to it. I didn't like it
since it smelled like mud." (Ina)

"What kind of seasoning did you use in the cooking?"

(Wendelin)

"Only salt. It was often served after the training since it has
good nutritional values. Mum and the wives of the instructors
prepared it and cooked it together." (Ina)

They stewed koi carp without even using miso?

I don't think that’s something I would want to eat.

"Now that you mention it, there was Konul at your place,
wasn't there Ina-chan. We cooked prepared pon turtle, but I

| Azura Ren |
was bad with the earthy smell, too." (Luise)

Luise's home apparently provided stew with boiled soft-

shelled turtle to their disciples.

However, it's obvious that they haven't properly washed off

the mud.

Given that there's no way for them to have cooked it with

ginger and soy sauce, this was also something I don't really
want to taste.

"Removing the intestines of small fish and frying them in

oil is delicious." (Ina)

"Small fish tend to not have any peculiarities in flavor after

all." (Luise)

Neither Ina nor Luise seem to like river fish much.

Even so, they recall having eaten the fried small fishes that
were served in Breitburg's restaurants without reservations.

"How about you, Elise?"

"I'm slightly bad with them, too. Since the capital is far
away from the ocean, there are dishes using river fish even on
the dinner menus of noble households. There's also a
traditional river fish cuisine in the Hohenheim household,
but...." (Elise)

It seems they have a tart dish that uses carp, but since it's
not overly tasty, even on parties there are only few people,
who grab it, and it ends up being leftover.

| Azura Ren |
 "We reluctantly serve it since it's a tradition." (Elise)

I guess it's impossible to improve its taste because they

can't change the recipe of a traditional dish either.

"Huh? I don't remember having eaten it?" (Wendelin)

"Father and the old man have been considerate as you are
picky with your food, Wendelin-sama." (Elise)

So far I had been invited to several dinner parties of the

Hohenheim family, but in order to not offend me, they didn't
serve dishes known to not be tasty from the start, Elise
explained.

"After all we haven't told you about our traditions,

Wendelin-sama." (Elise)

"Certainly, that's true." (Wendelin)

There's no problem if it's delicious, or more precisely, food

has to be delicious, right?

"What about you, Katharina?" (Wendelin)

"Me? Let's see. During my adventurer time I often caught

and grilled fish at mountain streams. I removed the intestines
of mountain and rock fish right after catching them, applied
salt to them and grilled them thoroughly over open fire. They
were delicious." (Katharina)

"I guess you have been unexpectedly living in luxury."

Rock fish and mountain fish refers to chars and masu

salmon. They are high-class ingredients in the capital, but for

| Azura Ren |
Katharina, who can easily reach mountain streams with
『Flight』, it shouldn't be that much of trouble to obtain them.

"Seeing as I earned money by collecting rock and mountain

fish during my prep school time, cooking is also one of my
strong points." (Katharina)

If you put freshly-caught fish into a magic bag after

pickling them, they can be sold for a lot money at fancy
restaurants since they are still fresh.

I happened to eat them in the past as well, but dishes,

which use fresh rock and mountain fish, are so high-class that
a single plate easily costs close to 100 cent.

"After all normal fishermen and adventurers can only bring

those back after grilling and drying them."

If you walk normally, it takes five days from the capital to

go to the closest river stream with rock and mountain fish.

Therefore it seems common to bring them back after

preserving them on site.

With that they become long-lasting. Even so, as one fish is

sold for more than 30 cents, they seem to turn into good
profit.

Soups and stews, which used those as stock, are considered

high-class cuisine in the capital.

However, even if there are no monsters deep in the

mountains, bears and wolves will appear.

Therefore there are only few ordinary people trying to use

| Azura Ren |
this for making a living out of it, resulting in the price of
mountain stream fish with good taste being high.

The ones capable of eating those without reservations are

likely the local residents living close to mountain streams.

"30 cents for one fish is amazing."

"Since I brought them back in a fresh state, I was paid 50

cents per fish by fish dealers and restaurants." (Katharina)

"How nice...."

I think that catching fish at river streams is difficult, but

Katharina can manage with her skills. Meaning, catching fish
becomes easy if you can freely use magic.

It was probably the most suitable business for earning

money by herself in her prep school period.

"So you were alone even during your part-time job back
then, weren't you Katharina?"

The scene of Katharina grilling and eating fish instead of

normal meals crosses my mind.

| Azura Ren |
 It might be a fun leisure activity if you do it with several
people, but for Katharina that might not have been the best
option.

The image of Katharina catching fish and eating it that

floated up in my mind was that of a very handsome man.

"Wendelin-san, is it some kind of problem for you that I

caught fish by myself?" (Katharina)

"No. Probably it would have been a burden for you to take

others along. Let's go catch some next time. I want to eat fish
grilled with salt." (Wendelin)

"Somehow I feel tricked..... But well, whatever."

(Katharina)

I only felt sympathy as likewise former loner.

After all I by myself also used the Savage Lands as my turf

during my childhood.

"Come to think of it, there aren't that many river streams in

the Baumeister Earldom."

It's situated in the south, so there's only few tall mountains

except for the Great Lieg Mountain Range.

"In exchange there are Southern Trouts that travel

upstream from the ocean in the Baumeister Earldom. Those
might turn into great business if we introduce them as local
specialty."

It might be possible to even export if we make preserved

| Azura Ren |
food such as salted fish entrails, salted salmon, saketoba, fish
preserved in miso and smoked fish by aiming for a
production increase and the protection of fish resources
through artificial hatching of juvenile fish.

After all we must not rely on only magic bags to have fish
flow onto the market.

"So you do think about feudal lord-like matters, Wendelin-

san." (Katharina)

"For better or worse, I'm an Earl." (Wendelin)

"Though I'd like you to not call it for better or worse by

yourself...." (Katharina)

Even if I'm told that; in my previous life nobles and such

only appeared in fairy tales or television programs. Since I
was involuntarily appointed to nobility without even wanting
to become a part of it, my actual feeling of being a noble is
equal to zero.

"Vel, you only take things related to food serious, don't

you?" (Luise)

"I'm seriously training my magic as well, Luise."

(Wendelin)

I swiftly refuted Luise's observation.

I never miss my daily magic practice after all.

"Magic to mix mayonnaise, magic to force fish and meat to

mature or 『Exclusive magic for a certain, particular
purpose?』; there are many of those, aren't there?" (Luise)
| Azura Ren |
 One must not look down on magic to mix mayonnaise.

The mixing speed and angle are crucial. I finally learned

the proper way after piling up many trials and errors.

At first the ingredients were wasted as they were sent flying

all over. Either way, it was a chain of hardships.

"Something that can be mixed with a magic tool...." (Luise)

"The texture of the mayonnaise is much finer with my spell

than it is from using a magic tool. That changes the taste."
(Wendelin)

"Is it all that different?" (Luise)

"Luise, you must not underestimate that small difference."

(Wendelin)

It might be a very small difference, but it's possible that

there will be a big change in taste for the actual dish.

I repeatedly advocated to Luise that it's wrong to simply

discard that pickiness.

"Besides no magic, which is that useful, exists, right?"

"Really? It's more useful than 『Wind Cutter』 for example?"

(Katharina)

"Isn't that quite obvious!?"

『Wind Cutter』 only tears apart enemies and monsters, but

thanks to the magic to mix mayonnaise being able to also
handle meringue and fresh cream, Elise can make wonderful
desserts. It can even be applied to the creation of juice and
| Azura Ren |
the kneading of hamburger meat.

Because magic has its value in being useful to people, I can

say that I'm learning magic correctly.

"People can't survive without food. That's an eternal rule.

The useful magic for mixing mayonnaise is amazing."
(Wendelin)

"That seems to be a quite strained interpretation...."

In addition, it's also related to my previous life's job.

Anyway, being interested in various food and investigating

it didn't result in a dull work.

That habit and the reality that there are still much more
development possibilities for the food culture of this world,
tempts me towards the pursuit of food.

"Good grief, if it's about food, you don't pull punches, do

you Vel?" (Luise)

"I have the resolve to crush a high-ranking noble if it's for

the sake of food." (Wendelin)

"Let's refrain from that...." (Luise)

At present it was alright, but in the future nobles, who will

hinder my eating habits, might appear.

I believe it to be necessary to have at least the resolve to

crush their household, if that happens.

Though Luise opposed me on that for a change.

| Azura Ren |
 "It looks like the food is ready."

"Yaaay, time to eat." (Erwin)

While all of us are chatting, the owner carries in the

finished river fish dishes.

Seemingly hungry, Eru frolicked around like a child.

"Here comes Stir-fried small fishes and river shrimps,

Boiled Konul Scales, Grilled Salted Carp, Namasa Stew, Eel
and Pon Turtle Hot Pot."

He brings one dish after the other, but at this point in time
Ina and Luise felt that it was no good.

That's because there was still a bit of the characteristic

river fish smell lingering, albeit it might have been lowered
through the processing and seasoning.

"Has the characteristic smell of river fish and the mud

smell been lowered by using herbs?" (Wendelin)

Once I try a bite, I could eat it normally.

But, if I were to be asked whether it's delicious, I would

deny that.

It's not disgusting, but in my eyes there's no way for a guest

to pay money to eat something that's not disgusting.

I was somehow able to grasp the reason why this restaurant

has no customers.

"Owner-san, don't you have mountain and rock fish in

stock?" (Katharina)
| Azura Ren |
 "We are a restaurant for commoners, so...."

The owner explained to Katharina that he can't procure

high-class fish.

"Wilma-san, how is the taste?" (Katharina)

"Hmmm. No different from before." (Wilma)

Wilma might not look like it, but she's sensitive to the taste
of food.

If she says that it's the same as before, there's likely no

mistake in that.

"I ate various new dishes at Vel-sama's place. The desserts

made by Elise are very delicious. Because I ended up
becoming particular about my food, this river fish dishes
are...." (Wilma)

"Wilma, aren't you going a tad too far there?" (Erwin)

Eating the dishes normally, Eru chides Wilma.

He apparently believed that it was ungrateful towards

someone who treated her kindly in the past.

"No. I was ready to being told that, young Knight-sama."

The owner doesn't seem to be angry about Wilma's remark.

"Wilma-san is someone who understands taste. That

doesn't mean that she's telling me that my skills have
declined."

"Same as before, your cooking skill is magnificent."

| Azura Ren |
(Wilma)

She praised him.

"Certainly, erasing the smell, which is the flaw of river fish,

through skill has reached its limit. I believe it to be even more
superior than that of the cooks of the Hohenheim household."
(Elise)

Elise praised him as well.

"But, an unchanging taste is also powerless against the

change of times. In reality, the number of customers has
decreased...."

"There were many customers before." (Wilma)

"We had a daily menu for lunch time and a considerable

number of customers came to eat here. Nowadays the
restaurant is in this state, but...."

Even though lunch time has mostly passed, not a single

customer besides us has visited.

It's at a level where one worries about the financial

situation of this restaurant.

"Are your finances doing fine?" (Wilma)

"In the evening our long-standing regular customers come

to eat the full course meal. However, there's only old people
among them."

The owner explains the current circumstances of the

restaurant to Wilma.

| Azura Ren |
 The only ones sustaining this restaurant now are the
elderly who want to enjoy a nostalgic flavor. Young people
apparently stopped coming altogether.

"I see. Can't you acquire a new customer base at all?"

"Currently it's working out somehow, but the sales will

likely drop before long." (Wendelin)

Once the elderly customers are gone, the sales will only
decline.

The future prospects weren't bright.

"Owner-san, what's the reason for it turning out like this?

It's strange for customers to decrease so easily despite the
taste not having changed, right?" (Erwin)

Eru asks.

"The reason for the number of customers at lunch falling

are those dishes."

"Those dishes?"

"Yes. I hear that the Arterio Company is successively

opening stores that sell new dishes such as fried chicken or
fried vegetables and meat on skewer...."

"The Artur Company, eh....?" (Erwin)

Hearing about the reason, Eru's look started to waver and

he turned my way.

And his expression is telling me 『It's your fault, ain't it?』

| Azura Ren |
 "Certainly, the one who sold business ideas to Arterio-san
is me, but...." (Wendelin)

Even so, we are doing proper business that follows the

laws.

The one actually managing the whole enterprise is Arterio-

san, but since competition is a part of business, I can't really
really do anything about it.

As I'm thinking something along those lines, my arm is

suddenly pulled.

Once I turn around, I found Wilma with teary eyes behind

me.

"Vel-sama, save this restaurant." (Wilma)

"Eh? Me?" (Wendelin)

Certainly there are plenty ideas I can rip-off from modern

Japan, but there's no guarantee that it will go smoothly by
doing it just like that.

First, I'm not that skilled in cooking.

"I won't be able to save it with my own cooking abilities.

Since they treated me well in the past, I want to return the
favor." (Wilma)

Despite her having sold all her fish here, this owner saved
Wilma in regards to food if you consider the amount she eats.

"Wendelin-sama, can't you do anything about it?" (Elise)

"Elise, I'm not that skilled at cooking though...." (Wendelin)

| Azura Ren |
 "I believe I won't even lose to the royal palace's chefs in
ability to come up with new dishes. I will help as well."

"True, abandoning this restaurant will leave a bad

aftertaste."

"If we revive this restaurant, the numbers of restaurants we

can frequent will increase."

Ina and Luise seem to approve of me helping this

restaurant.

"Wendelin-san, won't it be fine to try it as a test at least?"

(Katharina)

"As a test, huh....?" (Wendelin)

Given that we only developed my territory recently,

Katharina seems to be slightly fed up with it, too.

With the agreement coming from all sides, I started my

consulting task.

***

"I'm the mysterious fake consultant, Earl Baumeister."

"Fake.... is that something you'd say about yourself?"

Ina is astonished, but that's the image I have of consultants.

Anyway, I think they are a full assembly of sly, old dogs.

I often had work related to consulting restaurants and

dealing with ingredients, but there was a small fraction of
people at the level of swindlers, who think that a novel
| Azura Ren |
opinion = wonderful, and others, who talk to their customers
about harmless things like sham psychological counselors.

If you leave it to a splendid person, there will be

tremendous results, but if you leave it to a useless person, it
won't only result in a waste of money, but it will also serve as
milestone towards bankruptcy.

What makes matters worse, it depends on the ups and

downs of luck and business conditions. And, coupled with the
misdeeds of a small portion of wrongdoers, the flaw in the
crystal is the liability of consultants to give a bad impression.

Well, there are various difficult occupations, but going by

my experience as person who has seen competent experts, it's
reasonable for me to call myself a fake.

"Vel-sama, thank you." (Wilma)

"It seems interesting, so don't worry." (Wendelin)

I answer while caressing Wilma's head.

Besides, Wilma is a very nice and obedient girl with her

only weakness being her gluttony. As it's her very own wish, I
judged that I will comply with it.

"First up is what you will do about the management, right?"

"Changing the menu towards fried food, which is currently

a fad in the capital, or something like that?"

"No, that's risky."

At the moment Arterio-san controls and sells the

| Azura Ren |
seasonings and ingredients in the capital. His franchise-styled
shops are at their height of prosperity.

Considering profit, other stores introduce those as well, but

due to Arterio-san procuring the ingredients and seasonings
in batches, we won't be able to win against Arterio Company
with its stable taste and cheap prices in the present state.

Even if we serve the same dishes in such remote area and

moreover in this kind of situation, it's highly unlikely for us to
have a chance of winning.

"What's the selling point of this restaurant?"

"River fish."

"River fish, no?"

"It's river fish."

"It is river fish."

"It is river fish." (Katharina)

"It's river fish, right?"

"It's so obvious that even Eru understands." (Wendelin)

"Hey! As what kind of idiot do you regard me in your mind,

Vel!?" (Erwin)

Erwin protested.

"There's a way to use this characteristic. Though it uses

frying as cooking method." (Wendelin)

| Azura Ren |
 "You are ignoring me!?" (Erwin)

I immediately head to the kitchen located at the inner part

of the restaurant, but it seems the owner here is really
capable.

Even though it's an old kitchen, it's as clean as a whistle.

The maintenance of the cooking utensils such as cooking
knives was flawless as well.

It's also equipped with a refrigerator, which is expensive as

it's a magic tool.

It's likely for the sake of preserving the ingredients'

freshness because he's handling fish.

"We will use river shrimps and small fish instead of

chicken meat for the fried food."

Even if it's the same fried food, the fact that they can eat
fried river fish in this restaurant should increase the number
of customers who want that.

"After rubbing in salt, you remove the mucus and scales.

Then you properly shake off the water and apply flour to it...."
(Wendelin)

Once I gave the instructions for the cooking, the owner and
Elise started to cook skillfully.

The small fish and river shrimps turned into fried food and
served on a plate look very delicious.

"Well then time to sample...."

| Azura Ren |
 Everyone samples the fried food and just as it looks, it's
tasty.

The characteristic river fish smell has dissipated as it's

fried food. Come to think of it, the rivers in this world are
mostly so clear that they can be labeled as what-is-called clear
stream in Japan.

As long as one doesn't mess up the cooking method, it

likely won't be that smelly.

"However, I think it's better to keep the river shrimps in

clean water for two or three days to extract the mud."
(Wendelin)

I call it extracting the mud, but basically it's for the sake of
emptying the shrimps' stomachs.

As small fish and shrimps are eaten together with their

intestines, it's likely unpleasant to have the things eaten by
them remaining in their stomachs.

"Next is deep-frying and tempura...."

Stocking up on flour and sauce is indispensable, but it will

be fine to simply procure these from Arterio-san.

If I tell him that I helped with a reconstruction, Arterio-san

shouldn't say anything unreasonable either.

"The tempura is delicious as well."

The kakiage that mixed the meat with vegetables after

filleting the small fish bodies into three pieces was wonderful
as well.
| Azura Ren |
 River shrimp kakiage should become popular.

"This is served together with alcohol as side dish to boost

the sales per customer. It makes it easier to make a profit on
the alcohol."

"Vel, what's sales per customer?"

"Well, it means just what it says...."

Eru apparently can't understand the term sales per

customer.

"It's the average of how much a single customer paid in

total." (Elise)

"As expected of you, Elise. And Eru, you are really

stupid...." (Wendelin)

"Hey you! Shut up! I'm a retainer in charge of the military,

you know?" (Erwin)

Being ridiculed by me, Eru lost his nerve a bit as he was

eating the prototype kakiage.

"The cooking of this is alright, right?"

"Yes. But, for such cooking to exist, the world is sure wide."

After taking notes, the owner starts on his own trial

products as well.

I guess it should be expected, but the owner beautifully

completed the fried chicken and tempura even faster than
Elise.

| Azura Ren |
 "Professionals are really amazing...."

After being told once, the owner with his long-standing

cooking experience skillfully makes the rest.

Elise was good as well, but the owner seems to go beyond

that.

"Vel-sama, amazing." (Wilma)

"It will probably be quite easy. Since the cooking skill of the
owner here is great, it's enough for me to simply teach him
new cooking methods." (Wendelin)

Next I introduce roasted fish marinated in a spicy sauce,

sweetened boiled fish, fish preserved in miso and cooked in
miso.

"In the end it's good to eat and delicious if it's cooked with
miso and soy sauce, but ain't that in itself the taste of miso
and soy sauce?"

"Pfft... .Eru, you sure have a childish sense of taste."

(Wendelin)

"You are really dishing out insults as you like today, aren't
you?!" (Erwin)

"Say, Eru. Occasionally Elise cooked edible wild plants for

us, didn't she?"

"Those were delicious."

Elise cooked plants which were picked up in the

mountainous area located in the Savage Lands.

| Azura Ren |
 "Elise removed the astringent taste before preparing the
food, but if you remove all the astringency, the wild plants
become unappetizing." (Wendelin)

"Really?" (Erwin)

"Yes. If you don't leave some bitterness, the taste of the

plants themselves will be gone." (Elise)

As expected of the perfect super-woman Elise.

She gives Eru an explanation befitting my intention.

"There are also people who like a faint trace of river fish
smell remaining in their dishes. Even if you season it with
miso and soy sauce, it will become something completely
different from a meat dish with those faint traces."

The delicate balance of the taste depends on the skill of the

cook though.

"But, won't the customers avoid ordering it then?" (Erwin)

"What's so bad about that?" (Wendelin)

"Eh!? That's fine with you?" (Erwin)

"Yeah, don't worry. Rather than a taste that's called 『Well,

it's tasty, I think?』 by 90%, it will be a taste regarded as 『I will
definitely come again to eat it』 by 30%!"

The success of a restaurant relies on securing repeating

customers.

At the same time of seizing a new type of customers with a

new cooking method in a river fish restaurant with too
| Azura Ren |
hackneyed cooking recipes, the number of repeat customers,
who will definitely desire want to eat these new dishes, will
increase.

"The reason why this restaurant managed to somehow stay

afloat despite the falling number of guests is the regular
customers who order the full course meal at night. Of course
a full course menu also has a high profit ratio as well as pay
per customer."

"Certainly, it's just as you say, Earl Baumeister-sama. The

restaurant is still running because of the evening guests."

"Is that so? By the way, what's profit ratio?" (Erwin)

""""Oh god!""""

Even though he expressly received an explanation, Eru

didn't understand the meaning of profit ratio.

Everyone except for Eru ended up tumbling over in shock.

"What, you ask. Doesn't it simply mean what it says? It's

about how much profit you made." (Ina)

Without a moment's delay, Ina explained profit ratio to

Eru.

"Vel, you are difficult to understand as you only use

complicated technical terms." (Erwin)

"That's not a technical term, and I don't think that it's

complicated either though." (Wendelin)

It seems that I won't be able to entrust work related to the

| Azura Ren |
domestic affairs of my territory and money calculation to Eru.

He has absolutely no aptitude in this kind of area.

"I guess that's all for the dishes? It won't work unless the
owner grasps his own way of cooking and the fine-tuned
seasoning." (Wendelin)

"Such new cooking methods are currently popular in the

capital and its surrounding areas. The new flavoring is
wonderful as well. I will go immediately buy some more to do
several experiments. By just fussing over traditions, I eased
up on the creation of new tastes. I have to do my best while
allowing both, new creations and tradition, to coexist
successfully."

Having discovered a hope to continue the restaurant, the

owner was suddenly full of power to get things done.

He is going to challenge new things while keeping the good

things in his repertoire.

There are many people misunderstanding that a well-

established restaurant will last eternally by serving always the
same dishes, but since the taste of people changes with the
eras, the majority of the restaurants actually changes its taste
subtly.

As long as he can understand that, this restaurant should

be alright for the next hundred years.

"(I did something very good, didn't I?) I wonder, is there

anything else? By the way, where do you preserve your fish?"
(Wendelin)

| Azura Ren |
 "If you are looking for a pond, it's in the backyard."

I detected another point that should be improved.

Once we come out at the backyard after following the

owner, several wide ponds had been dug out, making use of
the fact that this is the suburbs.

Once I peer into them, dozens of carps and catfish are

swimming within.

But, I wonder, why has only a part of the fish a different

way of naming compared to Japan?

It's slightly bothersome.

"The water in the ponds is clean."

"Fine spring water gushes out at my plot."

"Hee, how much mud extraction do you do?" (Wendelin)

"Eh? Mud extraction? I don't do that. I erase the bad smell

with herbs."

"That's no good!" (Wendelin)

"Eh? It's wrong?"

He sure has some nerve to not wash out the mud, including
the carps, too.

If it's that much, even I with my little knowledge about

river fish am aware of it.

Or rather, for them to be reasonably edible even without

| Azura Ren |
doing that is probably owed to this world's nature not having
been polluted at all.

"You dig a pond into the ground and put them in there?"

"It's for the sake of keeping them alive."

Given that he's putting the fish into the ponds solely for the
sake of keeping them alive, he seems to give them normal
feed.

Because it's also in order to make it easier to prepare them

at the time of cooking, emptying their digestion organs
doesn't make sense here.

Basically erasing the bad smell with herbs is a tradition, the

owner explained.

"You said that spring water is appearing inside the plot."

"Yes. Moreover a large quantity of it. Thanks to that, I can

use good water for my cooking."

"You have to also wash off the mud from the fish—!"
(Wendelin)

"I-I'm sorry!"

Therefore I forcibly create a stone fish tank for washing off

the mud in a hurry.

That's because the mud smell can't be washed out in the

ponds.

So that the effort to change water, used to constantly

stream the fish with, doesn't change, I completed several
| Azura Ren |
isolated stone fish tanks in a mere hour.

"Magic is sure amazing."

The owner is deeply moved by the tanks completed in the

vast back yard.

"Of course I will take a teaching fee, but seeing as I have

become so deeply involved, I will have the restaurant become
popular again." (Wendelin)

"Yes.... So they can stay in there for around a week without

fodder?"

"It's around that long when I tested. Please study the exact
number of days by yourself. After all it differs on the state of
the specimen and the producing area. Eel will be alright for
around three days before eating as long as you sprinkle water
on it from above after putting it inside a cage so that it can't
run away."

This is what I saw in an eel breeding farm.

They put the eel in separate buckets and keep them alive
by pouring water on them to the extent of keeping their
bodies' surface wet.

Of course that will force the eel to fast, but it will be

possible to maintain them in a fresher state than putting them
into fish tanks, even if you do it like this.

"Let's meet again after a week."

Since there's no reason for us to be in this restaurant until

the fish' mud has been extracted, we finished the first day of
| Azura Ren |
consulting with this.

***

And then after the promised one week.

"The river fish restaurant? It's a store in the suburbs of the

capital, isn't it? I went there to sell fish in the past, but why
are you supporting that restaurant?" (Roderich)

"I was asked to by Wilma and it looked somewhat

interesting." (Wendelin)

"Is that so....? I don't particularly mind since the territory's

development is advancing faster than planned, but...."
(Roderich)

He seems unable to understand my obsession, but since it's

not like it holds back the development, Roderich didn't object
to us visiting the capital.

He comes to see us off in the same manner as usual when

we go hunting in the Demon Forest.

Once we instantly transferred to the river fish restaurant

with 『Teleportation』, we were awaited by the owner who was
sharpening his kitchen knives.

A 『Temporarily Closed』 tag hangs at the entrance door of

the restaurant and he seems to have been eagerly expecting
us.

It's the start of the second day of the fake consultant job.

"First we start with the Konul."

| Azura Ren |
 Following my instructions, he carefully makes miso stir-fry,
koikoku and braised carp.

Since sashimi has the issue of parasites, we passed on that

this time.

The cooking method is roughly proper and the owner

makes the dishes while arranging them skillfully in his own
way.

"It's delicious."

"I wonder, is it the cooking method? The one in our dojo

smells really muddy."

"Washing the mud off is effective, isn't it?"

Since the fish lived in clean water to begin with, they

turned out delicious without any smell after washing them
properly.

If this was Japan, it probably wouldn't have worked out

like this unless you raised them in quite the controlled
aquaculture.

"Next is whole-fried fish with sweet and sour sauce."

It's a dish combining vegetables in a sweet sour red bean

sauce with carp that had been carefully fried twice in oil while
alternating high and low temperatures after removing its
intestines and scales and covering it with flour.

This is a menu from my memories, which my parents told

me about in detail in the past and which was often offered at
a Chinese restaurant I had grown accustomed to.
| Azura Ren |
 The cooking method was at parts a bit unclear, but the
owner covered for that with his experience and his skilled
handling, wholly frying the carp in a huge pot.

He had apparently procured potato starch through the

church.

"Wendelin-sama, is this fine?" (Elise)

"It has a really nice red bean taste. As expected of you,

Elise." (Wendelin)

The fried carp in the sweet and sour red bean sauce made
by Elise seems to be very delicious.

"It's an amazing dish. But it takes quite a bit time."

It has to be fried for a long time so that it can be eaten

completely, including the bones.

Come to think of it, I remember talking with my parents

about the current price value.

"Won't it be fine if you serve it on a pre-order basis?"

"It looks as if serving it on a big plate would rouse any

party."

I tried sampling it, but it was as tasty as it took up time.

I fully understand why it was a hero in the Chinese

restaurant in the past.

"I ate my fill." (Katharina)

"Katharina, you are only eating." (Wilma)

| Azura Ren |
 "Wilma-san, this is not the stage for me to enter, is it? In
the first place, you aren't helping with anything either."
(Katharina)

"No, Wilma went to catch a nicely-shaped carp from the

fish tanks in the backyard. Then, Katharina, go and fetch a
Namasa next." (Wendelin)

"Eh!? Me?" (Katharina)

Katharina hesitated quite a bit after I handed her a big net.

"The appearance of Namasa is slightly...." (Katharina)

"You can even defeat wyverns, and yet why are you afraid
of something like Namasa, Katharina?" (Wendelin)

Even though wyverns seem to be a lot less popular with

women than Namasa, Katharina was never afraid after seeing
a dragon.

And yet, for her to be bad with Namasa; I really don't

understand women well.

"Its appearance is physically no good. It slimy and

slippery...." (Katharina)

Most of the women might be bad with slimy and slippery

things. But, if you look properly, it has a really cute face, you
know?

"So you do have woman-like parts as well, Katharina."

"Wendelin-san, there's no one as womanly as I am."

(Katharina)

| Azura Ren |
 "Umm, what about Elise?" (Wendelin)

"Wendelin-sama, I went to fetch Namasa." (Elise)

Before I had realized, Elise went to get Namasa with a big

net.

Elise seems to be fine with them.

""....""

"....Yes?" (Elise)

Given that undead are quite unpleasant, Elise might have

developed a strong resistance.

"Owner, you handle the business conditions well."

"Please have a look at my skills from 20 years of

experience as a cook."

Being able to learn various dishes, the owner gets quite

motivated.

After perforating it on a chopping board, he swiftly and

splendidly filleted the big catfish into three parts.

"Wow. So you perforated it."

"It's because Namasa are slippery and slimy."

The owner cuts and trims the catfish efficiently, making

tempura, fried catfish, teriyaki, deep-fried catfish and hot pot
prepared with miso out of it.

"Its stomach seems to be a delicacy."

| Azura Ren |
 "I will turn it over, sprinkle it with salt after washing it
properly with water and grill it."

In addition, the owner created dango by frequently hitting

the leftover fish, its head, its bones and its liver with a kitchen
knife and mixing that with miso. It resulted in him creating a
soup with dango floating in broth.

"The seasoning called miso is convenient. I tried this

cooking with various river fish, but if it's just salt and herbs,
the taste is lacking...."

The owner apparently carried out a personal cooking

method research. Even without being told by me, he made
various types or original dishes.

It seems the existence of miso and soy sauce, which are

fermented seasonings, is a big deal.

"If it's Sho, it won't result in an overly good taste as the

ingredient is fish as well."

Since Sho is fish paste, it probably has a fishy taste.

"Let's cook Pon turtle next."

"You are going to eat that turtle?" (Katharina)

"You haven't eaten it at home, Katharina?" (Wendelin)

"Sorry, but we didn't have such a custom.... hiii!?"

(Katharina)

Katharina screamed a bit after watching the owner cut off

the head of the big soft-shelled turtle that Wilma brought

| Azura Ren |
from the tanks.

"And yet you can calmly behead a wyvern with magic."

(Wendelin)

"This and that are different! Isn't the Pon turtle cute if you
look at it?" (Katharina)

Now that she mentions it, I remember there were people

who bought it as pet in Japan.

While I'm talking with Katharina, the owner magnificently

finishes dismantling the soft-shelled turtle. I introduce
standard dishes such as fried turtle, hot pot, stir-fry and rice
gruel containing vegetables and turtle flesh to him with this as
ingredient and have him make them.

Even here the owner capitalized on his skills after seeing it

for the first time and created unbelievably skilled dishes.

"Now then, time to sample."

Since the daytime has turned evening at last, it's just the
right time for dinner.

The restaurant is on break, and since we have planned to

stay here and continue the consulting work tomorrow as well,
we decide to take dinner comfortably in a private room inside
the restaurant.

"It's really tasty."

Since the ingredients and cooking is excellent, all the river

fish dishes were delicious.

| Azura Ren |
 They were raised in clean water and had the mud removed,
thus it was nice as it didn't have the smelliness of river fish.

"With this, plenty of customers will come. I have to procure

plenty of miso and soy sauce."

The owner seems very happy while serving the finished

dishes.

"It's great with its adult taste."

Eru also ate plenty of dishes while looking satisfied.

"Since it will be difficult to win even if you challenge the

large funds of Arterio-san, who bets on small profits and
quick return, we will fight with a multicolored menu featuring
river fish. It will be a good idea to sell fried fish and
sweetened boiled fish at the storefront. We will create a
special lunch menu, single dishes and alcohol for those
enjoying that and several course menus for parties...."

"I see. Different menus aiming for different customers."

"Yeah. But I guess manpower is still a problem."

"It's alright. My parents, wife and children are around."

Since the restaurant is on vacation right now, his wife is

only at night here and his sons are part-timing in other
restaurants.

"If the restaurant becomes busy, everybody will come to

help out here."

"In that case tomorrow will be the crucial moment."

| Azura Ren |
 "Tomorrow?"

"Yes. Tomorrow we will tackle eel."

It was beyond expectations that the river fish cooking was

more delicious than expected, but there's a reason why I
taught him river fish cooking, which I don't really like much,
and had him make it.

It's for the sake of observing the skills of this restaurant's

owner.

Speaking of eel, it must be that dish.

Is he a person worthy of allowing him to make kabayaki

which requires technique?

In order to make sure of that, I spent some time.

"Owner, how do you cook eel?"

"Let's see. After cutting it in round slices, I blanch it. Then I

cook it together with salt and herbs...."

"That sounds unappetizing...."

In all honesty, I have absolutely no craving for such a dish.

"Sounds unappetizing, you say.... it's pretty much the local

cuisine around here...."

In this world they don't wash off the mud and remove the
bad smell of river fish with herbs. It makes me angry that the
majority is boiling it with salt or grilling it.

"Traditions are important, but you have to challenge new

| Azura Ren |
dishes!" (Wendelin)

I spontaneously stress towards the owner.

"Vel, why are you so picky about cooking?"

"Because it's my hobby, I guess?"

"Even if that's the case, it has developed into something

close to an obsession."

"You are not wrong there."

Eru and Luise are saying rude things from the sidelines,
but it's important for humans what they eat.

If everybody can eat delicious food, the causes for dispute

in this world will decrease.

"Anyway, once we have eaten the food, we will go sleep

earlier than usual in preparation for tomorrow."

"I will do my best tomorrow as well."

"Wilma, if the owner displays the soul of a cook tomorrow,

it will cause an uproar in the river fish circles. He might be
called 『Eel King』 then." (Wendelin)

"Such an amazing dish.... I will go sleep quickly." (Wilma)

"You're right. Let's prepare for tomorrow by going to bed

early." (Wendelin)

Wilma and I wrap ourselves in blankets next to each other

and close our eyes.

| Azura Ren |
 The location is a room we borrowed on the second floor of
the restaurant.

"Eh? You are going sleep this early on?" (Ina)

Ina seems to be dissatisfied, but tomorrow will be busy

from early morning.

That's because we must pour all our energy into making

kabayaki tomorrow.

"If I can eat plenty of delicious dishes tomorrow as well,

I'm fine with that." (Erwin)

"I will help out, too." (Elise)

"Even though something like eel isn't overly tasty as it's

only greasy...." (Katharina)

Eru and Elise were enthusiastic, but only Katharina seems

to have a hard time with eel.

"However, I will declare that even you will begin to like eel
tomorrow, Katharina!" (Wendelin)

"I don't quite understand from where you're getting that

confidence...." (Katharina)

On that day we go sleep earlier than usual. And then, early

morning of the next day.

We grab a light breakfast and then set up a special cooking

space in the front yard of the currently closed restaurant.

With Eru playing the main role, we finished the carpenter

work by using the restaurant’s utensils, such as a stand to grill
| Azura Ren |
with charcoal and a kitchen table to process the eel.

"Since charcoal will be used for grilling the eel, all that's
left is to build a stand for grilling over a high flame."
(Wendelin)

Using a high flame is great for grilling eel.

They even said so in a certain gourmet manga.

"That's fine and all, but Vel, your blueprint sucks." (Erwin)

"There's no issue since you can roughly grasp what I mean,

right?" (Wendelin)

"Well, it's nothing that complicated anyway. But, the

drawings are really bad." (Erwin)

Even though I think that it's none of his business, let's

overlook it since Eru is doing well at completing the eel
grilling stand.

"Ina, Luise, how's the rice?" (Wendelin)

"It's fine, but is it really alright to cook this much?" (Ina)

"I wonder about that as well. Isn't it a little bit too much?"
(Luise)

"Everyone might want to have a second serving, that's

why." (Wendelin)

"I see that you are brimming with confidence." (Ina)

A short time later the special cooking space is done, and

Wilma accordingly brings a big bucket full of eels that had
| Azura Ren |
been pickled in spring water.

"Owner! Slice it down its back!" (Wendelin)

"Please leave it to me."

He places an eel on top of the chopping board, perforates it

in the same way as the catfish and then opens it from the back
in order to not damage the intestines.

If it had been me, it would certainly end in failure, but as

expected of a professional who prepared things such as
catfish for many years.

He handled the eel really skillfully.

After taking out the intestines, he cut off the head and the
spine. Then, after stabbing a wooden skewer through the eel,
all that's left was grilling it without seasoning. It's a wooden
skewer since bamboo doesn't grow in the Kingdom.

"Elise, please make the sauce." (Wendelin)

"Okay." (Elise)

Elise cooks the sauce in a pot with soy sauce, mirin and
sake as ingredients.

Next we put the head and bones of the nicely-grilled eel

inside, cook them together for a while, and that's it for the
sauce.

"So you get a soup stock by using the head and bones of eel,
huh?"

"This sauce is important." (Wendelin)

| Azura Ren |
 The owner makes grilled eel while carefully spending time
on it. Meanwhile Eru manufactured a steaming basket to
steam eel.

"Eru, make sure it's sturdy." (Wendelin)

"Somehow I feel like that's not the job of an adventurer,

but with the prospect of eating delicious eel dishes, I guess I
will do my best." (Erwin)

Eru's handmade steamer, which is placed on a cauldron,

has been finished, and using that, we steam the grilled eel.

With this the excess oil will be thoroughly removed.

It's a cooking method in the Kanto style, but the natural

eels seem to have tougher bodies than those from
aquacultures. And since I heard that this method is better, we
go with that.

"And then at last put sauce on the steamed eel and grill it
again."

"Ooh! So there's such way of cooking as well. I will be

cautious to not get singed."

The owner does the last grilling, finishing the eel kabayaki
without problems.

Lastly he covers the cooked rice with sauce and once he

puts the eel, which was taken off the skewer, on top of it, the
dish is done.

"Katharina, the pepper is needed, so how far are you?"

(Wendelin)
| Azura Ren |
 "Yes, yes. I grated it properly." (Katharina)

Japanese pepper — indispensable for kabayaki — existed in

this world as well. I had Katharina grate it, then added it as
garnish, and now we just have to eat.

"First I will sample the dish...."

At once I put a bite into my mouth, but the eel, which I'm
eating for the first time in a long while, had a flavor that
brought me close to ascending to heaven.

Even though he's a professional, the owner doesn't have

any experience in cooking eel kabayaki, so it might be inferior
to a Japanese restaurant, but he would just need to improve
his skill.

As long as he makes it over and over again, the big

difference to the Japanese version will gradually fade away.
Once that happens, I will be able to eat tasty eel kabayaki
whenever I feel like it.

"So there's such way of eating it as well, huh....?"

Next even the owner was deeply moved by the taste while
sampling.

"It's overwhelmingly more delicious than stewing it in

round slices."

Stewing it like that is the local cuisine, but that likely won't
please anyone but an English person.

I don't think that it's something I want to eat.

| Azura Ren |
 "This is extremely delicious!"

"I want to eat more!"

"Luise, how sly. You eat too much."

"I couldn't endure the aroma any longer when it was grilled
while soaked with the sauce. Wendelin-san, it looks like
there's not enough...." (Katharina)

The unadon, which was made first, is eaten up completely

without a single serving remaining by Ina and the others.

"I didn't get even a single bite of it!" (Erwin)

Eru complained as he couldn't eat it due to getting a late

start.

In addition to him, Elise couldn't eat it either, but as

expected of her, she didn't complain about it. That difference
in behavior might be owed to their upbringing.

"Owner, today we will devote to preparing eel and making

kabayaki."

"For the sake of training, right?"

"There's that as well, but the biggest reason is the sauce!"

I point at the huge jar with the sauce made by Elise.

"Grill and steam the eel, add the sauce to it and then grill it
again, right? On that occasion the eel's oil and flavor will melt
into the sauce." (Wendelin)

"In other words, you are saying the eel's flavor will
| Azura Ren |
gradually condense into the sauce?"

"If it decreases, you have to replenish it with new sauce. As

you do, this sauce's taste will steadily get better." (Wendelin)

"It will turn into an outrageous asset, won't it?"

"Even if the restaurant burns down or is engulfed in a war,

as long as you have this sauce, it will be easy to rebuild this
restaurant." (Wendelin)

"I see. The sauce is a treasure. Alriiiight. I will grill plenty

and improve my skill!"

The owner called his wife and children in a hurry, and

began to grill a huge amount of eel.

Since he also has three sons that are already adults, they do
the preparing, skewering, steaming and grilling in turns with
the four of them. Meanwhile his wife begins to cook rice and
prepares it in bowls.

And like that they finish another 30 unadon.

"Eru, eat without reservations."

"What a nice scent. A combination of eel and rice, huh?"

(Erwin)

Having already finished making one set of eel grilling stand

+ steamer, Eru begins to eat the delicious-looking unadon.

"The eel with its mellowness and tenderness is tasty. The

rice soaked with sauce is the best." (Erwin)

"Deep-fried eel bones and fried liver is great as well."

| Azura Ren |
 I give instructions to the owner's sons and have them make
things like eel-liver soup, fried liver and eel bone crackers. I
enjoyed the nostalgic taste of eel while eating those dishes.

"Another serving!"

"For me too!"

Since it's so delicious, I ended up getting another servings

against my better judgment, but even for me three bowls was
the limit.

Afterwards I watched the owner's family while slurping

eel-liver soup and eating the fried liver and the eel bone
crackers. Their performance in making kabayaki is gradually
becoming better.

"Another serving."

However, every single one they completed ended up in

Wilma's stomach.

"Wilma, do you like it?"

"Delicious. I think the restaurant will be safe with this."

(Wilma)

"Indeed. My advice ends here. Owner-san and his family

have to come up with further ways of business." (Wendelin)

"Another serving."

Even though I had intended to look cool in front of her,

Wilma holds out her empty bowl to the owner's wife without
care.

| Azura Ren |
 I feel slightly as if I had wasted my effort.

"Wilma, how many bowls did you have already?"

"60. But, I will stop soon. I hear it's good for one's health to
eat moderately."

"Yeah, that's true...." (Wendelin)

The owner and his family still continued to grill eel, but
this is within my forecast.

Once they grill the eel with sauce on the other prepared
grilling stand, the great aroma gradually spreads into the
vicinity.

This was a suburb, but since it's next to the road leading to
the central part of the capital, many people are coming and
going. Lured in by the smell, people started to gather slowly.

"『River』-san, is this a new menu? What an extremely nice

fragrance."

"Yes, it's a new eel dish."

"I still haven't had lunch. How much does it cost?"

"Umm, today...."

"Alright. one unadon for 15 cents. Half a bowl for 8 cents.

The soup, fried liver and bone crackers go for 5 cents each."
(Wendelin)

"Then one unadon or whatever it's called, and add a soup

and crackers to it."

| Azura Ren |
 "Thanks for your purchase. I will guide you, dear
customer."

I decide a price highhandedly and guide the customer to a

seat inside the restaurant.

"Earl Baumeister-sama?"

"You get the reason why I had you grill the eel outside,
right?"

"It's the smell."

"Since you are going out of your way to practice by grilling

a large amount, you might as well sell them while you are at
it. Owner, you have to grill a lot." (Wendelin)

Eel can tease one with its fragrance.

Since we continued to grill the eel outside, a fixed

percentage of the people traveling along the road visits to
check it out and eat unadon.

With today's customers going back to the capital and

advertising its deliciousness, it's my plan to have plenty of
customers crowd the restaurant starting from tomorrow.

It's also a forethought to not let the precious ingredients go

to waste.

"A new eel dish, huh? I'm eating it for the first time, but it's
great."

"I hate eel broth, but this is truly delicious!"

"It was spot on to come here after being attracted by the

| Azura Ren |
scent."

Even after lunchtime had already passed, the stream of

customers didn't stop. Before I realized it, the restaurant has
become fully occupied and we helped out by taking orders
and washing dishes.

"Occasionally things like this are fun as well." (Wendelin)

"That's true, Wendelin-sama." (Elise)

I recall having worked as part-timer in ramen shops and

family restaurants during my student days.

Elise was taking the orders while looking happy.

"But, what an amazing number of customers."

"Wendelin-san, you have a superb talent for things like

this." (Katharina)

Eru and Katharina admire the big number of guests while

washing dishes.

Though it's a mistake to think that I have talent for

business. In reality it's just a type of janken where I wait to
see the opponent's move before doing anything. I just knew
by chance about eel kabayaki that didn't exist in this world so
far. Calling me a pioneer in being able to earn the most with
business wasn't wrong though.

"What a nice aroma. For me, unadon without cooked rice,

fried liver, bone crackers and wine." (Burkhart)

"Burkhart-san?" (Wendelin)

| Azura Ren |
 "Earl-sama, what are you doing in such a place?"
(Burkhart)

Lately Burkhart-san was acting independently upon

Margrave Breithilde's orders. He ordered eel with a
nonchalant look.

"Just a small, advisor-like job." (Wendelin)

"Is that the job of an adventurer?" (Burkhart)

"Occasionally things like this are interesting as well, aren't

they? Burkhart-san, did you have a job in the suburbs?"
(Wendelin)

"An errand for my lord. However, another new dish, huh?

Let's see.... It goes well with alcohol." (Burkhart)

Burkhart-san seems satisfied as he eats the eel kabayaki

and bone crackers while drinking liquor.

"The fried liver is also great. This place is an adult

restaurant where I can enjoy booze and good side dishes.
Next time I will invite Arterio.... And yeah, yeah, I won't allow
him to get involved with this place." (Burkhart)

"The ingredients are special, and there won't be any

healthy competition if I entrust too much to Arterio-san,
right?" (Wendelin)

"I guess that's true as well. Which remind me, this place
was an old river fish restaurant, wasn't it? So it also has deep
connections with the fishermen." (Burkhart)

"If it's Arterio-san, the procurement of eel and the

| Azura Ren |
negotiations will likely be difficult."

"Yeah, the price will be a lot higher than for this place."

The fishermen don't have an official guild, but with their

unity being strong, it's almost no different from a guild.

If River, who is a veteran, succeeds with eel and other river

fish, it will contribute to an improvement in the fishermen's
lives.

They are sure to prefer River, an old acquaintance of

theirs, over a new customer like Arterio, and will supply River
with good ingredients at a low price.

"I guess it's better to exclude Arterio from the eel...."

***

"The smell of a new business.... wait, Earl Baumeister-

sama!? Even though I'm your purveyor, Earl-sama!" (Arterio)

It seems he was today in the capital and moreover swiftly

sniffed out the scent of eel.

Arterio, the subject of our talk, was lost for words when he
saw the delicious-looking eel kabayaki and me helping in the
restaurant.

"Please allow me to join in on it as well." (Arterio)

"The stocking of eel; are you going to be alright with that?"

(Wendelin)

"Uuh.... I won't be able to sell it as cheap as this

restaurant...." (Arterio)
| Azura Ren |
 Anticipating troublesome negotiations with the fishermen,
Arterio-san started to flinch back.

"Aren't you almost completely monopolizing soy sauce and

mirin, which are ingredients for the sauce, Arterio-san? You
should congratulate this place for its thriving business."

Besides, when we open an eel restaurant in the Baumeister

Earldom, the owner here will surely help us without sparing
any effort.

It's 『The good you do for others is the good you do for
yourself』.

"This savory fragrance; a sauce based on soy sauce?"

"In addition the orders have increased because I

recommended a recipe that used plenty of miso with the
obsolete river fish cuisine."

"Miso as well!?"

"It's possible to use this for other dishes. Such as steamed

chicken meat, grilled with the sauce applied on it. If you grill
eggplant and tofu with the sauce, people who are bad with
meat and fish will be able to eat it as well."

"I see. What a great type of sauce. How do you do? I'm
someone from the Arterio Company."

Arterio-san cheers up right away and after greeting the

owner, he started to happily eat the unadon and the fried
liver.

That quickness of him changing gears; you might say it's

| Azura Ren |
just as expected of him.

"If it's like this, I will be able to sell a great amount of soy
sauce!"

With the restaurant still being full, we temporarily place

tables and chairs in the front yard and guide the customers to
those.

And then, at last that person shows up.

"A wonderful aroma entered my nose! Alley-op!"

(Armstrong)

The object, which suddenly landed or rather crashed at

high speed in front of the restaurant, was Doushi who flew
over from the capital's central area.

Since he caused a thunderous roar alongside his landing,

there were a few among the guests who came outside the
restaurant while holding their bowls, wondering what was
going on.

"Earl Baumeister, why didn't you invite me to such an

interesting event!?" (Armstrong)

"Well.... As expected, for you, Doushi, this kind of work...."

There's no way that I can make Doushi, the Royal Head

Magician, help out in a restaurant.

That's the official reason, and my true opinion is that I

didn't expect him to be of any use.

"Can't I contribute by sampling food!?"

| Azura Ren |
 "(That's, because Wilma is here....) I will invite you next
time."

"You absolutely have to do so next time! Now then, I guess

I will try the new eel dish right away. 20 unadon with a big
serving of rice, 10 servings of eel-liver soup, 20 servings of
bone crackers and 30 servings of fried liver for me."

"Are you really going to eat this much?"

"Of course!"

Doushi confidently places an order for a large amount of

food. He started to eat the served food as if devouring it.

"It's very delicious! The sauce induces the appetite!"

"I'm getting a sour stomach by just watching...."

"That's light eating for Doushi-sama."

"Doesn't that only apply if compared to you, Wilma....?"

Eru reveals a wary expression due to Doushi's eating style.

Everyone besides Wilma turned looks of approval at him.

"There's many amazing people among your acquaintances,

Earl Baumeister-sama."

"They are amazing, but there won't be any problems if you

just serve delicious dishes."

Given that Burkhart-san, Arterio-san and Doushi, three

people whose names had spread in the capital, came one after
other, the owner seems to be nervous.

| Azura Ren |
 And yet he continues to grill eel without lowering his
speed.

That's because otherwise the number of customers won't

decrease no matter how much time passes.

"Are you going to be alright from tomorrow onward?"

"The stock and manpower is fine."

As might be expected of a long-standing restaurant, on top

of the restaurant's scale, they seem to be flexible in various
ways.

The owner declares that he will be alright even without us

and that he will build a management system as quickly as
possible.

"After having been taught by you, I will do my best so that

River continues for the next thousand years with river fish
cuisine and eel dishes as core."

***

In the end, all of the eels were sold out until evening. At
night of the same day, we were served various dishes at a
dinner party in a tatami room.

There were many of the dishes I had taught him, but as he

apparently piled up experience in this one week, he had
polished the taste and the food had become very tasty.

"Delicious. It's great with booze."

"Please ask the Arterio Company for fried food sauce and

| Azura Ren |
ketchup made out of sweet-sour red beans, in addition to soy
sauce and miso."

"Earl Baumeister, all the dishes served here are wonderful!

Definitely call me the next time as well!"

The unrelated people obtained free food for three people,

but from now on River would build branch stores as
standard-bearer of river fish cuisine, resulting in the owner
being later on referred to as 『Eel King』 who doesn't allow
others to follow his steps especially in regards to eel kabayaki.

***

"——I see, this is the sauce that came up in the story,

huh....?"

"I thought that it would exist in the Earl Mizuho Country,

but...."

"In our territory grilled eel with a wasabi-soy sauce is the

standard."

As we were preparing to grill the eel, High Earl Mizuho,

who seemed likewise bored, visited our encampment while
bringing his retainers along. It looks like he's very interested
in eel kabayaki.

"Did you buy the eel in a state of being skewered on

bamboo skewers?"

"In case of an amateur, the processing will be quite bad

after all."

It's not like an amateur won't be able to handle it well

| Azura Ren |
either, but buying the goods processed by a professional is
probably safer.

Even an amateur should be capable of grilling it somehow

or other.

"Sweet! It's sweeter than the sugar applied to a manjuu!

Earl Baumeister!"

"That's certainly sweet."

Ina is the only one showing an understanding expression

towards the weird allegory of High Earl Mizuho.

"A proficient skill is necessary to grill eel. I see, there are

the methods of grilling it smeared in sauce after steaming it
once, and grilling it soaked in sauce without steaming it? I
better leave this to my family's cooks. They grill it without
seasonings, but they are fairly skilled at it."

We were visited by High Earl Mizuho all of a sudden, but

he says that he will lend one of his cooks skilled in processing
and grilling eel, and supply us with additional eels. This is
sure welcome.

We prepare the eel with both styles, Kanto and Kansai.

Former is an eel with fluffy, soft texture, latter is a tougher eel
with a crisply burned skin. We were able to enjoy both, and
the kabayaki kept being made one after the other.

Even so, I was still surprised that there's no kabayaki in

Earl Mizuho Country.

However, even in Japan kabayaki didn't appear until the

middle of the Edo period, so it's not such a weird story either.
| Azura Ren |
 "Shall we taste and compare as we made both?"

"You had eel on hand as well, hadn't you High Earl

Mizuho?"

"It's not the season for eel right now, but eel is an
ingredient full of power after all. I have it preserved in a
magic bag."

It looks like he's storing them while the eel is stabbed on

skewers. Once he takes them out, it's prepared according to
my instructions, and then placed on top of piping hot, served
rice.

One side of the bowl has Kanto-styled eel, the other has
Kansai-styled eel.

Since I had River's owner share some of the sauce with us,
I offer it to High Earl Mizuho.

If the sauce runs out, I just have to replenish it by making

new sauce.

"What an absurdly appetizing fragrance. The taste is the

best as well, isn't it!? Today we are going to make a large
amount of kabayaki!"

Upon High Earl Mizuho's order, the eel stock is released in

large quantities. With that as ingredient, unadon is made and
distributed to many Mizuho people.

"It's a terribly nice aroma. This comes from you, Earl

Baumeister-sama?"

"That's correct, Haruka-san." (Erwin)

| Azura Ren |
 "It's a smell that lures one in."

Being attracted by the smell, Haruka shows up and Eru,

who helped out with the work, ran up to her and gave her an
explanation.

"How can Earl Baumeister-sama come up with this kind of

new dishes all the time?"

"Who knows? Maybe he was a cook in his previous life?

Let's eat, Haruka-san." (Erwin)

"Okay."

At that point Alfons turns up after being lured by the novel

scent.

"New Duke Philip-sama, how it's going?"

"We can't help much with the former Nürnberg Dukedom's

governing. If we stay influential, it will become tricky for
Peter-dono in the future."

Saying that the Duke Philip household's feudal army

doesn't have much to do, Alfons looked enviously at the
unadon.

"Eel, eh? If it's the Empire, it's served as fried dish."

(Alfons)

Apparently it's stir-fried together with vegetables after

boiling the cut round slices.

It's uncertain whether that's tasty.

"There's little amusement on the battlefield, so enjoying

| Azura Ren |
this kind of cooking is great."

"Indeed. Eat this and then do thy best, Duke Philip-dono."

(Therese)

"You have nicely gotten used to your easygoing social

status, haven't you Therese....? I want to retire as well, but...."

"Isn't that impossible for at least 30 more years?"

"I know that...."

"Don't cry, Alfons. I will give you an especially large serving

of unadon, okay?"

I held out a bigger portion to Alfons.

"Those are tears of happiness...."

Various people gather and everyone eats the delicious eel.

In this way the eel kabayaki explosively spread among not

only the Mizuho people, but also imperial citizens.

***

"Earl Baumeister, please sell the sauce for 1,000 ryo!"

"I won't sell it at such price. After all this is a sauce soaked
with a large amount of eel in the greatly flourishing
restaurant River."

"Hearing that, I want it all the more! Didn't I provide the

eel today?"

"Hasn't it been you yourself, who said that you want to

| Azura Ren |
allow everyone to eat it? I contributed by sharing the sauce."

"Can't you think of it like this: your sauce improved the

taste even further by absorbing the deliciousness of the eel
provided by me? It has contributed to the good flavor of the
current sauce. In that case it won't be a problem, as long as
you sell at least half of it to me?"

"No, no! This kind of sauce recipe isn't new to you, right
High Earl Mizuho? You just have to start from a new sauce by
making it yourself."

"Won't our sauce fall behind yours then, Earl Baumeister?"

"It will be fine. Eel is a specialty in the Earl Mizuho

Country, so your sauce will immediately overtake mine."

"Please sell it. I want that sauce! Even half of it will be

fine!"

"If half of it is gone, its deliciousness will weaken."

"The eel provided today by me accounted for half the good

taste, so isn't that the same in the end!?"

"There's no way that it was half, is there!? I was given this

precious sauce soaked in the flavor of eel after a restaurant
famous for its eel grilled eel everyday because it's me!"

"I will do with a fourth of it!"

| Azura Ren |
Chapter 02: The Turmoil over the Illegitimate Child of a Certain
Noble

(T/N: This story happened in the WN much earlier

already. The placement and the pacing of the LN looks much
better to me though. I completely translated the chapter
without checking back on the WN version, so have fun.)

"A Healing Tour?" (Wendelin)

"Yes, a Healing Tour. The villages in the circumference of

the imperial capital have been troubled by the civil war, right?
Accordingly it means that we are going to perform healing for
free instead of paying them for their troubles. The people of
the church are participating, but we are still short on hands.
Foremost I'd like to request Elise-dono's assistance." (Peter)

***

We returned to the imperial capital together with the

Imperial Army's main force that had entrusted the former
Nürnberg Dukedom to the army force staying behind.

When I believed that we would simply go home after

receiving our reward, I was given yet another task by Peter.

The details are for me to offer healing for free to the

citizens since the civil war caused them a lot of troubles.

Peter, who's going to become the new Emperor, eagerly

tries to strengthen the support by his imperial subjects, even
going as far as pulling such obvious publicity stunt.

| Azura Ren |
 "I don't mind, but...." (Elise)

"I'm not that good at healing magic, but it's no problem."

(Wendelin)

Elise answers while worrying about my side, but even I'm

not that small a man to reject occasionally doing some
volunteer work.

Without thinking too deeply about it, I agreed to

participate in the Healing Tour.

"I will join as well. Sometimes even nobles carry out charity
after all." (Katharina)

She can't heal anything but minor injuries, but Katharina

announced her participation in the Healing Tour arguing that
it's the duty of nobility to regularly participate in such
volunteer work.

"Then you will be again treated as auntie by the children."

(Wilma)

"Wilma-san, something like that won't happen all the time.

After all I'm still in my teens." (Katharina)

A while ago Katharina felt down because she had been

called auntie by the children whose injuries she had treated.

Wilman pointed out that this might happen again.

"But, Katharina, children are especially cruel." (Ina)

As Ina says, children calmly refer to a person around the

age of 20 as uncle.

| Azura Ren |
 I remember feeling depressed after children called me
uncle during my time at the university in my previous life.

"Accordingly, as it's not like we will head into battle today,

I should aim for an image change once in a while."
(Katharina)

No sooner than saying that, Katharina swiftly changed into

a white one-piece dress with a neat and trim image instead of
her usual attire.

But....

"It's somehow weird." (Ina)

"True, somehow it feels really unnatural, doesn't it....?"

(Luise)

"It doesn't suit you." (Wilma)

Katharina planned to do an image change with all her

might, but the evaluations of Ina, Luise and Wilma were
harsh.

"Elise-san, what do you think?" (Katharina)

"Umm.... it suits you...." (Elise)

Being a good girl to the core, Elise couldn't honestly tell

Katharina that her attire doesn't fit her.

I confirmed that her eyes are wavering.

"Do you really believe that?" (Katharina)

"Yes...." (Elise)
| Azura Ren |
 It's no good.

Elise is bad at lying.

"Wendelin-san, what do you think?" (Katharina)

I guess there's no point in lying here....

"I'm not well-acquainted with fashion, but it looks

unbalanced." (Wendelin)

It was nice for Katharina to wear a simple attire, but her

hairstyle is still the same.

If it's her usual flashy attire, it suits her since the balance
works out, but right now just the hairstyle oddly stands
out....if I'm forced to phrase it out, she looks like a kokeshi
doll with long hair.

I don't know whether kokeshi dolls exist in this world,

but.... maybe they can be found in Mizuho?

I will look for them next time.

"What if you straighten your hair instead of the usual

ringlets? If you do that, the balance will improve." (Wendelin)

Katharina is a beauty, so it should suit her normally once

she fixes that part.

"Change my hairstyle?" (Katharina)

"Yes." (Wendelin)

"Wendelin-san, that's impossible." (Katharina)

| Azura Ren |
 "Is it a fixed family rule of the Waigel household or
something?" (Wendelin)

She's also a noble, so I can't really force her if I'm told that
it's been decided by the household for generations.

There are many people possessing strange obsessions

among nobles.

"No. Since my hair crimps, I can't straighten my hair. As

result of various trials and errors since my childhood, I
confirmed this hairstyle to be the most suitable while at the
same time possessing dignity as the hairstyle of a noble.
Something like changing my hairstyle is simply not possible."
(Katharina)

Katharina declared boldly.

"Then that attire of yours won't work." (Wendelin)

"....How regrettable." (Katharina)

In the end Katharina returned to her usual clothes.

***

"Elise, Katharina and me. I guess it'll be fine if there are

three healing magicians...." (Wendelin)

Everyone else plans to accompany us as guards or to waste

some time. Burkhart-san has some circumstances, so he's
going to stay behind.

Since it looks like all we have to do is to make a Healing

Tour to a single village, it will likely be plenty with three

| Azura Ren |
healers.

When I thought that, Doushi stated that he will participate

as well for some reason.

"I will go too!" (Armstrong)

"There won't be any combat." (Wendelin)

"It's necessary for me to practice the healing magic I

learned!" (Armstrong)

I understand his sentiments, but Doushi's healing magic

won't activate unless he hugs his target.

If it's a child, they might suffocate. In case of a woman....I

think I'd like him to especially hold back on women who
haven't been married yet.

Even men.... I definitely wouldn't want to experience that.

"Uncle-sama." (Elise)

"What is it, Elise?" (Armstrong)

"Uncle-sama, I'd like you to handle the healing of the

imperial soldiers." (Elise)

I see. Since it would likely turn into a trauma for any

innocent villager with no background knowledge if they were
to be hugged by Doushi, he will be left in charge of the
Imperial Army's soldiers here, whose healing hasn't finished
yet.

Because of the Healing Tours, they are probably lacking

healers.
| Azura Ren |
 They should be able to at least endure being hugged by an
old muscled man as long as their injuries get treated....

"There's still many injured among the soldiers. I believe

they are in need of your abilities, Uncle-sama." (Elise)

"It's just as you say, Elise! Leave it to me!" (Armstrong)

Thanks to him being skillfully persuaded by Elise, the

innocent villagers living in the Empire avoided falling prey to
Doushi.

Their injuries will be healed, so at least enduring him is the

job of a soldier, I think.

***

The splitting of personnel has finished with this. We

headed to a village located in the outskirts of the capital.

That village is around half a day away on horse. We plan to

lodge there today.

"I'm certain it was pushed on us, who are free, since it's far
away."

Luise, although it's probably the truth, you must not say
that.

"Therese, you came along as well, eh?" (Wendelin)

"I can't use magic, but I will at least help with the odd
tasks. Even if I had stayed behind in the capital, there's
nothing decent I can do there anyway." (Therese)

It's the best plan for her to not come in contact with nobles
| Azura Ren |
that think she's trying to stand in Peter's way.

I guess that means she won't leave my side until we leave

the imperial capital.

"Dear, we will arrive in the scheduled village soon." (Elise)

"There's certainly no people that are so injured that they

are about to die, right?" (Wendelin)

My healing magic is at intermediate level. I will feel

pressured, if I were to be approached by severely wounded
people as if I'm a certain, famous, unlicensed doctor.

I will feel somewhat bad to leave everything up to just Elise

as well though.

"As expected, it should be rare to run into such people,

but...." (Elise)

***

"It looks like we will be able to get healed with magic today.
You have my utmost gratitude for that."

Once we arrived at the village, an elderly with white hair

that appears to be the village chief and goes beyond 70 in age
extended his greetings as representative of the villagers.

"There is no healing magician in this village...."

Even if there's a priest in the church, it's not like he can use
healing magic for everyone.

There are many priests who can't use magic. They

independently study pharmacy, mix medicinal plants and
| Azura Ren |
administer those.

For a church in a rural village it's not enough to just preach

from the pulpit to gain support.

But, medicine is expensive and the village has become poor

due to the recent civil war.

Even though they are located in the capital's outskirts, the

number of people coming and going has dwindled, resulting
in their income disappearing.

The Healing Tours are carried out to gain support for the
new administration and help the Empire's subjects.

"Well then, I suppose we are going to begin right away."

At such times it's the most efficient to entrust matters to

Elise, who excels at healing magic.

Since she gained a lot of experience in the Kingdom with

this kind of healing work, Elise went to work briskly.

Following Elise's instructions, Katharina and I heal the

slightly-injured people.

"I think I got the hang of it." (Wendelin)

"Dear, please don't use too much mana." (Elise)

"There's not that many injured in this village, right? Is

there any need to focus on economizing to that extent?"
(Wendelin)

I regard it as unnecessary to bother with saving mana here,

but....
| Azura Ren |
 "Excuse me....we have heard in advance about you coming
here today. A great number of patients have also come from
the surrounding villages."

"I see. For me to not notice something so obvious...."

(Wendelin)

Since there's no way for us to visit each and every single

village, the villagers of the surrounding villages were likely
instructed to gather at this village as much as possible.

Elise, who's experienced in this, probably realized that a

big number of patients would come.

"In order to lower the burden on Elise, I will also take over
the patients ranging from minor to serious injuries. I guess we
will entrust the slightly-injured people to you, Katharina. Err,
Katharina?" (Wendelin)

Once I look at Katharina healing the slightly-injured

people, she seemed to feel slightly depressed for some reason.

"Is something wrong, Katharina?" (Wendelin)

"Uuh.... I'm just an auntie...." (Katharina)

She seems to be down after being again called auntie by the

children.

"That's how small children are. They are certainly calling

me uncle or something like that, too." (Wendelin)

"Is that true?" (Katharina)

"Yea, sure is. I'm the same as you, Katharina." (Wendelin)

| Azura Ren |
 Since I was handling a three-years old child with a bone
fracture right then, I tried to observe how it calls me during
the healing.

Since small children are cruel, I'm certain it will call me

uncle.

"Onii-chan, thank you."

"....You're welcome." (Wendelin)

"...." (Katharina)

I didn't expect this.

Even though it's small, it's a good child who discerned the
truth.

Nevertheless, Katharina's look is painful.

***

"I have become considerably accustomed to this."

(Wendelin)

"Umm.... is it alright now?"

Having safely finished healing several hundred people, it

was finally the last patient, but I knew that this person is
going to be unmanageable for me and Katharina.

The patient was a young woman. She didn't particularly

look like an injured or sick person, but quite conspicuous
burn marks were extending all over her face.

She said that he face got burned in a fire several months

| Azura Ren |
ago.

She's not so severely wounded that it would affect her daily

life, but it's impossible for an inexperienced healer to erase
these kinds of scars.

"It's not like it influences her life, but this girl is scheduled
to marry next month...."

"In that case it's definitely better for her face to be

beautiful."

As fellow woman, Elise was enthusiastic about healing her.

"I approve as well, but how are you going to heal her?"
(Wendelin)

As a matter of fact, these burn scars had been apparently

healed once with healing magic.

The burn had been healed, but terrible scars were left
behind.

It seems there are many such cases, but even if additional

healing magic is cast here, it's unlikely for the burn scars to
disappear.

Even if you cast healing magic on a person, who has

already been healed, it won't improve anything at all.

As I'm troubled, Elise teaches me the healing method.

"There's something we have to do first. Please hand me a

knife with a sharp blade." (Elise)

Once I hand Elise a knife, she speaks to the woman with

| Azura Ren |
the scars.

"Please endure as I'm going to shave off the burn marks."

(Elise)

Elise doesn't go as far as administering an anesthesia, but

she smears a medicine on the burn marks to soften the pain
and then she begins to cut off the burn mark's keloids with
the knife.

Occasionally the woman's body twitches due to the pain,

but ignoring that, Elise cuts out all of the scars.

The affected parts and Elise's hands were stained with

blood.

"Dear. Please use powerful healing magic." (Elise)

"Got it." (Wendelin)

As way of thinking, cutting out the scars will probably allow

to restore the skin with healing magic from scratch.

It consumed a somewhat larger amount of mana, but

gradually the skin restores to its previous beauty.

After the healing, Elise wiped the affected parts that were
covered with blood with a wet cloth. The burn marks had
completely disappeared.

"Ooh! Amazing!" (Wendelin)

"Isn't it your magic what's amazing, Wendelin-san?"

(Katharina)

Katharina says, but if Elise didn't know the method of

| Azura Ren |
cutting out the scars first, the healing would have failed, I
think.

"But, it sure healed beautifully...."

It's not like you can completely heal all illnesses and
injuries if you only cast healing magic.

The accumulation of such know-how is probably the strong

point of the church.

"With this you will be able to marry without any worries."

"Thank you very much."

Having completely recovered from her burns, the young

woman thanked Elise and me.

"Your husband will probably feel relieved as well."

"Thank you very much for healing Heidi. Because of the

burn marks on her face, she refrained from going outside and
started to talk about cancelling the marriage with me. As she
suffered...."

A man, who seems to be the fiancé that accompanied her,

revealed a relieved expression and gave us his thanks.

With this the first day of the Healing Tour came safely to
an end.

And since it has become dark, it's been arranged for us to

lodge in the village.

Since there was fortunately a vacant house, we decided to

rent it after receiving the village chief's permission.
| Azura Ren |
 ***

"I feel very sorry for it to be a vacant house with nothing in

it...."

"Please don't mind as we have brought the necessary

furniture." (Wendelin)

The beds, chairs and cookware, all of it has been stored in

my magic bag, so I consider us to be low-maintenance guests.

"Though I think it would be great if you could provide us

with a meal." (Luise)

"Being close to the capital and the civil war, this village is
barely scraping by. For Peter-dono to have nominated thou,
Wendelin, is because thou won't be any unnecessary burden
on the village due to the need to provide hospitality."
(Therese)

Luise seemed to be bothered by the village chief not even

offering a meal.

However, as the economical state of this area, including

this village, is dire due to the civil war, it will bare any
meaning to demand excessive hospitality, no matter how
much healing magic we might have cast.

"I'm sorry. Even though you healed us for free, I can't even
provide any meaningful thanks...."

"It's the special product of our village. If you don't mind,

please eat it."

However, as they seemed to feel sorry unless they did

| Azura Ren |
something for us, the villagers, who received out healing,
provided us with their own vegetables and such.

"Thank you very much for the fresh vegetables." (Elise)

Elise, who's also a person of character, thanked them and

decided to make dinner with those vegetables as ingredients.

『Miso Stew』 in a big pot cooked on a portable magic

cooking stove. This dish is one of Elise's originals.

It was a dish looking like a multicolored brew to me as a

former Japanese, but it's actually delicious.

It's a mysterious stew that goes well with either bread or

rice.

"There are also ingredients for a salad."

In addition to making a salad, we roasted the monster meat

that had been stored in my magic bag and prepared ready-
made desserts, resulting in dinner being ready.

"Therese became more of a help than I expected." (Ina)

Due to Therese skillfully cutting the vegetables, Ina praised

her for having improved her handling of a kitchen knife in a
short period of time.

"Fufun, my free time increased significantly. Since I

noticed that Wendelin likes women who are good at cooking,
it's only natural for me to train myself in that direction."
(Therese)

To me it looks like there's unexpectedly no consistency in

| Azura Ren |
regards to my preferences in women, but it's correct that I
have no wife that's altogether bad at cooking.

Even in my previous life it was the same. There were

situations where the mood got bad with women, who
prepared bad food, because the conversation got dampened
and it immediately showed on my face.

As result of that it might have developed into me having a

perception that allows me to avoid such women.

"Therese, your cooking repertoire is lacking."

"I'm learning that right now, too. It's a nice thing to have
time for such things, isn't it?" (Therese)

In exchange it looks really difficult for Alfons who became

the new Duke Philip though.

"Today you were admirable or should I rather say, fulfilling

all expectations as usual, Elise-san. Especially the healing of
the burn scars at the end was magnificent."

"It's something I was taught in the church." (Elise)

Erasing only terribly burn scars with healing magic should

require an extraordinary amount of mana. I can't believe that
all healing magicians are capable of that. If a healer uses a lot
of mana to erase burn scars of a single patient, whose life isn't
in any danger due to those scars, it will influence the healing
of other patients, who are on the brink of death.

Accordingly know-how like the one about first cutting out

the burn scars is probably something that the church has been
accumulating.
| Azura Ren |
 By doing that, even my healing magic, which is only at
intermediate level, becomes capable of dealing with such
situations.

It's also being said that the church has become corrupt in
the recent years, but since they possess medical knowledge,
it's an useful organization with a strong support.

"Elise, you don't feel disturbed even if you see blood, do

you?"

"I've been performing medical treatment for a long time

now. But I did feel shaken when I saw blood for the first
time." (Elise)

"That makes sense.... I was truly frightened when I was told

to drain the blood of a rabbit that I had killed for the first
time in my childhood." (Erwin)

I guess Eru experienced something like that as well.

It was the same for me, but nowadays I stopped feeling sick
even when looking at the aftermath of a battlefield.

Humans are creatures that can get used to anything, aren't

they?

"It's great that we finished the healing within today. It

allows us to go back to the imperial capital early in the
morning tomorrow."

"We might get asked by His Highness to do various things,

if we stay too long in the Empire."

Certainly, Wilma's comment is probably correct. Let's get

| Azura Ren |
our reward and return to the Baumeister Earldom as soon as
possible.

"I guess we will buy some souvenirs and then go home."

"Souvenirs are important."

It's not like souvenirs are just for other people. They also
exist to buy what one likes and to enjoy the feeling of having
traveled for a while even after returning home.

"That's true, isn't it. There are the souvenirs of the Empire,
but we also must not forget souvenirs of Mizuho."

Because Haruka resembles a Japanese she seems to have a

nature of fussing over souvenirs.

Since we finished Peter's request in one day, our after meal

chat naturally inclined towards returning home.

Very soon we will be able to return.

I wonder what kind of souvenirs should I get?

Probably because we talked about something like

returning, we ended up getting dragged into yet another
troublesome matter....or am I reading too much into it?

"Excuse me for visiting you so late in the night."

When there was a sudden knocking at the door, Eru

opened it while staying on guard just in case. On the other
side of the door were the village chief and a young girl that
looked to be around 12~13 years old.

"Village Chief-san, do you have any further business with

| Azura Ren |
us?" (Erwin)

"As a matter of fact, I have something private to discuss

with you.... it's about this child here."

"Unnecessary. Such kind of behavior will only kill

Wendelin's mood." (Therese)

I couldn't understand the intention behind the words

Therese directed at the village chief while getting slightly
angry.

"(What's this about?)" (Wendelin)

"(Although it's because of the civil war, they are unable to

decently entertain us who provided medical treatment for
them. That's why he brought this girl.)" (Therese)

Does the village chief mean to say: "We prepared the most
beautiful girl of this village. So please enjoy her for this
night"?

"(I don't need her....)" (Wendelin)

Moreover, this child is much too young.

Aren't usually a lot elder women used for such a task?

"(The one who did the most in today's healing session was
Elise. Is there a custom to offer up a good-looking man, if the
other party is a woman?)" (Wendelin)

"(Wendelin, sometimes thou say things that make me want

to open up that head of thee to check its contents....)"
(Therese)

| Azura Ren |
 Having heard my remark, Therese looked at me with a
completely fed-up expression.

"Village chief, including myself, there's this many women

here. That kind of consideration is uncalled for." (Therese)

"(Therese, you are shrewd.)" (Wilma)

"(Be quiet. That's just a figure of speech.)" (Therese)

Because she implicitly mentioned that she's also my

woman, obviously using the occasion, she got a retort from
Wilma.

"No, that's not my intention. This child is the illegitimate

child of a certain noble-sama...."

"What? It has started already?" (Therese)

"Therese, what do you mean?" (Wendelin)

"That child's father probably wants to possess a connection

to thou, Wendelin." (Therese)

Ah, that kind of meaning, huh?

I guess that means they are trying to form a relationship

with the Earl Baumeister household by forcibly placing that
child, which is an illegitimate child, at my side since a
marriage all of a sudden is difficult.

Even though the civil war finally came to an end,

something troublesome came visiting once again.

"Umm.... that's not what I mean. This child is the

illegitimate child of a noble from the Helmut Kingdom. All
| Azura Ren |
I'm asking is whether I could have you take her back with
you, if possible."

"What? Thee say she's the daughter of a Kingdom noble?"

(Therese)

As expected, even Therese didn't expect this child to be an

illegitimate offspring of a noble from the Kingdom.

She was surprised for a change.

"Village Chief-san, can you tell us about the details....?"

It seems the village chief wanted to somehow entrust this

child to me after having learned that I'm a noble from the
Helmut Kingdom.

We let in the village chief and the young girl inside the
house in order to listen to the full story.

"I'm called Philine. Please take care of me."

Once urged on by the village chief, the girl introduced

herself.

"Philine-san, right? How about some cake?"

"....Umm...." (Philine)

"Philine, accept it."

"Yes!" (Philine)

There's no way for a still young child to explain her own

complicated history. For the time until the village chief
finished the explanation, Elise put out cake and tea, and had
| Azura Ren |
her silently eat some of it.

At first Philine held back, but once she received the village
chief's permission, she began to delightfully eat the cake.

"Actually the mother of this child was a woman known for

her beauty. At the time of the last Friendship Group's visit,
she was selected as maid to take care of a noble-sama from
the Kingdom."

Back then she got pregnant with the child of that noble.

"....And then she gave birth to Philine in this village, her

own birthplace...."

After that mother and child lived in this village for a while,
but her mother died to sickness when Philine was still very
young. After that the village chief, a distant relative of hers,
apparently took care of her

"At this rate, rather than living in this village, it's better for
her to rely on you, Earl Baumeister-sama. As soon as I
believed that returning this child to her father would open up
her future...."

In such a rural village a girl descending from a foreign

noble is probably difficult to handle.

Since I, a Kingdom noble, luckily came here, he believed

this to be fate and decided to try entrusting Philine to me.

"Huh? Did Peter actually know about this?"

Is that the reason for us having been in charge of this

village?
| Azura Ren |
 "Earl Bameister-sama, no one except Philine, her deceased
mother and me knows about Philine's descent though...."

Coincidence....? If that's true, this girl must be very lucky?

Though I might have a predisposition to get dragged into

things.

"Say, I'm sorry to doubt you, but isn't it slightly weird? That
child is too big."

The visit of the last Friendship Group is approximately ten

years ago. And yet Philine's big body looks like that of a 12~13
years old girl.

Just as pointed out by Luise, it doesn't really match up with

her age?

"Young madam, Philine is 10 years old right now, so the

calculation is correct."

"Eeeeeh!? This child is still ten?" (Luise)

We were a bit surprised as well, but Luise, who head

Philine's age, apparently felt so all the more.

"Haha! It's because that girl is bigger than Luise and

doesn't look like she's much younger than her either."
(Erwin)

Eru laughed while pointing out that Luise looks younger

than her actual age and Philine looks older than her actual
age.

"It would be a turn-around if she was one year older! If

| Azura Ren |
Luise was around 30 years older, she would be, suitable for
her ag....uguh!?" (Erwin)

His mouth is his own downfall.

Eru was silenced with a vicious elbow strike from Luise.

| Azura Ren |
 "That clears up the matter with Philine's age. So, about the
evidence...." (Elise)

At this point Elise skillfully changed the topic.

Stories about illegitimate children of high-ranking nobles

actually aren't all that rare.

There are quite a few real examples of that, but since it

looks like there are manifold more fakes out there, it's not
like we can take her back while accepting it so easily.

"Evidence, you say? It's here."

The village chief showed us the evidence he brought

along....

***

Since it was proven with the evidence that Philine is really

an illegitimate child, we returned to the capital early in the
morning of the next day.

"Huh? That child is your new wife, Wendelin?" (Peter)

"No way!" (Wendelin)

Peter, who came to greet us, said something foolish after

seeing Philine, so I denied it with all my mind.

"Right! Now's not the time to keep you company, Peter!"

(Wendelin)

"Eeeeh!? Isn't that way of phrasing it way too cruel?"

(Peter)
| Azura Ren |
 ***

Ignoring Peter's objection, we hurry to Burkhart-san, who

didn't participate in this time's Healing Tour. He was teaching
young magicians who are going to support the Empire in the
future. Given that he himself can't use healing magic either,
he stayed behind.

"Burkhart-san, there's a little something to discuss...."

(Wendelin)

When I called out to him, he was just talking about

something with Doushi.

"Even though I'm telling them that I will heal them, there
are many who decline that!" (Armstrong)

"The civil war came to an end, so it's alright to not hurry,

don't you think?" (Burkhart)

Doushi was supposed to stay back in order to heal the

injured imperial soldiers, but there was apparently a lot less
work for him than expected.

Well, it can't be helped if it's an injury where the patient

will die if they aren't treated right away, but being hugged by
Doushi to cure a wound that will heal itself soon is something
they hate. If one is suspected of homosexual love by the
priests healing together with Doushi, it will also have various
inconveniences in this world.

"Isn't it great that you have free time? Oh, Earl-sama, you
came back? Huh? Who's that child? Your new wife?"
(Burkhart)

| Azura Ren |
 No way, for Burkhart-san to say the same thing as Peter....

"No. I'd like to consult with you in regards to this child."

(Wendelin)

"To persuade Elise-dono? I don't want to. Do it yourself."

(Burkhart)

"I told you she's not my wife, so please give it a rest. As a

matter of fact this child is...." (Wendelin)

I explained to Burkhart-san that Philine, who we brought

with us upon the village chief's request, is Margrave
Breithilde's daughter.

"This girl? Certainly, the color of her hair is the same as

master's.... her face is similar as well, bah I guess she
resembles him...." (Burkhart)

"That's why I said that she's the real deal. Look, here's the
evidence." (Wendelin)

Among the items the village chief entrusted to us, there

was a diary written by Philine's deceased mother.

We read the content as well. Philine's mother was

apparently in charge of assisting Margrave Breithilde at the
visit of the previous Friendship Group.

"Last time? I didn't see any of that." (Burkhart)

"Burkhart-dono and I were busy with entertaining

Therese-sama!" (Armstrong)

Come to think of it, Therese said something along those

| Azura Ren |
lines, didn't she?

Burkhart-san and Doushi visited various places for fun in

the capital together with Therese who was still young back
then.

"It's no wonder that master didn't say anything about me

leaving everyday. Rather, I considered it weird that he
joyfully sent me off...." (Burkhart)

That's because he repeatedly had trysts with Philine's

mother, using the good opportunity that his annoying
watchdog was gone.

"Dense." (Wilma)

"Ugh, I can't deny that...." (Burkhart)

Burkhart-san didn't possess any counterarguments to

Wilma's merciless comment.

"There's still more evidence."

Not just the diary, but also love letters Margrave Breithilde
gave to Philine's mother, a letter that proves that it's his child
if a child is born, and a luxurious knife with the family crest of
the Margrave Breithilde family were part of the evidence.

"The handwriting is definitely that of Margrave Breithilde-

sama. Same for the crest on the knife. If I remember
correctly, this knife can only be made by the shop of the
Margrave Breithilde household's purveyor, right?"

"I guess Margrave Breithilde enjoyed himself at the

destination of his trip?"
| Azura Ren |
 "Master really can't be helped...." (Burkhart)

With even Ina and Luise, who are the daughters of

Margrave Breithilde's retainers, giving statements that
remove all objections, Burkhart-san surrenders completely.

"I really don't want to say it, but he's the worst!"
(Katharina)

Katharina, who's a famous magician and also a noble, quite

bluntly criticized Margrave Breithilde's deed.

They don't voice it out, but it looks like Elise and the others
clearly agree with her.

That was the moment when the reputation of Margrave

Breithilde, who seems to be an educated, good young man,
crashed to the bottom.

"Love letters.... even at such times Margrave Breithilde

shows his affinity to the liberal arts, doesn't he....?"

When we checked the contents albeit feeling sorry,

phrases, which were embarrassing to even look at, such as
『The you who is as beautiful as the sun』 or 『How shall I
convey this throbbing in my chest to you?』 were written in
there.

Seeing the contents, Doushi and Eru started to laugh while

rolling around due to the overly embarrassing lines.

Margrave Breithilde might have been serious, but seen by

an outsider, it's kind of ridiculous and a public execution for
the person himself.

| Azura Ren |
 The difference between the women's scornful laughter and
the men's mocking laughter was surreal.

"『A love poem sent to the dear you by Amadeus Freitag

von Breithilde』.... he's totally blowing it out of proportions...."

An embarrassing poem, which seems to have been written

by Margrave Breithilde, was pasted on a page of the diary.

It appears that he's good at writing traveler's journals and

similar, but he has absolutely no talent for love letters and
poems.

To me it simply looks like Margrave Breithilde's dark past.

If something like that was written by me and had been

leaked to society, I would certainly consider suicide.

That's how embarrassing this poem was.

"Margrave Breithilde-sama has really zero talent as poet."

"He might have talent as comedian though." (Luise)

"Luise, you know...." (Ina)

Ina chided Luise, but Doushi and Eru laughed out even
louder.

Even Elise seemed had to struggle hard to resist laughing.

"Burkhart-san, please inform Margrave Breithilde at once."

(Wendelin)

With that device destroyed, the restriction on

communication and movement magic was lifted.
| Azura Ren |
 I ask Burkhart-san to immediately inform Margrave
Breithilde through a Magic Handheld Communication Device
(MHCD).

"I will tell him. But, who's going to look after this child
until she meets with master?" (Burkhart)

"Isn't it fine to take her along right away?" (Erwin)

"Don't say something so absurd, Eru lad." (Burkhart)

"In this world, where dispute over the illegitimate children

of nobles is an everyday occurrence, it's impossible for her to
immediately meet her parent, no matter how much evidence
she has." Burkhart-san states.

"Indeed. First you must inform Margrave Breithilde-sama

alongside handing over the evidence. Then Margrave
Breithilde household's side will judge its authenticity."
(Haruka)

Unexpectedly Haruka was the most composed among the

women.

I wonder, did such disputes also take place in the

Fubayashi household in the past?

"No!" (Takeomi)

Takeomi-san instantly denied that.

"To have this much evidence.... somehow it's an unpleasant

story."

"He has to talk with his wife and gain her approval. And it's

| Azura Ren |
necessary to inform all his major retainers."

"That's how it is. With this child entering the Margrave

Breithilde household, people, whose situation will change
drastically, might appear. If it's only about master giving his
okay, then there's no problem, but it's essential for him to
negotiate with those below in advance. Besides, you know...."
(Burkhart)

"Even if she were to be allowed to meet with Margrave

Breithilde-sama, a minimum of manners is necessary." (Elise)

Manners, huh....? As expected of Elise to notice something

like that.

If you consider Philine's education, it might be best to

regard her as unfamiliar with the manners of a noble's
daughter.

If it was the Knight Baumeister household, it would be no

issue at all, but the Margrave Breithilde household is upper
nobility amongst high-ranking nobles.

"Burkhart-san, you will teach her that?" (Wilma)

"No.... I can't teach a little girl about manners." (Burkhart)

Burkhart-san completely denied it upon Wilma's question.

"Even if you were to entrust me with a little girl.... look...."

(Burkhart)

Once Burkhart-san tried to get close to Philine, she hid

behind Doushi.

| Azura Ren |
 "This mister is scary...." (Philine)

"It looks like I'm being disliked." (Burkhart)

"How regrettable, Burkhart-dono." (Armstrong)

"For a change you're liked by a child...." (Burkhart)

Even so, Philine is weird.

She's afraid of Burkhart-san, whose popularity among

women and children isn't really bad, and instead she's
emotionally attached to Doushi, whose popularity among
women and children is bad....

She stayed hidden behind Doushi.

"I don't know the manners of women either." (Armstrong)

One wouldn't be able to imagine from his appearance, but

since Doushi had been born into high-ranking nobility, he
received proper education in his childhood. In that point he
wasn't criticized by other nobles.

Though it's really unexpected....

"How about asking some free-looking noble or their

family?" (Armstrong)

"That's no good."

"I guess so."

It would be best to not leak the information about

Margrave Breithilde's illegitimate child to others.

| Azura Ren |
 It can't be helped that Doushi will.... leak the information
to His Majesty, but it's best to not tell Earl Schultz and his
group, who are doing many things together with us.

"Elise-dono, can I leave it to you?" (Burkhart)

"Dear?" (Elise)

"Philine is a girl, so it might be a good idea for Elise and

the others to look after her. Can I ask that of you?"
(Wendelin)

"That's a matter of course. Please leave it to me." (Elise)

Elise willingly took over the task of taking care of Philine.

"Since I only have elder brothers, I'm happy that I was able
to gain a little sister."

"Ina-chan and I also have only elder and younger

brothers." (Luise)

"Though it's Luise that looks younger than Philine....

uguh!?" (Erwin)

Luise once again delivers an elbow strike against Eru who

blurted out something unnecessary.

"I request it of you since I will try to make her meet with
master as soon as possible! And, please keep it a secret from
Earl Schultz and the others by all means...." (Burkhart)

"That's fine, but...."

I don't have the hobby of deliberately spreading rumors all

over, but with Doushi having heard about it, it has the same
| Azura Ren |
meaning as it having been leaked to His Majesty....

Does he believe that to be inevitable?

"Philine, since the capital's gelato shop has reopened, I will

go buy some for you! Are you going to eat that?" (Armstrong)

"I will hold back on it as I just ate cake." (Philine)

"How levelheaded! We will eat it together after dinner!"

(Armstrong)

"Thank you very much, Doushi-sama." (Philine)

At any rate, Philine is an odd one.

Normal children will cry or be scared if they see Doushi....

"Vel-sama, is it something that can be hidden?" (Wilma)

"That's where the problem lies...." (Katharina)

I was told by Wilma and Katharina.

If we suddenly start taking care of Philine, Earl Schultz and

his group, Philip and Christoph are bound to consider it
weird.

"Let's have her usually wear this." (Wendelin)

"Maid clothes."

"Wendelin-san, you are going to pretend that you have

hired a new maid, aren't you?" (Katharina)

Fortunately Philine looks older than Luise.

| Azura Ren |
 She may be regarded as new maid apprentice....right?

"It might be better than not doing it."

"But, won't it be considered in the manner of you having

ushered in a new wife, Wendelin-san?" (Katharina)

"...."

Even though it's for the sake of a reunion of parent and

child, the risk to me is....

However, that worry faded away during the evening of that

day.

***

"Earl Baumeister, is that the rumored daughter of

Margrave Breithilde?"

"It was exposed right away, eh....?" (Wendelin)

"It's because my father also participated in the previous

Friendship Group. There was no definite proof, but rumors
were circulating."

It also means that Earl Schultz is a high-ranking noble with

a history albeit an appointed one. The fact of Philine being
Margrave Breithilde's illegitimate child was exposed in one
go.

"Is possessing such a characteristic silver-colored hair

limited to people of the Margrave Breithilde household?"

"Yeah.... he will be scolded by his wife later...."

| Azura Ren |
 Burkhart-san held his head between his hands due to the
all too sudden exposure.

"Vel-sama, court service is difficult." (Wilma)

"That's true." (Wendelin)

Only at this time I thought of the bottom of my heart that it

was good for me to be a noble.

| Azura Ren |
 Chapter 03: End of the Empire's Civil War

"Report? Sure."

As usual Peter accepted it casually.

The settlement of the Empire's civil war hasn't come to an

end yet and thus our reward hasn't been decided.

Since it's pointless to wait for just that now that I can use
『Teleportation』, I decided to go to the royal castle to give a
temporary progress report.

At least that's what I had intended....

***

"Say, Elise. Is there any need to put this on?" (Wendelin)

"Not necessarily, but since you will be triumphantly

returning to the royal capital with many big achievements
under your belt, I think it's necessary for you to wear an attire
that suits the occasion, dear." (Elise)

While listening to that explanation from Elise, I had my

personal appearance put in order.

"Wendelin-san, I will fix your hair up to look appropriate

for a noble." (Katharina)

Katharina combs my hair. After all she's used to tending to

her own terrible bed hair everyday.

| Azura Ren |
 "Vel-sama, you look handsome." (Wilma)

"Thanks, Wilma." (Wendelin)

"The final touch is attaching this, I think?" (Elise)

"Yes, it's perfect with this."

Because I'm a high-ranking noble, it's usually exclusive

maids that take care of my appearance.

However, thanks to having been dragged into the civil war

for this last year, I let that practice slide.

That's not an issue during a civil war, but since the war has
ended, I was surrounded by Elise and the others with the
words, "It's no good to keep letting your looks slide." and was
forced to dress up.

"You will be ridiculed by the nobles in the royal castle

anyway." (Katharina)

"True. It's about them at least not being able to criticize you
for being dressed badly, Vel."

Since I'm rising in power within the Kingdom, I guess there

are nobles that want to criticize me no matter what means
they have to use.

It's a pain in the backside. I don't even want to rise in

power in the first place.

"Dear, you are done with this." (Elise)

As finishing touch Elise placed the circlet used by master

on my forehead.
| Azura Ren |
 "....Clothes truly make the man." (Erwin)

"Typical of you to say that." (Wendelin)

That Eru.... I don't need you to tell me that!

....Even so, I guess such a proverb exists in this world as

well.

"Rather, that circlet is also a magic tool, isn't it? Why didn't
you wear it until now? It might have given you a bit of an
advantage in the battle against your master." (Erwin)

"Nah, it's nothing that special." (Wendelin)

Burkhart-san, who had also put his own appearance in

order for the sake of having an audience with His Majesty,
replied to Eru's answer in my stead.

"Eru lad, tell me, what do you think is the effect of this
circlet?" (Burkhart)

"It remarkably increases the power of spells or it widens

the range of usable magic?" (Erwin)

"It's not an effect that goes that far. It does have a gem,
which has a magic crest boosting concentration carved in it,
but it's not an effect to that level. Alf had no issues even
without it. You know, normally we store leftover mana into
magic gems, right? It's the same as that." (Burkhart)

Burkhart-san, Doushi and I have put magic gems with

spare mana into our magic bags to use those when something
happens.

| Azura Ren |
 Master used the circlet to take mana out of the embedded
magic gems as necessary.

It's no more than a difference in style.

"It's the same as with my Alice band and Elise's ring."

(Katharina)

"That's how it is." (Burkhart)

"Huh? Then why didn't Vel's master wear the circlet when
he was summoned via the 『Heroic Spirit Summoning』? It
surely would have been more advantageous for him to fight
while wearing the circlet, no?" (Erwin)

It's certainly as Eru says. The battle should have proceeded

better for him if he had the leeway from wearing the circlet
with its spare magic gems.

"This is only my own guess, but Alf had given all his assets
to Earl-sama. Since the circlet wasn't perceived as being one
of his own belongings, it didn't materialize during the
summoning. Besides, Talrand shouldn't have been able to
prepare Alf's equipment and attire down to the last detail. He
likely was limited by depending on the memories of the dead.
You know, it's also possible that Talrand probably didn't
consider it necessary since Alf possessed the mana supply
device that made use of the huge magic gems of magic
airships." (Burkhart)

I think that's a perceptive conjecture, but I guess we won't

ever know the whole truth since only master knows it.

I didn't have the spare time to ask him at the end either.

| Azura Ren |
 However, Talrand's 『Heroic Spirit Summoning』 is sure a
mysterious spell. It summons the dead in the state when they
were still alive, yet it reproduces even the dead's favorite
weapons, clothes and ornaments.

"A spirit body is a being that's close to a cluster of mana, so

even the robe worn by your master is an object close to a
magic tool which was created with mana as base material. But
then again, even if they can be reproduced in the 『Heroic
Spirit Summoning』, since they are items used by the dead, we
cannot use them at all." (Elise)

Elise gave a detailed explanation, but magic is definitely

something strange.

"Though it would be handy if you could create your

preferred magic tools through mana." (Wilma)

"Wilma-jou-chan, at least I have never seen or heard about

someone who can use such magic." (Burkhart)

It might be convenient if such magic existed, but I think the

hurdle for that is a bit high.

Since even Burkhart-san, who has the most knowledge

among us, says that he doesn't know such a magic, it probably
doesn't exist at present.

"You can consider it as your master having resisted the

『Heroic Spirit Summoning』, dear. He made sure that you
wouldn't lose by fighting without equipping the circlet."
(Elise)

"That might also be the case. It wouldn't be weird for Alf to

come up with at least this much on the spot." (Burkhart)
| Azura Ren |
 Elise's answer might be the one closest to the truth. Just as
Burkhart-san says, master should have had at least that much
leeway.

"It might be best to regard this as the truth."

"That's all fine, but let me ask instead, why didn't you use
the circlet, Vel? Wouldn't you have a slight edge in battle, if
you used it before?"

That Eru, he sure has a keen mind today, hasn't he?

Though it makes sense now that it's been pointed out to

me.

"I guess I had enough spare magic gems?" (Wendelin)

"Isn't having to put your hands in your magic bag during

battle a handicap?" (Erwin)

"...."

A sharp observation befitting a swordsman.

Certainly, the more time it takes to get them out, the more
of a disadvantage it will be.

"Well, fighting while wearing this.... I wonder about that?"

(Wendelin)

Come to think of it, is a circlet something a man would

actually wear?

There were no men wearing circlets around me in my

previous life. I'm not accustomed to wearing accessories
either. I would hate being told that it doesn't suit me by those
| Azura Ren |
around me.

Ah, well I guess there are no people who will tell the
current me straight to my face that it doesn't suit me.

But, I would hate having rumors about it spread behind my

back.

"....That's the reason." (Wendelin)

"There's no one paying attention to each and every such

detail! Gosh, just wear it as a safety measure!" (Erwin)

Due to my honest answer, Eru's way of speaking becomes

quite harsh.

"Vel, you cared about something like that?"

"Wouldn't you!? Master was an ikemen, so it was alright for

him to wear it though." (Wendelin)

I mean, everything an ikemen wears suits them.

Master wearing the circlet made him good-looking....

But in my case it makes others think that I'm worn by the

circlet.

"Being worn by a circlet, what kind of tale is that supposed

to be...." (Ina)

I remember that there was such a fantasy story in my

previous life.

"That's what you say, Ina. But, have a look at this!"

(Wendelin)
| Azura Ren |
 I swiftly put the circlet on Burkhart-san's forehead.

"How about that?"

Doesn't he completely look like an upstart? But even before

that, a circlet really doesn't suit a middle-aged man.

"....It feels off...." (Ina)

"I'm well aware of that myself, but at least be a bit more

indirect about this." (Burkhart)

Burkhart-san complained due to Ina's honest statement.

"Right? The next one is....!" (Wendelin)

I placed the circlet on Doushi's forehead who came back

after finishing his business in order to head to the royal castle
together with us.

As expected, it doesn't suit him at all.

Everyone thinking that was clearly visible on their faces.

Doushi's compatibility with accessories is the worst. Thick,

golden bracelets and rings with meaninglessly big jewels
might match him though.

Kind of like a yakuza boss.

"It's Alfred's memento? Earl Baumeister can surely wear

this! Now then, time to go to His Majesty!" (Armstrong)

Given that Doushi is someone who doesn't care about a

circlet matching or not, he casually put the circlet back on my
forehead.
| Azura Ren |
 "Rather than that, let's hurry up and move to the royal
castle with 『Teleportation』." he said.

"Understood." (Wendelin)

That's how it resulted in me wearing master's circlet, but

I'm sure I won't be able to get rid of this feeling of discomfort
until I get used to it....

At such times it's troublesome to be a former Japanese.

***

"What a thick report."

"Indeed. After all it roughly covers a full year...."

We leaped to the royal capital and I handed the report,

which Christoph and Earl Schultz wrote together, to his
Majesty.

I helped out with it as well, but since I haven't written such

a huge report since my university graduation thesis,
Christoph and Earl Schultz did the main work.

Because I still contributed a reasonable amount, I was

praised by Earl Schultz with 『You handled it better than I
thought. So you can make a living even as a civil official, eh?』.

Furthermore, as expected Doushi, who should be a

celebrity even among the members of the Friendship Group,
didn't help out at all.

Though it might have been reckless to ask that man to add

to a written report.

| Azura Ren |
 Even Elise helped out.... they are blood-related but their
abilities might be lacking any resemblance.

"A peace treaty with the Empire? We have to tie it...."

This time the Kingdom also suffered damage from the civil
war in the Empire, but it's not like that justifies a war as
retribution.

A part of the military authorities and nobles acted rashly,

but if one judges it comprehensively, reconciliation while
abstaining from demanding restitution and an apology might
bring about the biggest benefits.

"An ancient weapon used in the era of the Ancient Magic

Civilization.... that must have been troublesome."

"Yes, moreover the huge amount of other ancient weapons

that appeared in the civil war was astounding."

Presently the Kingdom is in the middle of increasing its

national power through a development rush while the Empire
is exhausted from the civil war.

There should be many people that believe the Kingdom

would have an advantage if it comes to war.

But, if the Kingdom were to attack the Empire, the

imperial army, which is armed with huge amounts of
excavated weapons, would focus on a defensive battle.

Even if the Kingdom has an advantage in the number of

magicians and air force capabilities, it probably wouldn't turn
into such an easy victory.

| Azura Ren |
 "It will take time for the ruined Empire to recover its
strength, but it strengthened the authority of the central
government compared to before. There are also many officers
and soldiers who gained combat experience in the civil war. I
wouldn't go as far as calling a war reckless, but it's not
pertinent."

As before, the Kingdom will press forward with the

augmentation of the national forces, and aim towards copying
and making the various excavated weapons of the Ancient
Magic Civilization's era, which we also seized, usable before
the Empire recovers its economy.

"If you look at the long term, it might turn into a plus for
the country to have bolstered the central government's
authority, but they won't be able to avoid chaos for some
time."

It's very likely that the remnants of the Duke Nürnberg

household, who lost their peerage, and the nobles who are
unhappy having a decrease in nobility rank as well as a
reduction of their territory forced upon them, will join up
together, causing the outbreak of small rebellions. His
Majesty believes that they will likely not plan any war with
the Kingdom for a good while.

"Several decades later, when the Empire has fixed its

order, their difference in national power with the Kingdom
will have grown even further. Having many options at such
time will be a desirable situation for the Kingdom." (Helmut)

It's not like the Kingdom is particularly afraid of using

force.

Having said that, the Kingdom doesn't follow a doctrine of

| Azura Ren |
extreme pacifism either. The have a tendency to make long
term strategies, assuming the decision is about the Empire.

If the difference in national power becomes even more

prominent, it will also become possible to make the Empire
yield with little effort.

"It will give us the option to carry out various measures

during such time. By the way, Earl Baumeister, it's about the
Empire's new weapon, but...." (Helmut)

"It's over here." (Wendelin)

Although it took the shape of me getting dragged into it, I

have done various things in the Empire.

Since it has brought results that also benefit the Empire, I

have to balance things out a bit.

It's not enough to get along with just Chief ○○. It's also
important to properly communicate with President ○○.

It was a guideline for not getting excluded from an

organization I, a humble salaryman, set up.

"Unfortunately the military forces belonging to the

Kingdom were few and the amount of plundered items is less
than what the imperial army got." (Wendelin)

The Kingdom's forces were no more than 5,000 soldiers,

but since there was no need for them to unreasonably clash
with Duke Nürnberg's army, Philip and Christoph focused on
getting their hands on plundered items inside the
underground ruin.

| Azura Ren |
 Because of the difference in numbers, they couldn't secure
as much as the imperial army though.

"Nothing can be done about that. There are fools who send
out soldiers in high spirits and then get annihilated.
Compared to that, since you didn't lose, there's no particular
reason to get nitpicky with you and your group, Earl
Baumeister." (Helmut)

His Majesty glares at the nobles that have assembled in a

corner of the audience hall that are whispering amongst each
other.

It seems they are nobles who were under the patronage of

Marquis Läger.

It feels like the rest of the group consists of advocates for a

troop dispatch against the Empire and people that want to
call my responsibility into question, I suppose?

Although it would be fine for them to confront me directly

rather than gossiping back there, they probably can't do so in
front of His Majesty.

"You have seized a dragon golem breath emission device

alongside a dragon golem, Earl Baumeister. Due to the
research of the Magic Tool Guild it has become possible to
mass produce these. I think they are usable for defending a
military position. Also, the magic cannon, huh....?" (Helmut)

Magic cannons existed in the era of the Ancient Magic

Civilization, too. They were clearly superior in performance
compared to the ones of Earl Mizuho Country.

The one, which was equipped on the back of the huge

| Azura Ren |
golem operated by Duke Nürnberg at the end, was lopped off
with magic by Katharina and remained almost undamaged. In
addition we also plundered several dozen spare cannons.

For some reason there were no magic guns, but I suppose

those are probably an original invention by the Earl Mizuho
Country.

I have heard that there were a large number of magicians

the past, so the firepower for close combat might have been
supplemented by them.

"Magic katana, magic guns, magic cannons, suicide-

bombing golems and in addition a great number of other new
weapons have actually been put to use in the civil war. The
methods of battle in war changed. Until we can deal with
those, it's absolutely meaningless to start a war with the
Empire. After all, I wouldn't stand for being called an
incompetent king that suffered a crushing defeat, despite
having the advantage in military power, after suffering a
counterattack by the opponent." (Helmut)

"But, even the Empire is only capable of using them."

Even their repairs are probably limited to simple, small

damages.

Naturally a production of these weapons is impossible. And

the demon who's capable of performing extensive repairs as
he understands the structure of the items, is in our hands.

If it's the Earl Mizuho Country, they might reach a level

allowing them to produce items at the same level, but they
aren't imperial nobility in the truest sense.

| Azura Ren |
 "A territory and ethnic group that possesses a peculiar
culture and sophisticated technology since ancient times...."

"Yes. I think the aspect of being autonomous from the

Empire on top of having a policy that guarantees their safety
plays a big role for them. The Empire's prime minister plans
to turn them into one of the prince elector households if he
succeeds in getting on the same page with them, but even so
they will probably keep the Empire at a delicate distance."
(Wendelin)

"I see. There will be various benefits if our Kingdom and

the Earl Mizuho Country form friendly relations." (Helmut)

"Yes. For them the point of us having no territorial

ambitions is an advantageous aspect for building friendly
relations." (Wendelin)

For the time when the Empire plans to do something bad

using the excavated weapons, or when the Kingdom's national
power has increased so much that it becomes possible to
attack the Empire in the future, it's possible the Earl Mizuho
Country could become a decisively beneficial ally for the
Kingdom.

"You are saying there's merit in creating a friendly

relationship through trading, cultural exchange and
marriages, if possible, Earl Baumeister?" (Helmut)

"Yes." (Wendelin)

"Let's push that matter after skillfully negotiating with the

Empire."

Next I will talk about the cases with the Extreme Limit
| Azura Ren |
Steel and the demon.

But before that, I'll have the king remove everyone except
for a part of the ministers and several of the tight-lipped royal
guards under Warren-san from this place.

Complaints could be heard from the nobles who were sent

outside the hall, but once His Majesty heard my report, he
revealed an expression showing he understood why they had
to be sent out.

"Those are explosive matters. Well, as for the metal called

Extreme Limit Steel, I guess it's possible to control the
amount circulating as long as no one but you can make it, Earl
Baumeister. You will report the amount you use in your own
territory and sell all the rest to the Kingdom's government.
The government will send out a notification that direct sale to
other nobles or other countries is strictly forbidden by the
Kingdom. As we are inexperienced in the technologies to
process it, the orders shouldn't go beyond research and
experiments for a while, but...." (Helmut)

"It can be used as a weapon."

In case the Extreme Limit Steel was used as a material for

magic guns and cannons, which the Kingdom's Magic Tool
Guild hasn't even started to research yet, it would become
possible to hasten their implementation thanks to its
wonderful durability.

"And then the demon, huh....?" (Helmut)

The demon Arnest whom we have arrested and are

sheltering now. It should have been a genuine civil war of the
Empire, but there was still a possibility that the demon
| Azura Ren |
country was pulling strings in the back.

It's the appearance of a demon, who hadn't been seen by

anyone for close to ten thousand years. According to the
legends, they possess enormous mana and overwhelming
technological strength.

Minister Edgar's and Earl Armstrong's faces twist due to

the existence of a new hypothetical enemy.

It's because they had to completely overhaul the defense

and invasion plans they had drawn up so far, focusing on a
battle against the Empire and a rebellion of high-ranking
nobility within the Kingdom, for caution's sake.

Due to this, they have to develop new weaponry, study new

tactics using those weapons, reorganize the forces, and review
the training and supply schedules.

Seeing as they hold the position of Minister of Military

Affairs and Military Commander, it's impossible for them to
escape this.

"I see, that means it becomes necessary to gather

information about the demon country." (Helmut)

"Yes, we have obtained some information, but...."

(Wendelin)

I have heard the broad outline of the demons' culture,

social system, population and location from Arnest and noted
it down in the report.

"Even though it's crucial information about his own

country; what a weird demon." (Helmut)
| Azura Ren |
 In the eyes of His Majesty, Arnest, who leaks intelligence
about his comrades so easily, doesn't seem very trustworthy.

Or maybe he's doubting it as being false information.

"That's because he's a civilian."

"Civilian, you say?"

"He appears to be an archaeologist, not a person that

serves the nation or the army." (Wendelin)

He has an interest in the underground ruins on the Lingaia

Continent, but since the demon country has prohibited, by
law, anyone from leaving the country, he smuggled himself
outside the country and arrived in the Nürnberg Dukedom. In
order to freely work on his excavation there, he cooperated by
operating and repairing the excavated weapons. I tell all of
this to His Majesty.

"Is he a research junkie?" (Helmut)

"Yes. He has no interest in anything besides his beloved

research. That's why he handed over a large number of
weapons to Duke Nürnberg. He's a man that can calmly say
that the way how those weapons were used depended solely
on Duke Nürnberg." (Wendelin)

Anyone would suspect Arnest to be a spy sent in by the

demon country in order to cause chaos on the continent, but
in reality there's absolutely no evidence of him having
contacted his fellow countrymen after coming to this country.

He enjoys researching and has no family either. All he did

in these last few years was researching and excavation.
| Azura Ren |
 "On the contrary, he's a really dangerous man. These types
tend to do crazy things." (Helmut)

"Your Majesty, will he be restrained by the Kingdom?"

I believe that would be fine as well.

Since he's a guy that would be troublesome to deal with,

the best option would be if I could hand him over to the
Kingdom.

"Hmmmm, Earl Baumeister, can you keep that demon in

check?" (Helmut)

"It will be difficult for me alone." (Wendelin)

After all he has a lot of mana.

It's also possible that he will be able to run away if he's not
on continuous watch by me, Doushi, Katharina and Burkhart-
san, who at least hold an advanced mana pool.

"That's too inefficient. Warren, can we use the prison for

magicians?" (Helmut)

"No. It's a 『Mana Prison』 that cost a large amount of

money to build, but if we use it, it will cost a huge amount of
money to maintain it, and it's limited to intermediate level,
so...." (Warren)

It seems to be a prison capable of continuously deploying a

strong 『Magic Barrier』 that defends against the magic of
magicians, but it costs more than a million cents per day to
operate it, therefore it doesn't seem like you can just simply
lock up "bad magicians" in there.
| Azura Ren |
 "If a magician commits a minor crime, we send in high-
ranking magicians and take a fine after knocking the offender
down. In the case of a serious crime, assassinating them is the
most cost-efficient. There's rarely any people committing
serious crimes among the intermediate-ranked and
advanced-ranked magicians, but as a matter of fact Burkhart,
Klimt and Alfred have eliminated several such magicians as
top-secret missions."

I see. So that's why Burkhart-san and Doushi didn't feel

shaken when killing people in the civil war.

"So it means it will become necessary to have him

continuously watched by a great number of magicians when it
comes to imprisoning and restraining him in the Kingdom....
So, what does this demon desire?" (Helmut)

"Since the Baumeister Earldom was a backward region to

begin with, it seems to be full of undiscovered underground
ruins. He wants to explore and research those." (Wendelin)

"What a carefree demon. Seeing as it's possible for him to

escape if we lock him up against his will, I guess catching or
killing him when he escaped the surveillance would take time
and labor.... The kingdom has been damaged because of that
demon. I suppose we will have him excavate the underground
ruins to make up for the damage he caused." (Helmut)

"I can't come up with any better option."

That means we will let him live and make use of him, albeit
him being dangerous.

But then again, I don't regard Arnest as overly dangerous

anyway.
| Azura Ren |
 To him the feelings of acting for his companions, serving
for the sake of his country and nostalgia are weak. That's
because he will be satisfied as long as he can indulge in his
own research.

"We will bind him to the Baumeister Earldom with

unknown underground ruins as bait. The Kingdom will only
gain from that as well. We will also secretly dispatch
surveillance personnel."

His Majesty avoided the risk of taking charge of Arnest.

He probably judged that it would be better to leave him in

our care rather than having him run away when trying to
restrain him unskillfully.

Though you might also say that he fully pushed the burden
on us.

"Since the Empire isn't stupid either, they will sooner or

later notice the existence of the demon. It might be best to
place him under you, Earl Baumeister...."

He might be considered a war criminal coming right after

Duke Nürnberg, but we are the ones who captured this
demon.

How to treat the prisoner is something I get to decide as

the one who captured him. No one else has the right to
interfere. That's the rule for royalty and nobility, His Majesty
explains.

"Earl Baumeister, you apparently played a big role in this

time's civil war, but at the same time you have burdened
yourself with hardships. As Burkhart says, it might be true,
| Azura Ren |
you have a lot of bad luck." (Helmut)

Being told so even by His Majesty, I feel slightly down.

Certainly I can think of too many occasions that prove it.

"For a while the Empire won't have the leeway to dispatch

soldiers outside its country. Our country was able to gain time
to increase its national power and to deploy newly developed
devices. We lost once, but compared to the Empire, the losses
on our side are still negligible. I will take your opinion on this,
Earl Baumeister. It will take some time to analyze the report
of your group and to decide on the policy from now on. Since
we will send a diplomatic negotiation delegation to the
Empire, Earl Baumeister and Earl Schultz, go and continue to
gather information on the Empire." (Helmut)

"As you command."

Since it's politically stable, we came back and gave our

report, but still it doesn't look like the peace negotiations will
succeed so easily.

We were ordered to stay back in the Empire, but there are

other things I have to do, too.

"Since it's been a while, I'd like to return to my territory

though...." (Wendelin)

"If movement magic has been restored, I won't mind you

doing that as you please. It seems that the Baumeister
Earldom has completely changed in this last year." (Helmut)

***

| Azura Ren |
 Receiving His Majesty's permission after being given a
report and a top-secret order, I teleport to the Baumeister
Earldom while taking Elise and the others along.

Upon our arrival, the townscape centered around the

feudal lord's mansion had extended several times in size
compared to last year and the city was crowded with many
people.

"Dear, it's amazing." (Elise)

"Just like Urashima Tarou." (Wendelin)

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urashima_Tar%C5%8D)

"Urashimatarou? Who might that be?"

"Merely a person from the past." (Wendelin)

"It sounds like a name that you would find in Mizuho."

"Oh, yes! He was a person appearing in a folklore of

Mizuho." (Wendelin)

As there's no way that I can say that it's an old Japanese

fairy-tale, I deceived them by saying that it's the name of a
Mizuho person.

While watching the streets of Baulburg we head towards

the mansion. No different from a year ago, Roderich jumped
out of the front gate with a frightening force.

Due to the sudden event, the two sentries deployed at the

gate stare in wonder, unable to react.

"Looord—! Unable to see your countenance in this one year

| Azura Ren |
and a bit, I was terribly worried, my Looord—!" (Roderich)

"Agaaain—!? I'm going to break—!" (Wendelin)

I once again receive a merciless knock down from Roderich

who was overcome with emotions.

It's a choking move that knows no limit, just as usual....

"Hmm!" (Wendelin)

But, since it's the second time, I somehow manage to

escape his hold by myself.

"Roderich-san's signature move has appeared."

"Eru-san, that gentleman is the main retainer, right?"

(Haruka)

"Yeah. Sometimes his emotions run amok, but that's how

he is." (Erwin)

"He's an terrifying person...." (Haruka)

It might be true that he's overcome with emotions, but he's

a retainer using a sumo move against his lord.

In a certain sense that might be amazing.

"He's a very capable person, but...." (Erwin)

"Sorry, but to me it still doesn't seem so...." (Haruka)

"You're sure right about that." (Erwin)

As Eru and Haruka calmly talk about Roderich, another

| Azura Ren |
person, someone whose face I immediately recognize, shows
up.

"Erich-nii-san!" (Wendelin)

"It's been a while, Vel. I heard that you played an active

role in the Empire's civil war." (Erich)

Meeting him after a year, Erich-nii-san was still an ikemen

after all.

"Though there were many worrisome events, too. Anyway,

why are you in the Baumeister Earldom, Erich-nii-san?"
(Wendelin)

"To help out." (Erich)

As for the development of the southern Baumeister

Earldom, which is supported by the Kingdom, it was a
situation where the feudal lord got dragged into a civil war
and went missing for a while.

I don't know whether they aimed for that opportunity, but

it seems strange nobles started maneuvering in various ways.
Hence His Majesty ordered Erich-nii-san to help out.

Apparently he acted as Roderich's assistant while touring

the Baumeister Earldom this last year.

"At first it was quite hectic, you know? But once we

received the report that you were in good health and striving
in the civil war, Vel, the strange lot became obedient. They
apparently thought that they would suffer your retribution if
their meddling were to be found out once you came back."
(Erich)
| Azura Ren |
 In the Kingdom, which hadn't had anything but disputes
for a long time now, we, who defeated a great number of
enemy soldiers in a real war, have apparently turned into an
object of fear.

In the eyes of those who use any opportunity to thrust their

hands into the wallets of others, I must look like a scary being
going beyond Minister Edgar and Earl Armstrong.

"Even so, I was very, very worried!" (Roderich)

"Sorry for leaving it all to you, Roderich." (Wendelin)

"No, if I consider that you will finally come back with this,
lord...." (Roderich)

I told him that I will leave it to him for a little bit longer as I
still have work left to do in the Empire, but since the MHCD
is also usable again, I can talk with Roderich at any time.

I can also receive reports regarding the territory. Since

Erich-nii-san is here too, I feel relieved.

"I'm sorry, but is it fine to entrust things to you for a little

while longer?" (Wendelin)

"I have no problem with that. After all, it's a job I'm doing
after having been officially ordered by His Majesty." (Erich)

"So there's still work related to the Empire remaining for

you, my Lord. I'm looking forward to your return alongside
your madams." (Roderich)

Once I entrusted the Baumeister Earldom to the two of

them, we teleported to the Empire once again.
| Azura Ren |
 ***

"Good grief Wendelin, even you give me troubles." (Peter)

"Really?" (Wendelin)

"I just wanted to try saying it. But, the criticism towards
you is unexpectedly big." (Peter)

Once I returned to the imperial capital after having

finished my business in the royal castle, I was summoned by
Peter, who was busy working.

According to him, it appears that me not having publicly

displayed the severed head of Duke Nürnberg at the time
when I forced the soldiers of the rebel army to surrender has
turned into a problem.

"I believe there are far more important problems than that
though...." (Wendelin)

There's the matter with the Extreme Limit Steel. Apart

from that, there's also the matter that it had been us who
defeated Duke Nürnberg, even though I thought that his head
wouldn't be necessary.

Because of us foreigners ending up becoming the ones with

the biggest achievements, there's also the lateral of us getting
attacked to drag us down out of jealousy.

As for the matter with Arnest, I believe that we can still

continue to conceal it.

Though it will probably get exposed soon anyway.

| Azura Ren |
 "It's exactly because you treated the corpse of Duke
Nürnberg courteously, that the rebel army surrendered
obediently. If you had held up his head, they might have gone
ballistic. But, there's many nobles saying that this treatment
was lenient. The throne is really a cluster of troubles." (Peter)

Because Duke Nürnberg was a good lord for the rebel

army, they immediately surrendered to the imperial army
when they saw his remains being treated politely.

Even the lot criticizing us should be aware of that.

However, in their eyes it would be better for the retainers

of Duke Nürnberg to go on a rampage.

If they are defeated, it will turn into meritorious deeds.

Moreover, if the surrendered rebel army is absorbed into the
imperial army, it's also a reality that their posts will decrease.

The current imperial army's organization is quite a mess.

That's why the former soldiers of Duke Nürnberg's feudal

army, which has a lot of excellent staff members, are
necessary for the reconstruction.

"You desired the throne yourself, right?" (Wendelin)

"Well, yes. So, I want to talk about your reward." (Peter)

The empire's financial circumstances seem to be worse

than expected.

"We confiscated the territories and assets of the nobles who

actively supported Duke Nürnberg and the rebel army. We
were also able to secure the majority of the goods and
| Azura Ren |
properties which were taken away from the capital." (Peter)

At the time when he had Therese retire forcefully, Peter

confiscated the assets and territories of the incompetent
nobles who tried to side with the previous empress and her
followers.

It seems they were able to secure a reward that can be paid

to me due to those aforementioned reasons.

"However, it will be split into installments for 20 years."

(Peter)

Since he's going to implement a post-war reconstruction

and a new economic policy, the safe establishment of a budget
is indispensable.

"I expected that." (Wendelin)

"If I felt like it, I could pay you all of it in one go, but then
the Empire's government would become unable to do
anything. I'm sorry." (Peter)

"It's fine as long as you pay me." (Wendelin)

"I will. After all, it looks like you will attack while leading
the royal army if I don't." (Peter)

"I'm not that much of a brute." (Wendelin)

I will at least state my demands properly before departing.

"Even if that's what you think, Wendelin, there are many

cases where it turns out like that as the retainers can't forgive
it. Also, it would turn into a reason for the Kingdom to invade.

| Azura Ren |
I will also arrange a proper place for peace negotiations with
the Kingdom." (Peter)

"How conscientious." (Wendelin)

"Superficial sincerity is necessary in negotiations between

fellow nobles and countries. Of course it will become a mud
fight behind the scenes though. I have to quickly form a peace
treaty with the Helmut Kingdom and expand the scale of
commerce for the post-war recovery. I will somehow manage
to secure the budget. The Empire increased the central
government's power by growing the number of territories
under its direct control. Unexpectedly, the political measures
of Duke Nürnberg could come true with his defeat." (Peter)

Peter and I believe that to be quite the twist of fate.

"I heard from Therese-dono about the story mentioned by

Duke Nürnberg at the end. Something about that role model-
like noble Duke Nürnberg not wanting to become a noble.
Such overly capable people are a puzzle. They are too skilled
at pretending."

"You might say that this absurdity led him to start a

rebellion without any chance of winning."

"A desire for ruin stemming out of the subconscious,

huh....? Humans are truly complex, aren't they? By the
way...."

As there is no point in continuing to talk about Duke

Nürnberg any further, Peter swaps to another topic.

"Does it look as if you will be able to take care of Therese-

dono?" (Peter)
| Azura Ren |
 "I will, or rather, I simply accepted her own wish to
immigrate. But, is that fine with you?" (Wendelin)

"For me that's welcome." (Peter)

Well, I guess that makes sense.

Currently Therese is the biggest political rival for Peter.

Until she was demoted by him, Therese fought against

Duke Nürnberg without any particular big mistakes as the top
of the liberation army.

Even the liberation of the imperial capital is actually

Therese's achievement.

"She herself has absolutely no attachment to the position of

Empress, but it's possible that for people who will try to use
her as figurehead to appear. To make matters worse, she isn't
married either." (Peter)

Important nobles might try to place their own sons as

Therese's husband.

If this comes to be, Peter, a statesman, will likely be forced

to make a heartless decision.

"Personally I don't want to make such a decision as

Therese-dono is also a young woman." (Peter)

"Wouldn't it be settled with her becoming your wife,

Peter?" (Wendelin)

As a matter of fact that's the fastest and most thorough

solution.

| Azura Ren |
 Some story like the need of love between both parties is
completely unnecessary for nobility or royalty.

"Are you telling us to spend everyday competing politically

as a married couple? For me it will be enough to have my
Emera at my side." (Peter)

"Your Highness, I'm not your belonging." (Emera)

"Once again, don't be so shy, Emera." (Peter)

"I only stated the truth." (Emera)

Emera is as blunt as usual, but as she's always at Peter's

side, it's not like she hates him either.

She is a tsundere after all.

Though she likely won't allow herself to show her dere side
in front of me.

"Ah, right. There were several other matters, too." (Peter)

Peter continued to talk, addressing first my traveling

within the Empire.

"Wendelin, you are an honorary Earl. There's no reason to

place any restrictions on you. As long as it is your family and
guards, there's no issue. But if you travel around while taking
an army along, it will be a problem." (Peter)

It's a peerage called honorary Earl, but the official stance is

that it's a reward for my distinguished services.

In reality, it means that I'm not regarded with hostility

because Peter successfully won over the Empire as he was
| Azura Ren |
able to obtain great achievements thanks to me, a foreign
noble.

The honorary title lasts for one generation and there's no

disadvantage as I will get an annuity, but it's also a two-edged
sword since the Kingdom's nobles will suspect whether I'm
siding with the Empire from now on.

However, there's no reason to decline the reward and I was

also able to form new bonds.

There's also the advantage of me being allowed to freely

travel within the Empire.

"It's impossible to move an army with 『Teleportation』."

(Wendelin)

"Then it's fine. As for trade, excluding contraband goods,

you can buy anything according to imperial law, if it's in an
area under the direct control of the Empire, or according to
the local rules established by the noble family, if it's a noble's
territory. There are also noble territories where you need to
pay tariffs." (Peter)

Given that noble territories are a kind of self-governing

domains within both countries, the feudal lord decides
whether tariffs have to be paid or not.

It depends on each noble as some want income and thus

you have to pay it normally, and others put importance on the
circulation of goods gaining in quantity and thus you don't
have to pay.

"It's the same in the Kingdom, too." (Wendelin)

| Azura Ren |
 "Also, I'd like you to deliver a draft of the peace plan with
the Helmut Kingdom to His Majesty Helmut the 37th. Right
now I am having our specialists write it up. It will likely be a
reconciliation of the original terms." (Peter)

"Got it." (Wendelin)

"I'm feeling dizzy due to the great amount of work

connected to dealing with the postwar period. It's no good if
we don't carry out the emperor election as soon as possible
either." (Peter)

"You are going to hold an election?" (Wendelin)

"Since there are no other candidates, it will be a simple

vote of confidence." (Peter)

The number of prince elector households that survived this

time's civil war are merely two. The Earl Mizuho Country will
be added to that as well, but they have declared that they will
never run for Emperor.

"The meaning in holding an election is probably no more

than a formality." (Peter)

"There are many people honoring formality in this society

though." (Wendelin)

"That's how it is. What are you going to do later today,

Wendelin?" (Peter)

"I plan to go to Therese's mansion. It will be a meeting in

regards to the immigration matter." (Wendelin)

"I see. It's better to handle such things quickly." (Peter)

| Azura Ren |
 ***

Excusing myself from Peter, I headed straight to Therese's

mansion.

"I'm having my fill of peaceful spare time. As for the

immigration, I'm already done packing." (Therese)

When I arrived at her mansion, she was sitting in a chair in

the garden while carefreely drinking tea.

"You already done? That's really fast." (Wendelin)

"It's not a moonlight flit and I don't need to take so much

with me either. I returned all the items, which had the crest of
the Duke Philip household to Alfons. If there's something I
need, I will simply buy it over there. That way it will benefit
thy territory, Wendelin." (Therese)

In order to declare to the surroundings that she's no longer

someone of the Duke Philip household, Therese removed all
the items indicating that by herself.

"What about those secret magic tools of the Duke Philip

family?" (Wendelin)

The items were inside a magic bag that can only be owned
by the family head, but I heard from Therese she still has
various others.

I believe it's wrong to not return them to Alfons after all.

"Of course I returned them. I even told Peter-dono 『The

secret magic tools of the Duke Philip household were very
helpful in defeating Duke Nürnberg.』" (Therese)
| Azura Ren |
 Therese ended up using them on her own accord, but since
those were magic tools of the Duke Philip household,
sacrificing them connected to a huge meritorious deed of the
Duke Philip household.

Like that she skillfully passed her achievements in the

Duke Nürnberg subjugation to the Duke Philip household.

For the current Therese achievements are an obstacle, thus

she yielded them to Alfons, the new family head.

"Thanks to that, I have little luggage to take with me."

(Therese)

One big trunk and a bag.

And only one single young maid is going to accompany her,

Therese says.

"Originally I planned to go by myself, but since this maid

has no family, she apparently doesn't mind going to a foreign
country. It looks like she doesn't know whether she will find a
new job, so I will take care of this girl. I have to look for a
husband for her over there." (Therese)

Therese says while sending a sidelong glance at the maid

standing next to her.

"That kind of thinking is really that of a noble." (Wendelin)

"I won't get rid of my usual habits so easily. By the way, can
I have thee accompany me for a little shopping trip? I can't
say that I'm completely prepared either." (Therese)

"Sure."
| Azura Ren |
 Therese and I leave the mansion and go shopping.

"How about this? Does it suit me?" (Therese)

"It looks good." (Wendelin)

Therese changed into an attire often worn by young

commoner women and I also changed into clothes matching
hers.

On a first glance we look like a pair of young commoners

going on a date as lovers.

"The streets are already crowded with people." (Therese)

The fact that the civil war has come to an end has been
officially announced in the capital.

Even now the postwar efforts are continuing, but many

people were already enjoying going shopping in the capital
while looking cheerful.

"Once I see this spectacle here, I also think that the few
hardships were worthwhile." (Therese)

"You really achieved a lot in the first half of the civil war
after all." (Wendelin)

"I was outwitted by Peter-dono in the second half though."

(Therese)

"I can only apologize in regards to that." (Wendelin)

"I don't particularly mind. Justice or any such pointless

morals don't exist among influential people. Those that lose
are in the wrong. Besides, I'm still alive." (Therese)
| Azura Ren |
 Therese links arms with me while voicing out her thoughts.

"Max skillfully hid his real thoughts deep in his heart until
the last moment. I failed. I couldn't completely hide my
feelings that I want to avoid becoming the most influential
person in the Empire." (Therese)

That part created a gap which led to her being defeated,

Therese explains.

And she doesn't consider her current situation as bad

either.

Rather, she enjoys the carefreeness.

"Alfons, who took over out of necessity, is going through

hardships about now. That man didn't have much motivation
until now, even though he has the ability. However, now he
doesn't show that openly." (Therese)

That might be the reason why I haven't often met with

Alfons recently.

Becoming a powerful person is that much of a burden.

"In that aspect thou have it easy since thou have magic,
Wendelin" (Therese)

Being in the top position, whether I have motivation or not,

I can rule as I please if I entrust matters to my retainers.

And yet the probability of my authority being stolen is low.

Therese says that those are very enviable circumstances.

"That's because I'm just an unimportant figurehead."

| Azura Ren |
(Wendelin)

"However, it's not like thou are really unimportant either.

It's a very enviable position." (Therese)

Stopping that topic at this point, we wander along the

shopping street.

| Azura Ren |
 "What does thou think? Does it look good on me?"
(Therese)

"Wouldn't a slightly brighter color be better?" (Wendelin)

"Now that thou say that, I guess thou might be right?"

(Therese)

Therese tries on clothes and I give her my honest opinion.

"I guess I will go with this color." (Therese)

"True. A bright color like this suits you well." (Wendelin)

In addition she also bought accessories and similar items.

It's the same with the clothes, but Therese doesn't buy
high-class items befitting for a Duchess Philip, but a larger
portion of items catered towards commoners and low-ranking
nobles.

"There's no need for me to stand out any longer. I can

freely wear these kinds of clothes. And it's a bargain when I
can buy a lot of different types, too." (Therese)

Even though she says that, Therese is a former high-

ranking noble after all.

She has that aura of nobility and her style as a beauty is

exceptionally great, too.

Different to me, whose contents are those of a commoner,

it was enviable that everything she put on looked good on her.

"Elise and the others also wear various clothes on rest days.
| Azura Ren |
It will be a bit of a competition." (Therese)

"Nah, it's suiting you at the same level." (Wendelin)

"Wow, isn't that a very gentle assessment? Even though

thou put your wives first while being cold to me before."
(Therese)

"Ah, that was...." (Wendelin)

The current Therese is a noble in name only who doesn't

hold any real authority. It's not like she's saying anything
unreasonable either.

I can keep her company with a peace of mind as it's like

having a chat with an elder onee-san.

"I'm no trouble for thou?" (Therese)

"Duchess Philip was trouble, but you as Therese are not.

I'm kind to beautiful women after all." (Wendelin)

"Pfft. Thou are quite cheeky for being the younger one
here. I see, so I don't cause thee any trouble, huh? I will treat
thou to cake as thanks for having praised me then." (Therese)

"I suppose the younger one will obediently let himself be

treated by the onee-san here." (Wendelin)

"Thou can eat without reservations." (Therese)

Having finished shopping, we head towards a coffeehouse

located on the same shopping street.

"According to what I have heard, the new cake here

appears to be delicious." (Therese)
| Azura Ren |
 "I look forward to that." (Wendelin)

We ordered two pieces of the new cake together with

coffee for me and mate tea for Therese.

Once I ate the served cake, it was very tasty.

"This no-bake cheesecake with the apple sauce on top is

really superb." (Wendelin)

"Apple is a special product from the northern area after

all." (Therese)

Even in this world apples were special products of cold

regions.

This is also something I want to import by all means.

"However, you truly have no regrets?" (Wendelin)

"Mmh? Thou mean the position of Empress?" (Therese)

"That too." (Wendelin)

As I ended up thwarting that possibility for her, I wondered

whether she isn't actually resenting me for it.

"The first Empress of the Holy Urquhart Empire! Yes, that

sounds sweet for those despairing over this world's politics
and historians." (Therese)

No matter the political system, a young leader or the first

female Empress appears to always be heavily burdened with
the hopes and concerns of society.

"I think the people's despair would have become really

| Azura Ren |
tragic when the results they hoped for couldn't be achieved
albeit them having placed so many expectations. It would
probably get worse the higher their expectations in the
beginning. Not once did I think that I want to become
Empress." (Therese)

"It couldn't be helped since you were close to the position

as a candidate for the next emperor?" (Wendelin)

"Frankly said, that's the feeling I had. I had no other option

but to do it. Peter-dono, who stole the march on me, is in the
same generation as thou, Wendelin. Being highly praised as
reformer of a new Empire will only happen at the beginning.
People trying to sabotage him will increase immediately. The
path of that person will be a thorny one." (Therese)

Even on Earth, a new government has a high approval

rating in the beginning due to the expectations placed into it.

"I think that Peter wishes to become emperor himself...."

(Wendelin)

In my case, I would have absolutely no interest in that.

"That's his own aspiration then. Besides, isn't that slightly

unsociable magician-dono with Peter-dono?" (Therese)

"Yeah, Emera." (Wendelin)

That girl is beautiful, but basically she's devoted to her

professional duties and doesn't laugh normally.

There are many nobles you can call unsociable.

Though Peter and Earl Lanzberg always declare that they

| Azura Ren |
want her to be their wife.

"I think that's because she's usually not that cold to

Peter...." (Wendelin)

"On the surface that's true, but that magician-dono is

frantic in ensuring Peter-dono's safety. She has become the
Head Magician, but she leaves most of the work to her
subordinates and focuses on bodyguarding Peter-dono. As
she doesn't reveal any unhappiness with that either, those two
probably have that kind of relationship." (Therese)

As expected of a fellow woman.

Therese seems to understand Emera's emotions well.

"I just thought of it, but Wendelin, thou are resembling

Peter-dono." (Therese)

"At what part?" (Wendelin)

"Thou are popular with older women." (Therese)

"Hahaha...." (Wendelin)

It's quite difficult to reply to that.

Which reminds me, I wonder whether Amalie-san is doing

fine?

I truly want to meet her as soon as possible.

"At the same time of thou leaving the Empire, I will

become a free woman. I'm looking forward to that." (Therese)

"How are you going to spend your time in the Baumeister

| Azura Ren |
Earldom?" (Wendelin)

"I haven't decided on anything yet. I will fully enjoy my

freedom for a while." (Therese)

After we left the coffeehouse, we went shopping in several

other stores before it became evening.

"Wendelin, are thou going to return to the mansion and

have dinner?" (Therese)

"Elise and the others should have prepared something."

(Wendelin)

"I want to practice cooking a lot more. It's unnecessary for

a noble lady, but for the current me it's interesting to learn it."
(Therese)

"So you couldn't prepare it after all....?" (Wendelin)

Previously she efficiently cut up the vegetables, but cooking

doesn't finish with cutting the ingredients.

"No, I can make something. It's just that my repertoire is

extremely small. There was the traditional menu of the Duke
Philip household served in the liberation army, right?"
(Therese)

"True. Though I got fed up with it as it was everyday the

same menu." (Wendelin)

Since Eru and the girls said that they are tired of it, that
became the reason for us to prepare our own meals.

"Being told that it's better for me to be able to make at least

| Azura Ren |
this much, it was a duty imposed on me as woman of the
Duke Philip household. That's why I can prepare those
dishes." (Therese)

"I see." (Wendelin)

Even if the number of dishes she can prepare is low, it

won't be that difficult to learn cooking as long as she's capable
of the basics such as handling a kitchen knife, I think?

"If I can prepare as many dishes as Elise-dono, it might

enrich my life. I have time, so I guess I will try to get taught in
cooking." (Therese)

"That might be a good idea. Ah, right, I can teach you this
evening the recipe during dinner, too." (Wendelin)

"Whoa, Wendelin, thou have learned well how to smoothly

invite a lady. Thy onee-san feels relieved." (Therese)

"Smooth invitation, eh....?" (Wendelin)

Therese and I walk towards the mansion.

Honestly speaking, I still don't know how our relationship

will develop from now on.

But, it was definitely no mistake that I felt attracted to

Therese who was abandoned by the majority as noble of the
Empire.

***

"We will now hold the peace ceremony between the Holy
Urquhart Empire and the Helmut Kingdom."

| Azura Ren |
 One week after the date with Therese, the peace ceremony
between both countries was finally held in the imperial
palace.

Peter himself is attending for the Empire, and for the

Kingdom it's not the Minister of Foreign Affairs, but His
Highness the Crown Prince in order to make the statuses
match.

It feels like the minister has been excluded, but it's not like
he has spare time either.

It's unnecessary for him to be at the crown prince's side.

Beforehand those in charge of foreign affairs in both
countries had negotiated and reconciled the terms.

"Finally it's over."

"True."

Earl Schultz and I, who had been busy because we entered

the picture as high-ranking nobles, who have practical
abilities after getting dragged into the civil war, sighed in
relief at last.

Doushi, who should actually do the work at such times,

hasn't done anything because he had no motivation, let alone
any abilities befitting that kind of work.

That's why he unnecessarily increased the burden on us.

"Going by the forecast, I expected that the detailed terms

would become complicated."

Since both countries opened hostilities at one point, I

| Azura Ren |
wondered whether the Kingdom would negotiate assertively,
given the imagination that the Empire has weakened due to
the civil war and the amount of reparations.

However, if I actually look at the result, it looks to me as if

the Kingdom wanted to quickly tie a peace treaty.

"It's probably because the royal army was weaker than

expected."

No matter how incompetent the command of Marquis

Läger might have been, an advance unit of 8,000 soldiers had
been crushed one-sidedly.

Thanks to Philip's and Christophe's efforts it somehow

didn't turn into a disgrace, but if it actually came to a war, the
Kingdom might get destroyed by the elite imperial army
which is experienced in actual combat. Those worries spread
within the Kingdom.

Of course they won't admit such weakness publicly.

But, it's a truth that the number of nobles, who considered

such possibility in their minds, grew.

"All that's left is Duke Nürnberg's inheritance?"

There are the magic guns and cannons used in combat by

the Mizuho army and the various types of magic tools that
were excavated from the underground ruin.

Especially on the side of the magic tools, a considerable

number has been seized in the last battle. If these are used in
actual combat, it will very likely turn into a disadvantage for
the royal army.
| Azura Ren |
 Therefore they reached the decision that it's better to
expand the commerce and obediently stick to peace until they
finish developing countermeasures against that new
weaponry.

"(Earl Baumeister, you probably picked up quite a few of

them as well, but the imperial army should have secured a
considerable number since they had a lot soldiers on-site.)"

Earl Schultz whispers next to me.

They just have to make the surrendered soldiers of the

Duke Nürnberg household teach them the way how to use
them.

Training shouldn't take that much time either.

"The royal army has no choice but to tread carefully. After

all it's not unlikely for a snake to appear if they poke the
thicket." (Wendelin)

"After having experienced actual combat, they are strong,

too." (Schultz)

If the Empire gives permission to the former Duke

Nürnberg feudal army and those below them to cut off the
royal army's territory with the military forces of the nobles,
who became ruined or lost their peerage, it's very likely that
the Kingdom will lose territory.

In that case I would rather accept the apology and

reparations from the other side, and obediently stay peaceful.

"A part of the nobles, who don't understand anything, are

voicing their wish for a new invasion into the Empire
| Azura Ren |
though."

"I think something like that is impossible, however...."

"Since they don't understand that, they are treated as

nuisance by His Majesty."

Since the terms had been decided in advance after

repeated negotiations, both countries entered the peace
treaty.

The obstruction of 『Movement』 and 『Communication』

that reached the Kingdom's north was determined to have
been an arbitrary act by the traitor Duke Nürnberg and the
current government of the Empire has agreed to compensate
and apologize for his crimes.

It's a fact, but he has been turned into a complete villain

with no room for objection once he lost in the war and died.

『You are in the right as long as you win』 is something that's

said often.

In addition they also settled the negotiations in regards to

trade.

It's for the sake of expanding the economies of both

countries and the Empire wants to use this as source of funds
for the reconstruction.

"People, who gained permission in both countries, can

freely enter and leave the territories under the direct control
of the respective governments. I guess you have to obtain a
special permission for noble territories."

| Azura Ren |
 "After all it will be troublesome if they assist in a rebellion."

Even Duke Nürnberg kept a strange demon around.

Even putting the demons aside, I suppose you can't really

say that it's impossible for outsider to instigate nobles to make
them rise in rebellion.

It's not that the demon moved on order of his country, but
he's someone feeling no guilt with helping rebels as long as
it's for the sake of satisfying his thirst for knowledge.

This is just my intuition, but even the demon country

should have been troubled how to handle him.

I mean, it seems that his mana is at a top-level even among

demons.

However, just like Elise's hard battle with her 『Over-Heal』,

his main occupation is archaeologist and it's not like he excels
at battle.

Since he's smart, he contributed to Duke Nürnberg by

maintaining and repairing the excavated items.

"If you expand commerce, the economy will thrive, but

things like smuggling and illegal immigration will increase.
Besides, although the imperial army has become powerful,
they will likely dragged into small rebellions and disturbances
for some time."

After the civil war, Peter forcibly pressed forward with

measure such as forced reduction of territory, forced
relocation of territory and change in peerage rank. Thanks to
those, people opposing those measures will appear from now
| Azura Ren |
on.

While he works on the Empire's reconstruction and

development, he has to skillfully suppress those people.

"I think it will be difficult with his youth. He's the same age
as you, Earl Baumeister, isn't he?"

"Yes."

"That's grave. He will have to endure the hardships."

The treaty is signed by Peter and His Highness in front of

Earl Schultz and me.

With this the civil war lasting for more than a year and the
dispute between both countries triggered by that has finally
come to an end.

| Azura Ren |
Chapter 04: Being able to help with the Reunion between Parent
and Child

"After a long time I can finally return to my life as

adventurer and noble." (Wendelin)

"Vel, you should change that to a life as noble and

adventurer."

***

Two weeks after both countries signed the peace treaty.

After officially receiving our reward from Peter, giving a

final report to His Majesty and finishing the victory party
while being surrounded by many nobles, we finally returned
to the Baumeister Earldom.

"But, why did the royal army hold a victory party? I mean,
the royal army...." (Erwin)

"Eru, stop there." (Wendelin)

The fact that the advance unit of the royal army unsightly
lost to Duke Nürnberg mustn't be spoken of any longer.

That's because it's a matter of honor for the nation.

You can't say that it's in exchange, but the Kingdom's and
the royal army's dignity was preserved by us playing a very
active part in the civil war, and Christophe and Philip also
putting in great efforts after joining up with us later on.

| Azura Ren |
 That fact is important.

"Everyone has been awaiting us."

Once we arrived in front of the mansion, we were greeted

by Roderich and many of the retainers below him. It's been
decided that I will carry out just a little work as noble, such as
public works within the territory and investigations of the
『Demon Forest』 after today.

However, in this one year and a bit the Baumeister

Earldom has greatly grown as well.

Baulburg has expanded, too. Several guild branches and

cities, where adventurers gather, have been built within the
vicinity of the Demon Forest. With those as bases, many
adventurers gather and collect plenty of materials through
hunting and harvesting.

And, selling those to the outside benefits the Baumeister

Earldom.

The profit is invested into the development again.

The development of large-scaled farmland, farm villages

for the farmers, and the roads also proceeded at a quick pace.

All of these events are completely managed by Roderich,

the household manager of the Earl Baumeister family.

Erich-nii-san helped out in protecting the fief against the

strange nobles, but even Roderich by himself should have
been able to somehow work around it.

In other words....
| Azura Ren |
 "I suddenly came up with it, but it doesn't really matter
even if Roderich acts as the feudal lord, does it?" (Wendelin)

"Vel.... you have no right to say that...." (Erwin)

I certainly didn't expect to be chided by Eru.

***

"....Vel, that won't work." (Erich)

I tried to bring up the previous topic with Erich-nii-san,

but his answer was "no" as well.

Even Roderich, who's standing next to him, nods.

"Why, Erich-nii-san?" (Wendelin)

"The development of the Baumeister Earldom is quick, but

that's owed to the foundation works you did in advance, Vel."
(Erich)

After those finished, Roderich was able to develop the

territory with good efficiency.

That means the construction works in Baulburg advanced

as planned, even while I was away from home.

"It's just as Erich-sama says. Once it comes to starting on

new reclamation, we will have to rely on you, Milord, as
public works adventurer once again. Besides, to the bitter end
the current me is only trusted as household manager who was
entrusted full authority by you, Milord. Even if I were to
declare 『Do as you're told since I'm your new feudal lord!』, I
would probably be ignored by everyone." (Roderich)

| Azura Ren |
 "I see." (Wendelin)

I guess that means I have to once again begin with

construction work to create temporary protections against
wild animals, to build roads, to set up flood-control-works
and to level wasteland.

"Please accept it obediently, in contrast to before."

(Roderich)

"It's because I was really worked to the bone during the

civil war. Or rather, I never refused your requests, Roderich."
(Wendelin)

Although I might have openly shown my displeasure when

he requested my help.

If it's just helping in the construction of an encampment or

the development of a city for the sake of pacifying it, I have
already gotten used to it.

"I see. Milord, you are excellent even as combat engineer."

(Roderich)

"He might simply be scared of making enemies." (Erich)

Erich-nii-san, I'm not a human that likes to increase his

enemies, but....

"Besides, the accomplishments of your group have already

spread widely, Vel. You are probably the most dignified, or
rather the most feared noble in the Kingdom at the moment."
(Erich)

Although it had been a civil war in a neighboring country,

| Azura Ren |
we played a very active part by participating in a real war,
different from the disputes over here, where deaths are
normally avoided as much as possible.

That fact has become the biggest reason for me being

regarded with respect by the Kingdom's nobles.

"It's because nobles fear and honor those who win in war."

"On the other hand you will run into various hardships if
you lose though."

I guess the one whose reputation hit rock bottom after

losing is the former Margrave Breithilde who caused his
feudal army to be annihilated in the Demon Forest.

However, the present family head regained that reputation

with the large-scaled dispute against the Margrave Browig
household.

"It seems possible that the Marquis Läger household, which

got crushingly defeated in such unsightly manner, will lose its
hereditary government position."

After stubbornly advocating a troop dispatch, the royal

army has suffered heavy losses.

In the end it looks like the whole household is a

culmination of chaos due to the family head having died in
action. At this rate it seems also possible that they will lose
their turn at holding the post of Minister of Military and
Naval Affairs.

"Conversely, the Browig brothers, who unified the

remnants of the defeated army and played a big role in the
| Azura Ren |
civil war, have a good reputation in the royal palace."

Not only did they skillfully compensate for the disgrace

caused by Marquis Läger, but they were also highly estimated
as great commanders by the upper echelon of the imperial
army.

It seems almost set in stone that they will be given

hereditary positions and a rise in peerage, albeit limited to
appointed nobility.

I thought that he was awfully well-informed about the

happenings in the royal palace, but now that I think of it,
Erich-nii-san belongs to the faction of Finance Minister
Rückner.

It's probably information he has obtained from there.

"So the reputation fluctuates extremely depending on the

outcome of a single battle....?"

"That's owed to the nobles' way of thinking that it's

significant to be strong in battle. For that reason there are no
nobles who openly meddle with the Baumeister Earldom.
That also made it very easy for me." (Erich)

"Erich-sama, let me express my deepest gratitude for you

helping out in various ways." (Roderich)

"Roderich, you are truly an excellent household, you

know? Even my house would gladly welcome you, but with
the scale of my household, there's not as much work." (Erich)

Given that Erich-nii-san is an appointed noble, there's less

work to do in his household than in that of landed nobility.
| Azura Ren |
 Or rather, the professional duties are mostly carried out by
the nobles themselves. Since the retainers distribute the roles
as assistants, there's little work to entrust to a household
manager.

"I think I will return to the capital in a bit. But you were
burdened with several troublesome matters, weren't you?"
(Erich)

"I really can't hide anything from you, Erich-nii-san...."

(Wendelin)

The things I was burdened with in this civil war. First off, I
guess it's taking care of Therese.

However, I think that Peter and others are relieved that I'm
going to look after her. The Kingdom hasn't said anything
either.

As she has only brought along a single maid and since she's
not in contact with the Duke Philip household either, it looks
like they regard her as 『Person who's already finished』.

In addition, the fact of her being a woman plays yet

another big role in this.

The royal palace seems to harbor the idea, 『She's a clever

person, who displayed her abilities as prince elector, but after
all's said and done, she's a woman』. It appears as if they
regard her as spoils of war that I have received.

It's an opinion that would trigger a feminist to go on the

barricades.

However, there are basically no such people in this world.

| Azura Ren |
 "I guess she was a remarkable character as Duchess. I can
certainly sense such an aura from her. She's quite the beauty."
(Erich)

Since Erich-nii-san's judgment of women is rather strict,

even if he looks like this, I believe there's no mistake in
Therese being a beauty.

It looks like my assessment of her isn't wrong.

"A mansion close to Milord's residence has been bought.

She will live there in peace. For caution's sake we will attach
personnel to guard and monitor her, but mostly it will be for
guarding." (Roderich)

Since it will be the responsibility of the Earl Baumeister

household if something happens to her, Roderich apparently
moved smartly in advance. After all there's also no guarantee
that there won't be any nobles that attack her in order to
harass me.

With his splendid foresight, I believe that it's great for me

to have him made my household manager.

"Therese-sama isn't that much of a burden. On the other

hand, Philine-sama sure is." (Roderich)

"Uuhh...." (Wendelin)

Currently she lives in the mansion, too.

That's because it's impossible to allow her to immediately

meet with her father, Margrave Breithilde.

It often happens that illegitimate children of high-ranking

| Azura Ren |
nobles cause a big uproar. There's also a lot of swindling
going on.

First our retainer will explain the situation to the Margrave

Breithilde household while at the same time showing the
evidence. Even if the other side acknowledged that, it's not
like a reunion will be that easy to accomplish.

Since the other party is a high-ranking noble, it's a must to

decide the place and time, as well as to add a program to the
meeting.

Philine has to prepare, too.

Since Philine was brought up as the daughter of a

commoner, it's necessary for her to learn manners and the
appropriate preparation of attires as noble lady.

The main parts will be taken care of by the Margrave

Breithilde household, but to avoid her acting unsightly during
the reunion, Elise and the others educated her in the basics.

"Milord, what about Philine-sama's manners as noble?"

(Roderich)

"I entrusted that part to Elise, so I think it will be alright."

(Wendelin)

Since Elise is a real noble lady, her manners are perfect. It

should be fine to leave this matter to her.

"I guess there's no need for worry if she's being educated

by Elise-sama." (Roderich)

"Rather, Vel's side might be more questionable." (Erwin)

| Azura Ren |
 "Do you really have the leeway to talk about others, Eru?"
(Wendelin)

Alongside being the unwanted child of a Knight household,

his home is an insignificant household in the countryside.
Something like education in manners was virtually
nonexistent.

"It's just as Erwin says. Milord, I expect that you will

become an increasingly important person for the Kingdom
from now on. Since the opportunities for you to make a public
appearance will probably increase as well, you have to receive
a genuine education in manners. I shall arrange a teacher at
once." (Roderich)

"Ugh...." (Wendelin)

Roderic decided that on his own accord, but come to think

of it, I'm an Earl. I guess I cannot afford to not know formal
manners.

That Eru, to spout unnecessary stuff....

"What a disaster. Vel, do your best." (Erwin)

Thinking that it's somebody else's problem, aren't you

encouraging me here quite casually?

"I also live in the capital while being an insignificant,

appointed noble. I was taught manners with my father-in-law
as intermediary. Vel, you will be fine once you get used to it."
(Erich)

"Right, right, it will be all fine as long as you get

accustomed to it." (Erwin)
| Azura Ren |
 "Erwin-kun, do your best as well." (Erich)

"Eh? Me?" (Erwin)

Being suddenly told 『You do your best as well』 by Erich-

nii-san, Eru looked dumbfounded.

"That's only natural. Since you are Vel's guard, there will be
many occasions where you will encounter people in high
positions, Erwin-kun. The frequency of you attending official
ceremonies will grow, too. After all you're the chief retainer of
a high-ranking noble." (Erich)

"Haa...."

Eru couldn't retort with anything against Erich-nii-san's

sound arguments.

"Isn't that great, Eru? After all it will be fine once you get
used to it." (Wendelin)

"You, it's quite obvious that you're happy for me having

been dragged into it as well, you know....?" (Erwin)

"What are you saying, Eru!? I'm not such an intolerant

man. Let's learn the appropriate manners for our social
positions together?" (Wendelin)

If I can't get out of it, I won't hesitate to drag others down

with me.

"Weren't we talking about Philine's manners....?"

Eru felt depressed, probably wondering 『Why me too?』

"Milord, Erwin, I will prepare the best lecturer for you."

| Azura Ren |
(Roderich)

"Hahaha....how delightful...." (Wendelin)

***

For a while after that, manner education was added to

mine and Eru's schedule, but as it unfortunately was different
from magic and swordsmanship, it turned into quite a chore
as it was fairly difficult to remember.

***

"The reunion ceremony was tomorrow, wasn't it?"

“Ceremony, you say....?"

"After all high-ranking nobles exaggerate everything. Even

calling it a ceremony might be permissible."

I think it was a way of speaking befitting Erich-nii-san, who

always watches Finance Minister Rückner.

Treating the deeply emotional reunion with his daughter as

a ceremony; I thought life was hard for a high-ranking noble.

"The preparatory meetings with the Margrave Breithilde

household about the matter of Philine-sama were laborious,
but it has taken less time and effort compared to the
personage we have to take care of from now on." (Roderich)

As for the personage, who's more troublesome than

Philine, it's about a certain demon.

***

| Azura Ren |
 "This me is currently busy with sorting my data." (Arnest)

Since he can't appear publicly, Arnest had become an

inhabitant of the deepest room in the mansion.

As Roderich prepared the room, it's probably no issue since

it's furnished as high-class guest room appropriate for
entertaining a guest of honor. The meals are satisfactorily
dishes according to the policy of the Earl Baumeister
household. He has also been told to speak up if there's
anything he requires.

He's unable to go outside as he's under surveillance, but

the person himself doesn't seem all that disturbed about it
while being surrounded by huge amounts of books and
documents inside his room.

"What a typical scholar. You often run into such people at

the academy."

Erich-nii-san categorized Arnest as the same kind of

person as the scholars hanging out at the academy.

"We can't be careless, it's not like he's going to escape all of
a sudden, is he?"

"Mmh? Are you an acquaintance of Earl Baumeister?"

Noticing our presence, Arnest addressed Erich-nii-san

whom he's meeting for the first time.

"The elder brother who's said to capitalize on the fame of

his younger brother, that's who I am." (Erich)

"You.... it looks like you could come far if you become a

| Azura Ren |
scholar." (Arnest)

"If I had been born into a rich family, I might have become
one." (Erich)

"Certainly, humans and demons need money for studying."

(Arnest)

Arnest seems to like Erich-nii-san. Sure, if it's Erich-nii-

san, he would be capable of becoming a scholar.

"Earl Baumeister, do you have some business with me?

This me is busy with drawing up a report about the
underground ruins located in the Nürnberg Dukedom.
Because I put priority on the tasks requested by Duke
Nürnberg before coming here, I had little time to spend on
the report." (Arnest)

"...."

Roderich became speechless due to to Arnest's overbearing

way of speaking. After all he talks as if he feels no guilt, which
is unbelievable for a person who contributed to the Empire's
civil war by providing Duke Nürnberg with magic tools.

"If you worry about me escaping, you do not have to. There
is a group of almost untouched historic ruins in the
Baumeister Earldom. I wonder how much time it will take to
investigate all of them. This me will never leave until that is
finished." (Arnest)

"Just make sure to stay obedient for a while." (Wendelin)

"Drawing up the report will take time, so I have absolutely

no problem with that." (Arnest)
| Azura Ren |
 Since he stopped responding to our questions beyond this
as he immersed himself in his work, we left the room.

***

"——That's how it is."

"I see. I guess that's the reason why he isn't affiliated with
any nation....?"

Roderich grasped the character of the person called Arnest.

The only thing that drives him on is his thirst for knowledge.
If it's for that goal, there's a danger that he will ignore any
common sense and morals.

However, it also means that he's a useful man, as long as

you keep the reins tight on him, since he's capable.

"The ruins in the Baumeister Earldom, huh? Most of them

are really untouched."

We had to do our very best to develop it up to this point

from its original state of being an uninhabited land. Meaning,
there was no time to do something like a scientific
investigation.

One of the few exceptions is probably the underground

ruin in the Demon Forest.

"So, is the probability for him to escape from here really

low as long as we give him candy?" (Roderich)

"I believe there's no risk of him escaping." (Erich)

Erich-nii-san denied Roderich's suspicions.

| Azura Ren |
 "That's because he's very smart. Certainly, as demon he has
an amount of mana that surpasses that of Vel. But different
from before, when he cooperated with Duke Nürnberg,
there's now no one who would shield him." (Erich)

"The Empire has become his enemy, hasn't it?"

I brought him along in secret, but there's no way that Peter

hasn't noticed that.

Even the Kingdom can't leave him alone as he's a

dangerous element.

No matter how powerful the magic he's capable of might

be, only death awaits him if he's hunted by several high-
ranking magicians.

"He has said that he will stay low, so I think that it should
be fine for now."

As he will be granted permission to excavate underground

ruins, if he waits for a while, he should become a lot more
obedient.

"Good that the Empire hasn't said anything."

"He's my reward after all." (Wendelin)

Even if the Empire guaranteed Arnest's safety, they would

have no other choice than executing him since he's a major
war criminal.

There would be many people who would feel gratified over

his death, but it's not like it would turn into some kind of
benefit for the Empire.
| Azura Ren |
 They considered it to be more profitable to hand over
Arnest to me as reward.

If Arnest discovers something in the Baumeister Earldom,

that alone will already be a profit for us.

"So the rewards were a bit lacking....? The Empire's

emperor is a stubborn man."

It's just as Roderich says. I can't believe that he's in the

same generation as I am.

"There's a great number of unexplored underground ruins

in the Baumeister Earldom. Those will allow us to easily
recover a little decrease in rewards."

"I grasped the situation. I think it's fine to let the matter
with the demon rest for now. Rather than that, we have to
take care of the matter with Philine-sama." (Roderich)

That makes sense.

Philine hasn't committed any crimes, but only the reunion

with her father is already causing this many problems.

Preparatory meetings for details such as when they are

going to meet are necessary. This is owed to the
circumstances in the Margrave Breithilde household.

Because an illegitimate child has suddenly appeared, they

have to ask the wives of Margrave Breithilde about their
opinion. Since there's the concern that it might affect the
children's ranking order, it has become necessary to carefully
negotiate behind closed doors with influential vassals and
distant relatives of the wives and children.
| Azura Ren |
 "That's not our job, but we were told by the other side,
『Please wait a bit longer』." Roderich explained the current
state of affairs.

"It can't be helped. In any case, it will be hopeless, if we

don't teach basic manners to Philine." (Wendelin)

At the moment Elise is in charge of that part. I guess it's no

problem even if we are kept waiting for a little while.

"It's quite a bind, isn't it?" (Erich)

"Erich-nii-san, you are going to help.... aren't you....?"

(Wendelin)

Different from the case with the territorial development,

it's actually helping to reunite Margrave Breithilde with his
illegitimate child, so....

There's no basis for getting him to help out. I guess it

would be wrong to get him involved in this.

"I will simply stick to the stance that I don't know anything
about this matter. After all it will become a hassle if it seems
as if I know about the circumstances." (Erich)

It looks like it would become troublesome because

pointless approaches by nobles, who are on bad terms with
Margrave Breithilde, would only increase once Erich-nii-san
returned to the capital.

"Hence, you will only hear from me to do your best...."

(Erich)

"Makes sense...." (Wendelin)

| Azura Ren |
 "Milord, I'm in charge of the negotiations, but...."

Anyway, for now I have to allow Philine to meet with

Margrave Breithilde.

For that reason, I....no, Roderich will continue negotiating

with the Margrave Breithilde household while suffering.

***

"Umm, he's a liberal arts person, I think?" (Wendelin)

"Dear, if you put it like that, it will be difficult for Philine-

san to understand. It means that he's a gentle person." (Elise)

"(Would a gentle person neglect his own daughter in such a

way?)" (Erwin)

"(Those are exactly my thoughts, but you mustn't say that

loudly.)" (Wendelin)

***

With the end of the troublesome negotiations, it has finally

reached the stage where Philine and Margrave Breithilde are
going to meet today.

I feel like it would have been fine if they had met normally,
but just because he's called a high-ranking noble, it has
triggered various issues.

Since Philine's side needed preparation too, we are the

same in that aspect, but nobles are truly annoying.

I have to be careful as well.

| Azura Ren |
 Elise and the others are dressing up Philine while chatting
noisily in front of me, who's harboring such thoughts.

***

"In order to give your father a good impression, it's wrong

for the dress' color to be too flashy. Having said that, a dark
color is no good either. How about light blue?" (Elise)

"Elise, what about the accessories?" (Ina)

Ina asked Elise which accessories she should pick from

among the many choices.

Following the common sense of nobility, and yet

coordinating her appearance in a way that she gives a good
impression to the other party.

The one on whom you can rely at such times is Elise who
has plenty of experience.

Me?

I'd like you to not expect something like that from me.

"As for the material, I think it would be best to go with

silver as main cast. Something gaudy is no good, but cheap
items are wrong too." (Elise)

"What about an Alice band or a ribbon?"

"It's not a good idea to hide her hair too much as we want
to highlight her silver hair which is the same as her father's."
(Elise)

"In that case, I will neatly comb it." (Katharina)

| Azura Ren |
 "Please do, Katharina-san." (Elise)

"I have become used to deal with hair as it's a major

difficulty every morning." (Katharina)

Katharina begins to comb Philine's hair with her own

comb.

Her being so skilled at handling the comb is because her

own hair explodes into bed hair every morning, forcing her to
fix it herself.

"Elise-sama, what about her shoes?" (Wilma)

"Wilma-san, please polish the shoes so that they shine."

(Elise)

"Got it. It's because you will be looked down upon your
feet, right?" (Wilma)

| Azura Ren |
 "You did well to know about that." (Elise)

Wilma starts to carefully polish the shoes with a cloth.

Elise praised Wilma for her unexpectedly extensive

knowledge.

Since she's the adopted daughter of Minister Edgar, it's

impossible for her to not know about it, but Wilma doesn't
have a strong image of being a noble lady.

"All that's left are the manners, but I think it will be fine
since she was taught the basics by Elise."

If Philine's manners were to be unacceptable at the long-

awaited reunion, that might turn into a reason for her being
rejected.

In order for that to not happen, Elise, a real noble lady,

properly instructed Philine up until today.

"Come to think of it, Philine, did you grow again?" (Luise)

"Yes, Luise-sama. I became slightly taller." (Philine)

"How enviable. Also, leave the sama away when talking

with me. After all you're going to become a noble lady."
(Luise)

Luise is my wife, so there would be almost no difference in

social standing between them.

That's why she warns her to only add san to her name.

"Okay, I understand, Luise-san." (Philine)

| Azura Ren |
 "That's okay. I guess the preparations are completely done
then." (Luise)

Like that Philine was dressed up by the female camp and

afterwards transferred to the feudal lord's residence of the
Margrave Breithilde household through my 『Teleportation』.

Since we had arranged it in advance, we were immediately

led into the parlor.

***

"But, I'm slightly anxious." (Erwin)

"Anxious?" (Wendelin)

"No, I mean, if it's Philine, her mother's social standing is

low, right?" (Erwin)

As we are waiting for Margrave Breithilde's appearance

together with the dolled-up Philine, Eru suddenly starts to
speak while looking worried.

"Leaving Margrave Breithilde-sama himself aside, I

wonder whether his wives are going to be alright with this?"
(Erwin)

"We spent time on negotiation in order for that very

reason." (Wendelin)

"You did, Vel?" (Erwin)

"Roderich did." (Wendelin)

"Be that as it may, I still feel anxious...." (Erwin)

| Azura Ren |
 Eru is worrying that the wives might harass Philine by
sarcastically saying things such as 『Milord has made a
daughter at another place; is that really true?』 or 『Well, if the
mother is a lowly commoner, it looks like the daughter will be
the same』.

"Vel, you aren't worried?" (Erwin)

"If I'm asked like that, it's certainly...." (Wendelin)

It's possible that she will be told by the wives and their
children things such as 『Since we have been told so by His
Lordship, we have no other choice but to welcome you into
the Margrave Breithilde household』 or 『Do you get it? We are
just providing for you out of pity!』

Eww!

Once such imaginations start to fester in one's mind, they

end up spreading steadily.

"(Being forced to work as servant in the mansion together

with the maids, or only being given cold leftovers once
everyone finished eating....)" (Wendelin)

If it was an old Japanese drama, she would probably be

forced to eat assorted rice with a single daikon leaf, and clean
in the cold while getting frostbite on her hands.

"(Uwaah, it's really scary because it's possible.)" (Erwin)

Hearing about my imagination, Eru frowns.

"(Or something like harassing her by showing her dust

after tracing a finger along the windows' frames and then
| Azura Ren |
telling her that the cleaning isn't finished yet.)" (Wendelin)

"(That sounds probable.)" (Erwin)

Since Philine is next to us, we continue whispering so

quietly that she can't hear us.

If she would be put into such circumstances, I would regret

it, thinking that it would have been better to not have allowed
them to meet.

"(He's a high-ranking nobles, so I want to believe that

something like that won't happen, but putting it the other way
around, even if Philine is harassed, he can't blame anyone,
can he?)" (Wendelin)

"(That might certainly be true....)" (Erwin)

The scenery of Philine being harassed by the wives and

children of Margrave Breithilde gradually turned into clear
pictures inside my and Eru's head.

"(Uuh.... won't Philine be happier if we actually don't allow

her to meet with him?)" (Wendelin)

Feelings of regret start to build up within my heart.

What am I going to do if that comes true?

I'm indebted to Margrave Breithilde, but that's no reason

for overlooking something like that.

There's also the option of being asked by village headmen,

who wish to open up this child's future.

Even Elise and the other girls would take care of her quite
| Azura Ren |
affectionately as she's like a little sister to them.

We could also take care of her by ourselves and allow her

to freely choose her own life once she becomes an adult.

As I'm pondering about those things, someone tugged my

sleeve.

When I checked who it was, I looked into ELise's slightly

pale face.

"Umm.... dear...." (Elise)

"What's wrong, Elise?" (Wendelin)

"Umm.... behind you...." (Elise)

"Behind me?" (Wendelin)

Once I turned around after being told so by Elise, a

beautiful, dressed-up woman, who seems to be around 30
and whom I remember, stood there.

She's become slightly older, but she's still a staggering

beauty.

"Oh my, Earl Baumeister-sama, you are excelling my

husband in literary talent by leaps."

"Ahahahaha.... It's been a while." (Wendelin)

Elise should have tried to stop the conversation between

me and Eru.

After all that person actually stood there, just as we

imagined that Philine will be harassed.
| Azura Ren |
 I don't meet her often and since her social standing was
higher than mine in the past, I unconsciously fall back into
my former way of speaking.

"It's a memory of a story you read in the past?"

"Indeed, we previously read such story in a book. Right,

Eru?" (Wendelin)

"Yes, I also read a book for a change." (Erwin)

Eru and I eagerly try to gloss over our previous improper

words. We have to somehow patch things up as we treated the
first wife of Margrave Breithilde as malicious hag who will
harass Philine.

While laughing unnaturally, we continue with our

strenuous efforts to cover for our previous words.

"I see, a story from the past, you say? This girl is Philine,
right?"

"I am glad to meet you. I'm called Philine."

Philine greeted Margravine Breithilde in accordance with

etiquette.

As expected of Elise, I guess she displayed her talent even

as a manner teacher.

"Earl Baumeister-sama, we have caused you many

troubles."

"No, I just brought her along while returning from the

Empire." (Wendelin)

| Azura Ren |
 As there's also the previous slip-up, I humbled myself by
saying that I haven't done anything outstanding.

"You did bring her back from the Empire that was in the
middle of a civil war. I have no words to express my gratitude.
It looks like Elise and the others took good care of her as
well."

Margravine Breithilde extended her polite thanks to Elise

and the others, too.

Then she stares into Philine's face, and picked up her hair
to check it out.

"Your eyes resemble my husband. There's no doubt about

the hair's color either. Including myself, my husband has six
wives, but all of the children are only boys. A girl is cute after
all."

Margravine Breithilde seems to like Philine.

On the surface at least, though.

"Earl Baumeister-sama, please have a peace of mind. Since

this girl will become your wife, we won't make her work hard
like a servant, have her wear rags or give her food scraps to
eat."

"Veeel, she did hear it...." (Erwin)

"(Shut up!) Ahaha, there's the slightest chance that I would

consider you, madam, capable of doing something like that."
(Wendelin)

Seeing as I decided to go with a cover-up once, it's wrong to

| Azura Ren |
not follow up on it until the bitter end.

"That's certainly true, isn't it? So, can I take it as you

accepting to take Philine as wife once she becomes an adult?"

"Yes, of course." (Wendelin)

Now that it has come to this, I have no other option but to

keep glossing things over while smiling.

And, it would be wrong to object to matter of Philine

becoming my wife in the future.

....Huh? Wait, Philine as my wife?

Why? When did that happen?

""""....""""

Elise and the other girls look at me, who brought calamity
upon myself, with fed-up expressions, but I took a defiant
attitude that I had expected that to happen anyway.

At any rate, as expected of the first wife of a high-ranking

noble....I was completely outwitted.

"Umm.... madam." (Philine)

"Philine, call me stepmother, okay?"

"Okay, stepmother-sama. So, what about father?" (Philine)

"Since he's currently talking with your other stepmothers

for a bit, you will have to wait for a bit longer."

"Okay." (Philine)
| Azura Ren |
 Although she calls it talking, I can imagine most of what's
going on.

"(Just as you are thinking, Earl Baumeister-sama, they are

just roasting him a bit for not seeing any problems with
irresponsibly sowing seeds on other fields.)"

Margravine Breithilde spreads the folding fan in her hand,

brings her mouth close to my ear and whispers so that it can't
be heard by the others.

"(There's no problem with him making children at other

places. Especially since it's a long-awaited girl. The problem is
the fact that he neglected her without taking care of her in
any way. Haven't you heard that it has even been leaked to
Earl Schultz-sama and his retinue? It's a terrible disgrace for
our house. Even though something like a diary and a
talentless, self-written poetry collection can't be exchanged
into a single cent....)"

She probably heard about it being leaked to Earl Schultz

and his retinue from Burkhart-san. He hasn't shown up
today, but I wonder why?

Margrave Breithilde has been harshly criticized, but it's a

fact that a noble of his caliber neglected a child he made
somewhere else until that child turned 10.

If you consider his reputation in society, that's probably

something that makes his wives, who take care of the house,
lament.

"(I looked at the collection of poems, but I'm pretty sure

that my husband is the only one to write such terrible
poems.)"
| Azura Ren |
 That's what we thought as well. I have no doubt that even
my level of writing is still better than his.

Margrave Breithilde has received quite good ratings as a

book critics.

Even though he's capable of objectively criticizing the

works of others, his own poems are inferior to those of a five-
year-old child. That seems to be assessment by his wives and
retainers.

Since it's pitiful, they apparently haven't told him that

directly though.

"(However, since this time they are really terrible, we gave

him the warning, 『Next time we will publicize your poetry
collections!』)"

Publicizing those poems.... if I were the writer, I would

consider suicide.

"Philine, what do you think about your father's poems?"

"I think that he has written them very honestly." (Philine)

Philine's assessment is correct in a certain way. After all

that it's a fact that they have been written with a stupid level
of honesty.

Since he persists in writing like that, his evaluation as poet

seems doubtful.

Maybe that evaluation will be overturned in a few thousand

years and he will be regarded as genius poet....I don't believe
in that though.
| Azura Ren |
 I think a miracle would be necessary for that to happen.

"You are a very gentle child, aren't you? Was your mother's
education good?"

Margravine Breithilde apparently has no reservations

towards Philine.

Her attitude of accepting her in delight doesn't fall apart.

"(Earl Baumeister-sama, I know that you are worried, but

Philine is a girl, so....)"

I forgot....

Philine's existence won't affect the position of the eldest

son, who was born by the first wife and who might become
the next Margrave Breithilde.

Rather, there's value in taking care of her since she can be

used for a political marriage and doesn't even pose any threat
as rival.

Those are quite pragmatic reasons, and it's an irony that I

can trust in that because of that pragmatism.

It looks like I have completely become part of noble

society.

"I suppose it would be pathetic to make you wait any

longer for my husband."

It appears that Margrave Breithilde has been forced to

delay the meeting with Philine.

Probably that's one of his punishments though.

| Azura Ren |
 Upon the signal of his wife, Margrave Breithilde enters the
room.

"My daughteeer—!" (Amadeus)

Missing his usual calmness, Margrave Breithilde rushes

over to Philine in a hurry.

It looks like he wanted to see the face of his daughter quite

a bit.

"My husband, it's great that Earl Baumeister-sama brought

her back from the Empire, isn't it?"

"Earl Baumeister, you have my utmost gratitude."

(Amadeus)

Margrave Breithilde thanks me while shedding tears.

However, he's showing a desperation at a level I couldn't

imagine from his usual behavior.

"Philine, I'm your dad." (Amadeus)

"Nice to meet you, father. I'm called Philine."

"What a splendid greeting!" (Amadeus)

Margrave Breithilde got all excited by himself due to

Philine's greeting.

It's likely triggered by him being a doting parent.

However, just because of a normal greeting.... I wonder, am

I going to become like that as well while raising a child?

| Azura Ren |
 "Philine, I'm terribly sorry for not having been able to meet
you even once until now. I heard that your mother.... Lila
passed away...." (Amadeus)

"Yes, but I still have you, father." (Philine)

"Yes, please be relieved. I won't allow any inconveniences

to trouble you from now on ever again, Philine." (Amadeus)

He seems to dote on his daughter very much. Somehow

Margrave Breithilde acts too frantically.

Due to his overbearing behavior, even Elise seemed to

draw back a bit.

"My husband, this girl will be married into Earl

Baumeister-sama's family once she grows into an adult."

It looks like his wife wanted to say that to give him a peace
of mind, but for some reason Margrave Breithilde looked as if
this world was about to end.

"Eh?" (Amadeus)

"Even if you say 『Eh?』...."

"Philine is still 10 years old. Can't such talks wait for later?"
(Amadeus)

"Still 10 years old, you say.... didn't you already decide a

fiancée for my Siegurd at that age?"

Siegurd is Margrave Breithilde's eldest son.

I have heard that he's still 12 years old, but if it's the eldest
son of such a high-ranking noble like Margrave Breithilde, it's
| Azura Ren |
not unusual for a fiancée to be decided during his childhood.

"Isn't Siegurd a man....? Philine is a girl, so...." (Amadeus)

"Isn't that the same? You are too overprotective of her just
after meeting her for the first time! If you are going to act like
this, then take proper responsibility from the very start!"

"I'm sorry!" (Amadeus)

His wife snaps due to Margrave Breithilde's attitude. Since

it was too frightening, we retreated quickly.

Philine also leaves the room while being taken along by the
other wives.

They probably considered it bad for her education to watch

the rest.

"How very scary.... once it comes to the wife of a high-

ranking noble.... I will get some soothing from the gentle
Haruka-san once we get back...." (Erwin)

Watching the madam shouting at Margrave Breithilde, Eru

escaped reality by himself.

Let's get healed by Elise and the others afterwards, too.

"Ina-san, Luise-san, was Margravine Breithilde such a

frightening person?"

"Usually she's a gentle person." (Ina)

"That was Margrave Breithilde's fault." (Luise)

Certainly, I think there are few people who can stay calm
| Azura Ren |
after hearing 『There's an illegitimate child of your husband
and she's already 10 years old.』

"You can say that for sure." (Katharina)

Katharina revealed a consenting expression towards Ina's

and Luise's opinion.

"Doesn't the scary part once angered resemble Elise-san?"

"Eh? Am I that scary?" (Elise)

I wonder? I never made her so angry.

"Leaving that aside, it was decided that Philine will be

married to Vel-sama." (Wilma)

"Ah!"

I remember now that it was pointed out by Wilma.

I ended up leaving the room without denying the madam's

proposal to have her married into my family at all.

"The circumstances might change in five years...."

"Vel-sama, there's almost no chance for that to happen."

(Wilma)

"Well, yeah...." (Wendelin)

Even so, I decide to escape reality for now.

After all there were plenty other problems awaiting me.

I returned to my mansion while believing that it's fine for

| Azura Ren |
me having helped with the emotional reunion of parent and
child for the moment.

| Azura Ren |
 Chapter 05: Creation of a New Industry

"It looks like Philine was accepted without any issues, and
the demon is obedient as well. It finally feels like I can go
back to my normal life." (Wendelin)

"Dear, how about another serving of tea?" (Elise)

"Thank you, Elise. Can you please pour me some?"

(Wendelin)

"Yes, here you go." (Elise)

***

On an early afternoon of a certain, sunny day we spent our

time leisurely inside the mansion.

I put a cookie inside my mouth after taking a sip of the tea

poured by Elise.

The cookies were handmade by Elise, Ina and the others

working together.

"I wonder what Eru and Haruka are doing?" (Wendelin)

I casually asked since I couldn't see them anywhere close-

by.

"Since today's a day off, he's going to guide her around

Baulburg, he said." (Ina)

"A date, in other words?" (Wendelin)

| Azura Ren |
 Both of them are officially betrothed to each other and it's
just a matter of time until they marry.

But since Haruka is from Mizuho, the various preparatory

meetings and arrangements take time.

Meaning, they are enjoying some time as lovers before that.

"Since Baulburg suddenly grew big in the last year, I think

it's fun to make various discoveries."

It's because I prepared the soil for a big expansion, but

thanks to Roderich's tenacity and Erich-nii-san's help,
Baulburg expanded to twice its previous size during our
absence.

Stores and sightseeing spots, we don't know well either,

have been established. It seems Eru and Haruka went out to
see those.

"Huuumph, to go on a date with your girlfriend on your

day off...." (Wendelin)

I guess it's a habit from my previous life.

I get angry the moment I hear stories about riajuu.

Figuratively speaking, it's like having the bad luck of being

asked 『I wonder where I should go tomorrow for my date
with my girlfriend?』 by a coworker just when tomorrow's
finally a day off.

However, right now I'm Earl Baumeister. And thus there's

no way for me to vent a worthless feeling of jealousy.

| Azura Ren |
 "Vel-sama, I want to explore the city on the next day off."
(Wilma)

"That's a great idea."

With that the feeling of jealousy that gnawed at my heart

was immediately dispelled.

Right, after all I have five wives right now.

Moreover, I'm the one invited to dates by women.

Once I recall that this would have been impossible in my

previous life, I became slightly sad again.

"Wendelin-san, if it's the new urban area, Roderich-san

talked about the need of inspecting it soon." (Katharina)

"A date and an inspection are two different pair of shoes."

(Wilma)

"Indeed. After all it won't be possible to go shopping even if

there are interesting stores."

It's just as Wilma says. Since it's work, you have to carry
out the inspection properly, and that alone won't be any fun,
right?

"Katharina, will you be satisfied with it just being an

inspection?"

"Satisfied or not, that's not the issue here." (Katharina)

"Katharina is diligent after all. Vel, I will go with you as

well. It looks like it will be plenty with Katharina doing the
inspection." (Luise)
| Azura Ren |
 "T-That's not true!" (Katharina)

Whoa, Luise!

Since Katharina lacks the ability to easily adapt as she's a

bit too serious, I'd like you to not tease her too much.

"Then next time it will be a date with everyone in the new

urban area, okay? Katharina, you will join as well, won't you?"
(Wendelin)

"Yes, well.... I will go with you, too." (Katharina)

At such times Wilma or Luise, who are able to honestly say

that they want to go on a date with me, are less work.

"Milord, there's a matter I'd like to discuss with you...."

(Roderich)

At that point Roderich entered the room, carrying a bundle

of documents.

It looks like he wants to consult about work.

"Public works again?" (Wendelin)

"That will follow step by step." (Roderich)

Not 『It's enough already』, but step by step, huh? It looks

like my daily public works with magic will begin again after
resting up from the civil war for a bit longer.

When I accidentally look sideways, I see Katharina

revealing an expression, asking 『Again....?』.

As she's a type similar to me, she has skillfully mastered

| Azura Ren |
various kinds of spells. Having improved her skills during the
civil war, the shrewd Roderich set his aim on her.

Since there's few nobles, who can use a magician and

moreover several of those for the development of their
territory, there's no way for him overlook her.

"I'd like to hear about your view in advance, Milord. If you

have some kind of idea, I would be glad, but...." (Roderich)

"Roderich-san, would you like to have some tea?" (Elise)

"That's very appreciated." (Roderich)

Roderich sat down and accepted the tea poured by Elise.

***

"Staring up an industry within the territory, eh....?"

(Wendelin)

The matter of consultation by Roderich was about what

kind of industry to begin within the Baumeister Earldom.

"It's not enough with the loot from the Demon Forest?"

"Luise-sama, I won't say that it's not enough, but looking at

just relying on those as future prospect is...." (Roderich)

The development of the Baumeister Earldom is making

progress, but if one were to speak of its industry, it's focused
on agriculture, fishing, and hunting as well as gathering in the
Demon Forest.

Because of the development rush, there's a mountain of

public and construction works. There's also the business
| Azura Ren |
catered towards the gathered people.

But, we have to assign new work to the manpower, once

the first stage of the development has been completed.

If we can't do that, the people will lose their work and lead
a life in slums. The public order within the territory will
naturally deteriorate, too.

In order to guarantee employment and allow the money to

circulate within the territory, a new industry is necessary.

I discussed that idea with everyone.

"I see. So what are you going to do?"

"Well I wonder?" (Wendelin)

"It would have been cool if you could cleanly say "Let's do
it like this," Vel!"

Sorry, but suddenly creating the territory's industry is

impossible.

"Luise-sama, there's no problem since Milord has said that

he understands why it's necessary to create an industry."
(Roderich)

"Having said that, do you have any idea, Luise?"

"Eeeeeh? I'm your wife, Vel, so I have nooooo clue." (Luise)

"What a dimwitted way of talking." (Ina)

"Ina-chan! That's cruel!" (Luise)

| Azura Ren |
 Well, I think Ina is right there.

An industry that will provide safe employment to the fief's

population, huh? People become rational only when their
necessities of life are guaranteed.

If I can't provide everything, I will be lacking as feudal lord.

Well, it's inevitable for there to be differences in the things
provided to them though.

The food will increase by increasing the farmland at a

quick pace. Even the amount of the goods gathered and
hunted by adventurers is in the middle of growing. If we
simply keep relying on the imports from other fiefs while
unable to use anything but magic airships for transportation,
we will run into troubles once the population grows in the
future.

As it's the same with other goods as well, producing the

goods, which we can produce ourselves, within the territory
will provide jobs to the residents.

We have to stimulate the economy by spreading money

around.

"Among the necessities of life, we are putting great efforts

into taking steps for securing food and housing. I suppose the
problematic areas are clothes and living ware."

"I see. In the long run there will surely be issues with the
transportation expenses."

A long time ago the Margrave Breithilde household sold

salt to the Knight Baumeister territory through a merchant
group.
| Azura Ren |
 That salt was slightly expensive, but if you consider the
transportation expenses, the Margrave Breithilde household
made a loss. Them dispatching the merchant group despite all
that was because of their sense of duty as patron and as high-
ranking nobility.

However, there's no one that will make such considerations

for a huge territory at the scale of the Baumeister Earldom.

There would be the option of transporting a large amount

all at once using the same ship for it, but cheap clothes and
living ware wouldn't become quite expensive.

Even so, given that the kingdom and the Margrave

Breithilde household mediated to not raise the prices too
much as well as thanks to Roderich's skillful negotiations, we
have managed to avoid a situation where prices are several
times higher than in other fiefs.

"If you consider the distance, it would be best to produce

cheap goods that will be used by the residents within the
territory."

"We could call people from elsewhere and have them build
workshops for clothes. Clothes will be fine if we use cotton,
hemp and monster materials such as the thread of the Big
Southern Spider."

"I guess expensive clothes with high quality are

impossible."

"Tailors, who can produce clothes that can be exported to

anywhere, are naturally sheltered by their feudal lords."

I suppose that makes sense.

| Azura Ren |
 After all they are valuable, talented people that earn
income through export.

If it's a tailor, who sews clothes that can be made in huge

amounts at competitive prices, they will try to go for it in the
Baumeister Earldom where demand is expected to increase in
the future.

Roderich is apparently gathering such talented people.

"Raising the production output of clothes depends on our

ability to secure the raw materials within the territory.
Also...."

Roderich's eyes shift towards the teapot, which Elise uses

to pour tea, the cups, the saucer and the plate with the
cookies.

"Tableware?" (Elise)

"Just as you have guessed, Elise-sama." (Roderich)

Given that humans eat everyday, tableware is necessary.

"I guess it means that cheap tableware that can usually be

used by the fief's population is lacking as well?"

"That's right. I hear that tableware is difficult to transport

as it's heavy."

The prices of clothes can be kept low by transporting a

huge amount via magic airships, but soft-paste and hard-
paste porcelain is heavy. Since they are breakable, it's also
easy for them to be damaged during transport. These aspects
lifts the expenses.
| Azura Ren |
 Having said that, tableware made out of metal is heavier
and more expensive.

"Recently tableware made out of wood is in fashion within

the territory." (Roderich)

"It's an effective way to recycle unused branches and scraps

of the wood used in construction and development." (Elise)

I see, they have solved it ingeniously with a material they

can obtain locally.

For having noticed that, Elise is amazing as well.

"In other words, it's possible to make hard-paste and soft-

paste porcelain in the fief."

As long as there's clay, the necessary raw material, it's

possible to make hard-paste and soft-paste porcelain.

Just like I made jars with magic in the past.

"By the way, is it possible to make expensive porcelain that

can be exported?" (Wendelin)

"In a few decades maybe?" (Roderich)

Thought so....

If it was that easy to make, nobles, who own production

areas that can create high-class items, wouldn't guard the
artisans with eagle eyes, would they?

"The quality of the required clay is lacking. It should be

possible to find clay with better quality, if we search the
territory, but right now I'm having the gathered craftsmen
| Azura Ren |
focus on quantity over quality. In reality, they aren't unskilled
either though." (Roderich)

According to Roderich, the production of porcelain is easy

and thus various nobles have turned that into their special
product. It looks like the competition is intense.

It's fine as long as you can make goods with your brand
that sell for a lot or if you become the purveyor of the royal
family or a high-ranking noble, but at the moment there are
many production areas for earthenware that are fairly
unknown.

Since the number of earthenware that can be sold doesn't

increase in such production areas, there are craftsmen left
over.

Given that the eldest son inherits in most cases in this

world, there are many cases where the second or third sons
learned the trade while helping out at home and became
surplus then.

Such people have come to the Baumeister Earldom, but

there seems to be a fixed number of people among them who
are fairly skilled.

"How about having those people make high-class

porcelain?" (Katharina)

"Katharina-sama, it's not that easy to make goods that have

a high popularity." (Roderich)

Makes sense.

If you could make porcelain that can immediately be sold

| Azura Ren |
at a high price by leaving it to craftsmen who are slightly
skilled, there would be no hardships for anyone.

"Besides, such products have already appeared on the

market."

Roderich pointed at the porcelain made by Mizuho I had

received from High Earl Mizuho....no, I guess now he's a
Duke. They resemble Imari porcelain quite closely.

"The civil war came to an end and thus trade with the
Empire has resumed. Even Mizuho has to compensate for the
huge war expenses and the maintenance of its new territory.
The Mizuho porcelain is popular because of its novel design."

"Yeeeeaa."

Following that, I compare the pot with the tea made by

Elise and the Empire's porcelain from a famous pottery which
I had received as part of the reward from Peter.

Elise's favorite pot is an item she brought with her as

dowry.

It's a famous product of a purveyor who serves many of the

Kingdom's noble families, not only the Viscount Hohenheim
household.

"What do you think, everybody?"

"Well, I don't think that the Empire's porcelain will sell

that much in the Kingdom. Don't you think so as well, Vel?"
(Ina)

"I do." (Wendelin)

| Azura Ren |
 I agreed with Ina's opinion.

There's not much difference in the quality of the porcelain

between the Empire and the Kingdom. Bringing it expressly
to the Kingdom will only make the transportation expenses
high, meaning it will be difficult to sell it.

The quality is the same, but even the designs and paintings
resemble each other quite a lot. In Earthen terms, it's close to
the design that can be seen on Western white porcelain bowls.

It's quite thick and its color feels more grey than white, but
that's probably owed to the quality of the clay.

"Vel-sama, it's just a bit, but the Mizuho porcelain is

whiter." (Wilma)

"Now that you mention it, that's true."

As Wilma says, the Mizuho porcelain is somewhat whiter

than the others.

"Rather than the difference in quality, it looks like it's

selling because of its unusual design, dear." (Elise)

Given that Mizuho has a culture resembling Japan, the

porcelain adhered to it, too.

A small teapot that's not a pot, teacups that are not cups, or
things that were pretty similar.

"But, it's difficult to use this." (Elise)

"It doesn't suit me, or rather, it's odd. Aren't there many
items that are similar to those used at the tea party held by

| Azura Ren |
Duke Mizuho during the civil war?"

It's better to use a Western-styled tea set at times when we

are enjoying mate tea and cookies like now.

Made by Mizuho is a brand for rich collectors since it's rare

and the number of available items is low, but it's not fit for
being used normally.

"Elise, wouldn't it be better if this tea pot and cups were

whiter?" (Wendelin)

"No matter what workshop, all of them are researching on

a daily basis how to achieve that. Though it seems to be quite
difficult." (Elise)

I guess it's because the technology is still in the middle of

development. Porcelain that you can buy at a reasonable price
in Japan is white and of good quality.

"Understood, I will try coming up with a little something."

"Ooh! As expected of you, Milord!" (Roderich)

"Thinking is no guarantee for success." (Wendelin)

I was struck by a little idea. If I use this method, the quality

of the porcelain might improve.

Let's run some tests with magic at once.

***

Having said that, there's no way for me to own the

techniques to produce refined porcelain.

| Azura Ren |
 The jars I made with magic in the past were crude
earthenware containers.

Thus I decide to use a technique that was invented in Great

Britain during the 18th century.

It's a porcelain called 『Bone China』, produced by mixing

bone ash of cattle into potter's clay as substitute for white clay
since that was difficult to procure.

Since there are several places in the territory where you

can pick up clay, it's been traditionally in use. It should be
possible to make beautiful, opal porcelain, if you shape, bake
and create clay that had bone ash mixed into it.

There's no guarantee that it will succeed by default, but

there should be no loss in trying.

"Time for experiments."

Bones, which are the raw material of bone ash, are

available in large quantities when a monster, which had been
hunted, is dismantled. Bones were used as material for magic
tools and magic potions as well as substance to improve the
soil in agriculture, but there were also many excessive parts
that are discarded as trash.

"(If I remember correctly, bone china should be porcelain

containing more than 30% calcium phosphate. Since there
are no cow bones, I have to substitute it with monster bone
ash.)"

While adjusting the mixture rate with magic, just as I did at

the time with the 『Extreme Limit Steel』, I produce plenty of
clay with bone ash mixed in and change it into boards. Then I
| Azura Ren |
manufacture it into porcelain by reproducing a firing reaction
with magic.

Since I don't have any techniques for molding it, the shapes
were distorted, but I succeeded in creating white porcelain
that's whiter than Mizuho porcelain which used to be the
whitest.

"(I guess this is the best one. I will remember the detailed
mixing ratio.)"

Next I create a great amount of clay with that mixing ratio

and decided to give it to craftsmen to have them make tea
cups, saucers, tea pots, plates and vases.

"Which reminds me, where is porcelain being produced?"

"There are several places within the territory, but today I

will guide you to a pottery that's located in the outskirts of
Baulburg."

Once we arrived at the pottery, many craftsmen were in the

middle of work.

"Oh, a magic furnace. I expected a normal furnace."

A magic furnace uses mana as fuel instead of firewood.

Since it's easier to adjust the required temperature and

maintain it, it's easier to produce earthenware with good
quality.

As it's a magic tool, it's very expensive. Using an ordinary

furnace was common practice for small potteries.

| Azura Ren |
 If you ask why I know something like that, it's because I
heard that Mizuho uses magic furnaces except for a few
special earthenware products.

"Isn't that expensive? A magic furnace, that is."

"That's the norm." (Roderich)

"Norm.... eh....?"

If you were to consider obtaining a magic furnace as prior

investment in the high-class porcelain world with its intense
competition, you would probably buy it off a noble who ended
up deep in the red due to its maintenance costs.

A magic furnace can't be used without mana or magic

stones.

For small potteries, which can't employ a magician, that

will become a big burden. Therefore it's easier for them to use
the wood growing in the vicinity as fuel.

"Oh my, Roderich-sama and.... Earl Baumeister-sama!?

Welcome! Please come in!"

A middle-aged man, who seems to be the one in charge of

this pottery, greeted us half in astonishment.

"How it's going with the earthenware?"

"Right now we are making large amounts of cheap

earthenware that can be readily used by the fief's residents."

Ten-odd craftsmen were immersed in their work, but once

I look at the produced earthenware, it doesn't look all that

| Azura Ren |
bad.

Though it's a layman's judgment at best.

"They don't seem all that different...."

I took out the famous porcelain of the Empire from my

magic bag and compare it. The clay's quality is inferior, but I
feel like the molding technique is equal.

"Wow, the Empire's Rubel Pottery's products, huh?"

"I received them as reward. I don't really know anything

about them though." (Wendelin)

In my case it's a safe bet that I wouldn't realize anything

even if I were given porcelain and told that they originate
from a pottery in the Kingdom.

"Well, it's my work after all. I worked in the Sohnfahrt

Pottery located in the suburb of the royal capital."

If I remember correctly, the favorite tea set of Elise should

have been made there.

I suppose they are a purveyor of high-ranking nobles.

"Roderich, isn't he actually a really amazing craftsman?"

"No, I'm not at that point yet. Giving it a fair assessment,

I'm halfway to being first-rate."

Once I listen to him a bit more, I hear that this supervisor

was born into one of the families managing the Sohnfahrt
Pottery.

| Azura Ren |
 "Craftsmen are similar to nobles in some points. If you
speak of nobility's purveyors, they have a good reputation, but
since it's high-class items, it's not like they can sell large
amounts. The number of people, who can succeed as
craftsmen, is limited. Even I continued training since my
childhood, but my elder brothers were given priority, with the
result that I would have wasted away if I hadn't left the house.
There are also similar circumstances in other potteries....
Waiting to be invited by a noble, who wants special porcelain,
is the best option."

The competition in the porcelain world seems to be

terrible.

Apparently the left-over children of craftsmen are sent out

into the world.

"Talks that business with Mizuho porcelain will increase

from now on are circulating within the industry. You can't
win against the unusual Mizuho porcelain with the porcelain
of an amateur after all."

In the end all that's left is to mass produce cheap

earthenware catered towards commoners with the resolve to
accept small profits.

"In the case of the Baumeister Earldom, imported

porcelain will likely lose its standing soon since we can sell it
cheaper as we have no transport costs."

Only a few high-quality porcelain items will remain as

imported goods?

"In the future only making goods that are so

overwhelmingly excellent in quality that even an amateur can
| Azura Ren |
see it, or making goods that are different from the other
porcelain will be left as viable option."

"I thought so, too, and thus I prepared this." (Wendelin)

I took out the material, which was a mixture of monster

bone ash and clay, from my magic bag.

"If you use this, it should be possible to create porcelain

that has a far stronger white lustre than the existing ones."
(Wendelin)

"Certainly, this will allow us to make porcelain that's white

in comparison to before. Even the designs and pictures on the
porcelain should become more conspicuous."

Looking at the white clay held out by me, all the craftsmen
apparently got motivated.

Telling them to show us the finished product once they're

done, we left the clay behind and returned to the mansion.

***

And then, a week later, a message informing about the

completion of a prototype arrived. Thus Roderich and I
headed to the pottery once again.

"Please look, Earl Baumeister-sama! We completed such a

white porcelain!"

The porcelain, which has a feeling of transparency with its

milky white color, has been completed safely. The pottery's
supervisor seemed to be very happy.

| Azura Ren |
 "Ooh! What degree of whiteness!" (Roderich)

"If it's this, it will sell for a lot!"

It's a piece of work that feels more translucent and has a

better opal color than the traditional porcelain made in the
Empire and the Kingdom, as well as the Mizuho porcelain.

The 『Fake Bone China』 was completed without a hitch.

There are still parts to be improved, but I can leave those

parts to the craftsmen who are professionals in this area.

The most wonderful part about this is probably that it can

be exported at this quality.

After all we had nothing to export except for goods such as

the monster material obtained in the Demon Forest,
mushrooms and medical plants used as ingredients for magic
potions, unusual fruits and most recently sugar.

"We will focus our workforce on this and also strive to

create a much better porcelain."

"I see, please do you best." (Wendelin)

This was the birth of porcelain that used monster bone ash
in a world different from Earth.

It's strange that no one attempted this until now, but since
it will yield a profit for us, it's a great and fortunate
opportunity.

The craftsmen, who received a supply of clay, produced

various porcelain goods. The items, which were judged to be

| Azura Ren |
for sale among them, were exported to the capital.

***

"Huh? Did you change the teapot, Elise?" (Erwin)

During tea time Eru noticed that the teapot, which Elise
was using to pour tea, had changed.

"I'm a member of the Earl Baumeister family, so I will use

this one that I was given as present, starting from today."
(Elise)

Now that she mentions it, I remember that the pottery's

supervisor gave us this one as gift, saying that it's an excellent
piece of work.

"It's the porcelain made with the clay that had been
magically combined by Vel, isn't it? It sure is whiter than the
previous teapot." (Erwin)

"True. This seems to use clay that's of a higher quality than

the one made in Mizuho. Even its shape looks refined as it's
not too thick. The picture drawn on the pot with its shining
white looks pretty." (Haruka)

Haruka knew a lot more about porcelain than Eru and I.

Everyone agreed that it was a very precise evaluation.

"You're really well-informed."

"Because there were a lot of people, who know plenty

about porcelain and handicraft, in the Battou Unit, I learned
it naturally after being taught by them...." (Haruka)

| Azura Ren |
 Apparently there are many among them with artistic
education, who are not mere sword idiots.

"Then it's the same for Takeomi-san as well?"

"Nii-sama is well-informed about swords, but as for other

things...." (Haruka)

I see, I suppose that means he's a thorough katana idiot.

"Mixing the ash of monster bones into clay? You did well to
come up with such an idea, Vel."

Though I didn't come up with it, but actually knew about it.

Even so, it was difficult to fine tune the components with

magic many times over until clay that could be used in top-
quality porcelain was completed.

Simply mixing bone ash and dug-out clay will result in a

dull white.

Since there's also a difference in whiteness of the fired

pottery depending on the type of monster, whose bones are
used, I have to get the craftsmen to research this.

"If the cups are beautiful, the tea tastes a lot better as well."

Elise poured mate tea into the teacups and distributed

them to everybody.

"If you drink tea from such a cup, it gives you a feeling of
extravagance."

"It's weird compared to the tableware back at home, but

since a dojo has many disciple, it's wrong to not prepare quite
| Azura Ren |
a number."

Ina and Luise also enjoy the tea in the new cups.

"But, it would be nice if it had a higher capacity."

"Wilma-san, that's not the idea behind this cup.... This

whiteness and the refined design; quite suitable for a noble."
(Katharina)

I suppose for Wilma the cup's practical use matters more

than its design.

However, Katharina was completely satisfied as she could

bask herself in a feeling of nobility.

"Dear, this porcelain has a mysterious luster. It's good that

it looks refined, allowing the white to stand out all the more,
since it's not emphasized too much." (Elise)

"Ooh! What a spot-on evaluation!" (Erwin)

Eru is surprised, but Elise is a genuine noble lady after all.

As she has been living while surrounded by such items since
her birth, she has naturally acquired an aesthetic sense in that
direction.

"Now that you're saying it, you're correct." (Katharina)

"Katharina, you only noticed it because Elise mentioned it

just now, didn't you?" (Wendelin)

"Wendelin-san, that's most certainly not the case."

(Katharina)

"Really?" (Wendelin)
| Azura Ren |
 "Isn't that obvious?" (Katharina)

Given that it really smelled strongly like a lie, the eyes of

everyone besides Elise focused on Katharina.

Elise is an exception as she hasn't the character to doubt

people.

"Even I didn't realize it until I was told." (Wendelin)

"Be attentive of that part! After all you were the one to
supply the materials."

Even if I'm told that, I don't possess anything like an

artistic education.

"Eru, you know....do you think that I acquired an artistic

sense at birth or something like that? I leave such things to
Elise." (Wendelin)

Even taking my previous life into account, it's impossible

for me to possess an artistic talent or an aesthetic sense.

"It's no problem since you have plenty of good parts and

other areas where you excel, dear. Compensating for each
other's missing parts is what being a married couple is about."
(Elise)

As expected of my wife. Elise really says the good stuff

when it matters.

"I tried to probe it with magic for a bit just now, but since
there's still a faint residue of mana remaining from the
monster bones, this seems to be the reason that affects the
luster of the porcelain."
| Azura Ren |
 "To know this much and yet not having realized it...."

"I know as much that it's white and beautiful, but you won't
know the cause unless you investigate it with magic! Did you
yourself notice it, Eru!?" (Wendelin)

"No, my birthplace has a longstanding lineage of being

rural nobility after all. Do you think that there are goods from
purveyors, who work for high-ranking nobles in the capital,
back in my home?" (Erwin)

"No, my home didn't have those either, you know?"

(Wendelin)

***

The 『Fake Bone China』 was completed like this, but with it
becoming popular due to its whiteness, its luster and the
vibrancy of its designs, it turned into a special product of our
Baumeister Earldom.

At least it should have....

***

"Milord, it seems there's not enough clay because of the

many orders." (Roderich)

"Again?" (Wendelin)

"No matter how many you produce, it doesn't catch up with

the demand."

"Damn it! My workload has increased again!" (Wendelin)

The huge amount of public works that had piled up since I

| Azura Ren |
returned to my territory for the first time in a year, and in
addition the work of adjusting the components of the clay to
make these high-quality porcelain goods; for a while any
break vanished from my schedule.

No need to guess. I became more busy than during my time

as salaryman.

***

"So, Milord, I'd like to borrow more ideas from you."

(Roderich)

"Listen here, Roderich. Do you believe that I'm owning

some kind of magic pot that spits out business ideas?"
(Wendelin)

"I wouldn't go that far, but isn't the porcelain a huge

success?" (Roderich)

Roderich approached me with an excited face, expressing

『Quick, the next idea』.

The porcelain using monster bone ash had become very

popular.

Thanks to that it apparently became a gold mine for the

Baumeister Earldom, but at the same time the sales of
potteries in other territories should have declined.

If the sale of the potteries located in their own territories

go down, the nobles there will likely blame me. Headhunting
craftsmen and espionage activities to find out the raw
materials and the manufacturing process are of concern as
well.
| Azura Ren |
 Roderich turned the craftsmen working in the potteries
close to Baulburg and the skilled ones among the craftsmen
working in potteries, which are spread across the Baumeister
Earldom, into retainers.

The earthenware catered towards commoners has been

entrusted to private potteries. The high-class porcelain that
uses monster bone ash is directly managed by the Earl
Baumeister household and the craftsmen serving me as
retainers.

Although the pay is low, it's possible to pass on the title.

Depending on the amount of money of the sold porcelain,
they will receive bonuses, too.

It's a system that's equal to the daimyo treating potters as

samurai during the Edo period.

Since it's for the sake of keep it confidential, it's

indispensable to employ them with a proper pay.

Since they independently researched mixing the clay,

which was brought in from all over the Baumeister Earldom,
with monster bone ash, it will be a full success, once they
manage to make high-class porcelain without borrowing my
help.

Since it will also decrease my work, it's killing two birds

with one stone.

***

"This is no good, huh?"

"Umm.... Philine-sama, why are you wearing a maid

| Azura Ren |
uniform?"

As we had actually planned to go out together tomorrow, I

brought her with me from Breitburg, but Luise had fun
putting the clothes, which I had test manufactured by
Baulburg's tailors, on Philine.

"I feel strangely energetic in this maid attire."

"It's the latest uniform invented by me."

The maid uniforms in this world have the skirts reach

down to the ankles, use stiff fabric, have almost no ornaments
and even the design is old-fashioned in my eyes.

Accordingly Philine is wearing the maid uniform that had

been completed as a requested prototype in one of the
workshops of the city while using my personal opinion as
reference.

In reality I had planned to have Luise wear it, but....

"I will wear it as well. A short skirt, plenty of frills and the
color's not black either."

"Maid uniforms are generally black, but I believe that it's

just following the rules without thinking for oneself if you
only use black. It's the same for the design as well. Won't a
woman get more motivated to do her maid work by wearing
an exciting maid uniform?" (Wendelin)

"Even though you say that, it's just your personal

preference, isn't it Vel?" (Luise)

"Not at all. I'm just properly considering the welfare of my

| Azura Ren |
servants." (Wendelin)

I had also the idea that it might turn into a little bit of
business once I finish the new maid uniform, but to be honest
I just felt like seeing modern maid uniforms after a long time
as I'm going to see them everyday.

Since there's many places that use maid uniforms as work

uniforms such as the restaurants and shops in the city, and
not just the maids of nobility and the wealthy. It will be a big
benefit to get some money out of it, if I can sell them due to
the expectations of the uniforms attracting customers.

If there's one problem, I guess it the fact that they might

get copied right away.

"The swimsuits from before were nice, too. Vel, you do

have some strange talents."

It's no talent, but me simply remembering what I've seen in

my previous life.

What I used as reference was the time when I was taken

along to a maid cafe by a senpai who likes such
establishments.

"Of course I have your share as well, Ina." (Wendelin)

"I get one as well?" (Ina)

"It's time to try on some clothes, so let's have some fun. I

also have maid uniforms for Elise, Wilma, Katharina and
Haruka." (Wendelin)

"You are really well prepared, aren't you....? Oh well, it

| Azura Ren |
sounds fun either way. What about you?"

"I'd like to wear it. Seeing Dominique's maid clothes in the

past, I wanted to try wearing them once as well, but since it
seemed that I would get scolded by Grandfather...." (Elise)

Elise is a normal girl as well, so she had interest in fashion.

"Looks interesting." (Wilma)

"Why do I have to wear the clothes of servants....?"

(Katharina)

"If you don't like it, you don't have to wear them." (Wilma)

"Since profits will come around to the Earl Baumeister

household, if the tailors within the territory flourish due to
the new maid uniforms, this is the duty of one who was born
into a noble household." (Katharina)

Katharina was curtly told, "If you don't like it, you don't
have to wear them." by Wilma, but it looks like she doesn't
want to be left-out or maybe it's because of her being a former
loner.

While using a weird sophism, she agreed to trying on the

new maid uniform.

"Come to think of it, it will be the first time for me to wear

a skirt." (Haruka)

Given that Haruka is basically a person who is too serious,

she agreed with trying on maid clothes as it's an order by her
lord.

| Azura Ren |
 She says that it's the first time for her to wear a skirt, but if
I remember correctly, there were no people wearing skirts in
Mizuho to begin with.

Everyone headed to a separate room in order to change

clothes and then assembled after finishing in around 10
minutes.

"Yeeeah, what a supreme bliss." (Wendelin)

Philine was blue, Elise green, Ina purple, Luise pink,

Wilma yellow, and Katharina orange.

"...."

"...."

"Wendelin-san, Erwin-san, do you have some kind of

complaints towards me?" (Katharina)

"Vel, I don't know how to tell her...." (Erwin)

"Isn't it unnatural, if you say it deliberately?" (Wendelin)

Everyone is cute and the clothes suit them well. It turned

into a setup of Earl Baumeister and one of his retainers being
pleased with the wives and a girl wearing multicolored maid
uniforms, but it didn't suit Katharina at all thanks to her
haughty attitude even as maid, and her hairstyle.

"I wonder, would another color for the maid uniform be

better in your case, Katharina?"

"Vel, I don't think that's the issue here." (Erwin)

Eru declared.
| Azura Ren |
 "I see! She just have to straighten that hairstyle!"

After all a maid with ringlet curls is weird.

If she straightens her hairstyle....

Huh?

This turn of events, just recently....

"I shall decline. I'm picky about this hairstyle." (Katharina)

Hmmm, to be so obsessed about ringlet curls....

"Do you possibly have some kind of illness where you will
die if you unfasten the ringlet curls, Katharina?" (Wendelin)

"As if some one like that exists!" (Katharina)

I guess such an illness doesn't exist after all....

"Haruka-san, you look great." (Erwin)

Only Haruka wore a traditional, black maid uniform, but

Eru still seemed very happy.

It has a little less frills and a longer skirt than the maid
uniforms of Elise and the others.

I changed it with a feeling of holding back on remodeling it

too much, but Haruka became pigeon-toed and seemed to be
very embarrassed.

It looks like the skirt is still too short for her taste.

As she didn't wear anything but hakama to begin with, it's

| Azura Ren |
probably just because she isn't used to a skirt.

"A bashful Haruka-san, how nice...." (Erwin)

This one is a lost case. Eru is totally ogling her.

"Dear, as expected, I have a problem with using maid

uniforms in different colors than black inside the mansion."
(Elise)

"I see, I expected as much." (Wendelin)

"So you understand at least that much." (Luise)

"Luise, even I have some common sense, alright?!"

(Wendelin)

"That was doubtful at the moment when you reformed

them into such maid uniforms." (Luise)

"You!" (Wendelin)

Luise, that's no way how you should talk to your husband.

"Elise, these are for the shops in the city." (Wendelin)

For restaurants that hire young girls as waitresses, these

new maid uniforms will be very useful.

"Because plenty of male customers will visit?" (Elise)

Nothing less of Elise. She saw through my intention right

away, huh? Though it might only her being perceptive as she's
a woman.

"To be blunt, or rather, it looks like many male customers

| Azura Ren |
would actually visit...."

Ina, this is the sad nature of men.

"There's no mistake! The number of male customers will

increase!"

In that case even the store will be able to recover the

expenses for the maid uniforms right away.

"With several women wearing these in a single store, I

think it will be necessary to have several spare sets as they
have to be washed, too. If they wear different-colored maid
uniforms everyday, it might transform fresh customers into
regular patrons."

"Vel-sama, is that true?" (Wilma)

"It might be. As long as the managers believe so, we will be

able to sell a great number of the new maid uniforms."
(Wendelin)

And if the tailor workshops make a profit, the tax revenue

for the Earl Baumeister household will increase, too.

"Vel-sama, you're good at business." (Wilma)

Wilma, please praise me more.

I'm a Lord-sama who is prepared to contribute to an

improvement of my residents' lives.

"Hence, let's change the maid uniforms worn by

Dominique and Lea into these." (Wendelin)

"If you change them this much, it might become too showy
| Azura Ren |
instead."

Elise approved of the maid uniform worn by Haruka to be

used in the mansion.

"Umm, Vel." (Ina)

"Eh? You against it, Ina?" (Wendelin)

"I'm not, but I think that we should keep the old,

traditional maid uniforms." (Ina)

"Maid uniforms with an outdated design? Why....?"

(Wendelin)

"For young maids such as Dominique and Lea, it's fine. But,
there are maids inside this mansion that are older than our
mothers." (Ina)

Now that she mentions it, that's true!

There's no way that only Dominique and Lea can handle

such a big mansion. We have also hired a great number of
people such as the wives and daughters of my retainers as
maids.

I guess wearing these frilly and short-skirted maid

uniforms is tough for maids who have become somewhat
old....

"I think they will wear them without complaints, if you

adopt them, but...." (Ina)

The rest seems to be slightly difficult to say for Ina. She

probably wants to say that it will also be hard on our eyes.

| Azura Ren |
 "Ina, I will come up with a maid uniform that has a
subdued design and uses the same skirt length as the
traditional ones." (Wendelin)

Thus the new maid uniforms in various colors were sold by

tailor shops within the Baumeister Earldom. They were
mainly very popular with restaurants.

But, in this world that has no copyright they were copied

right away. I think I will note it down as being not overly
profitable.

And then....

***

『Earl Baumeister, according to what I have heard, you

enjoyed making my cute Philine wear indecent clothes....』
(Amadeus)

"I don't remember anything like that happening, though...."

(Wendelin)

Later on it was leaked to Margrave Breithilde that I had

Philine try on a new maid uniform, and thus I got stuck
explaining it to him which was an unnecessary waste of time.

| Azura Ren |
 Chapter 06: Entertainment Trip

(T/N: What's meant with entertainment here is a business

reception a company organizes for its important customers,
suppliers or partners.)

Yellowfin goby (haze) are fish inhabiting brackish waters

and Neiwan in East Asia, and a species of goby classified as
Perciformes goby. In addition it inhabits China, Australia and
America. In Japan it can be found south of Hokkaido. Haze,
kajika, guzu, dekihaze, hinehaze, ketahaze, kamagotsu, gozu,
kusohaze; it's called in various ways, depending on the region
and its size.

It's a fish which is a good target for simple fishing. Goby

(haze) fishing exists since the Edo period as amusement for
the common people.

Even as food it's popular. It's eaten by using it in various

dishes such as tempura, fried fish, sashimi, as ingredient for
soup, boiled in soy sauce and as sweetened boiled fish.

It's known as the best ingredient for Tokyo-styled tempura.

In a certain high-class tempura restaurant in Shitamachi,
haze tempura won't be served unless you order a full course
costing more than 8.000 yen.

In some regions such as Sendai, dried-and-grilled haze is

something indispensable for the dashi of the traditional
zouni.

(T/N: dashi is Japanese soup stock made out of fish and

kelp.... zouni is a typical New Year dish, it's a soup
| Azura Ren |
containing rice cake and various vegetables.)

If you ask why I'm explaining all this in such a detail....

"Earl Baumeister, this is the spot where they appear in

numbers and proper sizes. During the time time right after
the first dawn breaks, it's so many that they bite at every cast.
It's the private fishing spot of the Earl Mizuho Country, err,
Duke Mizuho family."

Just when my life finally calmed down after returning to

my territory, we received an invitation to an entertainment
trip from High Earl Mizuho, err, Duke Mizuho.

The location was the mouth of a river connected to the

ocean, where the Earl Mizuho Country, err, Mizuho Dukedom
obtained permission to fish from the Duke Philip household.

There's a high density of fish such as sweetfish, eels,

catfish, red mullets, goby, garden eels and whitings visible in
the water. Only the family of the Mizuho household,
retainers, who were recognized by the Mizuho family head,
and their families are allowed to catch fish with casting nets,
fishing-rods and other methods, and enjoy cooking what they
caught.

In addition it seems to be used as location for receiving and

entertaining important guests by the Mizuho household.

"In summer it's dekihaze. In the current season you can

fish big haze before they swim into the ocean."

For the Mizuho people, goby (haze) fishing was a popular

pastime, which all of them, from the feudal lord to the
commoners, enjoyed.
| Azura Ren |
 As expected of a ethnic group that resembled the Japanese,
they have quite the refined hobbies.

"The Extreme Limit Steel, and that porcelain with its

distinctive, shining whiteness. We have repeatedly made our
craftsmen research them many times over, but they don't
reach that level of perfection. I'd like you to sell the
production methods to us by all means." (Mizuho)

We were received by Duke Mizuho for that reason.

It's combined with the reason of bringing congratulatory

gifts for Duke Mizuho, who increased his territory and went
up in noble rank.

"You are stating your wish quite openly, aren't you?"

(Wendelin)

"It can't be that you haven't noticed that, Earl Baumeister.

Also, since the time of the civil war was quite difficult, it
likewise serves as an occasion to simply take a breather."
(Mizuho)

Given that it was such a strenuous war, even Duke Mizuho

probably wanted to relax a bit.

It's the same for me as well.

After all I had my vacation decreased by being forced to

develop a special product for some reason.

"Please, have a drink while leisurely letting the line

dangle." (Mizuho)

"Oh, thank you very much for the treat." (Wendelin)

| Azura Ren |
 I had Duke Mizuho pour me some sake.

Next to the place, where you can often fish haze if you use
simple fishing rods, located on the bank of the river's mouth,
a genuinely Mizuho-styled house has been erected.
Furthermore you can fish haze through an indoor window
without having to worry about the cold of winter.

The caught haze are immediately prepared as sashimi,

fried fish, tempura, haze boiled in soy sauce and soup by the
employed cooks of the Mizuho household, and served
alongside sake.

Even the sake is a haze sake that had grilled-and-dried

haze put into warmed sake. It turned into an arrangement
where you not only enjoyed its deliciousness, but also
indulged in a certain elegance.

For me, a former Japanese, it's a very pleasant reception.

"I caught one! I caught one! Ooh! Is this a new record?"

Even in this world, reeling rods exist.

They are also available in the Kingdom, but the ones made
in the Mizuho Dukedom resemble those of modern Japan and
are easy to use.

Since they are a race that likes fish, they are enthusiastic
about researching devices that allow them to fish properly.
Things such as balance scales and hooks were fairly similar to
the ones in Japan.

"The string is thin and sturdy, too." (Wendelin)

| Azura Ren |
 I was able to catch a haze exceeding a length of 20 cm, but
even though the fishing line is superfine, there seems to be no
need to worry about it snapping.

"It's been manufactured out of a special thread of a spider

called Big Madara Spider, which lives in monster domains.
Even professional fishers treat it as priceless treasure."
(Mizuho)

"It looks like there also demand for it in the Kingdom."

"There have already been inquiries by Kingdom nobles. A

true grace of the peace treaty." (Mizuho)

The Duke Mizuho household was listed as nobility of the

Empire, but in the end it's no pure Empire nobility.

Peter is trying to somehow produce a sense of unity, but it

seems the Kingdom's government and its nobility are showing
movements to try forming connections with the independent
Duke Mizuho household.

Though, as for the Kingdom's government, it was me who

proposed to do so to his Majesty.

"Our Mizuho household yielding a profit due to trade

blossoming is a matter of great joy, but Earl Baumeister,
unexpectedly you are quite the schemer." (Mizuho)

"Am I?" (Wendelin)

"The Helmut Kingdom didn't dispatch soldiers to take

advantage of the Empire's civil war, but economically you
might say that it has started its invasion." (Mizuho)

| Azura Ren |
 The current Empire is suffering from the damages to its
productivity and circulation of goods and money due to the
civil war.

The Kingdom is taking advantage of that, or rather it has

reached the point where the Kingdom's products are
gradually imported.

However, that's something you might expect from

merchants.

Being sensitive to opportunities to make quickly a lot of

money, they don't even mind crossing the border if it's for the
sake of business.

"Well, since we have a trade surplus, it's going smoothly for

us, I dare say. I think it's difficult for the central government,
though." (Mizuho)

They seem to be desperate to strengthen the government

system, but it looks like small-scaled rebellions have popped
up immediately.

"Viscount Betel has apparently started a rebellion together

with nobles that were demoted and their retainers. He was
dissatisfied over his territory being reduced. The rebellion
was rounded up in a mere week and his head was put on a
pike, though." (Mizuho)

Gilbert, who became the highest general of the Imperial

Army, subjugated the rebels by sending his combat forces
right away.

Given that he's a capable soldier, you could call it a natural

outcome, as Viscount Betel was no military genius either.
| Azura Ren |
 "That means it will take time until the Empire settles
down." (Mizuho)

"Peter sure has it tough." (Wendelin)

"I invited him as well since you were going to come, but he
turned it down as he appears to be busy. He used words such
as 『disappointing, regret』." (Mizuho)

Likewise, Alfons, who's busy as new Duke Philip, didn't

come to this reception as things are too hectic for him at the
moment.

"I guess Therese-dono hasn't come either." (Mizuho)

"She is refraining from doing so." (Wendelin)

She's no member of the Duke Philip household anymore,

thus she harbors no intention to be politically active in the
Empire.

To immediately return into the Empire — even if it's only

for fun — despite having left because she announced her
intention to society isn't very smart, she told me.

"I'm told that there would be many Empire nobles, who

would likely intrude upon you, Duke Mizuho, wanting to turn
up at this location, if she had attended. It seems that she
doesn't want to cause you any troubles." (Wendelin)

"There's that as well. Therese-dono seems to be in good

health in the Baumeister Earldom. It might be the best like
that." (Mizuho)

Since it can't be helped that it's only very political topics, or

| Azura Ren |
rather, because it will be problematic to get involved too
deeply, I decided to focus on fishing.

"Eru, did you catch anything?" (Wendelin)

"Quite a few with a reasonable size. This fried haze is

great." (Erwin)

Eru had them make fried haze out of the ones he caught
himself, and seems to be very satisfied with that.

"Umm.... Eru-san." (Haruka)

"Ah, bait, right? These guys are slippery. Once in a while

they also bite." (Erwin)

Haruka seems to be bad with the bait, living eunicids.

She apologetically asked Eru to help her, and had him

attach the bait to the hook.

"So even you have things that you dislike, Haruka-san."

(Erwin)

I have been bad with this slimy things since my

childhood...." (Haruka)

"Certainly, there are probably people who are bad with

those." (Erwin)

Eru hooks the bait for Haruka who's bad with live bait, and
both of them fish happily together.

The sight of that was the very definition of a riajuu couple.

Still not having completely shed my loner attribute,

| Azura Ren |
jealousy gnaws at my heart....

You are throwing my heart out of order!

"Eru-san, I was able to catch one." (Haruka)

"This is quite a big one. Let's have them turn it into

tempura right away." (Erwin)

Haruka hands the haze to a female caretaker, and a man,

who really emits the aura of being a professional cook, cuts
and trims the fish with flawless movements, coats and then
deep-fries it.

After intently watching the saucepan for a short while, he

pulls out the fried tempura without any hesitation in his
movements and then swiftly drains the oil.

I can't take my eyes off his skilled techniques.

And then the haze tempura is set on a plate and presented

in front of the two.

"Eru-san, do you eat this with dipping sauce or salt?"

(Haruka)

"It's the beginning, so let's go with salt." (Erwin)

"Understood. Here, please open your mouth." (Haruka)

"A~an. Oh, delicious. Being fed by you makes it even more

tasty, Haruka-san." (Erwin)

"That's not true." (Haruka)

"No, no, I'm telling you; that's how it is." (Erwin)

| Azura Ren |
 Being praised by Eru, Haruka's face becomes red.

Honestly, just watching it, makes me want to scream

『Aaaaaaahhh!』.

Or rather, don't you guys harbor any respect or esteem

towards the tempura artisan who possesses those highly
proficient techniques?

I consider that to be weird.

In no way does it mean that I'm feeling jealous or

something like that.

"That's youth for you. Sometimes I also had my wife do

that for me in my early days." (Mizuho)

"Is that so?" (Wendelin)

If I'm honest, I haven't experienced anything like that

before getting married and surely not in my previous life.

Rather, no matter how young he might have been, I don't

think that it suits Duke Mizuho.

Since it would be rude to say that out loud, I don't mention

it, though.

| Azura Ren |
 "If only Takeomi-san was here for such occasions...."
(Wendelin)

If that younger-sister-loving siscon samurai was here, he

would prevent the indiscreet acts of those two. Even though
he would condemn them, he wasn't present today for some
reason.

"If it's Takeomi, he's absent today due to receiving harsh

criticism by the lot of the Fujibayashi family."

"What did he do?" (Wendelin)

"He's a nuisance to a peaceful relationship with the Earl

Baumeister household and the Duke Mizuho household."

The Fujibayashi household had its hereditary stipend go up

quite a bit due to the successful accomplishment of guarding
us and the distinguished war services in the civil war by
Haruka and Takeomi-san. Although it's at the lower end, they
did join the group of high-ranking retainers.

"As there's also the marriage between Erwin and Haruka

among those achievements, it's probably only natural for him
to get scolded, if the next family head himself is an obstacle to
the marriage."

It looks he was reprimanded by his father, the current

family head, his grandfather, the retired, previous family
head, and almost all other family members.

"I hear he was rebuked with 『Even though they have such
a great relationship, what's the idea with you acting as
nuisance there!?』, but I think everyone says that."
| Azura Ren |
 Therefore he was forced to stay away from this time's
fishing trip which he originally should be able to join as he
has now become a higher-ranked retainer.

"(Tsk! What an useless older brother. Even so, with Eru's

social standing....)" (Wendelin)

The jealousy dwelling in my heart is gradually growing

bigger.

I remember my past and end up thinking, 『Riajuu and

their likes should just explode and die』.

Moreover, there's also their blasphemy towards the

tempura artisan.

Right, this is truly the most important.

I will say it once more; this is definitely no jealousy.

"Dear, I have also learned how to make tempura, and

actually tried to make some." (Elise)

Did she perceive the spreading of darkness in my heart?

Elise brought her own tempura over after having placed it on
a plate.

As expected of my wife.

I had my heart wrapped up in the same kind of darkness as

Duke Nürnberg, but she removed what as about to become
the reason for purging a loyal retainer.

"Hee, you have really deep-fried them very nicely."

(Wendelin)

| Azura Ren |
 "Tempura is difficult." (Elise)

Certainly, if you try to perfect tempura, it's difficult.

From the processing of the ingredients, to the making of

the coating and finally to the way of deep-frying; if you don't
pay meticulous attention to all of them, it won't work.

"Identifying the change in the oil's sizzling in the middle of

deep-frying is hard." (Elise)

"That's quite the high level you've going there...."

(Wendelin)

Even though she has deep-fried tempura for the first time,
Elise is talking about professional-cook-like things.

It added another episode to her perfect superwoman

legend.

"It looks like it will take time and proper training to learn
how to drain the oil. Well then, let me have a bite at once."

I eat the tempura made by Elise before it gets cold.

Inside it's hot and flaky as it's been deep-fried lightly.

I ended up giving my impressions like in a certain gourmet

manga, but honestly, it's very tasty.

After all, I'm convinced that one should eat tempura with
salt first.

"Delicious. As expected of you, Elise." (Wendelin)

"Great. With this we can make it at all times in the

| Azura Ren |
Baumeister Earldom." (Elise)

Looking at Elise smiling sweetly while saying that, I was

confident in my victory.

"Vel, what are you making a face as if you are elated by

success for while eating tempura?" (Erwin)

Eru looked curious, but you should thank Elise. Even

though you might have been purged by the future me due to
your riajuu nature, that flag was broken thanks to her.

"Ah, don't worry about it. By the way, what about Ina and
the others?" (Wendelin)

"Yes, they have deep-fried tempura together with me."

(Elise)

Ahead of where Elise was looking, Ina and Luise were

deep-frying huge amounts of tempura for some reason.

"If we have deep-fry only this many, we won't reach Elise's

level, but I did improve." (Ina)

"I was able to receive a passing mark from artisan-san."

(Luise)

"Say, why are you two frying tempura so eagerly?"

(Wendelin)

I approach Ina and Luise, who are immersed in deep-

frying so much tempura that it makes me wonder whether
they are going to open a restaurant, and try asking them.

"It's not enough at all."

| Azura Ren |
 "Deep-frying, deep-frying, it's endless."

The reason for them going at it so earnestly were Doushi

and Wilma.

Two black holes exist in a certain area. Over there all kind
of food and beverage ends up vanishing in no time.

"In my opinion this fish called haze is very delicious, but if

you could catch one with a length of at least one meter, it
would be even more wonderful." (Armstrong)

"Really, the more I eat the hungrier I get." (Wilma)

"No.... such big haze doesn't exist...."

At the very least it's impossible for yellowfin goby

(mahaze). After all they are already big if they exceed 20
centimeters.

"Then there's no other choice but to go for numbers!"

(Armstrong)

"I will fish because I want to eat more." (Wilma)

Doushi and Wilma were disappointed about there being no

huge haze, but since both have positive characters, they
immediately switched their thinking towards it being alright
as long as they catch a great amount of them.

Both hand the haze they catch to Ina and Luise, and then
wolf them down after they were processed into tempura.

Sometimes they immersed themselves in fishing with

Doushi drinking haze sake and Wilma consuming sweetened

| Azura Ren |
boiled haze, haze boiled in soy sauce and tea.

Be that as it may, they sure eat a lot....

"I caught one." (Wilma)

"Wilma, you're quite skilled."

As expected of a girl who has turned hunting and fishing

into her hobby and occupation. She's fishing haze at the level
of a Meijin. And the caught haze were immediately cooked
and landed in her stomach.

"Won't the haze in this area go extinct at this rate?"

(Erwin)

"There are no others who fish here, so it should be alright, I

think...."

Doushi and Wilma are eating haze with a speed that makes
Eru worried that the fish around here might go extinct.

However, this estuary is the exclusive fishing spot of the

Duke Mizuho household.

The fish probably won't go extinct that easily.

"I caught one, but it's a fish I have never seen before...."

"Ah, a whiting. If you make tempura out of it, it will be

delicious as well."

A young female caretaker taught Wilma about the type of

fish.

The point is that she was able to catch a whiting, which she
| Azura Ren |
didn't intend to catch, because this is an estuary.

These fish were also popular as ingredient for tempura in

the Edo period.

They don't live at the Kingdom's coasts and can only be

caught in the Empire's north.

I have never seen them in the Kingdom.

"Vel-sama, sample it." (Wilma)

"This is great, too." (Wendelin)

Since Wilma is taciturn, she won't tell me to open my

mouth for mouth-feeding, but she lets me eat the whiting
tempura.

Given that this fish is also a tempura ingredient with great

taste and a white-fleshed fish for sashimi and sushi, it was
delicious, as expected.

"I want to eat one, too." (Armstrong)

Having watched us, Doushi selfishly, like a child, says that

he wants to eat a whiting as well.

"It's a fish outside what we are luring, so you can't catch it

so easily."

"Unununu—! The most important thing while fishing is the

strong wish of wanting to catch something!" (Armstrong)

Doushi says something that seems to contain some truth,

but as it was only his gluttony speaking, I can't hear it as
anything but him simply wanting to eat a whiting.
| Azura Ren |
 However, Doushi seems to not be very skilled at fishing.
Putting the small bait on the small hook is difficult for him,
and in the end he ends up losing to Wilma in the process.

"The way to gain points is to match the timing when they

appear on the surface.... Doushi, you suck." (Wilma)

"I'm bad with prey that I can't see...." (Armstrong)

Thanks to that Doushi didn't even catch a fifth of what

Wilma caught.

"Now, pull! I'm sure! This is a big one!" (Armstrong)

The rod in Doushi's hands bends drastically. Once he

quickly wound in the reel, the catch was pulled up.

However, the it wasn't a haze.

"A blowfish?"

"I guess that's because it's the mouth of a river?"

On Doushi's fishing-rod, the blowfish had started to puff

up.

"Umm, this fish is called 『River Blowfish』...."

A woman, who takes care of us, says apologetically to

Doushi.

"It can be eaten, right? I ate blowfish before." (Armstrong)

"It's a different kind.... You can often catch them in

estuaries, but the parts that can be eaten are full of poison."

| Azura Ren |
 "How regrettable...." (Armstrong)

Understanding that he won't be able to eat the blowfish,

Doushi feels awfully down.

"I caught one." (Wilma)

"That's fast."

Even while Doushi is preoccupied with such things, Wilma

steadily piles up catches.

"However, there aren't many left anymore. Even though I

wanted to bring some grilled-and-dried haze back home with
me...." (Wilma)

No matter how many she catches, since Wilma eats up

everything, the possibility of her bringing back haze is low.

"Umm, I think it will be fine as long as we return while

buying some on the way home." (Wendelin)

"As expected of you, Vel-sama. That's a wonderful

solution." (Wilma)

"...."

Is that such an amazing opinion that it has to be praised?

I feel like everyone could have come up with that....

"Now then, Katharina is...." (Wendelin)

Once I lastly looked for Katharina, she was challenging

fishing with a serious expression alongside Philine.

| Azura Ren |
 Bringing Philine along this time was the idea of Margrave
Breithilde's wife. Because she became my fiancée, it's for the
sake of making it known inside and outside the country that
we are on such good terms that she accompanies me at such
times.

『Earl Baumeister.... if you make a move on Philine....』

(Amadeus)

『I won't!』 (Wendelin)

『Then it's fine, but.... how nice, being able to go on a trip

with Philine....』 (Amadeus)

Right before our departure, I heard Margrave Breithilde's

envious voice through the MHCD, but there's no way that I'm
going to make a move on a 10 years old child.

Since he's no adventurer or magician, I felt sympathy for

him not being able to freely go on a trip with his daughter,
though.

As a matter of fact, her coming with us has another

objective: she also acts as Margrave Breithilde's
representative.

Due to my intermediation, she brought congratulatory gifts

for Duke Mizuho with the meaning of getting along with each
other by trading from now on and such.

Philine, who handed him those, competed with Katharina

at fishing, befitting of a child at her age.

"In order to easily sense the fine bites, I deployed a 『Magic

Barrier』 to avoid the surrounding of the line being hit by the
| Azura Ren |
outside wind." (Katharina)

"Uwaaah, as expected of you, Katharina-sama." (Philine)

"With this it's set in stone that I will be able to catch the
most." (Katharina)

Even though they are fishing haze as game, only Katharina

is doing it so seriously that the others are drawing back from
her.

Just Philine, who is with her, admired Katharina's magic.

Because it's plain magic, it's very difficult to confirm it with

the naked eye, but in the eyes of Philine, who can't use magic,
it seems to be amazing.

"I don't understand why you're so obsessed with winning."

(Wendelin)

"Wendelin-san, doing it seriously is the reason why playing

is fun." (Katharina)

Katharina brazenly spit out a seemingly fair argument, but

even so, the world of competition wasn't that easy-going.

Actually Katharina obviously isn't good at fishing.

There are many magicians who are quick at catching fish

with magic.

"Umm.... I can't fish as well as I expected, but...."

(Katharina)

It looks like there's not much of a difference with the

amount of what I caught.
| Azura Ren |
 If it's like this, Wilma is overwhelmingly better at fishing.

"....If I catch some big game, it will be my overwhelming

victory." (Katharina)

While saying that, Katharina shows the biggest haze among

the ones she caught to me.

"Earl Baumeister-sama, the haze caught by Katharina-

sama are big." (Philine)

Certainly, as Philine says, the biggest one is around 27

centimeters long.

It was a big catch one won't be able to fish that often.

"Whoa, huge!"

"It's my win with this big catch." (Katharina)

Katharina threw out her chest in the belief of having won,

but her doing as she pleased came to an end soon afterwards.

"Wilma-jou, that's a really big one!"

"I think it will be filling if it's made into tempura." (Wilma)

When Wilma pulled in a monster haze with a size close to

30 cm, many people gathered around her.

Katharina's three minutes of fame were so short that they

even paled in comparison to Akechi Mitsuhide.

"Wilma apparently caught fish since her earliest childhood

days...."

| Azura Ren |
 I heard that she secured her food expenses by fishing at
rivers since she couldn't go hunting when she was small.

She quickly assembles a fishing-rod and her skill is at the

level of a Meijin. It goes so far that she has been approved by
the caretakers of the Mizuho household who are
accompanying us.

"How amazing, Wilma-sama."

"I caught one that was a little smaller 30 years ago, but
even then I was envied by the former lord."

The elder caretakers, who teach fishing and take care of the
guests, admired the size of the haze caught by Wilma.

As they also fish haze as hobby, they appear to be genuinely

jealous of Wilma.

After measuring the length of the caught haze with a ruler,

they are getting very excited.

"Even if it's this big, it's not like it's clear whether several of
them are caught in a year." (Wendelin)

Since it will be troublesome if Katharina gets angry here, I

follow up for her..

It's not like Katharina is particularly reserved towards

Wilma, but once it come to a match, she loses sight of
everything else.

"...." (Katharina)

"Katharina?" (Wendelin)

| Azura Ren |
 "Then I will catch an even bigger haze tomorrow morning
right after dawn! Yes, with the resolve to reel in the boss of
the haze in this river!" (Katharina)

"Is there actually something like a haze boss in this river?"

(Wendelin)

I have never heard anything about that.

"Wendelin-san, isn't there always one in monster domains?

I'm sure, there must be one hidden in this river as well!"
(Katharina)

"(As if something like that exists....)" (Wendelin)

It's not like this is some fishing manga....this is a normal

river, not a monster domain.

I was simply astonished by Katharina's words.

***

"Dark, cold, there's no sign of the sun rising yet."

(Wendelin)

And then, early morning of the next day, right after the first
sign of dawn.

Since it's winter, the sun shows no signs of rising yet.

During such a time, me, Doushi, Katharina, Wilma and

Philine came to the mouth of the river, slightly away from the
guest house where we had lodged.

"Earl Baumeister-sama, this is the spot."

| Azura Ren |
 "Here, huh....?" (Wendelin)

Last night I thought, 『As if there's something like a haze

boss!』, but being told by an old man, who usually manages
the river, that it actually does exist, I quickly decided to join
the boss fishing.

Why, you ask? That's because it would be amusing if there

was a fishing manga-like development.

"Haze die in one to two years, however there's a rumor that

the boss haze has been alive for several tens or even several
hundreds of years. Even my grandfather is saying that he
happened to see it."

His family is the one that usually takes care of this river,
the exclusive fishing spot of the Duke Mizuho household.

I hear they are patrolling the river everyday as

countermeasure against poachers, but he says that he has
seen a huge haze with a size of around two meters swimming
in the riverbed a few times.

"Two meters is amazing."

Even though haze die once they lay their eggs, it's an
individual that has survived and grown by not laying eggs,
huh?

The story is gradually getting exciting.

"But, if it's a haze with a length of two meters, yesterday's

fishing-rods won't cut it, will they?"

"Expecting that, I prepared new ones." (Wilma)

| Azura Ren |
 As expected of the woman with the alias 『Fishergirl
Wilma』, who doesn't make any compromises when it comes
to fishing.

It seems she asked the elderly caretakers yesterday and

prepared the necessary fishing-rods.

"However, why is Wilma the one doing the preparations?

The one who talked about catching the boss was Katharina,
no?" (Wendelin)

"Until now I have only used magic to catch fish.

Accordingly I asked Wilma, who's my rival." (Katharina)

"Oi...." (Wendelin)

It's not what you say, but how you say it, or rather,
Katharina is amazing to be able to insist on calling a super-
veteran a rival as super-beginner.

"In other words, Katharina-jou. you're aiming for

beginner's luck? In that case I have a chance as well!"
(Armstrong)

"Doushi-sama, I want to catch a big game, too." (Philine)

Doushi and Philine pick up rods and declare that they will
participate in the boss fishing.

This time Elise, Ina, Luise, Haruka and Eru won't

participate.

『If you catch something, we will prepare it for

breakfast.』(Elise)

| Azura Ren |
 Elise and the others will prepare breakfast since they wake
up a little later.

The menu depends on what we catch.

"It's a tough fishing-rod, Wilma-sama." (Philine)

"If it's not at least this sturdy, it won't hold out if you catch
the boss." (Wilma)

A tough rod similar to a seashore rod, a huge reel, a fishing

line that was given a special treatment after putting together
six threads of the Big Madara Spider, a heavy sinker, a large
hook; if it's this, there's likely no worry that a somewhat big
game will be able to escape.

"What's the bait?" (Wendelin)

"This." (Wilma)

Big earthworms that look like small snakes were inside the
bucket held out by Wilma.

"If they aren't at least this big, big game won't bite."
(Wilma)

"It was correct to not bring Haruka along."

With her not being able to stomach normal eunicids, she

might have fainted, if she saw such monster earthworms.

And Eru nursing her.... such riajuu spectacle is

unnecessary for the romance of a boss fishing.

"After attaching the bait to the hook so that it's hidden, you
toss the line towards the target point." (Wilma)
| Azura Ren |
 Wilma, who affixed a huge earthworm to the hook, lightly
swings the tough rod and drops the line at the target point.

With her apparently being able to cast it to the place she

had aimed for, she is most definitely a sexy fishing girl.

"After waiting for the bait to sink down there, you loosen
the fishing line and wait for a bite." (Wilma)

"Luring is not necessary?"

"No, the big earthworm will struggle in the water." (Wilma)

I see. They are such monster earthworms after all. They

will surely struggle and attract the fish' interest.

"And then you drink amazake while waiting." (Wilma)

"Wilma-sama, the amazake is delicious." (Philine)

"This is also one of the pleasures of fishing during cold

seasons." (Wilma)

I feel like the last part isn't really necessary, but since it's
an early winter morning, it's cold right now.

The elderly caretakers heated up some amazake and

distributed it to everyone.

Warm and sweet amazake is the best against hunger.

"I guess we will also start then."

Following Wilma's example, we also toss our lines after

attaching bait to the hooks.

| Azura Ren |
 "(There are no women here who are going to say 『Kyaa—
earthworms are scary!』....)"

"Wendelin-san, did you say something?" (Katharina)

"No, nothing." (Wendelin)

If there were, they might have gotten angry, but there's not
a single one here, or rather, the only one who would say
something like that is Eru's fiancée who would likewise get a
bit fuzzy at that time. Even Katharina attaches a big
earthworm to the hook with a calm expression.

The women in this world are strong-willed.

"Throwing the line to the targeted place is hard."

(Wendelin)

I can't quite toss the line to the place I had planned as I'm
not used to a big rod, but even if it's slightly off, it will
probably work out one way or the other.

"As the last one I will toss the line to the perfect spot!
Alley-hop!" (Armstrong)

Despite saying something along those lines, Doushi ends

up launching the line all the way to the opposite river bank.

That's his usual monstrous strength for you.

Since this is fishing, it's meaningless if you don't toss the

hook into water at the very least, though.

"Doushi...." (Wendelin)

"I'm worried, the line might have snapped." (Wilma)

| Azura Ren |
 "You are less skilled than I am...." (Katharina)

We looked at him with cold eyes, but there was one

exception among us.

"Doushi-sama, you are really amazingly strong." (Philine)

"Right? You do understand it, Philine." (Armstrong)

For some reason only Philine was overjoyed with her eyes
sparkling.

As even Doushi doesn't seem to be all that unhappy with

being praised, these two fit together smoothly like parent and
child, despite not being connected by blood.

"Next I will throw it while toning down my strength a bit."

(Armstrong)

Fortunately the line didn't get caught in a tree's branch or

something like that. Doushi reeled it back in, trying to collect
the hook.

As he's in the process of doing that, Doushi is suddenly

attacked by a very strong pulling.

"I caught something!" (Armstrong)

"Wow, Doushi-sama." (Philine)

Philine is also delighted by Doushi's fast bite, but

something's odd.

There's no way that a fish is caught by a hook that slides

along the ground.

| Azura Ren |
 "That's obviously not a fish, don't you think?" (Katharina)

"Naturally, since it's not in the water." (Wendelin)

"We should see what got caught by reeling it in!"

(Armstrong)

It seems to be a tremendous pull, but if it comes to

Doushi's power, it's no particular problem.

It continues being reeled in without stopping while causing

scraping sounds. Finally we could see the prey.

"A wild boar?"

What got caught was a slightly smallish boar.

"Why a wild boar though?"

"These big earthworms are the favorite dish of the boars

around here."

The elderly caretaker explained.

"This area, where the big earthworms live, is also the

hunting ground of boars. Wild boars often dig up the ground,
looking for earthworms."

Hunters, who come here, look for places where these

worms dwell. At times when the hunt doesn't turn out well,
they catch those earthworms and go to sell them to fishing
shops.

"Even at times when they don't manage to hunt a boar,

these will at least help them to some pocket money."

| Azura Ren |
 "Hee, really?"

While we are having such a conversation, the boar is

dragged from the opposite bank into the river by Doushi. It's
gradually getting pulled in our direction.

Once I looked properly, a big hook was stuck in its mouth.

Since the prey is what it is, I wondered whether the hook

would come off, but apparently it won't fall out as it's stuck
deeper than I expected.

The boar, which was pulled up next to Doushi, was silenced

with one of his punches.

The pitiable boar was immediately hung on a nearby tree to

drain its blood.

"I was the first to catch something." (Armstrong)

"Doushi-sama, you are amazing." (Philine)

"It's quite obviously not a result from fishing. The original

target is the huge haze...."

Causing the miracle of catching a boar after coming to fish

is doubtlessly something that only Doushi can pull off.

Katharina, Wilma and I seem to share the same opinion,

but for some reason only Philine praised Doushi.

"Finally, a bite!" (Katharina)

Immediately after restarting the fishing, Katharina

obtained the first catch in the truest meaning.

| Azura Ren |
 "Though I don't think that it's the huge haze...."

Even Katharina struggled for a while to reel it in, but what

she pulled up was a fish resembling a sea bass.... no, no
matter how you look at it, it is a sea bass.

"It's a 『Shiro』 with a great size."

The elderly caretaker scoops up the 80 cm long sea bass

with a fishing net.

In this world its official name is shiro and not sea bass.

"I guess it's name is shiro as it's a white-fleshed fish that

can be prepared in any way such as sashimi, boiled fish,
grilled fish or deep-fried fish."

"I learned something new." (Wendelin)

After being told some trivia by the elderly caretaker, we

continue fishing.

Meanwhile the old man dismantles the boar, drains the

blood from the shiro caught by Katharina after pickling it, and
removes the intestines and gills with skilled hand movements.

"Oh! I caught something!" (Wendelin)

"Earl Baumeister-sama, I have a bite, too." (Philine)

"I also caught one." (Armstrong)

Since it's the time right after dawn breaking, there are
many bites.

All of them were big shiro, but since we can fish only big
| Azura Ren |
game, it's surprisingly fun.

If we catch so many, it will probably be more than

sufficient as souvenir for Elise and the others.

"This is a big catch."

Wilma catches shiro exceeding one meter in succession. It

was proof of her high skill.

Because they are big, the fish' pulling is also powerful, but
Wilma with her superhuman strength uses the power of the
fishing line, overcoming all of them.

"With such a big haul, it was really worthwhile to have

guided you here."

The caretaker reveals a relieved face while pickling the

caught fish.

He was probably told in advance by Duke Mizuho that we

are important guests.

"The monster haze isn't biting, but well, I guess it can't be

helped."

Precisely because its wariness is high, it hasn't been caught

so far.

It's likely a fish one can't catch so easily in two days.

"I think the monster haze is the boss exactly because it

stays in this river." (Katharina)

Even though she was the one who first talked about
wanting to catch it, Katharina was satisfied with catching big
| Azura Ren |
shiro.

I don't really know whether she's a poor loser or finally

understood, but she's saying something that local residents,
who live near the place where the master of a lake depicted in
fishing manga dwells, would say.

"We were able to catch plenty. Let's grill these with salt for
breakfast."

"That sounds delicious, doesn't it Doushi-sama?" (Philine)

"Yeah, I'm looking forward to it." (Armstrong)

This side is probably satisfied from catching big fish as

well.

Doushi obediently winds up the line and begins to prepare

for heading back.

Philine started to clean up the fishing utensils together

with Doushi.

"Well, let's stop soon then." (Wendelin)

At the time when even Wilma started to withdraw the line

by reeling it in, there's a bite at Katharina's rod, who's the
only one that continued fishing, but it doesn't seem to be that
much of a big catch.

"It's a shiro with a size of around 30 cm." (Katharina)

As there isn't much resistance, Katharina reeled it in and

easily pulled the fish up to the water surface.

"At this size we should rather call it 『shiroko』."

| Azura Ren |
 Same as with sea bass, the way of calling it changes
depending on the degree of growth.

However, it's not separated into many classifications like

sea bass.

It looks like only a shiro with a size of less than 30 cm is

called shiroko.

"If it has only this much of a size, I will release it."

(Katharina)

While the fish' mouth appeared atop the water surface,

Katharina leisurely reeled it in.

At the time when everyone thought that pulling it up once,

removing the hook and freeing it was all that's left, a huge
shadow abruptly appeared from underwater and completely
swallowed the small shiroko caught by Katharina.

"Earl Baumeister-sama, it was eaten by a very huge fish."

(Philine)

"Wow, Katharina, who's usually not blessed by luck, caused

a miracle." (Wilma)

Philine is is overjoyed whereas Wilma casually says

something cruel.

The big fish swallows the small one in an instant and swims
down towards the river's bottom.

Luckily the hook, which got stuck in the shiroko, attaches

itself to the big fish. Katharina was assaulted by a pulling that
looked as if she might be pulled into the river.
| Azura Ren |
 "Wendelin-san! I did it!" (Katharina)

"Although it's a coincidence, you did well!" (Wendelin)

As it was trying to eat the small fish in the middle of

catching it, she caught the huge haze, the big winner.

It means only for today Katharina's luck pulled ahead.

"Do your best in pulling it in." (Wendelin)

"Eh? You're not going to help?" (Katharina)

"Huh? What's the point if you don't catch it by yourself?"

(Wendelin)

To brag that she caught it herself, Katharina has to finish it

herself, otherwise it will be meaningless.

Besides, Katharina possesses magic. She should be

plentifully capable of catching it herself.

"You have 『Body Strengthening』, don't you?" (Wendelin)

"I'm strong at wind-based spells, so I haven't learned any

spells except for those boosting my mobility." (Katharina)

"Though I don't think your attribute has anything to do

with this...." (Wendelin)

Fire is power, wind is speed, and so on. 『Body

Strengthening』 is not related to any attributes.

However, Katharina simply couldn't learn it.

Well, since there are many situations where she uses the
| Azura Ren |
strategy of firing spells from the rear, there's no need for her
to use 『Body Strengthening』 like Doushi.

"Wendelin-san, if you don't hurry, I will be pulled into the

river...." (Katharina)

"What amazing power." (Wendelin)

Although it's just the likes of a haze, it seems to have a lot

of power once it exceeds two meters in total length.

Katharina is about to be pulled into the river. The fishing

line keeps unwinding from the reel.

I quickly cast 『Body Strengthening』 on myself and take the

fishing-rod from Katharina.

"If you really exists, I will have you allow me to catch you,
boss of this river!" (Wendelin)

However, my fishing skills are quite outlandish as amateur.

Using my magic-enforced power, I simply reel in the line

forcibly.

Even so, with the hook having seemingly stuck in a good

place, I succeeded in pulling up the catch without it being
able to escape.

"Huge!"

A haze, which exceeds two meters and is unattainable all

over the world, leave alone in Japan, actually existed.

However....

| Azura Ren |
 "It's somewhat really gross...."

"That's true...." (Katharina)

Although we caught the big catch at long last, I'm somehow

not overly moved by it.

In stories it often happens that the characters finally

manage to catch the big one after persevering for many days,
but is it because we ended up catching it on the first day, or is
it because it has a very frightening face once you look at the
caught prey?

No, even a normal mahaze is unexpectedly scary with its

jagged mouth, if you look properly at it.

If something like that exceeds 2 meters, it's only natural for

it to be scary, I guess....

"It looks like it's gonna hurt if you're bitten by that."

The opponent is a fish that completely swallows down

another fish with a length close to 30 cm.

Its jagged teeth are sharp, too. Just as Wilma says, if you're
bitten by it, it might result in a serious injury.

"Doushi-sama, this haze is cute, isn't it?" (Philine)

However, only Philine has an aesthetic sense that's slightly

off. She stares at the haze, which has risen to the river bank,
while looking happy. As expected, she's not Doushi's favorite
for nothing.

I think she likes strange things in various meanings.

| Azura Ren |
 "What should we do about this one?"

"Hmm? We're not going to eat it?" (Armstrong)

No one answered Doushi's question.

"No, actually I just wanted to catch it, but.... I don't want to

eat it?" (Katharina)

"Won't preparing it as dish be a major hassle?"

If it's shiro, it's fine as long as you fillet them....aah, how

about filleting this huge haze, too?

I feel like that can be done, but for some reason I don't
really feel like eating it.

As expected, is its appearance the problem?

"I think it will be tasty if you turn it into fried fish or

tempura." (Armstrong)

"It looks like it sure will be difficult to cook."

"""That's it!"""

Katharina, Wilma and I agree with the elderly caretaker's

opinion.

"It will be fine as long as you fillet it." (Armstrong)

"It lacks elegance for that." (Wilma)

Right, haze is delicious if you prepare it as tempura after

removing the head, slicing it down its back and removing the
backbones.
| Azura Ren |
 If you fillet it, you won't know what kind of fish it was after
making it into tempura.

Wilma is a glutton, but in reality she is a person that puts

high value on such things.

That's the reason why she suits me as wife.

"Since the head and the bones seem to be hard, fried fish is
next to impossible."

"Deep-frying it in one go seems complicated...."

It probably won't be as simple to obtain a special-made pot

that allows us to deep-fry such a huge haze in one go.

Even if I asked Duke Mizuho, it's more than obvious that it

would be an order-made production.

Even if we managed to cook it somehow, I'm against eating

it as it looks like I will bite into bones.

"If it's white flesh, we have plenty of shiro for filleting."

We have caught more than 20 shiro with five people. All of

them have an average size of 80 cm.

For a while we should have no troubles making grilled fish

with salt, boiled fish or fried fish.

That's why there was no need to unreasonably eat this huge

haze.

"Wendelin-san, at first I thought that it's eerie, but now

that I have looked at it properly, it has a face that's
unexpectedly charming." (Katharina)
| Azura Ren |
 "Now that you're saying it, you're right." (Wendelin)

Its eyes are perfect circles. Even though it's laying on the
river bank after being pulled up, it's looking this way without
moving. Its appearance might even be somewhat cute.

We might be gradually getting corrupted by Philine.

"Earl Baumeister-sama, this fish-san has lived in this river

for many years, right?" (Philine)

"If it's this big, it should have lived for a fairly long time."

There's absolutely no way that it has grown this big in one

year. This place is not a monster domain after all.

"It should have watched over this river for many years as
its boss!" (Armstrong)

"Earl Baumeister-sama, Doushi-sama, let's set it free."

(Philine)

"Earl Baumeister, I also agree with Philine's opinion."

(Armstrong)

Although he usually is all for slaughtering, Doushi

advocated to let the huge haze go for a change.

For me to be allowed to witness this destroyer show mercy,

Philine might actually be a really terrifying girl.

| Azura Ren |
 "We managed to confirm its existence. The shiro are more
than enough as dish for breakfast." (Wilma)

"Wendelin-san, it's not bad to sometimes let fish go."

(Katharina)

"You're right. I guess we will set it free." (Wendelin)

Being urged on by Wilma and Katharina, it was decided

that the lucky, huge haze will be freed.

Has it understood our conversation?

Even at the time of removing the hook, the haze doesn't

resist at all. Being carried by Doushi, it was returned to the
river.

"Doushi-sama, look." (Philine)

"Ooh!" (Armstrong)

Once the haze is set free, another huge haze, which is one
size bigger than the one we caught, shows up as if greeting the
liberated haze.

"There were two of them!?"

"More than sixty years have passed since I started to

manage this river, but even I didn't know that there were two
huge haze."

The elderly caretaker was also astonished.

"Wendelin-san, those haze are a married couple, aren't

they?" (Katharina)
| Azura Ren |
 "Maybe." (Wendelin)

It's not unthinkable that they might actually be parent and

child, but to me it only looked the bigger haze came looking
for his wife out of worry.

The haze on Earth don't show such behavior, but no matter

what you think about it, I could only consider that assumption
to be correct.

"Haze, stay on good terms from now on." (Philine)

"Please watch over the future of this river." (Katharina)

Philine and Katharina call out to the two haze, who are
heading to the deeper parts of the river, amidst a beautiful
sunrise as backdrop.

While seeing off the two haze that are swimming while
obviously nestling close together, we put an end to the
morning's fishing.

I pray that those huge haze can live forever in this river.

***

"Eh? You caught a huge haze, but let it go? You know,
somehow...."

Even though it's an especially emotional story, Eru had an

expression making it obvious that he considers all of it to be a
lie, once we told him the events after returning to the guest
house.

"No, I'm telling you, we really caught it! Just as in the

| Azura Ren |
rumors, it was longer than two meters!"

"Suuuure." (Erwin)

"What's the problem for you to not believe it?" (Wendelin)

"Well, for Wilma, Vel and Doushi to let a prey, which you
caught at great pains, go; I think that would be the act of a
saint...." (Erwin)

While catching the fish we can eat, we let the huge haze go
as it was too pitiful for that.

Eru seems to believe that there's no way for us to do

something like that.

"Apart from me interrogating you later about the part

where you put me and Doushi in the same category, Philine
was with us as well. Don't you think that such act would be
necessary for educating her in good taste?" (Wendelin)

"Though I think that if it's you Vel, you would mercilessly

kill it while saying 『For the sake of obtaining food, you have
to kill living creatures』...." (Erwin)

"Ugh!" (Wendelin)

Because there were some parts among the things Erwin

was saying which I could agree with, my objection ends up
being blunt.

"Anyway, I mean even Katharina and Philine were present.

We managed to catch a huge haze." (Wendelin)

"No, I'm not doubting that since the caretaking grandpa is

| Azura Ren |
saying the same as well. I'm simply not fully satisfied with it."
(Erwin)

"The one not being fully satisfied here is me!" (Wendelin)

Even though it was a deeply moving scene where we let the

boss, who protected the river go after having caught it, like in
a certain fishing manga; just why can't the people of this
world understand it?

Although I loved 『Fisherman Sanpei』 which I read after

having it recommended by my father....

***

"Even so, it was sure a fun fishing trip."

We managed to catch a lot of haze and shiro, received

many souvenirs and were able to a huge amount of things.

Even Philine, who went on a short excursion for the first

time after being engaged to me, was delighted. It was a nice
entertainment trip.

Margrave Breithilde's mental state might have been

complicated, but his wife's judgment hasn't been wrong....
while thinking about such things, I'm performing public
works within the Baumeister Earldom today, but suddenly I
receive a call on the MHCD.

"Hello?"

『Heeey—! Earl Baumeister!』

All of a sudden I hear an angry voice through the MHCD.

| Azura Ren |
 The owner of the voice was Minister Edgar.

『Albeit an in-law, I'm your father, Earl Baumeister! To not

invite me on a fun entertainment trip, that's unreasonable,
right!?』 (Edgar)

I'm shouted at by Minister Edgar, asking why I didn't bring

him along on our trip.

This scariness would make even a yakuza shake in their

pants.

Even though it's unexpected, I, who am supposed to a

weak, ordinary person, was alright.

It seems I obtained a certain degree of guts thanks to

having gone through actual combat.

"Eh? You have that much free time?" (Wendelin)

『It's obvious that I would have freed my schedule if you

had invited me! If I hadn't received a souvenir from Wilma, I
would have been even angrier!』 (Edgar)

"Eeh! But...." (Wendelin)

I thought he wouldn't come if I invited him as he was busy

with reforming the military administrations and preparing
the army after the civil war, but that might have been my
blunder.

『Earl Armstrong is angry, too! Even though his younger

brother had an all-you-can-eat of haze tempura, our side only
got souvenirs!』 (Edgar)

| Azura Ren |
 "Umm.... next time I will definitely invite you." (Wendelin)

『Make it as fast as possible!』 (Edgar)

Once I feel relieved after the storm-like Minister Edgar

terminated the call, I next receive continuous calls from
Finance Minister Rückner and Cardinal Hohenheim.

『——To not invite me despite us associating for quite a long

while now....』 (Rückner)

『——I know that you are cherishing Elise, but I believe that
it's sometimes necessary to show filial piety towards
grandfather-in-law, Son-in-law-dono.』 (Hohenheim)

Different from Minister Edgar, who complained directly

with the temperament of a sports-oriented teacher, the two
liberal arts types used indirect expressions, but them blaming
me for not being invited to our trip is all the same.

Be that as it may, I wonder, do older people like fishing this

much?

Though they might be aiming for the sake and the delicious
food at the destination.

"I will definitely invite you next time." (Wendelin)

"Definitely!" (Rückner)

"I ask you to do so as early as possible, Son-in-law-dono."

(Hohenheim)

Once I feel relieved about having finished the chain of

calls, this time a call from a number I see for the first time

| Azura Ren |
comes in.

"Hello?"

"It's me."

No, I mean, even if I'm told it's me, that didn't tell me who
it is.

"Umm, who might you be?" (Wendelin)

『——Earl Baumeister, are you telling the other nobles the

same thing? Certainly, it's said that I'm not standing out
compared to my father, His Majesty. For some reason I have
only few friends, too. But, some time ago at the peace
negotiations in the Empire, I exhibited great efforts to
guarantee your rights. I had considered that you would at
least invite me for your entertainment trip....』

"Your Highness the Crown Prince?" (Wendelin)

Most certainly I didn't expect to receive a call from such a

big-wig.

It's no excuse, but even I didn't consider the crown prince

to accompany us to such as minor entertainment trip. And
even before that, I doubted that the next king would
carelessly go to another country, thus I didn't call out to him.

He wouldn't have received permission from His Majesty

anyway.

It's definitely not like I forgot about his existence.

『Indeed. Who else could it be?』

| Azura Ren |
 "I'm terribly sorry!" (Wendelin)

I unconsciously end up bowing my head, falling back into

my habits from my previous life as salaryman.

Given that we are talking through the MHCD, it's

meaningless as he can't see me at all, but nevertheless, old
habits are sure scary.

"I will definitely invite you next time, Your Highness."

(Wendelin)

"Really? I'm waiting for it with high expectations!"

The crown prince sounded somewhat desperate.

It's not a stance of 『At least invite me, though I won't go as

I'm too busy.』, but it feels like he would really come if I
invited him.

Since he has the social standing of being the crown prince,

I have a hunch that he can have as many of such invites as he
wants, but....

『I'm waiting for the good news! By all mean, invite me as

well!』

"Of course, Your Highness." (Wendelin)

『That's what I wanted to hear.』

At the end the crown prince cuts the line with a voice full
of satisfaction.

Apparently he was very happy hearing that I would invite

him next time.
| Azura Ren |
 "A loner despite being royalty, huh....?" (Wendelin)

Come to think of it, even though we met several times so

far, I don't remember having ever talked with him.

I didn't quite know what kind of person he is, but now that
I know that he has the same loner trait as me, I somehow felt
a little bit of affinity with him.

"His Majesty might not give his permission, but I guess I

will definitely invite him next time...." (Wendelin)

Oh well, I will cross that bridge when I come to it.

As the invite itself is important, I suppose it won't be

treated as rude act as long as I call out to him properly.

Thinking about such things, I might still be unable to

escape my previous life's salaryman disposition.

At the same time of judging that, I ended up thinking that

even nobility might not be that different from a salaryman in
front of royalty.

| Azura Ren |
 Chapter 07: Tunnel Uproar

"There really was one, an unexplored underground ruin."

"For such a ruin to be located in a basement of Baulburg's

suburbs, how surprising."

***

Several days after returning from the entertainment trip,

we went on an underground ruin exploration guided by
Arnest.

He, who had been confined to a room deep inside my

mansion, untiringly worked on the particulars of the
underground ruins located in the Baumeister Earldom while
we were gone.

『Although it's just a rough outline; how come that you

know their exact locations?』 (Wendelin)

『Maps of the Ancient Magic Civilization's era are handed

down in the demon country.』 (Arnest)

『Isn't that military information then? Are those maps

available to civilian scholars?』 (Wendelin)

『Maps, which were picked up by our ancestors who went

on investigations when the Ancient Magic Civilization
collapsed more than 10,000 years ago, do exist. However, the
maps also have parts that can not be read anymore due to the
gradual fading of the printing. As aftereffect of the
civilization's collapse, geographic landmarks and such had
| Azura Ren |
also vanished, therefore the particulars are limited to a rough
estimation of the underground ruins' locations. Additionally,
even if an underground ruin is discovered, there is no
guarantee that we will find things in there that will please
you, Earl Baumeister.』 (Arnest)

According to Arnest, it really sounds as if the Ancient

Magic Civilization had collapsed and vanished in an instant.

I wonder, just what did those people do?

『It is always the same old story with those who are
arrogant. A vast amount of mana that had been gathered in
one place exploded. Although it was for the sake of
technological progress, they paid a hefty price for it.』 (Arnest)

And I guess that's why even the demons lost any interest in
the Lingaia Continent, which had many things blown away,
for more than 10,000 years?

Though I don't know how it'll be from now on.

『That means the underground structures that escaped the

destruction are the underground ruins.』

『That is how it is. Most of those in the Baumeister Earldom

are unexplored. I suppose that is only natural, though.』
(Arnest)

***

After having heard of those circumstances, we went out to

search for underground ruins that should be located in
Baulburg's suburbs today and immediately found one.

| Azura Ren |
 Descending into the underground with 『Light』 and starting
the search for treasures apparently makes Ina and Luise
excited due to it being a work which is the very definition of
adventuring.

They enter the underground ruin while acting as

vanguards, but....

"Vel, it looks like it's a miss." (Luise)

"True. The 『Preservation』 is completely dead, and the dust

and mold here is terrible." (Ina)

Luise and Ina reported to me while covering their mouths

and noses with a handkerchief.

"Vel, isn't this somehow far too old?" (Erwin)

"Correct answer, Erwin. This place is a historic ruin dating

back several thousand years before the Ancient Magic
Civilization came into existence. It looks like this place had
been once excavated during the era of the Ancient Magic
Civilization." (Arnest)

Arnest begins to explain while examining the stones used

for the walls and floor.

This is probably another trait of a scholar, but there was

not a single one among us who was interested.

It gives me the feeling of listening to a boring lesson at

school.

"Oooh! This design was used in underground temples of

the heretic 『Bulst Faith』 which perished around 17,000 years
| Azura Ren |
ago!" (Arnest)

The patterns carved into the walls and floor had started to
disappear due to their very old age, but it seems a specialist
like Arnest can still make them out.

Though it's a story where I ask myself just what's gained by

knowing about it....

"(Wendelin-san, what's so delightful about designs carved

into walls and floors?)" (Katharina)

"(Who knows?)" (Wendelin)

I mean, neither Katharina nor I are archaeologists, and

thus we don't have any interest in an underground ruin that
has no treasures and is only full of dust and mold.

"If you look closely, it resembles the designs used in reliefs

by the church." (Elise)

"The Bulst Faith being called heretic is because they were

defeated in a dispute with the current Catholic church. But
then again, seeing that they originate from the same belief, it
is only natural for them to have parts that resemble each
other." (Arnest)

"(Even though it's an incredibly boring topic, ain't Elise

really a saint to go along with it?)" (Erwin)

Certainly, as Eru says, hearing about something like the

history of religion, yeah....

Or rather, is it really okay for Elise, a priestess, to listen to

stories about the church rising in power by brushing aside
| Azura Ren |
other faiths?

I worried that I might get scolded by Cardinal Hohenheim.

"So, what's so valuable about this underground ruin?"

(Luise)

"Ancient ruins that are this old are very rare even in the
demon country." (Arnest)

"But, there are no treasures to be found here, right?"

(Luise)

"These designs, which were carved into the walls, ceiling

and floor, are precious, cultural legacies." (Arnest)

In the eyes of Luise, an adventurer, an underground ruin

with no treasures has no value, but for Arnest, an
archaeologist, there is value in investigating this underground
ruin.

The values of both of them are completely biting each

other, or rather, everyone besides Arnest had the same
opinion as Luise.

"At the time when demons still lived on this continent,

there were many people believing in the Bulst Faith. Fearing
religious oppression, they left this continent. However, the
current demons do not like religion overly much." (Arnest)

The number of people depending on religion might have

decreased, because the demons are leading a modern life
nowadays.

As there were many secular people on Earth as well, it's

| Azura Ren |
probably the same in this case.

"I see.... I guess the demons don't believe in god...." (Elise)

Probably there are many among the demons who don't

believe in god.

For Elise this seems to be a sad truth, even if it's about

another faith.

As a matter of fact, I'm also almost completely atheistic,

though.

"It is not all of them. The number of people believing in

new religions owed to the stress in their daily lives is
increasing as well." (Arnest)

"Really?" (Elise)

Elise is happy, but I wouldn't be surprised if some shady

new religions are mixed in there....

"Vel-sama, nothing here." (Wilma)

"Yeah, it looks like this underground ruin having been

excavated in the era of the Ancient Magic Civilization is true.
That's why there's nothing here." (Wendelin)

Ina and Wilma, who continued the exploration since

there's no monster presence to be found here either,
returned, but it seems the underground ruin is completely
empty.

"If it's a religious facility, it wouldn't be strange for at least

altars and religious tools to have been left behind."

| Azura Ren |
 "Probably those were already taken out."

"Most likely."

Katharina also had disappointment over this ruin being a

miss written all over her face.

"It is a valuable, cultural legacy! It is a precious evidence of

an era where humans and demons believed in the same
religion and lived together!" (Arnest)

"I see. In that case you can investigate it as much as you

want, afterwards." (Wendelin)

However, while we are not here. I have absolutely no

interest in this.

"Vel, let's move to another underground ruin."

Seeing as there are no treasures here, this place has no

value to us.

We decide to quickly move to another ruin.

Sometimes things like this can happen after all.

"Arnest, we are going to the next place." (Wendelin)

"Uh huuuuh. If I compare this pattern with the ones so

far...." (Arnest)

"Come on, we are heading out." (Wendelin)

"Earl Baumeister, you are too impatient." (Arnest)

I dragged Arnest, who was confirming a weathered pattern

| Azura Ren |
that's carved into the floor with intense concentration, along
and had him guide us to the next underground ruin.

***

"Vel, it's yet another miss." (Ina)

"Vel-sama, nothing here." (Wilma)

"This is a normal basement, isn't it?" (Wendelin)

Ina and Wilma talked to me with voices that lacked any

kind of motivation.

As long as time allowed, we had Arnest guide us to places

that might be underground ruins.

Although you might call them underground ruins, many

were nothing more than very old basements.

Sometimes there will be some winners with treasures, but

there will be a lot more misses with nothing of value.

It was only natural that the tension took a nosedive for

everyone except Arnest, who was the only one to be in high
spirits that we found valuable, cultural legacies, when we
drew several misses in a row.

"I really don't get archaeologists."

Actually, as one of the conditions for sheltering Arnest, it

was decided that we will report locations of other, unexplored
underground ruins in the Kingdom to His Majesty.

It's not clear whether there are treasures to be found in

those underground ruins unless you actually excavate them,
| Azura Ren |
but that's still overwhelmingly less effort than searching for
unexplored underground ruins from the scratch.

Some time ago I was contacted through the MHCD by a big

shot of the academy, which is in charge of the investigation
when new, unexplored ruins are safely discovered, because of
the information I had reported.

『If we investigate this valuable underground ruin from the

time before the Ancient Magic Civilization now that you have
found it, the mysteries of our ancestors will....』

Be it humans or demons, it seems that archaeologists are

the same everywhere.

Although it's not like we discovered treasures, the voice

over the MHCD seemed very overjoyed.

From our standpoint, understanding what's so delightful

about this is difficult though.

"Although there are differences between races, the

romanticism of archeology is the same for both sides."
(Arnest)

Being of the same kind, Arnest was very happy, too.

"I am really looking forward to the detailed report.

Reading the reports of others is one of an archaeologist's
guilty pleasures." (Arnest)

Yep, I truly don't understand what so exciting about this.

"Leaving that aside, find an underground ruin that will

turn into a bit of money."
| Azura Ren |
 Given that we are searching the nearby underground ruins
in order, I don't think that Arnest is deliberately guiding us to
underground ruins that have no value.

Because it often happens that a ruin has no treasure after

finally finding it, it's not like we are extremely unlucky, but
the Earl Baumeister household is sheltering Arnest while
bearing the risks for doing so.

"Find a ruin that will bring us some profit, based on the

ruins around here." (Wendelin)

"Since there are this many candidates, it is only a matter of

time." (Arnest)

A great number of symbols is noted on the old map owned

by Arnest, and many of those seem to be unexplored ruins.

"Can't you narrow it down to an underground ruin that

looks like it could have treasures from all these?" (Luise)

"It is possible to go with the specifics of the location, but

unless we investigate, we will not know what is buried there."
(Arnest)

Arnest rejected Luise's unreasonable demand.

"This does not mean that the possibility does not exist, but
there are many cases where excavations and investigations
take a lot of time and manpower." (Arnest)

The majority of the plausible, unexplored underground

ruins are located in monster domains. Among them there
were even some at the bottom of the sea and high in the
mountains.
| Azura Ren |
 Those are no places where we can somehow manage with
just ourselves.

"Earl Baumeister, your support is indispensable.

Excavations cost money." (Arnest)

A large-scaled excavation costs money. A patron is

necessary. That's the reason why Arnest cooperated with
Duke Nürnberg.

"It seems like you often and generously handed various

excavated items to Duke Nürnberg, but you are saying that
there's nothing for us because Wendelin-san's support is
lacking?" (Katharina)

Even though he provided a large amount of items to the

rebel Duke Nürnberg, it's been only dusty and smelly
basements for us so far.

Katharina apparently wondered whether Arnest is taking

us lightly.

She lived as solo adventurer in order to restore her

household before she met us.

So far people probably underestimated and despised her

because she's a woman.

For this reason she got angry at Arnest's words and deeds
up until now.

She thought that being treated with contempt by the likes

of a scholar, even if he's a demon, would stain the good name
of herself and her husband as nobility.

| Azura Ren |
 "Milady, that is a misunderstanding. This me has only been
guiding you to unexplored underground ruins close to
Baulburg." (Arnest)

As expected of Arnest, seeing Katharina's attitude, he tried

to seriously dispel her misgivings.

"Is that the truth?" (Katharina)

"As for Duke Nürnberg: the underground ruin, where we

found the big amount of magic tools and that jamming device,
was just by chance located in the Kleim Mountain Range close
to the mansion. Until we discovered that one, I investigated
several miss underground ruins as I was told to do by Duke
Nürnberg." (Arnest)

Now that he mentions it, this guy was several years in Duke
Nürnberg's care, wasn't he?

"That Kleim Mountain Range gave the impression that it

might be a very huge underground ruin, but hadn't there been
any other people who tried to excavate it before Duke
Nürnberg?" (Wendelin)

"I heard from the deceased Duke Nürnberg that a quite

distant family head of the Duke Nürnberg household carried
out a small-scale excavation. After that he apparently coined
the family rule 『Do not investigate the Kleim Mountain
Range's underground! If you do, it will spell the Duke
Nürnberg household's doom!』." (Arnest)

Well, makes sense with that many weapons. The former

Duke Nürnberg, who left behind that family rule, probably
prohibited any excavation after this, fearing that his
descendants might go on a rampage after obtaining all that
| Azura Ren |
weaponry.

"It was impossible for that Duke Nürnberg to obey such a

family rule." (Wilma)

As Wilma says, Duke Nürnberg didn't follow the rule and

ended up destroying the household.

"Prohibitions and rules from the past often have a proper

reason to them." (Elise)

"Be that as it may, milady, if we do not push onwards at

such points, neither the humans nor the demons will make
any progress." (Arnest)

Elise highly evaluated the family head of the old Duke

Nürnberg household who left behind a will for his
descendants to not excavate the big amount of ancient
weapons.

However, Arnest believes that although there had been

many victims due to the weapons once they were excavated,
they also connect to a long-term growth as the technology will
advance if these magic tools are researched after being
published in the world.

On this point it's nothing more than a difference in opinion

between religionists and scholars.

"Katharina, I'm grateful for you worrying about me, but it's
still the first day of the exploration. Although it's been only
misses so far, discovering this many unexplored underground
ruins in one day is unusual. I'm sure an amazing one will
appear among them, sooner or later." (Wendelin)

| Azura Ren |
 I explained to Katharina to make her calm down a bit.

"Well, if you say so, Wendelin-san...." (Katharina)

Besides, there's one more aspect.

There's no place left for Arnest to go to.

If he escapes to the Empire from here, he will fall under

Peter's rule. Peter likely won't hesitate to execute Arnest after
extracting only the locations of unexplored underground
ruins out of him.

If he executes Arnest, explaining to everyone that Arnest

was Duke Nürnberg's accomplice, his approval rating will go
up as well.

Even in regards to the Kingdom; the unexplored

underground ruins have already been reported.

If he runs away, the Kingdom won't hesitate to order

Arnest's elimination by several advanced magicians.

That means Arnest won't survive if he's not of any benefit

to the Earl Baumeister household.

There's no way that a man as bright as him hasn't realized

that. I think he understands very well that he won't be able to
continue with his beloved underground ruin excavations and
investigations if it doesn't bring any profit to us or if he runs
away.

"Having said that, I sure would like information about an

underground ruin that might be of benefit to us." (Ina)

| Azura Ren |
 Ina sent a strict look in Arnest direction, telling him with
her eyes,『Just so you know, sheltering you isn't for free.』

Actually because Arnest was told by Roderich, who has

worked out how to pay his sheltering, that he'd like to have
some kind of results in the early stages, if possible, Arnest
accepted Ina's demand.

"You do have a point in that, milady. Even in the world of

excavators, sponsors are important. Well then, this me shall
inform you of an underground ruin that ought to be capable
of satiating mine desires and Earl Baumeister's wish for
profit." (Arnest)

Once Arnest said so, he spread out the old map on the
ground and started to try specifying a underground ruin that
looks like it might contain treasures from among the many
recorded underground ruin locations.

"Hmmmm. The traits of underground ruins in the

Baumeister Earldom and other areas, including the Empire....
has a remarkable difference in cultural style, thus, while also
using the traits of the ruins, which had been discovered so far,
as reference...." (Arnest)

Arnest examines the old map while mumbling to himself.

"Anyway, I wonder, is such overly convenient underground

ruin going to pop up?" (Luise)

"Who knows?" (Wendelin)

"Something like the treasures found in the Demon Forest

are the result of Vel's bad luck after all." (Ina)

| Azura Ren |
 "Ina, isn't calling it bad luck too cruel?" (Wendelin)

"Be it good or bad, too many things happen around you,

Vel." (Ina)

"I can't deny that, I fear...." (Wendelin)

"Ina-chan, that's why the probability for a treasure to

appear is high, isn't it?" (Luise)

Luise probably imagines that we will excavate an

underground ruin, finding lots of golden and silver coins and
jewels, but such riches don't show up so readily.

I wonder what Arnest is thinking about that matter?

"If it is this one, Roderich-dono will be pleased, too."

(Arnest)

Arnest stared intently at the old map with its many symbols
for a while, but finally he showed us a certain place with an
X-mark.

"At the foot of the Greater League Mountain Range?"

That was the location Arnest pointed at. Is there really

something like an underground ruin even in such a place?

"Here we will find lots of jewels and coins?" (Luise)

"Milady, it is not that kind of treasure. If a statesman uses it

wisely, it is going to have a value going beyond jewels and
coins. It is a huge tunnel running through the former
Carpchiras Mountain Range, combining the best public works
techniques of the Ancient Magic Civilization's era." (Arnest)

| Azura Ren |
 A tunnel going through those mountains, huh?

Certainly for normal adventurers that's likely beyond their

capacities, but for the Earl Baumeister household it can be
called a treasure exceeding money and jewels.

However, Luise had a questioning look, asking 『A tunnel as

treasure? In what way?』

"Tunnel? Something like that exists? Carpchiras Mountain

Range?"

We didn't remember having heard the name Carpchiras

Mountain Range.

"Carpchiras Mountain Range is how it was called during

the Ancient Magic Civilization's era. Now it is the Greater
League Mountain Range. The first excavation project is this
huge tunnel." (Arnest)

According to Arnest's suggestion, we decided the next task

to be the excavation of the tunnel said to run through the
Greater League Mountain Range, and its investigation.

***

"Eh? There's something like that close to our territory?"

(Paul)

"Seems so." (Wendelin)

"Seems so, he says...." (Paul)

Led by Arnest, who disguised himself to hide his ears, we

immediately proceed towards the excavation of that huge

| Azura Ren |
tunnel.

The location was the base of the Greater League Mountain

Range which is not that far away from Paul-niisan's territory.

Once we showed up in Paul-niisan's Associate Baron

Baumeister territory, the development of the territory had
advanced considerably, and the population had apparently
grown as well.

Paul-niisan's former colleagues from the guard unit were

together with him, who came to greet us, after having become
his retainers.

"Were there any traces of such a tunnel?" (Wendelin)

"Unfortunately not in my territory. It's not like we

thoroughly investigated it, so we might simply have not
discovered them." (Paul)

Ottmar-san, who had become the Junior Commander of

the Associate Baron Baumeister household, and Sieghard,
who is Paul-niisan's sword instructor and captain of the
guards, were also present to protect Paul-niisan.

"Even if you say that, it is close-by. If the tunnel can be

used, it will be a chance for our Associate Baron Baumeister
territory to make rapid progress." (Rudi)

Rudi-san, who comes from a mercantile household, seems

to take care of the financial affairs and also serves as butler.

Since this place is located in the countryside, he didn't

wear a butler attire like Sebastian though.

| Azura Ren |
 "Chance?" (Paul)

"Milord, if we can use that tunnel, it will take a bit more

time than a magic airship, but it will become possible to move
people and goods at a cheap price. Assuming the entrance
area is close to us...." (Rudi)

"We will gain profits by running rest and lodging facilities,

right?" (Paul)

If they run drive-in-like facilities since they are close to the

tunnel, it might yield them a profit.

After listening to the suggestions from Rudi-san, Paul-

niisan seems to be expecting quite a bit.

"There is still the problem whether we can really find it

and if it's usable once found. Huh? What about Gotthard-
san?" (Wendelin)

"That guy is currently leading the reclamation work."

(Paul)

"That's an unexpected assignment of personnel."

(Wendelin)

From my impression when I met him previously, he

seemed to be the type who's strong in martial arts. Given that
his way of speaking is quite brusque, I felt like he's not suited
to command the fief's residents.

"Although that guy looks like that, he's the most intelligent
among us."

Given that he had been born into a Viscount family, he has

| Azura Ren |
received a sophisticated education.

His way of talking isn't broad-minded, but the residents do

their work with a good efficiency without being afraid of him
for some reason.

"His way to handle people is surprisingly skillful, you

know? Going by just what you see, it only looks like he's lazily
giving out the least amount of instructions, though." (Paul)

"Rather than people who talk about this and that, the
things needed to be done are easy to understand. Something
like that?" (Wendelin)

"Maybe. Vel, go meet mother and father before that tunnel

excavation." (Paul)

"Okay." (Wendelin)

"Also.... Amelie-sister-in-law-san, Karl and the others as

well...." (Paul)

For just an instant, Paul-niisan looked at Elise and my

other wives, before continuing.

As for Amelie, hmm, I guess, I was busy with various

matters after returning to my territory, so I didn't go to meet
her yet.

"I also have souvenirs which I bought in the Empire."

(Wendelin)

"Thanks for going out of your way despite all the

difficulties after being dragged into the civil war." (Paul)

| Azura Ren |
 Afterwards we headed to the completed mansion while
guided by Paul-niisan.

Thinking of the future, it has quite the large construction.

Father was immersed in training my nephews Karl and

Oskar the sword in the front garden of the mansion.

I'm seeing them for the first time in roughly a year, but I
must say, children grow up quickly.

My two nephews had become considerably taller compared

to the last time we met.

"Father, Karl, Oskar." (Wendelin)

"Wendelin, huh? Great for you to have come visiting."

(Arthur)

"Wendelin-ojisan! Please tell us stories about your time in

the Empire!"

"Is it really true that you took very actively part in the war?
I want to hear the stories, too."

No matter how much I gloss it over, for my two nephews

I'm no more than their father's enemy.

Even so, being idolized like this still felt comfortable.

I probably have to thank Amelie for it.

"Karl, Oskar, that has to wait for later. Earl Baumeister-

dono is busy." (Arthur)

It looks like father took my circumstances into

| Azura Ren |
consideration.

After he interrupted their chatter, we were immediately

guided to the parlor.

If it's a war, a noble has to fight by swinging their sword.

However, those two are still children.

Children love hearing about stories of wars that took place

in far away places.

In Japan there are many people who don't approve of that,

but children consider tanks and fighter planes cool if they are
shown on TV. The festivals at JSDF bases are always crowded
with parents taking their children along.

After all there are many adults who love stories about wars
where they won without incurring any damages to
themselves.

As long as they don't see the mountains of corpses, most

people behave like that.

"Karl, Oskar, I'm sorry. I bought souvenirs in the Empire,

but the stories have to wait for next time, okay?" (Wendelin)

""Thank you very much."" (Karl & Oskar)

After I pass them their presents, father sends them out of

the room.

And, at almost the same time Amelie entered while

carrying a tea set.

"It's been a while Earl Baumeister-sama." (Amelie)

| Azura Ren |
 "Long time no see, Amelie-san." (Wendelin)

It's a barefaced greeting, but it's really true that it's been a
while.

It's for the first time in a year, but it looks like she hasn't
changed much.

"Elise-sama, Katharina-sama, Ina-sama, Luise-sama,

Wilma-sama, it must have been difficult in the Empire,
right?" (Amelie)

Amelie chats them up casually while placing tea in front of

Elise.

"It was hard, but it's the duty of a wife to share the
hardships together with her husband." (Elise)

"I think that it also deepens the bonds with your husband."
(Ina)

"There might be that as well."

"I will follow Vel-sama anywhere, so no problem." (Wilma)

"Thanks to that we are happily acting together like this

even after coming back." (Katharina)

With Elise's statement at the beginning, Ina and the others

also reply to Amelie while smiling.

"It's very enviable for you to be on such good terms."

(Amelie)

Due to Amelie likewise answering with a smile, my

stomach starts to hurt.
| Azura Ren |
 In the eyes of Elise and the others, Amelie is an eyesore
who still continues her relationship with me.

But they don't show those emotions. Probably they are

thinking that it would be their loss if they did.

Amelie has skillfully warded them off, too. I think women

are really strong-minded.

Only I'm on tenterhooks.

No, I guess it's different.

Every member of the male group was on tenterhooks.

"Oh, those tea cakes are delicious." (Erwin)

"Replenishing a moderate amount of sugar before an

excavation is indispensable." (Arnest)

Knowing of the circumstances, Eru immerses himself in

wolfing down the sweets that had been served since he
doesn't want to get dragged into the cat fight.

Even Arnest, who has no interest in anything besides the

tunnel which we are going to excavate from now on, ignored
me and drank mate tea while eating tea cakes.

"Uhum! Come to think of it, is there some kind of job

today?" (Arthur)

As he probably feels uneasy as well, Father, who's the

principal offender as he hitched me and Amelie together,
changes the topic while looking at Paul-niisan.

"They say it's the excavation of an old tunnel." (Paul)

| Azura Ren |
 Paul-niisan explained to father and the others the main
reason why we came to this place today.

"A tunnel from long ago, huh? I'm an amateur, so I don't

really know, but is such an ancient tunnel something that
stays around without collapsing?" (Arthur)

As a matter of fact, I felt doubtful about that, too.

After all, it's a tunnel from roughly 10,000 years ago.

"Even if it's still around, a tunnel, where you don't know

when it might collapse, is of no use to anyone, is it?" (Arthur)

Everyone showed consenting expressions on their faces

upon father's comment.

"How about it, Arnest?" (Wendelin)

"Wendelin, he is?" (Arthur)

"An archaeologist I got to know in the Empire. From now

on we will work on excavation in the Baumeister Earldom,
and he will be the one in charge of that." (Wendelin)

"I see. I hear it's lucrative if you draw a winner from among
the underground ruins." (Arthur)

If there's something so wonderful within a territory, it's

only natural for the lord to excavate it.

Father seemed to harbor that kind of impression.

As Arnest's disguise is perfect, he most definitely doesn't

suspect him to be a demon.

| Azura Ren |
 "A normal tunnel would have definitely collapsed, but the
tunnel we are going to search for from now on is special."
(Arnest)

Arnest shows something like an old leaflet to us.

"It's old paper, isn't it? A leaflet?" (Wendelin)

"To be precise, it is the government's public information

during the era of the Ancient Magic Civilization." (Arnest)

For an old paper that's said to be older than 10,000 years

to still be around is amazing.

I wonder, was it left in the demon country?

"According to this, 『A huge tunnel making it possible to

cheaply send a large amount of people and goods through the
Carpchiras Mountain Range』. Earl Ischrubak, who was not
only renown for the most famous magic tools in the era of the
Ancient Magic Civilization but also in other fields, and
Republic Akitsushima, which existed in the current
Baumeister Earldom and possessed technological strength
that was not inferior to the central nation during that era;
given that it is a tunnel dug and sponsored with money as
well as technology by those two, it will not collapse in a mere
10,000 years. The entrance has been buried, so searching for
it will be difficult." (Arnest)

"Earl Ischrubak, that was the owner of that underground

ruin which made us terribly suffer during our adventurer
debut fight, wasn't he?" (Erwin)

"Yeah." (Wendelin)

| Azura Ren |
 "That amusement park's...." (Erwin)

"Yeah...." (Wendelin)

Naturally Eru remembered it.

Even though that underground ruin was a facility from at

least 10,000 years ago, it hadn't deteriorated at all.

Even the amusement park, which is still floating in another

dimension, is the same. The 『Preservation』 magic, which had
been used, was excellent after all.

If that magic had been used for the tunnel as well, it's very
likely that the tunnel can be used right away as soon as we
clear away the earth and sand once we find it.

"Of course, this me, who provided the information, will be

the first to investigate it." (Arnest)

"Don't worry, I know that." (Wendelin)

It's no wonder that Arnest, who doesn't forget to give a

reminder even at times like this, could join up with Duke
Nürnberg....I wonder whether it's fine to consider it like that?

However, one thing I can say is 『You do have some nerve』.

"As I don't know whether we will find it in a day, can you

please let us stay here?" (Wendelin)

"That's okay with me, but you won't find such a huge
tunnel in a day?" (Arthur)

"Sir father, the rough location has been recorded on a map

from the Ancient Magic Civilization's era, but it is also a fact
| Azura Ren |
that 10,000 years have passed since then. It is very possible
that the location has largely deviated from my assumption
due to the changes in the terrain and such." (Arnest)

"That sure sounds troublesome." (Arthur)

After obtaining the permission from father to stay here for

a while, we depart to the actual site.

"These accelerator, break, gear.... hand brake; what are

they for?" (Erwin)

It's a slight distance away and I can't use 『Teleportation』

since it's a place I haven't visited yet, thus I decided to head to
the actual site, using one of the magic four-wheels we
excavated before.

As it was a car that runs with mana and not fuel, Eru does a
test drive while looking at the manual.

Driver's licenses or such bullshit don't exist in this world.

This area is a grassland with no one in sight anyway.

It doesn't matter even if he learns driving by making it

move all of a sudden.

Fortunately, or should I say it's because Eru has good

reflexes; he was able to drive skillfully in no time.

I also possessed a driver's license in my previous life. I was

a paper driver as I had a bit of a blank period where I didn't
drive a car, but I should be able to drive normally if I practice
a bit.

Unexpectedly it's something the body remembers.

| Azura Ren |
 If I don't practice a little bit more, I don't believe that I will
be allowed to drive on a Japanese street, though.

"I want to learn it, too." (Luise)

"Let's practice in order."

"The people from the past sure created some handy

things."

If you want to call it handy, then it might be, but since it's a
kind of car its user-friendliness actually becomes
unexpectedly bad if the roads aren't maintained properly.

With the apparent premise that they would be used on bad

roads, the vehicles that were discovered in the Demon
Forest's underground ruin are mostly those resembling jeeps
and large trucks.

If that wasn't the case, it might have been impossible for

them to be usable on bad roads or roads that are close to it.

"Vel, it's handy, but I kinda feel sick...." (Luise)

Since the base of the Greater League Mountain Range is

mostly untouched no-man's-land, the magic four-wheeler
shakes terribly if you make it drive across that terrain.

Since it looks like even Luise feels bad due to motion

sickness, it goes without saying that it applies for the others as
well.

"The passage of 10,000 years is really cruel. A place that

achieved a development competing for the first or second
rank on the continent turned into wild nature." (Arnest)
| Azura Ren |
 As Arnest wasn't afflicted by car sickness, he worked hard
at drawing up a report by himself.

"Arnest-san, you haven't gotten sick at all, have you....?"

(Katharina)

Suffering the most of car sickness, Katharina was surprised

at Arnest being completely fine.

"In my childhood I had terrible motion sickness. Nowadays

I am alright with it." (Arnest)

Arnest doesn't talk overly much about his home, but

occasionally he drops some fragments of information.

In the demon country magic four-wheelers have

apparently become popular as if it's the most natural thing in
the world.

"What do those who get sick do?"

"They take anti-motion-sickness medicine. Do you need

one?" (Arnest)

"It would have been great if you had handed it out in

advance...." (Katharina)

Arnest passes the medicine around to everyone. Once they

swallowed it, all of them were promptly released from their
motion sickness.

We also pass the medicine to the members that have

boarded the other four-wheeler, the one driven by Eru.

At any rate, it's quite the effective medicine, isn't it?

| Azura Ren |
 The demon country seems to fairly advanced in medical
technology, too.

"Wendelin-san, it looks like you haven't gotten sick either."

(Katharina)

"I guess it's because I'm driving?" (Wendelin)

I remember that I had awful motion sickness in my

childhood during my previous life.

And yet it's strange because it vanished when I got my

driver's license and started to drive a car myself.

"We have arrived." (Arnest)

We have arrived at our planned destination in around 20

minutes, but the local terrain was nothing more than a
mountain slope.

It's impossible to imagine that a tunnel from the Ancient

Magic Civilization's era is supposed to sleep below this area
that's densely overgrown with many trees.

Given that 10,000 years have elapsed, it's probably been

completely buried below the mountain.

"I know that it should be roughly around this area, but

please do not ask me where exactly." (Arnest)

"Is there no other option but to dig up the entire area....?"

Just being able to specify the location to some extent makes

it already better than for other adventurers and
archaeologists.

| Azura Ren |
 While thinking that, I begin working.

However, it's not like all will be fine by recklessly blowing

away sand and earth with magic.

First I cut down the large amount of trees crowding the

slope with 『Wind Cutter』 and collected them into my magic
bag.

"I guess they will serve as firewood and lumber...."

(Wendelin)

Next I shaved off the rocks, earth and sand, and stored it
away as well.

"Wendelin-san, are you not going to get rid of a greater

amount at once?" (Katharina)

"No, if I do that, it might damage the tunnel below."

(Wendelin)

Among my friends at university there was one guy who

majored in archeology. He said that one must proceed
carefully when using heavy machinery during excavations.

If you dig out a large amount all at once, considering it

bothersome to go slowly, it could turn out badly with rare
remains and artifacts getting broken, causing the
archaeologists to clamor about their precious materials being
lost.

Still, we might be better off as we are not carefully scraping

off the soil with a wooden spatula.

"How boring." (Erwin)

| Azura Ren |
 "It's not boring for you and the others, now is it?"
(Wendelin)

Katharina, Arnest and I search for the tunnel. Eru and the
others entertained the flying dragons and wyverns that
occasionally turned up here.

The Greater League Mountain Range is a place that should

also be called a quasi-monster domain. That's why wyverns
will show up, thinking that prey has come, if humans kick up
a fuss in their territory.

Compared to other monster domains, the distribution of

monsters is irregular, but that doesn't change the fact that this
is a monster domain either.

I should probably prepare a method for traveling other

than across dangerous mountain roads or via magic airships
with their expensive shipping fees, even if that's a safe
method.

"The tunnel is finished. Thus, if the Earl Baumeister

household maintains it, it will be profitable." (Wilma)

It's as Wilma says.

People don't move readily if there's no profit to be gained.

"And, this me will be acknowledged, allowing me to

increasingly focus on excavation." (Arnest)

Because the tunnel is convenient for me and will enable me

to profit from it, and because Arnest wants me to
acknowledge further excavations, we are eagerly working
here like this.
| Azura Ren |
 "Dear, you're also collecting the dug-out earth?" (Elise)

"If it's Roderich, he will likely find some way to make use
of it." (Wendelin)

I remembered him talking about there being places he

wants fill up before.

If I take it there and use the soil to fill up those places, no

useless sand and earth will remain here either.

If we pile it up at some bad spot, I would feel anxious that

it might turn into a landslide due to becoming slushy from
rain.

"Hhmmm. This place is a miss as well." (Arnest)

We tried to dig quite the range until evening, but we didn't

find the all-important tunnel.

After deciding to do the rest tomorrow, we leap to the

Associate Baron Baumeister territory with 『Teleportation』.

The reason why we didn't use the four-wheelers was

because everyone would have doubtlessly become sick due to
the bad roads.

Since I have come to the actual place once now, it's no

problem as we will be able to instantly teleport on-site
starting from tomorrow.

Even though they are valuable, convenient vehicles, I know

of the risk of them being hated because the infrastructure has
to be improved first. Cars feel very sickening if the roads are
bad.
| Azura Ren |
 As for other issues, there's also the problem of
countermeasures against theft.

I think normally they would be stolen with a magic bag if

we left them on-site.

"Looks like it's quite difficult to find that tunnel, doesn't

it?"

"The range of the location labeled as roughly being the

right place is extensive after all...."

We return to the Associate Baron Baumeister territory and

take dinner together with father and the others.

As expected, the menus has improved substantially,

turning into something that's no inferior to that of other noble
families.

I continue to talk about today's excavation work with

father.

"I guess it's because the tunnel is also buried on top of the
forests and mountains above it now that 10,000 years have
elapsed." (Arthur)

"If it hadn't been buried to such an extent, someone would

have likely discovered it in the past...." (Wendelin)

"If you manage to make it usable after finding it, I suppose

many visitors will arrive in this territory. It's something that
would have been unimaginable in my youth." (Arthur)

I can't imagine it either.

| Azura Ren |
 Father was absorbed in maintaining the small Knight
Baumeister territory.

He was probably desperate to accomplish that much.

"The current me is really no more than a retired geezer

who is supporting Paul who went independent as new feudal
lord. I think helping is the most I can do. Come to think of it,
what about Klaus?" (Arthur)

"He's behaving obediently...." (Wendelin)

I hired Klaus temporarily after he started a rebellion, but in

the time when we had been in the Empire he had received
assorted jobs from Roderich, and was apparently focused on
only carrying out those.

Since he received a large reward in the disturbance with

the Margrave Browig household, that must have been
sufficient for him.

"It seems Roderich is somewhat keeping an eye on him,

but...." (Wendelin)

For a person of Roderich's level, Klaus, who has

perpetrated terrible deeds in the past, likely is a person
requiring high precaution.

Him assigning assorted jobs to Klaus also serves as way to

monitor him.

"I think there's no need to worry too much, though."

(Arthur)

"Why?" (Wendelin)
| Azura Ren |
 "Klaus and I were unable to cooperate, but recently I have
become capable of understanding his viewpoint." (Arthur)

According to father Klaus seems to have already fulfilled

his ambitions.

"Including the Knight Baumeister territory, the

development of the Savage Lands is advancing, and exchange
with the outside has started as well. This was his ambition.
Being able to calmly think of eliminating me and Kurt as no
issue for the sake of this aspiration, that's Klaus." (Arthur)

"So you're saying that he has already achieved his

objective?" (Wendelin)

"That man wasn't picky with his methods, but now that he's
achieved them, that's the end of it. He's more intelligent than
many others. He's at an advanced age, too, so he should stay
obedient from now on." (Arthur)

Father's face turned bitter for an instant.

I suppose that intelligence of Klaus is a part that he doesn't

like.

He ended up losing his own son, but the lives of Klaus'

grandchildren has improved after becoming governors of new
villages.

Maybe father is jealous of his difference in ability with

Klaus.

Klaus was able to save his grandchildren, same can't be

said about father, who couldn't save his son.

| Azura Ren |
 "Either way, that's all in the past now. Klaus and I will grow
old and die. However, a tunnel, eh? According to the map it's
very probable that it's connected to the Breithilde
Margraviate, but I wish it will be helpful for this territory to
prosper successfully. Personally, it will likely increase my
pocket money, too." (Arthur)

Finishing dinner while holding such a conversation, I go to

enjoy the evening's cool in the mansion's back yard.

Outside Eru trained swordsmanship with Karl and Oscar.

"Eru, how it's going?" (Wendelin)

I try asking Eru about my nephews' swordsmanship talent.

"They are actually more talented than you and Erich-san,

Vel." (Erwin)

"Hmmm. I don't quite know if the comparison targets are

way too bad to make a judgment." (Wendelin)

There's no need to talk about my talent in swordsmanship.

And, the one who exceeds me in being terrible at it is

Erich-niisan.

"If they do their best, I think they will be able to reach the
third or fourth round in the Martial Arts Tournament."
(Erwin)

"That gives me a peace of mind then. I guess their mother's

blood is strong in them, huh?"

"I don't think that their blood matters. Even my father was

| Azura Ren |
defeated in the second round of the tournament in his youth."
(Amelie)

Before I realized it, Amelie stood next to me.

Originally I wanted to talk with her much earlier, but

previously Elise and the others were present as well as other
onlookers.

In front of us Eru is practicing with my nephews, but right

now there's no one else nearby.

I guess this means we can have a private chat.

Elise and my other wives might be considerate of us.

"Arthur-sama practices swordsmanship with them if he has

time." (Amelie)

Father has no talent in swordsmanship either, but if it's at

the level of teaching them the basics, he should be able to
accomplish that.

"Johanna-sama and I teach them writing and calculation,

too. Artur-sama also reached the point where he's capable of
calculating with almost no discomfort." (Amelie)

While helping with the Associate Baron Baumeister

territory which is still in the middle of expansion, despite
having retired, he's training archery and swordsmanship with
my nephews.

Himself studying albeit being busy to all outward

appearances might be owed to him feeling something akin to
his own incompetence due to the matter with Kurt.
| Azura Ren |
 "I see." (Wendelin)

However, I don't voice out my deduction.

It would be rude towards father.

"But that period will also come to an end in a little while."

(Amelie)

"Come to an end?" (Wendelin)

"Yes. Karl and Oskar will be left in the care of my parent's

home." (Amelie)

After he becomes an adult, Karl will be given a Knight

peerage and assigned a territory in the Baumeister Earldom.

It's planned that Oskar will become the Junior Commander

of that newly organized Knight territory to support his elder
brother, but it was decided that they will be entrusted to the
Meinbach family, Amelie's home, until then.

"Isn't that a bit too early?" (Wendelin)

Leaving children, who haven't even turned ten years old

yet, with another family feels premature to me.

"Oh my, didn't you depart to the Savage Lands by yourself

when you were much younger, Vel-kun?" (Amelie)

"Even so, I returned home every day." (Wendelin)

"Occasionally you didn't come back either though, right?"

(Amelie)

"Yes, there were also days when I camped outside."

| Azura Ren |
(Wendelin)

Finally Amelie's tone changed now that it was just the two
of us.

I guess she realized that Eru doesn't hear what we are

talking about as he's too engrossed in the training.

"It's slightly early, but my father said that it's

unconditional." (Amelie)

The new Knight household will succeed the the Meinbach

family name.

While it will likewise be a Knight household, it will be set

up as something similar to real branch family. That household
will also be blood-related to the Earl Baumeister household.

They seem to harbor a sense of impending danger that it

must not end in failure, no matter what happens.

"He says, it's because they are getting spoiled by their

family.... father might have a plan too, but...." (Amelie)

The majority of the retainers and residents will be

provided by the Knight Meinbach household.

Because they are second sons and below, they should

normally be in an unfortunate position, but they will be able
to secure a new place where they belong thanks to that
completely unexpected opportunity.

"Sounds quite serious." (Wendelin)

I end up thinking that Karl is still quite young, but I guess

| Azura Ren |
this is about when he becomes a feudal lord.

I felt doubt towards the way father and Kurt handled

things during my childhood, but seen from the standpoint of
those concerned, it was probably the result of them
desperately keep things going.

"Are you going to accompany them, Amelie-san?"

(Wendelin)

"No. Because I'm the most likely candidate to pamper them

as their mother...." (Amelie)

"But you know...." (Wendelin)

I have a problem with that as it's too strict.

After all there are occasionally nobles who end up getting

broken by that.

I know that very well as I encountered a weird noble in the

royal capital before.

"Father has considered that as well and said that he doesn't

mind me visiting them once a month. But...." (Amelie)

Traveling once a month to the Knight Meinbach territory

that's located on the other side of the Greater League
Mountain Range will be difficult.

A small magic airship is departing once a week from close

to the Knight Baumeister household to Breitburg, but if you
further travel to the Meinbach territory from there with a
carriage, it turns into an issue of money and time.

| Azura Ren |
 No matter how much of a small surplus she might have,
using close to 200,000 cents per year as traveling expenses to
go meet her own children is hard for Amelie.

After all she's holding a position of being a freeloader in

Paul-niisan's home.

"I think that it's shameful, but father's expectation is for me

to simply depend on you, Vel-kun...." (Amelie)

In other words, Lord Meinbach planned for Amelie to not

stay here but at my side?

If it's me, I can easily drop her off with magic at the times
when she's going to meet her children and then pick her up
later on.

Lord Meinbach has noticed the relationship between me

and his daughter, and is planing to use that for his own
agenda.

Rather than having her forcibly return home and search for
a new marriage partner, it's more lucrative for him to leave
her at my side, even if it's in an unofficial position.

It's a thinking that's remarkably aristocratic, but the

existence of the Knight Meinbach territory's retainers and
residents are heavily weighing down on his shoulders.

That means he will move for the sake of his household, for
the sake of his fief's population, even if he has to make use of
his own daughter.

"I guess he's more noble-like than my father...." (Wendelin)

| Azura Ren |
 "Most recently he's especially worried...." (Amelie)

As the Knight Meinbach territory is small, there's not much

left to reclaim anymore.

There's a limit in the population it can maintain. They have

to send away the excess in people elsewhere.

"The are enthusiastically leaving while saying 『I will make

a name for myself in the capital!』, but more than half of them
stop staying in touch. It would be great if they were able to
make a living there, even if it's in the slums, but...." (Amelie)

She's saying that there might be many who have already

died.

Amelie says that there were many times where she saw her
father worrying, wondering whether he couldn't do anything
about it, before her becoming a bride.

"That's why he says that they must not allow this to fail."
(Amelie)

He's going to give Karl and Oskar further education, and

make them early on meet with the retainer and village chief
candidates as well as the residents, who will follow them, to
make sure that they will carry out the management and
development of the new territory very efficiently.

For him to be able to send out the excess-residents in the

Knight Meinbach territory, the development of the new
Knight Meinbach territory has to succeed.

At the same time he's saying that she has to stay with me a
lot more so that things don't come to nothing due me
| Azura Ren |
changing my mind.

I guess he's capable of offering his daughter to me without

any scruples for that sake.

"Sure, it's fine. You can come to my place." (Wendelin)

"Vel-kun, you do have authority, so it would be fine even if

you highhandedly refused, you know?" (Amelie)

"It's not that I haven't thought of that either, but...."

(Wendelin)

While being toyed with by the rebel army and the

liberation army during the Empire's civil war, I saw many
nobles becoming desperate to preserve their own territories.

Of course they were also scared of losing their peerage and

territory, but at the same time they were very frantic exactly
because they were responsible for the lives of their fief's
population.

Since I have seen such things, I felt that it would be wrong

to refuse her.

"Wherever one goes, it's always difficult, isn't it?" (Amelie)

It's because those things become fetters twining around

myself. Because of that I feel like I want to decide whom I
love like a feudal lord." (Wendelin)

"Love?" (Amelie)

"Amelie-san, you staying at my side is convenient for me."

(Wendelin)

| Azura Ren |
 "You have really changed, haven't you? To keep such an
old lady at your side...." (Amelie)

"Isn't that fine? After all I'm the one who decided for it to
be so." (Wendelin)

"It shall be as you ordered, Earl Baumeister-sama. But, is

that alright?" (Amelie)

"Hahaha, I'm Earl Baumeister-sama after all." (Wendelin)

I acted confident if front of Amelie like that, but within less

than one hour I ended up doing a beautiful dogeza in front of
Elise and the others inside the room that had been assigned
to us as lodging.

Well, I guess that's the extent of my authority.

"With the circumstances as mentioned just now...."

(Wendelin)

Without mentioning my private feeling that I will be happy

if Amelie stays at my side with a single word, I carefully and
thoroughly explained that I have to accept her as there are
various aristocratic circumstances, and that it's also for the
sake of my cute nephews.

Elise and the others listened to my words silently.

Since they aren't saying anything, I feel slightly scared.

"There's no particular reason for me to be against it."

(Elise)

"Me neither." (Ina)

| Azura Ren |
 "I suppose there's none for me, too." (Luise)

"Vel-sama, you should do as you like." (Wilma)

"That's right. We don't have any reason to interfere either."

(Katharina)

"Ooh!" (Wendelin)

I raise a voice full of delight due to the truly unexpected

acceptance.

"You might as well say that it feels like it finally happens

now after such a long time."

"Indeed. But, since it's unofficial, it would be best for it to

be limited to where we can see it." (Ina)

"After all Roderich-san would get troubled before long if

『Earl Baumeister-sama』 slipped out deep in the night to have
a tryst with his unofficial mistress."

"There's also the issue of security. It will be troublesome, if

something happens to you, Vel-sama. If it's here, the area is as
good as uninhabited, and thus the deployment of assassins is
poses no problem." (Wilma)

"In short, in our eyes things improved with this situation."

"If I can have you interpret it like that...." (Wendelin)

It was quite the harsh analysis of the circumstances, but I

will consider it as something good since they gave me their
consent.

It was the effect of doing a dogeza while doing my best.

| Azura Ren |
 "Besides, as for Amelie-san, I can consider it as 『I guess it's
inevitable』."

"Inevitable?" (Wendelin)

"Yes. On an emotional level it's problematic, but this is an

important matter. After all she's going to live together with us
in the mansion from now on."

You can't live together with people who you dislike.

There are many noble wives who are in such relationships.

Once things turn out like this, the atmosphere in a mansion
becomes strained and worsens.

It might be a clear solution characteristic to Elise who's a

genuine noble lady.

"Vel, since the relationship with your stepmother is lacking

at some parts, I think Amelie-san might take care of those
parts." (Ina)

"Ina-chan, something like that is usually called 『onee-san

attribute』. (Luise)

They have analyzed me in various ways, but 『onee-san

attribute』.... I wonder where Luise picked up this one.

"But, in that case the same applies for Therese?"

"No. Leaving aside the current Therese, the Therese back

when we were in the Empire was no good." (Wilma)

"On top of being troublesome, she irritatingly came on

Wendelin-san with a suggestive approach." (Katharina)

| Azura Ren |
 The past Therese was harshly criticized by Wilma and
Katharina.

Though I have no doubt that Elise, Ina and Luise should

think the same.

"However, back when we were in the Empire, eh? What

about now?"

"Now she's docile. Nonpoisonous." (Wilma)

"Now that you mention it, I don't feel so bad about her
anymore."

The current Therese bought a small mansion in the

neighborhood and lived there peacefully.

For caution's sake we have deployed some guards, but as

there are no visitors from outside, I guess her entertainment
is limited to me occasionally visiting for a chat while bringing
souvenirs.

"It's probably because Therese also had her social position.

The situation in Amelie-san's case isn't that complicated."
(Elise)

To me it feels complicated, but if Elise is able to say that, I

suppose it means that it's not such a complicated matter.

As expected, noble society is troublesome in various ways.

"I think she won't mind being treated as Head Maid who
takes care of household affairs. There are many other nobles
who keep their mistress in such a way."

| Azura Ren |
 Officially they will have the social status of managing the
maids, but in reality they are the noble's mistress. There are
many such women.

Given that the social status of the those women's children

and their eventually newly born children lies in the power of
the noble, who's also the family head, other people can't
meddle overly much.

"We have heard the story about Amelie-san from you, dear,
and tomorrow there's also the excavation job, so let's go sleep
early?" (Elise)

As might expected, I decide to go sleep early in preparation

for tomorrow without going to the usual tryst cabin today.

If I were to be too careless at such a time, I will surely get

severely scolded by Elise and the others.

***

"I will do my very best at excavating today as well!"

(Arnest)

The next morning we leap to yesterday's spot with

『Teleportation』 and resume the excavation.

As usual Arnest was full of energy, but Eru rubbed his eyes
while looking sleepy.

"Did you get tired from practicing with Oskar and Karl?"
(Wendelin)

"No. Do you remember who's in the same room as me,

Vel?" (Erwin)
| Azura Ren |
 "Aah...." (Wendelin)

Being responsible for watching him just in case, Eru shared

a room with Arnest.

"He continuously wrote and researched something until

deep into the night. As it bothered me, I couldn't sleep...."
(Erwin)

"Erwin, you are saying something strange there. I just

calculated the tunnel's estimated spot in preparation for
today." (Arnest)

A map of this area, which had that noted down, was

grasped in Arnest's hand.

"Steady analytical study will give birth to huge results in

the future." (Arnest)

"That might be true, but...." (Erwin)

"Let me sleep normally." Eru seems unhappy.

Arnest, who has an oddly high tension all by himself,

continues to dig at the estimated spot with magic.

In the middle of it flying dragons and wyverns show up

sporadically, but all of them were turned into raw materials
by Ina's spear throwing, Wilma's sniping, and Luise's and
Eru's attacks.

"It would have been really great if Doushi had been here
too."

"Also Burkhart-san, I guess."

| Azura Ren |
 "Those two are busy right now."

The two had the task to head all over the Kingdom and
explain the events in the Empire's civil war.

Rather than explanation, it might be more correct to call it

a lecturer-like job.

Because it's a world that has a lot less entertainment than

Earth, there are many people who look forward to such
stories.

Since I'm busy as landed nobility, the two got the short end
of the stick as that doesn't apply to them.

Especially Burkhart-san has been asked to do so by

Margrave Breithilde and thus he's heading all over the
country.

If Burkhart-san's fame rises, it will lead to peace for

Margrave Breithilde who employs him.

For a moment there was a plan to have Burkhart-san

succeed a peerage, but he himself turned that down.

『What's so sad about it? I have no need for hardships

similar to yours, Earl-sama.』 (Burkhart)

Even if he, who has already passed an age of 50, became a

noble, it's very unlikely that he would be able to stabilize his
own territory until his death.

Since there's also the possibility that it could collapse in the

generation of his children, I guess his true opinion is to not do
the unreasonable?
| Azura Ren |
 "I've gotten pretty tired of this." (Katharina)

Having changed wind magic into the shape of something

like a drill, we're shaving off the mountain's slope.

As archaeologist Arnest was good at that spell to begin

with, but since it's not such a complicated spell either, the
three of us are earnestly digging up the mountain's slope.

Leaving aside Arnest, who isn't bothered by such kind of

work, Katharina had apparently reached her limit.

"Katharina-dono, excavation is a chain of plain jobs.

However, you will not be able to forget the deeply emotional
moment when you manage to excavate something." (Arnest)

"Simple tableware from the past or rusted swords, you

mean?" (Katharina)

"How did the ancient people use those tools? Just thinking
about that is already fun." (Arnest)

"It's a hobby that really doesn't suit me...." (Katharina)

During my previous life, there was a classmate in the same

university who excavated a historic ruin as practice during his
summer vacations to obtain the qualifications of a curator.

He seemed to be happy as he enjoyed such things, but as

far as I have heard him talking about it, to me at least it didn't
feel all that enjoyable.

It can't be helped since this is a difference in personal taste.

"That is regrettable! Ooh! Finally it appeared!" (Arnest)

| Azura Ren |
 At a place that was whittled down, just one part of an
artificial object, which resembled the framework of a tunnel,
emerged and shone in the sun.

At last the ancient tunnel, which has been buried for

10,000 years, showed up.

"However, you never know in the middle of mountains like

these, right?"

"In these 10,000 years, sand and earth that collapsed down
gathered and turned into a mountain. Then trees grew on top
of that. Nature is truly fearsome!" (Arnest)

It's not 『The Foolish Old Man Removes the Mountains』,

but since it won't emerge if you don't work at it with the
intention to tear down a mountain, albeit a small one, I guess
it's only natural that it hasn't been discovered so far.

"Let's move all the earth and sand in front of the entrance
away." (Wendelin)

"Understood." (Katharina)

"Katharina, you're suddenly fully motivated, aren't you?"

(Wendelin)

"I mean, if something appears, you will be curious about its

contents." (Katharina)

Certainly, that might be true as well.

I psyched up myself as well, and then the three of us stored

all the earth, trees and sand, which buried the tunnel, into my
magic bag.
| Azura Ren |
 "Just what absurd amount fits in that thing...." (Katharina)

It's probably because I frequently used magic during the

Empire's civil war.

My mana has grown to an extent that's obvious at a glance.

"You possess an amount of mana that is not very common

even among demons." (Arnest)

"Having said that, I can't best you though, Arnest."

(Wendelin)

"This me played hooky during magic training, but even so I

was one of the top five mana possessors in the demon
country." (Arnest)

"Then it's really good that you were able to leave the
country."

If you are the owner of so much mana, I don't think that

the country will let you go, though.

"That is why I smuggled myself out of the country."

(Arnest)

He has ignored even his country's rules for the sake of

excavating underground ruins.

In a certain sense, Arnest is a genuine scholar, I guess.

"I will enter at once." (Arnest)

The debris at the entrance had been completely removed.

All that's left is to enter the tunnel.

| Azura Ren |
 "There are no monsters or something like that in there,
right?" (Erwin)

"There is no reason for that to be the case." (Arnest)

Eru's worry is completely denied by Arnest.

We enter inside while staying on guard just in case, but

inside it's dark and one can't see properly.

At once I secure illumination by casting 『Light』.

Eru and Wilma turned on the light in the spare lamps for
caution's sake.

"Considering it's been in use 10,000 years ago, it's rather

clean, isn't it?"

"That is what I told you. This was a big, national project.

Have a look." (Arnest)

Arnest tells me to touch the tunnel's wall, but I recognized

its appearance and sensation.

It's made out of concrete.

"Mortar from the past?" (Wendelin)

If I were to mention concrete, Arnest with his good

perception might suspect something.

I deliberately use the word mortar.

"It is something close to it. This is called concrete.

Furthermore, this is a kind of 『Special Concrete』 that was
used for facilities that had to be very sturdy." (Arnest)
| Azura Ren |
 "Special means that something has been mixed into that
concrete or whatever it's called?" (Wendelin)

"Earl Baumeister, you are an excellent student. Ah, you

succeeded in compounding the Extreme Limit Steel. It is the
same here." (Arnest)

In addition to very small doses of orichalcum and mithril,

ten kinds of rare earth elements had been mixed into normal
concrete. By doing that, they completed a tunnel that didn't
break down even after 10,000 years have passed.

"To begin with, Earl Ischrubak had to do with the

construction of this. His 『Ultra-Preservation』 magic working
is yet another reason why it still stands as is. In addition,
reinforcements made out of Extreme Limit Steel should have
been added to the concrete, too." (Arnest)

I see. Given that this tunnel is made out special concrete

that is reinforced with Extreme Limit Steel bars, it seems to
be terribly sturdy.

"In that case it can be used right away?"

"It should be alright to do so. If possible, I would like to

investigate it for around a month." (Arnest)

"I don't mind that." (Wendelin)

Even if it might be usable right away, there's no way that

we can suddenly open a tunnel.

Making the necessary arrangements with the Kingdom,

providing illumination as the tunnel's dark, doing a safety
check of the entire tunnel, setting up stations to check the
| Azura Ren |
tunnel users at the territories on both ends of the tunnel,
establishing a guard system, and securing personnel.

And, since it would be meaningless if we don't get the noble

on the other exit's side to prepare, we also have to consider
the other party's convenience, too.

If we suddenly announce 『We have opened a tunnel, so

please feel free to use it』, it would result in the tunnel being
overrun by illegal immigration of smugglers and criminals.

This is a job for the administration and civil officials who

were often criticized in my previous life, but with so much
stuff to do, it will take time.

"I guess we will first proceed as far as we can...."

(Wendelin)

"However, it's truly a broad tunnel."

"Five road lanes per side are mentioned in the

governments public information." (Arnest)

Once I shone the 『Light』 towards the ground, white lines,

which I was familiar with from Japan, were drawn there.

In total it's 10 traffic lanes with a width where even large

trucks fit easily. In addition they even reserved emergency
lanes for broken cars on both sides.

"(It looks like a freeway on Earth....)" (Wendelin)

Since it's something that was built by that Earl Ischrubak

and the ancestors of the Mizuho people, I guess it's no
wonder if they did it full of motivation.
| Azura Ren |
 "By the way, it appears that there is also illumination."
(Arnest)

Magic lights were installed on the ceiling in regular

intervals.

"Inside those there are probably magic stones, which

provide mana." (Arnest)

Additionally ventilation holes to exchange the air inside the

tunnel were set up in fixed intervals, too.

"The magic stones to make those move should be installed

somewhere." Arnest deduces.

"Indeed...." (Wendelin)

I had already taken out the MHCD and was giving

Roderich a report.

『I will send guards over right away.』 (Roderich)

Hearing of the available, huge tunnel, the voice of Roderich

through the MHCD was full of joy.

"I leave it to you. We will investigate the tunnel as far as

possible in the meantime." (Wendelin)

"Investigate you say, are we going to walk?"

"No, for such times we do have the four-wheelers, don't

we?" (Wendelin)

Riding separately on two magic four-wheelers, we proceed

deeper into the tunnel.

| Azura Ren |
 Since it's a perfectly paved road this time, no one became
motion sick.

"How pleaaaasant───!" (Erwin)

Eru held out his head through the window while driving
and frolicked around by himself.

"Operating the four-wheeler is simpler than I thought."

(Luise)

In exchange for me, Luise grabs the wheel of the second car
and soon becomes capable of driving it skillfully as she has
good reflexes to begin with, following after Eru at the same
speed.

"Huh? There's something ahead, isn't there?"

After driving through the tunnel for a while, I confirm ten-

odd cars and trucks having been abandoned on the
emergency lane.

Once we got off and checked their state, the doors were
opened and the keys were still stuck at the driver's seats.

"Arnest, this is?" (Wendelin)

"Hmmmm." (Arnest)

Arnest searches his own magic bag and retrieves a bundle

of several hundred documents.

While swiftly turning them over and reading them, he

discovered a certain entry and began to explain.

"They followed the urgent evacuation instructions for times

| Azura Ren |
of disasters." (Arnest)

"Urgent evacuation instructions for times of disasters?"

(Wendelin)

"If you take refuge in a magic four-wheeler at times of

disasters such as earthquakes, there is the possibility of
crashing into the tunnel's wall due to the aftershock.
Accordingly, they parked their magic four-wheelers on the
emergency lane, leaving the keys still inside to make it easier
to move those cars for rescue parties and such. It is written
that this had been a rule." (Arnest)

"What a strange rule. What would they have done if their

expensive four-wheeler was stolen?" (Erwin)

Eru's way of thinking is common in the current age.

Everyone except for Arnest seems to share the same

opinion.

"The civilization during the era of the Ancient Magic

Civilization was even more advanced than the one in the
current demon country. Exactly because it was a state of
emergency, they wanted the citizens to act by certain
standards and the majority enacted this. Given that there
actually existed an insurance against theft, everyone abode
the government's instructions without worrying about it in
particular." (Arnest)

"Insurance; what's that?" (Luise)

"It is a system where you will be compensated for your

losses in case something happens, if you pay a certain amount
of money each month in advance." (Arnest)
| Azura Ren |
 "I don't really get it. Isn't it usually better to save money to
buy a new one instead of doing this monthly pay thing?"
(Luise)

"The money paid monthly is just a small amount." (Arnest)

"In that case I think that there will also be some people
demanding funds for a new car after saying their car, which
has gotten old, was stolen though...." (Luise)

"I will not say that such people will not exist, but
insurances are a system that yields a profit if you manage
them smartly." (Arnest)

Luise apparently harbored doubts about the insurance

system's structure.

Certainly, on the current Lingaia Continent it might be

difficult to run an insurance company.

"Putting aside that system called insurance, they stopped

their cars on the emergency lane and evacuated outside the
tunnel because something happened. You say the tunnel was
buried for some kind of reason after they left?"

"Rather than some kind, it was likely the huge explosion

which destroyed the Ancient Magic Civilization." (Arnest)

Arnest explains that there was an explosion due to a failed

large-scale magic device experiment carried out by the
central state of the Ancient Magic Civilization, resulting in the
disappearance of the central state. The civilization collapsed
in the following chaos.

"This tunnel was built quite sturdily to have withstood such

| Azura Ren |
a huge explosion."

"I imagine that the entrances on both sides had been

buried at a relatively early stage. It had been built quite
sturdily to begin with, and the 『Ultra-Preservation』 was
active as well." (Arnest)

It ended up being buried during the destruction of the

Ancient Magic Civilization, and then wasn't restored
afterwards due to some kind of circumstances.

I guess that means the amount of debris burying the

entrances gradually increased, the number of people
remembering the tunnel diminished slowly as well, and in the
end it turned into a historic ruin.

"The magic four-wheelers are in a good state as well, aren't

they?"

"It was good that the entrances had been blocked as the
effect of 『Ultra-Preservation』 also reached the tunnel's
space." (Arnest)

As expected, had the magic four-wheelers been exposed to

wind for 10,000 years, they would have turned into rubble by
now.

Though I suppose they would have been taken away

robbers before that.

Almost all the magic four-wheelers that have been parked

on the emergency lanes seem to be normally movable.

Their state was the same as back then.

| Azura Ren |
 Some are close to new, and there are also worn-out,
seasoned trucks.

"I suppose we will leave the retrieval of the vehicles to the

guards dispatched by Roderich. Let's move on." (Wendelin)

Thinking that, I'm about to return to our cars. But for some
reason only Eru was staring at something through the opened
door of a slightly separated car.

"Eru, what's there?" (Wendelin)

"Vel, the books from the Ancient Magic Civilization's era

are really amazing!" (Erwin)

What Eru was looking at was something similar to weekly

colored magazine.

A magazine close to Friday or Focus in Japan, which wrote

about the love life and nightly affairs of celebrities, the
corruption of politicians and nobles, and also had the typical
page with nude and swimsuit-wearing model pictures.

"How magnificent. To not take that along would be a

waste." (Erwin)

Eru was entranced with the nude pictures in the magazine

he had found.

It was left inside the car, but I guess the car owner didn't
consider the magazine to have that much value to take it with
them during the evacuation.

Well, even in Japan it was something you'd throw away

immediately after reading it.
| Azura Ren |
 "It is a cheap magazine. They also exist in the demon
country." (Arnest)

Arnest says while peeking into the magazine from behind

Eru who's zealously staring on the nude model.

"They also exist in the demon country?" (Wendelin)

"However, nude photos are prohibited." (Arnest)

"Why?" (Wendelin)

"A women movement was naggy about it. Saying something

about it infringing the rights of women." (Arnest)

Somehow that's a story I have heard somewhere before.

"Since half of the voters are women, the politicians have to

consider them appropriately, too. In addition a movement
towards banning sex services has also started since a few
decades ago. A part of the intelligent men are raising appeals
that this is the very cause of declining birth rates, but seeing
as it is difficult to verify that claim, people, who run illegal
brothels or release shady publications in the underground,
have appeared once the authorities started to regulate those
things. These kind of problems are issues that are extremely
difficult to resolve since ancient times." (Arnest)

That's truly a story I have heard somewhere before.

"Eru, take it with you and look at it at home." (Wendelin)

"I'm looking at it here because I can't take it home."

(Erwin)

| Azura Ren |
 Haruka not participating in this time's excavation is owed
to her preparations for the marriage ceremony.

Eru has the job of guarding me, and so he entrusted the

preparation to her.

"If it's only that much, you should be able to take it back
and look at it normally, no?" (Wendelin)

"No! I will be scolded by Haruka-san!" (Erwin)

"Just how much does she have you under her control...."
(Wendelin)

"Vel, I'm not being controlled by her!" (Erwin)

It's no wonder that I think that to be the case, seeing that

he will be scolded by his wife for just looking at erotic
pictures, right?

After all, someone like me... .ah, I guess I don't really need
something like erotic pictures.

Telling Eru to quickly get on the magic four-wheeler, I try

to leave this place.

"Vel, you are also scared of Elise and the others, aren't
you?" (Erwin)

"No way, what are you saying all of a sudden...." (Wendelin)

This me, who has become an Earl and who possesses five
wives and one mistress, is scared of women?

By no means. I really think that I don't need something like

erotic photos.
| Azura Ren |
 "Vel, are those your true feelings?" (Erwin)

"Isn't that obvious?" (Wendelin)

"This magazine writes about a special cosplay edition for

this week's release.... I don't understand the meaning of the
word cosplay, but somehow it sounds fun." (Erwin)

"As feudal lord I own the right over artifacts. Eru, if

necessary, you will borrow it from me." (Wendelin)

Since it piqued my interest a bit, I decide to set it aside just

in case.

After all it might actually have some literary value.

"Roger." (Erwin)

I quickly store the magazine into my magic bag and then

we depart further into the tunnel.

Of course the matter with the ero-book is a secret from

Elise and the others.

"What a long tunnel."

While only depending on the lights of the magic four-

wheelers, we head deeper into the tunnel.

Given that abandoned vehicles, which had been left on the

other lanes besides the emergency lanes, gradually became
more frequent, I told Luise to drop the driving speed.

We have already advanced roughly 480 km in a half day at

an average speed of 40 km/h.

| Azura Ren |
 I think it's proper to call it a long tunnel, but if you walk
across the mountain roads of the Greater League Mountain
Range, the way in one direction takes around half a month.

I guess you can call that only natural.

"I see it." (Arnest)

Finally we discovered a door, which had a sign stating

『Only authorized personnel』, at the tunnel's side.

"I will open it." (Katharina)

Once Katharina opens the door with the 『Unlock』 spell,

using it for the first time in a while, we find a huge magic
crystal and several peripheral devices inside.

"It is not out of order. If you supply mana, as you see...."

(Arnest)

Once Arnest pours mana into the empty mana crystal, it

immediately recovers its crimson brightness.

When we leave the room, the magic lights and ventilation

devices inside the tunnel have come back to life.

"Indeed, with this the tunnel has become really bright."

As expected we were exhausted after being crammed into a

car for half a day.

We camp just like that on that day, and once again resume
driving with the cars on the next morning.

The destination is the exit on the opposite side.

| Azura Ren |
 "Driving it is simple, and not as complicated as riding a
horse." (Wilma)

In the eyes of Wilma, who had become capable of handling

a magic gun and doing simple maintenance on it, driving the
magic four-wheeler doesn't seem to be overly difficult. She
switched with Eru, but is likewise steering it skillfully.

"Mmh? The engine stalled?" (Luise)

"That's odd...." (Katharina)

"If you change the gear, you have to let go of the clutch a
bit more slowly." (Luise)

On the other hand, Katharina, who changed with Luise,

frequently caused the engine to stall at the beginning.

There appears to be no automatic transmission in these

magic four-wheelers.

Given that I only drove automatic cars in my previous life, I

recalled that I caused the engine to stall a few times at the
beginning.

"Like this?" (Katharina)

"Yeah, that's right. You don't have to be flustered since

stalling the engine is nothing particularly significant either. If
you have driven for a while, you will get used to it." (Luise)

"Okay." (Katharina)

At first she was bewildered, but even Katharina became

able to drive the car normally in no time.

| Azura Ren |
 "But, it's truly a long tunnel, isn't it?"

Since Katharina had gotten used to driving, she switched

with Ina next.

Given that she has the same good reflexes as Luise, she was
immediately able to drive normally.

"We are going to come out in the Breithilde Margraviate,

right?"

"According to the map Arnest created while referencing the

documents, that seems to be the case." (Wendelin)

Sitting in the passenger seat, I check back with the

handwritten map.

It's close to a region of small, mixed fiefs in the east, but

according to the calculations, we should come out at the base
of a mountain located in the Breithilde Margraviate. If it's
him, the various negotiations and formalities shouldn't pose
much of a problem even on the opposite side of the tunnel.

"We arrived." (Katharina)

"We will wait here for a while, correct?"

If we remove the debris on the other side all of a sudden, it

might cause many troublesome issues.

Hence we have decided to wait here until the guards

dispatched by Roderich finish their examination and the
collection of the magic four-wheelers. There rest will be a job
I will carry out together with Arnest and Katharina.

| Azura Ren |
 "Just in case it's necessary to confirm that it's safe."

Therefore just the three of us will now go back through the

tunnel.

While casting spells such as 『Detection』, 『Sensing』 and

『Probe』 on the way, we started to check whether there are no
damaged parts and internal cracks in the tunnel.

"Nothing less of Earl Ischrubak, a splendid construction

work." (Arnest)

Arnest examined the tunnel's state by using an original

sonar-like magic.

This spells seems to belong to the wind attribute. Besides

darkness magic, which manipulates someone's mind, he's
apparently good at wind magic.

He told me that it's his most useful spell during historic

ruin excavations.

"I can use some earth and water magic, too. Fire is of no
use to this me. It is at the level of starting a fire during
camping." (Arnest)

Except for darkness, which is the special magic of demons,

he hasn't learned anything but spells necessary for
excavations.

In a certain sense it's also a fresh way of thinking.

"Milord!"

Once we have almost returned to the middle of the tunnel's

| Azura Ren |
length while investigating, Thomas and Nikolaus show up
while leading several hundred guards.

"I see, this is indeed an amazing, ancient ruin."

Thomas seems to be the guard captain and Nikolaus serves

as his vice-captain.

Ordering the soldiers, they immediately carried out the

work of collecting the vehicles.

"Did the personnel increase again?"

"Yes. The Baumeister Earldom is growing rapidly after all."

New retainers are constantly hired, and they are assigned

jobs in accordance to their abilities and personalities.

There are many places that have to be protected. Since

public order is slightly bad because of the many new settlers,
the organization of the guard unit and the feudal army took
priority.

"Nowadays we are treated as seniority."

"By now we have an overwhelming number of juniors."

"Even Roderich, the most senior one among us, has been
serving for less than five years."

Thomas' and the others' continuous service isn't much

shorter than that of Tristan's group.

"Be that as it may, such a huge tunnel, huh? It looks like

guarding it will be difficult."

| Azura Ren |
 "We still haven't removed the debris at the exit. Once that's
done, we will have to settle things such as ownership ratio
and the sharing of guarding and administrative
responsibilities, but do as much as you can for now."
(Wendelin)

"Ah, there's the allotment of ownership, eh? But, won't the

negotiations be easy if it's Margrave Breithilde-sama?"

The tunnel goes through the Greater League Mountain

Range.

If one were to speak about the owner of that mountain

range, it's pretty much set in stone.

South from the summit it's the Baumeister Earldom. The

rest belongs to the Breithilde Margraviate and some nobles of
an alliance of smaller feudal lords.

However, the Greater League Mountain Range itself has

difficult mountain roads, and serves as dwelling of flying
dragons and wyverns. In addition there are also many
ferocious wild animals.

If you were to ask which noble is actually exercising their

rule, the answer would be: none.

"Half each with Margrave Breithilde-sama then?"

"We are the discoverers. Even at lowest, we will claim the

part until the power room."

The room with the magic crystal that acts as energy source
for the magic lights and air condition inside the tunnel. That
one is important, so we must not yield its ownership.
| Azura Ren |
 "Then let's hurry up and put the rule in practice."
(Thomas)

Probably because of their experience in the dispute with

the Margrave Browig household, Thomas understood very
quickly.

While helping with the tunnel checking and collecting the

abandoned vehicles, we are actively taking the tunnel under
our control by positioning guards. At the same time the
guards practiced driving the four-wheelers.

"I'd like to deploy these to some extent."

"We will definitely do that."

Because the tunnel is too long, they won't be able to cope in

an emergency situation if they don't move by car.

Using horses would be fine as well, but that would take

time.

"I guess it's finally time to dig out the exit."

Three days after Thomas and the guards came, the tunnel
was judged to be completely safe.

Guards have been deployed at the entrance and various

other places. They go on periodic patrols with the magic four-
wheelers.

The guards have even put their hands on the power room
with the magic crystal. At last we began to dig out through the
sand and earth at the exit.

| Azura Ren |
 "No matter how much I dig, and dig, and dig....sand and
earth keeps flowing in...."

A huge amount of sand and earth has piled up above the

exit in 10,000 years. It might have turned into a mountain.

I put all of it into magic bags, and go to pass all of it,

including the part that covered the entrance, to Roderich.

"Let's use the sand and earth to fill up where necessary."

(Roderich)

Roderich proceeded with the plan of the filling up work.

After leaping with 『Teleportation』 on-site, I put the piled-

up sand and earth into my magic bag. The trees will be bought
by merchants for lumber.

Thanks to the massive demand for constructions, there's

never enough lumber around. The merchants bought all of it
happily.

"We have no other choice but to keep digging while being

cautious to not get buried alive."

Once we remove sand and earth on the exit's side, more of

it streams into the hole, returning it all to its original state.

This repeated itself for a while, but at last sunlight shone

through the exit.

"It's sunlight!"

With the tunnel opening, everyone is deeply moved by the

light that leaks in.

| Azura Ren |
 "I will make a path."

Once I got rid of another big amount of debris, it became

apparent that the accumulated sand and earth on the exit's
side had also turned into a mountain.

After removing all of it, the tunnel was reopened at last.

"It's open, but...."

"How very quiet...."

Luise, who left the tunnel aiming to be the first to get out,
can't hide her surprise due to the scenery spreading in front
of her.

It's because that place is a rural farming region, seemingly

located in the mountains. Several farmers were carefreely
plowing their fields.

"Oh dear! Just when I thought that the mountain's slope

had suddenly vanished, it next turned into a cave."

"We gotta inform the Lord of this."

"Those people are underground dwellers?"

They are surprised by the suddenly opened tunnel. One of

the farmers runs at a great speed to call their lord.

"Huh? This isn't the Breithilde Margraviate, is it?"

(Wendelin)

"Milord, maybe it's an area managed by a governor?"

(Thomas)

| Azura Ren |
 Thomas, I and the others can't hide our surprise due to the
rural area outside the tunnel's exit.

For some reason or another I had a bad premonition, but

that I would be dragged into the characteristic troubles of
nobility again was something I couldn't imagine at that
moment in time.

| Azura Ren |
 Credits

Source/Translator:
infinitenoveltranslations.net

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| Azura Ren |