“The demon who tried disguising as the queen has been killed by the secret Queen’s Knights.”
That is the rumor of this incident that has been spreading around the city.
Of course, this is made up and intentionally spread by the royal family. They actually changed the time and I’m not one of the Queen’s knights. So they prepared for a rumor to spread and manipulated as they fit.
[I humbly request every one of you as well to keep this matter a secret.]
Because the Queen herself lowered her head, even the adventurers agreed without saying more than that and went home. Another reason they agreed would be that the gathered adventurers were given a reward based on their rank as hush money. Unfortunately, I wasn’t given any though…
Also, that tone Sakuya is using seems to be her formal behavior and is the tone exclusive for when she is a queen. Because we didn’t hear of this tone before, we were taken aback. When we tried asking for details…
[Eh? I don’t have any reason to use that kind of exhausting tone as my usual tone, do I?]
Saying that, she changed back. So she just puts on an act!?
Even after adventurers left, the castle interior is in a state of confusion. That’s currently changing and it seems it will take considerable time to inspect the extend of the impact. Of course, I make full use of Map and Alta’s ability as per Sakuya’s request. During the inspection, we had a number retainers who were exposed of corruption or embezzlement… There were more of them than I expected and Sakuya complained to me when I became even busier, since I had a lot of catching up to do. I didn’t have that much to catch up to, you know.
With Romarie’s plot coming to light, the dungeon jailers have committed suicide. Are they gallant or what….
With this and that going on, I already babysitted the royal castle for 3 days. I’m naturally near Sakuya and displaying my abilities (Alta does). Moreover, my fighting power being high has been exposed, so I have received a secretary-cum-guard-like treatment. It’s to the extent where nobody would utter any objections even if I sit next to her during her meal. They even handle my portion…
I personally didn’t intend to have anything to do with politics, but due to the fact I chose to be related to this clean-up, I guess I have to do this.
Right now, Sakuya is struggling with paperwork on my lap. You don’t really need me here, do you?
[I do!]
She won’t budge. Sometimes, Dora comes over, looking lonely. At that time, Sakuya would move aside and share half of my lap with Dora.
Incidentally, all of my main party’s members have free pass to the castle but only when they are together with me. Of course, together with me = together with Sakuya, but I can say it shouldn’t matter no matter how you think about it.
Another 2 days passed. Finally we can see the turmoil caused by the demons revert to normal. However, my treatment also went up even further at the same time. At one point, a portion of the ministers began calling me with “-sama”.
A : There are rumors about Master being Queen Sakuya’s fiancé and part of the future royal family. Because Sakuya doesn’t actively deny it either, the rumor is carrying a sense of truth.
Hey, Sakuya…
I glare at Sakuya with half open eyes and she looks back with a innocent-looking(I didn’t say innocent) smile. I pull on her cheeks.
[vut you mow, I don’t fant do deny suj a wonvervul future, fat’s wy.](But you know, I don’t want to deny such a wonderful future, that’s why.)
*sigh* This girl stopped hiding her affection towards me. I thought her proposal was just my imagination, but she seems somewhat serious about it.
[Even though you call me your brother, do you want to call me your husband?]
When I say that as a joke…
[Did you know? Brothers and sister not related by blood can marry each other.]
She answers me back like that with a smile.
Is this a light novel!? (TLN: Yep)
The next day. With the first stage completed, I was relieved from duty for now.
And so, I’m currently in the middle of an audience. The reason? It’s for the reward for this time’s incident. No matter how much Sakuya acknowledges me, I’m an outsider to this country’s management in the end. It’s because I’m nothing but a skilled parttimer. Besides, it looks like I have to be rewarded since I’m the key figure in the demon subjugation.
Of course, this is different from the reward the other adventurers received.
Moreover, I’m the person who has broken the greatest defense of the royal family. Simply put, it means I can single-handedly overthrow the royal family. There is no reason to make an enemy out of that kind of person. Adding to the fact that I’m also really close with Sakuya, the Queen …
[It is unnecessary to bow, my retainers.]
This charade again, huh. Even though this is not an act, I still don’t want to kneel to Sakuya either.
Sakuya fell on her knees from my jab. But she managed to hold her ground somehow.
[Jin-dono, you have my gratitude for giving us various support in regards to the current incident-noja. Such being the case, I believe a reward for your efforts is in order. I would like to enquire about your desired items first. Are you certain with the following items?]
Because it is troublesome for me to even say them at this place, I have Sakuya convey them first. With those coming out of Sakuya’s mouth, it would push the feeling that these rewards are already acknowledged beforehand, or so it would seem.
[The first item is the arrangements of a base in the capital. The second item is the ownership of the demon’s corpse. And the third item is several treasures containing magic items including “Queen’s necklaces”. These are all the items you desire, is it not?]
[Yes, these are without a doubt the items I wish for.]
Well, I should at least use polite expressions.
[Then, these three…]
[Please excuse me, your Majesty! If you were to award the “Queen’s necklace” to a person who is unknown to us and who is even a person with unknown origins, then I, Hainbel-“gufu” *painful groan*]
A nearby noble, who is the same minister who addressed me with “sama” if I remember correctly, silenced the noble who is about to say unnecessary things, with a stomach punch. The verbal gaffe noble collapsed. I wish I could do that, a stomach punch.
A : If master does the stomach punch, that noble would follow the same fate as the demon.
I know right~~
More like, why did that noble go out of his way in this place to say that?
A : He comes from an old house, but he also has many scandals and it appears quite hard to obtain a “Queen’s necklace”.
Don’t invite that kind of guy to this place. Sakuya, I’ve decided to punish you after this.