Chapter 8.1

Chapter 8.1

So we want a few things explained, already. That alright with y’all?」

The day after the Japanese members of the group decided on their next step, Hiroshi opened up the conversation after a breakfast together had been completed.

「You may be right. It may be time to tell you our side of the story.」

「Lord Douga!? 」

「Call me Doul, Reena. And no need for honorifics.」

After what had become a frequent recurring conversation, Douga faced the Japanese members again. That being said, it seemed that Rayna attempted to stop Douga not because she was against telling their story.

「There is something I want to confirm before we begin.」

「Yeah?」

「Was it you, Hiroshi-dono, who crafted the antidotes when the horde of Venomous Wolves appeared a month and a half ago.」

「…Knowing ya, you’re askin’ ‘cus ya already know the answer, so I’ll be honest. It was me. Made ‘bout three hundred and change of them.」

Hiroshi answered Douga honestly. Aearis’ and Douga’s eyes clearly shifted. Aearis, especially, looked as if she wanted to say something but had reservations about asking for more, still keeping Rayna’s transgression in mind. Seeing the stalemate, Haruna broke through it with a direct question:

「Does Hiroshi-kun’s potion making and you guys being trapped by Piaranork have something to do with each other?」

「Not directly. But when it comes to breaking through our current situation, it may play a big part.」

「Somethin’ complicated?」

「Very.」

While Hiroshi and Haruna had expected this answer, when Douga told it to their face, they didn’t know what to say. Chuckling at them, Douga organized what he needed to share in his mind. As he pondered where to start, it occurred to him that he may have to divulge their own identity openly if he wanted help from Hiroshi and Haruna at all.

Douga thought that, judging by their attitude, Hiroshi and Haruna had a clue as to their identity but weren’t quite sure of it. It didn’t seem like Makoto had told them about it, either. And Douga was sure that, from the time they had spent together, that Hiroshi and Haruna had no intention of making an enemy out of them. On that note, other than Makoto and Tatsuya, the other three Japanese members were desperately lacking in talent to deceive anyone with malice. While Douga didn’t know what to make of Mio, whom he hadn’t spoken to much, Hiroshi and Haruna were smarter than most, and they were sharp and wary enough to notice possibilities about being deceived or betrayed themselves, but they seemed naïve at their core, where they would never consider shooting first.

Douga saw them as trustworthy for their character, and for their secret-keeping, somewhat. But because he saw that they were good people, Douga couldn’t trust their talent in acting. While he doubted that could be tricked into spilling the beans too easily, he wasn’t sure if they could refrain from giving away any tells when questioned. Then, he realized that they couldn’t possibly be as stupidly honest as Rayna.

While Rayna’s straightforwardness was charming, it was coupled with her detriments of a one-track mind, inability to read between the lines, and incapability of lying. She was stoic and unwavering, making her a hard target to manipulate. On the other hand, once she had set her mind it was difficult for anyone to get her back on the right track. This made her susceptible to unexpected (non-combat related) events. Of course, Rayna wasn’t completely useless. Her youth and characteristics made her unfit for politics and negotiations, but she was much more of use than the average recruit, like the third son who had no hopes of inheriting the family business.

She had only ended up cornering Hiroshi, in part, because both people who could reign her in were incapacitated. She had just become an adult, after all, and she was bound to improve with experience, somewhat. Best of all, she recognized her own flaws, and was striving to improve them. Douga always thought he could afford to give her more time. Besides, Hiroshi himself was opposed to a harsh punishment. Douga was worried that if he administered an unnecessary punishment without a closer look, he could further damage their relationship. Of course, if something like the incident were to happen again, he would have no more chances to give Rayna.

Comparing Hiroshi and Haruna to his own subordinate, Douga came to a conclusion. They were easier to handle than Rayna, very loyal, and were skilled enough to take down Piaranork with just the two of them. The same could be said for Tatsuya, except he seemed like he had also lived enough to play some politics. As for Mio, Douga doubted that she would say anything unnecessary as long as Tatsuya and Hiroshi told her not to. Of course, Hiroshi was extremely skilled in (at least) potion making, blacksmithing and crafting magical items. Douga considered the risk of sharing their information, and it seemed like the benefit he would receive through honesty and gaining their trust outweighed that risk. With that conclusion, Douga was finally ready to tell the whole story, including their identity.

「Are you ready?」

「Yes. I would like to keep what I am about to say to this house, if possible.」

「Lord Douga! I will not oppose telling them our story! But are you going to tell them everything, right here, right now!?」

「Call me Doul, I say.」

「I don’t care! Don’t tell them everything when we don’t know who could be listening!」

「That’s all takin’ care of. Don’t ya worry ‘bout it.」

Hearing this, Aearis closed her eyes.

「…Very high-level soundproofing and anti-eavesdropping, as well as clairvoyance-censoring barriers are set around the entire workshop. And another layer around this room. Who did this?」

「Hiroshi-kun made a tool for the workshop. I was doing them at first, but it was getting tiresome to do them over every day, so I ask him to make them after awhile.」

Tatsuya chimed in:

「This room is covered by Mio and I. We thought it could be a long story. Also, we cast Dispel on this room beforehand, so even if there was something planted here already, it won’t be working.」

Douga and Rayna looked impressed. All of those spells were once a requirement for a quest in-game, and actually happened to be rather useless after that one quest. The Soundproof barrier at least came in handy for neutralizing the Cursing Songs and supersonic attacks of Harpies and Sirens, but Eavesdrop and Clairvoyance protection was normally never used outside of a mandatory quest. To boot, some quests require a needless high Skill Level, so many players were adept in these spells for no good reason.

Of course, they went through the trouble to set all of this up for some privacy. Information regarding Hiroshi was especially dangerous. Without exaggeration, he could turn the current international power balance on its head. While Hiroshi himself consider that a little excessive, he was at least aware that he would be in more trouble than he wanted if word got out about his abilities.

「So, unless they’re super-powered, they ain’t gettin’ anythin’ from Eavesdroppin’. So spit it all out, now.」

「Hiroshi-kun, you really have a way with words.」

Chuckling at Hiroshi and Haruna’s comic routine, Douga began by explaining some basic knowledge about themselves and the government of this nation. Aearis seemed to have trusted Douga with the tasks, and remained silent. Rayna also seemed to be satisfied, and kept to herself most of the time.

Aearis, who Rayna addressed as “Princess,” was the fifth and youngest crown princess of the nation. By blood, she was the second daughter of the royal family. As an exception in Farlane court, which had always had male rulers, Aearis was in line for the throne, although very low on the list. This was because of the duties bestowed upon her. On a side note, while every peasant to orphan had a last name in Farlane, the royal family didn’t. The excuse for this was that the royal line were one and only, and didn’t need to be differentiated from others by a last name. Royalties of most other countries that have a certain length of history didn’t have last names, mostly because they copied the customs of Farlane, which boasts the longest history among the all current nations.

There was a reason why Farlane’s rulers have been males. For some reason, the Hereditary Spell passed down through the royal family didn’t get passed down to the children of princesses. Despite being passed down to both male and female children of princes who can use the Hereditary Spell. This was why even the sons of the king and a concubine were treated better than daughters of the king and queen. By the way, (not only for Farlane) any Hereditary Spell was never passed down to children born in other countries. While the reason for this was unclear, the public’s interpretation was that because each nation was protected by a different god. In addition, any children of males, who happened to cut ties with the royal family (like marrying someone in another country) don’t have the Hereditary Spell passed down to them. This was also true for royalties of all nations.

So, why was Aearis in line for the throne? Largely because of her title as the Priestess Princess. The Priestess Princesses of Farlane communes with the Goddess Alfemina (the protector of the country), and uses the powers of the goddess through their body and magic. They were literal shaman. Only a woman who takes this position can bear children who can use the Hereditary Spell. Of course, even their children, if they marry and birth the children outside of Farlane, won’t have the Hereditary Spell passed down to them.

「You sound like you have a very important position. It’s seems a little weird that you’re only company is Douga-san and Rayna-san.」

「Somethin’s up, I bet. It don’t sound like there’s only one of these Priestess Princesses per generation, either. 」

「My guess is that the line for the throne isn’t set in stone, either.」

Hiroshi and Tatsuya chimed in their guess on the royal system.

「That is correct. Princess is more powerful than anyone in this generation, or the past five for that matter. But there are two more unmarried princesses above her who are qualified to be the Priestess Princess.」

「Besides, the Priestess Princess isn’t allowed to hold any political influence. A princess who may become the Priestess Princess will study some kingcraft, but nine out of ten, they will never end up using it.」

In short, they were worthless politically, and replaceable. Aearis herself wasn’t important. Besides, since she spent most of the day in the more than well-secured Alfemina Temple, and spent the rest in the castle (the most well-secured architecture of the country) she simply didn’t need too many people following her around. Both Douga and Rayna were top-class in terms of combat prowess. Douga, in fact, had considerable political influence as well.

The biggest reason for Aearis’ lack of companions, however, can be attributed to a servant assigned to her before Aearis took on the role of the Priestess Princess was quite a troubled person with impeccable talent for covering things up. Every trouble this servant caused had brought Aearis’ reputation down. As a result, Aearis was extremely unpopular to most (excluding some people in the royal family and important political circles) which made Rayna (who had been with Aearis since they were children) one of the few people willing to serve Aearis.

「Smells kinda fishy to me.」

「The king isn’t stupid enough to assign that kind of servant to his own daughter, is he?」