From their polite demeanor, it was clear that the Duke had no intention of being hostile towards us. After all, if anything happened to us, it would be the end of this country. They would be in trouble if they provoked the Sea Dragon and the Empire.
It would be better for them to welcome us courteously and persuade us to cooperate with the Sea Dragon.
Dragons are usually treated as S-rank. If the Adventurer's Guild were to handle it, an S-rank or AAA-rank adventurer party would be formed, or the request would be given to an SS-rank adventurer.
If the military were to handle it, a considerable amount of preparation and soldiers would be required.
At the very least, it would be almost impossible for the Principality of Albatro to handle it alone.
"Here it is."
"Thank you."
While thanking the knight who guided us, I entered the throne room.
The Duke was not on the throne. Instead, he was bowing deeply at the end of the red carpet.
Around him, people who seemed to be his ministers were also bowing.
"It is my first time meeting you, Prince Leonardo. I am Duke Donato di Albatro of the Principality of Albatro. This incident was entirely due to the lack of foresight of my country. I am deeply sorry for involving you. Furthermore, I am deeply grateful for saving many survivors, including my children. Thank you very much..."
"Thank you, Prince Leonardo!!"
Following the Duke, the ministers also expressed their gratitude.
It was an unusually abnormal scene.
No matter the size of the country, the other party was a king, and I was a prince. Normally, the other party would be in a higher position, and I would be in a lower position. Even in different situations, it would be at most an equal position.
For the Duke to come down and bow was completely out of the ordinary.
I was so stunned that I looked at Mark, but Mark was also frozen.
He was somehow kneeling but seemed to be at a loss about what to do. He was completely preoccupied with his own situation.
Thinking there was no other choice, I walked up to the Duke, grabbed his hands, and helped him stand up.
The Duke, who was in his mid-forties, had light brown hair and green eyes, similar to Eva and Julio. His face was more delicate than Julio's.
He seemed kind but also somewhat unhealthy due to his overly delicate appearance.
Kneeling down, I spoke to the Duke.
"Your Majesty, it is my first time meeting you. I am the eighth prince of the Empire, Leonardo Rakes Ardler. I deeply apologize for the trouble caused by this incident. There is no need for your gratitude. I merely helped the people who were drifting in front of me. If our ship had sunk, your country would have done the same. You know the dangers of the sea well."
"But, but!"
"However, given your sense of righteousness, you would not be satisfied with just that. So, could we receive food and water for our ship? A little treasure would also be fine. Our ship had to discard the treasure intended for Rondine into the sea."
"Wh-what! You did all that! Of course! No need to ask! Our country will bear all the costs!"
"Thank you. And one more thing. I would like to hear about the troubles your country is facing. This issue will likely affect the entire continent if it drags on."
"...Understood. You are no longer uninvolved. You must know."
I guided the Duke to the throne.
Nodding, the Duke ascended the throne and sat down, then began to speak with a solemn expression.
"You must have noticed that in our waters... there is a Sea Dragon."
"I had a feeling. The storm was too unnatural. Our ship's captain also suspected it might be the rumored Sea Dragon."
"I see... The name of that dragon is 'Leviatano.' It has been sleeping for over two hundred years."
"Two hundred years? That's an unusually long time for a dragon to hibernate."
"It wasn't hibernating. It was put to sleep. Using an ancient magical artifact. This one."
The Duke had a servant bring something.
The servant brought a broken staff.
It was completely broken at the base. The construction itself was not particularly unusual, but it had a large gemstone at the tip, which was likely used to store magic power. Even now, it emitted a strong magical aura, though it seemed to be only about half of its original size. It must have been an incredible magical artifact.
"Two hundred years ago, this southern region was ruled by a unified state. However, when the Sea Dragon Leviatano became active and wreaked havoc in the surrounding areas, a battle ensued. In the end, we managed to put it to sleep using this magical artifact, but the royal family declined, and the region fell into a period of warring states. My Principality of Albatro was originally founded by the family tasked with guarding this staff. The legend of Leviatano is more accurately passed down in our principality than in Rondine."
"I see. So the staff was broken, and you hurried to investigate?"
"Exactly. I am deeply sorry for involving you. Given the storm, it was possible that your ship had sunk... We should have contacted the Adventurer's Guild immediately."
"That's in the past. Besides, if it comes to slaying a dragon, an exorbitant reward would be required. Moreover, the information would spread throughout the continent. I cannot blame your country for conducting an independent investigation, given your focus on maritime trade."
"...I am grateful for your understanding."
The explanation ended there.
I understood the situation. Next was the countermeasure.
What should be done? Even if we contacted the Adventurer's Guild, an immediate response would be impossible. There are only a handful of adventurers capable of fighting a dragon across the entire continent.
Well, I am one of them, but it would be too unnatural for a Silver-rank adventurer, who usually stays in the capital, to suddenly appear here. Some reason would be needed.
"What countermeasures are you considering, Your Majesty?"
"...I think we have no choice but to rely on the Adventurer's Guild. They won't respond immediately, but..."
"That's the only option. Our Empire would like to offer assistance, but with a dragon, especially at sea, it's not as simple as sending a fleet. It should be left to the professionals. However, I have one suggestion."
"Tell me. What is your suggestion?"
"You should form a dragon alliance with the Principality of Rondine. Once they know the situation, they will realize that this is not a time for conflict."
"I have considered that, but... we have been in conflict with Rondine for years. We do not have the kind of diplomatic relations that would allow for an immediate alliance."
"That's why I am suggesting it. If I, as the Empire's ambassador, bring this proposal, they cannot dismiss it."
The Duke was slightly taken aback by my suggestion.
It was too convenient for them.
After some thought, the Duke gave a cautious response.
"Since it is a matter of great importance, would it be alright to discuss it with my ministers first?"
"Of course. However, it would be best to act as quickly as possible. Rondine, though unaware of the details, must have some vague information about the chaos in your country. They might attack."
"Indeed..."
While saying that, I was confident it wouldn't happen.
Leo is there. Even if he is pretending to be me, Elna is by his side.
He will somehow manage to mislead and restrain Rondine's actions. They would assume I am in the Principality of Albatro since I haven't arrived yet.
Still, the delay would be helpful for us.
I need time to think, and I am even considering going to the capital. The only problem is that I would need to use the teleportation magic four times—twice for the trip and twice for the return. I need to choose the right moment to go.
With that in mind, I bowed and left the throne room.
---
So, this was the Sea Dragon arc.
I hope Al will be able to handle the situation well. Whether things go as planned remains to be seen.
I'm a bit tired, so I'll report on my activities next time.
I have a lot of feedback to respond to today, so I'll laugh about it.