Chapter 820: Harvest Festival Day 2
I accompanied both the Baroness and Princess Ran to Irina’s room in the Baron’s mansion. Despite it being a joyous occasion, I was slightly unsettled by the sudden intensity of the words 「Kill Princess Ran」.
“Now then. Smithson-dono is already acquainted with nobles across numerous kingdoms. You may already be aware of this, but let me state it clearly for confirmation. ……Treatment of a noble is treatment of a nation. And any discourtesy toward a nation cannot be dismissed as 『Just a joke』. ……Let me put it another way. Bestowing a favor upon a noble cannot be considered 『A gratuitous act of kindness』 either”
“That……”
“For the dragon rider to say something like return it slowly would be a poor move indeed. Giving them options for repayment is tantamount to demanding they appraise the favor. Commoners have no right to haggle over a favor sold by a dragon rider. Offering excessive treasure might be the better outcome; they could just as easily exploit it in their political struggles and end up sacrificing the pitiful loser as an offering”
“Isn’t that being overly cynical?”
“Human affairs often sink below even the worst imaginings. This is no laughing matter”
Irina was serious. She sat confidently with her legs crossed on a slightly high chair, slowly tapping the fan in her hand against her palm as she continued, her eyes testing me.
“Therefore, if you sell a favor, understand that demanding repayment is also a matter of consideration. And it must be in a form sufficient in the eyes of others”
“……How does that lead to talk of killing the princess?”
“That is the worst-case scenario. ……If you truly wish to avoid all trouble, killing the princess and making it all disappear is a viable option for a dragon rider. ……And that too was proposed by the princess herself”
“…………”
The princess herself? I looked at the princess’s profile as she stood beside me, facing Irina. ……Her expression was unreadable. That a girl still retaining traces of youth could wear such a face while discussing her own life was proof of extraordinary resolve and determination.
“On that basis, then. ……The princess has several proposals”
Irina pointed to the stack of parchments piled on the desk.
“These are the 『Myths』 the princess has been writing lately. Though you likely can’t read them”
“Precisely. So explain it simply”
“Very well. ……Depending on how deeply you choose to involve yourself……or put another way, 『How much you choose to accept』……several storylines for publication have been prepared. To put it roughly. If you aim for a short-term resolution, your role will be heavily featured with grand embellishments. If you intend long-term involvement, it’s the opposite. If you plan to wield authority on the ground, persuasive storytelling becomes unnecessary”
“Hold on. What do you mean wield authority? Are you telling me to rampage as a dragon?”
My voice rose involuntarily. After a pause, I considered shifting my gaze to Princess Irina, thinking it unfair to direct my frustration at her, but Irina seemed to refuse to let me, her voice overlapping mine.
“What are you, Andy Smithson? This isn’t some abstract notion about yourself. What are you to Saint Gardo? That is what I am discussing now”
“That is……”
“A dragon rider. How she explains matters related to that to her people and other nobles, and how she repays you in turn—that’s the procedure. How you act during that process, what results you bring about. That’s where I’m leaving room for choice”
But that’s—I try to protest, but Irina won’t allow it. She commands the room with her innate dignity as clan chief, pinning me down. ……Is she protecting the princess? I realize in the back of my mind.
“Saint Gardo doesn’t know you’re a dragon rider. Precisely because you are a dragon rider, it justifies the princess bypassing formalities and entrusting herself to you almost entirely on her own. ……You likely feel you merely lent a hand to cure an illness. Yet even that itself is a pretext to avoid blame for Fiona’s encounter being deemed her fault and facing capital punishment. It’s understandable you’d protest that such consideration ultimately causes unnecessary trouble. However—”
With a sharp snap, Irina slammed her fan down and fixed me with an intense gaze.
“Even if it’s not 『Myth』, once a noble has been involved, a story is necessary. While the ignorant might be fooled by 『Divine Miracles』, those around the princess are not. To convince them and reach an understanding, we must utilize the dragon’s form and power. If we fail, we’ll only give them false suspicions of adultery instead of health, and they’ll simply be left to die in the political strife”
“…………”
I tried to say something, but couldn’t form the words into sentences. I opened my hand slightly, then clenched it, letting it fall limply. I understood the logic. Yes. Bonaparte’s rebellion, the Renfangas coup d’état, even the Kalwin incident—they were all the same. For royalty and nobility, a just cause is paramount. Any doubt casts their position and safety into sudden peril. It must be the same for Princess Ran. I merely introduced the benefits of the sacred spring out of goodwill, giving a poor girl a healthy body……. I thought I was doing some lighthearted good deed, but it could easily become handing her a deadly weapon to take home. If I were truly just a commoner, perhaps giving her a few gold coins as thanks for revealing the sacred spring would have settled things nicely. But I am not a commoner bowing low; I approached her as a Dragon Rider, boasting a status above hers, showing pity and bestowing a gift. Dragon Riders represent a colossal military force capable of waging full-scale war against that nation. If such a force happened to contact royalty, interact familiarly, and then part ways over a mere exchange of small change, no one would accept that. Depending on the circumstances, her brothers or other domestic factions might view her as a political rival, or interpret it as treasonous intent towards the state. They could attempt to strip Princess Ran of her freedom, use her as leverage in negotiations with us, the Dragon faction, or simply eliminate her outright. Should we handle all these risks comprehensively, leave it to her while leveraging information to threaten, or kill the princess and make it all disappear? Wait, killing her? That’s not an option. It’s distasteful, and all the effort to bring her here would be wasted. ……No, but if weighed against the danger of taking on the entire nation of Saint Gardo……no, no. Still a no-go. I glance at Princess Ran. She should know by now, from our interactions, that I won’t choose 『Kill』. But precisely because of that, she presented it to force me into a decision……? ……Royalty really is a handful. Deep breath.
“……Irina. I’d like your opinion”
“Hmm. ……I’d normally say you should ponder it yourself”
“There are limits, right? I’m just a crossbowman who knows nothing about diplomacy”
Gathering other wise individuals crossed my mind briefly, but the dragons would likely just say, 「Do as you please」. Dianne, Christie, or perhaps Aurora, Sharon, and Tetes would also count as wise individuals, but the more I gathered, the more their statements would be influenced solely by their family’s standing. Whether that would be more constructive than seeking the opinion of the 「Head of the Household」, Irina, was somewhat questionable. Above all, Irina showed some understanding of Princess Ran’s situation. She was undoubtedly the one thinking it through most deeply. Irina sighed softly and crossed her slender legs.
“Before that. ……Perhaps we should discuss the meaning of laying hands on the princess?”
“……No, isn’t that something we should discuss in front of her?”
Wait, do we have to lay hands on her? Is it absolutely necessary?
“By taking the princess and claiming ownership, you can simply guarantee her safety. That’s the primary reason. If you harm a woman who becomes a Dragon Rider’s wife or mistress, you can’t complain no matter what happens, regardless of logic. ……You could also just agree to say you did it without actually doing it, but in that case, Princess Ran would simply become a powerful deterrent to men without ever knowing sex. There’s no way you could later reveal you never actually did it, unless you have a very strong reason to never have sex for the rest of your life. Otherwise, it’s a total loss. For both you and the princess”
“……Ah”
When you put it like that……forcing yourself to pass on it does seem a bit off, admittedly. If the princess herself is into it……ah, no, that’s not it. We’re still on the 「First reason」.
“And the second?”
“It’s a matter of your own feelings. You’d do anything to possess a woman you’ve taken, wouldn’t you? If you’re going to get involved in a complicated situation anyway, make up your mind”
“What kind of half-assed reason is that?”
“I’m saying you’ll regret it if you keep sitting on the fence. This is a girl who’s staked her own life to draw you in”
“…………”
I look at the princess. She’s looking at me too. Her eyes hold that intense light unique to those born to bear heavy burdens. There’s no choice to unload the weight and live carefree. It’s the light of someone born into a harsh world, a world they never even considered. ……Even now, I still haven’t answered her. She’s still staking her life. And I suddenly understand: she’s forcing me to make a decision. Irina, sensing my hesitation, continued.
“Andy Smithson, our elf hero who subdued the holy beast, who saved the Sacred Sword Saint, who saved the hero, who is called the great dragon rider. My sweet, foolish, beloved lord. There is only one path I can recommend to you. ……Be yourself. No one will blame you for it. Everyone will become your wings, your sword, your shield”
“……That’s a sneaky way to answer”
At my words, Irina grinned. Then Princess Ran turned back to me, placing a hand on her chest.
“……This body won’t last until adulthood. Yes, that’s what the doctors have told me. Therefore, for me……for me and Fiona, there is no bright future. ……The truth is, no future has been prepared for us. Normally, within a few years, I would have entered the grave, and Fiona would have renounced the world as a nun”
“……I see. But”
“Yes. The illness is cured. Therefore, we must weave. We must weave a new myth……a myth beyond reward, a myth without a signpost”
For a noble to act, they need a story. To prepare a sufficient reward for me, she needed to convince the people and persuade other royalty and nobles to approve the expenditure. To do that, she needed the process of weaving and presenting a 『Myth』 worthy of royal privilege. But her declaration went beyond that—it was a statement of intent to truly shape the future. I……we are about to step into that. Without knowing how far we’ll go into the open, or what power will be required. I acknowledge victory in the girl’s gamble.