Chapter 69

Thank you for visiting today.

Let's go back a little in time, to when Ain visited the monster arena.

"There are so many monsters..."

"There are some quite rare ones too. There aren't any aquatic creatures like sea dragons, though..."

Ain had a hard time falling asleep last night, but eventually managed to do so. He was looking forward to today. The weather was good, and it wasn't too cold.

"But there are so many people here."

It was like the morning rush at White Rose. The bustling atmosphere gave a glimpse of the popularity of the monster arena. Many spectators from all over the continent gathered to place bets and see rare monsters. It was a famous tourist spot in Ishtarka.

"Since it's a famous tourist spot, it's a valuable stage where you can see rare monsters in a safe place. That's why so many people visit."

Ain looked around excitedly, as if his eyes were shining. There were large dogs with two heads, giant slimes, and even a large bird with four wings... many monsters gathered in one place.

"Is that a wyvern...?"

At the front of the arena, which was paved with stones, he spotted a large and prominent figure. It stood out against the stone-built arena.

"Well... Yes, it's a wyvern called a Gray Wing Dragon, which is a fairly common species among wyverns."

"Hmm... Can I get closer?"

"It's fine. The monsters brought here can be approached as long as you don't touch them. The nobles want to show off their prized monsters, after all."

Ain, who understood, made his way to the wyvern he had just noticed. There were others who seemed interested as well, and many people had gathered around the wyvern.

"Wow, it's so big!"

This wyvern, which could spread its wings to about 15 meters, was drawing a lot of attention. Ain was also moved by its movements and couldn't help but stare with his mouth open.

"Quite a magnificent size, and it's well cared for... but it seems to have little combat experience."

"It's a big one. But how can you tell it hasn't fought much?"

There were a few men near the wyvern. The chains in their hands were connected to the wyvern, indicating that they were in charge of its management.

"The membranes of its wings are too clean. For example, a named monster like a strong one wouldn't be an exception, but..."

It didn't seem to be that strong. However, it was clear that it had been raised with care, and the wyvern in front of them was showing its beautiful appearance to everyone.

...The wyvern, which had been spreading its wings to show itself, suddenly made eye contact with Ain.

"Huh? Is it looking at me?"

"Yes, it's completely stopped and is staring at you, Lord Ain..."

The wyvern, without blinking, stared at Ain. The wings it had spread were gradually folded up.

"Hey, what's wrong? ...!?"

Ain, concerned for the wyvern, reached out to it as if to ask, "What's wrong?" The wyvern, seeing this, quickly folded its wings and took a few steps back. Even as it did so, it never took its eyes off Ain.

"...What's going on?"

"It seems to be wary of you, Lord Ain. Or rather, it's afraid of you. I didn't think a wyvern would be scared of you."

"Well, it's a bit of a mixed feeling, but I'll take it as a compliment."

The wyvern, which had backed up to the wall, curled up and hid itself with its wings. The people around them began to murmur, finding this strange.

"What's going on!? Why is my family's wyvern so scared..."

A fat noble, who had been attracted by the commotion, approached the scene. The man in charge of the wyvern began to explain what had happened to the noble.

"I see... You! You did something to my family's precious wyvern!"

"...Me?"

The crowd parted, making Ain and Chris stand out. The noble pointed at Ain, ready to demand an explanation.

"Thank you, Lord Sage. However, she is a very important woman to me, and I cannot comply with that... Furthermore, under the command of the First Emperor, such a transaction is punishable. Therefore, I believe it is necessary to restrain such excessive remarks."

"Ah, you're a noble, I see. Then it's perfect... You should understand the true intentions and the facade of us nobles."

(Ah, this guy is no good. Once he starts violating the rules so obviously, it's all over.)

The spectators probably didn't hear what Sage said. He seemed to be careful about that. He was cautious about openly breaking the words of the First Emperor.

"A... ah..."

"Pull yourself together."

Chris, standing next to him, seemed flustered by the words "important woman" but was also pleased, showing a relaxed expression. Ain wondered if this was the right attitude for a bodyguard, but since today was partly a private day, he couldn't be too strict.

"If you were scheduled to participate today, of course we will compensate for that. We will pay you in goods. So, can we settle this with that?"

"...Even without saying that, if you just lend her to me, it would be fine. She's not worth much, after all."

Sage seemed to like Chris. Although she didn't look like her usual self, she was still a beautiful woman. For Sage, spending a night with Chris was more valuable than any goods.

"I can't do that. So, please, I would like to request compensation in goods. I will have a third party properly evaluate it, and in addition to today's compensation, I will also provide additional compensation."

Don't back down. If you cut to the chase and condemn him, it would be fine. Ain had considered this, but looking at Sage, who seemed to have a lot of dirt to be dug up, he couldn't help but want to drag it out a bit.

"That's why I want that woman. Don't make me say it again! My family is a viscount, but we are in charge of managing many territories and have connections with other nobles..."

(Ah, more charges. It feels like a leading question, but the one who broke the words of the First Emperor first was Lord Sage...)

'Serve the people,' 'Do not sell people as a person'... These are the words left by the First Unified King, which are still cherished and incorporated into the law.

Looking at Chris, she was still flustered. But seeing her left hand on her rapier, Ain was confident that if he said 'cut,' she would bring Sage's head in an instant. The people around them would act without him noticing, and it would be done in a moment.

"So, what's your name? You don't look bad, so you must be a noble, right?"

"I apologize for not introducing myself earlier. I don't hold a title, but..."

In Ishtarka, the position of Crown Prince is not treated as a noble title. And since Ain is not a prince, he doesn't strictly have a title.

Since he doesn't have a title, he might as well introduce himself as a merchant's child, and use a fake name. Just as he was thinking about using the names of Grin and the others, Sage interrupted him.

"Ah, never mind. If you're not a noble, I have no interest. It's fine if you don't give me your name; I don't intend to remember it anyway. Even if you have some money, you're just a nouveau riche with no honor."

...This is the first time Ain has seen such a corrupt noble in Ishtarka. But it was a good experience, he thought. He decided to remember this man's name.

"Do you have any monsters?"

"Um... Do you mean at my home?"

"Yes, that's what I mean. So, how about it?"

Thinking about it, the first thing that came to mind was El and Al, the twin sea dragons. They could be considered genetically modified, thanks to the wonderful food they were fed, which resulted in their extraordinary growth. They were already quite large.

"Yes, we do have them..."

They were probably being fed a lot by the castle servants and Katima today, growing steadily. Or perhaps they were out hunting in the sea today? According to the fishermen, the number of monsters in the coastal waters near the port had drastically decreased.

This was clearly due to the work of the twins. The now-gigantic twins had become a threat to the coastal waters. ...No, perhaps they had become the rulers of the coastal waters. Thinking about it, Ain couldn't help but smile. After all, the twins were like children to him.

"But since they are aquatic monsters, it's difficult to show them off."

"Hmm, aquatic monsters, you say? Then it's perfect... How about it? I have a good idea for you."

Sage, with a pleased expression, continued to make demands on Ain.

*

Despite the troublesome encounter in the daytime, the surroundings were now in the twilight, gradually turning into night. The sun was setting, and a beautiful pattern was floating in the sky. The area was bustling, and the air was filled with the fragrant smell of many stalls. A moment ago, an event had ended, and many spectators were leaving the venue.

"It was so flashy... My eyes are still twinkling."

"I haven't seen so many magic spells in a long time. I got quite excited."

Initially, they had planned to enjoy the monster arena, but that plan changed. This was because Ain's presence might have affected the many monsters there. So, considering this, Ain suggested to Chris that they go to another place.

By the way, among the monsters they saw today, the one he liked the most was the giant slime. It somehow looked cute to him.

Then they went to another magic city attraction, the magic arena. "Do they fight with magic?" Ain wondered, but he understood after hearing Chris's explanation.

If they were to exchange magic spells, it would result in serious injuries. Considering the healing required, it wouldn't be practical. So, this place was established as a competition.

Adventurers can also participate, and there are many events held almost every day.

Creating a huge ice block that reached dozens of meters, and many lightning spells racing through the venue. Seeing so many magic spells that he had never seen before, Ain had an exciting day.

"Hey, Chris, there are people who can use magic in the capital, right?"

"Of course there are. It's just that there aren't many places to use it. Plus, it's not a very efficient field."

"Not efficient?"

"Powerful magic like that can't be used often. Once you use it, you just become a target."

The reason it's difficult for a person to use powerful magic is due to the absolute amount of magic power. That's why it's not something to be used lightly.

"Choose the right moment and use it bit by bit. Especially for adventurers, they adjust and use multiple spells to defeat monsters."

When Ain defeated the sea dragon, it might have been easier if there were more mages like the ones he saw today. But it didn't work out that way.

In the end, it's about durability.

The large monsters have such strong durability that they have survived to this day. So, they can withstand the magic that humans can use. Even if it's a powerful one-shot attack, they can still endure it.

"...Ah, sorry, Chris... Can you wait a moment?"

"What? Is something wrong?"

While Chris was explaining, Ain seemed to have noticed something and changed direction. He seemed to have a purpose and continued walking towards it.

"Lord Ain, what did you find?"

"Well, I think they went in here... Ah, there they are."

Ain walked towards the shaded area next to the arena, which seemed to be a small resting place with benches under some planted shrubs. He approached a middle-aged man sitting there.

"Hey, good evening."

"...Huh? Oh, good evening. Is something the matter, boy?"

Ain spoke to the man, who replied with a friendly face. Chris found the scene somewhat comical and wondered what was happening.

The man was dressed a bit more formally than a typical commoner, but not in a way that would stand out. He could have been a merchant.

"Sir, did you win your bet?"

"Fortunately, I won today. Thanks to that, I have a bit more pocket money."

"That's good. So... —"

The preliminaries were over, and Ain finally got to the point.

"Have you finished your investigation? Or will it take a few more days?"

"...What are you talking about, boy?"

"I understand. Let me rephrase it."

Ain's presence suddenly changed. It was filled with a kind of charisma that a person in a position of authority should have.

"...We can set aside the chain of command for now. I'm asking for a report, so you can prioritize that."

The words were disconnected, but the man understood them well. He bowed to Ain and then spoke.

"...Yes. I will accept the command of 'His Highness the Crown Prince.' If you wish, I will deliver the information you seek by tomorrow."

"Eh, eh? Lord Ain... What are you talking about...?"

In this situation, only Chris didn't understand what was happening. Ain and the middle-aged man seemed to be on the same page and were communicating in some way.

"Then I'll have you prepare it. ...By the way, about three people, right? They returned to the capital yesterday, didn't they? Is the personnel for Katima back?"

"Yes, as you say, but how did you know? ...Since when?"

"Since White Rose, but is that correct?"

"...That's correct. I see, it was pointless then."

The man sighed, showing that he had given up. Chris, who still didn't understand, asked Ain again.

"L-Lord Ain! What are you talking about...?"

"Sorry, sorry. This is one of Warren's secret agents. They were more cautious than usual, so I think that's why you didn't notice, Chris."

"Wh-Why did Lord Ain notice!?"

Indeed, Warren's secret agents were skilled. If Chris had been closer, she would have noticed. But there was a reason she didn't. This time, they used top-tier agents and were extra cautious, which made it impossible for Chris to notice.

If they had been closer to Ain, Chris would have noticed.

"I'm used to the presence, so I just got used to it. Especially since I've been more sensitive to various presences since I returned from Eure and slept for half a year. So, that's part of it too."

Ain had become quite inhuman, he muttered.

"Anyway, I thought you were investigating the trouble in the morning. And my hunch was right."

Saying this, Ain glanced at the man.

"You are correct. ...Due to the influence of the magic tools created by the owner of the Majolica Magic Stone Shop, it is difficult to recognize His