Chapter 37

"Ah, you know about me, do you?"

The old man laughed heartily, "Kaka, kaka."

Rai Shinnou, Indra Ararat.

He is the emperor's uncle and served as regent prince for a time immediately after the emperor ascended the throne. He relinquished his regency and returned to his fief five years after the emperor's ascension. Since then, the emperor has ruled directly, ushering in the golden age of the empire.

Because the emperor was young at the time of his ascension, there was turmoil in the empire, which he suppressed with a strong hand. When the emperor grew up (though he was only twelve, the same age as me now), Indra stepped down and facilitated the emperor's direct rule, earning him the title "Rai" and allowing him to live quietly in his fief.

I was surprised to see him appear in the capital, as I didn't expect it.

"You seem like a promising boy. Come here and sit down, don't just stand there."

"Yes."

I stood up and sat next to Indra on his right. Since it was a street stall, the onlookers were buzzing around us.

The woman I helped earlier and my maid, Jiji, looked confused.

Ignoring all of this, Indra took a sip from his golden gourd and then stared straight into my eyes.

"Since you've investigated me, I assume you've heard the story?"

"Yes, directly from His Majesty."

"Hmm, I see. Then you understand why I'm here, right?"

"…To evaluate me, perhaps?"

I chose my words carefully in response to Indra.

"Right. You know, you're the only 'Sage' prince among the current 17 princes, with the same title as me. The emperor trusts and expects a lot from you. Normally, there wouldn't be a need to confirm, but—"

Indra's words would make the officials of the Inspection Bureau furious and impeach him. Even as a prince and uncle, it is extremely disrespectful to call the emperor "emperor."

But, well.

Somehow, I feel that even if he were impeached, Indra wouldn't care, and the emperor wouldn't punish him. After only a short time meeting him, I had a sense that he was "that kind of person."

"This is a matter of my beloved granddaughter's life, and I need to see it with my own eyes."

"I understand."

"That's why I came to evaluate you."

"By the way, what would you do if I don't meet your standards?"

"Nothing much."

Indra snorted and said,

"I just won't give her to you."

"This is a royal command, you know."

"It doesn't matter. Sure, if the emperor orders me to charge into the heart of the enemy, I would follow even if it's a crazy command. But this is about my granddaughter, my precious, precious granddaughter."

Indra repeated the same phrase three times. Ah, he's a grandfather to his granddaughter. I see, that makes sense.

"This is a personal matter, not a political one, and the person I'm dealing with is my nephew, whom I used to play with on my lap. I would stop him even if I had to knock some sense into him."

"I see."

I thought he was an interesting person.

Among the royal family, there are occasionally people who are likable in their eccentricity.

Even as royals, they are subjects before the emperor, and 99% of them become as polite as if they were molded from candy. They are made to be that way. Ordinary people would naturally bow.

However, the remaining 1% are hopelessly eccentric, and end up like this.

And in most cases, such people have no desire for power. Therefore, while they are "rude" and "disrespectful," they are often not punished and are even favored by the emperor.

If Indra were to shout, "I won't give my precious granddaughter!" it would be accepted as normal, with such an atmosphere around him.

"So, do I pass?"

"We'll see about that."

"Huh?"

The next moment, a heavy pressure descended upon me.

The scenery around me didn't change, but something did. An invisible force covered my entire body, trying to crush me.

Several thoughts flashed through my mind, and I quickly reached a conclusion.

It was the same thing I always do.

Using Leviathan to intimidate.

I was receiving it—coming from Indra in front of me.

Then.

"——!"

I took a deep breath, gritted my teeth, and regained my composure. Using Leviathan, I pushed back the pressure.

"Hmm?"

It seemed to be Indra, as he looked at me with eyes that said, "Interesting."

It was tough because I was caught off guard, but once I pushed back, it was fine. I thought about pushing through, but decided against it.

He is my great-uncle and could become my adoptive grandfather. It wouldn't be right to crush him in front of others.

So I adjusted the power of Leviathan.

Not to win, but not to lose either.

Like a tug-of-war, I kept the marker in the center by accurately measuring the opponent's strength and adjusting my own.

I maintained a draw by controlling Leviathan.

The stalemate lasted for about a minute.

"Kaka, kaka."

Indra laughed heartily, looking up at the sky. The pressure completely disappeared, and I also withdrew the power of Leviathan.

"Wow, kid. I lose."

"Um… I think it was a draw—"

"Fool. You completely read my strength and brought it to a draw. That consideration is a complete defeat."

"…Yes."

I smiled wryly.

While calling it consideration, Indra was completely exposing it. He really is a likable character.

…Or perhaps, because of this character, he has been able to remain a prince for so long.

I vaguely remembered Gilbert. In contrast to Indra, Gilbert had an excessive desire for power, which led to his downfall and death.

"I like you, kid! I entrust my granddaughter to you."

"Please leave her to me."

"Great! Hey, over there!"

Indra beckoned to the stall owner, who had been watching from a distance like the onlookers and came running over.

"Hey, what is it?"

"Bring out all the alcohol in the store."

Indra tossed several gold coins. The amount was enough to buy the entire store, not just the alcohol.

"I'm in a good mood today. Hey, you guys, it's on me, drink up!"

He shouted this to the onlookers, who were not typically known for such generosity among the royals I knew.

But.

"Ooooh!!"

The onlookers cheered. A dozen people rushed into the stall, eagerly grabbing the drinks the owner brought out one after another.

What had been a scene surrounded by onlookers instantly turned into a grand party, including the onlookers.

Indra, who had orchestrated this, took a big gulp from his large golden gourd.

"I'll give you this, it's a betrothal gift."

He took something from his pocket and casually threw it to me.

I caught it hurriedly, and it was a ring with an emerald band.

"This is—"

Just as Indra was about to explain, a different voice echoed in my head.

'Show your power.'

It was a clear voice.

The next moment, the scenery around me changed.

I found myself standing alone in a vast grassland. Before I could take in the situation, a rumbling sound came from the ground. Looking in the direction of the sound, I saw a massive golden bull charging towards me.

"…Show my power, huh?"

I took out Leviathan from my bracelet and restored it to its original size. I readied myself.

"Fly away."

I unleashed Leviathan's ultimate technique, which requires charging.

A water column thicker than the massive golden bull erupted, and the bull was blown away effortlessly.

Then, in the corner of my vision—

――――――――――――

Name: Noah Ararat

Minister of Law and Prince

Gender: Male

Level: 3/∞

HP: E+F Fire: F+B

MP: F+F Water: E+S

Strength: E+E Wind: F+F

Stamina: F+F Earth: F+F

Intelligence: F+E Light: F+C

Spirit: F+F Dark: F

Speed: F+F

Dexterity: F+F

Luck: F+F

――――――――――――

My abilities had increased slightly.

Light: +C.

So it's the same as when I met Lutia.

The result of using Leviathan to blow away the golden bull—Behemoth, the name that came to mind—was that Behemoth's power descended upon me.

Then, the scenery returned.

From an empty grassland to the city where a grand party was taking place.

"—Behemoth, my counterpart."

"Like this?"

I picked up a cup from the table and used the newly descended power of Behemoth. The cup glowed golden.

"Wow, you already used it? Impressive, kid."

Indra, seeing the cup glowing the same golden color as his gourd, was amazed.