Volume 1: 10 - - Virtuous Old Man, You're More Adored Now

In the mansion’s office.

Eliza is sitting at my father’s desk.

「………..」

I could hear Father gulp nervously next to me.

I know the feeling.

As soon as Eliza, who had a relaxed attitude moments ago, sat down at the desk, took a pen and straightened her back.

The pressure in the room rose.

The Monarch, Elisabeth C. Forsyth.

Even without the regal garments, she is unmistakably the Monarch.

She smoothly ran her pen on paper and then pricked the tip of her index finger with the knife that she had prepared beforehand.

Fresh blood dripped from her fingertip – and stopped mid-air.

The Monarch then chanted an incantation with a stern expression on her face.

The blood dispersed and formed the Imperial family crest and printed on the paper.

It’s a magical stamp, a magic that is not advanced but can only be used by a special bloodline, and it used to prove the Monarch’s edict.

Eliza calmly rolled up the Imperial edict, tied a string around it and handed it to my father.

「If you will, Lord Carlisle 」

「Ha, I’ll take care of it 」

Father strode out of the room with the Imperial letter in a reverent manner, hundred and eighty degrees as opposed to his usual mannerism.

‘What is that?

「This is an imperial edict ordering the Imperial Guard to strike down the enemy 」

Eliza rose from the chair, her tone and mood in an instant was of Eliza not the Monarch.

The quickness of the switch bothered me, but at the moment I am more concerned about the Imperial letter.

「Going into battle? Aren’t you telling me to do it? 」

「That’s right. I’ve had the Guards subdue the rebellion, many times, but only time has passed without a decisive battle 」

「Well then why did you order them to go into battle? 」

「The guards will be sent out as usual. In the meantime— 」

Eliza looked at me and grinned mischievously.

「Use your trump card to take out the enemy’s general’s head at once 」

「…So that’s it 」

I wanted to look up and thank the heavens.

I thought I’d be forced to lead an army, which is something I have never done, when I was told to suppress the rebellion. It’s a relief.

It’s a lot of work anyway I look at it.

☆

This is the High Bear region, also known as the Fairy Hill.

It is central to all the commercial activities of the Empire, and this land single handedly accounts for twenty percent of the Empire’s entire tax revenue.

Therefore, it is not left under aristocratic rule, but is governed by the Empire wholly, and is therefore called heavenly land.

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The Koolau Fort is located near High Bear.

The Imperial Guards are about to attack the fort, which is overrun by the rebel army.

Eliza and I are watching from afar, so far that people appear as pea grains.

「It’s starting 」

「It is starting… 」

「Now, I wonder what it’ll go 」

「Aren’t you excited? 」

「I am, okay? 」

「What’s with that reaction? 」 Eliza asked as she made a puzzled face

「Sir Carlisle has told me how brilliant you are and I’ve heard so much about you that my ears won’t stop ringing. It makes want to see it for myself 」

「Father…..I hate you…. 」

I sighed, regained my composure and straightened up.

「Just to confirm, I infiltrate and retrieve the rebel leader 」

「Yes, that’s right. Kill if you must. Either way, under Imperial law, rebellion is punishable by death 」

「I see. One more thing. Are you coming with me? 」

「Of course. I’ll make sure to see it with my own eyes 」

Eliza’s response came with an immediate effect, as if there was no hesitation in her mind.

In this kind of situation, what should I do? I feel like I’m being ordered.

I pondered over it for a bit and created a magic sphere.

I released magic power and swirled around into a spherical shape.

This time it’s a yellow Earth Magic Sphere.

I create three of them.

「What are you going to do with them? 」

「I’ll do this 」

I directed the magical spheres into the ground.

The ground gaped as soon as the Earth Magic Spheres reached it.

Without any resistance, the ground was gouged out by the magic spheres.

「What is this? 」

「Stairs. Watch your step 」

I dug into the ground, making a staircase with the spheres.

About three stories below ground, when the sounds from above were inaudible, I started to dig horizontally.

The Magic Spheres speed of digging was the same as I, as a child, walk.

「We’re going underground? 」

「Yeah. That way you can get into the fort in the middle of that battle 」

「Where do we go from here….. Do you know where you are going to be safe? 」

「It’s okay 」

I stopped at once and sent a magic sphere flying above us.

The magic sphere dug upwards and shot out of the ground.

Light shone through the hole that led aboveground.

「This is how I will figure out where we are 」

「I see 」

I brought the magic sphere back, and again, dug onward.

「…… I’ve never seen anything like this before. It’s amazing 」

「This way of digging? 」

「I mean, how do people normally dig? 」

「I see your point 」

I chuckle and dig further.

I sent a magic ball upwards at a certain distance to confirm our current position.

Eventually, the underground passage passed through the outer wall without incident and entered the basement of the fort.

Then I gradually began to dig upwards, this will allow us to get out of the pit.

We climbed out of the mount and peered out of the hole.

「Is this… in a building? 」

「As far as I can tell, it’s the finest building in the fort. They’re probably in here」

「 All right, let’s go 」

Smiling at Eliza, who shrugged, we got out of the underpass.

Outside, there were echoes of angry voices, screams, and the clash of metal sounds.

We made our way through the building we had infiltrated.

「This way」

「Yes」

Eliza slinks forward, and I join her.

This building is a kind used by central figures and has a pattern to its structure.

It is built for the convenience of commanding and maintaining dignity.

Buildings like this are built the same way.

Eliza and I both know that pattern.

So we make our way through and come to the most majestic room.

「I can hear them talking—this must be it 」

「What’s wrong? 」

「I’d like to hear what they’re saying, preferably undetected.

Let’s use this 」

I used the magic ball of earth that I had dug out of the underground passage to chip away at the walls evenly.

The heavy doors and walls were scraped away, leaving only a thin cheap plank.

And we can hear them talking inside.

「It’s about time 」

「Well, now that we’ve achieved a certain degree of success, we can get out of here. 」

「I’ll send you a follow-up, in case. If it’s discovered that we’re doing a fix, it’ll ruin everything we’ve accomplished 」

「I know. Just do it right 」

「Yeah 」

The conversation is over.

There seem to be two men in the room, and the sound of footsteps on one side approaches.

Then the door opens.

「Hmm? Why is the child here—it’s you! 」

The man dressed as a nobleman first tilted his head slightly when he saw me, a child, and flinched at the sight of Eliza.

「Eh, Your Majesty. What are you doing here? 」

「Lord Fleming, what did you mean by that? 」

「Well, that’s… 」

The nobleman called Fleming became jittery, and in an instant his greasy sweat began to gush out of him.

「Hey Fleming, who are these two? 」

「I don’t know about the child. But this is the Monarch.

What did you say? 」

The other man is surprised.

「It’s not like you betrayed me. But since your face has been exposed everything is ruined」

Fleming made a sour face.

Eliza’s face also became increasingly grim.

「The fix…… The war, you were faking it. Doing theatrics」

「Why would I do that? 」

「The war expenses 」

I explained to Eliza.

「Even if the army is defeated, there is money to be made. For example, if you report someone who isn’t dead as having died in battle, the bereaved family members will receive a fraudulent reward. He gets the money of course and the rebels too. And then when it cools off, they get them to enlist again and be defeated, and then fake their deaths again – a kind of alchemy 」

「…Lord Fleming 」

Eliza – the Monarch’s tone of voice dropped a couple of notes.

「Huh, it can’t be helped with that said 」

「Right. You want to kill me? Or do you want me to kill you? 」

「Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you 」

Their eyes, their words became dangerous.

Silence. It’s true that killing the two of them now would resolve this mess, so it might be the right choice.

「I’m sorry, now that it’s come to this, I’m going to ask Your Majesty to stand back 」

「…… 」

「I’m sorry! 」

Fleming drew the flamboyant decorative sword from his waist and swung it down at Eliza without hesitation.

Eliza didn’t move – I moved.

With the magic sphere of fire that I instantly created, I melted Fleming’s decorative sword.

It’s a magic sphere that even melted Father’s Orichalcon’s great sword. Fleming’s sword blade melted away with ease.

Next, I created a black magic sphere.

And hit the two men with it.

Both men, who were shocked and confused by my magic, having taken me for a child, were given a kick in the teeth by the magic sphere.

— Thud!

They both dropped to the floor motionless, like puppets missing a puppeteer.

「Wha, what is this? 」

「Vitality, well, physical strength, this magic sphere it’s something that erases it. It won’t damage your body at all, but you’ll be worn out as if you’ve spent a whole day running out in the scorching sun 」

「What’s that? I’ve never heard of such magic 」

「Impossible! Such advanced-looking magic by such a child! 」

They are incredulous.

But this is not the time for this.

Now, Eliza approached the men.

She stood straight with the face of the Monarch.

With cold eyes, she looked down at them – especially Fleming.

「I declare in the name of the Imperial Emperor, Elisabeth C. Forsythe. Fleming Luz. I deprive of you, status and rights 」

★

In the underpass.

I knocked them out and carried them with magic.

By the way, I am using the Earth Magic Sphere to rebuild the underground passage.

No one will come behind us and we can escape in comfort.

I’m going to take the two of them back home, leave everything to your father and Eliza – the Monarch – and have the matter settled.

Eliza has been staring at me for a while now.

「What’s wrong? 」

「….. Thank you for earlier. You saved me 」

「I did what’s natural 」

「This is the first time I’ve had someone protect my life 」

「It’s better to have no life threats in your life. It’s better to not need rescue either 」

「…… 」

I say it in a jest, and Eliza stares at me even more closely.

「What’s wrong? 」

「Uh-uh. Nothing 」

Eliza cups her cheeks and turns away.

Is she okay?