First, that was the situation that required it.
How best to talk my way out of this?
After thinking, I opened my mouth.
“Marquis, tell His Majesty that I’ve become a ‘Prophet’.”
At that, a deep sense of unease crossed the Marquis’s face.
“…Surely you don’t mean ‘Prophet’s Sickness’? It’s not actually true, is it? That Your Highness has truly acquired Prophet Syndrome…”
I chuckled.
“Well. What do you think? Is it real?”
Actually, this was a defense mechanism I’d planned to use if the Marquis asked about my shoulder.
‘Even if not in other factions, it was already a fairly well-known problem in the Empire.’
That’s why the Marquis looked extremely uneasy.
NPCs afflicted with this event would slowly die from the moment it was triggered, but they could deliver prophecies with extremely precise accuracy.
Thanks to that, it was just the right excuse for me now.
It could plausibly explain a situation where I was using information that the Third Prince could never know.
But…
‘This isn’t enough to bind the mad Emperor.’
To a madman, you must throw bait that a madman would desire.
I said to the Marquis:
“And tell His Majesty that the Third Prince went to ‘raid the vault’ for him.”
“…Yes? The vault?”
“That’s right. Among the Empire’s items held by the leader of the Revolutionary Army, there is an ancient magical ring called the ‘Tears of Dawn’.”
“Hmm, I think I’ve heard of it somewhere.”
“His Imperial Majesty will certainly know of it. It’s an item lost by his ancestors.”
I smiled quietly.
Know of it?
Emperor Vareshan, whose personality would later become even worse, even started a war to reclaim that ring.
So, if I played this trick, its effect would be excellent.
“Alright, to summarize, Marquis, you just need to tell His Majesty that I’ve contracted Prophet’s Sickness and left for Aurax, proclaiming I’d steal the Tears of Dawn. Then nothing will happen.”
“He’ll surely think it’s nonsense, won’t he?”
“He will. But he won’t bother to chase after me and interfere. As you know, I’m a disowned child. He’ll probably think to leave me alone for now.”
I grinned broadly, but Marquis Reith wore a pitiful expression.
And he looked as if he was worried sick about whether or not I truly had Prophet’s Sickness.
But I didn’t answer properly.
It was better to keep the truth ambiguous for now.
“Understood. I will do as you say, Your Highness.”
The Marquis bowed his head and said so.
“Third Prince, the teleportation is ready.”
Just then, the priests finished their preparations to enter Aurachrus.
Karls and Tirvaen, ready to enter the gate, were waiting for me.
Before turning away, I briefly looked at the Marquis.
Honestly, it was unexpected.
‘I thought he’d naturally pry into my secret.’
Elon Reith didn’t ask how I learned Hae-woo Swordsmanship.
He didn’t interrogate me about how I knew his weakness.
He didn’t say a single word about Karls.
‘Instead, he brought up the Emperor and pointed out something I hadn’t thought of.’
This was definitely an act of consideration.
In that case, it would be good to reciprocate.
“That shoulder will be hard to treat at the Five-Colored Spire. Instead, try finding the Agora Dwarves in the Central Desert.”
Elon Reith flinched, then asked me in return.
“Your Highness, are you truly afflicted with Prophet’s Sickness…?”
At his worried voice, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
He’s more curious about that, even though I’m telling him how to heal his shoulder.
“Agora Dwarves. Remember that.”
But it wasn’t a perfect solution. He would probably have to come find me again then.
Alright, it’s time to move to Aurax.
I turned sharply.
“Let’s go, Priests.”
The Revenge Priestess Order gathered within the gigantic teleportation magic circle, and I stood with Karls and Tirvaen.
“Honestly, I’m a bit nervous, Your Highness.”
Karls gulped.
“I don’t know if this is really a good idea.”
Tirvaen also had a very tense expression.
I smiled quietly.
“Let’s not be too scared. Otherwise, even things that should work won’t.”
Elon Reith was outside the magic circle with his knights.
He was giving me a very complex look, and it was a somewhat unfamiliar expression.
‘Is he worried about me?’
No, he’s probably worried about Karls.
Then the Marquis opened his mouth.
“…I realize I haven’t known Your Highness well until now.”
Unexpectedly, he was speaking to me.
“That ‘illness’ only tells a person the future, it doesn’t change their nature, I understand. So, the choice you’ve made now is clearly your own unique will. Just as you said yourself… only Your Highness can determine your own path.”
I felt Karls tremble slightly.
He seemed to be recalling our reunion.
“Please, have a safe journey. I still don’t know Your Highness well, but…”
The Marquis’s eyes sparkled with interest.
“Now, I’m quite curious. I need to understand what kind of person Your Highness is.”
Feeling strangely odd, I scratched my head.
Just a few hours ago, he had shown clear hostility towards me.
But now, his eyes were full of concern, almost as if he were looking at Karls.
This feels really strange.
“In any case, when you return, please be sure to visit the Marquisate. I will prepare an occasion for me to get to know Your Highness well. By honing swords and preparing shields.”
A chill ran down my spine at those words.
“…Are you asking for another fight?”
“Yes, isn’t that obvious? For a swordsman, there’s no more honest conversation than a duel, Your Highness.”
“Hmmmm.”
Should one not seek silence in the dueling grounds?
The Marquis smiled faintly, seeing me gulp.
“And I look forward to it.”
A father’s gaze briefly swept over his son.
The son had no idea, but it was quite a wistful look.
“Understood.”
I quietly nodded, and the magic began.
[Teleportation Magic: Mass Teleport]
Whoooosh.
A massive magical power resonated, beginning to swirl beneath my feet.
It felt like someone was gently tickling the soles of my feet.
This was a mystery of magic that I, for one, could not comprehend.
A deep radiance surged, blurring the figures of the Marquis and the knights, and I felt the space we were in recede somewhere far away.
“This is quite a robust teleportation magic. It’s like a prison.”
I faintly heard Tirvaen muttering within the magic.
Wait, what did she just say it was like?
“We’ve arrived, Third Prince.”
Varmilo was nodding.
I opened my eyes wide.
Behind the priests, the landscape of a gray city unfolded.
It was very familiar to me.
“Aurax…”
The central stronghold city of the Revolutionary Army.
I had finally arrived here.
[Quest ‘Survive’ is complete.]
[Quest completion rewards are given.]
‘And quest complete!’
I secretly rejoiced.
By escaping the Imperial territory, I had completed the first main quest.
To escape the impending assassination attempt and flee from a dangerous location.
That was the goal of this ‘Survive’ quest.
‘What kind of completion rewards will I get?’
Gilloshian’s survival and escape from Imperial territory were entirely new content that didn’t exist in the original game.
So, what these rewards would be was unknown even to me.
[Quest Completion Rewards]
- 30 Gold Coins
- Novice Traveler’s Equipment Set
- Convenience Magic ‘Inventory’ enabled
- 1 D-Grade Fate Card Guaranteed Draw Ticket
[Claimed rewards can be checked in the Inventory.]
“Oh, ho.”
30 gold coins were quite a lot, but the novice set and inventory were obvious rewards.
In the original game, they were practically obtained at the very beginning.
But the last one was different.
‘This is interesting. A guaranteed draw ticket popped up?’
Although it was just a lowly D-grade card guarantee, it was a pretty generous reward in the early stages of the scenario.
In fact, from my perspective, it had to be considered a great reward.
‘I’m F-grade right now! I’m even more insignificant!’
Damn.
So there’s a way for a person to become this humble?
Anyway, no matter what D-grade appears, it will definitely be a great help.
I had painstakingly raised myself to Level 9 to face Marquis Reith.
Soon, I would reach Level 10.
‘That means it’s time for my second card draw.’
Of course, it was still impossible to know what card would appear.
But if I had even one more D-grade card, it would be a huge advantage.
Because I could feed experience to the cards.
‘Grind them all up! Especially the F-grades, straight into the compost!’
Please, just one more time, Archmage!
This time, no binding!
Just as I was grinning widely.
“Arrest everyone immediately!”
“…What?!”
With a tumultuous shout, chaos suddenly erupted.
Agents, appearing from nowhere, swooped down on us just as we arrived in Aurax.
I immediately recognized the jet-black leather armor they wore.
‘Titan Special Forces!’
Elite soldiers equivalent to Imperial Knights in the Empire.
So, they were NPCs that I, in my current state, couldn’t possibly resist.
With three or four guys of Karls’s level charging, there was nothing a Level 9 could do but be helpless.
“Y-Your Highness!”
Karls and Tirvaen cried out in alarm as I was seized.
It meant, “We’ve just entered Aurax, do we have to submit like this?”
But I had told them something beforehand.
‘No matter what happens at first, don’t make a move rashly.’
Especially, combat was absolutely forbidden.
This wasn’t Imperial territory, and there was no noble authority anywhere that would save us even if we made a mistake.
A city of outlaws proclaiming revolution.
That was ‘Aurax’.
“Well done, Third Prince.”
Ultimately, Varmilo Dimarque said that to me, pinned to the ground with my shoulder pressed down.
“Not resisting was a very good choice. Yes, it had to be.”
Similarly subdued, Karls and Tirvaen gritted their teeth and cursed, but the old man didn’t even blink.
He merely sent me a significant look.
As I was dragged along, he was mouthing something to me. I barely managed to make it out.
‘Please don’t try to deceive the Archbishop?’
…I see.
Honestly, the black-clad old man mumbling was a truly unbearable sight, but his message was meaningful.
Because impersonating a god to the Archbishop, who served the God of Vengeance most closely, was out of the question.
Ten minutes later.
I was tied tightly to a wooden chair in a small back room.
Well, thanks to this, I might just avoid death for once?
‘It seems like being confined and tied up has become my daily routine.’
Ha, it was quite unpleasant.
A moment later.
Creeeeak…
The old door opened, and someone of small stature slowly entered the room.
I immediately recognized the face.
“Archbishop Handel.”
It was the very person that certain Swordmaster had brought up earlier, asking about her well-being.
The one-armed middle-aged woman smiled sweetly at me.
“Welcome to Aurax, Third Prince Gilloshian.”
…Excuse me, aren’t those words normally not said while someone is tied up?