Ossan Saikyō Chapter 14 Part 24
After dinner, I was shown to a room inside the Castle. It felt almost too presumptuous, but apparently I was allowed to spend the night in the Castle.
I was lying on the bed resting when there was a knock at the door.
(E/N: 😏)
“Sorry to disturb you while you’re resting.”
The person who entered while saying that was Marquis Raghantz.
She was not wearing her usual noble attire, but instead had something like a loose gown draped over her. Her chestnut hair, which she normally kept tied back, was also let down, and the sight of her was startlingly beautiful.
“No, please, come in.”
I had her sit in one of the chairs provided in the room. The fact that the Marquis moved the chair closer to the bed when she sat down made me wonder if she had something private to discuss.
The Marquis cleared her throat once, then stared at my face and spoke.
“I cannot thank you enough for what you did for our cause. I never imagined we could take the Royal Capital without suffering virtually any losses among our soldiers.
…
And considering that you defeated that Lich Legion by yourself and even overcame that suspicious mage, your accomplishments reach the heavens. You seem to take all this rather modestly, however.”
“If anything, I simply don’t want people to make too much of it. I don’t think it is good for one person to monopolize the credit for a war like this.”
“Normally, you might attract unnecessary jealousy. But in your case, you are an adventurer, and, to put it bluntly, someone who has no connection to this country. I doubt you are likely to attract much jealousy.”
“I suppose that’s true. Though the people who have been profiting from Duke Giselpha must be furious.”
At that, the Marquis narrowed her eyes and laughed pleasantly.
“Those people will have to suffer for what they have done from now on, so they will hardly have the luxury of worrying about whether they resent you.
…
The problem would arise if your accomplishments this time led to talk of granting you a noble title.”
“I would like to avoid that at all costs. Actually, something similar was proposed in the Vermillion Kingdom, and I just turned it down.”
“Oh? You are a far greater man than I thought. But if anything, that makes me want you to stay close to me even more. As I said earlier, it seems all sorts of frightening things are going to happen from now on.”
As she said that, the Marquis pulled her chair even closer to me.
(E/N: 😏😏)
She was genuinely beautiful, and an incredibly glamorous woman whose figure was apparent even through her gown. I felt a strange uneasiness in my chest and decided to escape to another topic.
“Come to think of it, what happened with the nobles from the north who supported Duke Giselpha and were supposedly bringing their armies here?”
“Apparently, they hurried back as soon as they learned that the Royal Capital had fallen in a single day.
…
I thought they might come to reclaim Duke Giselpha, but it seems they chose to submit to Lord Ryūsha and minimize their losses instead.
…
Apparently, the rumors that the『War God』was with Lord Ryūsha played a major role as well.”
“No, that... Well, regardless of the『War God』part, it is good news that there will be no more fighting.”
“That is another reason your contribution was so significant. To the citizens of the Royal Capital, you are practically a『Hero』. If you were to disappear so quickly, people might start drawing strange conclusions.”
“If I receive my reward later, I think those suspicions will disappear.”
“That may be true... By the way, Soushi, how long do you intend to continue being an adventurer?”
As she said this, surprisingly, the Marquis moved herself to sit beside me.
(E/N: 😏😏😏)
At this point, I could hardly pretend not to understand that her choice of distance had some meaning. What I did not understand was the reason behind it.
If she wanted to secure a powerful adventurer as a noble, I could understand that. But even so, it seemed strange for someone of her status to behave toward me this way.
“I don’t know how long I’ll continue, but I do want to find out how far I can go as an adventurer.”
“Does that mean you intend to reach the very top as an adventurer?”
“No, not really. I simply want to know my own limits. And I also want to see this world... no, this continent, with my own eyes and learn about it for myself.”
“I see. But I think that, in the end, everyone needs somewhere to return to. Have you thought about that?”
As she said that, the Marquis leaned against me.
No, this is... What exactly is happening here?
“No, I haven’t really thought about that yet...”
“Then, once everything is over, would you come to me? Of course, I do not mean that I want you to serve me. You understand what I mean, don’t you?”
“Y-Yes, of course I understand, but... Why me?”
“Do not ask such a tactless question. This is the first time I have ever felt this way myself.”
(E/N: Goddamn, this woman's in heat! 💀)
The beautiful woman looked up at me with moist eyes, and her allure was enough to send a chill down my spine.
There were certainly many things about the way she conducted herself as a noble that I respected, and if she was sincere about what she had just said, I could not say that I was unhappy about it.
However, there was certainly something holding me back from accepting her feelings.
One reason was, of course, my party members. But more than that, I was troubled by the question of what exactly I was in this world.
The fact that I had been transported to this world, that my name had become known across 3 countries, that my accomplishments could not possibly be explained as mere coincidence...
Until I could sort all of that out, I felt that I could not take a step like choosing a life partner.
Perhaps because I was making a troubled face, the Marquis lowered her eyes with a somewhat lonely expression.
“Is it because I am somewhat older that it cannot happen?”
“Marquis, that’s not it. To be honest, I find you an extremely attractive woman. It’s just that there is a reason I cannot accept...”
“Would you tell me what it is?”
“Yes. Allow me to explain...”
I felt bad about dismissing the Marquis’ feelings out of hand, so I told her everything that was on my mind, or almost everything. Naturally, I could not tell her that I had been transported to this world.
“I see... As I thought, you possess something beyond the measure of an ordinary person.”
“I myself am still unable to measure it. That is partly why I want to find out how far I can go, as I mentioned earlier.”
“I see... But by the time you discover the answer, you may have reached a position far above mine.”
“No, I don’t think that will happen. Nor do I have any desire for it...”
“I did not become a Marquis because I wanted to. But those with commensurate power must take a commensurate position. Even their own wishes are irrelevant. You should understand that, shouldn’t you?”
“Yes. I have lived long enough to understand that much.”
“Then that is fine. If that is how things stand, I will not press you any further for now. When you have discovered your own limits, I will ask you the same question again.”
“No, Your Excellency...”
“Was what you said about finding me ‘attractive’ merely empty words?”
“I meant it with complete sincerity.”
(E/N: Bro folded under 0 pressure!! 🤣)
“Then when the time comes, you should be the one to come to me. Of course, I would not object even if it were as a concubine. That is how strongly I feel about this.”
“U-Understood.”
The Marquis placed a hand against my chest, gazed intently into my eyes, and then stood up and left the room.
I had never even imagined something like this could happen. More than that, I was not even sure whether the conversation that had just taken place had really happened.
But there was no way I could discuss something like this with anyone. I would have no choice but to bury it in my heart as a secret, but I never imagined I would have an experience like this at my age.
Honestly, it was even more shocking than coming to this world in the first place.
◇◆◇
The next morning, after breakfast, I tidied up the room where I had spent the night and headed to young Ryūsha.
Naturally, it was to say goodbye before leaving.
My departure from the Royal Capital was being kept secret in order to maintain pressure on the nobles who had supported the former King. So, of course, there would be no grand farewell.
When I reached the front of the King’s office, I was immediately shown inside.
The office was presumably decorated according to the former King’s tastes. It was excessively filled with works of art, while the furnishings were all expensive pieces with elaborate designs.
Young Ryūsha was the only person in the room. He was sitting behind the desk with an expression that suggested he was somewhat uncomfortable.
“Soushi, I’ve been waiting for you.”
When I entered the room, young Ryūsha brightened and stood up, approaching me.
It seemed somewhat inappropriate for someone who was about to become King to meet a guest one-on-one, but it was not my place to point that out.
“Lord Ryūsha, thank you for everything. I’ll be taking my leave now, but if you call for me, I will come. So please summon me whenever it is convenient.”
“I should be thanking you. Actually, saying that isn’t enough to express how much you have helped me. If you had not come to this country, Soushi, I’m sure the fighting would have been far worse.
…
And there would have been terrible damage from the Devils and that Lich Legion as well. Thank you so much.”
“I’m glad I was able to help. However, I think things will be even harder for the country from now on. Please don’t forget to take care of yourself, Lord Ryūsha.”
“Just as you said before, I think this is when my part really begins, so I’ll do my best. And I have the ring you gave me, too. I heard【Poison Resistance】『+3』is an extremely valuable item. With this, I feel safe.”
Young Ryūsha’s face was completely innocent as he said that, but the idea that having【Poison Resistance】made him feel safe was unsettling no matter how many times I heard it.
As I struggled to think of what to say next, young Ryūsha moved closer and lowered his voice slightly.
“By the way, did Myuela... I mean, Marquis Raghantz, say anything to you?”
“Ah... well, yes. We talked a little last night...”
“I knew it. I thought she had been acting strange for a while, but she finally talked to you.”
Young Ryūsha smiled knowingly. Apparently, he already knew exactly what we had talked about.
“So, what did you say to her?”
“Well, I’m still only half-finished as an adventurer, so I was going to turn her down...”
“You tried to, but you couldn’t quite bring yourself to refuse, right?”
Young Ryūsha looked up at me from below as he interrupted, and I found myself nodding.
“We agreed that I would give her an answer after I had gone as far as I could as an adventurer.”
“Ah, I see. That’s just like Myuela. By the way, you said you were going to the northern Empire too, didn’t you?”
“Yes. I also need to meet the Guild’s Grandmaster.”
“In that case, there’s a good chance you’ll make a name for yourself there too. Hmm... In that case, perhaps we could have you welcomed as a noble of the Empire as well.”
(E/N: The boy King is assuming Ossan will become an Imperial noble the next time they meet so he'll welcome Ossan as the same.)
The latter half was probably something I could not understand, but the first half certainly seemed possible. Considering everything that had happened so far, there was a very real possibility that I would cause some sort of trouble when I went to the Empire too.
In any case, for now I just wanted to reunite with my party as soon as possible. The Empire was still a long way off.
“Lord Ryūsha, I think I should be leaving soon. I wish you success in everything you do on your journey ahead.”
“There are still so many things I want to talk about, but we’ll save them for next time. Please take care of yourself.”
The boy extended his right hand. When I shook it, I could feel just how delicate his hand really was.
Thinking that the weight of an entire country would soon rest upon that hand gave me a complicated feeling as an older man.
When we released our hands, the boy touched his ring and smiled.
“Let’s meet again.”
“Definitely. Then, I’ll be taking my leave.”
With those words, I left the office and headed straight for the exit of the Royal Castle.
—————————————
E/N:
If after all this, Ryūsha turned out to be a girl… The plot twist would be mind boggling! 💀💀
Stay tuned!
—————————————
————————————————————
————————————————————
Comments