Chapter 270 : Duke Seligman

I raised my head and looked up at the sky.

Large snowflakes, like cotton balls, were pouring down.

The long winter was over.

Spring had come in a flash.

Of course, since this was the northernmost part of the continent, even when spring came, it only got a little warmer than before.

But where was this?

It was a hundred times better than when the biting wind was blowing.

As I was looking at the snow pouring down from the sky, I looked down.

"Hehe."

I could see the mercenary corps members diligently making a snowman.

Linda, Schmidt, and Princess Lilia were working as a team to make a large snowman.

Literally a large snowman over 2 meters tall.

[They're working hard.]

Linda was on Schmidt's shoulders, diligently putting on the snowman's eyes, nose, and mouth.

"Ta-da! It's done!"

"Wow! It's amazing!"

They looked back at me.

"Devil, what do you think!"

"We did a good job, right!"

I nodded roughly.

"Amazing. I've never seen a snowman that looks more like a snowman."

Sir Monde, who was watching with me, looked at me.

"? Is that a compliment?"

"Maybe?"

Just then.

Thwack!

A snowball hit Linda's brightly smiling face.

"Ugh!"

The Linda-ho, which had been riding on Schmidt's shoulders, sank.

"We've defeated the enemy commander!"

"Go!"

"Yaaaah!"

Starting with that, snowballs flew wildly.

"Hahaha, you villains."

"Take the snowball of justice!"

"Hup! Hup!"

It was an attack by Dofang, Shushuruta, and Hudmilla.

"Aaaah! Run away!"

At the attack of Dofang's gang, Schmidt and Linda quickly retreated.

Princess Lilia also ran away, laughing, as she was hit by snowballs on her back.

And so, after chasing away the enemies.

Dofang's gang threw a flying kick at the snowman they had worked so hard to make.

"Ah, no!"

"Yes!"

Schmidt and Linda, who had belatedly noticed Dofang's gang's evil plan, tried to stop them.

But the snowman was already smashed.

Princess Lilia was just laughing, for some reason.

"Mission success!"

"Retreat!"

"Aaaah! Stop right there! My snowman!"

"Hahahaha! How about that! This is revenge for the cherry!"

I watched the scene from a distance with my arms crossed.

"...They're having fun."

From the side, the black mage, Adrian, and the guardian knight, Sir Monde, added a word each.

"Haha, they look like they're having fun."

"As long as the princess looks happy, that's all that matters."

Speaking of snowmen, something came to mind.

It was about the Snowman.

A hot and dry discussion had taken place over his disposal.

—Taking him down is a gamble that puts the lives of thousands, tens of thousands of victims at stake. I don't want to gamble.

—I agree.

—Me too.

—Hmph... do as you please. Whether he lives or dies.

—...

—And you, Big Sister?

—My thoughts are...

Thwack!

A cold snowball that hit my face broke my thoughts.

"..."

When I looked where it came from, Hud was pointing at me with a playful face and laughing.

"Hahaha! Look at his face."

Twitch—

"Oh yeah. I accept your challenge. Come at me, all of you."

"Waaaaah! Run away!"

A snowy battle of flying snowballs broke out.

I could hear the Heavenly Demon's low laughter from time to time.

* * *

After a round of snowball fights, on the way back to the inn.

As I walked, dusting the snow off my clothes.

The blunt northerners acknowledged me.

"Sir Ashuban! Would you like a drink?"

"I just baked some bread. Take one with you!"

"How about a game of cards tonight?"

At first, they were wary, but now, wherever I went, there was a welcoming atmosphere.

It must mean it was time to leave.

I had rested enough.

Hud and Schmidt had also recovered enough to be having snowball fights like that.

I returned to the inn and told them the news.

The reactions were mixed.

There were some who were sad, and some who were happy.

"Are you leaving now?"

Scarlet asked as she came down from her room.

"Yes. We've rested enough."

"Yes, winter has already passed."

"Is your research going well?"

Big Sister had demanded an S-rank magic stone as a reward for defeating the Half-Dragon for Duke Elsbears. And now, she was holed up in her room, engrossed in some unknown research.

Scarlet nodded.

"To some extent. Now that I have a power source, I think I can start the experiment in earnest."

"That's good news. Then I'll go and see the duke. I think I should tell him in advance that I'm leaving."

"Go ahead."

I immediately visited Duke Elsbears's mansion.

After the monster wave was over, I had been invited to have meals with him from time to time.

At some point, it had become as familiar as my own home.

"You're here?"

"Sir Ashuban, you're here."

The servants and knights of the mansion also greeted me naturally.

As I walked down the corridor, exchanging pleasantries with the members of the mansion...

I went to the drawing-room where I always had meals with the duke and flung open the door.

"Huh."

There was an unfamiliar guest.

A skinny man with a very stern impression was sitting in a chair, and next to him, two knights in splendid armor were standing.

"...Who are you?"

"And who are you to open the door so rudely without any manners?"

And a man who seemed to be his subordinate was pointing at me and shouting.

"This is the noble Duke Seligman. Show some respect at once!"

I picked my nose and replied.

"? Why should I."

"Y-you insolent...!"

As I was looking at his reddening and paling face with curiosity.

"Ashuban."

Duke Elsbears said.

"Yes."

"There's a guest, so could you wait outside for a moment?"

"Yes, well."

I left the shouting man and went out of the drawing-room.

"Some noble brat came?"

As I was muttering and scratching my head.

"Huh? It's the hero!"

Princess Lilia appeared from the other side of the corridor.

The princess, who saw me, came running over.

Her shimmering blonde hair was slightly wet with moisture, as if the snow had melted.

"Why are you standing in the corridor?"

I exchanged a glance with Sir Monde, who was approaching from behind, and then.

I answered the princess's question.

"There was a guest who came first."

"A guest?"

"What was it again? Was it Duke Seligman?"

Lilia's eyes widened.

"Duke Seligman?"

"Do you know him?"

"W-what did he come for?"

"How should I know."

The princess glanced at the door.

"Shall we find out what he came for?"

"That's a good idea."

After telling Sir Monde to keep watch, I put my ear to the door with the princess.

From the voices I could roughly hear from inside...

It seemed the royal family had come to praise Duke Elsbears for blocking the monster wave and to bring back the mischievous Princess Lilia.

So, Duke Seligman had visited Tundra on behalf of the royal family.

"Ah..."

Lilia, who had grasped the situation, instantly became sullen.

There was a time for everything.

It seemed it was time for the princess to go home too.

'But still.'

I didn't like the way he was talking.

He had ignored them when the monster wave was coming, and now that it was over, he had stealthily crawled in and was shamelessly ordering them around.

I didn't like it.

Just then, the voices from inside gradually subsided.

"I can't hear well..."

The princess pressed her ear tightly against the door to hear more clearly.

And the door flew open.

"U-ugh!"

The princess, who had been leaning against the door, lost her balance for a moment and flapped her arms.

I lightly caught her and looked at the one who had opened the door.

It was Duke Seligman.

He opened his mouth in a stern tone.

"Eavesdropping on other people's conversations. That's a very un-royal and undignified act, Princess."

"Ah, Duke Seligman."

"It's time to go back. Do you know how worried His Majesty was? This is the last of your mischievous acts. Let's go back."

"...Yes."

The sullen princess lowered her head.

Meanwhile, I let out a sneer.

Because the way things were going was ridiculous.

Then, Duke Seligman's gaze turned to me.

"Did you just laugh?"

"Ah, sorry."

"What are you sorry for?"

"I couldn't help but laugh at the sight of you pretending to be worried now, after ignoring them when it was really dangerous. When the monster wave was over."

"...What did you say?"

"When you were hiding like a rat inside the triple-layered walls, Princess Lilia went to the north alone. Who's the undignified one?"

From behind the silent duke, the duke's subordinate, who had shouted at me earlier, shouted at me.

"How dare you say such nonsense in front of him!"

At that, Duke Seligman quietly raised his hand, and he fell silent.

Duke Seligman asked in a cold tone.

"Who are you?"

I grinned and replied.

"What's it to you. You son of a bitch."

The faces of his subordinates were filled with shock.

"...!"

"H-hero!"

The surprised Princess Lilia grabbed my arm.

And Duke Elsbears covered his forehead with his hand and sighed.

Duke Seligman glared at me with a cold expression.

"I am not here simply as an individual. I am here representing the royal family of Maia. Can you take responsibility for what you just said?"

I grinned.

"Anytime. If you have a problem, come and find me."

I exchanged a glance with Duke Seligman for a moment.

"...Ashuban of the Half-Sword."

"Did you call me?"

"I've heard of a mad thunderbolt like you."

"You heard right."

Duke Seligman stared at me with an expressionless face for a moment...

The corner of his mouth twitched.

'Did he laugh?'

"Considering the great achievements of the Sherwood Mercenary Corps, I will not question that rudeness. However, do not expect such mercy in the future."

And then, he glanced back and said.

"Let's go. Our business is all done."

"Yes, yes!"

"We will be leaving immediately, so I hope the princess will also prepare quickly."

Duke Seligman left those words and walked past me and the princess.

And the knights and his subordinates who had been standing by hurriedly followed.

Sir Monde watched them pass by, then came up to me and hit my shoulder.

Thwack!

"Ah, why did you hit me."

"You crazy bastard! Are you really out of your mind?"

"It's not new."

Sir Monde shook his head from side to side.

"You'll be the first and last person to say that to Duke Seligman."

"Is he famous?"

"He's called the Iron Chancellor. He's the real power."

"Aha."

"What do you mean, aha. I was scared to death. What were you thinking?"

The princess also nodded.

"He's a very scary person. It's a great fortune that it passed without any trouble."

"Really?"

I scratched my cheek and replied.

"He smiled a little earlier."

Princess Lilia's eyes widened.

"He smiled?"

Sir Monde replied, as if in disbelief.

"That's nonsense. That man has forgotten how to smile. No one has ever seen Duke Seligman smile."

"...I'm sure he smiled."

Soon, Princess Lilia and Sir Monde went to pack their things.

And I, for my original purpose, had a private meeting with Duke Elsbears.

"Ashuban."

"Yes, Your Grace."

"You always exceed my expectations."

"Thank you."

"That wasn't a compliment."

"Hmm."

"Duke Selisman. He's not a bad person. Rather, thanks to him, the Maia Kingdom is barely running."

"I see. By the way, why did such a busy person come all the way here?"

"You were eavesdropping diligently. You must have heard most of it."

"That's true, but."

"Will you have some?"

Duke Elsbears took something out of a luxurious wooden box and asked.

It seemed to be one of the things that Duke Selisman had given to praise Duke Elsbears's achievements earlier.

"What is it?"

"It's called chocolate. It's a snack that nobles like."

"I don't refuse what's given."

"Take it."

Just as I was about to open the snack that Duke Elsbears had given me.

I found a small note between the wrappers.

"Your Grace."

When I looked at the duke, he nodded with a meaningful expression.

I carefully unfolded the note and read it.

It was a short sentence.

「I intend to enthrone Princess Lilia as king.」