Chapter 131 – Return (2)

Since David was in the imperial palace, it wasn’t strange for them to summon us, his escorts, if he was returning.

However, when we arrived at the palace, the servant took us to a place where David wasn’t present.

Instead, the Imperial Chancellor was waiting for us in a massive office.

“Welcome. I heard the prospective Saint’s party has arrived in the Empire. Moreover, that this party spent considerable time in another world. I wanted to meet you before you departed.”

Contrary to my preconceptions, the Imperial Chancellor was a robust man who appeared to be in his early forties.

His office also differed from what I had imagined.

More armor and weapons hung on the walls than bookshelves, and only a few documents lay on his desk.

The Chancellor welcomed us as we entered and guided us to sofas in the room’s center.

He instructed the servant who had guided us:

“Bring out some delicacies. These people have endured hardships on the battlefield—they should enjoy some fine food while at the palace.”

Shortly after, servants laid out a feast on the table.

“These are dishes the Emperor himself enjoys. Let’s talk while enjoying these delicacies.”

It was difficult to immediately start eating after being unexpectedly brought to meet one of the Empire’s most powerful figures.

Except for Zahina.

The Chancellor watched Zahina eating grapes, then looked at me and spoke:

“I hear you’re this party’s leader. A free knight from Sorbia who joined the allied forces during initial recruitment and survived until now—one of the few remaining free knights.”

Being the Imperial Chancellor, he seemed to have completed his investigation before our arrival.

“Moreover, a skilled knight the Sword Master wishes to recruit.”

The Chancellor had apparently heard about me from Count Schönheim.

Though perhaps self-conscious, I briefly thought the Chancellor might have summoned me rather than Ye-rim.

But that was the extent of my story.

“And you are…”

“Mountain soldier Hoffman from the Central Mountains, sir!”

When the Chancellor turned his gaze to Hoffman, he jumped up and shouted his name.

Naturally so, as his original affiliation was with the Imperial Army’s mountain forces.

Even Hoffman, hardened by battle and typically dismissive of officers, couldn’t act casually before his nation’s Chancellor.

“I hear you’re a soldier who can sense mana. A veteran with extensive battlefield experience who couldn’t be promoted due to certain… flaws.”

“Yes sir, that’s correct.”

Were those “flaws” his thieving before becoming a soldier? Or his potion addiction?

Unfortunately, the Chancellor didn’t inquire further and turned to Zahina.

“And the World Tree’s eldest daughter… no, I hear we can’t call you that anymore. May I address you as Zahina?”

“Yes. Either way is fine.”

At Zahina’s calm response, the Chancellor sighed.

“Let me first apologize. On behalf of the Empire, as a member of the allied forces, I apologize for the flawed operation that caused your severe injury, stranding in another world, and inability to use your clan’s name.”

The Chancellor bowed to Zahina.

Hoffman, Ye-rim, and I were all surprised to see him apologize.

It must have been difficult for a nation’s Chancellor to make such an apology.

Yet he seemed unconcerned.

Though it was an admirable gesture, it made me more wary of the Chancellor.

A person of high political position easily setting aside their honor could also mean they would easily discard others’ honor and lives.

Though perhaps an extreme thought, I kept it in mind.

“I understand. I accept your apology.”

Unlike my complex thoughts, Zahina simply accepted his apology.

“Thank you.”

After Zahina accepted, he immediately lowered his speech level.

Though there was no reason to speak formally to Zahina, who was no longer the World Tree’s daughter, it didn’t feel good.

The Chancellor expressed gratitude to Zahina, then immediately turned to Ye-rim.

“And our prospective Saint.”

Ye-rim responded reflexively to the Chancellor’s words:

“Yes. I am Ye-rim, a priest who believes in the desert false g… no, the one true God from another world.”

The Chancellor looked surprised at Ye-rim’s words.

He had never seen a priest or clergy member call their own deity false.

Ye-rim’s face turned red, realizing her mistake.

“I’ve heard people say that so much…”

“It seems people from that world don’t fear divine wrath.”

“Well, He is also a God of mercy and love.”

I could only make an awkward expression at Ye-rim’s words.

“I see. When time permits, I shall visit the Great Temple to pray to this new deity as well.”

Though his words were unexpected, the Chancellor smoothly continued the conversation.

He continued asking about the other world and questions about us.

After about an hour of conversation, the Chancellor, who had been listening, spoke:

“This has been enlightening. Hearing vivid accounts from those who directly experienced the new world has been very helpful. I’m glad to have met such promising individuals.”

It seemed time to wrap up the conversation.

Though the party members relaxed at the Chancellor’s words, I remained tense.

A nation’s Chancellor wouldn’t spare time just to hear such stories.

Now was when he would reveal his true reason for summoning us.

“Ah yes, I hear the special envoy from that world returns tomorrow with the new hero’s party.”

Tomorrow… then I should visit the blacksmith before then.

“You’ll be returning with them, then?”

We would return around the same time even if not together.

Though the vacation was shorter than expected, after being summoned by the Chancellor today, it would be difficult to stay longer in the Empire.

“Since you’ll be going to that world with the hero’s party, please assist them there.”

The Chancellor’s next words were light years from my expectations.

“The new Saint is our Empire’s princess.

It’s quite troublesome having an imperial family member become Saint.

We can’t withdraw her now that she’s part of the imperial family, and being a cherished princess, we’re extremely worried.”

My mouth fell open at the Chancellor’s words.

The Empire’s princess as the next Saint.

It was even more surprising than the unprepared hero candidate.

“She was a quiet princess with deep faith—no one expected divine revelation to make her Saint.”

I finally understood why the Empire, which had moved cautiously for allied forces’ stability, suddenly became active.

With an imperial princess as the next Saint, the Empire had to act.

“When you go to that world, please watch over the hero’s party, especially the Saint… I ask this as Imperial Chancellor and as the princess’s uncle.”

The Empire’s Chancellor, the Emperor’s brother, bowed his head to us.

His office being in the palace and ability to serve the Emperor’s food made sense now—he was royalty.

The current Emperor’s brother.

Though lower in succession due to many imperial siblings, he was still royal.

“But our escort duty is only until returning…”

As Ye-rim spoke with a puzzled expression, I cut her off:

“Understood. I will watch over her.”

The Chancellor nodded with satisfaction at my words.

“Thank you. That concludes our discussion. There are some small tokens of appreciation—please receive them on your way out.”

“Thank you.”

We stood at his mention of gifts, expressing gratitude.

The party members rose with confused expressions.

They all seemed unable to understand the exchange between the Chancellor and me.

I led the party members out of the office.

Servants waited outside with gifts.

“These are gold coins from the Chancellor and individual gifts for each of you.”

The prepared gifts were more elaborate than expected—pouches of gold coins, armor with seals removed, what appeared to be staff materials, a mana-infused dagger, and holy relics.

“We’ll carry these to your carriage.”

I shook my head at the butler’s words beside the servants.

We’d listened enough to the Chancellor inside his office. I had no intention of being deferential outside.

“No need—I have a space-expansion pouch.”

“But there’s no need…”

“It would be cumbersome otherwise.”

“…Understood.”

I rejected the butler’s offer and put the gifts in my pouch.

Having removed some gold coins and belongings earlier, there was plenty of space.

“Why did you stop me earlier, and what are these gifts for?”

As we walked the corridor following the servant’s guidance, having dismissed the butler and others, Ye-rim whispered in my ear.

After confirming the guide couldn’t sense mana, I wrapped mana around the party members.

After creating a sort of soundproof barrier, I answered Ye-rim:

“Earlier, the Chancellor didn’t care how we responded to his words. He also didn’t care if we were happy receiving gifts.”

“What?”

“Even if we can’t actually help the princess who became Saint, the Chancellor doesn’t care.

He just wanted everyone to know he ordered us to help the hero’s party and Saint.”

Thanks to realizing he could easily discard honor despite his appearance, I could understand what he wanted.

It was also because I had suffered in companies in my previous life and from nobles in my territory as a child and as a free knight in this life.

Political fights always striking from behind.

It was no different between my previous life and this one.

This is why I planned to establish my own territory or estate to hide away.

“You mean it wasn’t a real request for help? But he’s her uncle!”

“If he really wanted to help, he wouldn’t have sent her to another world with the hero’s party.”

Even if they couldn’t prevent her becoming Saint due to divine revelation, having an imperial princess join the hero’s party to hunt the Demon King in another world was like something from a fairy tale.

Though they would package it as a fairy tale, if they truly loved the princess, they wouldn’t allow this.

“A cherished princess wouldn’t have such an expression.”

Just then, through the corridor window, we could see people gathered in the garden.

The hero we saw earlier was there, along with knights and mages.

Among them was a young priestess with a dark expression.

The beautiful young priestess, who somewhat resembled the Chancellor, was clearly the princess.

“The imperial family must be in turmoil with the princess suddenly becoming Saint. Noble families who had connections are troubled, and princes aiming for succession have headaches.”

Ye-rim’s jaw dropped at my words.

“So they’re sending her to fight the Demon King because of that?”

“Who knows. Everyone has different thoughts. There might be reasons I don’t know. But I think I understand the Chancellor’s thinking.”

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have summoned us to the palace or openly given gifts.

“But what if the new hero’s party kills the Demon King?”

I smiled bitterly at Ye-rim’s words.

“Well… what would happen then… No, can they even kill him?”

While answering Ye-rim, I looked at the hero standing beside the prospective Saint.

Clouds cast shadows, hiding the hero’s expression.