stonecrandall Chapter 306
Chapter 306
Chapter 306
After deciding that Dardin would go to Aquilonia while Yurik and he would split off to the former capital of Acheron,
The three of them went to have an audience with King Oderus to receive permission for additional use of teleportation magic.
When King Oderus said he was in the audience chamber with Aphoom-Zhah, they headed that way.
Beyond the splendid doors of the audience chamber, the King's voice could be heard laughing heartily about something that pleased him so much.
The servant waiting in front of the door stiffened as soon as he saw them and looked nervously toward the inside.
"His Majesty the King is currently very busy."
"We have urgent matters to discuss regarding Eibon's successor. Could you inform him once?"
The servant was confused and flustered, then slightly opened the door and called in another servant from inside the audience chamber.
They talked among themselves and went inside. Shortly after, the servant from inside the audience chamber came out and opened the door for them."His Majesty has given permission."
Ha. He was the one who brought Aphoom-Zhah, yet why was he being treated like leftovers? Was it because he was a foreigner?
Asgard's audience chamber gave a sacred and magnificent feeling, as if to show off that it was one of the continent's strongest kingdoms.
The dome-shaped ceiling was painted with legendary heroes and beautiful women,
And the pillars supporting the ceiling were carved as giants in different poses, as if they were supporting the stars.
In the center of the audience chamber were dazzlingly gorgeous chairs, sofas, and tables for refreshments.
The servants, an old man wearing robes characteristic of mages, and several knights assisting the King were all standing.
Unlike what he had thought, that only King Oderus and Aphoom-Zhah would be there besides them.
"I greet Her Highness the 1st Princess of Asgard, Giselle von Asgard."
At Yurik's greeting, Asgard's Princess hurriedly stood up with a flushed face.
He had seen her briefly when she brought medicine to their guest room,
But seeing her now in such a bright place, she had an even more rabbit-like impression.
The Princess was sitting on the same sofa as Aphoom-Zhah. As if this was burdensome for her, Princess Giselle couldn't calm down and kept fidgeting with her hands.
No matter how he looked at it, this didn't seem like a seat Princess Giselle had wanted.
There was only one person in this room who could command Princess Giselle.
"Oh, Aquilonia's solver and the 3rd Prince have come. I am deeply grateful to you."
King Oderus.
He praised them without hiding the arrogant light on his face flushed with joy.
When he heard Yurik's words, it seemed like Oderus had done all sorts of nonsense, but since he hadn't seen it directly, he couldn't say anything about it.
So he decided to just bow his head obediently.
"You are too kind."
"I just heard all the circumstances in great detail directly from Eibon's successor. Those Mage Tower bastards, I knew it! I knew someday they would betray the royal family and commit shady deeds."
"Yes? Ah, yes."
Seeing how he spoke definitively calling him 'Eibon's successor' in front of them,
It seemed like while Dardin, Yurik, and he were holed up in the guest room, they had done some kind of magical power inspection.
If not, he wouldn't be so confident.
"Those lawless bastards. They all deserve to die. How dare they imprison the successor of the great and renowned Grand Mage Eibon and commit such cruel acts! Now, Eibon's successor, withdraw your anger. I will personally punish those Mage Tower bastards severely and straighten out the discipline of the mages."
[Oh ho. Are you sincere?]
"I am not a man who says one thing and means another. Wasn't it possible for magical studies to flourish in the ancient Acheron Empire entirely because the founding Emperor recognized mages' talents and actively supported them?"
A later generation's evaluation of the founding Acheron Emperor. He glanced sideways at Yurik.
Fortunately, there was no particular change in his expression.
Meanwhile, Oderus continued to advocate.
"Mages are variants who pursue extremely their own academic desires. They have no standards of right and wrong."
[Hmm.]
"So the kingdom must clearly tell them what is right and what is wrong, so that such incidents will never happen again."
[Does that apply to this body as well?]
"Ahaha! My friend, you're really bold. Eibon's successor, I sincerely welcome you. If you work for Asgard's prosperity, what could I not do for you?"
Ah, he probably shouldn't make such guarantees. For some reason, he had a feeling that Aphoom-Zhah would cause strange incidents here.
He hurriedly intervened before King Oderus created additional disgrace that he would carry for life.
"Your Majesty the King, first, Eibon's successor has decided to remain in Asgard for the time being to cooperate in investigating this incident. Also, he will partially fill the gap of mages created by the tragedy at the Mage Tower."
"That's welcome news to hear."
King Oderus smiled broadly. He seemed quite pleased that Aphoom-Zhah would remain in Asgard.
But Yurik continued after him.
"If this incident concludes, Eibon's successor, as a mage without clear affiliation, will be subject to the Standard Mage Protection Regulations and the Thurian Western Continent Magical Academic Researcher Protection Rules observed by the country where he resides. When moving to other countries, you must safely guarantee his personal safety."
"Hmm. That's only a story for when our Eibon's successor leaves Asgard, isn't it?"
"If he remains in Asgard, there would be no need to consider such problems. However, as you know, the connection between Eibon's successor and Aquilonia runs quite deep."
At those words, King Oderus's eyes glinted momentarily.
He still hadn't grasped why Yurik was saying such things at this timing.
Was he threatening that Oderus might not return Aphoom-Zhah?
Or was Yurik thinking differently from him?
But such uneasiness was brief.
King Oderus laughed heartily and said.
"Yes, I promise. Isn't Eibon's successor a precious talent in western Thurian? We all know well that one great mage can bring change to the entire continent."
"I sincerely thank Your Majesty the King for your words."
"Now, Eibon's successor. No, calling you this also seems somehow like a relic of the old era. You said you had a name you used."
[That is so.]
"I was so distracted then that I don't recall well. I'm sure it was Arenheit? Yes, that was the name."
What?
He was momentarily dazed when an unexpected name came up.
Why was he using that name now?
When he glared at Aphoom-Zhah with questioning eyes, white pupils moved toward him.
Leandros's, no. Someone slightly more inhumanly handsome than Leandros smiled.
[To be precise, it is the name of this body's dear friend. He died long ago, but I use the name in honor of our friendship.]
"Oh, I see. Was that friend also an excellent mage?"
[He possessed vast magical power.]
"As befits Eibon's successor. I knew even one of your friends wouldn't be ordinary. Uhahaha!"
Hearing Aphoom-Zhah's story, the strength drained from his shoulders.
Ah, if that was the case, well.
Aphoom-Zhah wasn't exactly a name cool enough to present anywhere.
No matter how much Aphoom-Zhah wanted to increase believers, it would be difficult to gain faith with the status of a mage's 'successor.'
The only human names he had encountered were Yu Yesung or Arenheit.
Since it was a name he wasn't using now anyway, it seemed fine to lend it to Aphoom-Zhah temporarily.
"Yesung."
"Hm?"
"Are you alright? You seemed frozen for a moment."
"I'm fine. I'm perfectly well."
Yurik cast a worried glance for a moment, then turned his head back to King Oderus who was fervently following Aphoom-Zhah.
"Your Majesty the King, though it's repeatedly presumptuous while you're busy, we would like to return to Aquilonia now."
"Oh. I was detaining busy people. Yes, I overlooked that many things are happening to the 3rd Prince within Aquilonia as well."
Only then did King Oderus cough and stand up, approaching him.
Yurik pressed his shoulder firmly, so he knelt on one knee in that spot.
"Solver of Aquilonia, you are..."
"Yu Yesung."
"Yu Yesung, as King of Asgard, I commend your achievement in solving the difficult problem that Asgard could not resolve for a long time."
"Thank you."
"And, 3rd Prince of Aquilonia, Yurik den Aquilonia."
"Yes."
"I understand this personnel selection was your recommendation. I have high expectations for you as well."
King Oderus showed a strange smile over his fierce-looking face.
"Asgard's winter mountains are famous for their scenic beauty even within the continent. There was no leisure this time, but I hope the 3rd Prince will definitely visit once."
"If I could see with my own eyes the natural treasures that Asgard possesses, that too would be an honor."
They exchanged that greeting as their last and withdrew from the audience chamber.
Huh. Was that the end?
Reflecting on the closed door behind them, he unconsciously muttered.
"It's more anticlimactic than I thought."
"Pardon? Anticlimactic?"
Dardin, who had been standing with his mouth unconsciously closed, immediately objected.
His forehead was strangely flushed red. He seemed excited.
"Just now His Majesty the King of Asgard requested a visit from His Highness the 3rd Prince. From now on, His Highness the 3rd Prince will be the only person who can use teleportation magic connecting from Aquilonia to Asgard."
"What? That's what it was?"
"That's right, Yesung!"
Was that... good? But Yurik was the founding Emperor of Acheron in the past.
When he thought about it, Asgard would have been part of Acheron too,
But he didn't understand what was good about the boss there liking Yurik. Or was there more meaning in what King Oderus had said?
It was probably because he was weak with the rhetoric used in royal palaces.
When he returned, he would have to ask Yurik to teach him.
He listened to Dardin and Yurik's conversation with half an ear as he left the royal castle and headed toward the Small Mage Tower.
Fortunately, this time wolf sleds were waiting in front of the royal castle. It seemed Oderus quite liked Aphoom-Zhah.
When he took Yurik's hand and boarded the carriage, he became curious and asked Dardin who was climbing up behind him.
"By the way, why was Princess Giselle there?"
"Pardon? Well? I did hear that Princess Giselle also has talent as a mage. Could it be because of that?"
"It's King Oderus's scheme."
"Pardon?"
"What?"
Yurik, who boarded the carriage last, replied as he sat down.
The door closed and the carriage departed, but the big question marks floating above Dardin and him didn't disappear.
Yurik folded his arms alone and gestured with his chin toward the royal castle.
"King Oderus isn't stupid enough to treat us well for no reason. No matter how much we brought that guy- 'Arenheit,' it's true that we contributed to annihilating the largest Mage Tower within Asgard."
"Pardon? Your Highness, did you do such a thing?"
"So he could have thought it quite detestable, but he didn't. Because one mage named 'Arenheit' has greater value than one Mage Tower."
"Your Highness, did you cause such chaos in a foreign country? Are you serious? You're joking, right? This is the first I'm hearing of this."
"As the King said earlier, one mage named Eibon greatly changed all of Thurian continent-"
"Your Highness!"
Ah, enough! Unable to bear it any longer, he covered Dardin's mouth, and Dardin struggled.
He said.
"Continue."
"-changed it, and the influence that one powerful mage has on a kingdom is that great. Not only magical studies, but military, cultural, and academic value can all be considered."
"A golden egg that rolled in."
"King Oderus doesn't want to send 'Arenheit' outside Asgard no matter what. At least not until he says he wants to become a citizen of Asgard or equivalent compulsion is applied."
"Could that be why."
"If he betroths to Princess Giselle, he could become a son-in-law of Asgard."
When his thoughts reached that point, he gradually felt strange.
This might just be his imagination, but if. What if Aphoom-Zhah did something called marriage with Princess Giselle.
"Yurik. I'm asking just in case."
"Why?"
"Are you capable of reproductive activities?"
Silence flowed in the carriage.
Dardin was frozen and not even breathing.
Even Yurik was frozen solid without moving.
Had he asked such a difficult question to answer?