A Certain Someone

The "certain someone" the King relied on... was his own body double.

This shadow possessed the necessary skills and, more importantly, a face identical to the monarch's. In the past, the King had occasionally swapped places with him to sneak out and inspect the state of the town—an indulgence for which his aides frequently scolded him.

But this time, the journey would take him all the way to the Frontier Region. And it had to be done in total secrecy, hidden from prying eyes.

The thought of the lecture waiting for him upon his return dampened his spirits, but he had no choice. To grasp the reality of the situation, he had to see it for himself.

"Summon my shadow at once," the King ordered. "I have urgent business!"

◇◆◇◆◇◆

Despite the string of troubles that followed Tia’s arrival, life had finally settled back into a relative state of peace. Of course, I knew this was merely a temporary lull while I waited for the response to my inquiry regarding independence.

Since there was no telling when I’d get another break once things kicked off, I decided to savor the tranquility while I still could.

"Yuri-sama, a representative from the Kingdom has arrived."

It seemed my vacation was over before it had even begun. I let out a heavy sigh and went to meet the messenger.

Wait... what?

The moment I stepped into the reception room, I paused, tilting my head in confusion. There was something familiar about the man waiting for me. He struck me as a strange individual—the kind of man who seemed easy enough to converse with, yet whose eyes remained cold and unsmiling.

Still, I couldn't quite place him. He was a messenger from the Kingdom, so perhaps our paths had crossed somewhere in the castle, or maybe he’d been a guest of my father, Balan. I hadn't been formally introduced to every person I’d ever seen, so it stood to reason that some faces would escape me.

—No, wait.

I looked closer, and the man’s features began to overlap with those of the King of Inraku.

I remember hearing rumors that the King of Inraku often wanders the castle town in disguise.

I never imagined he’d travel all the way out to the Frontier Region, though.

That was close. If I handle this poorly and incur the King’s resentment, I’ll be heading straight for a Ruin Route.

Since I’d spotted his true identity early, I could adjust my behavior accordingly. I took a deep breath, steeling my resolve.

"Thank you for making the long journey here today," I said.

"Not at all. I am the one who is grateful to you for granting me your time, especially given the sudden nature of my visit."

He offered his hand, and I took it, exchanging a firm handshake.

"I am Aul Iikuran, a messenger from the Kingdom of Inraku. I have been entrusted with a letter from the King of Inraku."

For some reason, his formal tone makes it feel like he’s addressing a foreign power.

"Allow me to review it," I replied.

I accepted the letter. In summary, the contents were nearly identical to the letter I’d received from Miria: the Kingdom would recognize us as an independent country, they wanted me to get engaged to Miria, and they intended to maintain friendly relations moving forward.

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【Request from the Author】

I have started a new work: I, the Weakest Mob, Accidentally Defeated the Mastermind... https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818093086531832571

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