Margrave Noblebark

The atmosphere was thick with a tension I couldn’t quite name, but we managed to reach the Lord’s Mansion at last.

“I see. If you’re the head of a city, I suppose you need a place with this much breathing room.”

One look was enough to tell the place was massive, complete with a sprawling garden. Soldiers stood watch at the entrance gates, their eyes scanning every person who approached with practiced scrutiny.

Still, the manor didn’t scream decadence. It felt less like a display of mindless luxury and more like a grand structure designed solely to project the authority of a Lord.

“You used to live in a tattered shack, Yuri-sama,” Fee remarked.

“Yeah. I have to admit, that place didn’t exactly scream ‘Lordship.’”

I shared a laugh with Fee as we reminisced. Though I say "the old days," it had really only been about a year ago.

“I’m interested in that house,” Elu chimed in. “Does it still exist?”

“It does. I’m currently using it for my research… well, as a library, really.”

I kept the fact that Magic Stones were rolling around every available inch of floor space a secret from Fee.

“I already tidied up those Magic Stones for you,” Fee said flatly.

My Secret Laboratory collapsed in a matter of seconds.

“How did you even know about that?!”

“I was following you.”

“Wait, what?!”

I racked my brain. I’d definitely gone to the lab alone, savored my private time with my experiments, and then crept back to my room to sleep without her noticing. Or so I’d thought. I had repeated that routine dozens of times.

…Wait.

“Don’t tell me… you were using Stealth at full power?”

I hadn’t been on guard against familiar presences within my own territory. Because of that, the thought of Fee—my greatest ally—acting as an adversary had never even crossed my mind.

“My skills improved because of it,” she added.

Was I supposed to be happy about that?

“If you knew, why didn’t you stop me?”

“You weren't draining your Magic Power like you used to. As long as you weren't doing anything dangerous, I decided to focus on being your guard.”

It seemed Fee had been worried about me wandering around alone, even within the safety of our lands.

“But you still need to properly put away those dangerous Magic Stones!”

Ah, so I was getting a lecture after all.

“My bad. I’ll do my best to fix the situation.”

“Um, shouldn’t we try talking to them now?” Elu urged, looking concerned.

Our bickering in front of the Lord’s gates had clearly drawn the suspicion of the guards; they were eyeing us with looks of pure doubt.

“Right. Let’s see what they have to say. No telling how long we’ll be waiting otherwise.”

I stepped forward and addressed the soldiers.

“Halt. This is the Lord’s manor.”

“Sorry to bother you. I’d like to speak with the Lord.”

“And who are you supposed to be?”

“Ah, right. I’m Yuri Lousouth, a representative of the Beast King and a Lord of a frontier region in the Kingdom of Inraku. This is my attendant, Fee, and my guard, Fritz. Then there’s Elu, daughter of the Beast King, and the Saint, Emilina. Oh, and Luna, the meat, and the entertainers.”

“I’m not meat, meh?!”

“We aren't entertainers either!”

The rest of the group started a ruckus, but with so many of them, I figured omitting the details was for the best. They’d just have to deal with it.

“The B-Beast King’s?! S-Sir, please wait a moment! I’ll go confirm this immediately!”

One of the soldiers scrambled inside the manor. He returned almost instantly.

“The Lord will see you. Please, follow me.”

I hadn’t expected them to escort us in right then and there. Masking my surprise, I followed the soldier inside.

◇　◆　◇

Despite being on the frontier, the peaceful nature of this city was due almost entirely to the personality of its ruler: Margrave Benno Noblebark.

Though he lacked any notable military record, he was an Imperial noble known for his defensive prowess—it was said that his mere presence could mitigate an invasion by fifty percent. In reality, however, that was simply because he was a timid man who preferred to settle matters through prior negotiation. By maintaining constant dialogue with neighboring countries, he had secured non-aggression pacts that allowed him to enjoy a hard-won peace.

So, when a group of unexpected visitors arrived out of the blue, Margrave Noblebark turned deathly pale.

A representative of the Beast King, the princess of the Beast Kingdom, and furthermore, Luna-sama—a member of the Single Digits (Ninth) and the Empire’s strongest individual military asset. It was unthinkable that such a high-profile group would visit Noblebark without a very specific, and likely terrifying, reason.

D-Did something happen? Is it the Beast Kingdom? Is it about the fruit we’ve been importing that’s making a killing in the Empire? Or is it about the Imperial equipment I’ve been selling back to the Beast Kingdom with a massive markup?

Margrave Noblebark’s background as a merchant colored every thought with the scent of a crooked deal gone wrong.

I-In any case, I can’t keep them waiting. I have to find a way to make them leave peacefully.

His fear was justified. For a puppet master like Luna, the Third Rank of the Single Digits (Ninth), wiping a city off the map would be as easy as snapping a twig. He couldn't allow everything he had built to be destroyed now.

“Prepare the finest tea and sweets! Do not let their plates stay empty for a second!”

Knowing he couldn't keep his guests waiting any longer, Margrave Noblebark tucked a certain item into his coat and hurried to the drawing room.

When he arrived, he found a group of boys and girls who had already been shown inside. For a fleeting second, he almost sighed in relief at the sight of children—until he spotted the Third Rank, Luna, standing among them. His eyes then darted to the Sixth Rank, Gale, and the Ninth Rank, Lark.

Wait… nobody told me there were three of them!

His lip twitched. He fought to maintain his composure, forcing a smile onto his face as he reached into his coat to retrieve the item he’d hidden there.

“Would you… would you be willing to forgive me with this?”

Bowing his head low, he held out a bag stuffed to the bursting point with a mountain of Gold Coins.