The "rescue" party (lol) had finally arrived.
I figured they would be useless the moment they finished replenishing our supplies.
Still, we had to maintain appearances and welcome them properly. Guided by the crew, the Count, along with various Viscounts and Barons, descended into the docking bay.
My first impression? They were the exact same type as my old man.
Overall, they were a visual mess. There was just no dignity to their titles. Old Man Ohno and Nina-san’s sister Lily—the former pirate—had way more presence than these guys. I shouldn't judge by appearances, I know, but they lacked any sort of spirit.
The elderly Count, his eyes dead as a fish, stepped forward to offer his greetings.
"I am Count Sakamoto."
His eyes were creepy.
"Well done. Carry on as you see fit," Wifey replied.
She didn't offer any grand praise. In short, she wasn't treating them as allies. If they were smart enough to catch that, there might still be hope for them. But then, they were only here because they lacked that kind of perception in the first place.
"Your words are a blessing."
Old Man Sakamoto bowed his head. But I saw it. Just a split second before he bowed, the old man smirked. His timing was a little off. If you're going to do that, at least wait until you're out of sight...
And apparently, I wasn't the only one who saw it. Piggett was clearly fuming beneath that mask of indifference. Thomas was smiling, but he was livid, too. If it hadn't been for my perspective, I probably would have missed it!
Then again, reflecting on my own standing, I knew my reputation within the military was pretty abysmal as well. I acted on my own initiative way too often. I was only forgiven because I produced results that made me worth keeping around, and because people like Raymond-san and the military top brass covered for me. The moment I started losing, I knew I'd be paying back every debt I owed with interest. I'd be fired at the speed of light.
I just hoped they'd at least let me live as a stud horse. In the end... qualifications... qualifications are everything.
With the greetings finished, the real work began. We loaded up the ammunition and pushed the tomatoes onto them. As I expected, they wouldn't let me anywhere near a forklift this time.
Now, there was something that had been nagging at me for a while. If you watched the workers carefully, every so often, you'd spot a girl among them. It looked like she was helping out, and yet no one seemed to think it was strange.
"...Wifey... I mean, Your Majesty."
"I know. I am currently deciding what to do about it!"
So Wifey had noticed her too. What was about to happen? Piggett was maintaining an unnaturally expressionless face. Yeah, they definitely saw her. Melissa, on the other hand, had passed out while still standing. Claire and Kevin were holding her up. Melissa was apparently weak against anything she couldn't hit physically. Claire remained stoic. I took Melissa from Claire and sat her down in a chair.
"Can you see her?" I asked Claire.
"Yeah."
"Aren't you scared?"
"She’s not a bad thing."
Fair point. If she isn't harmful, there's no reason to fear her. Poor, delicate Melissa♪
Ren and Tatiana were staring intently as well. Edie, Isono, and Nakajima couldn't hide their shock either. Thomas was still smiling, but his eyelid was twitching. Meanwhile, Old Man Sakamoto and the other nobles hadn't noticed a thing. It seemed she was invisible to them.
The girl eventually spotted me. She waved, so I gave her a small wave back. One-oh-one waved too.
"My Lord... has she taken a liking to you?" Ren asked.
"Maybe?"
I had no idea why, though.
"Honestly! You really are a girl magnet!" Kevin scolded me.
I didn't even do anything... well, aside from finding her shrine, I guess. I decided to ignore it for now.
As I watched the "help" work, I caught Old Man Sakamoto's eye.
"Well, well, if it isn’t His Excellency the Grand Duke."
"Thank you for the supplies," I said, bowing my head.
Why was I bowing to this old guy? Because I honestly didn't know which of us had the higher standing! My rank was technically higher, but he was older. Plus, he wasn't a soldier. In the past, all lords were military men, but that tradition had long since eroded into a mere formality. Also, technically, we were the ones receiving a favor from them right now. Wifey would probably understand the social nuances instantly, but I was lost.
Ah, I get it now. The reason my old man was sidelined in the Imperial Capital was probably because he didn't understand this stuff either. I guess you're supposed to inherit a gut feeling for social hierarchies. Old Man Sakamoto clearly lacked it too, which was why Wifey was already planning to cut him off.
I made eye contact with the girl again. Or at least, I thought I did—it was hard to tell for sure. She came trot-trot-trotting over. Don't trip, kid...
She reached me and tugged on my sleeve. What was it?
"Your Excellency?"
Old Man Sakamoto stared at me, mouth agape. Sorry, old-timer. I'm being summoned by a literal deity right now.
Everyone’s eyes followed as the girl led me over to one of the nobles. He was a tall, muscular man with an aggressive set of sideburns. He looked down at me as the girl brought me to a halt right in front of him.
"What's up?" I asked.
No response. Maybe she couldn't talk. Instead, the girl simply pointed at the Sideburns Man.
"Hmm?"
The air shifted. Even I realized what was happening now. She was the Guardian Deity.
Sideburns Man reached into his coat for a handgun. But the moment he moved, I kicked his hand away. I followed through with a front kick that sank deep into his solar plexus, then dropped an elbow on him as he went down!
Sideburns Man staggered. Without even pausing for Zanshin, I kicked the sliding pistol toward Edie and the others. Melissa, who was supposed to be unconscious, had already drawn her katana and was sprinting toward us. She delivered a back-of-the-blade strike to Sideburns Man, and he collapsed in a heap.
"Captain! Are you okay!?"
"Yeah, thanks, I’m alive~."
Military Police came charging in from the back. Ah, so they were watching after all.
"Wh-What is the meaning of this!?"
"Sakamoto! Stay where you are!"
And just like that, the old man was apprehended too. Not my problem anymore.
After that, Old Man Sakamoto’s excuse session reportedly began. While carrying a gun was technically permitted, an actual assassination attempt had occurred. They might as well give up. I imagine his house is going to be liquidated...
In fact, the other lords who had arrived with him were already trying to pin all the blame on the old man. They were blabbing about everything they knew—and plenty of things they didn't. You guys... this is exactly why you're being sidelined! This behavior right here!
Ever since then, Wifey has been visiting the shrine constantly. Well, the blessings are real, after all. Maybe I should offer something too...
Eh?
A Transformation Set would be great!
You've got good taste! Alright, maybe something like this season's Rider...
Wait... who was I just talking to?