Proofreader: Chaddude
Jumping on the opportunity, they had hired outside talent to participate in the tournament, disguising the enlisted soldiers as spectators and contestants.
The plan was to attack Leslie when she would descend to award the victor but unfortunately, for them, I was becoming a variable in their plan.
Now they hoped there wouldn’t even be that slight variable.
That’s why they had come to me in the middle of the night. To draw me into their plans. In order not to interfere at all.
I was not sure how much of their plan they had disclosed to me but their course of action wouldn’t be far off.
“Surprising,” I said to the Knight. “This was what you were saying about?”
The knight who heard me scratched his head with an embarrassed expression.
“Honestly, weren’t you already expecting something?”
“Yeah. To some extent I did expect it. But I never thought that you would want me to intervene in the politics of a foreign country, knowing that I am a Hero.”
“It’s not about politics. As I said before, it is the cause of recovering my brother’s legitimate rights.”
A blonde woman sitting on the far right said in a frosting tone.
What was her name again…
Alright, I don’t remember, but I think she was somewhere along the lines of Third Princess.
“Leslie… she is incompetent. As a ruler, her greed knows no bound. If such a person were to rule the principality, not only the principality but also the entire continent would fall into chaos.”
Another princess opened her mouth.
“You speak as if it won’t take anything for her to throw the whole Continent in chaos… and you mean she’s going to rebel against the Empire?”
“…It may sound very foolish, but it is true. If it’s her, the chances linger.”
As if agreeing, the other Prince and Princess nodded their heads.
Eyeing their serious gazes, I leaned back on the backrest.
I don’t know how it will affect them, but I know for a fact that what they are saying is utter bullcrap.
Leslie is not incompetent.
I know that much as I have played the game. The setting in the game explained that she was competent.
Also, even if you just listen to their story, not the game setting, you can tell that Leslie being incompetent is bullshit.
If, as they say, Leslie is incompetent, then what about them who were kicked out by her? They weren’t even kicked out one by one, they were kicked out all together. No matter how incompetent they are, if Leslie is incompetent, then the Demon King is a stripper.
And if not incompetent?
She wouldn’t dare to touch the Empire on the account of the principality.
If the Empire cuts off its food supply, not just one or two people would starve to death.
If that happens, they will go back to the past when they plundered for a living. Unlike before, when they were at the level of tribes and clans, the scale has grown to the level of lords and minor nobles. In the end, even if something outrageous were to happen, it will only be the Principality that will fall into chaos, not the Continent.
‘If you guys had wanted to deceive me, you should have come up with a slightly more plausible story.’
While I was thinking about that, the Crown Prince spoke in a serious tone.
“So, respected hero, will you accept our offer?”
I let out a deep sigh.
“Alright. I can’t agree, but I won’t interfere.”
Their faces brightened.
“Let’s discuss the fees.”
“Well?”
“I’ll take it as an advance payment. One million gold, IOU not accepted.”
The faces of the cheering nobles distorted.
They argued and yelled, but I persisted and they had no choice but to pay. A million gold, alright.
Ahhh, a good side business indeed.
* * *
Leslie blinked her eyes.
It was because Iledric withdrew without a fight in the Finals.
‘Aren’t they just too open handed?’
No matter how much they were itching for a chance to fish, wasn’t this too much of a debacle?
Leslie clicked her tongue.
Hearing the crowd cheer for Cloud, Leslie stretched out her hand. Chilling mist flowed from her fingertips, creating an ice staircase leading from her balcony to the arena.
The cheers of the crowd vanished like ghosts in the sun the moment she walked onto the steps. Instead of cheering, Iledric’s large ax sailed through the air.
‘Annoying.’
Leslie sighed and reached for the ax.
The chilling air took the shape of a disc.
The flying ax crashed into the ice disk and got stuck. It was a powerful ax that could lightly smash through ice, but the ice that blocked the ax was no ordinary ice.
[Ice Shield]
The ice shield made of dense crystals was much harder than normal ice. Enough to block Iledric’s mighty throw. Nothing bothered her anymore since the ax was stuck.
Walking down the steps, she stood facing the victor, Cloud.
Recognizing that he was the strange man who winked at her during the preliminaries, she spoke to him.
“What and how much did they give you?”
“Yes?”
“Don’t be shy. I know my siblings have hired you lot.”
“Ah. That? A million gold.”
Leslie was a little taken aback by his words.
They paid a million gold for just one person?
Those misers?
“You must be quite talented.”
“I won, of course.”
“Won by abstention.”
“Doesn’t really matter. I would have won either way.”
“You are shameless.”
She chuckled.
Maybe because he had left out the pretense? She was liking the conversation.
“How about going back now? You won’t get hurt. I swear by my family name.”
“Ah, you confident? Even after seeing this?”
Cloud glanced toward the audience.
Soldiers disguised as spectators rose, carrying bows. The arena door opened and armed warriors rushed in.
Dozens upon dozens of elite soldiers filled in, surrounding her in an instant.