Side: Yuki
Tonight was a dinner party with the King of Roshure—or rather, after dinner, he asked me to keep him company for some drinks.
It's already been five days since the King arrived for his inspection. He's finished his meeting with the Grandmaster of the Adventurer's Guild and nearly completed his tour of the dungeon. Now, he's just taking it easy and enjoying dungeon life.
"Son-in-law, what is this?"
"Ah, it's a strong liquor. Will you be alright?"
"I can handle a little."
"Well, this is brandy. It's made by further distilling wine and aging it in barrels... Let's see, I think it's about five times stronger than wine. The alcohol content is 55%."
Well, this is brandy. It's made by further distilling wine and aging it in barrels... Let's see, I think it's about five times stronger than wine. The alcohol content is 55%."
"55%, huh... hahaha."
The King of Roshure laughed as he looked at the amber liquid in his glass.
"Is something wrong?"
"No, I was just thinking. Usually, one only understands the 'strength' of a drink by the feeling of intoxication. To state the amount so precisely... you truly are a person from another world."
"...Since when did you notice?"
"Hmm, let's see. Probably from the moment you said you would let people live in the dungeon."
"So that's where you felt something was off."
"Yes. The decisive factor was after coming to this dungeon. It resembles the characteristics of otherworlders from old records. Especially the part where you entrust governance to the people. Well, unlike the methods described in the literature, your approach seems much more realistic."
I see. It wasn't so much a trap as it was a confirmed suspicion.
I didn't have any reason to hide it, so I answered honestly, but that implies...
"Then, the matter with the Princess... with Sheila. You intended to give her to us from the start, didn't you? Your true intent was for me to make use of her."
"Haha, not really. I simply couldn't make good use of her myself. I don't have the freedom of movement that you do. If I disappeared for even a single day, it would be a national crisis."
He showed a broad grin, looking like a mischievous brat.
"Heh. Well, you are the King, after all."
"I intended to decide what to do with the Princess after seeing the state of this dungeon. But on the very first day, I realized I could leave her in your hands without worry."
With that, he took a sip of the brandy.
"Kuh~!! It's strong."
"But it tastes good, right?"
"Indeed."
I refilled his empty glass with ice and more brandy.
"...Otherworlders. Many are called Saviors, and they have left countless miracles on this continent. Perhaps it was a coincidence at first, but now there are many places that intentionally summon them—a foolish practice of state-sponsored kidnapping."
"...I suppose."
"When I was a young lad, I used to run wild as an adventurer. I was fifth in line for the throne, so I was quite carefree. During my time as an adventurer, I met a man. An Otherworlder who thoroughly whipped me into shape, even knowing I was royalty."
The King of Roshure spoke while looking into the distance, reminiscing as he drank.
"He was a black-haired man with a strange weapon. It was just like the one Seraria carries—a katana, he called it. I couldn't feel a trace of magic from him, yet he had the skill to slice through a magic-sword wielder and their blade in a single stroke. He trained me well."
"That person was an Otherworlder?"
"He was. He went by the name of Kamiizumi Nobutsuna."
"Cough—!"
"Are you alright? Is that a name you know? A friend of yours?"
Forget "knowing" him—isn't that the Sword Saint himself?! I don't know if it's the actual historical figure, but still.
"Thanks to him, I attained a Swordmaster level of 5—a feat previously unheard of."
Ah, he's the real deal. I've heard that man was a genius at teaching, too.
"That Kamiizumi person... he didn't seem particularly 'Otherworldy,' did he?"
"Hm? Oh, you caught on. He didn't wear clothes like yours... he wore something called a yukata, or something close to it. He didn't think like the legends described; he called himself a mere seeker of the way."
"How old was he?"
"He looked to be in his late twenties, but he claimed he had lived a full life and then grew young again. I thought he was joking at the time."
......Wow. A Sword Saint lived his life to the end and then got reincarnated here as a youth? Talk about a cheat.
"So, are you an acquaintance of Master Kamiizumi? That master was a warrior who could sweep away everything with his swordsmanship. If you know of him, I would dearly love to hear more."
Well, I bet he would.
"Let's just say that in my world—in the country I'm from—he was a man called a 'Sword Saint.' He lived about 500 or 600 years ago."
"A Saint of the Sword... that makes sense. He was indeed a Sword Saint. When he held even a wooden stick, I couldn't even touch him."
"Well, his Swordsmanship level was probably unmeasurable..."
"You know your stuff. He showed me once; his level was over 300, and for Swordsmanship, it simply said 'Infinite.'"
......Hey, Luna. What are the rules for the status display? Though, if it's Kamiizumi Nobutsuna, I guess I can't argue.
"But I've digressed. Why am I doing this for my son-in-law, who is an Otherworlder?"
"Yeah. Why give so much support to an anomaly who is also a Dungeon Master?"
"I suppose when I saw you, I remembered my master, and it's a bit of a way to pay him back. He told me that if I ever met a fellow countryman of his, I should give them a little help."
"It's a bit more than 'a little' help."
"Hahahaha! Don't worry about it. You've produced results worthy of those rewards. And unlike my master, who sought only the Way, you seem to find everything interesting. This dungeon is a perfect example. Anyone who tried to tie you down would be out of their mind."
He's a real piece of work. I guess you don't get to be King just for show.
"......Son-in-law. Building a town in a dungeon and forming ties with other nations... that's not your only goal, is it?"
"I'm just doing it to make life better, that's all."
"Hahahaha. We'll leave it at that for now. I hope you'll tell me the rest someday."
"......It's still too early. When the time comes."
"I see... Yes, this is delicious."
The sound of ice clinking against the glass echoed.
"Take care of my daughter, Seraria."
With that, the King of Roshure bowed his head deeply.
"She's a good woman."
"Thank you."
The two men smiled. I wonder how we looked to anyone watching.
"...What do you want to do? I've already set up protection and we can communicate via 'Call,' but I could turn the castle into a dungeon to ensure your safety."
"...Heh, I appreciate the thought, but I'll pass. I want to remain a denizen of this continent until the very end. Perhaps it's a stubbornness you can't understand..."
"No, I get it... everyone's different. There's nothing wrong with that. I guess that's what you call a way of life."
To my words, which neither affirmed nor denied his choice, the King simply nodded and drank.
"I intend to live long enough to see my grandchild's face at the very least. How are things on that front?"
"Nn. They're quite... proactive. It's a lot of work."
"Pfft, kuhahahaha! That Seraria? I was worried because I trained her too hard and she became such a powerhouse, but it sounds like she's doing fine."
"I thought her personality came from her mother, actually."
"No, you're right about that. Aria and Seraria have the same mother; Elju's mother was someone else."
"Yeah, I heard that from her."
"Both were comrades I teamed up with during my adventurer days. Aria and Seraria's mother was a master of sword and sorcery who could give even me a run for my money. Elju's mother was the team's healer."
"That fits perfectly."
"They were good wives. They got along well, and for the daughters, both were precious mothers. Unfortunately, a plague took them suddenly. Seraria was young back then; she still hasn't forgiven me for being so buried in state affairs that I neglected her mother. Instead, she was inseparable from Elju's mother, who took care of her, but her health failed after she gave birth to Elju."
"...I see."
"Raising them alone as a man was a struggle. I honestly thought Seraria might stay single her whole life. I'm grateful for how things turned out."
"Even though I snatched your daughter away?"
"It's lonely when children leave the nest, but you also want to see them spread their wings... that's how it feels."
We continued drinking in silence for a while longer.
"Ah, can I ask one more thing?"
"What is it?"
"It's a bit late for this, but I always wanted a son, yet only daughters were born. There was a dream I gave up on."
"And that is?"
"Sharing a drink with my son."
"We're already drinking, though."
"Yes. That's why I said it's 'a bit late.'"
He held his glass out toward me.
""Cheers.""
The glasses made a soft clinking sound.
The night was only just beginning.
