Stranger's Handbook

Chapter 5: Frontier Count’s Ambition

Royalty usurpation…….

By ‘usurpation’ he refers to snatching away, right; and he’d asked me to become a leader……

If that is the case, he wants me to be a political one? Don’t say he wants me to be the leader of a rebellion by any chance?

……..Hmm? Wait a sec……

“Err, your Excellency, royalty…?

When I inquired that, he deepened his smile into a broad grin.

“Precisely, royalty. There’s a kingdom in the vicinity of our empire….”

Holy smokes! Such an evil face……I sip some of my tea while nodding to the old man.

Ah! This tea is delicious.

“I can’t possibly begin to imagine why this country has chosen a Crown Prince that is so unthinkably idiotic…..”

Crown Prince, huh……..the next ruler of a country.

So he wants me to meddle in other family’s internal squabble?

“And, you know, this Crown Prince is an adept of the discrimination ideology.”

………What?

“The supremacy of the human race……he practices such a doctrine.”

Al-san had an annoyed look on his face and the ‘finger-cutting’ knight didn’t show an amusing expression either.

Well, you might say that in a country that prohibits discrimination that’s quite a……no, that’s an extremely awful Crown Prince.

As ever, the old Frontier Count……..old man Razatonia had an evil smile on his face.

“That’s why, it’d be troublesome if such a guy gets to be the next king.”

…….Uh huh, that’s the official stance.

It might be true in fact, but……I bet he doesn’t think this is unforgivable out of good will, does he.

Unintentionally, I looked doubtfully at the old man Razatonia.

He was smirking………

Hii! Scary!!

“You sure have guessed right! This is the perfect opportunity to invade this fussy neighboring country. It would be great if we can destroy it from the inside, and it would be even greater if we can cut into its pillars.”

“And it would be best if the royalty usurpation succeeds. Will you turn it into a puppet country?”

I somehow forced myself to say this and sipped some of the now flavorless tea.

“Fufufu*! Well, well, the hero-dono this time is very perceptive, it actually helps. So, what do you say?”

……I came to another world, became a hero and my job is internal squabble, huh?

Oh well, it’s not like I have knowledge of martial arts and I guess I’m quite worthy as a salesman who can smooth talk.

I wonder if it makes it less objectionable when the only thing he didn’t ask of me was to fight.

“Yes. Certainly, your Excellency Razatonia.”

I bow my head respectfully.

If I disobey it would only mean death, I can only answer with yes or yes.

“Is that so? Excellent! The conversation didn’t go as smoothly with the other strangers. They kept on pushing their country’s ideology on us, like human rights and the sort…”

I nodded and started to sip on my flavorless tea…..Ah, there’s no more…..

“I am pained to say this to hero-dono, but their number sadly decreased…well, don’t feel bad about it!”

…………?

What would it be………just now, I have the feeling I was told something terrible.

“Eventually, I will allow you to meet the surviving strangers, but I will be a little busy for a while. I want you to have patience and cooperate. Ah, but don’t worry. I will guarantee you freedom to some extent and offer you training in magic. It shouldn’t be too bad of a deal for you.”

So, a few of those who were brought here together with me died? In normal circumstances that’d be an absurdity.

But, there’s nothing the current me could do about it.

For a stranger like me who has no power apart from being more or less good at smooth talking, I have my hands full with just struggling to keep myself alive.

“Yes. I’ll try my best, your Excellency Razatonia.”

The old man Razatonia nodded and quickly raised his right hand.

Then, a part of the room’s wall opened similarly to a door and a man showed up.

Is he in his 20’s? He has chestnut-colored hair and eyes and he wears an approximately 180cm long blue robe with a fine pattern.

I’m sorry to say but he’s a good-looking guy……It’s frustrating……

“How was it? How’s our hero-dono’s magical power?”

The robed man in question lowered his head while twisting his good-looking face.

“Yes, your Excellency. I find it difficult to give you an answer.”

The corners of old man Razatonia’s mouth moved with a slight twitch, but his faint smile was still in place.

He can’t answer? The robed man, who was most likely a subordinate, said so indeed.

A subordinate can’t answer his superior’s question? Is something like this allowed in this world, when the other party is a noble?

As usual, the two knights have bitter faces…..no, they’re restraining their anger.

That’s how their faces looked like.

“I see. That’s too bad. Ah! Hero-dono, I prepared a guide for you, so you shall move rooms. We still have so much more to talk about, but you might be hungry and might also want to take a bath to help you refocus.”

He said this and exchanged looks with the ‘finger-cutting’ knight, then the knight opened the door.

“Understood, your Excellency. I shall excuse myself.”

I will quietly obey.

I was finally offered food and shower and I have no reason to refuse.

“Yea. See you later.”

I bowed to the old man Razatonia, who still wore his faint smile, and followed after the knight.

We climbed up the stairs and I was blinded by the sunlight; it seems we entered a beautiful garden.

First of all, I’m so darn hungry…..It seems I’ll be living for the time being……

I nonchalantly followed the knight while thinking about these things.

Inside the room I left earlier, I had no idea such a conversation was taking place…….

“So, about his magical power? Now that he left the room you can say it, right?”

“Yes, your Excellency. His magical power is undoubtedly more magnificent than my master’s, than a first rate imperial mage’s power.“

“T..t….t….t…this can’t be…….He’s not stupid and he also has such a high magical power……He’s too precious to only be used as a hero…….”

It was the first time I saw his Excellency Razatonia smile so atrociously…..I thought the world was going to end.

That’s what Al-san told me later on and only the thought of it made his tail tremble severely.

As I figured, I think I’m gonna die.

*ふふふ = giggling sound; laugh