Finally Setting Sail

After all that, we finally reunited with Kelves.

"Man, that was rough."

Kelves had bandages wrapped from his shoulder to his chest, blood seeping through them.

"It's not as bad as it looks. An arrow happened to hit me, and when I pulled it out, it bled pretty badly."

"No, that's definitely serious… Would you like me to heal it?"

"Please. It actually hurts quite a bit."

"Elza, take care of it."

"Okaaay."

Elza approached Kelves and gently placed her hand near the wound.

Light emanated from her hand, and the wound began to heal. A healing miracle that priests could perform.

An arrow wound would close up even if it were fairly deep.

Afterward, he rolled his shoulder around to test it.

"Nice skills you've got. How about coming to work for us?"

"I appreciate the offer, but I must decline."

Elza said this and came back over to us.

Couldn't have my priest poached.

When Gloria removed Kelves's bandages, the wound was completely healed.

"You had me worried. I told you there was no need for the general to push to the front."

"If I didn't, the men wouldn't follow. Seeing someone above your station fighting alongside you in the same place is what builds trust. It's something I won't be able to do once I become emperor."

"Even so, I'm telling you there are limits."

Smack. Gloria slapped his back, making Kelves jump.

What Kelves said was plain to see from the surroundings.

Many soldiers were wounded, but the mood was actually bright.

Morale was high, and having repelled the enemy with a small force had filled them with confidence.

Surely these soldiers would retain their strong loyalty even after Kelves became emperor.

"Neither side claimed the other's head this time, but driving them back has put the enemy in a very bad position. Maintaining the siege will be difficult now. It was impossible to begin with, given the instigator's lack of support. The alliance was only held together by aligned interests."

"Is that how it works?"

I understood politics better than I used to, but that part was still beyond me.

Broadly speaking, it was similar to power struggles within a trading company, so I had some sense of it.

"Once the old man finishes shaking things up, I just need to offer pardons to those who defect, and I'll finally have this region in hand. My sister's resistance being fiercer than expected was the only miscalculation."

With this, Kelves had taken another step forward in the succession struggle.

His sister must have been the royal who had organized the siege.

Having missed a golden opportunity, the balance had tilted sharply against her.

I almost wondered if he'd set it up deliberately.

"Still, you lot were a great help too. We heard that explosion all the way over here. At first I thought the gate had been breached, but you splendidly drove them off. If we'd been flanked, things would've gotten dicey. Consider it a favor owed."

"Glad to hear it. I'll expect repayment once you're emperor."

We'd made that promise, but getting even a single reward would be fortunate.

And it wasn't certain he'd become emperor anyway.

"The ship is ready to depart. I'm sending a letter to the old man, so take it with you. I've written in it to look after you people as well."

"Understood. We may have been used as decoys, but you did take care of us. Thank you."

I hadn't forgotten, but I could at least slip in a bit of sarcasm.

I couldn't have them thinking I was someone they could use at their convenience.

Gloria glared at me, but she didn't do anything further.

This should be more than enough as a gift for Princess Tianis.

She could learn the latest on the Empire's situation, the succession struggle no less, faster than anyone else.

That advantage was substantial.

Making use of it or letting it go to waste would be up to that young lady.

I hoped she'd use it well for the kingdom's sake.

As thanks for the healing, Gloria gave me an uncut amethyst as a souvenir.

She might not be a bad person. As long as you weren't her enemy.

Well, with Finn on our side, we'd never be on good terms.

So keeping a moderate distance would have to suffice.

The amethyst was the size of a small stone. It had value as a gemstone, but if I recalled correctly, it could also be used as a catalyst.

Maybe I could have it set into Alexia's battle-axe, since she'd been seeing so much action lately.

"Oh, really? At this size, it'll actually be effective."

She perked up when I mentioned it.

Were women really that fond of gems?

"Um, Master. I don't think that's it…"

"No?"

"She's definitely happy, though."

Azu gave me a hesitant retort.

As long as she was happy, that was what mattered.

The galleon loaded with crated iron ore raised its sails and departed from shore.

The storms might have ended, but the wind was still strong.

The ship swayed as it moved across the sea.

The city of Iselia grew smaller and smaller until it vanished from sight.

Looking back, the end result had been an armed clash.

I hoped it wouldn't escalate into full civil war.

The Empire was the kingdom's neighbor and the continent's largest nation.

If the Empire fell into ruin, the kingdom would feel the effects through refugee crises and trade disruptions.

Merchants who dealt in weapons and mercenary slaves, the so-called merchants of death, claimed that war was profitable, but only for them.

I believed that peace, ultimately, was what let the economy develop and money circulate to everyone's benefit.

Orleans was staring quietly at the sea.

Her profile looked somehow lonely.

It had been a sudden visit, but in the end we'd turned a profit and gained all kinds of experience.

"Orleans."

"Yes, sir. What is it?"

"Are you enjoying your work?"

A question out of nowhere, and vague at that.

That kind of question was more likely to draw out honest feelings.

"Learning things and putting them to use is enjoyable. But I do feel like I'm hitting a wall. Perhaps because I was a serf."

"Hard to say. There might be jealousy involved too."

Orleans's position was unusual.

But being given meaningful work meant that someone's seat might have disappeared.

It wouldn't be strange if there were people thinking, If Orleans hadn't been here, that spot would've been mine.

More talented people from the estate would surely emerge in the future, but fitting in would take time.

And Orleans was far too young to be their standard-bearer.

"In that case… if the duke allows it, would you like to come work for me for a while?"

"What?"

For the first time since our reunion, I saw a look of surprise on Orleans's face.