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The order of the continent is led by the Empire.

As nations go through rises and falls, they either become more solid or crumble. In that sense, until recently, the Empire had been facing its twilight years. If at that time Adelhaite had said she would turn the kingdom into an empire, she might have been seen as an ambitious figure.

The moment the current ruler of the Empire ascended to the position of Empress through the coronation, didn’t the Empire, which had been dwindling, start to burn bright once again?

‘Even I knew about my past before coming to the Count’s House.’

The conquering monarch of the Empire.

The Empress has set her sights on the prosperous kingdoms in the eastern and southern parts of the continent, and she has successfully made her power known.

Frequent military provocations occurring at the borders the Kalia Marquis Family is guarding are all believed to be a result of that.

To the west and north lie the Demonic Realm and eternal frost. The kingdom has a rather long history and continuity. Even if the Empire succeeds in its conquest, it will face immense backlash, becoming an unavoidable nuisance. Yet seeing her prick at that point suggests that the Empress is indeed quite the war enthusiast.

“Your Highness, the Princess—”

Shione seemed just as flustered as I was and accidentally bit her tongue.

Despite her best efforts to maintain her composure after such a sudden confession of ambition… her voice was tangled, and her expression was stiff. It was clear from her appearance that she was struggling.

Even with a heart full of grand aspirations for the Empire, did our Princess still have room in her benevolent heart for consideration of others? Or did she simply believe what she thought was reasonable?

I quietly overlooked Shione’s slip-up.

“Hem hem… Your Highness, may I inquire whether the Empire you refer to is the one that has built a prosperous and mighty kingdom, or are you speaking of a complete Empire as such?”

“If a young lady harbors ambition, it is only natural to realize it. Of course, the Empire itself would write a new chapter in continental history. Young Lady, I have clearly declared my intentions for the Empire.”

“However, Your Highness. An Empire is still an Empire. The Iron-Blooded Empress rules an Empire that is incredibly strong in both might and cohesion. Your desire to lead the kingdom is truly uplifting, but…”

Gathering my quivering heart, Shione, indeed, did not regard the numerous types of books filling her room as mere decorations.

“Given the current situation, conquering the empire and declaring a new one— well, I wonder if Ray and I would really be of help in such a task.”

While paying attention to the Princess’s reactions, I also conveyed what I wanted to say clearly.

I had veered around for long enough, but she was indeed expressing the absurdity of conquering the Empire.

“Well, I expected such a reaction. Normally, the kingdom wouldn’t be able to win against that Iron-Blooded Empress, but… given the variables that have arisen, there’s cause for consideration.”

Adelhaite replied calmly while stroking her chin.

“The Royal Information Department has brought intelligence regarding the Empire. It seems that the Empire is currently troubled by cultists and a particularly powerful demon. They say even a brief civil conflict has erupted because of them.”

“It’s not just the kingdom that has been stirred up by demons and dark forces…”

“Demons are creatures that disregard national boundaries. It’s said that the Empire’s wizards are directly involved in information control. If the news spreads that the Empire is in disarray due to the cultists and demons, it would undoubtedly lead to considerable troubles for the Empire.”

“….”

“The public’s unrest is bound to seed chaos, and the kingdoms that hear the news will likely seize any new opportunities. Moreover, the Empire and the Holy Kingdom are antithetical to each other, right?”

Adelhaite lowered her hand from her chin and crossed her arms once again.

“Furthermore, it’s highly likely that one of the two demons that fell into the Empire is the one that you folks defeated in the Kalia Marquis territory. I have been keeping an eye on the existence of that extraordinarily powerful demon and their schemes to sink the Empire. I cannot let this opportunity slip by.”

Having been somewhat carried away in her excitement, she cooled her emotions to embody the composed demeanor of a wizard.

Conversely, it was Shione’s and my turn to be put into a situation where we could not help but feel uneasy.

‘The demons of illusion and deception are in the Empire—’

Is the core indeed inside the Empire? Or perhaps they are just trying to manifest there similarly to the ruckus caused in the Marquis territory. The fact that they have settled in the Empire signifies nothing less than the nation’s impending doom.

As for the demons left until now, there are a total of four.

‘At least the weakest, the Gluttony demon, is definitely in the kingdom’s northern parts… if we consider that the Illusion demon is also on the Empire’s side…’

That leaves just two remaining.

One is the one leading the army of corpses, and the other is simply terrifyingly strong.

It definitely wouldn’t be odd for Adelhaite to foresee the Empire’s doom.

The latter is unavoidable, though. The demon that raises the dead and controls them. I vaguely remember that the demon I fought also had a significant breakdown in their troops. Considering the possibility of joining forces with the Illusion demon to create a legion from the Empire’s many talented individuals, they could indeed become a fearsome force.

As I pondered this, Adelhaite quietly began to speak.

“However, the issue is that the situation in the kingdom does not look all that favorable either. For the sake of the kingdom in its current state, and for the future that will become the Empire, I need your assistance, Shione Young Lady and Ray. No one in the kingdom knows how to defeat demons better than you two.”

“Are you saying that stabilizing the kingdom involves facing demons?”

“Correct. You two have been entwined with matters concerning demons since forever. In that sense, the tale of the Empire is the same. Without you, even if we seize the heights of the Empire, we cannot easily take care of the demons that will be nesting there.”

So, she was requesting us to help in dealing with demons for the kingdom.

Whether it means an invasion war against a weakened Empire or subtly swallowing it by placing the kingdom’s influence at the farthest edge of the Empire’s territory is still uncertain. Nevertheless, Adelhaite continued to emphasize that we only need to help with the most crucial task of slaying the demons.

It was a proposal that matched our original purpose. Moreover, since I gained information about the rough locations of the demons and the Empire’s situation, I felt a glimmer of hope, seeing the royal family’s will for cutting off the roots of the demon incident.

Shione quickly spoke up.

“Your Highness, I have one more thing I would like to ask.”

“Please feel free to speak.”

“Defeating the demons is a task that the Count’s House must undertake. Simply driving the Count House’s blade into a demon would only require an order from His Majesty the King to be fulfilled.”

“….”

“However, Your Highness, you came all the way here, stating that you wish for us to accompany you without mention of the royal family or the kingdom.”

“Hmm.”

“May we hear your true intentions behind that, Your Highness?”

Upon Shione’s icy inquiry, Adelhaite displayed her joy without reservation.

“Good question, Young Lady.”

Her voice sounded more thrilled than at any time I had heard.

“I wish for you to prioritize my words above anyone in the royal family. And that includes my mother as well. Truly… isn’t it much easier for someone who can read destiny, like me, to work together with you to prevent a catastrophe in the kingdom—”

“No, the continent?”

“Will you serve as the royal family’s blade to stop the demons? Or will you be my friend, Adelhaite Aisiliah, to slay the demons? I will give you three days to deliberate.”

After pouring her cold tea into her cup, she swiftly, though not frivolously, quenched her thirst.

“We’ll discuss matters for the peace of the kingdom after you settle your resolve.”

*

After the first meeting with Adelhaite concluded, once I stepped outside.

It felt like I had merely sat on a cushy chair and had a conversation, yet fatigue drained out of me.

‘No quest appeared, and I’ve heard all kinds of discussions.’

It’s true that things don’t progress exactly as planned.

The sudden discourse about the Empire. The fact that someone who hasn’t yet ascended to royalty wishes to have her words prioritized over the King’s was rather provocative.

Looking at the exit of today’s conversation, it seems that I’ll be having another meeting with the Princess three days later.

Amidst the surging annoyance, I couldn’t help but lighten my mood when I received the gift she decided to leave as a delightful part of today’s joy.

‘An elven longbow. Not the recurve bow I’ve been using, but a longbow.’

Having acquired a new bow, it was only natural to feel elated.

The powerful draw weight I felt with this longbow was far beyond what I could achieve with a recurve bow. Even though it’s an elven bow, it tends to greedily consume my mana whenever I attempt to use spirit magic. However, I could immediately sense that this bow held potential destructive power on par with siege weaponry.

‘The arrows sent from the Kalia Marquis Family would surely fit well with this.’

The former weapon was threatening enough, and firing at someone relentlessly with this longbow would undoubtedly leave a massive hole in whoever came up against me.

Not only that, but Adelhaite’s gift was not merely an exceptional longbow I hadn’t felt in a long time.

“Lady Shione, do you see this?”

“Oh! It seems you received something else besides Ray’s bow. What is this… the title of nobility…?”

“Starting today, I am a noble.”

To be precise, it stated that Adelhaite would grant me the title directly, asking to free up time tomorrow afternoon.

There’s really no difference between tomorrow and today. Having confirmed the title’s acquisition, I am already a noble, aren’t I?

Thus, the hard work I’d put in until now has finally borne fruit. I have become a Baron from a Slave.

 

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