Mushoku Tensei — Chapter 105 - Action 6 — Face to Face

Three days after Perugius Dola joined my camp.

The dressing room sat a short distance from the Magic University's Women's Student Council hall. Reserved for nobility, used by almost no one. To be precise, it was a ceremonial room set aside specifically for someone holding the identity of Princess Ariel, which meant for me, and for my operations.

Two people stood before the door.

Three women, in total.

One was Eris Greyrat, who had married Rudeus immediately after completing her training at the Holy Land of Swords. Ghislaine stood at her side.

Both were renowned Sword Kings.

The other was Rudeus's younger sister, Aisha Greyrat.

And the most enigmatic of the three, in my eyes...

"Let me say this upfront — I've long since forgotten all that etiquette business."

"Thrown it to the four winds myself."

The two Sword Kings, standing right there in the doorway.

Seeing them, Aisha Greyrat shrugged and spoke without any particular concern.

"Eris-nee and Aunt Ghislaine are fine just as they are. Brother doesn't like meaningless formalities either."

As she said it, her eyes drifted toward me.

The look said: It's all right if they lack manners, isn't it?

I understood. I replied.

"Yes, Miss Aisha is correct. You're here to help me. Strength is enough, etiquette is of no consequence."

Miss Eris furrowed her brow at that.

She mulled it over for a moment, then turned to Aisha Greyrat.

"I'm Rudy's wife now. If I'm too lacking in manners, won't it affect how people judge him?"

"Don't worry, Eris-nee. Brother doesn't care what the outside world thinks of him."

"But..."

"Our only task is to protect Princess Ariel. Everything else is irrelevant."

Watching the exchange between Aisha Greyrat and Eris Greyrat, I found myself wondering what kind of person Rudeus actually was.

Rumor had it that Eris Greyrat's unreasonableness had reached near-legendary extremes, though that was her old reputation.

Looking at her now... she was simply a woman who had fallen in love. Rudeus had changed her.

"Mm..."

Eris glanced down at her decidedly unfeminine outfit, a trace of unease crossing her face. She seemed afraid the world might start saying Rudeus was the type who liked that sort of woman.

Though Nina had once told her that a Sword King had no business worrying about clothing.

"Isn't this outfit a bit too wild?"

"Hm? Didn't you ask Brother before you set out?"

"Whether I'm wearing clothes or not, Rudeus always praises me. So it has no reference value whatsoever."

Aisha paused at that. Then she laughed.

"It's fine. Eris-nee's outfit is very cool."

Eris received that verdict with a decisive nod, her whole bearing saying: then there's no problem.

Then, as if it had just come back to her, she spoke up.

"Oh, right! Here, this is for you. I don't know what it's for. Rudeus just said to give it to you."

Eris Greyrat produced three sheets of parchment. Each one was covered in a drawn magic circle.

Not that I could make any sense of them.

Aisha took the parchment, studied it briefly, murmured something under her breath, then folded the sheets and tucked them inside her clothing.

Only after all of that did they turn their attention to me.

Mm. To be precise, I was supposed to be the main figure in this whole affair.

Even though I had said etiquette was of no consequence, both Eris and Ghislaine offered me a formal greeting anyway. Not that their execution was the least bit proper.

"Eris Greyrat."

"I am deeply honored to make your acquaintance. I am Ariel Anemoi Asura, second heir to the Asura Kingdom. I have heard of your deeds for a long time."

"Mm. Then it probably wasn't anything good."

I smiled.

"Indeed, the rumors were not praise. But I'm not the sort of person who places stock in rumors."

"..."

Eris Greyrat said nothing. She didn't seem particularly invested in the conversation.

That figured. It was of no real consequence to her. She was here because of Rudeus, and because she could settle a score while she was at it.

Thinking about it that way, I felt a little pitiable...

Just as the silence was stretching into something awkward, Aisha introduced the next person.

"This is Ghislaine — Ghislaine Dedoldia. The famed Black Wolf Ghislaine. She's also my half-master."

Ghislaine stepped forward and dropped to one knee.

Her sharp eyes looked straight at me.

"I have only one question."

The words I'd been about to speak caught in my throat. I waited.

"As long as I serve under you, I can take revenge against Lord Sauros's enemies. Is that correct?"

"It is."

I answered her blunt question without hesitation.

As I had said, etiquette has no meaning here. What she needed, I could provide. And so I gained a subordinate. That was exactly what I needed most right now.

Mm. Miss Eris was almost certainly here for the same reason, to avenge Sauros.

I turned the matter of Sauros over in my mind for a moment. To put it plainly...

As both the responsible party and the scapegoat for the Fittoa Region Teleport Incident, he had been executed.

That was, in truth, a favorable development for me. He had been one of the four lords. Weakening House Boreas meant weakening the First Prince's influence...

But still.

I drew a slow breath and spoke with full conviction.

"Once we reach the Asura Royal Palace, the villains who framed Lord Sauros will be caught. No, I will catch them myself. When that day comes, swing your swords however you wish."

"I'm counting on you."

Ghislaine's answer was short. She rose, and her tail began to sway as she glanced over at Aisha Greyrat.

"Then what should I do?"

"Hm? Get ready for the journey and protect Princess Ariel."

"Understood."

She withdrew.

I looked at the three of them again.

The Mad Sword King Eris. The Black Wolf Ghislaine. And Aisha Greyrat.

I didn't know the precise measure of their strength, but judging from the easy confidence Aisha Greyrat wore, it had to be something fearsome.

Powerful. But not loyal to me.

They were helping me because of Rudeus. And as for why Rudeus was helping me at all...

Honestly, I didn't think the transaction we'd agreed on was his real reason. He could have struck the exact same deal with the First Prince, and helping the First Prince would have been far simpler. Yet he chose me.

Was he plotting something? No... I wouldn't dwell on it. Become queen first. Consider everything else later.

"Then — departure is set for the day after tomorrow!"

➤ Next: Operation 7