Mushoku Tensei — Chapter 107 - Some Truths

The journey continued. A week had passed since that attack.

During that time, I had a dispute with Luke. I think it's been resolved now.

He wanted to see for himself. To ask in person.

[Even if my father betrayed you, I am still your knight. That will never change, no matter what.]

His expression was resolute when he said it.

......

Now, I was following behind Aisha.

Night. Just the two of us.

Luke had wanted to come along, but Aisha stopped him cold with: [If I truly meant you harm, could you even resist?] He had no answer to that. So he didn't follow.

We walked deeper into the forest.

"Excuse me — where has Miss Eris gone?"

She was supposed to be my guard, too. But at actual night, the only ones keeping watch were Ghislaine and Aisha.

"At night, Sister Eris goes home."

"Huh?"

Home? But I see her again every morning.

A teleportation array? That convenient?

Hmm...? Is this even more convenient than Lord Perugius's?

"I know what you're thinking. That's just how it is."

Aisha said it without much interest.

"I see. How much further do we need to walk? If it's just to explain things, no one could overhear us out here anymore."

"True. But let's walk a little longer, shall we?"

I nodded and stopped asking.

I felt like a child being led off somewhere against their will, without any way to refuse.

A few more minutes into the forest, I saw firelight.

Aisha headed toward it without any surprise.

I followed behind her, drawing closer and closer to that glow.

Until we arrived.

A campfire. And someone sitting beside it.

A human-shaped monster.

Silver hair. Golden eyes.

It wasn't that he didn't look human. It was that my instincts were screaming at me —

[He is not human. He is something terrifying.]

When this "monster" saw Aisha, the faintest smile crossed his face.

Aisha spoke.

"I've brought them."

"Mm."

He turned his gaze to me.

!

What do I do?

Am I going to die?

The thought kept circling through my mind, over and over.

"Ariel Anemoi Asura."

"Present!"

It came out by pure instinct — the response of a subordinate.

I didn't think it diminished the dignity of a [King]. When faced with absolute power, that kind of conduct was correct. It was the only correct thing.

"Mm. Allow me to introduce myself as well. My name is Orsted. [Dragon God] Orsted."

Orsted...

Something stirred in my memory. Aisha had mentioned this name before.

She had said that apart from Orsted, no one could kill me in her presence.

So... she really did know him...

"Lord Orsted, you..."

I knelt on one knee, about to ask his purpose.

He waved a hand.

"You are not my subordinate. No need for that."

"Yes..."

"I will explain things to you. Things that concern you."

.....

After listening to everything Orsted said, I was still for a moment.

So that was why. That was why Rudeus Greyrat had chosen to help me.

The truth of it let me breathe again, deep and slow. Without it, I had no explanation for why Rudeus Greyrat would help me. The only thing I had been able to think of was myself, my own person. My looks and figure were better than those of his wives, after all. That had been my assumption, before.

"You adapted rather quickly."

Orsted said it as he rose to his feet.

"If one cannot overcome fear, then one is failing in their duty as a king."

He had also explained the curse. Now I understood why my body had been trembling.

And I understood why Aisha Greyrat had been keeping her guard up around Luke.

In other words, I was nothing more than a pawn in the plans of great figures. That thought might be overly self-deprecating. But it was the truth.

Even so, my goal would not change. Not by a single step. Even if I was being used, I would become king. Even if that king ultimately proved unworthy of the name.

"Now that things have been explained, I'll take my leave. Continue acting according to the plan."

He activated his magic and was gone.

And my body, which I had been holding together by sheer force of will, finally...

I turned my head. Aisha Greyrat was watching me with an expression that said exactly what she didn't bother saying aloud.

[Honestly, what am I going to do with you?]

Without realizing it, I had lost control of my bladder.

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