Chapter 13: Let’s Declare Defiance to the King!
After the battle with that incomprehensible noble, I made sure to put enough distance between us to avoid revealing my identity. Then, I glanced around.
“Now, where am I?” I muttered.
I’d been so focused on escaping that I hadn’t kept track of my location. I was already past the meeting time with Marie, and she was probably waiting for me.
As I pondered this, a voice called out from behind.
“Master.”
“!”
Turning around, I saw Marie standing there. Her presence caught me slightly off guard.
“Marie, huh? This isn’t the meeting spot we agreed on, is it?” I asked.
“No, it isn’t. But when Master didn’t arrive after some time, I came to find you,” she replied.
“I see.”
Her choice of words—“I came to find you” rather than “I looked for you”—struck me as slightly odd, but something else caught my attention more.
“You bought new clothes?” I noted.
“Yes,” she confirmed.
Marie was wearing a slightly oversized coat with a hood. I’d thought she was supposed to be visiting the armory or apothecary, so this piqued my curiosity. Then it hit me: a coat this large would be perfect for concealing hidden weapons or poisons.
Impressive, impressive.
Satisfied, I nodded. “Hmm, looks good. It suits you well (as an assassin).”
“! Y-Yes! Thank you, Master!” Marie’s face lit up as she nodded enthusiastically.
After this exchange, we headed to the inn Sardis had arranged for us.
The next day, Marie and I made our way to the royal castle at the appointed time. Marie was now dressed in her usual servant attire—likely to avoid arousing suspicion of being an assassin in the castle.
Upon arriving, we found Sardis waiting outside.
“We’ve been expecting you, Viscount Renford,” he said.
“Yeah,” I replied.
Guided by Sardis, we walked through the castle. Along the way, he casually brought up a topic.
“By the way, Laura-san and the others participated in special training with the Royal Knights yesterday after submitting the magical tool used to seal the Demon King’s army executive. It seems to have been a valuable experience for both sides.”
“I see,” I responded.
So that’s why I hadn’t seen them since yesterday. Not that it mattered much. What did concern me were the stares from the nobles as we walked through the castle.
“Could that be the rumored Lord Renford?”
“The one who brilliantly led his subordinates to capture a Demon King’s army executive?”
“No, I heard he defeated the executive single-handedly!”
“What’s the real story here!?”
Their conversations reached my ears, and my blood boiled. Damn it, being praised like this was unbearable! If I unleashed a spell right here, how amusing would that be?
As I entertained such thoughts, we finally arrived at the Audience Chamber. Sardis stopped in front of the large double doors and turned to Marie.
“My apologies, but only the viscount is permitted to enter from here. Servants must wait in a separate room.”
“I-I understand,” Marie said, a hint of disappointment on her face, before being led away by a castle servant.
From here on, I was on my own.
“Step inside, please,” Sardis prompted.
“Yeah,” I replied.
As I entered, a commotion broke out.
“Wait! Why is he here!? Step aside—let me deal with him!”
“Please, hold on! That gentleman is about to meet His Majesty—”
“?”
The voice sounded vaguely familiar, like one I’d heard recently, but it was probably irrelevant. Dismissing it, I stepped into the chamber.
The Audience Chamber was vast, easily capable of holding dozens of people. Yet, to my surprise, only two others were present besides me. One was a man with sharp, refined features seated on an ornate throne: Alden von Solstia, the king of the Solstia Kingdom and a key figure in «Altena Fantasia».
(Now that I think about it, this is my first time meeting a game character face-to-face in this world…)
Moved by the thought, I approached Alden and knelt on one knee. He addressed me.
“Well met, Renford. Raise your head.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” I replied, lifting my gaze.
That’s when I noticed the other person—a character from «Altena Fantasia». But something puzzled me.
(Isn’t that Marquis Wyndham? Why isn’t he wearing his eyepatch?)
In the game, Marquis Wyndham is a one-eyed noble with a distinctive eyepatch. Yet both his eyes were intact. Perhaps his eye loss happens later in this world.
As I frowned, Alden spoke again.
“Hmm, you seem surprised that it’s just us. Normally, others would be present, so your reaction is understandable.”
That wasn’t why I was surprised, but… I had indeed wondered about it. In fantasy settings, award ceremonies or medal bestowals typically feature rows of knights lining the room. Alden quickly clarified.
“This time, in addition to the capture of the Demon King’s army executive, I wished to discuss that other matter. But I preferred it not reach too many ears.”
“That other matter…” I echoed.
It clicked. He was referring to the incident where I sent back Wyndham’s party invitation—complete with tea stains. Originally, Sardis had come to Renford territory to punish me for that. But since this was a reward ceremony for capturing the executive, they likely didn’t want to dwell on my transgression.
I didn’t mind either way.
“Let us get to the point,” Alden said, shifting tone. “First, about that matter… Renford, it must have taken great courage to send back that invitation.”
…Hmm.
Returning a tea-stained invitation to a noble’s party—an act that could turn every noble against me—would indeed require immense courage.
But that’s small-time villain logic. I aim to be the Charisma of Evil. I’m not fazed by such trivialities. In fact, I sent it back with glee, riding a high. So, without hesitation, I replied:
“No, not at all. To me, it was as easy as twisting a baby’s arm.”
“What!?” Alden’s eyes widened in shock.
And no wonder—my words essentially boiled down to, “I’m not afraid of making enemies of nobles. I’ll take them all on!” For someone like Alden, who likely never faced such blatant hostility, this was staggering.
Grinning inwardly, I thought, (When I heard I was summoned to the capital, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But this is a golden opportunity. I’ll make sure to ruin my reputation with the king!)
Satisfied with how things were going, I waited as Alden finally spoke.
“…I see. I understand your mindset. It seems I underestimated you.”
So, he’d finally noticed the malevolent ambition within me. Not bad, I thought, mentally applauding Alden.
The conversation moved forward.
“For now, let’s set that matter aside. Next is the defeat of the Demon King’s army executive,” Alden said.
Here it comes, I thought, bracing myself.
“The Demon King and his executives are our sworn enemies. Their strength has led to repeated defeats across the land. Your success is a rare piece of good news. Many in the capital, noble and commoner alike, are grateful to you.”
“!”
Damn it, my reputation had already spread in the capital? The despair nearly made me dizzy, but I forced myself to stay composed.
Alden continued, “Thus, I wish to grant you a great reward. Is there anything you desire?”
“…Something I desire?” I repeated.
The question caught me off guard. I’d assumed they’d just hand me gold or goods without asking my opinion.
(Wait a second.)
This could be an opportunity. If I demanded an excessive reward, it would highlight my greed to Alden. The more outrageous and disrespectful, the better.
After racking my genius brain, I arrived at an answer.
“There is one thing,” I said.
“Speak it,” Alden urged.
Looking him in the eye with a serious expression, I declared, “I desire the largest territory in this kingdom.”
““What!?!?!?””
Not only Alden but also Wyndham, standing nearby, reacted with shock. And rightfully so. Who held the largest territory in the kingdom? Naturally, King Alden himself. The royal family owned not only the capital but vast domains across the land. My statement could be taken as a direct challenge to the throne—a declaration of war against the royal family.
This wasn’t just insolence; it was grounds for execution. Reflecting calmly, I wondered if I’d gone too far. But Alden, his voice trembling, addressed me.
“…Renford, are those words truly from your heart?”
This was my chance to backtrack, to claim it was a jest. But once I’d spoken, there was no retreating. What kind of final boss would back down now?
“Yes, absolutely,” I replied.
“…I see,” Alden said, slumping back in his throne, likely pondering what punishment to mete out.
Well, it was to be expected. There was no way he’d grant such a request—
“…I cannot decide on that request immediately. Give me a few days to consider.”
—Wait, there’s a chance I’d get it?
Stunned by this unexpected turn, I barely registered Alden’s next words.
“That concludes this audience. Renford, you have done well.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” I replied.
The end was a bit confusing, but I’d done what I could. It wouldn’t turn out badly—rather, it could only turn out badly (which, for the Charisma of Evil, was perfect).
Satisfied, I left the Audience Chamber.
◇◆◇
Alden von Solstia, king of the Solstia Kingdom, was not only a key figure in «Altena Fantasia» but also the father of a main heroine. He found himself intrigued by the boy before him: Klaus Renford.
Having become head of the Renford House at a young age, Klaus had already achieved remarkable feats. One was his foresight regarding the Phantom Hand’s attack on Wyndham’s party. Klaus had obtained this information somehow and relayed it to Wyndham in code, successfully minimizing the damage. Had this leaked, Klaus would have made enemies of the culprits. Yet he chose to act, earning Alden’s genuine admiration.
Thus, Alden began with this topic. “First, about that matter… Renford, it must have taken great courage to send back that invitation.”
But Klaus’s response was unexpected.
“No, not at all. To me, it was as easy as twisting a baby’s arm.”
“What!?” Alden’s eyes widened.
He’d expected humility, given Klaus’s position. But there was no trace of deceit in Klaus’s words. He genuinely believed the act was trivial.
“…I see. I understand your mindset. I underestimated you,” Alden said, sensing an unfathomable depth in Klaus.
Moving to the main topic—the capture of the Demon King’s army executive—Alden continued, “The Demon King and his executives are our sworn enemies. Their strength has led to repeated defeats. Your success is a rare piece of good news. Many in the capital, noble and commoner alike, are grateful.”
Capturing an executive was a feat even the Royal Knights struggled with. For someone as young as Klaus to achieve it marked him as a rare genius. Alden couldn’t let such talent slip away. Whatever Klaus desired—gold, titles—he was prepared to grant it.
But Klaus’s next words shattered his expectations.
“I desire the largest territory in this kingdom.”
““What!?!?!?””
Alden and Wyndham shuddered in shock. The largest territory in the Solstia Kingdom was none other than the Great Forest of the Underworld, the boundary between the human and demon realms.
Centuries ago, it was called the Land of Bounty, rich in mana, fostering abundant flora and fauna and nurturing powerful mages. It was the kingdom’s most prosperous territory and a frontline defense against the demon realm. But one day, the mana surged uncontrollably, causing plants to grow abnormally into a vast forest. Monsters, empowered by the mana, became too strong, rendering the land uninhabitable.
The king at the time attempted reclamation, but the forest regrew instantly. Eventually, the kingdom retreated to the Markovar territory. Many nobles tried to reclaim it, but all failed, and such proposals ceased.
Still, the Great Forest of the Underworld remained the kingdom’s largest territory. Klaus surely knew this. If he didn’t, he’d be a fool.
(To think, in my generation, someone would dare to claim that cursed land…)
Normally, Alden would dismiss such a request as absurd. But Klaus’s talent was immeasurable. Could he actually succeed?
Just to be sure, Alden asked, “…Renford, are those words truly from your heart?”
“Yes, absolutely,” Klaus replied, meeting Alden’s gaze with unwavering seriousness.
No fear marred his face, despite challenging a feat unaccomplished for centuries. Alden felt not just admiration but awe. Still, such a decision couldn’t be made lightly.
“…I cannot decide on that request immediately. Give me a few days to consider,” Alden said, dismissing Klaus.
Left alone with Wyndham, Alden exchanged a glance.
“…To think such a prodigy was hidden in our kingdom,” Alden marveled.
“Indeed, Viscount Renford is truly remarkable,” Wyndham agreed.
Alden had doubted Wyndham’s high regard for Klaus since the invitation incident, but now he understood. As he mused, Wyndham spoke up.
“By the way, to reclaim the Great Forest of the Underworld, Viscount Renford would likely need permission from the Marquis of Markovar.”
“…Indeed,” Alden nodded.
The Marquis of Markovar, suspected of orchestrating the attack on Wyndham, had governed the vast territory bordering the forest for over a century. Reclaiming the forest would require a base in Markovar’s land, which he’d likely oppose.
(We could force his cooperation as punishment for the attack, but…)
Markovar had already lost his parliamentary voice as punishment. Further penalties could stir resentment among other nobles. As Alden weighed the risks, Wyndham murmured, “…Perhaps Viscount Renford’s true aim isn’t the forest.”
“What do you mean?” Alden asked.
Wyndham turned to him with a serious expression. “As you know, the Renford and Markovar territories share a border. That’s likely how he obtained information about the attack so quickly. But that didn’t fully neutralize Markovar’s schemes.”
“You think Markovar will plan more attacks?” Alden asked.
“Quite likely. And here’s the critical point: the attackers were the Phantom Hand, a group of humans and demons. Where did Markovar connect with demons?”
“…The Great Forest of the Underworld!?” Alden stood abruptly, grasping Wyndham’s implication.
Though the forest was impassable for humans, high-ranking demons could navigate it. As Alden reeled, Wyndham continued.
“Likely so. And Viscount Renford probably knows this. By proposing reclamation as a pretext, he could establish a base in Markovar’s territory to monitor him closely.”
“What! That’s a task I, as king, should undertake. Would a lord forsake a reward to take on such a burden?”
“Indeed, for the viscount is a man of such wisdom and courage that he called that tip-off ‘easy,’” Wyndham replied.
Hearing this, Alden could only believe Wyndham’s theory. Klaus’s extraordinary intellect, paired with selfless devotion to the kingdom, marked him as an unparalleled prodigy. Alden began to feel something beyond respect or awe.
“…What a man. With someone like him, our kingdom’s future is secure!” Alden declared.
“Absolutely. Though, knowing Viscount Renford, he might actually succeed in reclaiming the forest,” Wyndham added.
“That would be a tall order, even for him… but with such a prodigy, I can’t help but wonder. Very well, let’s make a bet on whether he succeeds. I’ll wager on success.”
“Oh? In that case, I’ll bet on success too.”
“Hah, that won’t make for much of a bet!”
““Hahaha!””
The two laughed, showering Klaus with praise until a subordinate summoned Alden. Thus, unbeknownst to Klaus, his reputation with the king and his allies soared even higher.
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