Chapter 194

Prince and Childhood Friend (1)
Takuto and his group first secured lodgings. Then, Takuto obtained permission to enter the castle. The information possessed by the otherworlders who had stayed in the Imperial State was considered valuable. Permission was granted immediately.

"While in the castle, please never let go of this card. Also, entry into areas outside the designated zones is prohibited."

"This card?"

Takuto looked over the silver card. A complex magic circle was drawn on it.

"Without this card, the defense system will activate and treat you as an intruder. Your life cannot be guaranteed."

The security system built by Alicetia showed no mercy to intruders. Of course, it didn’t immediately attack. First, an alarm would sound in the security room, and it would display where anyone without a card was located. Additionally, surveillance cameras had been installed throughout much of the castle. Thanks to this system, the security of the royal castle had improved significantly.

Passing through the automatically operating castle gates, Takuto entered the castle.

"His Majesty the King is currently away, involved in liberating the territory overrun by monsters. Therefore, the crown prince will receive your audience in his place."

"I’ve heard he’s an exceptional person."

"... He certainly is. I would gladly risk my life for him."

That slight pause was due to Gilbert’s strong personality. He was definitely capable. However, his treatment of incompetents went far beyond what was appropriate, and he was an outrageous sister complex. Still, he was someone worth risking one's life for. If he acknowledged someone’s abilities, he evaluated them fairly and raised their status. He was a good type of superior—as long as you weren’t incompetent.

“Is there anything else… Princess! Please don’t build a nest in such a place!”

As they were walking, a girl was dragging a bag and trying to crawl under the floor. A floorboard was lifted, revealing a staircase inside. Before a knight could rush over, an Alicetia clone slipped underground and closed the door. It was a nest of the Lost Numbers. And also a laboratory.

“Come immediately! I’ve found the princess’s nest!”

“Understood, sending reinforcements at once!”

Though the main Alicetia conducted relatively sensible research, the escaped clones known as the Lost Numbers were often involved in developing dangerous substances. Most of what they created was incomprehensible, but if you asked Alicetia herself about them, she'd look away—meaning they were that dangerous.

Several knights soon arrived and tried to force open the disguised door built into the floor, but it was impossibly sturdy and couldn’t be destroyed. After a while, a floorboard further down the corridor opened, and an Alicetia clone poked her head out.

“…………… No good?”

“No good!”

When the knight approached, the floorboard snapped shut. Then, another floorboard even further ahead opened and the clone poked her head out again.

“I’m busy.”

“Please don’t remodel the castle on your own!”

“Father said I could do what I want.”

Indeed, permission for modifications inside the castle had been granted. However, no one said she could mass-produce laboratories. She was taking excessive liberties.

The Alicetia clone didn’t notice Takuto.

The knight refused to give up and continued trying to destroy the floorboard, but the clone never reappeared.

“Takuto, Takuto.”

“What is it?”

Rien, who had been sleeping on top of Takuto’s head, pulled at his hair.

“That’s not a living creature. It’s magic.”

“There’s magic like that?”

“Even I, the odd one among the fairies, don’t know it.”

The fairies tended to avoid contact with humans. Due to their rarity, they were sometimes captured as pets. However, Rien, despite her youthful appearance, had already lived nearly a thousand years. And she was extremely curious about humans. But she didn’t know about clone magic.

“Then how do you know? It looks like a person.”

“It has no soul. That’s probably a kind of magic that creates a clone that moves like the original. It’s way beyond what humans should be able to use! Even I might be able to make one with great effort, but...”

There were similar magics passed down among the fairy race, but all of them exceeded advanced-level magic. Even with Rien’s control, it would be difficult.

Incidentally, the clones used by Alicetia were only at an intermediate level. However, the magic had already been lost, so few people knew of it.

“By the way, is there any reaction from the substitute?”

Rien, who could recognize Momoniku III—created by Iris—as a foreign object in this world, shook her head.

“It’s hard to tell when it’s not active. But it’s definitely in this country!”

“That’s still a pretty wide range...”

Momoniku III, the defensive system, basically stayed inactive. Unless Alicetia's life was in danger, it remained in standby mode. Therefore, it was difficult to detect.

“But but, this is a really nice country. There are so many spirits! Way more than in other countries.”

“Haven’t seen any though…”

Even though Takuto could see spirits that hadn’t manifested thanks to his Hero’s power, he hadn’t seen a single one in this country.

"That's just because they dislike you and won't go near you, Takuto."

"That's a terrible reason."

The only reason the spirits stay away is because they dislike Takuto.

In truth, because Alicetia occasionally uses the power of the Spirit King, spirits from all over the continent are gathering toward Arland. These spirits are also affecting Arland itself.

One example is the prosperity of agriculture. Earth spirits invigorate the soil, wind and water spirits act on their own to prevent floods and storms, and fire spirits create a slightly warmer climate.

With a sigh, the knight began walking again to guide Takuto back to the audience chamber.

The inside of the castle could only be described as bizarre. What seemed like partition walls were stored in the ceiling, there were numerous surveillance cameras, and in the courtyard, magic beasts were dancing bon-odori around a bonfire. Nearby, a signboard stood saying they were practicing tricks for the spring festival.

"What is that?"

"Ah, that's the Woofers Squad. The Princess's pets. Looks like they're practicing tricks for the spring festival."

"They look like high-ranking monsters though..."

Even to Takuto, they looked like terrifying monsters—yet they were dancing bon-odori.

"There's nothing to worry about. They're under the control of the Princess's familiar, Coote. Even if they go wild, we can handle them."

The knight seemed to have misunderstood, thinking Takuto was concerned about them being allowed to roam freely.

Takuto accepted that this must just be the kind of country this was, and soon they arrived at the audience chamber.

"Just try not to be disrespectful, if you would."

"I understand."

"Then, go ahead."

As Takuto entered the audience chamber, curious gazes turned toward him. It appeared to be filled with nobles who currently had nothing to do. Naturally, knights were also stationed around the walls and near Gilbert. Their level of training was high—Takuto thought it would be difficult even for him to assassinate Gilbert.

"I'm glad you chose to rely on our country."

"There are people I’d like to request protection for, if possible."

Takuto bowed his head.

"Of course, that's fine. However, there is a condition."

Takuto stiffened slightly while still bowing.

This was the strength of people from another world. On average, their mana and physical abilities were superior to those of people in this world.

"Are you saying we have to join the military?"

Gilbert burst into laughter at those words. Takuto looked displeased.

"No, I can see very well how you've been treated. But if you were to join the military, pledging loyalty to the kingdom would be the bare minimum requirement.

We have no need for people who might betray us when the time comes, even if they were forced into the army."

Many knights nodded at those words.

"Then, what is the condition?"

"Become our comrade.

We never abandon our comrades. Of course, we make exceptions for the incompetent. Or rather, I should say, those who are not only incompetent but drag others down. There are people with little talent who still manage to do a good job, after all.

We won’t force you to do anything. You're free to live in this country however you like. But if you prove yourself capable, then no matter what the central nations says, we won’t hand you over. Show us your strength."

"Anything will do?"

"Anything. Whether you’re an adventurer, a merchant, or a carpenter, it doesn't matter. If you come to love this country, then there’s value in helping you."

Takuto was impressed at how different this place was from other countries. In the central kingdoms, people from another world were treated as nothing more than convenient tools. They weren’t treated as people.

Now that he understood that Arland had no intention of forcing anything on otherworlders, Takuto finally felt at ease.

And so, he brought up the matter he had long been searching for—the person he had been seeking all this time.

"Thank you very much. Also, there's someone I’m looking for."

"Another person from another world? Hmm… we are protecting several such individuals."

"A reincarnated person."

At those words, Gilbert's expression briefly twisted. But it returned to normal in an instant.

"… A reincarnated person, huh. If such a person truly exists, it won’t be easy to find them."

"That girl is incapable of hiding who she is. You’d recognize her immediately. Her name is Iris.

Iris Field. She’s a scientist. You should understand what that means, shouldn’t you?"

Gilbert was genuinely shocked. A figure matching that exact description immediately popped into his mind.

"This country makes extensive use of technology from my world. In a world with no equipment or personnel, there’s only one person I know who could make that possible."

The surrounding nobles also began to understand what Takuto was implying.

It was convincing information. If Alicetia’s past life was someone from another world… if she had been a famous scientist in that world, it would explain her frequent disregard for common sense.

However, there were still those who absolutely refused to accept it. One noble questioned Takuto.

"Are you saying that our country's Princess is a reincarnated person?"

"I came to this country because I thought someone very close to her might be."

Everyone understood that there was no one like that near Alicetia. However…

"Impossible! Even if the Princess had a previous life, she must have been an angel! Which means your theory is flawed from the very beginning!"

The man who said that had long, flowing hair that didn’t suit him at all.

What do you think about this chapter?