Chapter 121: The Truth Behind the Suspicion
With today’s match over, I was strolling through the town for a change of pace.
The town of Tatsutron, where the Dragon Princess Rite and Dragon Emperor Rite were being held, was bustling like a festival with many stalls prepared for the visitors.
Or rather, the Dragon Princess Rite itself is a festival of this town, isn’t it?
“Hmm, as expected, a festival in the city is lively.”
The festival in my hometown village was small-scale and modest.
Just seeing this sight, it might have been good to come out to the outside world.
“But it’s not good that I can’t enjoy it honestly.”
Feeling a sensation familiar from my previous life on my back, I enter a back alley.
◆
“…Not here!?”
The figure who came into the back alley panics at the absence of the person who entered earlier.
“Yes, please don’t move.”
The moment I entered the back alley, I jumped onto the roof of a nearby building to hide, then landed soundlessly behind the pursuer and pressed a sheathed knife against their back.
“!? …S-Since when!?”
Hmm, careless for a hitman.
I assumed it was an underworld inhabitant who attacked us related to match-fixing.
“Why were you tailing me?”
“…”
No intention to answer, huh?
Then fine.
“Understood. Then I’ll hand you over to the guards.”
“!? W-Wait, please!”
Told I’d hand them over to the guards, they try to turn around in a panic, but I lightly press the knife against their back to threaten them.
“I told you not to move, didn’t I? If you’re doing something guilty, I’ll hand you over to the guards. If not, please explain the reason.”
“N-No, that’s wrong, I have no intention of harming you.”
Hmm, then why were you tailing me is the question.
“I am a member of the Dragon Emperor faction who came to protect His Majesty the Dragon Emperor.”
“Dragon Emperor faction?”
Umm, if I recall correctly, the Dragon Emperor faction refers to the nobles of this country who contacted Liliera.
Though I recall it’s not a very strong faction.
I stepped away from the tail who identified themselves as Dragon Emperor faction and gave permission to face me.
The Dragon Emperor faction person turns around slowly, perhaps to avoid provoking me.
Yeah, surprisingly young.
The sloppy tailing must be due to the lack of human resources of a weak noble faction.
Or rather, I feel like I’ve seen this person somewhere…
“Ah, the person who contacted Liliera the other day.”
That’s right, this is the person who mistook Liliera for the Dragon Princess and said they wanted to meet the Dragon Emperor.
“Yes, my name is Bakin Wappaji. My rank is Knight Baron.”
“Knight Baron?”
Eh? You were a noble!?
Isn’t this kind of thing usually done by retainers…?
Knight Baron is the lowest rank among nobles, but it’s not like they don’t have retainers.
Yet the head of the family himself went out of his way to tail me.
Could it be the Dragon Emperor faction is a considerably weak faction…?
“Umm, why is a noble tailing someone?”
Yeah, now I’m getting worried.
“Ashamed to say, by the time I reached this town of Tatsutron, my comrades and subordinates had dropped out due to interference from the anti-Dragon Emperor faction. I am the only one who arrived.”
“Isn’t that already a civil war!?”
Even if it’s a factional dispute, killing all the nobles of one’s own country is nothing but a civil war.
Or rather, it’s already beyond the level of a factional dispute!?
“Ah, no, actually no deaths have occurred. If many deaths occur among nobles, even lower-ranking ones, there is a possibility that people from other countries will intervene under the pretext of cooperating with His Majesty the Dragon Emperor‘s enthronement. No matter how high-ranking the nobles are, they won’t resort to forceful measures that would allow foreign intervention.”
I see, since they are doing whatever they like taking advantage of the Dragon Emperor‘s absence, they won’t make a blunder by overdoing it and making it easier for the Dragon Emperor to take the throne.
“However, we also do not want to owe other countries for His Majesty the Dragon Emperor‘s enthronement. The bigger the incident, the more it becomes a weakness in future international negotiations. Well, it’s ironic that thanks to that, a common interest arose on both sides, and I was able to reach the town of Tatsutron.”
Bakin laughs self-deprecatingly, saying it’s pathetic that he reached this town thanks to luckily taking advantage of the opponent’s weakness.
“So, Bakin… -sama. Back to the topic, why did you tail me?”
In the end, we return to this topic.
I understand Liliera since she’s mistaken for the Dragon Princess, but I’m just a companion.
Bakin straightens his posture and stares at me.
“Then once again, Sir Rex… no, Lord Rex. I have something to ask you.”
Lord Rex? You?
Why is a noble being formal with me?
I’m starting to have a bad feeling…
“Lord Rex, you are… aren’t you His Majesty the Dragon Emperor himself!?”
“…HAA!?”
Ehh!? Why!? Why conclude that!?
It would be one thing if it were Ryune who knows I commanded the Golden Dragon, but why does Bakin come to such a conclusion!?
“Umm… why do you think so?”
I try to remain calm and ask Bakin for the reason.
“Yes, that is because Lord Rex is not participating in the Dragon Emperor Rite.”
“Eh? Eh? Why does that make me the Dragon Emperor?”
Yeah, I don’t understand at all.
I’d understand if the Dragon Emperor participated in the Dragon Emperor Rite to make his existence known, but being the Dragon Emperor because I’m not participating? Why? Usually, it’s the opposite, right!?
“Lord Rex, including Lady Dragon Princess, all of His Majesty the Dragon Emperor‘s guards are participating in the ritual.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“But you alone are not participating in the ritual.”
“Well, that’s because if everyone participates in the ritual, there’s a danger we can’t deal with something if it happens.”
“Yes, I thought so too.”
Then why?
“After being refused an audience with His Majesty the Dragon Emperor by Lady Dragon Princess, I decided to search for His Majesty on my own.”
“I-I see.”
Well, that’s natural.
Just because they couldn’t let him meet, he can’t give up there.
“However, even searching blindly through the town, I could not meet His Majesty the Dragon Emperor.”
Yeah, because the Dragon Emperor doesn’t exist in the first place.
“So, pardon my rudeness, but I decided to watch you all. Thinking you might make contact with His Majesty the Dragon Emperor.”
Hmm, that’s also… understandable I guess. Even if we say we don’t know who the Dragon Emperor is, the Dragon Emperor faction people won’t necessarily believe us.
“However, there was absolutely no sign of you contacting His Majesty the Dragon Emperor.”
Yeah, I’ll say it again and again, there’s no contact between the Dragon Emperor and us.
“However, among you, there was one person about whom I couldn’t even gather information.”
Eh?
“That is you, Lord Rex.”
“Umm, isn’t that just because you were investigating alone so you didn’t have enough hands?”
After all, Bakin‘s comrades retired due to the anti-Dragon Emperor faction’s interference.
“Yes, so I hired low-rank adventurers at the Adventurer’s Guild and placed them all over town as spies.”
“EHH!?”
Hired adventurers!?
“Even if they are low-rank, there is no problem if it’s just keeping watch in the city.”
Oops! I didn’t expect him to request adventurers for surveillance!
Or rather, I wanted to try that request too!
It sounds cool like the story of bread and milk of the Great Swordsman Liegard!
It’s a story where the Great Swordsman Liegard stakes out for days to catch the tail of a maneuvering villain and seize evidence, but because the content is a bit plain, its popularity is mediocre.
But the scene where Liegard eats bread and milk in the story looks very delicious.
Also, the line Liegard says when catching the culprit, “Fighting with a sword ain’t the only job of an adventurer, kid,” is austere, so although plain, it has many enthusiastic fans.
…No, that’s not it, that’s not it.
“According to reports from adventurers, it was confirmed that you cannot leave the inn only when a certain contestant is having a match. However, multiple adventurers placed in different locations confirmed seeing you, who shouldn’t have been out, eating with Lady Dragon Princess and the others.”
“…”
Cr-Crap!
I-I messed up.
I was exposed when I joined everyone for a meal after the match.
Hmm, this has become troublesome.
“Lord Rex, aren’t you participating in the Dragon Emperor Rite in disguise?”
This is bad, Bakin completely misunderstands me as the Dragon Emperor.
I have to deceive him somehow.
◆
“That has become troublesome.”
After that, managing to escape from Bakin with some excuse, I gathered everyone and explained the situation.
“I never thought Bakin would suspect me for such a reason.”
“However, indeed, if only Rex‘s whereabouts are unknown, it can’t be helped to be suspected.”
“Why don’t you just tell him who Big Bro is disguised as?”
“I think it’s meaningless. Even if we reveal Rex‘s identity now, he’ll suspect that Rex participating while hiding his identity means something.”
Meguri rejects Jairo‘s suggestion as meaningless.
“Conversely, say that it’s a strategy to attract everyone’s attention to Rex?”
“That’s also too late. Rather, then it becomes a question of why you didn’t tell him first.”
Hmm, it’s not going well.
“Then the next best plan is for one of us to disguise as Rex and participate in the match instead? If another masked contestant appears in a match while Rex is present, I think that person will admit Rex is innocent.”
I guess that’s the only way.
In that case, I have to reveal to everyone who I’m disguised as to have them take over the match.
“Then let’s have Jairo or the others disguise themselves and appear in Tyran‘s match.”
“Yeah, counting on yo… wait, EH!? How do you know!?”
“Why ask now.”
Ehh!? Could it be my disguise was exposed!?
“Eh!? Tyran was Big Bro!?”
Thank goodness, Jairo hadn’t realized.
I was very surprised that my disguise was exposed, but anyway, with this, I can manage to deceive Bakin.
…Or so I thought, but that plan collapsed easily.
“No good, my match is right after, so I can’t appear in this match.”
“My match is before that, so switching is impossible.”
Surprisingly, it turned out that Jairo and Norb couldn’t disguise themselves due to the match schedule.
“In that case, ask Liliera or the others to participate? As a mage, I’d probably be exposed if it turns into close combat.”
Mina says substitution is difficult because she’s a mage.
“Hmm, Tyran‘s armor would be tight around the chest for me, so it’s impossible.”
“Ah right, then it’s impossible for me either way.”
Liliera declines saying substitution is difficult due to the armor structure problem.
“Kuh, this is why the endowed ones are…!”
“Can I be jealous, Lady Dragon Princess!?”
For some reason, Meguri and Ryune are glaring at Mina and Liliera with gazes clad in tremendous killing intent.
“However, it’s impossible for me too schedule-wise.”
“S-Sorry. It seems impossible for me too, also height-wise with Master.”
What a thing. It turned out Meguri and the others are also impossible due to match schedule problems.
“Kyu!”
It was at that moment. Fluffy pulls the hem of my pants.
“Kyu kyuu!”
Fluffy chirped pointing at himself as if to say leave it to him.
“No, you’re impossible.”
“Arms and legs are way too short.”
Ah, yeah. That’s how it is.
“Fluffy would fit in the helmet at most.”
“How about tying the armor with string and dragging it?”
“Isn’t that just a ghost story? If armor comes crawling pulled by a helmet, the town’s priests will mobilize to cast Turn Undead.”
“Or rather, I don’t think it’s possible to have that recognized as Master’s disguise…”
“…No, maybe possible.”
“Hah?”
Yeah, I think Meguri‘s idea might work.
“Thank you, Meguri. That seems usable.”
“Eh? Seriously?”
“Yes! Seriously!”
Alright, let’s prepare immediately!
“I have a feeling something outrageous will happen…”
“Indeed…”
◆ Bakin ◆
I was confused.
I am currently in the spectator seats of the venue holding the Dragon Emperor Rite, but…
The problem is the person sitting in the next seat.
“Contestant Tyran‘s match will start soon.”
“Y-Yes.”
That’s right, next to me was Lord Rex.
But according to my investigation, contestant Tyran‘s true identity should be Lord Rex.
Or does it mean contestant Tyran‘s true identity was not Lord Rex!?
“OOOOOOOOOH!”
The surrounding spectators raise their voices.
Looking, there are three shadows in the match venue.
One is the referee, and the remaining two are the figures of the two contestants who will perform the match.
One is the longsword user, contestant Katin, and the other is contestant Tyran clad in black armor.
“Wow, both look strong. I wonder which one will win?”
Lord Rex sitting next to me looks happily at the match about to begin.
According to the reports of the adventurers placed on watch, it has been confirmed that Lady Dragon Princess and the others are in the waiting room or other seats.
Therefore, it is impossible for them to switch with contestant Tyran.
“…”
“Then, match BEGIN!”
While thinking that, the match between contestant Tyran and contestant Katin begins.
And the match ended easily.
The result is contestant Tyran‘s overwhelming victory.
Contestant Tyran dodged the attacking contestant Katin by a hair’s breadth, circled behind the opponent with a flowing movement as if dancing, and reaped his consciousness in a single blow.
Because the flow was so natural, no one in the arena noticed the match was decided.
Even the referee is watching the scene without noticing yet.
“…”
Contestant Tyran slowly approaches the referee, taps his shoulder, and points to the fallen contestant Katin.
“Hah!?”
And the referee who came to his senses confirms contestant Katin‘s condition and immediately waves his hand.
“Contestant Katin is unable to fight, contestant Tyran wins!”
“O… OOOOOOOOOOOOH!?”
At the literal instant kill, the venue erupts.
This match, unlike the easy-to-understand abnormality of contestant Tyran‘s matches so far, stood out in its terrifying nature precisely because it was an extremely normal fight.
Literally a fight of a different caliber.
Not just strong; that is undoubtedly the crystal of technology accumulated by a person who has staked their life on martial arts.
30… no, 40 years? With how much passion and training can one become that beautiful? No, that skill cannot be expressed with such simple words.
Natural, yes, natural.
He moved naturally as if just walking, reaching out a hand, as if the weapon were a part of his body.
Not just the perception of the weapon user, but the eyes of others watching could not recognize the weapon as a weapon.
“Is this the pinnacle of martial arts…”
I understood clearly.
Lord Rex is not contestant Tyran.
Since he acts with Lady Dragon Princess, Lord Rex must be strong too.
But contestant Tyran… that person’s strength was on a different level.
I am not slighting Lord Rex.
It’s just that the weight of accumulated time is different.
No matter how much talent one has, there are certainly things that only mature with time.
“This means starting over the search for His Majesty the Dragon Emperor.”
But I was convinced.
The true identity of His Majesty the Dragon Emperor was not Lord Rex.
My gaze is sucked towards the black armored warrior standing on the arena stage.
The one who becomes the Dragon Emperor is the strongest Dragon Knight in this country.
And to become a Dragon Knight, one must defeat a dragon and make it acknowledge one’s power.
Power enough to defeat the strongest, the Golden Dragon.
“That strength, no mistake. You, you are the one, His Majesty the Dragon Emperor.”
Yes, I held a strong conviction that contestant Tyran is His Majesty the Dragon Emperor* himself.
◆
“So, what on earth was that? Did you hire some other adventurer?”
After the match ended, I was pressed by Liliera and the others about Tyran‘s true identity.
Hmm, pressed by Bakin before the match, and pressed by everyone after the match…
“That amazing fighting style, who the hell is that guy, Big Bro!?”
“I’ve never seen such a brilliant fighting style. At least it’s impossible for an A-rank adventurer.”
“Which means it’s an S-rank adventurer!?”
Ryune raises a voice of surprise at Liliera‘s deduction.
“Certainly, if told it’s an S-rank adventurer, I’m convinced.”
Somehow everyone is misunderstanding Tyran‘s true identity as an S-rank adventurer.
Well, in a sense, it is an S-rank adventurer.
“No, that wasn’t someone taking my place.”
“Eh? But Rex was with Bakin to clear suspicion, right?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Then Tyran is a different person after all. Who on earth is inside that armor?”
Hmm, maybe it’s faster to have them look directly.
“Everyone, look behind you.”
“Behind? …Wait, EHH!?”
Prompted by me, everyone looks behind and rounds their eyes at the sight there.
“Tyran!?”
Yes, there stood the black armored Tyran.
“Since when inside the room!?”
“…”
To everyone’s surprise, Tyran is silent.
Well, there’s no way it can speak.
“Take off the helmet.”
When I ordered so, Tyran silently reached for his helmet.
And seeing Tyran‘s true face appearing from inside, everyone froze in too much surprise.
“!!!!!!”
There was nothing on Tyran‘s head.
Or rather, literally, there was no head.
“Eh? No head? Eh?”
Seeing the empty head part, everyone is rounding their eyes.
“Wh-What is the meaning of this!?”
“Liliera, please look inside Tyran‘s armor.”
“Inside the armor?”
Prompted by me, Liliera approaches Tyran fearfully.
“!?”
And Liliera, who looked inside the armor from the neck as told, freezes again.
“Hey, what’s wrong Liliera…?”
Everyone swarmed Tyran‘s armor wondering what happened, looked inside the same way, and froze.
“Emp… ty?”
Yes, Tyran‘s inside is empty.
“What does this mean?”
Liliera asks for an explanation while looking alternately at me and the empty armor.
Everyone also looks at me, seemingly agreeing with Liliera‘s opinion.
“Umm, well, I was controlling this Tyran with magic.”
“MAGIC!?”
Learning I was controlling it with magic, everyone rounds their eyes.
“Yes, it’s a magic called [Puppet Avatar], a magic that moves the target as the caster wishes.”
“This is moving by magic…?”
Liliera observes Tyran‘s armor from various angles in disbelief.
“Yes, like this.”
“Uwah!?”
Receiving my will, Tyran‘s armor starts dancing on its own.
“It’s moving even though the inside is empty…”
Meguri sends a gaze of surprise at the smoothly moving Tyran‘s armor.
“And well, like this.”
When I stop sending magic power to the armor, Tyran‘s armor loses connection and falls to the floor.
“…Haa, to think you were moving it with magic.”
“I was surprised. To move armor so naturally with magic. It looked like a person was inside.”
Mina and the others sigh while staring at Tyran‘s armor fallen on the floor.
“Not just normal magic, but to master even such magic… exactly how much magic can you use?”
“No, no, magic to move armor isn’t that big a deal. This level of movement, any mage can do it.”
“NO, THAT’S DEFINITELY IMPOSSIBLE.”
“Reproducing such S-rank adventurer-level movement is highly unlikely to be possible.”
“Right?”
Huh? Why is everyone giving up?
I think if Mina and the others train properly, they can handle manipulation magic sufficiently too.
