Chapter 189: Information Exchange and a Man's Duel

Having met up with Mina-san, I returned to Echigoya.

And, asking Echigoya-san, we had the person named Yukinojo, who was acting together with Mina-san, rest.

“Rex, is Yukinojo okay?”

Since Mina-san asked worriedly if Yukinojo-san, who had been poisoned, was okay, I gave her my seal of approval that he was fine.

“Yes, the Low-Grade Universal Antidote you gave him is working perfectly.”

“I see, thank goodness.”

Understanding that the medicine was working properly, Mina-san let out a sigh of relief.

Then, we decided to exchange information about what happened while we were separated.

“I see, so a higher-ranking noble was pulling strings from behind the scenes to prevent this Yukinojo-san from taking the seat of the family head.”

“It seems like it. I didn’t want to poke my nose into noble circumstances, so I haven’t asked about the circumstances Yukinojo and the others wanted to keep hidden, though.”

“That’s for the best. Poking your nose into noble circumstances gets you dragged into troublesome matters, after all.”

“Right?”

However, judging that solving this problem was the shortest path to meeting up with everyone, Mina-san decided to accept the job without daring to ask for the detailed circumstances.

And rather than the place where the headship succession ritual was to be held, it seems she prioritized meeting up with me, whose whereabouts were known, in order to gather combat power first.

Thanks to that judgment, she made it in time for the battle with the Majin, so you could say Mina-san’s judgment was optimal.

Well, with Mina-san’s abilities, I think she could have managed a Majin of that level on her own, though.

“Even so, I’m surprised that the medicine I made was of use to you, Mina-san.”

When I heard that the Low-Grade Universal Antidote I made was useful for treating the poisoned Yukinojo-san, I was a little surprised.

“That’s my line. I never thought I’d see something you made even after coming to a place like this. But thanks to that, I was able to save Yukinojo. Thank you.”

“No, no, I just helped out because I felt bad continuing to be taken care of by Echigoya-san.”

Then the conversation shifted to my circumstances.

“…I see. By saving the master of the target store, you gained the cooperation of the store’s people and were gathering information on us. But since just waiting made you feel bad, you were helping the store by making medicines and whatnot… huh.”

“Yes, due to the influence of the storm and the highway blockades, it seems they were troubled because they couldn’t satisfactorily obtain medicinal ingredients. It seems various other things besides medicinal ingredients are also not arriving, and while Echigoya-san’s store is managing somehow because it’s large, it looks like a matter of life and death for other smaller stores.”

“A mysterious storm on top of Yukinojo’s family succession problem… No matter how you look at it, the commotion is too big.”

I understand what Mina-san wants to say.

No matter how much it’s a noble family problem, to appeal to multiple domains and have them blockade their highways is impossible unless it’s a noble with considerable power.

Moreover, the fact that it’s not even a story about their own family, but to poke their nose into another noble’s successor problem, means it’s quite the uproar.

With things getting this big, Yukinojo-san’s family must possess considerable authority.

After all, they are making nobles—who put the prosperity of their own domains first—listen to them even if it causes those nobles major losses.

The nobles wouldn’t listen to them without some corresponding merit, either.

Thinking about it that way, isn’t Yukinojo-san’s family a noble of a level close to the royal family?

Ah, come to think of it, Seibei-san mentioned that the Shogun of this country had passed away.

Could it be that Yukinojo-san’s family feud is… no, that’s jumping to conclusions a bit too much.

It might just happen to coincide with the unfortunate accident of a higher-ranking noble, after all.

It’s dangerous to rush to an answer in a situation with little information.

For now, I’ll just keep in mind that the possibility exists.

“Then, as for our future actions, is it fine if we search for everyone while helping Yukinojo-san’s headship succession ritual succeed?”

“Yes, I’m sorry for deciding on my own, but I want your cooperation.”

Mina-san says it apologetically, but if I were in the same position, I would have made the same choice.

“No, I think your choice was the best in the current situation, Mina-san.”

Yeah, since we don’t know where everyone is, I think prioritizing lifting the checkpoint blockades was correct.

“Besides, there is something that bothers me.”

“Something that bothers you?”

Mina-san tilts her head, wondering what bothers me.

“Yes, the fact that a Majin is involved in this matter.”

“…Ah, right. That’s certainly true.”

“The unnatural situation of a Majin being involved in the squabbles of a single noble in the human world. Also, the mysterious storm affecting the entire country. I cannot think these are completely unrelated.”

Right, I didn’t understand the objective of an act with so much waste as affecting the sea of an entire country.

But if the opponent is a Majin, I can understand the reason.

It’s undoubtedly to bring calamity to this world.

Thinking about it that way, I think Mina-san accepting the request was the correct answer after all.

After all, we managed to grab the tail of a grand scheme that would blockade an entire country.

“In that case, we better ask Yukinojo about the circumstances.”

“Right. Since it’s undoubtedly related to the circumstances of Yukinojo-san’s family.”

“…Haa, I kept my distance and avoided asking until now because I hated that it would turn out like this.”

Mina-san sighs, looking truly bothered from the bottom of her heart.

“It can’t be helped. The Majins must already recognize us, who got involved in this matter, as enemies too.”

In reality, the Majin involved in this matter probably wasn’t just the one we defeated earlier.

Since they are using methods to blockade an entire country, there’s no doubt they have comrades.

“For now, we have no choice but to wait for Yukinojo to wake up.”

Having finished conveying our information to each other, we decided to take a break to digest the information we had obtained.

Even so, Majins, huh. Those guys really are everywhere.

As we were relaxing like that, footsteps approached from outside the room.

At the same time, the voices of multiple people conversing could be heard.

“It seems Yukinojo has woken up.”

Apparently, Yukinojo-san woke up and came over.

It sounds like flustered, restless footsteps.

“Is Mina here!”

Vigorously opening the fusuma—not a door—Yukinojo-san entered the room.

Because the Yukinojo-san I saw was unconscious, I didn’t know what kind of person he was, but this cheerfulness might be a bit similar to Jairo-kun.

“You look energetic.”

“Umu! I heard you prepared the medicine, Mina! Thanks to you, I was saved!”

After thanking Mina-san, Yukinojo-san looked my way and tilted his head.

“Mu? Who is this person?”

Come to think of it, Yukinojo-san was unconscious from the poison, so this would be our first meeting.

“Nice to meet you. My name is Rex.”

“Rex…? Hmm, I feel like I’ve heard that somewhere…”

“Yukinojo, this person is one of the comrades I told you I was looking for.”

“Mu, now that you mention it, you did say such a thing!”

Explained to by Mina-san, Yukinojo-san lightly tapped his head, having remembered.

“I see, so you are Rex. Alright, then fight me!”

“…Eh?”

For some reason, I was suddenly challenged to a duel.

“Wait, ehhhh!?”

“Hey, what stupid things are you saying!?”

Really! How did it come to this!?

“Do not stop me, Mina! This is a matter of my honor as a man!”

Honor!? Why does a matter of honor come up here!?

“You there, Rex. I have heard much about you from Mina. She said you are the man she relies on the most, did she not?”

“Eh? Is that true?”

When I checked with Mina-san, she affirmed it with a troubled face.

“Well, no, I certainly said that, but…”

I see, I was relied on quite a bit, huh.

“Is it not so? Then I must defeat the man Mina relies on the most!”

So why does it turn out like that!?

“To fight a strong person is the long-cherished desire of a samurai! Even more so if it is the beloved of the woman I love!”

” “The woman I love!?” “

At the sudden confession of love, Mina-san and I unintentionally raised our voices.

“Eh? Was that how it was?”

“N-No it’s not! Why did it turn into a story like that!?”

When we questioned him, Yukinojo-san nodded with a serious face.

“Umu, Mina said she relies on you, Rex. However, Mina is a mighty warrior who did not step back a single inch, but rather fought more than evenly against assassins that caught our country’s elites off guard! There is no way the man such a Mina places her full trust in is just a comrade! She must surely harbor special feelings for you!”

“U-Umm…”

“I-It’s not like that! I’ve never looked at Rex in that way!”

Mina-san clearly asserted that it was different.

Right. Rather, if that were the case, there’s a much more suitable person by Mina-san’s side.

We are strictly just comrades.

And yet, why did Yukinojo-san come to think that?

I directed a gaze demanding an explanation at the attendant waiting behind Yukinojo-san, Haruomi-san.

“…I am deeply sorry, Lord Rex. The Young Master is a little… no, a person prone to rather extreme assumptions…”

“Haruomi, what is the meaning of that!”

“It means exactly what he said, you idiot!”

Mina-san retorted to the dissatisfied Yukinojo-san with a bright red face.

Hmm, even so, so this is what kind of person Yukinojo-san was.

I thought he was similar to Jairo-kun, but maybe he’s different after all.

“Anyway, such things do not matter right now! Fight me, Rex!”

…It seems I won’t be able to persuade him.

In my previous life and the one before that, there were people who wouldn’t listen to others like this too.

But he is technically Mina-san’s client… what should I do.

“Haaah, whatever. Just do it, Rex.”

“Eh? Is it fine to just do it?”

Mina-san tells me to fight while letting out a sigh.

“This idiot won’t give up until it’s settled anyway. In that case, it’s better to just let him experience some pain quickly and cool his head.”

“Hahaha! As expected of Mina! You understand me well! However, the one who will win is me!”

Just as Mina-san says, the atmosphere seems to leave no option but to fight, but…

“If possible, it would be a great help if you could avoid injuring him… Haaah.”

Haruomi-san, having given up, let out a large sigh and looked down.

No, by not looking at the scene unfolding before him, he’s basically saying he’ll pretend the upcoming commotion never happened from the start…

“Now, step outside, Rex!”

Saying that, Yukinojo-san has already gone out to the garden and is waiting for me.

“It can’t be helped, I suppose…”

Now that it’s come to this, it seems I have no choice but to face him.

Going down to the garden and standing a little distance away from Yukinojo-san, he readied his sword, so to match him, I also readied my sword while keeping it sheathed in its scabbard.

Because I can’t injure the client, after all.

“Do you intend to defeat me without drawing your sword from its scabbard?”

“That is my intention.”

If you draw a sword against a noble, even if it’s a match that won’t take their life, there’s a risk of them finding fault with it later.

In that case, even if it’s a bit disadvantageous, it’s better to fight with it kept in the scabbard from the start.

Considering Yukinojo-san’s personality, it doesn’t seem like he’d do something like that, but I don’t know about his vassals.

Or rather, in my previous life, I got dragged into troublesome matters because of that.

I need to make sure I don’t repeat the mistakes of my past life.

“Then here I come, my rival in love! Taaaaaah!!”

Yukinojo-san charges at me with sword in hand.

Since he at least learned martial arts, his movements were masterful.

However, perhaps because he was weakened by the poison, his movements were so sluggish that it was hard to believe he was someone who had received warrior training.

“Umm… Ei!”

Timing a counter to match the weakened Yukinojo-san’s movements was extremely easy, and my single strike landed cleanly on Yukinojo-san.

“Gwaaaaaaah!?”

“Y-Young Masterrrrr!”

Taking a perfect counter, Yukinojo-san easily flew back, and noticing that, Haruomi-san hurriedly raised his head and rushed to look after the fallen Yukinojo-san.

“Okay, the winner is Rex~. It’ll be quiet for a while with this.”

Hmm, for it to connect this cleanly, maybe I should have at least waited until the effects of the poison were completely gone.

But they were the ones who challenged me to a fight…

“Umm, was this really okay?”

Because it was such an unconvincing conclusion, I became worried if it was really okay to make it my win.

“It’s fine. No matter the reason, he challenged you to a duel without checking his opponent’s ability or preparing for battle. Taking it all together, it’s Yukinojo’s fault. Besides, Rex, you won without drawing your sword from its scabbard. If he grumbles about this, that would truly be a disgrace. He’s a guy whose pride is at least high, so you don’t need to worry about that.”

W-Was this really okay… I wonder?