—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Xrecker
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Perhaps because he had met me once before in Hamburg, alongside his daughter Rachel, the Margrave let me into his study without much resistance.
He offered me a cup of freshly brewed black tea.
“So, mage of the Hero’s party, care to explain why you’re sneaking around like a thief at this late hour?”
I looked at the tea he offered, then placed it on the table.
I spoke frankly,
“Please, help us. Our party is in grave danger.”
The Margrave, as if expecting this, nodded grimly.
“Tell me what happened, and I’ll decide.”
The bait was taken. Without missing a beat, I launched into my carefully crafted lie.
“Our party was nearing the Demon Lord’s castle when the Hero was poisoned by Mephisto, one of the Four Heavenly Kings. While he might recover with enough rest, we were forced to make a choice: to retreat or to press on, even with the Hero weakened. We couldn’t abandon him, so we chose to retreat.”
“And that’s why you came to me?”
“You, the Margrave of Hamburg, Rachel’s father, are the only one nearby who can help us.”
I handed him the letter I had shown him through the window.
“This is a letter from your daughter. Please, read it.”
The contents, of course, were exactly as I had written them.
*“To my dearest father,
I can’t even remember the last time I saw you.
I’m completely isolated in this foreign land.
While searching for a way to survive, my companions and I discovered a secret passage leading to the Demon Lord’s castle.
I’m writing this letter to inform you of this discovery, but since I have no way to deliver it myself, our party’s mage has agreed to carry it for me.
He is trustworthy, so please believe what is written in this letter.
If you raise an army and attack the Demon Lord’s castle, we can finally put an end to this long and arduous war.
I pray for your victory every night.
Your loving daughter, Rachel von Hamburg.”*
“Hmm… this is definitely Rachel’s handwriting.”
The Margrave muttered, stroking his pointed beard.
“How is my daughter? Is she safe?”
“Yes, thankfully, everyone except the Hero is unharmed. We’re currently hiding in a safe house near the Vulcan Mountains, waiting for my return. We need to get out of there as soon as possible.”
“…How can I help?”
“We need an antidote for the Hero’s poison and about a hundred strong and swift soldiers. If news of the Hero’s condition leaks, the Demon Lord’s agents might come after us. We need to move him from the safe house to Hamburg as quickly and safely as possible.”
“That can be arranged. I can mobilize my personal troops under the guise of a training exercise.”
I confirmed the most important detail.
“You’ll lead them personally?”
“I suppose I should. You came here secretly to minimize the number of people who know about this, didn’t you? News of the Hero’s condition would cause unrest within the kingdom.”
“Thank you for your understanding.”
“…But Rachel’s letter doesn’t mention the Hero being poisoned. Why is that?”
“She probably didn’t want to worry you. No child wants to burden their parents with their troubles.”
“Hmm, that’s true. Rachel is a good daughter.”
Thankfully, the doting father accepted my explanation without question.
“Then I’ll have everything prepared by tomorrow. Where should we meet?”
I thought for a moment.
“If you could be stationed about ten kilometers east of Hamburg’s east gate at 10 AM tomorrow, I’ll find you. I can use flight magic, so I should be able to spot a group of that size from the air.”
“Alright, we’ll do that.”
I finished the lukewarm tea and placed the empty cup on the table.
“Thank you for the tea.”
“You’re welcome. It’s been a while since I’ve offered my personal blend to a guest.”
The Margrave smiled wryly and extended his hand.
“Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Indeed.”
I shook his hand.
While I wanted to talk more, it was best to keep our meeting brief to avoid being seen.
I climbed back out the window and onto the roof, just as I had entered.
With the groundwork laid, I reactivated my invisibility spell and slipped away from the Margrave’s residence.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The next day.
I had returned to the inn before dawn and taken a short nap, but I still felt groggy as I ate breakfast.
It seemed I had successfully deceived the Margrave.
Having overcome the biggest hurdle, all that remained was to lure him out and kill him.
I chewed on the sausages, adding bacon, ham, and a fried egg to my bread.
My hands moved busily, just as they had yesterday.
Gotta eat to live.
It had been a while since I enjoyed such a civilized meal, and I savored every bite, knowing it might be a while before I had another opportunity.
The food at the fortress was… lacking. I couldn’t expect much from mass-produced meals, but I definitely preferred richer, more flavorful food.
“Ugh.”
After a hearty breakfast, I returned to my room to pack.
I had to leave by 10 AM to meet the Margrave.
I filled my bag with the supplies I had unpacked last night, put on my black robe for disguise, and pulled the hood low over my face.
I went downstairs and returned the room key.
“We look forward to your next visit.”
I waved dismissively at the innkeeper’s customary farewell and stepped out into the bright morning sun.
“Haaaa…”
It was a refreshing morning.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
I retrieved Gold Run from the stables and rode out of the city through the east gate, heading towards the designated meeting point east of Hamburg.
The endless expanse of white snow was almost blinding.
I put on the sunglasses I had created with transmutation magic and, letting Gold Run choose the path, enjoyed the scenery.
As we rode through the snowy plains, I noticed figures moving in the distance.
There was no need to use flight magic after all.
There was only one reason for such a large group to be out and about this early in the morning.
Instead of approaching them directly, I tethered Gold Run to a nearby tree.
I couldn’t guarantee his safety if a fight broke out, and I couldn’t walk all the way back to the fortress.
“Graze here for a while. I’ll be back soon.”
“Neigh!”
Gold Run, as if understanding my words, nodded vigorously and began munching on the sparse vegetation poking through the snow.
Now then…
It was time.
I didn’t have any personal animosity towards the Margrave, but his death would greatly benefit both the Demon Lord and Dorothea.
It was a win-win situation.
I pondered the best way to lure him into a trap and began walking towards the Margrave’s group.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
