Absolutely Do Not Touch ELdmia Egga – Chapter 139

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Yuziro
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Once a course of action was decided, it was imperative to act immediately.

After paying Zikmel for the information, we hurriedly left the shop and headed straight for the noble’s quarter.

However, since it didn’t feel right to go with a tail on us, Asirye decided to take care of it this time.

“Be careful, sis.”

“Don’t worry. I’m good at this.”

With a confident look, Asirye separated from me, pulled up her hood, and quickly disappeared into the crowd.

It went without saying that the dignity and skill of an elf who had lived for over a hundred years were not to be underestimated.

After parting ways with Asirye, I strolled through the streets, pondering once again whether I could truly receive help from Duke Lesrom.

All wyverns in the kingdom were supposed to be under the management of the royal family.

However, that only meant that wyverns could only be managed at designated wyvern stations and breeding centers designated by royal decree.

Most people could use them if they paid the corresponding price.

After all, wyverns were just another form of transportation.

Among them, some high-ranking nobles had the right to rent wyverns to any location they desired, even outside the designated wyvern stations in case of emergencies.

Of course, this wasn’t possible without putting their family name on the line or having a valid reason recognized by a permit stamped with the royal seal, but it was possible.

Naturally, a duke would have enough pull to rent a wyvern under his name.

He just couldn’t use it like a personal vehicle.

That was why I was seeking out Duke Lesrom, even though I wasn’t thrilled about it.

If his words were true, and he intended to serve the kingdom and prevent rebellion, it would be possible to entrust him with renting a wyvern and handling Count Bosha’s rebel boot camp.

Of course, I couldn’t openly tell the wyvern pilot at the station that I was going to kill a mercenary group, so the rental would be for Gies and his wyvern.

Since wyvern pilots and wyverns were under the jurisdiction and property of the royal family within the kingdom, even if they had been missing for nearly two years on the surface, they were still included in the aforementioned story.

…They should be included.

It would be a hassle if they weren’t.

“Halt. This is the noble’s quarter, which is not open to ordinary citizens. Please state your business.”

While I was experiencing a mix of admiration and embarrassment, I arrived at the entrance of the noble’s quarter, where I was greeted by a guard displaying disciplined movements.

The halberds, crossed in an X-shape from both sides as if they were in sync, reminded me of the precise sword movements of an honor guard, proving that these were not just some haphazardly trained private soldiers.

“I have come to see His Excellency, Duke Lesrom.”

“Do you have a prior appointment?”

“No.”

A shadow of doubt began to fall over his stern face.

Of course, that would be the case.

If I, who looked like nothing more than an adventurer, suddenly said I wanted to meet the duke, I would look like a madman.

However, the guard, without showing any sign of disapproval, uttered an extremely reasonable statement without losing his courtesy, which made me admire him.

“I apologize, but without a scheduled appointment, it is difficult to even convey your message unless there are special circumstances regarding your business or status.”

I’ve been seeing so many abnormal things that I got moved by a normal reaction.

Still, judging by his reaction, it seemed Duke Lesrom was indeed inside.

“Could you please inform him that I have urgent matters to discuss regarding the boar hunt? If it is difficult to speak directly to His Excellency, please inform his representative, Sir Ruserik, that Eldmia Egga has come with a request.”

At that moment, the guard standing silently next to him flinched.

He moved so obviously that I couldn’t help but shift my gaze, but he didn’t seem to have any other intentions and was just staring into space.

His gaze seemed a bit unstable, though… Maybe it was just my imagination?

“…I understand. Please wait here for a moment.”

Unlike him, the guard I was talking to simply nodded and approached another guard inside to relay the message.

If only the guards at the temporary detention center had been so formal, no one would have died.

As I stood there idly watching, Ruserik soon appeared, looking just as composed as last time.

“Welcome, Sir Eldmia Egga. We welcome your visit.”

“Thank you for your hospitality despite my sudden visit, Sir Ruserik…?”

I greeted him according to etiquette and raised my head, only to find Ruserik, whose composure was nowhere to be seen, looking like he had just witnessed something that defied the natural order of the world.

Why are you making that face?

“Ahem, ahem. This way, please. His Excellency, Duke Lesrom, is waiting for you.”

What a reaction to someone who was just acting according to etiquette.

Anyone would think a barbarian had just greeted him according to court etiquette.

Perhaps realizing that he had failed to manage his expression, Ruserik turned around a bit hastily and guided me inside.

“That person was the guillotine?”

“I wondered what kind of monster he was, but his size is extraordinary.”

That was all well and good, but unlike last time, I couldn’t help but feel quite flustered by the stares I was receiving from all around.

Why were they treating a person like an execution device?

Reading my confusion, Ruserik cleared his throat lightly and quietly explained.

“The reactions around you may be different from your last visit, but please understand. The incident at the temporary detention center spread by word of mouth faster than expected…”

It was unfair that he was using facts to argue, so I had nothing to say.

Ruserik quickened his pace a bit more than usual, as if to help me escape the stares.

Upon entering the office under his guidance, Duke Lesrom greeted me with a friendly demeanor that didn’t match his appearance, as usual.

“You’ve come sooner than I expected. Did you enjoy our conversation that much?”

It was awkward at first, but when I thought about it, this was actually a normal reaction.

I was, after all, a talent who had saved an empress and defeated a hero.

Wasn’t it a very short-sighted attitude to openly antagonize him just because he was under a royalist noble, or to immediately try to recruit him despite not even knowing him?

It would be a perfectly normal and sensible action to try and build a good rapport with me first, like Duke Lesrom was doing.

It just seemed like there were more abnormal people in the world.

“Honestly, I didn’t want to see you twice, but things turned out this way again.”

Of course, I didn’t want to go along with that, so I acted rudely, but Duke Lesrom was formidable.

“Hahaha. That’s understandable. Things don’t always go as planned. However, it’s a very good thing to be able to act according to necessity at such a young age. Please, sit. I hope you can enjoy your tea in peace this time.”

He always treated me with such courtesy that it made me, who considered him an adversary, feel particularly uncomfortable.

Moreover, seeing him skillfully preparing to serve tea, I couldn’t even refuse this time.

Why was this old man always trying to serve me tea so annoyingly?

Just how much did he love tea?

“So, you said you had something to discuss regarding the boar hunt? If you deal with it in the same manner as two days ago, no one will question your actions… but since you came here today, I assume it’s not about that.”

The moment I sat down, the sofa felt like a bed of nails.

“You’re… very well-informed.”

“Of course. I have to be. Otherwise, I won’t be able to deal with the parasites that are eating away at the kingdom. It’s tiring work, and it costs a lot of money.”

Was he employing someone so skilled that neither Asirye nor I could detect them to follow me around?

Did he know everything I had done, from dealing with Baron Rubila to the slave traders?

My doubts didn’t last long.

“You handled the matter with Baron Rubila very well. Young people your age often lack prudence, but you finished it cleanly. Did you know that he was secretly raising wyverns for the kingdom?”

“…No. That’s news to me.”

“Tomorrow, based on the testimony of the wyvern pilot, we plan to raid him under the guise of tracking his rebellious activities. Originally, he would have gone into hiding under his initiative, but… now he can’t do anything but be impounded.”

“Isn’t that good news for the Royalists? You seem… very pleased.”

Carrying the tea and teacups with a flawless appearance, Duke Lesrom sat across from me with a dignified motion and spoke firmly.

“It’s not good news for the Royalists, but good news for the kingdom.”

These were two different things.

With a smile, Duke Lesrom stroked his chin and continued.

“The same goes for the slaves. It might seem like I don’t care unless they’re citizens of the kingdom, but our country has had a long-standing maritime trade relationship with the Kingdom of Ladan, where slavery is deeply involved in the national foundation. We can’t openly deny their system, so we maintain a form of acknowledging foreign slaves. It’s a matter of the higher-ups, you see.”

Damn it.

He knew everything.

I unconsciously made a face like I had chewed on something unpleasant.

“Of course, from the kingdom’s perspective, those who falsely sell our citizens as slaves must be severely punished. But if we take a hard line, we might unintentionally offend the slave traders of the Kingdom of Ladan. On the other hand, if we start an investigation half-heartedly, they’ll slip away easily. It’s much more convenient for someone like you, with no connections, to sweep them away cleanly and bring back the evidence. ‘It wasn’t our intention, but it turned out this way, so just accept it. We have the evidence, don’t we?'”

Even for a duke, how could he obtain such accurate information so thoroughly?

If a duke had this much, what level was the royal family’s intelligence network?

It didn’t feel like it could be explained just by saying Duke Lesrom is competent.

“Have you put a tail on me?”

“Of course not. Didn’t I say so during your last visit? Whatever happens after you leave the noble’s quarter has nothing to do with the will of the noble’s quarter.”

“Yet you’re aware of everything I’ve done.”

“I know as much as His Majesty the King knows.”

Shrugging his shoulders and answering casually while pouring the tea, Duke Lesrom’s words made me momentarily repeat them in my mind without thinking, and then a sudden realization struck me.

“Do you have people in the royal intelligence agency?”

Wasn’t that treason…?

While I was frozen, unsure of how to react, Duke Lesrom, for the first time, flinched and waved his hands frantically.

“My young friend, you have such a terrifying imagination. I simply asked His Majesty to provide me with information directly.”

“Ah, directly… Wait, directly?”

What did I just hear?

The head of the Noble faction was receiving information directly from His Majesty the King?

As I stared at him with a dumbfounded expression, Duke Lesrom took a sip of his tea and nodded lightly in affirmation.

“I told you, didn’t I? As long as you are a Royalist, we can maintain a good relationship.”

With an awfully calm demeanor for someone who had just dropped a bombshell, Duke Lesrom smiled.

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