Published: September 10, 2025
There are some slightly gory expressions in this chapter. Please be cautious if you are eating or are sensitive to such content.
This is Satou. Why is it that when you meet someone from your hometown abroad, you automatically feel affectionate toward them? Perhaps it’s because talking to someone who speaks the same language brings a sense of comfort?
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"What a glamorous townscape."
"Yes, I never get tired of looking at the clothes people wear as they stroll down the streets."
As Ms. Zena and Liza mentioned, many ordinary people walking the streets in the Imperial Capital of the Weasel Empire wear dazzling clothes.
Of course, the laboring class dresses plainly, but they seem to be in good health.
"We have arrived. You will stay in this mansion until the audience with His Majesty."
The place Lady Ritdilt guided us to was the Weasel Empire’s reception hall.
According to the map, there are dormitories and mansions nearby where reincarnators and transferees live, so this is quite convenient.
When the carriage entered the entrance, the gatekeeper noticed and shouted our arrival throughout the courtyard.
It seems Lady Ritdilt had not sent an advance envoy.
From behind the servants hastily lining up at the front door, a Weaselfolk man dressed like a civil official appeared.
"Lady Ritdilt, are you the envoy from the Shiga Kingdom?"
"—Why are you from the Ministry of Internal Affairs here?"
Lady Ritdilt showed open hostility toward the gentle Weaselfolk man.
According to the AR display, he is not only an official of the Ministry of Internal Affairs but also belongs to the department overseeing domestic internal audits.
No wonder his level is a high 39 for a bureaucrat, and his scout-type skills are well developed.
"I will take over as your caretaker from here. Lady Ritdilt has received a message from the commander to 'Report immediately to the Palace Knights (Templar Knights).'"
"Th-the commander...?"
Lady Ritdilt's face paled at the official’s words.
Could it be that coming to Dejima Island by airship was not by top-level orders after all?
"Unavoidable. I leave this to you. Lord Kuro, I will come later to hear the promised story about Sir Pendragon. Don’t forget!"
With those words, Lady Ritdilt ran off.
I had already told her quite a bit about my background during the journey, but perhaps she still had other questions?
Ms. Zena looked like she wanted to ask something, but it would be bad to do so here, so I decided to postpone it.
"Nice to meet you, envoy. I am Dorg from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Weasel Empire."
"I am Kuro, the envoy of the Shiga Kingdom. I would like to know the schedule for the meeting with the Emperor."
I asked the official while consciously acting like Kuro.
"The audience is scheduled for three days from now. Until then, please feel free to relax at the reception hall or explore the Imperial Capital. We will assign guards well-versed in the city to accompany you, so please request them if you need guidance."
Hmm, guards, huh? Within the map’s range of search, skilled agents of similar skill types as this official are lurking, so I suspect the guards assigned to us are decoys meant to lower our guard.
"Thank you for your kindness."
I said so and moved to the assigned room.
The guards were said to come later to greet us.
Once we were alone, I set up an anti-espionage barrier.
"Alright, this will prevent any leaks of our conversation—"
I turned to face Ms. Zena.
"—Ah, um?"
"You wanted to say something earlier, didn’t you?"
When I asked, Zena’s face turned bright red.
—Huh?
I thought maybe she sensed something suspicious about Lady Ritdilt.
"I'll go make some tea."
Without waiting for a response, Liza stood up and headed toward a pot in the back of the room.
Apparently, that pot was a type of magical artifact.
"Well, um… I got jealous."
—Jealous?
"I thought maybe Lady Ritdilt likes Satou-san too."
"That’s not the case. Lady Ritdilt is a person devoted purely to martial arts. She is definitely gathering information to challenge you to a rematch."