Chapter 393: (The Scout) Former Thief Who Doesn't Want to Be King 3
"Ah! It's the soldier-sama!"
"Thank you for saving us, soldier-sama!"
"Soldier-samaー!"
Zydeo and his company were walking through the garden, waving at the children who had come to evacuate, with smiles on their faces.
However, only the female knight, Negamen, couldn't force a smile and had a grim expression.
She's an excellent knight, skilled in both literary and martial arts, but she's fatally bad at concealing her emotions.
Negamen, after confirming that there was no one else around, sighed, still frowning, and addressed Zydeo.
"Your Highness."
"Yeah?"
"That 'I'll come again'... is unacceptable. Please do not interact with him any further."
She whispered, discreetly.
Making sure no one else could hear her.
Rubbing her stomach, Negamen began her scolding.
"Why not?"
"It'll invite unnecessary speculation."
"He's going to start 'recuperation', right? It's normal for relatives to visit. If we leave him alone, he might 'die of illness'."
"...Many soldiers died... because of him."
Her voice was subdued.
Zydeo finally stopped walking and turned around.
And then, he looked into the eyes of Negamen, who was slightly shorter than him.
Anger was burning in them.
But...
Zydeo, looking straight into her eyes.
Accepting her anger...
...Didn't change his mind.
"...I'm not saying... I want to forgive him or anything. But... I'm his senior."
"Senior?"
"Didn't you hear? I was originally... a thief."
"............"
"We're both people who strayed from the right path. That old man... and I."
"............"
"That's why I'll at least listen to him. As his senior."
Zydeo chuckled.
"I don't want to live a life... where I pretend I don't know that old man... and just live comfortably on my own."
Seeing his smile, Negamen opened her mouth slightly... and blushed a little.
But she quickly regained her composure, and shook her head sadly.
"Are you planning to... treat all criminals that way, Your Highness... from now on?"
"............"
Zydeo couldn't immediately answer.
He frowned, put his hand on his forehead, closed his eyes, and thought for a while.
"...Sorry."
He could only mutter that.
"Your Highness. You mustn't apologize."
"Ah... yeah, you're right..."
They started walking again.
Their footsteps were heavy.
"...However, as I mentioned earlier, Duke Daychib has not committed any crimes. So I will definitely convey your feelings... to my father... Prime Minister Bokji."
"Ah... Thanks."
Zydeo looked up at the sky.
The autumn sky, cloudless.
A single creature, resembling a dragonfly with six wings, was flying there.
Freely.
Blissfully.
(I'm really... not cut out to be a king...)
Zydeo sighed deeply, voicing his weakness in his mind.
In the first place, he didn't choose to stay in this country.
To be honest, he still wanted to go on a journey with the hero.
Torch, the hero who's straightforward, but sometimes gets carried away.
And Chiron, the bright but careless, slightly violent priestess.
He was worried about them.
But to bring order to this country, which has been thrown into chaos by the Demon Lord's army, they needed a figurehead that people could easily rally around.
And even Chiron, through the Holy Goddess, received a divine oracle.
Simply put, it was an oracle that said, 'Become king'.
Zydeo had no choice but to stay.
(Just a few more years...)
But Zydeo didn't intend to remain king of this country forever.
He'll wait a few more years, and when the preparations are complete... he'll perform a ritual and return the throne to the Earth God, Necondnerun, the patron deity of this country.
This ritual... the 'Ceremony of Abdication'... its existence is stipulated in the covenant between the gods and the royal family.
If the king performs it of his own volition, a new, suitable bloodline will be recognized by the gods as the royal family.
"............"
Zydeo glanced at Negamen's face.
This female knight is following him, looking pained and apologetic.
She also knows that Zydeo has no interest in the throne, and she feels sorry that they're forced to bind him to it.
But she has to watch over him, so she's also in a difficult position.
Knowing that, Zydeo doesn't want to do anything that would lower her opinion of him.
Prime Minister Bokji probably assigned Negamen to him because he saw through Zydeo's personality.
That man is not just a tired old man...
(Well... I guess I'll just... try my best...!)
Zydeo took a deep breath and lightly slapped his own cheeks.
...And.
It was at that moment!
BOOM!!
An explosion sound echoed from the east.
"...Again?"
Zydeo stopped and turned towards the east, without panicking.
This explosion came from Mihabyushira Hill.
Even after falling to the ground after the massive explosion, this hill, which was floating in the air until just a while ago, continued to explode intermittently.
So this explosion was just one of many... and Zydeo and the others were already used to it.
...But this explosion...
...There was one thing... different from the previous explosions.
It's that a certain object... happened to be... blown towards the royal castle.
And that certain object is...
"...Hmm?"
Whirrrrrrrr...
It flew straight towards Zydeo's head, making that sound.
"Whoa!?"
Zydeo dodged it just in time.
What landed with a thud on the spot where he had been standing a few seconds ago, embedding itself in the ground!
...Was a fist-sized, white jewel...!
"Ah!?"
Negamen, seeing the jewel, shouted, her face pale!
She's the daughter of a Marquis in this country and received a high level of education!
So she saw this white, beautiful jewel, and instantly recognized its true nature!
"T-This jewel! It's... the 'Divine Jewel of Ashgo', the sacred treasure of our country that was said to be lost, passed down through generations of kings, isn't it!?"
"Whatーーー!?"
"Secure itーーー!!"
At Negamen's words, the surrounding soldiers stirred and started making a commotion!
Yes, this Divine Jewel...
...Is the same Divine Jewel... that was taken away by the tyrant's son, sank into the sea, drove the barnacle mad, was picked up by the giant sea serpent, ended up in Emi's hands, was thrown by her, and brought down the aerial fortress!
After piercing and destroying the aerial fortress's power source, this Divine Jewel, with its momentum, embedded itself in the outer wall of the aerial fortress and stopped moving.
And then, it was blown all the way here... by this explosion!
"H-Hey...?"
Ignoring the confused Zydeo, the excitement around him continued to grow!
"For the Divine Jewel to return... at this timing...!"
"Can such a coincidence... be possible!?"
"No, it's not!! This is not a coincidence!!"
"W-Wait, wait, you guys... calm down..."
Onlookers gathered, and a crowd quickly formed!
Zydeo tried to calm them down, but their enthusiasm was uncontrollable!
"This is divine will!!"
"Indeed, indeed!"
"The gods also want His Highness to be king!!"
"""""UOOOOOOOOOH!!!"""""
"T-That's not true! Wait, I said, calm down...!"
"Let's toss His Highness in the airーーー!!"
"""""UOOOOOOOOOH!!!"""""
"S-Stop iiiit!?"
And so...
...The coronation ceremony of this new king, Zydeo, was a grand celebration...
...And Ashgo was in an uproar.
Zydeo, because of his background, wasn't very good at politics.
But he's intelligent, compassionate, has a strong sense of justice, and listens well to others.
And, in the end, he became a good king, loved by the people.
Always complaining, "I want to quit, I want to quit"...
...But in the end, he ended up being king... for quite a long time.
This concludes this side story.
But before we get to the epilogue, please let me do one more thing.