Their trip back to the Capital was actually longer than Tatsumi had anticipated. Halfway through it, he admitted to himself that he had pretty much underestimated the size of this whole Kingdom. It didn't help that much of the trip was spent on the rigid saddle of a horse, where the constant bumpy movement was making his butt ache for the comfort of a soft, feather bed.
Many times he wondered if he should just bite the bullet and tell Gazef that he wanted to hoof it alone with just Incursio, or that he'd just hire himself out for a few jobs to afford hiring an actual wagon to use. Now granted, it would still be an awfully bumpy ride, but it would be an improvement over riding on horseback behind one of Gazef's soldiers.
He was only able to endure it because of his commitment to his duty, of finding a way back to familiar places, and of ultimately returning to the side of his comrades of Night Raid. That punching bastard had sent him here through the use of his teigu, and he would be damned if he ended up stranded here, permanently, by that goon.
And it was not like he could put the blame on Gazef taking the scenic roundabout route. After an explanation using their maps, Tatsumi saw that Gazef really was was making a beeline straight back towards the Capital City; bypassing many common roads and pathways when he judged it necessary. He explained his haste to him when they were encamped, as they sat by a bonfire with his men.
"I hope to apprise His Majesty immediately of the attacks on Carne and the other villages," he said. "The truth of it, I mean. And if there is some sort of conspiracy unfolding within the Kingdom, then my place is at His Majesty's side. And then there is this." The crystal that had been acquired from the enemy was in Gazef's personal possession, ostensibly to prevent temptation from his men but also as a means of safeguarding them from any ill effects.
"Can you not send word through… magic?" Tatsumi asked doubtfully.
"I certainly could," Gazef admitted. "But if this conspiracy runs deep then I could not trust anyone else with this news." He snorted. "Not that it helps, really. They might have already known through their own magical network. Still, they'd be hard-pressed to know the details since we cut down all of them down to the last man."
"And they were men of this… Slaine Theocracy," Tatsumi pointed out, his brows furrowed in thought. "Going off the assumption that these people had covert dealings with… elements of your Kingdom or whoever it is, then they would know by now that their plans had been disrupted somehow. They might even know that it had failed."
"I cannot discount that entirely," Gazef said, staring at him with surprise and admiration in his eyes. "You seem to be quite familiar with these… aspects of covert work, Tatsumi. Dare I wonder if you are experienced with this sort of work?"
He rubbed his head, trying to laugh off the (astute) observation with a light-hearted statement. "Nah, I've just been told that I've got a sharp mind. A nosy mind, too."
Gazef made a humming sound, but said nothing more about the subject. The man was unusually sharp, for a self-proclaimed "career warrior who disdained the cloak and dagger games". But he supposed a man could not have risen to the Warrior-Captain's current rank by being stupid.
During the trip, Gazef had been feeding Tatsumi information about the state of these lands where he had unwittingly arrived. Tatsumi made sure to soak up every little piece of information like a sponge. He considered it a very important part of intelligence gathering, even if he wasn't actively working for Night Raid at the moment. There was no way of knowing when he could find such a ready source of information in the future, especially for one who was uniquely placed in the hierarchy of this nation. In Night Raid's parlance, he was a high-value informant. Still, Tatsumi had to take every one of Gazef's words with a grain of salt. The man would certainly be biased, especially when the subject concerned his master the King.
"My Master is King Ramposa III, and he rules over the Re-Estize Kingdom, a vast section of territory bordered by other nations. His Majesty presides over a land of fertile plains, of bountiful hills, serene rivers and thick forests, and a few mountains here and there. It is a vast land; I am told it has the greatest size among all the human nations. You recall the map, Tatsumi?"
"Yeah." In his mind, he conjured the image of the Kingdom on the map. If he were to hazard a guess, it was not actually as big as the Empire where he was from, but he couldn't really say if his assumption was accurate just from eyeballing a map. That would just depend on how long it would take to reach this capital city, as he had marked out where Carne was and where the Capital was supposedly going to be. He would then count the number of days one could cross that distance by horseback, give or take a couple of days spent stopping to rest the horses or themselves, which was a necessary part of their journey.
"You will note that we border a lot of nations on all sides. That has been the truth ever since the Kingdom's founding, a century or so in the past." Gazef's face turned a little grim as he stared into the twitching, hissing fire. "Of all these nations, we may consider the one to the east, the Baharuth Empire, as our great rival."
"Rival, huh?"
Gazef nodded. "It sounds ludicrous, but every year the Re-Estize Kingdom and the Baharuth Empire declares war on each other. Every year we make war on a certain plan to the north of here. We fight, and we win or we lose. And whether we win or we lose, nothing much changes. We're forced to pay a huge sum, or receive said sum in turn. A whole lot of people die from each battle. The war ends and then we return home and wait the whole year for the next war. And so on it goes."
"A war every year?" Tatsumi asked. It was pretty ludicrous to him as well. "What's the point? Is it a tradition?"
"Well, it's the truth that there is no love lost between our nations," Gazef said. "And that there is a genuine desire from either side to triumph over the other. But over time there was an unspoken agreement from both sides that just engaging in an outright war would be ruinous to both. It did reach that point sometime in the past; and that was before my time. Therefore, the solution was to make a game of it. A sordid piece of ritual, every year, to whet the appetites of those who seek blood, while minimizing the costs in lives and wargear as much as possible."
He shook his head. These people certainly had strange customs. But at least they didn't sound as bad as the Empire was. He didn't know exactly what to think of a nation who would so easily send their people to die, if only to stop from spending too much of their lives in the first place. But if one looked at it a certain way, these were soldiers who had taken up the sword to do that duty like himself, to prevent people like Enri Emmot from having to face the horrors of warfare at all. It was distasteful to him, but he "got" it.
"Can there not be some sort of peace treaty?" Tatsumi wondered out loud.
Gazef looked at him with surprise. "Despite my profession, I do consider myself a man of peace," he replied. "But the decision to make a permanent peace of it… well, that would be for minds in a higher position than mine. I may stand at the King's side, but it is not as if I have his ear. I am but his loyal Shield."
For all that he had lots to say about the whole thing, Tatsumi didn't really press too hard on the matter. He could sense that the topic wasn't really something that could be discussed lightly. And he didn't want to delve too much into anything heavy: not when he hadn't formed his own opinion of the whole place yet.
Other than the nations themselves, Tatsumi also inquired into the King of the nation, who was Gazef's direct boss. If there was anyone who could be counted on to give an opinion about the King, it would certainly be the person who was working closely with them. And Tatsumi did recognize that this opinion would necessarily be biased, but it was a start.
"King Ramposa's been a ruler for quite a long time now," Gazef said, during another conversation at camp. "In his youth he was known as a great conqueror, but he also was the one who helped formalize the yearly ritual of war with the Empire. Now he's been getting on in years, and isn't the brave King who led the Kingdom to many victories anymore.
"He's got several children: there's Barbro, the Crown Prince, then the Princess Margot, and after her is Prince Zanac, and after her is the lovely Princess Renner, who is said to be the most beautiful woman in the land."
"Is she the most beautiful?" Tatsumi asked with a smile. He'd seen plenty a pretty face in the past, but he couldn't really say he would be as moved by them as Lubbock would.
Gazef chuckled. "She is fair to look at, certainly, and I have heard rumors of the many suitors that are aiming for her hand. But just between you and me, I think those suitors are only angling to get a Princess for a wife, now that Margot's been married. Though it doesn't seem as if Princess Renner's chosen a husband yet."
He then returned to speaking about the King. "Now I know what you might be thinking. He's the guy who's keeping me and my men fed. So I wouldn't speak a bad word against him. Well, I will tell you or anyone else to their face, that they're wrong. Age has only deepened the good king's wisdom, in my opinion. And any decisions he's made has always been to benefit his people—that is to say, the commonfolk and the others in the Kingdom who are not part of the nobility. Yours truly, for example."
"Oh really? You're not a noble?" Tatsumi asked, a little surprised. He would have expected such a man to be afforded a noble title.
He shook his head. "The title is not one that confers nobility by itself. But traditionally, it's been given to someone of noble birth who fits the qualities." Gazef sighed. "And there's one of the proofs about the King's nature. He was willing to make enemies of his direct vassals—the great lords and dukes of the land—to appoint me, a simple soldier, as his Shield. A privilege once reserved for those of blue blood… and the King chose me simply because I fit the job."
"That's…" Wise? Brave? Stupid? Tatsumi didn't know what to say. It said something of the King that he was willing to overlook something as superficial as noble blood, but appointing one's favorites also smelled of favoritism. Well, it was not as if Gazef was incompetent; just witnessing him in that battle had shown him the man's skills so he definitely fit the job somehow.
Taking his inability to form a word as some sort of agreement, Gazef nodded sagely. "I'll not deny the man his faults. He's certainly made several of them during his long reign. But he's not a terrible boss, all things considered. Under his leadership, the realm's enjoyed some years of peace and prosperity."
"But what about the yearly wars?" Tatsumi blurted out.
"Well, it's not as if that left many people starving, or homeless," Gazef said. "The burdens only fell on those who gave their lives in his service. There are many who live now who might have fallen to the Empire's blades if war had escalated further. That they continue to live within the Kingdom in relative peace speaks to the strength of His Majesty's rule." Then in an undertone that Tatsumi almost missed hearing, he muttered. "And long may his reign last, give time for that Barbro to grow up."
Tatsumi looked around. They were alone, at least, and there was no one who seemed to be eavesdropping. "Have some reservations about the Crown Prince?"
"It's nothing," Gazef said, waving away with a hand in dismissal. "I would not dare dishonor my service by sullying His Majesty's son in such a way."
"Well, it's only the two of us here," Tatsumi said. "So if there's something you want go get out of your chest…"
Gazef snorted. He shook his head. "… No. I thank you for offering, but I'll leave it at that. Forgive me. Please, pay it no mind, Tatsumi."
From that little bit, he could infer that Gazef did not have a high opinion of the Crown Prince, which meant that the man had seen through to his real nature; and had compared it unfavorably to the present King. It was interesting to remember, but Tatsumi hoped that he would not stay here for long enough to see if Gazef's apprehension would turn out true.
"I must say, I really am looking forward to meeting the King, Gazef," Tatsumi said. "It is… very much an honor. Frankly, I'd never expected it myself." Though he was certainly experienced with meeting people who acted like Kings, so it wasn't like Tatsumi was unprepared. It just meant having to put on airs.
It was rather ironic to him that he was able to arrange a meeting with the ruler of this Kingdom so easily through Gazef. If he were still back home, this would have been considered a considerable coup. He would be able to eliminate Prime Minister Honest and the Emperor in one swift blow, saving lots of time and effort and sparing his friends from risking themselves at all. Most likely he wouldn't survive in the aftermath, but he'd certainly give it a try.
Presently, Gazef clapped him on the shoulder. "I also look forward to introducing you. You are a rare person who has rendered aid without the promise of any reward. To me that speaks of a soul more noble than half the actual nobility in these lands. Would that they all had your spirit."
Later, they would touch upon the topic of the Slaine Theocracy, though it was when they were reviewing the battle on Carne through hindsight. And Tatsumi was still very curious about the magic that seemed more prevalent in these lands: a power perhaps equal to that of a teigu. And unlike the teigu, a lot more people had access to it, if Gazef's words were true.
"Slaine itself is mighty ancient, older even than our own Kingdom. That's all I really know about their history: that they've always been there, our neighbors down south. Nothing much else I can say about them, other than this current unpleasantness."
"Were you ever at war?"
"Before my time? I wouldn't know, sorry. But not as long as I've lived. See, like I said, they're pretty ancient, and I always had the impression they're content to stay in their corner of the world."
"Doesn't stop them from sending out people like those," Tatsumi pointed out with a frown. He didn't have a high opinion of this Theocracy at the moment, owing to what they'd done—or what they'd tried to do—with Carne Village.
"Yes, now that is a mystery," Gazef said, sipping on his drink. "Why had they sought to involve themselves here and now?" He frowned. "… It was risky, and it could lead to outright war, if I reported this."
"… If they do know that their people failed…" Tatsumi started, his mind slowly turning its gears. "This is going to sound bad for you and your men, meaning no offense. They would try any number of things to stop you from telling. Unless…" Unless that had already been a factor. Perhaps they had their own agents in this capital city waiting to take care of Gazef.
Or, to turn the issue on its head: this was just one big operation, and those people had been sacrificed ruthlessly to achieve some goal. Perhaps it did not matter to these conspirators that Gazef returned?
"… 'Tis a dangerous road I walk," Gazef said, though his expression was light. "And all the more reason why I'm pushing for us to return as fast as our horses can manage. It would be far too easy for a noble in their pockets to whisper the wrong word to His Majesty."
"I know my word is worthless, but I shall speak it nonetheless," Tatsumi declared. "If they wish to inquire about the truth, that is."
After a beat, Gazef grinned. "I appreciate it, Tatsumi. Let's hope it doesn't have to come to some sort of inquest. Those are dreadfully boring, worse than any physical torture. The sheer boredom would make me want to carve out my heart with a dagger."
After a few more moments of staring into the fire in silence, Tatsumi then said, "… Going back to this Theocracy, it is clear that they possess considerable portions of this… 'magic'. Does this mean you would have no answer to it? Or do you have magic users of your own?"
Gazef rubbed his chin. "As far as I know we don't have an actual dedicated magic caster arm. But the armies we field every year against Baharuth do have magic casters attached here and there. They're mostly nobles, who have the ability to afford the education of learning magic from scholars and tutors." He wrung his hands. "Sadly, in the Kingdom, if you're poor or don't have noble blood, your opportunities to learn are restricted to learning from tomes and practicing by yourself."
"Is it really that complicated?"
"In a way, yes," Gazef said. "These nobles are able to hire the learned magic casters to be their masters and teach them. And there are only so many of these who are willing to put up with teaching. Subsequently they exact very high fees in exchange for taking up their time. An apprenticeship is almost equal to the cost of a small village, in some cases. And that's if they succeed: I've heard that studying magic is as much effort as devoting oneself to the blade. If one does not have the right mindset, then it is very likely a wasted effort.
"Now that's one reason why the majority of our magic casters here are self-taught. And why they almost always go into the adventuring trade. There's always a demand for adventurers, and the money they earn goes into furthering their education through their own private means. Might even allow them to become apprentices if they save up enough."
"Sounds complicated for them," Tatsumi remarked. "But it is a livelihood."
"Agreed." Tatsumi wondered if he could meet some of these guys and see how they went on with being "amateurs". If one could just learn independently then…
Gazef flexed his fingers and coiled them around the hilt of his sword. "For the majority of others, it is far simpler to take up a weapon and practice. Especially if you're so much of a dullard like myself." He lifted the blade and held it upward, the edge glinting in the light of the bonfire.
He had the opportunity to observe some of Gazef's skill during the trip. During mornings, the man practiced with his sword through a series of sword-dancing drills. Gazef didn't object to his presence in witnessing this; rather, there was even always a small crowd of his men who gathered to watch the man perform his "warrior dance".
At first, Tatsumi saw his movements as completely normal. Then he peppered his phantom strikes with movements that were fast—a little too fast for his normal eyes to see. It was like he was watching a normal person walking, before their form blurred into movement: and suddenly they were already a fair distance away. It was the sort of lightning-quick, superhuman movement that reminded him of Night Raid and their enemies.
Gazef claimed that it wasn't magic.
"It's called Martial Arts," he said once, while wiping off the sweat from his face with a rag. "A special technique that a warrior learns as he continues to perfect his craft. It is the sort of edge we gain that can sometimes go toe-to-toe with magic; and requires perhaps an equal amount of effort and time to achieve." He chuckled. "There is some debate between masters of each craft: whether or not their respective trade is actually harder and so on. Personally I'm leaning towards magic, myself."
"I see." Tatsumi still felt skeptical.
"I'm surprised you don't know of it, Tatsumi," Gazef said. "My instincts are not wrong; you may be young, but you have the look of a seasoned warrior. You have been to many battlefields, or am I wrong?"
Tatsumi thought of the many things he'd done in his youth, to prepare for when he could make a difference in the Empire. And after his best friends had died, he had fought in even more, to make sure that such injustice would never happen again. Yes, he could certainly consider himself a "seasoned warrior", but for the most part he relied on his teigu. In a way, Gazef could be his superior if he was without Incursio.
To Gazef's question, he replied, "… You're right. I can't really deny it."
"And you say you managed to get by without developing a special Martial Art of your own?"
"Perhaps. Or perhaps I do, but I'm keeping it secret." Tatsumi chuckled.
"Mmm…" Gazef stared at him for a few moments before shaking his head. "You are free to your secrets. I dare not call myself a busybody or a spy to try ferreting it out of you. I can only pray you are not some sort of devious assassin, who's been sent to kill the King."
Tatsumi coughed. He didn't know what to even say to that. "I know I can't promise much, but I can say that I have no designs on killing anyone without reason. And if you really doubt me, then you can just drop me off at any of the next town or city that you wish. I want no trouble."
"Bah, it's fine. If your secrets really do amount to something nefarious then let that be a lesson to this old fool. And perhaps…" He sheathed his sword, the weapon making a perfect click. "It would be interesting to match blades with you."
"… Gazef, I know it's not my place to ask, but are you sure you're not really some some bloodthirsty battle maniac?" Tatsumi asked uneasily.
"Tatsumi, this guy fought in the Arwintar Arena several times!" one of his men interjected, having heard his words. "Don't let his gentle expression fool ya!"
Gazef glared at the speaker. "Hey, shut up! I'll have you know that the Arena's the only way to hone your skill if you're not an adventurer or a soldier! Don't call me something tasteless like blood thirsty: instead I'm Battle Ready. Battle. Ready. You clear?"
"Whoa, you're really not denying the allegations huh?" Tatsumi remarked drily, as the small crowd laughed along quietly.
To be perfectly honest, Tatsumi really was interested to see and meet the King of this whole Kingdom. There had been lots of things that Gazef had described about him to raise some questions; but the main impression of the man was that he was at the very least not as tyrannical as the rulers he knew in his own land.
Being experienced with his own Empire, Tatsumi felt that he could sense the misery of a place just by looking at it. The oppressive weight of years living under the corrupt rule of Prime Minister Honest and his cronies had shaded the cities of the Empire a bleak color, like a perpetually cloud day. People lived in fear of everything, of the Danger Beasts being left unchecked, of being conscripted to fight in the army, of catching the attention of some pig of a noble with sinister whims. And despite everything, they still wanted to live. And if they could not find the means to feed themselves, then they resorted to other, evil methods, which added even more to the general misery of the Empire.
The cities of the Re-Estize Kingdom, on the other hand, did not stink of desperation and wretched wills. They looked, for lack of a better term, "clean". Taking a peek into those cities felt like he was back in Carne, only on a much larger scale. The people in here seemed content with their lives. No pall of fear surrounded them. There was nothing that disturbed him, at least, with the glimpses he could see. They sometimes arrived at a town or city in the middle of the day or night, and on either times, Tatsumi didn't feel as if he had walked back into the Empire. There was no obvious stench, no relentless stacks of smoke hovering about everything like a cloud.
Everything was just… normal.
The lands surrounding these cities were also vast and relatively peaceful. They also seemed untamed, and free of roving Danger Beasts or marauding, bloodthirsty bandits. It really looked beautiful to see a pure field of green just stretch out into the horizon as they rode past.
Though, to be fair, when he pointed that out to Gazef, the man told him that there were bandits aplenty in the roads, and that was why they were generally unsafe traveling alone. Each noble had the responsibility to root them out and have them face justice, but it was not as if they could be everywhere at once. Merchants and travelers had to either be good at defending their own or hire adventurers to protect them.
And Tatsumi was also reminded of those creatures he had massacred in the forest all the way back. Who knew if more of those lurked in the forests that he could see?
When Gazef told him that they were nearing the outskirts of the Capital, Tatsumi took the time to tally up the distance in his mind. Comparing it to the map, he was able to estimate the size of the Kingdom as being something close to halfway that of the Empire. It was just as he expected; and yet, it was still significant. And there was the Baharuth Empire and the Slaine Theocracy as well—different nations and yet governing equally large territories. Combined, they may well meet or exceed his Empire's overall size.
After a long, tiring trip riding horseback, Tatsumi, Gazef and his men finally reached the Capital City. And immediately, he could see why it was called the capital of the Re-Estize Kingdom.
For a start, the walls were higher than in any other city they had visited before. They were high enough that he couldn't see the city they protected. It looked like a formidable thing, dotted with towers and ramparts where he could sense men on guard. Its sheer size seemed to reflect its intent and purpose: a deterrent to keep enemies at bay, and a symbol of this Re-Estize Kingdom's power and wealth.
He was not surprised to hear from Gazef that this was not the only wall, that this was merely the "outer wall". The Capital City was said to have been expanded from when it had been a simple castle housed by King Ramposa III's ancestors. The old castle now remained as one of the great bastions within the city, housing the royal garrison which formed the bulk of the city's defense. And then the rest of the city had grown from it, expanding until two more walls were raised: with the inner wall's purpose being to defend the most important districts in the city—including the royal palace where the King dwelled.
At the foot of the wall where the road intersected with the city was a fairly large gate. And right near it, built into the facade of the wall, was a gatehouse manned by guards who were managing the entry and exit of people. Their group passed several wagons driven by different folk as they galloped towards the gatehouse. There was a long line of people who were seemingly waiting to enter the city, but who had to be screened by the guards. And there were a few people departing the same way, back down the road behind them.
Tatsumi was familiar with their entry practices, having experienced it in their other cities already. And just like in those places, Gazef and his group were able to cut in line decisively because of the guy's status as the Warrior-Captain. After a few spoken words to the man in charge, the guards waved him and his companions on, allowing them to enter the city completely and give Tatsumi his first glimpse of the city proper.
The view of the city from the gate was limited, as the angle of the land made it hard for him to guess how far the city extended from their present location. But he did spy a certain large structure in the far distance, estimating it to be about five miles or so away, elevated on a hill. Assuming that the city stretched to that point and thereabouts, that meant that this capital was indeed very large, almost like the Imperial capital itself.
But there was the one difference with these buildings, which he had also observed in the cities they had visited. The buildings themselves looked a little too basic, their architecture very dated, like the ruins where he had fought that bastard with the teigu. He wasn't some savant of history, but he was still able to come to the conclusion that in the land where he came from these buildings belonged to a different age—a past age.
It was like he had come through some quaint little portal into the past.
The clothing that these people wore were also very different; though he didn't know if it was because they looked like they were from a different time or if it was just the way things were. Things like the armor that Gazef and his men wore were understandable, but the simple tunics, trousers and dresses that he saw people wear as they walked the streets were vastly different than that worn by the common people he knew.
And judging from the looks he was attracting, these people seemed to be aware that he was a stranger, just from the clothes he wore. He had on his white jacket strung over a black shirt and a tan under-vest, with black trousers and white boots. Such things were the clothes of the commonfolk back in the Empire, yet the common folk here did double-takes when they caught sight of him.
He sighed; standing out was not how an assassin should do. He'd need to see about finding some more appropriate clothing to blend into the crowd better.
Having seen Tatsumi staring at the building in the distance, Gazef said, "That over there is the Royal Palace, in case you were wondering. That's where the King lives, along with his family."
"All… by himself?" Tatsumi asked, before he could stop himself. That was a stupid thing to even say: of course the King could not live there all by himself!
Yet it seemed as if Gazef did not notice his little slip-up, as he replied, "Well, a few of the nobles in the Nobles' Faction have rooms in the Palace. It's a sort of privilege for them, as you can imagine. Sometimes, due to politics or some other shenanigans, they get removed and another noble sets himself up; but is undeniable that the Palace is the sole domain of King Ramposa and his blood. And as for the rest, well, they have their residences in that district, all along the hill. No less important, of course, but still outside the Palace itself."
Gazef and his group trotted along the cobbled streets, their destination obviously the Palace in the distance. They took quite a while to get there, confirming Tatsumi's assumptions about the city's size. He looked left and right, trying not to look too much curious. Off to the left and right sprang streets that led into different portions of the city, which he assumed were a sizable portion.
Along the way, Gazef pointed out some landmarks for Tatsumi, facts which he desperately gathered up in his head.
"That's the Adventurer's Guild over there. Headquarters of the Re-Estize Branch. You'll probably find the leader, the guildmaster over there." Tatsumi noted the building, and the various people who entered and left it. They looked like an eccentric bunch, each of them wearing armor like Gazef or long cowled robes, reminding him of the Theocracy people. He wondered if these were the people who knew how to use magic.
"Temple district over there. And over to our left is one of the streets leading to the markets. In case you get lost, just follow the sounds of merchants hawking their goods: their chatter can be heard from as far as the Palace sometimes." There were indeed a significant number of wagons leaving and heading in the direction that Gazef indicated, all of which were probably laden with goods.
"We're coming up on the royal district now," Gazef said, many minutes later, as they reached the bottom of the hill leading up to the Palace. Tatsumi had counted no less than five "squares" that they had passed: large, open spaces where crowds of people congregated. And at this time of day there were indeed a whole bunch of them. This city really was huge, and there were a lot of people here.
And even further, they didn't look like they had a huge hammer just ready to slam down onto their heads. Not everyone was wearing a smile, obviously, but neither did they look like they were fearing for their lives. There were raised voices here and there, and sometimes he could spot people with downcast faces. But their expressions could mean any number of things, especially with how everyone else looked. These could just be men who were deep in debt, for example—a common occurrence judging by the chatter he had heard from Gazef's men during camping.
As they started ascending the road that led up to the Royal Palace, Tatsumi could see the difference in the buildings here and in those they had passed. The stone looked more expensive and high-quality, with elaborate sculptures or were gilded handsomely with gold or something similar. Each building they passed was like a mansion unto itself, with copses of trees and long, finely-cut hedges.
Perhaps noting Tatsumi's expression, Gazef said, "It's just as you think. Every residence here belongs to one of the honored nobles, long-time vassals of the Throne. They live in a place wholly separated from the rest of the city, but it's their privilege."
"Privilege…" Tatsumi repeated. The word sounded bitter in his mouth.
It was too early to judge. The nobles here were clearly set above the common folk down below, yet it was not as if they were actively oppressing them. Or so he thought, seeing what was just in front of him. So Tatsumi just nodded, and kept his thoughts to himself as they continued on to ascend the road.
The Royal Palace was a grand edifice, dwarfing all the other estates and mansions that they had passed. Every inch of its surface seemed to ooze with barely restrained extravagance, as if to demonstrate the sheer wealth amassed by its owner—into which the construction and decoration of this magnitude became quite a matter of course.
And yet Tatsumi's first impressions were not of the allure its richness presented, but of the many ways he could use to gain entry. He blinked at those first few thoughts and pondered in self-reflection; as he now tried to puzzle out why exactly his mind had gone that way first.
It was as if he were thinking as one member of Night Raid, and he was about to assassinate someone inside it.
Still, even when he took his mind off such unhealthy thoughts, the fact did remain. This place did have a lot of entrances, starting from the great gate unto which their current road terminated, decorated with carved figures on a surface gilded in gold. This was no military fortification, but a sumptuous portal which separated the rest of the city from the promise of extravagance that awaited in its depths. There were a whole bunch of guards bearing arms near the gate, each one standing in attention and garbed in brightly colored garments, burnished plate armor and weapons that gleamed in the sun.
These guards saluted their party as they passed, no doubt recognizing Gazef. It was strange that they were not halted for any inspections or to verify if he even was who he was. But perhaps Gazef really was that much of a big deal.
Beyond the gate was a large area, almost looking like a big garden where various people in sumptuous dresses and garments were walking around. The entire place was hedged in by a wall that was not too high to scale, and yet there were a healthy amount of guards marching to and fro over the greenery, or standing to attention at certain places. All in all, unless these guards were using some sort of magic, Tatsumi figured that if he really needed to, he could find a way to slip past them, even in broad daylight.
He was surprised the road leading past the gate wasn't made of gold itself, but perhaps that was being practical: it would be hideously bright under daylight. Instead, the cobbled road was neatly formed and seemingly meticulously maintained, with hardly any holes nor dirt peeking out, as he had seen on the city below. There were several guards posted in intervals on either side of this pathway as Gazef's party continued onward.
As Tatsumi had noted from afar, there were indeed several major entrances into the Palace, but there was one grand one in particular, which faced an equally ostentatious-looking square with a marble fountain in the center. The doors were significantly larger than was actually practical, looking as if they were made for a giant's use instead of a small human's.
Initially, he'd thought they would be going through those, but instead Gazef turned his horse aside and headed down another path.
"The Main Hall is only reserved for those with an actual audience," Gazef told him. "Like visitors from another nation, or those nobles with petitions to make, or merchants who were able to secure their spot in a way. It is not where minor soldier such as yours truly has any business in, particularly given the nature of our assignment."
"But are you not the Warrior-Captain?"
Gazef looked at him. "Indeed, but it would be foolish for me to announce myself and let everyone in the Court know about what transpired. Particularly in this case, when there's reason to believe there might be traitors or conspirators afoot."
"Ah, sounds reasonable," Tatsumi said.
"We shall be meeting the King, but in private," Gazef said. They proceeded to one of the smaller entrances that Tatsumi had not seen, as it was located on the very far side of the large Palace. It was almost as if it was a backdoor of sorts, though there were still plenty of guards going about their work here.
They dismounted their horses, allowing Tatsumi some moments to stretch his sore limbs and his body. Though they had only been traveling a few hours since they had encamped, it had still been a considerable journey; and he had yet to feel completely rested since his time at Carne Village.
"Though a bit belated," Gazef told him, after they'd sent the horses away to be ministered by other people. "I bid you welcome to the Re-Estize Kingdom, and to my Master's great abode."
"It is an honor," Tatsumi said, bowing slightly.
"Come then. Let us drop off my people at their quarters before we freshen up upstairs for the King. His audience this morning hasn't finished yet, anyway, so that gives us a little more time."
The quarters for the troops was like a barracks of sorts on the first floor, with bunks for sleeping, an area to store weapons and gear, a general mess hall and was also connected to the stables outside.
"Ah, Gazef, welcome home," said a man who came up to their group.
"You have some extra potions in here?" Gazef said. "I need it for some of my men."
"Indeed." The man looked to Gazef's group and nodded. "I can see some of your men are indeed looking a bit beat up."
"Potions?" Tatsumi asked.
"Just wait." A moment later, the man returned, bearing a bag filled with clinking bottles. Gazef nodded towards some of his men, who went up and grabbed the bottles inside the bag. It was filled with some sort of blue liquid. The men with the bottles unstoppered them with a pop, before imbibing the liquid.
"Potions are restorative draughts, to put it simply," Gazef explained. "For serious injuries, you need an actual healer. But for simple things like scratches or sprains or headaches and the like: there are potions. Just drink up a draught and it's like your injuries never happened."
Tatsumi tried not to let his inner emotions show on his face. A cure-all thing that could do all that? Not even the Empire had managed to accomplish such a miracle, even with the teigu! That such a thing could exist made him want to rage like a child.
If he had magic, or maybe even just a potion, then Scheele would not have… And he could have given one to Bulat...
He needed to get a hand on this magic, somehow, before he returned. Just the idea of being able to make these potions, to have them on hand, it would be a tremendous help to Night Raid, without a doubt. He should be stockpiling these—but how?
Thankfully, Gazef didn't seem to have clued into what he was thinking. His men bid goodbye to Tatsumi here with their usual rambunctiousness. Tatsumi for his part felt a little forlorn about leaving these people he had been traveling with for days.
Gazef's own quarters were just a floor upwards from his men's. But Gazef did not direct him to it, but to an empty guest quarters down the hall.
"Apologies for the dust, but everything else should be ready for you, including the bath," Gazef said, as Tatsumi toured the room with his eyes. The room was as small as the entirety of the Emmot's house, though it only had the one bed, a few pieces of furniture, and an adjoining bathroom. The man actually looked embarrassed, as he scratched his chin. "The maidservants clean this part of the place but rarely, or so I'm told. But as this is the royal residence, the pipes are well-supplied with water."
"It looks fine," Tatsumi said. "Thank you." He did notice the dust on the furniture beside the bed. Frankly, he was more surprised this place had pipes when the Emmots did not; but then again, this might have only been a convenience available to the Palace.
"You'll find clothes in the dresser over there; they're always prepared for when guests such as yourself arrive."
"Such as myself?" Tatsumi repeated.
Gazef shrugged, his expression sheepish. "Those who pass through this doorway, I mean. Unless you want to reveal that you're a member of royalty in a foreign country, Tatsumi…?"
For a few seconds, Tatsumi just stared at him. Then they both laughed, a full uproar that left him wheezing. Some sort of noble? Him? The idea was so ludicrous that he could only laugh.
"...Well then, shall I give it an hour before we meet again at my room?" Gazef said, after they'd managed to quiet down their laughs. "I would report immediately, but I feel it would be improper to meet the King in our current, weather-blown condition. Don't you agree?"
"Perfectly," Tatsumi said, nodding his assent. It would feel rather awkward meeting His Royal Highness with the dust still caking his hair. A good, quick bath, and some time to rest and meditate would do marvels to prepare himself: his whole self, from his mind, body and appearance.
"Very good. I'll be returning once the time's come." Gazef waved goodbye and closed the door.
Tatsumi spent a few moments examining the room, looking to see if there were any false walls or spy-holes that would indicate that he would be spied on. By necessity, he couldn't really trust Gazef completely and had only his word that he would be treated well. And Gazef wasn't his Master or his other servants, who might have untoward intentions towards him. He knew he couldn't necessarily be proud enough to consider himself someone of importance to be eyed, but instinct won out.
In this case, the room did not seem to have any angle through which someone inside could be spied. There were no obvious peepholes or false surfaces; the walls and floor seemed solid enough. At least, if they were using normal means; he had not counter-measure if they were using magic. He next went to the dresser and saw that there was indeed some new clothes there waiting for him. They were humbler than he'd thought: he'd expected to be wearing the same clothes like those people outside were wearing.
After that, he decided to move on to actually taking a bath as requested. The bathroom was a little cramped, but the bathing area fit him well. And it had been so long since he'd had a proper bath—not counting the times he'd used a river in the forest or the Emmots' water supply, he'd only last bathed back before the teigu had brought him here!
With the freshening up done, Tatsumi literally felt as if he had become a new man. The feeling of being rejuvenated by just dousing his whole body with water was tremendous. He didn't even mind that the water was freezing cold.
He was less enthused by the clothes he had to wear. Despite their appearance, they were clearly still the property of the King. He really hoped he didn't cause any damage to it whatsoever: he was prepared to work hard to find a way home, not to repay damage to a set of rich clothes!
On the turn of the hour, give or take, there came a knock at the door. Gazef stood there, looking just as refreshed as he was: only now he was wearing some sort of leather armor. It looked smart and functional, with its only flourish being some sort of coat-of-arms stamped on a part of the chest area.
Gazef's eyes traveled over his body. Then he nodded approvingly. "You freshen up good. Come then, let us finally meet His Majesty. I'll caution that his duties may not be over yet. So we might be waiting a while. But we can also eat a little before then. Does that sound good?"
Tatsumi nodded. He wasn't quite hungry but he was getting there.
They went deeper into the Palace, and Tatsumi silently took note of the way, just in case. It wouldn't do to be trapped and lost in case an unpalatable situation arose. Not that he really thought Gazef would betray him: it would be a monumental misread of the man from his part. Yet Gazef might not even be the source of the threat.
They arrived at some sort of waiting area. It was very ostentatious, with suits of armor lined up against the wall, and various paintings hanging on it. They seated themselves around a table. Gazef rang a bell, and some moments later a maid came to take his order. The maid was a pretty-looking woman, and would certainly have made Lubbock drool. Then they sat and waited for a few more before the maid returned with a tray filled with food and tea, which the two men dug into eagerly.
The food was indeed great, and rich. And the tea to accompany it was sublime. This really was "eating well", and for a moment, he felt guilty that his comrades had to endure privations while he ate royal food at a King's house for his own benefit.
Ah well, he thought. It's not like they're the ones who got lost in this place.
After finishing their little snack, they sat back and talked about this and that for some time. Tatsumi counted down the minutes in his mind absently. He idly wondered if they would actually be waiting long for the King. It would be just characteristic if he had barely enough time for "small fry"—though he had the impression Gazef would not have spoken of him as glowingly if he was treated that way.
Then came a knock, which made Tatsumi flinch involuntarily. His eyes went to the door, where it had come from. The door opened, and a man entered. For a brief second, Tatsumi was confused, as the man, while not a young one, was also not as old as Gazef had implied. And the expression on his face was sour, as if seeing the two of them in the room had been like seeing a mangy dog on one's way.
Gazef rose, and Tatsumi followed his lead. "Lord Marquis," said Gazef in greeting.
Ah, so this wasn't the King. The Lord Marquis stared from him to Tatsumi, before pursing his lips. "So the rumors were true; you have indeed returned, my lord Gazef. Though why did you not announce yourself in Court? I am sure many would have welcomed the return of the Warrior-Captain."
"If you will forgive me my impudence, Lord Marquis," Gazef said, in a tone that was highly deferential, "But I am currently working on a minor task for the King himself. It was largely for that purpose that I returned here, privately, to await him on a private audience."
"I see. And may I ask what that task might be?" the Lord Marquis asked, with hands clasped behind his back, his expression hawk-like.
"Alas, I cannot divulge any of it, my lord," said Gazef. "For it is only for the King's ears."
The man looked like he had bit into a particularly sour lemon. "Very well. Consider our curiosity sated. It would behoove you to re-examine your loyalties, Gazef Stronoff. Think very hard on it. It shall save you when the future comes. Good day." The man then turned and left through the door without sparing them a second glance. On one hand, that was a relief for him—he didn't need any further scrutiny. On the other hand, the contempt was a familiar one: it just kind of proved that nobles here were just as shitty as those back home.
The door was left a bit ajar, and from the open space Tatsumi could hear a few whispers.
Then the door burst open, and a figure clad in red and gold strode like a blur into the room, making Tatsumi blink.
"Gazef, welcome back!" came a hearty shout. A moment later, Tatsumi saw that the unknown figure was actually an elderly-looking person wearing a fine set of clothes, its surface gleaming with faceted gems and the robe tied around its neck fur-lined. The man had an unmistakable crown on his head, which also glittered with all sorts of jewelry.
"My lord King, I have returned from serving in your name," was Gazef's response. And with that he bowed in reverence, his attitude quite a bit different from when he spoke to the Lord Marquis. The warrior actually kneeled, his head bowed low and forward before the King. Tatsumi, caught in indecision, could only stand and watch, wondering what would be the proper thing to do. After all, he was a foreigner, who was intent on toppling a tyrant despot. Should he therefore still extend courtesies to another despot, however benevolent he sounded?
"Good, good." The man's face, though wrinkled with age, seemed to have a dangerous look to them, like a battle-scarred veteran's mien. His eyes were not dulled, but shone with a cunning light, especially when they shifted to regard him. "And who might this young man be? Since he is in your presence, Gazef, that means you have vouchsafed for him."
"Um…" He bowed at the waist. "My name be-be Tatsumi, King." He bit his tongue, trying not to cringe at the words and hoping they were enough to appease the King.
"He is a remarkable young warrior, my lord," Gazef said by way of explanation. "And he has merited an invitation here to your presence because of his valorous deeds: deeds which I witnessed myself." The warrior had now stood, his face beaming at Tatsumi. "He single-handedly saved a village from evil. And with his aid, I was able to stem the very same source of that evil, cutting it at the root. Or so I hope."
"I see…" the King said.
"Tatsumi," said Gazef. "Allow me to introduce, His Highness, King Ramposa, Third of his Name, and Ruler of the great Re-Estize Kingdom."
"I am honored, Your Majesty," Tatsumi said.
"We are pleased," the King said formally. "And testimony from our Right Hand himself is not one we shall question. If the facts are as he says, then they are. On behalf of Our Royal Subjects, we thank you young Tatsumi, for the service you have rendered Us."
"Oh it was really…" Idiot! It's not what you should say! Tatsumi shouted at himself. "… I thank you, lord King."
"We were also able to acquire this from the enemy," Gazef continued. He produced the crystal that had been acquired from the chief, or head, of the summoners, which he had been attempting to use before Incursio had shut him down permanently.
The King accepted the Crystal with a nod, and examined its facets with interest. Though to Tatsumi, it didn't seem that he actually knew what it was.
"Hrm, and the source of this… Was it actually…?" the King wondered.
Gazef cleared his throat. He turned to Tatsumi. "Tatsumi, may I ask for a few moments of privacy? It won't be for long; I just need to say a few words to His Majesty."
Tatsumi's brows shot up, surprised by the sudden request. Then he nodded briskly. "Of course. I'll just be outside then. Gazef. Your Majesty."
"Thank you."
He went through the other door, through which they had entered. Tatsumi waited outside, shifting subconsciously. It was obvious that Gazef was talking to his King about the "mission" that he had always been talking about. It was very likely something so confidential that Gazef didn't want him to hear. Not that he couldn't read between the lines. His throwaway mention of the Slaine Theocracy and a conspiracy "here" in the Capital was enough to put some pieces together.
It didn't take long for Gazef to open the door and let him back in. The King was still there, though the Crystal was nowhere in sight. The King's gaze was intense as they bored into him, and Tatsumi tried not to flinch—it was like staring into the eyes of a Danger Beast, though he didn't know why.
But despite that expression, King Ramposa's words were warm as he addressed Tatsumi, "Gazef has informed me of your tremendous aid to myself and my subjects, Tatsumi. Once more, we thank you. Now then, it should be fitting that such exemplary work must be rewarded. Now Gazef is my loyal shield, and has his own rewards that await him. But it is imperative that I also reward you. Please, do name your terms, and if it is in my power I shall grant it to thee as a boon."
He looked to Gazef, who nodded minutely, as if telling him that he should name a reward. Tatsumi thought about it for a moment, before he squared his shoulders.
"If it may not be impudent in asking, Your Majesty, but may I ask a favor in addition to the reward?"
The man looked intrigued. "You may. Again, if it is within my power."
"Well then, as for the reward, then I won't say no to just money. I'm looking for work myself to get money, so having a reasonable reward for services rendered would be just fine for me." He really needed this local money, not just to support himself while he was stuck here in these lands, but also to start pooling some resources he could bring back with him to the Empire, and to Night Raid. Those miraculous potions, anything magical—such as magical skills through either himself or actual people with them—he deemed them vital in their mission. He knew he could not count on just the reward alone to acquire all he needed, but it was enough to have a good starting point at least.
"Done," the King said. "'Tis simple enough. And you mentioned a favor?"
"Thank you, my lord. And yes, if it would not be too much," Tatsumi said, with a bow. He hated having to bow to a ruler like this, but he was already stuck in it. "First, I wish for a recommendation to join this land's Adventurer's Guild. As I said, I am looking for quick work, and I believe joining their ranks would be a good fit for my skills."
"Why not swear yourself to me, Tatsumi, and be just like Gazef here?" the King asked shrewdly. Tatsumi's eyes widened in surprise. "You would be granted good, honest work leveraging your skills, and you will not want for a living."
"I… appreciate the offer my lord King," Tatsumi said. He cleared his throat. "However… I must decline. I am a traveler, first and foremost, and I do not believe I can stay here for long. So I do not wish to cause offense to you and your people by taking up your service, knowing that I'll be leaving it soon enough."
"Ah, well, that is a pity," the King said. "Very well. And what is your next favor?"
"This is my last one." He turned to Gazef. "I wish to train under you, Gazef, to learn something of these martial arts." This time it was Gazef who looked surprised.
"Hohoho, if that is what you want then you should definitely join my service…" The King chuckled to himself. "But no, as you have insisted, you do not think you can stay long. Very well. Such requests are not unreasonable, friend Tatsumi. Gazef, would it trouble you to take this young man under your wing, for a time?"
"It should be fine," Gazef said, nodding at Tatsumi. "But I do have other duties to the Kingdom, Tatsumi, so I may not be able to afford you exclusive time. And I should tell you that I'm already training another promising young warrior myself. But I can surely fit you in, if that is what you really want."
"Yes, please take care of me."
Gazef grunted. He turned to the King. "I have no objections, Your Majesty."
The King clapped his hand once. "Splendid! And since we're already on the subject, then you may as well write a recommendation to the Adventurer's Guild for Tatsumi here, so he can be placed appropriately in it. I'll stamp it with my royal seal, so that will surely aid you, Tatsumi. It's a shame to have to lose you to the Guild, but you have your circumstances, as you said."
Tatsumi could hardly believe his ears. The King had given him what he wanted, and even slightly more than was needed! He was so different from the petty rulers he was familiar with back home. Perhaps this was why people bowed to Kings—the good ones were really good. If he had been born here—now that was a question for the ages.
He bowed deeply at the waist. "Thank you very much for your kindness, Your Majesty!"
There were many affairs of state to attend to after that interesting meeting with Gazef and that mysterious young man he brought with him. He would have his people keep an eye on him, and ensure he was not some plant from the Theocracy or another nation to ingratiate himself with Gazef and from there, the Royal Throne. His mentioned skills using that strange magical armor of his was something that merited concern; especially when Gazef himself, a man he trusted completely, had been so generous with his praise. Either the man had been hoodwinked, or he was honestly that impressive of a warrior.
It had been a calculated risk to offer him service at his side, one which he would have granted easily to keep him close, but either the young man was genuine, or he had his instructions to not stand out too much.
Still, it was good to bank on the young man being genuine. His stated reason as a traveler aside, if he could be made to be loyal to the Kingdom, then he would be a good asset. Even should he spend most of his time as a dog of the Adventurer's Guild, as long as his skills remained true, then having him here at the Kingdom would be very useful. It was the same situation with the higher-ranking adventurer groups who called his Kingdom home.
In addition to his skills, Gazef had vouchsafed for his personality. Assuming he was genuine, then his willingness to jump into the fray to defend even a minor village without asking for reward put him above most people in the Kingdom already, even his own vassals.
He had called himself a traveler—but it was possible for such thoughts to change, in time. And if he did change his mind, then far better for him to have forged a deeper connection to the Re-Estize Kingdom than to their enemies at Baharuth, or gods forbid Slaine.
It was a calculated risk to involve someone as indispensable as Gazef, but he had made such risks before.
Tatsumi looked over the sheet of paper in his hand, his brows furrowed in thought. It seemed very suspicious to him that he was able to understand the words inscribed on the sheet. It made him wonder if the Empire was actually closer than he had thought. Or, more ludicrously, that fucker had teleported him through time, to sometime before or after the Empire's existence!
After their meeting with the King, Gazef had left Tatsumi at the guest rooms while he attended to some private business. Some time later, he had returned, to bring Tatsumi outside the Palace and back to the city below, to the Adventurer's Guild. Apparently, he had used the time to write the recommendation, and the King had also graciously stamped it with his royal seal, granting the letter some measure of respectability.
Their trip down to the Guild had been uneventful. Gazef had told him about what adventurers were generally expected to do; and that while the King had "sponsored" him indirectly through the recommendation, royal favor only went so far. If, say, he had a job that would take him outside the city, then he would have to pay for transport and other needs on his own. It was an understandable thing for Tatsumi and he said as much. Gazef also gave him his reward in the form of a bag filled with gold coins. He didn't know how much money was inside it exactly, and belatedly he realized he had not actually named a price for the King.
They had then gone to the Guild, where Gazef introduced him to a woman who introduced herself as a receptionist. They had taken Gazef's letter and disappeared somewhere. Some time later, a man had then appeared, bearing the open letter with him. He had conversed with Gazef for some time, before the latter introduced Tatsumi.
"My name is Tatsumi," he had said. "Nice to meet you."
"Ainzach, Leader of the Re-estize Kingdom's Guild," the man growled. His expression was just as intense as the King's, and actually even less friendly.
"If he's as strong as you say, Gazef, then I shan't argue," the man continued, addressing Gazef. "But he'll need to follow the correct conventions on entry, of course."
"Naturally."
And that was where the man had then pointed him back to the receptionist, while Gazef and Ainzach went somewhere to talk. The receptionist had apparently been given the task of processing his application for joining. And one of them had involved a simple literacy test, which he was now answering.
He had agonized himself on the piece of paper for the better part of several minutes. The implications of the text he was capable of reading sent his mind to dark places that he couldn't process.
Then, after punching himself mentally, Tatsumi completed the admittedly simple test and submitted it to the woman. Then she left him in a private room to await further instruction.
Some time later, the door opened, and the man named Ainzach entered. Gazef was not with him.
"Gazef's just outside, in case you were wondering," the man said, as he went to the side to pull up an empty chair for himself. He sat down opposite Tatsumi, and crossed his arms. Tatsumi felt his eyes do a quick once-over his body, as if appraising him.
"So…" The man said, after a long silence had passed. "It seems that you've passed the test to enter the Guild. Congratulations."
Since there was no fanfare, nor any sign of warmth from the man, Tatsumi didn't know how to respond. "Thank you…?"
"Mmm…" The man still looked like he was angry at Tatsumi for something. "Of course, being recommended a post on our Guild based on nothing more than a man's word and the King's royal command is highly irregular, would you not agree?"
Tatsumi didn't know what to say to that. It was true that he was essentially being given a free leg up from the favor he'd asked from the King.
"Were it anyone but Gazef Stronoff, I would have laughed them out of the Guild," the man continued, as if he knew that Tatsumi really couldn't say anything. "If it had only been the King's letter recommending you then I would have written back a polite 'No'. The Adventurer's Guild is not a place where one can merely post one's favorites, to attain a rank they did not earn themselves. Each and every person who joins us adheres to the single overriding principle that unites us: that we must earn our place through hard, honest work. Is that understood, Tatsumi?"
"Completely, sir," Tatsumi said, his answer genuine. He had a better feel now for Ainzach, and of the Adventurer's Guild. He was pleased to see that this was a group that wasn't seemingly corrupt, and that they were serious with enforcing their standards no matter what.
"Still, the word of Gazef Stronoff accounts for much. The man is respected, even if he is not one of us. And if he thinks that you're a bit too advanced to start out as a meager bronze-rank, then I'll trust his intuition. As such, Tatsumi, your starting rank is platinum instead, with all the attendant rights and responsibilities. Congratulations. Again."
"Thank you sir," Tatsumi said seriously.
"You should have an idea by now of how we operate as a Guild. We have no patience for coddling anybody, and each member earns their way up the ranks through sheer blood, sweat and tears. It is only Gazef's testimony, on him actually betting his honor as the Warrior-Captain for someone like you, that I've allowed this bending of rules. In any other occasion, I would have started you with bronze-rank, no damned exceptions. We understand each other, yes?"
"Perfectly."
"Good," Ainzach grunted. "At least you're not a dullard, like that fool. I would be seriously reconsidering your rank if that was the case."
He slapped his hand on his knee. "Anyway! Moving on. You understand that you're not to shout out to the entire world that you entered on commendation by the King, or that you started as an upstart platinum, correct?"
"Y-Yes." The man still looked mad at him, though he now knew some idea why. The man was uncomfortable with playing favorites; which was a heck of a lot better than what he was familiar with back home.
"Since this is quite an unusual situation, it's up to me now to inform you of several facts—instead of your learning about the Guild the hard way. But Gazef tells me you're a sharp one, and again, I'm putting my trust in him. Ready to listen? Gonna need to pull out a paper to take notes?"
"Yes sir! No sir!"
Ainzach sighed. He rubbed his chin, and spoke, "So, you might already know this at this point, but there are rules you have to follow as an adventurer. You break them, and your ass is out, no matter if Gazef vouched for you."
"Understood."
"First rule. We're apolitical. That means that we do not involve ourselves in any way with the local power in the region. We stay out of each other's way; they do not interfere in our affairs and neither do we interfere in the Kingdom's. We serve the people of this world, and no other. If any of our adventurers are caught helping a noble advance his agenda one way or another, they're immediately kicked out. The Guild is one of the most potent tools available for any ambitious, would-be conqueror. And we have the responsibility to say 'no thank you' to those bastards."
Tatsumi nodded in understanding. That he could actually get behind. Though it remained to be seen if the whole organization was actually as just as Ainzach claimed.
"Second rule is related to the first. You do not do any job that is not sanctioned by the Guild. Because of the first rule, we always have a team of people who will vet any request that comes to our halls. We always ensure that any job that adventurers can sign up for is relatively free of any diplomatic or political entanglement. Sure, we can't say no to cleaning up a noble's backyard of goblins or ghouls, that's just part of our charter. But we're not about to go spying for them, or be their muscle in their private spats.
"It is to be accepted that the Guild can't actively monitor what you can or cannot do on your own time. You might accept a job, go out, then cut some side deals, and we might never find out—is what you might be thinking. Well, go on and try it, damn you. But if it ever comes out, and we have people for that, then as I have said before, your ass is out. And there's no tribunal or court for something like this. It might seem unjust, but generally speaking, our people makes damn sure to verify the information if some group's been accused of breaking the rules.
"There's a whole bunch of other rules and etiquette for acting on jobs: that's something you'll have to read up yourself on your own time. Now, am I understood so far?"
"Perfectly, sir." Ainzach stared at him for a few seconds before grunting.
"Fine then. Here's the next one. Probably the last one; you figure out the rest. I'm sure you can conduct yourself as an actually decent person in front of other people, especially since you're representing us, the Guild. I think that just goes without saying without me needing to tell you how to do it. Or you're not the man Gazef thought you were." Tatsumi nodded.
"The last thing to remember is this: regarding ruins."
"Ruins?"
Ainzach blinked. "Perhaps you may not have encountered them on your travels, Tatsumi. There are certain places in the world which have been abandoned by their inhabitants for a very long time. And no one's replaced them and moved in. Investigating them's part of the duty of the Guild, to make sure that no powerful undead monster or other horror's nesting in it. But you have to be of the proper rank to proceed. You can't just go exploring it on your own; everything that'll go wrong's going to be on your head. If we discover that you went on such a trip without authorization then we're looking at a possible demotion in the ranks, possibly even you getting kicked out. It depends on if you managed something heroic down there or not. Mark my words: those ruins are not a joke. They've claimed the lives of entire groups of adventurers higher rank than yourselves. Veterans of a hundred jobs, dead," he snapped his fingers, "Just like that."
Tatsumi didn't think he would be going into any place like those, not unless it was linked to him going home. Especially if they were dangerous as Ainzach claimed.
"If you can remember these basic rules, then you're on your way to being an Adventurer. Welcome to our ranks, friend Tatsumi."
After that, Ainzach let him go. When he went back to the front desk, he was given his platinum plate, a small badge-like thing that he could attach anywhere on his person. He also acquired a map of the Kingdom, something he could bring with him to orient himself on where he should be going.
"Thanks Gazef," he said to the man, who was waiting outside.
"I had my doubts they would reject you," Gazef said. "Ainzach is a very… particular person."
"I've noticed."
Gazef chuckled. "It is good that you were able to make it." They left the Guild and returned to the Palace. Tatsumi had assumed that he was going to find a place here in the city to stay at for a while, especially now that he had the money to help. But Gazef had said nothing, and so he followed the man back.
Tatsumi would later have supper at the barracks together with Gazef, the men he had met, and a whole bunch of other people. He was there to witness as the men hammed up the battle at Carne, with some people even looking at him with respect. Of course, much of the praise was reserved for Gazef.
On the next morning, Tatsumi managed to catch Gazef as he was practicing his sword on one of the training yards. Having decided that he couldn't possibly impose on Gazef and the King's graces any longer than was necessary, he told the man that he was going to be leaving soon to do some adventuring work.
"Eager to start then?" said Gazef. He put his sword away. "Well, it's fine if it's your decision."
"I'll be sure to come back soon enough," Tatsumi said.
"You're always welcome here, Tatsumi."
"Thanks. But I have to ask, when can I practice martial arts with you?"
Gazef looked thoughtful, as he scratched his chin. "I'll be honest. The King's saddled me with certain important duties to perform here. Most of them boring ones to be honest, but it has to be done." He shook his head. "But I'm sure I can be ready for you in a couple of weeks. That gives you enough time to do a quest or two, aye?"
"Yeah, sounds good," Tatsumi said. "By the way, can I also ask which city I can go to where there's enough work? And also where I can look into potions?"
"Huh… Now that is something I can't really answer readily," Gazef said. "I'm not too familiar with the Guild itself to know where work is. I always thought the quests come like the wind—that is to say, they come as they will. But as to potions, I do know that several prominent alchemists make their home in E-Rantel. You remember that city? The first one we visited?"
"I see." He did remember the very first city they stopped over at after leaving Carne. He had only been able to give it a cursory glance before they'd had to leave due to Gazef's haste. "Thanks for the advice."
"The quests there ought to be plentiful, since it's close to the Great Forest of Tob." At Tatsumi's clueless look, he clarified, "The forest near Carne."
"Right. Thanks again, Gazef." He was about to turn to leave, when another question occurred to him. "I have another question."
"As you please."
"It is not any mark on you, but are there any people who are well-versed in magic who I could reasonably talk to? I wanna see if I can learn magic myself."
Gazef laughed out loud, his voice booming. "You're certainly ambitious, Tatsumi. But I'm not really familiar enough with the resident scholars and magic casters in the Kingdom who might give you the time of day. As I told you, they value their time, and as such they weigh it particularly in gold. The reward His Majesty gave you is considerable, but I'm not sure it would be enough."
"I figured," Tatsumi said with a sigh.
"But the solution here's simple." He pointed at Tatsumi. "You've just joined the Adventurer's Guild. And as I also said, there are plenty of casters who are working independently as adventurers. You could try asking them about it. If you manage to befriend one or two on your Quests, you could even ask for instruction for free. Depends on how you approach it."
"Now that does sound good," Tatsumi said. "Very reasonable. I wonder if they would be able to give me the time of day."
"Well, they'll be just as busy as you would be in chasing down jobs for work and such. They could be hanging around in the Guild here, waiting for a Quest to show up." Gazef's expression lightened, as he snapped his fingers. "You know what, you could try heading over to the Guild down there now. Maybe you can catch Blue Rose—they're the Kingdom's premier group. Adamantite rank, that's a really higher rank than what you got. I hear they got two powerful magic casters on their side. And their leader is one of them: Lakyus Alvin Dale Aindra. She's well-known because of her mastery of resurrection magic."
"Resurrection… magic?" Tatsumi asked.
Gazef shrugged. "The spells used to resurrect people from the dead. Very useful in their line of work..."
It was like he was back at Carne, and a spell had hit him through Incursio. His whole world seemed to upend itself, as the words echoed again and again in his mind. All he could focus on was Gazef's voice, repeating over and over: "resurrect" and "dead".
"Tatsumi?" Gazef's voice sounded like it was coming from the end of a tunnel. It took considerable effort for him not to just sink to his feet then and there.
He didn't even recognize his own voice when he said, "Thanks again, Gazef. I shall see you again, count on it!"
Then, before he knew it, he was in the city, surrounded by a crowd of people. How long had he been walking? When had he left Gazef behind? He checked himself, and was relieved that his money was there, along with Incursio.
He looked around, and saw that his feet had guided him towards one of the city's gates. He knew what he had to do, and he stepped forward, his destination the stables at the Gate where he knew he could hire a horse.
Yet all throughout he felt as an automaton, with someone else guiding his actions. His thoughts returned again and again to Gazef's words, and of how casually he could just tell him about magic resurrecting the dead.
Where the fuck was he?
He remembered the day Akame had saved him from the Executioner. When he had shouted that he would find a teigu that would bring back the dead. That would bring back his friends Sayo and Ieyasu. He recalled how they had called him foolish, how there was no recorded teigu who could do the impossible. And if there was, then there was surely black arts involved—where the dead's memory would be defiled through monstrous means.
And now here he was, in a land where such things were as simple as getting milk from a cow. Where people might only have swords to use, and yet could conjure creatures from the ether. Where they could simply raise people from the dead, as if dying was only an unfortunate trip.
And yet it was not as if Akame and Bulat had lied. If resurrection had indeed existed, then a thousand years ago, the First Emperor would not have died, and his Empire would have stretched from one end of the horizon to the next, over countless seas and endless lands.
Yet no Emperor had ever succeeded. That was a fact.
Therefore, a conclusion was easy to reach.
He was in a land that was so far removed from his own. The bastard's teigu had either displaced him in time to when magic flowed freely—or would flow freely. Or he had gone to a land even stranger—its geography completely unconnected to his own.
In other words, he might actually be completely alone.
Chapter commissioned by The Silver Dragon Emperor, thank you. A reminder that the story is commissioned.
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