Step By Step! (2)

The Terakan Empire was a massive power with the greatest strength on the Central Continent, and for hundreds of years now, countless neighboring countries had been living in a state where a single shift in Terakan’s mood could make their national fortunes wobble.

However, in recent times, the Demon God had showcased various moves—including a curse—and pushed into the entirety of the Eastern Continent and part of the Central Continent. To stop that advance, many nations had competed to dispatch elites, summon Heroes from other worlds, and somehow keep the front lines intact for three hundred long years.

And yet, that balance was on the verge of being thrown off because of one foolish bastard.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Count Branne de Ischtein, clad in armor covered with countless small sword marks, did not return straight to the front. Instead, to stand against the danger she had experienced, she thoroughly reported everything that had happened to the Terakan imperial family, point by point—and Empress Luminas de Terakan could not overlook Jillien de Atoon’s unforgivable atrocity.

“Hah… Atoon… how could you act so foolishly…”

Branne thought it looked as if crimson flames were surging in the Empress’s eyes as she sighed. And Branne also found it strange that the Empress had shown an unexpected reaction to the part where Branne would have died for certain if not for Viscount Ingrad’s help.

“Count Ischtein, how much do you know about Viscount Ingrad?”

“I believed him to be an outstanding pharmacist, and a remarkable lord who had earned the Beastkin’s recognition and was building his purpose in the remote backwater known as the Ingrad Domain.”

“Is that so… But you must know—he is by no means Ho-in.”

Branne de Ischtein did not understand what she meant, and, rudely, lifted her head to look at the Empress as she asked.

“If he is not Ho-in, then what sort of person is he?”

The Empress noticed the strange feeling in Branne’s eyes, nearly spoke at once, then reconsidered and began to explain calmly.

“Do you know that he crossed over from the Southern Continent?”

“I do not, Your Majesty.”

“He was first sighted in the Apoca Kingdom. Our continent is connected to it, but travel by foot was severed by the Demonic Tribe. Much of his trail remains unknown, but we first learned of him while tracking an individual linked to a special ‘medicine’ that happened to leak through mercenaries.”

“Then… what is he?”

“He is someone summoned from another world. You know that five Heroes were recently added.”

“Then… is he also a Hero?”

Count Branne de Ischtein was so shocked she did not even notice her continuing rudeness. When she saw the Empress frown, she hurriedly bowed her head and waited for the answer. Then the Empress spoke.

“No. He is merely a person from another world who was summoned alongside the Heroes. We were able to be certain after seeing a portrait the Apoca Kingdom sent. And we were told that, back then, the Apoca Kingdom tried—belatedly—to restrain those from another world so they would not throw the world into chaos, but they let him slip away.”

“Then… he is like a wanted fugitive of the Apoca Kingdom?”

“No. He is only a victim of the Apoca Kingdom’s reckless magic. However, I heard that most of those summoned from another world were taken into the Apoca Kingdom’s special district and could no longer live freely.”

“…Don’t tell me they kill them?”

“I do not know. They may be extracting information—but it does seem their god does not leave alone those who were swept up, ensuring that anyone other than the Heroes summoned for Hero-calling cannot disturb the world.”

As Branne pondered whether this was not a grave situation, the Empress continued.

“He is now a noble of our empire. In other words, Apoca can no longer lay a hand on him. That is why I do not wish to keep him at a distance. And I do not wish to see him exploited by half-baked nobles either—so I intend to treat him differently.”

At the Empress’s opaque words, Count Branne de Ischtein could only read the room. She simply hoped this strange thread of conversation would not go somewhere worse—when it happened.

“What… do you think of Viscount Ingrad?”

Branne had already explained the poisoned drug and the treatment process in detail. So perhaps that was why the Empress asked—but Branne judged she had to answer carefully.

The Empress was terrifying. In the Terakan Empire, she was someone who could accomplish anything. After wrestling with her thoughts again and again, Count Branne de Ischtein finally opened her mouth.

“He is my benefactor. He saved my life, and he helped me build merit on the battlefield. Though I did not achieve my vengeance, thanks to him I gained the chance to bring down a portion of the Demonic Tribe, and I acknowledge that the debt I owe is too great to ever repay in full.”

She could not answer “what do you think” precisely. Her feelings were complicated. Even if she told herself he was only a man she had joined with as part of “treatment,” she could not simply brush it aside—and that left Branne’s mind in turmoil.

Then the Empress made a small “hm” and spoke.

“His knowledge and power will raise this nation to even greater heights. But if it grows excessive, it will surely become poison one day—so I have a private request of you.”

“…A private request, Your Majesty?”

“Yes. If it does not sit well with you, you may refuse.”

Branne considered carefully and nodded to hear her out—when words she could hardly believe came from the Empress’s lips.

“Punish Atoon, earn merit, and as a reward for that merit, I will grant you one wish. Whatever it is, I will let you make that wish under imperial decree—and there is a wish you must make when that time comes.”

“…And what is it?”

“You must become Viscount Ingrad’s wife.”

“!!!”

Branne de Ischtein was so shocked she could not even speak. But it was not the kind of shock that felt like disgust.

That was what made it so difficult for Count Branne de Ischtein.

It was a deliciously pleasant rest.

Thinking that, I stretched—but the place was unfamiliar.

“…Where is this?”

I looked around and climbed down from what was at least my familiar bed, but the problem was the figure I saw the moment I set my feet down—I could not help snapping.

“You!? What are you here to make me do again!!”

“I did not appear. I summoned you.”

The Beastkin goddess, Artemisia, was right in front of me. With everything that had happened before, I started by arguing.

“What is with the neon sign?!”

“Neon sign? You mean my protection, perhaps?”

“Hah—protection, not even a blessing?”

My temper flared at the absurd phrasing, and then—Artemisia flicked a finger. In an instant, the surroundings changed, and before I knew it, Artemisia and I were in midair, looking down over the domain.

“This is the land where my children live. Is it not terribly cramped?”

“…It’s not cramped. Honestly, Ingrad Domain is so vast you could bring every Beastkin in this world here and it still wouldn’t feel cramped.”

“You think so? Very well. Then let me ask you one thing. Are you satisfied here?”

“I can barely handle even this. Don’t tell me there’s more grunt work left for me?”

At my words, the goddess burst into laughter. After laughing for a long while, she turned serious and asked me.

“You have power. You possess a weapon called ‘knowledge from another world.’ Yet to my eyes, it felt as though you were controlling your pace. With who you are now, you could create countless things that would astonish the world—so why do you not?”

“Because I can’t. Knowing something and making it real are different. And I don’t want to live frantically busy. What I have now is enough.”

“If other humans worked as you do, they would collapse and die quickly. Do you speak knowing that?”

“Hah, that’s just whining from people who make a fuss. Anyway, enough of that—tell me your purpose. Why did you summon me?”

“So bold…”

Artemisia stared at me like she was dying of amusement. I wanted to complain, but with her being a god, I could not keep mouthing off.

So I waited. Then the goddess reached out her hand, light poured from it, and she spoke.

“I have given you what I meant to give you before.”

“…Why?”

Are you dissatisfied?”

“Hah, of course I’m dissatisfied. You hand me this, and what are you going to make me do?”

“Soon, chaos will settle upon the world. Humans will no longer trust humans, and the Demonic Tribe will grow stronger still. In that world, I became certain here that the only one who can protect my children is you. So this is a token of gratitude.”

It felt like I was being given advance notice that some trashy melodrama was about to begin. My head ached. I already had too much to do—what on earth was coming?

But I could not just accept it and be done.

“Tell me one thing. Hypothetically. Do dwarves and elves count as Beastkin too?”

“They have their own gods. The only ones you must concern yourself with are my children.”

“Then could you please make sure no other god comes barging in with a ‘take care of my kids too!’ in the middle of this?”

“Hahahaha—some grow frantic, wishing to meet a god even once, yet you reject gods. Why?”

“I was taught that once you get mixed up with gods, you suffer. I’ve learned that the hard way. So no thanks.”

Artemisia laughed, said she would block everything herself, told me to take good care of the Beastkin, and moved to send me away.

So I hurriedly raised a hand.

“One last thing. Can you tell me what blessings or protection you’ve granted me?”

“It is simple. The absolute command authority I promised before, and the right to return to your world after a life of faithful service. And the one I granted earlier… I already told you then. When the time comes, you will remember.”

“That’s ridiculous—no, when!! Wait—hold on!!”

With a sharp snap, Artemisia flicked her finger again. I grumbled inwardly about how she loved snapping her fingers like some movie supervillain, and I had no choice but to open my eyes—feeling, honestly, pretty rotten.

But unlike before, the alien sensation in my body told me what I experienced was not a simple dream.

And one part of the domain I had looked down on in that “dream” overlapped with the view beyond the window. With a sigh, I forced myself up.

A group was leading a long procession into the domain’s official residence. And when I saw the flag hanging from the largest, most ornate carriage among them, I had to dig through my memory.

“Balsen… Why would that pig bastard come to our domain? What business does he have…?”

It was the arrival of a guest who went beyond what I had expected from mere merchants.