The Preamble Is Too Long

Kikori nodded at those words, but Orphe let out a very obvious, scornful “Hah.”

“The preamble is too long. So? What are you scheming to make him do?”

“That’s why, Orphe…”

“You stay quiet.”

Kikori was smacked on the head, but the person they were facing was the most powerful authority in the Fortress City.

There was nothing good about making an enemy of him.

However, such things apparently had absolutely nothing to do with Orphe.

“If I sit here and listen, all I hear is you going round and round with stuff like, ‘You’re not at fault, but we’re in trouble because of you.’ Just say what you want already.”

“Heh heh, my apologies for that. However, I do not want Kikori-kun there to dislike me. That is why the preamble becomes important.”

“I hate preambles and things like that. If you don’t want me to dislike you, then hurry up and say it.”

“Hmm…”

The Defense Count stroked his chin and glanced at the butler standing silently nearby.

What the butler presented before Kikori was… a letter with a wax seal.

“What is this…?”

“It is a letter of introduction addressed to the Defense Count of the Fortress City of Ilhail.”

At those words, Kikori’s eyes widened.

Because he immediately understood what that meant.

“Does that mean… I’m being exiled?”

“No. Hmm, as expected, I should explain things in order.”

Kikori’s subjugation of the Great Wyvern.

It was an event that had caused an incredible stir, but… that stir was not limited to the Fortress City of Nilgen alone.

A newcomer powerful enough to defeat the Great Wyvern and a swarm of wyverns.

That story, with exaggerations included, had spread to other cities as well.

“From now on, various offers should reach you. Many paths will be presented to you, including becoming the private soldier of nobles or merchants.”

“…”

“Naturally, some of them will include invitations of a rather unpleasant sort, but… driving away such things will also take some time.”

“Oh, so you’re driving them away.”

“I certainly am. Even so, I am someone entrusted by His Majesty with defending this Fortress City to the last. I do not wish to report that a young person with a future was taken by some worthless fool.”

While answering Orphe, Defense Count Seims let out a gloomy… truly gloomy sigh.

Kikori imagined that perhaps all sorts of offers had already come to him privately.

“In that case, this letter of introduction is… telling me to hide myself?”

“That is slightly different. It is true that I want you to leave this city, but it is also my hope that you will resolve a problem in Ilhail.”

“A problem?”

“Mm. Ilhail is a Fortress City on the side of the Beast Kingdom of Savain, but… the effects of labyrinthization are greater there than in the other Fortress Cities, and the losses among adventurers are also severe. That is why I would like you to become a bridge of friendship between our two nations as well.”