I Married My Childhood Friend, a Beautiful Knight—But She's a Yandere-in-Training with Extreme Possessiveness, So a Harem's Out of the Question - Vol 1 Chapter 15
Vol 1 Chapter 15 – Gathering Information Only to Obtain More Than I Bargained For【Vol 1 – When Written in Kanji, It’s Saionji Yumeba】
I ended up accepting a King Minotaur subjugation request at the Adventurer’s Guild in a town called Ratazo in the Kingdom of Trania, where I’d stopped to gather information.
Not just me, but also the blond-haired, blue-eyed, tall pretty boy who’d butted in…
“Come to think of it, we haven’t introduced ourselves. My name is Traniasus. I’m an A-rank adventurer, for what it’s worth.”
I’d be accompanying Traniasus.
Judging from his light armor and sword equipment, you’d assume he’s a swordsman—but the ring on his finger is equipment that assists with magic.
A magic swordsman who fights with both blade and sorcery, I’d say.
“I’m Alisa.”
I gave a proper introduction too. Just my name.
“Melt.”
“Camilla.”
“Colora.”
And three women who glared at me while giving only their names.
Judging from their appearances, Melt is a priestess handling recovery and support magic.
Camilla is a mage handling offensive magic.
Colora wears easy-to-move-in clothing and sturdy gauntlets, so she’s probably a martial artist.
A four-person party with Traniasus and Colora as vanguard, and Melt and Camilla as rearguard.
Adding me made five people who headed to the reception desk with the request form to have it accepted, but…
“—!”
The receptionist’s face twitched dramatically when she saw the plate I presented.
Yeah. Probably rumors about me passing the S-rank advancement exam or beating up and brainwashing Kelzaher, who was an S-rank adventurer, have spread throughout the Adventurer’s Guild.
“I-I’ve accepted your request.”
Still, the receptionist who only twitched her face without leaking my personal information was a professional.
We agreed to depart for the destination in one hour to prepare, and I separated from the group of four to make my preparations.
That said, most things are in my Dimensional Storage Item Box, so what I needed to do was acquire prior knowledge about the northern forest where the King Minotaur supposedly lives.
There are three monster territories near this town—north, east, and south—or rather, there were.
(Ah. I thought this place looked familiar—it’s that town.)
Previously, Yumeba and I competed to hunt monsters, and in the end we hunted even the territory’s guardian together.
That was this town’s southern forest.
Therefore, right now there are only two monster territories near this town.
(So that’s why the receptionist’s face twitched.)
Back then, after apologizing profusely to the Guild Master, I even had to pay compensation—it was terrible.
(Actually, this wasn’t Empire territory, was it?)
Back then it was still Data Map map magic, so the Empire’s territorial boundaries weren’t clear, and I’d assumed this border area was Empire territory.
(No, to be precise, since it’s a forest between the Empire and the Kingdom of Trania, you could say half is Empire territory?)
This town manages the forest, but the forest itself intrudes halfway into the Empire.
(No wonder there were so few people, and the Guild Master’s face twitched.)
Even though this town manages it, no one would want to hunt in a forest intruding into the Empire, and if Yumeba—a daughter of House Saionji—liberated that forest, the Guild Master would have no choice but to twitch.
In fact, there’s apparently still a dispute between the Empire and the Kingdom of Trania over which territory should claim that forest region, and it remains undeveloped.
After investigating various things during that hour, I headed to the meeting place—the northern plaza outside town.
“You’re late!”
Of the four already gathered, Camilla the mage raised her shoulders angrily and complained to me.
“Haven’t I arrived before the appointed time?”
“You’re in the position of receiving our help, so you should’ve been waiting earlier than us!”
“Is that so?”
Rather than Camilla, I directed the question to Traniasus.
“That’s right. We don’t mind, but you should be careful when teaming up with other parties.”
“…”
What I’d asked wasn’t about propriety, but whether I was in the position of receiving help.
“Besides, why are you empty-handed? You said you’d come prepared, didn’t you?”
Melt the priestess questioned me further in an accusatory tone.
“Was something necessary?”
“Weapons, food, all sorts of things! Even though you’re an adventurer, do you not understand such things unless told?”
“Right. We ended up having to arrange the carriage too.”
Following Melt, Colora attacked.
“A carriage?”
“Don’t tell me you planned to walk to the northern forest? From here it takes several days.”
Colora’s tone was exasperated.
Looking closely, there was indeed a carriage stopped in one corner of the plaza, with luggage already loaded in the cargo bed.
“…We’re riding in this?”
“That’s right. The luggage is loaded, but there’s space for five people.”
“…”
Right. I’d forgotten because I use it so naturally, but not just transfer magic—even transfer sorcery users are rare.
“Well, since we’ve borrowed it, it can’t be helped, and let’s say it was everyone’s mistake for not coordinating in advance.”
“What are you talking about—”
Interrupting Traniasus’s words, I snapped my fingers and opened a transfer gate.
Beyond the transfer gate, the northern forest was naturally visible, and I promptly passed through the gate…
“What’s wrong? Hurry up and bring the carriage through.”
I urged the four stunned people and passed through the transfer gate first.
“T-Transfer sorcery. The pinnacle of magic.”
“To be precise, it’s a transfer gate connecting current location and destination. A small number of people is one thing, but simple transfer was insufficient for moving a carriage.”
I explained to Camilla the mage, who was surprised after passing through the gate.
Asserting that without the unnecessary burden of a carriage, such an elaborate technique as a transfer gate wouldn’t have been necessary.
“I-Is this sorcery a novice adventurer can use?”
“Why did you think I was a novice adventurer?”
I asked Colora, who was confused, in return.
“B-Because we’d never seen you in this town before…”
“I’m normally based in the Empire’s capital. This is my… second time coming to this town.”
“Ah.”
After I explained that much, Melt’s eyes widened and she focused on my appearance—all-black hair, eyes, and clothing.
“An all-black female adventurer from the Empire who uses transfer sorcery… the Extermination Witch!”
“I don’t like that epithet, so please don’t call me that too much.”
Well, I’m famous, so it can’t be helped.
“The Empire’s Extermination Witch is said to be equivalent to an S-rank adventurer!”
“…I heard she exterminated monsters in the southern forest and hunted the territory’s guardian.”
“There was a rumor she beat up an S-rank adventurer and brainwashed them…”
The three women apparently knew various rumors about me.
“Ahaha… you were amazing.”
“Unlike a nobleman’s third son playing adventurer for entertainment.”
“…”
Traniasus fell silent at my words.
Yeah. I had time left over after investigating the northern forest for an hour, so when I investigated Traniasus and his group, I easily learned their identities.
Traniasus is the third son of a count’s family, and the three women are his retainers.
I’d suspected he might be nobility from his blond hair and blue eyes anyway.
“I’m Traniasus, an A-rank adventurer. Nothing more, nothing less.”
“…I see.”
Either way is fine with me.
Immediately after entering the northern forest, without even using True Eyes clairvoyance magic, I expanded World Map map magic and searched for the King Minotaur from within the forest.
“Over there.”
“H-How do you know?”
“I heard the Extermination Witch can freely send her vision far away and search wide areas.”
“…Convenient.”
Leading the four along, I was doing something adventurer-like for the first time since becoming an adventurer, but I hadn’t forgotten my purpose.
“By the way, the Empire’s borders have been noisy lately… do you know what’s happening?”
I tried gathering information while advancing through the forest.
“Skirmishes with the Empire at the border are normal, aren’t they?”
“Yeah. They repeat the same thing every year.”
“…Like a seasonal tradition.”
The three women answered normally, but…
“Did you cross the border to investigate that?”
For some reason, Traniasus’s voice was hard.
“Information gathering is an adventurer’s basic skill.”
“…I see.”
When I answered casually, Traniasus nodded as if convinced…
“That’s unfortunate.”
“—!”
He slashed at me from behind with his sword.
I’d been walking at the front with my back to the four, seemingly helpless as I was cut…
“Now there’s no need to hold back.”
“—!”
I turned around unharmed.
My Aegis absolute defense barrier wouldn’t be torn by a mere A-rank adventurer, and in the first place, I’d walked defenseless at the front to show an opening and provoke a preemptive attack.
“Traniasus-sama, we’ll buy you time!”
“Please escape.”
“…Hurry and go.”
The three girls stood between me and Traniasus to let him escape.
Yeah. I thought the count’s third son Traniasus knew something, but these girls seem to know something too.
When I brought up the border topic, they’d probably already entered combat readiness.
“Damn it!”
Traniasus’s expression twisted at leaving the three girls behind, but apparently not thinking he could beat me, he turned his back and ran.
“Well then.”
Of course, having no intention of letting him escape, I turned my gaze to the three glaring girls—and smiled sweetly.
“What…!”
When Traniasus emerged from the forest, I was elegantly waiting while drinking tea.
I’d brought out a table, chairs, and a complete tea set from Dimensional Storage Item Box…
“H-How…”
And while having the three retainer girls serve me.
“After a little C-H-A-T, they immediately agreed to reconcile.”
“…Did you brainwash them?”
I just applied a little hypnotic magic suggestion to make them believe I’m their master.
So while Traniasus glared at me, the three girls stood blocking him to protect me, their master.
“Damn it. Everyone, wake up!”
Traniasus tried persuading the three with a strained voice, but I hadn’t applied such weak suggestions that would break so easily.
“Well then.”
“Please. Please… return them to me. I’ll tell you anything I know.”
“That’s unnecessary.”
What I want isn’t information Traniasus volunteers.
“Ah.”
So I applied hypnotic magic suggestion to Traniasus too—and decided to question him about various things.
After various twists and turns, we safely subjugated the King Minotaur and returned to town.
“Well then, thank you for your help.”
“Yeah. If we get the chance, let’s go adventuring together again.”
“See you!”
And so the group of four I parted with at the Adventurer’s Guild—of course, they don’t remember being hypnotized, don’t know they spilled everything they knew, and believe they became friends with me through adventuring.
(Things are progressing in a worse direction than I thought.)
I secretly sighed while recalling the information I’d extracted from Traniasus and the others.
“Continental Security Maintenance Alliance?”
Night had come, and Yumeba returned, so I was sharing the information I’d acquired today.
“What’s that?”
“An alliance to cooperate and protect continental peace. It’s closer to a religion, actually.”
“Why would they come after the Empire?”
“Because the Empire is the root cause disturbing continental peace, so they should cooperate to eliminate it—apparently.”
“That makes no sense.”
“I agree.”
Frankly, this Continental Security Maintenance Alliance is far more problematic than a coalition army.
After all, the pretext isn’t defeating the Empire for profit, but an alliance to defeat the Empire that disturbs continental peace together.
It’s not confirmed information yet, but apparently not just the north and east, but all four neighboring nations have joined the alliance.
“So there’s a possibility of simultaneous attacks not just from north and east, but from west and south too?”
“The skirmishes at the northern and eastern borders are apparently camouflage to appear like a coalition army. On the execution day, they plan simultaneous attacks from the Empire’s entire perimeter.”
“…”
Even Yumeba was speechless.
If the Empire concentrates its full strength, it can mobilize hundreds of thousands to nearly a million soldiers, but if attacked simultaneously across all Empire territory, numerical advantage won’t matter.
Though the scale differs, a surrounding force attacking inward can leverage numerical advantage better than a group clustered in the center.
“I’ve never heard of such an alliance.”
“It was probably planned secretly by only the upper echelons of each nation.”
“Didn’t you hear this from a count’s third son?”
“The plan is already in its final stages, past the period of keeping it secret. Even if participants are strictly silenced, I think the outline has been conveyed.”
“Meaning?”
“Even if we eliminate the ringleader now, the plan itself won’t stop.”
I don’t know who the mastermind who drew up this plan is, but things wouldn’t have reached this point without extremely skillful maneuvering.
The plan didn’t start yesterday or today, or even one or two years ago.
The timing was probably ten years ago, when the Empire began focusing on domestic affairs and refraining from invasion.
In other words, for ten whole years, there was a fanatical genius who negotiated with the many nations surrounding the Empire while persuading their upper echelons and keeping the secret from the Empire.
Honestly, I find the obsession more terrifying than that genius intellect.
Even though I’ve never met this person, I feel their strong will to destroy the Empire no matter what.
“What will you do?”
“Since this information isn’t even verified, I don’t think the Empire’s upper echelon would take us seriously.”
I answered Yumeba’s question.
“What will you do?”
“If it’s true, executing the plan is a matter of time. I don’t think we have time to verify and then persuade the Empire’s upper echelon.”
“What will you do?”
“…”
To Yumeba asking a third time, I responded with silence…
“It’s not a situation to worry about adventurer stuff anymore. When that time comes… I’ll fight to the end alongside you.”
“Okay♪”
I hugged back Yumeba, who clung to me happily.
As a woman of House Saionji, Yumeba can’t escape.
If that’s the case, all I can do is fight shoulder to shoulder with her.
That said, first we should talk to people we can talk to and request cooperation.
“That is troublesome.”
Yukina-san, the world’s strongest creature we brought our consultation to, put her hand to her cheek, tilted her head slightly, and struck a troubled pose.
“If the vast Empire is attacked from the entire perimeter, even I alone can’t handle it.”
“I figured…”
No matter how amazing Yukina-san is, alone she can’t respond to raids in multiple locations.
Even if I cooperate with magic and assist with transfer, it would be a drop in the bucket.
“Besides, for the Imperial Army to move requires submitting clear evidence to the Empire’s upper echelon, and verification takes time too. I don’t know when the operation will start, but… we probably won’t make it in time.”
“A surprise attack on all sides… the casualties won’t be trivial.”
Empire soldiers are stationed at the borders too, but the troop numbers during peacetime are limited.
If they wait for swift messengers from the borders to reach the palace, then hold meetings to mobilize troops, the damage will be catastrophic.
“And for me… for House Saionji to move in earnest requires a request from the Empire. That request will come at the earliest several days after the plan starts, or possibly take a week.”
“The Empire’s entire periphery will likely be devastated.”
During the coup, Yukina-san apparently routed the military elite but didn’t kill anyone.
She can move for such entertainment, but participating in full combat—war—requires an Empire request.
Such a covenant is concluded between the Empire and House Saionji.
Of course, this covenant has no magical binding or coercive force, so they could move independently if they wanted—but then House Saionji would lose their place.
A covenant is a chain binding the beast called House Saionji.
Released from that chain, everyone would fear, shun, and try to reject House Saionji.
Therefore, House Saionji cannot break the covenant.
“Do you think we’re heartless?”
If they moved voluntarily, many lives could certainly be saved.
“No. I married into House Saionji, so Yumeba is more important than everyone else.”
But ultimately, this is just one of many wars throughout history.
Just because we have power doesn’t mean we need to feel responsible.
“~♪”
Yumeba, who’d been silently listening, suddenly clung to me vigorously.
Well, let me try doing what I can as a former Fourth Prince.
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