I Didn't Want to Become the Emperor of This World

Chapter 84

Jereuth.

After his conversation with Leonardo, he headed straight for his room. His expression and steps as he returned to his room were as stern and composed as usual, but unlike his outward appearance, his mind was complex.

The reason, of course, was the conversation he had with Leonardo.

‘The Minotaur's dungeon……. It was a truly difficult dungeon. In many ways.’

In his youth, Jereuth had adventured with the current king, Philip, his first and last love who had now passed, Queen Victoria, his Giant companion ‘Barut’, and the Dwarf master craftsman Grombrindal.

And during that adventure, they had challenged the Minotaur's dungeon.

At the time, all of Jereuth's companions were skilled enough to be called ‘heroes’, so breaking through the dungeon itself was not that difficult.

To be honest, conquering the dungeon was laughable.

The problem was sealing the Minotaur afterward. It wasn't a dungeon where a mythical monster was sealed for no reason.

‘Normally, the final room of a dungeon contains the dungeon's strongest monster. So we thought the Minotaur would be at the end of the dungeon. But…… in that place, instead of the Minotaur, there was a problem as difficult to solve as the Minotaur, no, more difficult than the Minotaur. And that was—.’

Just as Jereuth was thinking.

“Ah, Commander.”

From around the corner of the hallway, the Head Maid, Elly, appeared. She was pushing a small cart, but because Elly's body was so small, the cart looked large.

At her greeting, Jereuth broke from his thoughts and replied.

“Are you going to His Highness?”

“Yes, I am. I've prepared a simple snack in case His Highness stays up late again today. He seemed to have a lot on his mind in the carriage earlier, so I also prepared ‘Mages’ Tea,’ which His Highness enjoys. I tried it too, but it was too bitter for my taste, hehe…….”

“I see. Good work, then.”

“Yes, thank you!”

Elly replied brightly and passed by Jereuth, heading towards Leonardo's room. Jereuth watched her absentmindedly and thought.

‘His Highness was worried in the carriage…… It must be about the Minotaur. That must be why he asked me about the Minotaur.’

A sudden thought gave Jereuth goosebumps.

‘……Don't tell me the Minotaur is going to appear in the kingdom soon?’

Until now, Leonardo had always foreseen crises or problems. As if he could see the future.

He was showing the same aspect that King Philip had shown in his youth.

For such a Leonardo to be worried about the Minotaur, there was a high probability that it was because the Minotaur would soon appear. Otherwise, there was no reason to suddenly be concerned about the Minotaur.

‘According to the myths, the Minotaur's seal is broken once every 1,000 years, and it comes out of the dungeon. And because of that, my companions and I did not seal the Minotaur.

We said we couldn't sacrifice a companion for a monster that appears once every 1,000 years.’

But the fact that Leonardo had suddenly started to worry about the Minotaur must mean that the ‘once every 1,000 years’ meant ‘soon’.

At the sudden thought, Jereuth's expression grew serious.

‘If the Minotaur really appears in the kingdom…… a terrible thing will happen.’

An unsettling thought assailed Jereuth's mind. Jereuth resolutely shook his head and changed his thoughts.

‘Let's trust His Highness. If it's His Highness Leonardo, he will surely do something before such a disaster occurs.’

But what if even Leonardo couldn't come up with a proper solution?

‘……Then I'll have to take responsibility. The responsibility for failing to seal the Minotaur with my companions in my youth.’

Today was a very joyous day. It was the day they had recruited pirates who could have shaken the kingdom as allies, and through them, laid the groundwork for subjugating the bandits hidden throughout the kingdom.

However, not only Leonardo but also Jereuth was lost in deeper thought than ever before.

***

At the same time.

A tavern near the Misty Port Lord's castle, ‘Whale Hunt’.

This tavern, the oldest and most famous in Misty Port, was once used as a hideout for the thugs who dominated Misty Port. However, after the ‘war on crime’ that Leonardo implemented nationwide, it returned to the hands of the territory's citizens. Dıscover more novels at novel_fіre.net

Not only the ‘Whale Hunt’ tavern, but all the things that thugs and ruffians had taken by latching onto nobles, such as Misty Port's farmlands, ships, and harbor, were returned to the citizens.

Thanks to this, Misty Port was gradually regaining its vitality. Although it was not yet as prosperous as in the past, as the harbors and ships of the ‘Jerpan Archipelago’ beyond the South Sea and the ‘Angla Empire’ beyond the West Sea were not yet coming and going, the people of Misty Port believed that this too would one day resume.

That was how strong the kingdom's people's trust in Leonardo was becoming. Along with that, the people's trust and treatment of the knights and soldiers also improved greatly.

“Ah, Sir Knights! Try this too! Misty Port's specialty, ‘Wine-Braised Fish’!”

As the tavern owner placed a braised dish made from a fish as large as a knight's forearm on the table, a knight waved his hand, looking troubled.

“Again, for free? Are you really sure? This looks like a really expensive dish?”

“Haha, it's fine! I've always wanted to show my gratitude to the knights and soldiers! And—.”

The tavern owner pointed to two people having a drinking contest in the center of the tavern and laughed heartily.

“Those two have already covered today's sales with their liquor bill, so this much is fine!”

The ‘two people’ the owner mentioned were Rags and Hark. The amount of alcohol consumed by Rags, the best drinker among the knights, and Hark, the best drinker among the pirates, was enormous, and the tavern owner couldn't help but adore them.

Usually, when people drink so excessively, they might get drunk and start a fight or cause a scene, but he wasn't worried about that. Because their statuses were guaranteed.

Even if the two got drunk and caused a scene, there were plenty of people who would stop them.

“Then, enjoy your meal! If you need anything, just let me know!”

The tavern owner smiled broadly and headed back to the kitchen. A knight shook his head at the tavern owner.

‘Since he gave it to us, I'd better eat it deliciously.’

Within the boisterous tavern, there were also women clinking glasses with the handsome knights from the royal capital. There were also merchants busily raising their glasses and moving between the soldiers to gather various information and, for some, to build connections with the knights.

Thus, a peaceful and enjoyable night for the knights and pirates passed by.

***

Chirp, chirp— Swish—.

The sound of birds and the faint sound of waves from a distance mingled to wake the morning. Having been in Misty Port for quite some time, these sounds were now familiar.

“Ugh……”

I forced myself to wake up. Various books and documents scattered on the desk came into view.

<History of the Giants>, <Monsters of Myth>, <Plank Kingdom, History Before the Kingdom>, and so on, were all books and documents I had brought from the lord's castle library.

‘……Did I sleep at my desk again yesterday? I can't even remember. I didn't drink, so it might be dementia from overwork.’

Dementia from overwork at the age of twelve, that can't be.

Pfft—.

Finding my own thought absurd, I let out a faint sigh.

Today was the tenth day after recruiting the Ingrid Island Pirates. Nevertheless, I was still staying in Misty Port, worrying and making plans regarding the Giants.

If I had my way, I would have wanted to return to the royal capital as soon as possible and calmly make plans in a place that was a little more familiar to me. The reason I was still staying in Misty Port was to wait for the rear guard of the Ingrid Island Pirates.

‘Getting the Giants' help to seal the Minotaur is important, but the Ingrid Island Pirates are also important. They need to deal with the pirates of the West Sea decisively for us to be able to clean up the kingdom's bandits.’

Of course, it was already written in the <Future Diary> that the Ingrid Island Pirates would deal with the pirates of the West Sea and even clean up the kingdom's bandits well.

But just because the future was foretold didn't mean I could just let it happen on its own. I knew better than anyone that the developments in the <Future Diary> could change with even minor issues.

I had to be thoroughly prepared for anything. Just as my future self had been.

‘It was a good thing the Misty Port lord's castle library had quite a few books. And books about Giants, the Minotaur, or the kingdom's history, at that.’

If it weren't for these books, I would have spent over a week gaining no new information about the Giants and only engaging in meaningless worries and concerns.

‘Well…… I read the books because they were there, but honestly, they weren't helpful.’

I still couldn't understand what mistake my future self had made for the Giant guard to not even let him into the settlement and chase him away.

‘My future self must have been driven out because of a Giant custom or culture I don't know about.’

No matter how good your intentions or how wonderful your gifts, you can't succeed in negotiations if you don't know the other party's culture or customs. That was something I had heard in a lecture when I was in my original world, Earth.

It's not for nothing that world-dominating corporations have their employees learn the culture and customs of a country before expanding there.

‘If I had even a small clue as to what mistake my future self made with the Giants, I feel like I could find the answer by asking Jereuth based on that…… but I don't know the mistake my future self made. I went with gifts and spoke politely, so why was I driven away?’

“Hoo.”

Shwarrack—.

Sighing, I opened the <Future Diary> again. The part where my future self visits the Giant settlement. I've read it so many times I've practically memorized it.

…….

“Why has a human like you come here?”

Despite his harsh words, I smiled and spoke in a friendly manner.

“I am Leonardo, the Crown Prince of the Plank Kingdom. I have come to ask a favor of the Giants and to forge a friendship.”

“……”

“It is a humble offering, but I have also prepared gifts for you all. Food, cloth, things like that.”

Since I had even prepared gifts, I naturally thought the Giant would let me inside.

However, contrary to my expectations, the Giant's words were cold.

“……A gift? A human like you will never be welcomed by the Giants. If you don't want to make an enemy of the Giants, get lost immediately.”

After saying that, the Giant guard aimed a giant spear, well over 5 meters long, at me.

It was a clear and merciless order to leave.

Jereuth, who had been watching me from behind, stepped forward.

“Wait. I am a friend of the Giant elder Barut—.”

“I've heard the elder has a human friend. But I do not know you.”

“……”

“And in the first place, it's impossible for humans like you to be friends with the elder. If you don't get lost immediately, I will consider you an enemy, human.”

……It seemed impossible to forge a friendship with the Giants.

No matter how many times I reread it and thought about it, I couldn't figure out what the problem was.

Perhaps the perspective of me, a human, and the perspective of a Giant were so different that I couldn't understand no matter how much I thought about it. Even among humans, we can't completely understand each other, so how much more severe would the difference be between different races?

“I don't know, I just don't know……”

Sighing, I stood up from my chair. I had a busy schedule starting from the morning, so I had to wash up soon.

***

Misty Port Lord's Castle Harbor.

A sharp wind blew in the harbor as winter approached. The flag hanging on the Ingrid Island Pirates' ship fluttered in the wind. All the pirates were standing in two rows at the harbor, facing forward with a proper posture unbecoming of pirates.

The reason the Ingrid Island Pirates were gathered like this was because today was their departure day. They would set sail to deal with the pirates of the West Sea, following Leonardo's command.

If this were any other harbor, people would have trembled in fear at the sight of so many pirates gathered. But the people of Misty Port had come to know what kind of people the Ingrid Island Pirates were over the past few days, as they mingled with the knights and soldiers.

They knew that these pirates were also Crown Prince Leonardo's army, who had saved their lives.

Amidst the rather solemn atmosphere.

Knight Commander Jereuth, Lord Walter, and the maid Elly, who would make many a young boy's heart flutter, appeared.

The person they escorted out was the blond-haired handsome boy, Crown Prince Leonardo.

—Wow, it's His Highness the Crown Prince!

At someone's shout, the crowd that had come to watch at the harbor stirred. Some people jumped up and down to get a better look at the crown prince's face, while others went too far, crossing the restraining line and getting arrested by the soldiers.

Amidst such small commotion, Leonardo extended his hand to Ronak. Ronak's expression was unusually tense. It seemed he was nervous about so many people showing them favor.

“Sir Ronak. I apologize for making you set sail right away when you've only just returned to the mainland. You must want to rest a little more.”

“Not at all, Your Highness! My comrades and I came to the mainland to devote ourselves to the kingdom under Your Highness's command! It is an honor, rather!”

At the truly exemplary knight-like answer, Jereuth nodded. He was satisfied with the excellent results of the ‘mental training’ he had conducted while helping Ronak prepare for departure over the past ten days.

Leonardo smiled lightly and added one more thing.

“Don't overdo it.”

“Thank you! Then we shall set sail!”

“Yes.”

Ronak shook the hand of Leonardo, who was much smaller than him, as gently as possible, and then turned around. Having reported his departure to the crown prince, he was now about to leave the harbor.

Ronak boarded the ship first, followed by the pirates boarding their respective ships. The pirates' organized movements were just like those of a highly skilled navy, and the territory's citizens cheered at the sight.

Indeed, not just in the Plank Kingdom, but throughout the continent, there would be no one stronger in actual combat than them.

—Woooooah!

—Wipe out all the West Sea pirates!!

—So that we can sail to the royal capital again!

—I'm sick and tired of sailing while paying tribute to pirates!!

—Avenge my son!!

Hearing the cheers, Ronak awkwardly scratched the back of his head. For him, a pirate, to be cheered by people was something unimaginable in the past.

The vice-admiral—now a junior knight, Rollo—lightly tapped Ronak's back and said.

“Are you not going to react at all when people are cheering? You should at least raise your fist. Or, like a pirate, raise your axe. You learned from Commander Jereuth, didn't you? 「’As important as actually protecting the kingdom's people is leaving a strong impression on them. That way, the kingdom's people can live with peace of mind.’」.”

“Ah…… right.”

Ronak nodded awkwardly, picked up his axe, and raised it towards the cheering people.

At that performance, the cheers of the people gathered at the harbor grew even louder.

—Woooooah!

***

“So Ronak, what are you going to do when you go to the West Sea and meet the ‘Red Shark Pirates’? Start fighting right away?”

Rollo asked while checking his weapon in a slightly crooked posture—his usual posture, and Ronak replied while looking at the coastline.

“If they start a fight right away, we'll have to. But if they try to talk first, we go with ‘Plan 2’.”

“Plan 2……”

Rollo trailed off and then smiled slyly.

“We couldn't play like pirates in Misty Port because of the citizens, but it's been a while since we could play like pirates.”

“The ‘Red Shark Pirates’ are trash, so there's no need to hold back. There are no witnesses besides us. Commander Jereuth's words were to not shy away from any means to follow His Highness's orders.”

“Alright. I'll pass it on to the ships then.”

At the thought of executing ‘Plan 2’, Rollo smiled and shouted to the pirates.

“Ronak said we're going with ‘Plan 2’! So let's show those Red Shark Pirates, those rookies who only prey on the weak, how real pirates play!”

—Ooh!

The Ingrid Island Pirates increased their speed. With the crown prince's recognition, the people's cheers, and having eaten their fill comfortably for the first time in over a decade, their morale was sky-high.

Swoooooooosh-!

The Ingrid Island Pirate fleet cut through the sea fiercely.