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

Chapter 103

At the time Leonardo encountered Anakros.

A great change was occurring in the Plank Kingdom, known and unknown.

It was the wind stirred by ‘Pirate Knight Ronak.’

“You are trash not worth keeping alive.”

As Ronak spoke coldly, dragging his giant axe on the ground and approaching, the bandit boss trembled.

He was a bandit boss who had reigned like an emperor on a certain mountain.

The bandit boss, who had already seen dozens of his subordinates’ heads smashed by that monster-like fellow’s axe.

Because of that, the bandit boss could not calm down at all.

“S-save me……! Y-you, you look like my kind of person, so why are you doing this! We didn’t even attack you guys! Why between fellow bandits, shit!!”

Ronak frowned and shook his head.

“We are different from you. We are not trash like you. Even among bandits, we are entirely different.”

“…….”

“We are moving under orders. The orders of one who told us to subjugate trash like you and gather our forces by accepting decent bandits.”

“O-orders? Who could possibly dare to give orders to someone as strong as you……?”

At the bandit boss’s question, Ronak looked towards the royal capital and answered.

“The Crown Prince, His Highness Leonardo. I follow his orders. He is the one who allowed me and my comrades, who were mere pirates, to live worthy lives.”

“H-His Highness Leonardo…… The Crown Prince who got rid of all the thugs? You mean the blood-crazed madman who also purged the nobles…… Gulp!”

The bandit boss had unknowingly used the modifier ‘blood-crazed madman’ for Leonardo.

Among criminals like bandits and thieves, Leonardo was often called that.

Perhaps this was why one should choose the words one uses carefully. Because they can come out like a habit.

Naturally, Ronak was not one to lightly overlook an insult to Leonardo.

A murderous intent filled Ronak’s voice.

“……‘Blood-crazed madman’?”

Ronak muttered and raised his axe high. The giant axe that an ordinary person would have difficulty moving with two hands, Ronak lifted easily with one.

The giant axe blocked the sun.

At Ronak’s axe, which seemed ready to strike him down at any moment, the bandit boss wailed.

“I-it was a slip of the tongue! I misspoke! S-save me! P-please―!”

Splat―!

The bandit boss could not even finish his death cry as the top of his head to his neck was cleanly caved in. He probably did not even have time to feel pain.

Swoosh―.

Ronak swung his axe forcefully in the air, shaking off the blood and flesh.

Then he asked his first mate Rollo― now a knight like himself― who was watching from the side.

“Were these guys the last of the bandits in this area?”

“I thought so, but listening to the village women who were kidnapped, it seems there’s another bandit group on the eastern mountain.”

Rollo said, pointing to the women gathered beside them.

They were women from a small village at the foot of this mountain, who had been kidnapped with their children and held captive by the bandits.

Then by chance, by sheer luck, they were rescued by the bandit group led by Ronak.

“May I ask, do you know how many of those bandits on the eastern mountain there are?”

The village woman was flustered by Ronak’s polite question. It was because the cruel, large-bodied man who had smashed all the bandits’ heads with an axe was being polite to her.

“I-I don’t know exactly. I think there were about ten of them…….”

“About ten. Have they ever attacked the village?”

“Yes, yes. They came and pillaged at least once every few months. Because those bastards stole our food, my younger brother starved to d-death.”

As if recalling a painful memory, the woman started crying as she spoke.

To such a woman, Ronak spoke in a voice full of trust, a voice truly befitting a knight.

“We cannot do anything about those who have already passed, but we will subjugate those bastards so that it will not happen again in the future. And we will take responsibility for escorting you all back to the village.”

“Ah…… T-thank you.”

A strong man showing a polite demeanor.

The village woman felt a strange emotion at that. How could she not? He was the ‘savior’ who had rescued them from the bandits.

His appearance was frightening, but apart from that, the woman’s heart was shaken.

“Rollo, pick twenty men and take the villagers back to the village.”

“Are you going to the eastern mountain right away?”

“No, you take care of those guys after you take the villagers to the village. A bandit group of about ten, you should be able to handle it by yourself. I’ll be heading north to eliminate other bandits, so when you’re done here, you come up north too.”

“Got it.”

Rollo nodded immediately and was about to take the village women around him to the village.

“W-wait a minute! I have something I want to ask.”

The village woman was about to follow Rollo but then asked Ronak.

“I think you said earlier that you are subjugating bandits under the orders of His Highness Leonardo…… Is that really true?”

The village woman’s question.

It was a question that Ronak and the bandit group he led had heard countless times until now. Every time they saved people.

Nod.

Ronak smiled slightly and nodded his head. He tried to give a friendly smile in his own way, but the hideous scar that stretched long from the corner of his mouth to his ear inevitably stretched frighteningly.

Fortunately, Ronak’s frightening scar was not clearly visible, hidden in the shadows.

“That is correct. My comrades and I are all moving under the orders of His Highness Leonardo.”

“All of your comrades……?”

The woman muttered and pointed to the bandits gathered at the foot of the mountain, finishing her question.

“Do all those people follow you?”

“They do not follow me, but His Highness Leonardo.”

“…….”

“We may look like bandits on the outside, but we are strictly a kingdom army loyal to the kingdom. And I am a senior knight recognized by Commander Jereuth.”

Ronak finished speaking and mounted his horse.

“C-Commander Jereuth, you mean the hero―?”

The woman wanted to talk more with Ronak, but Ronak was already riding his horse towards the foot of the mountain. The woman could not speak to him anymore.

As Ronak rode his horse to the foot of the mountain.

The bandits who were waiting for Ronak at the foot of the mountain all looked at him at once.

They were once people who had left the cities and villages to become bandits to survive the tyranny of the nobles, but even in such difficult circumstances, they had kept their conscience as human beings, the ‘good-hearted bandits.’

Once bandits. But now they were following Ronak with pride as the kingdom’s army. To be precise, they followed the kingdom’s flag that Ronak held, given to him by Leonardo.

“To the north!”

As Ronak shouted loudly and pointed the way with his axe, the bandits began to move in unison.

Having not received formal training, their movements were somewhat disorganized.

However, their combat power was not inferior to any of the kingdom’s armies, not to mention any domain’s army. In fact, it was on the strong side. In terms of combat experience, they would not be lacking compared to any army on the continent.

The number of the ‘Kingdom Bandit Army’ led by Ronak was currently about 500. It was a considerable number even now, but that number would only grow.

Looking at the 'Kingdom Bandit Army' marching north, Ronak thought.

‘The order I received from His Highness is to root out the trash bandits from this kingdom in appropriate cooperation with each domain, and to create an army that follows His Highness. I don't know when I'll be able to finish this mission…… but I hope I can finish it quickly. I want to see His Highness pleased with my achievements. I wonder if he has read the letter with the news of my victory that I sent?’

***

Ssssssssss―.

Before me was the giant snake, Anakros. Truly ‘before my eyes.’

Looking at Anakros’s snake eyes, I thought.

‘……In the original <Future Diary>, it was written that Anakros spoke to me first.’

But this time was different. I spoke to Anakros before it could speak to me. I had my own intentions.

I am not quite sure how I called out to Anakros. I just spoke in my mind, and fortunately, it was conveyed.

―Did you call me? Human?

Anakros said to me while meeting my eyes. His voice flowed directly into my head.

―Yes. I called you.

―How did you call me? Humans cannot speak to me.

……Gulp.

I heard someone behind me swallow their saliva. I did not know whose saliva it was, but that sound was audible, which showed how everyone, including me, was holding their breath.

Anakros and I were speaking with ‘in-mind’ voices. So the others in my party would not understand what was happening.

“Y-Your Highness……!”

I heard Jereuth’s voice.

It was the first time I had seen Jereuth so flustered.

However, I decided to focus on Anakros for now.

Anakros stared at me intently before solving the mystery on its own.

―Hoh, you are a Half-Elf. That is why you could speak to me. Come to think of it, I heard a rumor not long ago that a human king married the daughter of an Elder Elf elder. Was it 20 years ago…… or more? Anyway, it was a recent event. Are you the child of that elf and human?

It was not a common occurrence for a human king and an elf to marry and have a child, so it was probably me.

―Yes, that is correct. I am that Half-Elf. My name is Leonardo.

―A polite human. I am ‘Risilbak,’ the elder of the Anakros.

―Lord Risilbak.

―Yes. But why did you call me? I answered your words according to the pact with the elves, but I am in a hurry. If you have no special business, I would like to be on my way.

Being in a hurry.

That probably meant it had to go to the Monster Mountains. Because of the Minotaur that would revive soon― within a few years.

While I was thinking for a moment, Anakros spoke.

―Still, since we have met like this, I will give you a piece of advice as a pact-holder. Leave this land as soon as possible―.

―Why?

I knew the reason for leaving the land, but I asked, knowing, to proceed with the conversation.

However, perhaps because I was awkward with conversing in my mind, my thought was conveyed to Risilbak as words.

―……To interrupt my words. You have some nerve. Not even the Elder Elves dare to interrupt me.

Risilbak said, narrowing his snake eyes, and continued.

―That is right. Soon, this land will become a sea of fire. With the revival of the Minotaur―.

―With the revival of the Minotaur, the monster army is gathering. You, an Anakros who loves tranquility and quietness, are also unable to stand against the Minotaur and are forced to go there.

―……You cut me off again. I do not like it.

It continued to speak, glaring at me with its snake eyes.

―But how did you know about the Minotaur? And how did you know that we Anakros love quietness and tranquility?

I could not say I read it in the <Future Diary>, so I just mumbled something.

―I just happened to find out.

―You just happened to find out…… That is not information one can just happen to find out.

‘Risilbak’ muttered as if finding it strange, then continued.

―Well, fine. As you say, not just me but all the monsters of this land have been called by the Minotaur and are gathering in the Monster Mountains. Even the monsters in the Wasteland of Ruin. Perhaps when the Minotaur fully revives, monsters from all over the continent will gather.

―The reason the Minotaur is gathering the monsters is to attack humans, right?

―Well, since the Minotaur has not revived yet, I do not know what he will do leading the monster army. But there is a high probability that he will attack humans.

―…….

―Thirty years ago, monsters also gathered in the Monster Mountains to welcome the birth of the Triple Head Ogre. A few Anakros went as well. But I did not go at that time. As the elder of the Anakros, I was not afraid of something like a Triple Head Ogre.

It was just as I thought.

‘The birth of the Triple Head Ogre 30 years ago. Jereuth said he went to the Monster Mountains to stop it. And he said he saw an Anakros there.’

But at that time, Jereuth said the Anakros he saw was 4-5 meters long.

However, the Anakros ‘Risilbak’ in front of me now was at least over 10 meters long. So it was clear that it was much stronger than the Anakros Jereuth had seen 30 years ago.

‘So if I can win Risilbak over to my side…….’

―But even you, the elder of the Anakros, are afraid of the Minotaur?

―Of course. For any being that lives on land, not opposing the Minotaur is the wise choice.

Risilbak spoke calmly.

However, I could feel the fear implicitly contained in his tone and voice. That was how much Risilbak seemed to fear the Minotaur.

―This is all I can tell you. Young Half-Elf, if you wish to live, flee to the end of the continent.

This is the last and best advice I can give you as a pact-holder. The next time you meet me, you will die. No matter the pact, I cannot defy the Minotaur’s orders.

Having finished speaking, Risilbak turned his head as if he had nothing more to say. Then he headed in the direction he was going again.

Risilbak was heading east, to the Monster Mountains.

I could not let Risilbak leave like this. I had not yet achieved my goal.

―Wait a moment. I still have something to say.

―Something to say? I have none. Thɪs chapter is updated by novel-fire.ɴet

―I want to make a deal with you. It will not be a bad proposal for you either.

―……?

Risilbak paused while turning his head.

Then he brought his face close to mine again.

―A deal. What kind of deal would a young Half-Elf who will soon disappear from this world make? There is nothing you can give me. None of human wealth has any meaning to me.

―What I intend to give you is not something like wealth. I intend to return to you the tranquility and quietness you love. The tranquility and quietness that will be destroyed by the Minotaur’s revival.

―……?

Risilbak tilted his head slightly.

The cold, slippery skin of the snake brushed lightly against my face.

―What do you mean by that? Are you saying you will seal the Minotaur? Your skills will not be enough for that.

―That is a problem for me to solve, so it is not for you to worry about.

―Hoh, to say it like that, you have some nerve. Or are you just foolish because you know nothing?

―…….

―Young Half-Elf, gathering those who can challenge the Minotaur’s dungeon is no easy task. Even if you succeed in conquering that dungeon, the choice you will have to make to finally seal the Minotaur will be truly difficult. Are you saying all this knowing all that?

Interest tinged Anakros’s voice.

It seemed the conversation was proceeding smoothly. However, there was something that bothered me.

‘Why is he saying sealing the Minotaur is difficult? The <Future Diary> said I succeeded in sealing the Minotaur…… Come to think of it, Jereuth also mentioned something like that vaguely before. That they conquered the dungeon but could not seal the Minotaur.’

A nagging worry arose. Still, I decided not to think about the sealing of the Minotaur for now.

Since the <Future Diary> said I would succeed in sealing it, there was no need for me to worry about it.

Risilbak asked again in an interested voice.

―In return for you sealing the Minotaur, what is it that you want from me? Since you called it a ‘deal’ earlier, you must want something from me.

The question I had been waiting for.

I answered immediately.

―I will seal the Minotaur, so you, in the future, will stand on the side of humans when the monster army attacks. That is what I ask of you.

―I will seal the Minotaur, so you want me to stand on the side of humans and fight against the monsters……. If the Minotaur is sealed as you say, the monster army might not attack humans in the first place, right?

―No. As the monster army is already gathering in the Monster Mountains, even without the Minotaur, some monster will become the leader and lead the monster army. And they will attack humans.

―Hmm, that is a plausible argument. A very plausible one.

Ssssssssss―.

Anakros flicked its tongue.

I did not know if it was considering my proposal or clicking its tongue at me.

―…….

―…….

A heavy silence flowed quietly between me and Risilbak.

Then, Risilbak broke the silence with a voice more calm and serious than before.

―So what you are saying is, ‘Even if the Minotaur is sealed, the monster army will attack humans. When that time comes, the Anakros will stand on the side of humans and fight against the monster army.’ Is that correct?

―Exactly.

―An interesting proposal. A very interesting proposal. Since you made such a proposal, I will ask one thing as well.

―Please ask.

The negotiation atmosphere with Risilbak was good.

So I thought I would be able to receive the help of Risilbak and the other Anakros.

‘Of course, even if the Anakros help me and fight against the monsters, I don’t know if we can stop the monster army’s attack. I’ll have to check the <Future Diary> to find out. But it’s certain that I’ll gain a powerful ally.’

While I was having such positive thoughts.

Risilbak shook me with a question I could never have imagined.

―If I were to persuade the Minotaur to spare your life. Would you then not seal the Minotaur and stand on the side of the monsters?

―……?

―If you agree to do so, ‘you’ can be saved. Even the Minotaur would spare you, just one, if I ask.

‘He’ll save me, so I should stand on the side of the monsters?’

At that unexpected question, a cowardly human who was swayed was right here.

No, an ordinary human was right here.