Chapter 125
"Liberta, a letter has arrived from the Duke."
"Huh? At this timing? I wonder what it is?"
After using the Transfer Pendulum to return from the Oak Forest for the time being.
I had planned to go to Zinc's shop after finishing cleaning up to discuss the Amina idolization plan with Nell's parents, including our investment, but there was a letter in this house's mailbox with the Edelgard ducal family's crest on the wax seal.
I thought it might be progress on a request, but I only made the request a few days ago - isn't this information coming too quickly?
Could it be a summons by letter?
Breaking the wax seal and checking the contents...
"...Huh?"
I unintentionally let out a strange sound.
"Did something happen?"
No, honestly, the content made me want to retort "Why would it turn out like this?" - I suppose it showed on my face, as Ingrid's worried voice made me hesitate about how to respond.
"How should I put this... I haven't proclaimed myself as such, but I'm basically being treated as someone who's received power from a god, right?"
"Yes, that's correct. Liberta's knowledge is the one and only thing that can unravel this world's truths. What else could it be but divine protection?"
"From my perspective it's the result of effort, but between that knowledge and Lady Claudia going out of her way to act as my guardian, I'd basically been recognized by Duke Edelgard as potentially being the Hero of Divine Revelation."
I decided to honestly tell them the letter's contents. At Ingrid's anxious voice, Nell, Amina, and Claudia gathered, and waving the letter, I declared:
"It seems a hero who completely overturns that premise has appeared in another ducal house, and the capital is in an uproar."
"????"
But even after hearing this, they didn't seem to understand, all tilting their heads in unison.
"Yeah, that reaction makes sense. I don't really get it either."
Even if they tell me "We thought you might be the hero candidate, but actually there's another hero," all I can say is "Huh?"
"Though Duke Edelgard doesn't seem to recognize that hero as genuine."
Actually, Duke Edelgard didn't send this letter to deny me as the hero - it's a notification that while still keeping it secret from the public, this will eventually be revealed, so I shouldn't be confused.
"If Duke Edelgard doesn't recognize him, does that mean the Duke has some basis for judging this new hero candidate isn't genuine?"
At Claudia's question about the odd phrasing, I nodded.
Among the noble factions in the capital, most are apparently overjoyed at the hero's birth. Voices praising Duke Boltlinde (the "Castle Serpent Duke") who discovered him are endless. Among them, Duke Edelgard's faction and the royal family are maintaining neutral opposition.
"There's more to the letter."
Fundamentally, since I myself have little awareness of being a hero, I can react this calmly, but normally hearing this would make one feel their position is threatened.
But the reason I made such a strange face was because of the latter part.
"This boy they think is the hero is named Jakaran..."
Summarizing Duke Edelgard's information: Duke Boltlinde ("Castle Serpent Duke") has taken in a boy with physical abilities suggesting divine protection.
A child swinging a greatsword, in a mock battle before the king, sent a Class 3 knight flying and won overwhelmingly.
By the king's order, they saw the boy's status - Class 1, Level 10, stats that should make victory impossible.
"The name of one of the three dangerous people I'm looking for is also Jakaran."
And the skills listed in that status. Skills that boy shouldn't normally be able to obtain were there.
"The Berserker God skill was there, so no mistake. Well well, they've picked up one hell of a bomb."
Divine-named skills. Normally only obtainable by masters who've reached the pinnacle of martial or magical arts, but he's apparently just fifteen, and his victory over the knight wasn't through martial arts but wild, brute force.
Of course - the Berserker God skill is an exceptional stat-boosting skill among enhancement skills, but in exchange prevents learning passive skills like martial or magical arts - a physical berserker skill.
Skills like this with major drawbacks but granting great power are often innate.
We called people born with such skills "Gifted."
All I could manage was a dry laugh.
"Wow, this is troublesome."
I never imagined the information I'd given Duke Edelgard to help search would prove useful like this.
The Berserker God skill's effect is an enormous stat increase - multiplying both HP and MP by over ten times. It's an absurd benefit unique to divine-granted skills that can't even be obtained through skill scrolls.
"This country might actually be destroyed."
But the penalties for excessive power are severe. First is the experience table multiplier - a full ten times. The tradeoff for becoming ten times stronger is needing ten times the EXP. This seems fair.
The problem is this isn't the only penalty. It's as if the god gave power in exchange for imposing destructive impulses - increasing destructive urges while lowering patience. As the skill levels up, destructive impulses grow while patience decreases, until at maximum evolution, a beast stripped of reason emerges to wreak unlimited destruction.
"That's terrible!!"
"I did explain this to His Grace - that leveling up naturally grows the skill, increasing physical abilities and violent tendencies."
Violence increases proportionally with stat growth.
Even if they think they can control him now as a child, once grown he'll become unmanageable. The only sure way to stop him is now, before he's fully grown, but...
"The nobles are protecting him, making that impossible?"
"I understand Nell's concern, and we must do something, but with a great noble backing him... Well, I get why they'd think someone with a divine-named skill is a hero, but why him?"
With nobles as troublesome guards, direct confrontation is nearly impossible. Assassination might be the only way, but that would sow distrust among nobles and clearly destabilize the nation.
"......"
"Liberta, should we flee, please don't forget to take me with you."
"Ah, yes."
"Liberta, I understand wanting to run, but didn't Duke Edelgard say he wanted something done?"
Seeing that future, honestly fleeing the continent might be cleaner, but with favorite characters here, maybe I should wait a bit longer.
"There is - this is really the main point, I suppose."
Chastened by Claudia, I return to the Duke's letter. Since it says they'll remain vigilant with the king, not everyone sees Jakaran as a hero, which is fortunate.
Moreover, the other two dukes seem unenthused and passive.
"They want to capitalize on Jakaran's power to have him conquer the dungeon Duke Edelgard is trying to clear under royal orders. If he succeeds, he'll become even more arrogant, so they want to act quickly and are requesting our cooperation."
Duke Boltlinde seems energized as a chance to undermine Duke Edelgard, even interfering with the dungeon conquest they pushed onto him.
"Leaving aside cooperation, won't the equipment be insufficient? Without anti-dragon gear, it's suicide."
"Exactly, exactly!"
Worse, from what I know of Jakaran, that dungeon is bad news. A treasure trove of EXP - against a wind dragon, with enough leveling, Jakaran could win even without anti-dragon gear.
And if he becomes capable of slaying wind dragons, no one in this country could control Jakaran anymore. A physical monster would be unleashed to rampage freely.
But attempting the wind dragon dungeon with just Duke Edelgard's current unprepared forces and adventurers would cause massive casualties, potentially ruining the ducal house.
"Hey, Liberta.""Hm?"
While pondering the best approach, Nell tugged my clothes.
"Couldn't we conquer the dungeon ourselves?""Hmm, hmm..."
The simple question made me think. Fundamentally Jakaran must be dealt with, but as a stalling tactic, removing the dungeon to hinder his leveling isn't bad.
"...Not bad, not bad, but...""Can we not do it?""No, we can. With Lady Claudia, it's possible. But......"
Just defeating the Dullahan would remove the dungeon. Our current strength could realistically manage that.
"But the wind dragon is impossible."
Against the wind dragon, honestly even Claudia would struggle. Equipment is lacking, levels are insufficient, skills are missing.
I advised His Grace - only with a perfectly meta party composition could you barely hunt it safely.
"If we conquer it ourselves, we'd undermine Duke Edelgard's standing. If we did it as his subordinates, we'd be exposed, potentially forcing him to promote me as a hero and starting factional conflicts between heroes."
Politically, I'm a complete outsider. Getting involved now would be troublesome.
Helping the ducal house conquer the dungeon isn't bad, but the approach must be carefully chosen.
"If it's minimal obligation, I could go to the ducal house to assist. I'm undoubtedly this party's strongest fighter."
Claudia's suggestion isn't bad for playing it safe.
But is it best? I can firmly say no.
"Let's keep that as a last resort. First, let's go hear Duke Edelgard out."
As I returned the letter to the envelope, about to suggest this, I noticed another small slip inside - like it had been secretly slipped in, a scribbled note.
"What's this?"
Taking it out quietly, the handwriting clearly differed from the Duke's. Reading it...
"......"
Just a few lines, but containing information the Duke had kept secret from me.
From the writing, likely a woman - undoubtedly Lady Esmeralda of the same house.
Reading Lady Esmeralda's information, I felt my expression go completely blank.
"Li-Liberta, you're scaring me..."
Amina's timid voice deserved an answer, but I had no room for anything but redirecting my anger.
"Hehehehehe."
When anger passes a point, laughter wells up.
"BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!""Liberta!?""What's wrong!?"
First quiet chuckles, then uncontrollable laughter as Nell and Amina's worried voices reached my ears, but it didn't matter.
"OK, understood. Jakaran. As of now, you're my enemy."
He seems to have trampled straight into my inviolable sanctuary.
My own voice sounded frighteningly cold.
Lady Esmeralda's scribbled message said:
During introductions, Lady Esmeralda and the recovered Lady Iris were present, where Jakaran took a strong liking to Lady Iris and demanded to have her then and there.
The atmosphere turned celebratory about bonding the hero to the ducal house. The note said if he achieves military exploits, they may have to consent - fuel enough to ignite my rage.
If the temperamental child could make my favorite happy, I'd concede through a hundred - no, a thousand... a hundred million steps while crying blood.
But not you.Even if God forgives, all FBO players who love Iris won't.
"Ingrid.""Yes!"
Prepare yourself - I'll beat you to a pulp.
"I want to meet His Grace. Arrange it immediately.""Understood!"
This I deliver representing all Iris fans.
"As soon as possible.""Then I shall request it personally."
It's decided.