A third chapter for today. Enjoy.

War of Words, War of Killing Gazes

「……Fumu, this is good tea.」
Having struck hard with an appointment-less visit to Galarie"s Feudal Lord, Zeke Oisast"s mansion, Sylvia drank the brought out black tea that was meant for visitors, and said that.
No, it would make for a really great picture but, having intruded with a suddenness on the level of raiding a neighbor"s dinner time, isn"t your att.i.tude too high and mighty?
「I prefer alcohol though. Well, I guess I"ll endure it.」
As for you, it"s no longer on the level of being called att.i.tude, Iibsal. You"re just shameless, you idiot!
「How about you have a seat as well, Yuu.」
In this room that was prepared for guest-use, there was furniture and various furnishings that seemed expensive just from looking at them all set up. Both Sylvia and Iibsal were sitting on expensive looking sofas.
「Sorry, but I"ve made it a thing to not sit in chairs that look more expensive than my own clothes.」
I decided it just now.
「Hmph. Nothing but that kind of stupid stuff smoothly comes out from your mouth.」
Sylvia glared at me with scornful eyes. But, since they weren"t scary, it was meaningless. Rather, a pouting feeling was sprouting from it.

「Still, Sylvia, this time, you"ve done quite the unreasonable thing. Did you really have to meet with them with such haste?」
When I asked that, Sylvia readjusted her legs.
「Zeke Oisast, was it? Certainly, if it"s the Feudal Lord, he would probably know the whereabouts of Kaito……Of the Heroes in this town. ……But, it"s hard to believe that you would take out your 『political influence』 for only that reason……」

Sylvia Loto Sheriotto Leezelion.
The girl that was called the Princess Knight, whose pride was higher than anyone else"s, had a part of her that hated the idea of exercising 『political influence』.
The fact that her older sister that she admired, Olivia, had a gentle personality that wasn"t connected to political influence was a big part of it, but it was also because she herself preferred swinging her sword rather than her political influence.
She wanted to remain as a mere knight, and not as royalty. She was a woman that thought that way.

That is why he was surprised by Sylvia who used the strong measure called political influence to forcefully enter the Feudal Lord"s mansion.
「……There is no significant reason.」
Saying that, Sylvia brought the cup of black tea to her mouth once again.
「Not significant, you──」
I was about to press her about her att.i.tude that seemed to be hiding something, but Iibsal stopped me.
「A king is an isolated existence, or so they say.」
After drinking up the black tea as if gulping it down, Iibsal boldly smiled.
「What do you mean by that?」
When I ask that, Iibsal put down the cup.
「Leezelion is a major large country on this continent that rivals Valanshel. And then, Sylvia is Leezelion"s Empress. ……She can"t be made light of by a minor power like Galarie, Yuu.」
Iibsal had a tone of voice that seemed to warning me. With that, I was finally convinced.
In other words, to be neglected for two days despite being invited was being immensely rude to the leader of a major power.
And so that kind of thing would be liable to develop into a diplomatic issue.

「That"s why you"re also "acting rude", to get even……Is that right?」
「Correct. And then, to go even further, it gives the meaning of 「I"ve gotten even with you」 as well.」
Hoeー, that Sylvia, to think she had thought that far.
How should I say this, it has a feeling like, the Empress has stepped up to the plate.
「Explaining something so unnecessary……」
Sylvia turned a sharp gaze towards Iibsal. As for Iibsal, he expressed a smile that seemed like he had a lot of composure while being glared at.
To take this kind of att.i.tude in the vicinity of the ruler of a country, does Iibsal"s heart have hair growing on it?

「Nn?」

Going *kotsu kotsu* (click, click), the sound of footsteps. .h.i.tting the floor at a fixed interval reached my ears.

「Looks like he has arrived.」
At the same time Sylvia placed her cup on the table, the door to the room opened.

「I apologize for keeping you waiting, your Majesty.」
The one that came into the room was a tall figured man that was in his thirties. He had dull black hair and amethyst eyes.
Wearing a shirt and trousers, and then a thin vest on top of the shirt, he was in garments that seemed easy to move in.

「I do not mind. I should apologize as well, I have troubled you, the Lord, with my sudden visit after all.」
In response to the man who made an apologetic sounding apology, Sylvia stood up and answered him while making her voice firm. I see, so this is Sylvia when she is facing outward.
「What are you saying. To have this end result of having your Majesty bring yourself here despite having been invited is……」
「It is fine. Lord, I believe myself to understand how busy you are.」
「Thank you for your blessing.」

Saying that, Sylvia and the Feudal Lord man sat down on the sofas.

「Now then, Lord, do you mind if I change the topic?」
The moment the apology battle ended, when Sylvia asked that with a voice that had dropped several tones, the Feudal Lord man whose eyebrows were in the shape of an eight (八) up until just a moment ago, turned a sharp gaze at Sylvia.
「I do not mind but……Before that, may I hear about the people in your company?」
With a peek, the Feudal Lord looked at me and Iibsal. The moment that sharp gaze was turned towards me,

「Nowah! Oi oi, what are you doing all of a sudden, youngster!」

I took my Magic Sword out from the different dimensional bag, and drew the Magic Sword out from its scabbard.
Having eyes that resembled a hawk and filled with bloodl.u.s.t turned towards me, my body reacted all on its own.
「Hou……So the one I should watch over isn"t the crown prince, but the black clothed man over there, is it.」
Raising the corners of his mouth, the Feudal Lord man made a wry smile.
「It would help if you didn"t stir him up too much. I also have no intentions of stirring up trouble with you, Lord.」
「So it would seem. ……So you are the 『Darkness Executioner』 that was at the battlefield. I see, they say the name expresses the body, but this is my first time experiencing being about to be murdered without any bloodl.u.s.t in it.」
The man stroked his neck while wryly smiling, and turned his gaze away from me and over to Iibsal.

「To think that the Crown Prince of Valanshel would come here together with the Empress of Leezelion, as expected, I could not foresee this.」
「Haha, neither could I. Well, this time is special. Because this time, we a.s.sembled under a common friend.」
「Hou……」

My gaze overlapped with the Feudal Lord"s gaze again. This time, there wasn"t any bloodl.u.s.t, and was only a gaze that seemed to be measuring me up.

「Let me ask you this without beating around the bush, Lord Oisast. I would like you to tell me the location of where the present day Heroes are right now.」
Maybe because the story had strayed, Sylvia cut straight into the conversation and told him her business here. Receiving that, the Feudal Lord man frowned.
「I certainly do know that information. But however, what will you do after learning that? Besides, even if I don"t tell you, it would be fine if I just prepare a place for you.」
「It is nothing worth sticking your head into……I suppose you wouldn"t a.s.sent even if I told you that. I shall answer you honestly. I do not wish for you, the Lord, to stand between us.」
「Well then, you want me to tell you the lodging of the Hero troupe, and yet not stand between you all, is that it? Is that not awfully one-sided?」
The air between Sylvia and the Feudal Lord had become cold enough to give the illusion that it had frozen over. Seeing that, I really wanted the boldness that Iibsal, who had broken into a smile, had and put into the current me.
Rather, seriously, what the heck is this middle aged Ossan. To have a war of words with a snapped Sylvia who was putting out bloodl.u.s.t……Is this the power of a hero that lived through the Ten Year War?
「What are you trying to say. No, what do you want?」
「Nothing that significant. ……That"s right, I just happen to be lacking in a single partic.i.p.ant in the Magic Clad Demonstration. If the 『Darkness Executioner』 over there were to serve as the partic.i.p.ant replacement, I would delightfully pay with a tidbit of information or two.」

The Feudal Lord looked at me with the eyes of a hawk, and made a small smile.