Ch.556A Drinking Companion Named Ferne

The plan to delegate the issue of non-public ships to the Imperial Magic Tower concluded our discussion of countermeasures.

Since no other methods came to mind, I had nothing more to say about dragons either.

Except for one thing.

“Your Majesty, I just remembered something. My ancestor used the expression that dragons would ‘return’? It seemed to mean that dragons who died or disappeared would appear again… so couldn’t one emerge from the island as well?”

“From the island…?”

Leopold’s expression clearly asked what nonsense I was talking about. More precisely, it was a look begging me not to say such ominous things.

However…

Though I truly felt sorry for his hairline, the dragon issue beneath the island was something that absolutely needed to be addressed.

“I heard that among the evil dragons Carlos the Great brought down, one was defeated here in Extrashafel? Nid… Nid-something, I think. Anyway, if that’s true, it wouldn’t be strange if its corpse was buried beneath the island.”

The Worm Dragon Nidhogg. The evil dragon that was revived as Isabella’s subordinate and devastated the island.

I thought there wouldn’t be any problems since Isabella was defeated before she could resurrect the dragon… but just in case, I needed to give a natural warning.

That they should thoroughly search the suspicious underground of the island.

If they discovered Nidhogg’s corpse, they could prevent disaster by dismembering it before resurrection while also using its remains as valuable resources.

Even if they found nothing, there would be no loss. At least we could rest assured that Nidhogg’s resurrection wouldn’t happen.

“…I’ll have the underground waterways investigated. If we mobilize mages for the search, we might find something.”

Leopold seemed half-convinced, but since the record of Carlos defeating Nidhogg was undeniable truth, he accepted my suggestion.

…The mages are going to be quite busy.

—-

That concluded our audience for the day.

None of the agenda items could be decided by just the three of us, as they required consultation with officials, and Leopold himself had piles of administrative work to handle.

Leopold sighed again at the mountain of documents on his desk, but unfortunately, that was something I couldn’t help with.

It seemed Leopold didn’t expect any paperwork abilities from me either.

“Baron Median. Please attend tomorrow’s administrative council. I intend to bestow upon you the title of Marquis there.”

Leopold’s final request was for me to attend tomorrow’s meeting.

Saying it was time for me to leave behind the curious title of “Baron of the Median Marquis family” and proudly call myself the Marquis of Median.

“Oh, is that allowed? I thought you said such a rapid promotion would be difficult…”

“You have the merit of normalizing diplomatic relations with the Holy State. Besides, since I granted you the baronetcy last year, one could exaggerate and say a year has passed. Isn’t that right?”

In reality, barely four months had passed.

This was such a forced argument that nobles could easily object if they wanted to.

But.

“Above all, who would dare openly oppose when you personally attend the administrative council? Regardless of rank, none who were hostile to the Baron remain alive. The higher a noble’s position, the more they fear assassination.”

As Leopold said, my image among the nobles was that of an imperial executioner.

Only someone of Duke Wien’s stature would dare show hostility toward me, while anyone below that rank would have to be prepared to die just for opposing me.

Even Duke Wien himself wouldn’t openly make me his enemy.

“I understand. I’ll attend.”

I nodded readily and left Leopold’s office. Even apart from the marquis title, my presence alone at the audience would make it easier for Leopold to assert his position.

Sometimes swords and fists can be more persuasive than words or status.

…Not that I’m actually threatening to use my sword.

—-

After leaving Leopold’s office, Lacy and I headed to the reception room, then left the palace with our waiting companions and returned to our respective lodgings.

Lacy and Bells went back to the cathedral to handle Imperial Diocese affairs, while Bethania headed to the Church of Astraea’s cathedral where she planned to stay for the time being.

She had initially wanted to borrow my mansion, but changed her mind when she heard I didn’t actually live there.

That was fortunate in a way. Ophelia was dwelling in the mansion’s basement, and priests and half-necromancers were natural enemies. Living in the same space would have been dangerous unless they stayed completely separate.

Leonore headed to Rose Hall to check on the Rose Cross Knights.

She wanted to confirm the results of the orders we’d left behind—to focus on monster subjugation and improve their skills while we were away.

I headed to Isabella’s mansion with the rest of our group. I needed to tell those waiting there—Jahan, Perneisia, and Ophelia—about everything that had happened.

And I also needed to introduce Hush.

Isabella’s mansion no longer had its former splendor since all the gold on the exterior had been stripped and whitewashed, but the interior remained excessively luxurious. I had no intention of changing the inside anyway.

Living in this mansion itself was a form of employee welfare, and unless money was extremely tight, there was no need to devalue it by altering the interior.

“Welcome back. Congratulations on your safe return, Baron Median.”

“Ah, yes. I see everyone’s been well.”

Past the servants and maids welcoming their master’s return, we entered the mansion where Jahan greeted us, neatly dressed in imperial attire.

“Haschal! You’ve returned!”

Fluent imperial language. He must have studied hard while I was away—there wasn’t a single flaw. His demeanor hadn’t changed much, but his eyes seemed sharper.

As a Ka’har, he couldn’t have wandered outside the mansion. Without opportunities to accumulate Karma, he must have focused on physical training or sparring with Perneisia to improve his skills.

“It’s been a while, Jahan. Nothing unusual happened?”

“Nothing except some unbelievable rumors I heard. About becoming a Jin or something…”

…Is he talking about Ceylon? How did he hear those rumors while confined to the mansion?

“That’s just a false rumor.”

Instead of explaining the details, I dismissed it as a false rumor. I was tired of explaining it to everyone who asked.

If I had brought Ceylon to the Empire, it might have been different, but since complications led to leaving her in the Holy State, there was no need to explain the situation in detail.

“Ah, so it was just a rumor. Of course, ‘Haschal’ wouldn’t do such a thing.”

He meant Hersella wouldn’t have allowed such a thing, not me.

Right. Jahan was the only person who knew I wasn’t the real Haschal, so he probably never believed the rumors in the first place.

—-

After Jahan, we were welcomed by Perneisia, who was sprawled on the sofa in the reception room. Though I’m not sure if “welcome” is the right word.

“Yooou’re baaack? Sooner than I expeeected…!”

Perneisia, whom I hadn’t seen for months, had reverted to her Special Observer state—completely drunk with a bright red face, grinning sloppily. She wore a wrinkled, half-unbuttoned shirt.

Why has this woman become an alcoholic again?

Hadn’t she complained that she could no longer get drunk because the World Tree’s blessing had grown stronger?

“How much have you been drinking to end up like this…?”

“Not muuuch… Look at thiiiis? If I make a wound like thiiis and pour in alcohol, I can get drunk agaaain!”

Perneisia proudly showed her bleeding forearm and pressed the mouth of the bottle she was holding against the open wound.

A mixture of blood and hard liquor ran down her arm.

“Hehehe…! You f-fucking World Tree bastaaaaard! See thiiiis? I woooon! No one can take alcohol away from meeeee…!”

Giggling, Perneisia poured the alcohol down her throat after dousing her arm. This was madness of the highest order.

“What is this crazy woman doing…?”

I held my forehead and sighed deeply. With Lena standing right there, this was hardly setting a good example.

“Um… Haschal, shouldn’t we stop her? That looks dangerous…”

Even Millia was so shocked by Perneisia’s disgraceful behavior that she stopped cuddling with Demian to look back and forth between me and Perneisia.

“Leave her be. She’s a fairy, so she’s doing this because she knows she won’t die from it.”

She was claiming victory over the World Tree, but the very fact that she could survive such madness proved the power of the World Tree’s blessing.

If a human tried something so insane, they’d die before anyone could treat them.

“That’s too haaaarsh… But I feel gooood so it’s fiiine… hehehe… *hic*”

Perneisia put down the bottle she’d been guzzling and hiccupped while patting her stomach.

…Should I just kick this bastard out?

Her behavior reminded me of a middle-aged alcoholic man in his fifties. Even Hush, who had been busy exploring the mansion, couldn’t take her eyes off Perneisia, wearing a strange expression mixing contempt and bewilderment as she doubted her own eyes.

“This is… a fairy? This thing?”

“Hmmmm? A half-breed? A black half-breed, how interesting… where did you find such a rare specimen?”

Finally noticing Hush’s presence, Perneisia grabbed a fresh bottle and staggered toward her like a zombie.

“Half-breed? How dare a rotten tree-dweller that reeks of centuries of decay—uwah?!”

Hush, who could tolerate human insults but not fairy ones, flared up and tried to draw her dagger, but unfortunately, the skill gap between her and Perneisia was insurmountable.

Perneisia’s left hand shot out like lightning to grab Hush’s wrist, while the mouth of the bottle in her right hand was shoved into Hush’s mouth.

…Wasn’t that stuff over 96% alcohol? More like pure alcohol than a drink.

“Yeeeah, yeeeah. The World Tree is shit, riiiight? Fairies are awful tooooo? I knooow… I feel the same waaaay! Now, driiiink!”

“Mmph! Mmmmph! Kugh!”

Overwhelmed by the difference in strength, Hush couldn’t resist and had to swallow the alcohol Perneisia was pouring. Translucent liquid spilled from the corners of her mouth, soaking Hush’s top and filling the air with a strong alcohol smell.

It took less than twenty seconds for Hush to roll her eyes and pass out.