episode_0139

“The refugee camp seems to have stabilized quite well.”

Near the forest where Kubel was.

We have completed a space where refugees can stay together.

Alcott looked around the completed refugee camp, nodding in satisfaction.

“People surprisingly cooperated well.”

Helping the refugees, I felt a greater sense of fulfillment than I had expected.

It wasn’t just the satisfaction of helping those in need.

Even though they were in difficult situations, seeing people who had left their homes and had nowhere to go cooperating with each other was heartwarming.

Some might have been tempted to argue, steal, or do other despicable things, but not here.

I used to think that human nature was inherently evil and selfish.

That belief had turned into certainty through various experiences I had in the modern world before coming to this world.

But as I helped the refugees here, I began to wonder if I had been wrong.

Of course, there were those whose inner demons surfaced in extreme situations, but at least the people here were not like that.

If the refugees had only shown their selfish sides and fought amongst themselves, I wouldn’t have felt this sense of fulfillment while helping them.

“You’ve worked really hard, Edward.”

I approached Edward, who was sitting on a wooden box, resting.

In truth, Edward played a significant role in ensuring that the refugee camp could be completed without major issues.

Just as problems could arise when people gathered, there were small conflicts among the refugees as well.

The location of the refugee camp was highly regarded for its proximity to Kubel, leading to a dispute over the spot.

Edward was the first to step in during that time.

He acted as a mediator between two families fighting over the spot.

He reminded them of why the refugees shouldn’t fight, reconsidered the current situation, and arranged for the family with many elderly and weak members to use the spot closer to Kubel.

In addition, Edward appeared wherever help was needed, assisted with work, and compiled a list of items necessary for the refugee camp that we had overlooked and then delivered it to Alcott and me.

But he never revealed that he was a prince.

Since he didn’t disclose it himself, it felt awkward to ask about it.

“I just did what needed to be done. In times like these, a few people taking the lead in working can change the atmosphere.”

“It’s not easy to put that into action.”

“If I had stayed in the capital, I wouldn’t have been able to do these things.”

Edward said with a smile.

He was well-educated and had a way of winning people over… Why was he driven out of the palace?

“Yunoa couldn’t come up with a simple answer.

If someone is driven out of a specific group, and that person is a good person, there is only one answer.”

At that moment, the narration subtly hinted at me.

Well… I hadn’t seen the situation in the palace before the rebellion, but I could easily guess.

People’s true colors are revealed over time, but at least the Edward I had seen was an excellent person.

So, it must be the side that drove him out of the palace that was in the wrong.

“Still, you’ve worked hard. How about having a meal with us?”

I suggested to Edward.

Since the narration had informed me that he was an important person in the kingdom, I couldn’t ignore his lineage.

But he was an unopened flower bud… No, a flower bud that didn’t want to bloom.

As he kept his lineage a secret, I didn’t think it was appropriate to demand anything from him.

So, for now, let’s start with building a friendship. When people become close, they tend to open up.

And naturally, he was looking for an opportunity to present his lineage.

* * *

Algot, Edward, and I ended up having a meal together at a restaurant in Cube.

I decided to cover the meal expenses, and I told Edward to order whatever he wanted.

However, after carefully examining the menu, he chose the evening special, which he thought was the most cost-effective and filling.

“Edward, what do you do for a living?” I asked Edward as we ate.

Edward replied with a gentle smile, “I am a fallen noble. I was in a position that was neither recognized as noble among the nobles nor easily approachable as a noble among the commoners. If you ask what I did, I didn’t have anything specific to do. I didn’t have anything I could do. Sometimes I taught children.”

“You taught children?”

“There are many children in the capital who did not receive proper education. I taught them basic things that anyone can do. It’s something anyone can do.”

“If you’re a fallen noble… you must have a family. What kind of family were you from?”

“That… is now meaningless.”

Edward smiled bitterly and picked up a moist meatball with his fork.

It seems that being a royal is a fact he wants to hide.

At that moment, the ring on his right hand caught my eye.

It was a silver ring with a small gem embedded in it, a ring that somehow kept drawing my attention.

As I continued to stare at his hand, Edward said with a cool expression, “Oh, are you interested in this ring? It’s nothing special.”

“What kind of ring is it?”

“It’s just a household item. It’s the only thing I have to remember my childhood.”

What? Then it’s not just… nothing.

When he said it was a household item from his childhood, didn’t that mean it was a royal item?

He seemed so nonchalant about it, as if it was nothing, and I almost saw through it.

If I didn’t already know he was of royal blood, I would have just brushed it off without paying much attention.

“Edward’s ring was a prize he received from his father after winning a hunting competition among young princes in his childhood.

The appearance of the ring was relatively ordinary, but the small gem embedded in it was a type of rare gem that was hardly circulated in the market.

Furthermore, the ring was enchanted with a spell that revealed the royal insignia when magical power was infused into it.

However, outwardly, it just looked like a well-made silver ring.”

A ring made of a rare gem…

After hearing the narration’s explanation, I thought that Edward had one more condition to be crowned as a new king.

The ring he possessed was nothing but proof of his lineage.

A rare gem that was hardly circulated in the market, and it revealed the royal insignia when magical power was infused into it.

Was there a more perfect evidence of being a royal item?

If there were people who doubted his legitimacy in the future, he could make good use of that ring.

…It’s not certain whether the day to make use of it will come.

After that, we finished our meal in a good atmosphere with trivial chitchat.

Before leaving for the refugee camp, Edward told me and Algot that we could always tell him if we needed help.

After he left, Algot whispered to me, “That guy… he’s not quite ordinary.”

“That’s right.”

“He may not be carrying a sword, but surprisingly, his body seems to be trained with magic.”

“Do you like him?”

Algot, who valued connections, had a good eye for people.

“To be honest… yes, I want to bring him to our side, but… I want to observe him more. He seems a bit suspicious.”

In Algote’s eyes, Edward seemed a bit suspicious.

Well, that could be the case. Anyway, it’s true that he’s hiding a secret.

* * *

A few days later, Milaia returned to Kubele.

It was just as narrated, with her returning safely.

She had to receive treatment immediately upon arrival due to a wound on her abdomen.

The spy, Failpe, whom she had sent to investigate the Demon Army, also returned.

And to those two, I recounted in detail what had happened between the Demon Army and me in the burning city.

“Did… the musclehead… really die?”

“Yes.”

Milaia replied calmly to my surprised expression.

Failpe, who was standing beside her, confirmed the truth of Milaia’s words.

It was a mind-blowing event.

Not only was it surprising that Milaia had challenged Bloodstain to a one-on-one duel and it had come to fruition.

But also that Failpe, who was in charge of reconnaissance, had sniped Bloodstain during the duel, creating an opportunity for Milaia to win.

I wondered if the narration had anticipated such a situation.

“Wait, then what happened to the Demon Army?”

I asked Milaia.

Losing their commander in an instant was a big blow.

The Demon Army led by Bloodstain was made up of a huge number of demons.

Failpe was the one who answered my question.

“Milaia was injured, and after winning the duel, the demons attacked again, forcing us to break through the encirclement and return. The last time I saw her, she was being pursued by Milaia but gave up and turned back.”

『The demons led by Bloodstain were still gathered inside the burning city.

Unless another demon led them again, that place had now become a den of wild demons.』

The narration added more information to Failpe’s words.

It was common for demon dens to form near the city due to the influence of the Demon King’s power.

But if a demon army of that size turned wild and turned a whole city into a demon den, that would be a problem in itself.

Even if Bloodstain was dead, the sheer scale of their power remained.

Moreover, the place they had taken over was right next to the capital of the kingdom.

Although the threat had greatly diminished with the loss of their leader, the situation where surrounding cities were threatened by demons remained unchanged.

Gathering skilled individuals like Milaia and the guild’s adventurers to form a large-scale subjugation force could reduce the numbers somehow.

But it was probably not a situation where such a large-scale subjugation force could be hastily organized.

“Milaia, since you’re injured, please rest and recover properly. Failpe, take a break as well.”

I said to the two who had returned from afar.

I wanted to focus more on what could be done in Kubele now.

If the musclehead was dead, the Demon Army wouldn’t be able to move as organized for a while.