Chapter 213: White Explains in the Capital

A person from the margrave’s territory was summoned from within the Royal Palace and arrived. Through that interpreter the hearing of White’s account began.

As White’s story progressed, the people in the room gradually felt their hearts growing heavier. It was not something visible to the eye; somehow their spirits felt weighed down. The mood was heavy, and listening to White’s story was painful. And when White spoke of how Robby had taken an arrow in the leg, that weight increased another level.

White was only barely able to remain seated; he was sweating, pressing his chest to his thighs and holding his head with his hands. For some reason he could not shake the feeling that everything he said was being completely denied. Even though he was saying only the truth, it felt as if someone were placing weights upon him as though he were lying. Those weights seemed to keep increasing. The room was dark — had the lights been extinguished?

Looking sideways he saw that those who had been standing were now crouching, and the person who had been taking records at the desk was face-down on the desk.

"Y... Yo-Your... Ma-Majesty... p-please... stop..."

Richelieu finally managed to squeeze out a voice.

"Ah!"

The Queen behind the folding screen started. Without realizing it she had been using one of the mental magics — "Pressure Interview," or rather "Pressure." Listening to White’s story she had forgotten herself in anger. Even the maid beside her was crouching and sobbing.

The Queen said nothing and released the magic. Instantly it was as if the air in the room had changed. Those who had been crouching stood up, and the one who had been face-down on the desk shook his head and rose.

Richelieu muttered in a low voice,

"Honestly... this is more than one can take..."

After that the hearing proceeded smoothly. Along the way the name of the Empire appeared; no one was surprised, yet everyone was convinced.

White found it strange that the talk of the Empire was something he had not seen directly but only heard from Robby, yet not a single person reproached the content.

When White’s story ended, the secretary read the record aloud and White confirmed there were no errors. After that Richelieu finally allowed his face to relax into a smile and said,

"White, well done. Thanks to you the circumstances are well understood. With this you may return to the checkpoint. In this matter, being the first to locate Prince Robin is worthy of reward. Yes — I am thinking of raising your rank to baronet. What do you say?"

When Richelieu tossed the matter to his close aides, they also showed agreement.

"Yes, that seems appropriate."

To that White hesitantly asked,

"Um... what sort of thing is that?"

A close aide answered,

"Becoming a baronet means a raise in salary and promotion. At present you receive five gold coins a month. In addition you will be assigned some post, so the salary of that post will be paid. Because the position of checkpoint director is hereditary, it would be best for you to move to some other region."

White trembled violently and said,

"I-I am truly sorry. I am extremely sorry, but I do not wish to leave that dwelling, so the present situation is quite sufficient. A raise alone is more than enough."

In the final battle he had allowed Prince Robin’s maid to die. At that time Prince Robin had said it was not because he had sent the attendant ahead. Because Prince Robin and the others had already been tracked by the enemy, they would have been attacked before reaching the checkpoint no matter where they were. Even if that was so, he could not accept a reward.

At White’s words the close aides and Richelieu looked at each other. An offer declining promotion was extremely rare.

"White, is that truly all right? You might be able to live in the capital, you know?"

Being able to live in the capital — those should be words every person living in the countryside yearns for. Yet White said,

"I am most grateful for your kind words, but I wish to continue serving at my present workplace. No — I wish to work there until I die. Please arrange it that way!"

He spoke with the force of one about to prostrate himself. How free of desire he is, everyone thought. Of course the Queen as well.

"Then shall we give you a reward in money instead? Yes — twenty gold coins would be appropriate, would it not?"

At Richelieu’s question the close aides also nodded. To that White asked,

"That... twenty gold coins is...?"

What is he saying? everyone thought. Thereupon a close aide asked,

"Could it be that you are saying it is not enough?"

White shook his head.

"No, that is not it. I became worried about how I would carry such a large sum of money home. The largest sum of money I have held since I was born is the single gold coin my wife gave me because I was going to the capital..."

Those who heard it tried to laugh but restrained themselves. Because Richelieu was wearing a sour face. Richelieu was listening to White’s words and thinking of the poverty of the provinces.

Ignoring Richelieu’s thoughts, the close aide said,

"Hmm... yet we cannot give you nothing. Stop arguing about this and that and simply accept it."

"Thank you very much. Please take care of it."

White bowed his head to the close aide who was far younger than himself. White had been thinking of asking that money be given to the bereaved families of the knights of the margrave’s territory.

Richelieu said,

"We will prepare a return carriage here. Since you have gone to the trouble of coming to the capital, you may as well do some sightseeing before returning. Shall I have a subordinate guide you? Then you will not struggle with the language."

White shook his head.

"I am grateful for your kind words, but for a country bumpkin like myself, wherever I go I feel out of place and it is painful. I would like to return as quickly as possible. Only..."

he said.

"Only what?"

At Richelieu’s question White asked,

"I would like to buy some souvenirs for my wife and daughters to take home, but what would be good? What sort of things would be well received when taken to the countryside?"

Ignorant though he was, White was consulting the chancellor of the nation about souvenirs. The Queen was restraining her laughter behind the folding screen.

"Souvenirs, is it. What did your wife and daughters say they wanted?"

Having been asked, Richelieu thought he must answer sincerely and inquired in return.

"Yes. At first they said they wanted clothes and personal effects, but because I have no eye for choosing such things, they told me to buy something to eat and gave me one gold coin."

Everyone in the room said "Hoh!?" Because they had thought one gold coin would not buy anything.

Richelieu thought a little and said,

"Your Majesty, I would like to have this man take souvenirs as his reward. Would Your Majesty be so kind as to select souvenirs that his wife and children would be likely to enjoy?"

The close aides, hearing Richelieu’s statement, all looked relieved. Among them was also Marin-sensei’s husband. Marin-sensei’s husband had been thinking that even if his wife told him to choose souvenirs and bring them, he would certainly not be able to buy anything thoughtful.

"Understood. I will arrange it on my side. We will deliver them by tomorrow morning."

With the Queen accepting, the maids attached to the Queen suddenly became busy. Among Richelieu’s close aides was Michel’s husband. "My wife Michel will return late today. Shall I go drinking alone?" he was thinking.

Thanks to the great efforts of the Queen’s maids, three boxes were delivered to White the next morning. After the hearing the previous day, White had been minutely questioned by the Queen’s maids about the builds of his wife and daughters.

When White returned home safely a few days later with nothing missing from the capital, his wife and daughters were waiting. The color of their eyes was different. They were waiting full of expectation about what White had bought. At any rate he would only have bought something inferior to what they had hoped for. At that time it would be enough simply to grumble and belittle to the fullest.

"What did you buy!?"

The words carried the premise that he had not bought anything decent. The attitude of "I don’t expect anything, but show me" was visible. Without even thinking of such a thing White said,

"Umm... this is for you, this is for you, and this is for you. Her Majesty the Queen selected them..."

"""Eh, Her Majesty the Queen!?"""

At the words "Her Majesty the Queen" the wife and daughters held their breath. How had this dull man managed to receive souvenirs from someone as far above the clouds as Her Majesty the Queen? Under the wife and daughters’ pursuit, White, who thanks to being exposed to the Queen’s "Pressure" had acquired Mental Magic Resistance 2, spoke without agitation of the experiences he had undergone. In one stroke White’s stock rose without limit.

The wife and daughters opened their respective boxes.

"""Uwaaa—!"""

The wife and daughters took the clothes inside and exclaimed in admiration. What had been placed inside were complete sets of brand-new maid uniforms for the Rear Palace. The wife and daughters did not know they were maid uniforms, yet they could intuitively tell that they were things of extremely high quality that they had never seen before. Besides the long-sleeved, long-length maid uniforms there were shoes, stockings, garters, chemises, ribbons, and even headbands attached. It was the first time the wife and daughters had taken silk clothing in their hands. Their hands trembled. They tried to spread them on the table but could not, fearing the dirt of the table would stick to them.

While looking sideways at the wife and daughters’ great excitement White sighed,

"Where are you going to wear something like that?"

— though so that the wife and daughters could not hear.