Chapter 280: Calling on Her Majesty (2)

If no one else had been watching, I think she would have thrown her arms around me. A shame.

"Also, Lord Robin, Prime Minister Cromwell said he has business with you. I will have you shown to the Prime Minister’s office after this. Would you go? There is the future to think about as well, and I very much want you to build a good relationship with Cromwell. You need not do anything special, and if he asks something unreasonable you may refuse. If you are simply the same Lord Robin as always, Cromwell is sure to take a liking to you."

At the words Prime Minister, I heard Rudolf suck in a sharp breath.

"Understood. But what business would His Excellency the Prime Minister have with me?"

I tilted my head and asked.

"Oh, His Majesty said it last night, did he not? Do it again. I am sure he wants to consult you about that. Even if you say you will do it again, it cannot happen immediately, so I think he at least wants the preparations in place.

In fact, after his excitement settled, His Majesty murmured about you last night, ’That was too complete a victory.’ I think he meant that because you, a foreigner, won so cleanly against Mainz Kingdom’s elite, there will be people who feel Mainz Kingdom’s honor was stained. Sword and spear were not this country’s foremost masters, but the magic and the bow belonged to people with this country’s highest ability. A foreigner, and still a child at that, defeating them so easily will have earned you hostility from some."

"Your Majesty, if I may, last night’s fight was close enough that I can fairly say I barely won. It would not have been strange if I had lost."

Her Majesty nodded at my words.

"Yes, I understand that. But many people had the image of you, with that maid at your side, fighting brilliantly and winning burned into their eyes. Seen as a woman, a beautiful boy fighting so gallantly is something one can accept without complaint. To proud noblemen, I think that sight does not sit well. The duke who should have mattered did nothing, and instead you and your attendant distinguished yourselves and brought down House Kirchhoff. They cannot like that. They took huge losses on top of it.

From nobles swirling with feelings like that, it would not be strange if they wanted to smear mud on your face and beat you black and blue. If you were a citizen of Mainz Kingdom the wind against you would be weaker. A young, beautiful foreign boy who also excels at martial skill becomes, to abnormal patriots and ultranationalists, someone they cannot stand."

"I see..."

Even so, I could not have afforded to lose, and I could not have lost anyway.

I must have looked dejected, because Her Majesty smiled.

"I do not know whether His Majesty thought that far when he said he wanted to see it again. But if there are people who want to bring you down, I think they will choose to crush you in public, and before His Majesty, rather than attack you in the shadows. If that is possible, they will pick that method. So something like last night may happen again. Of course, it may not. I want you to keep that in mind, Lord Robin. People like that, at least, I do not think will settle their grudge by ambushing you in the dark."

"Understood. I will keep it in mind."

"I do not think the Knight Order feels their face was ruined, but what about the Royal Magic Division? That Division Head has ability, but he is close to a heretic inside the division, and I think plenty of people cheered when he lost. Still, I also think there are those who feel the division as a whole was humiliated by you. On top of that, word has reached me that Knight Commander Lothar said something to Division Head Hütter along the lines of the Knight Order being stronger than the Magic Division. I have a feeling the Magic Division will choose not to confront the Knight Order, but to fight you and win. That would be a problem too."

"I am... sorry, somehow."

"Oh, forgive me. I did not mean to make you apologize, Lord Robin. It is a problem inside this country. Are the Knight Order and the Magic Division on bad terms in Marie Kingdom as well?"

I thought about how to answer.

"I am sorry. I do not really know. Marie Kingdom had no Magic Division, so I do not think there was anything large enough to become a rivalry."

"I see. I asked something unnecessary. Forgive me."

"No. When I came to Mainz Kingdom I was surprised there were enough magic users to form a whole division. I was actually envious."

"Is that so? Having many is a mixed blessing. I hear Division Head Hütter normally does nothing but worthless research. It is shady, and this incident may even cost him his post."

That said, he was the one who arranged to suppress my overflowing mana. Then again, I did not know whether it had actually worked, and I had never heard about it from anyone but Division Head Hütter.

"After this I will have you go to Cromwell, and I recommend you get under Cromwell’s umbrella. Being under my protection would also be fine, but I am a woman and the Queen. I do not want it to look as if I have a close relationship with you. So joining Cromwell’s faction would be best.

Cromwell made a fortune thanks to you, so put him in your debt. Not with money. With feeling. Then when you are in trouble someday, he will surely be useful. Cromwell is a man with neither blood nor tears, but that part of him is solid. Toward anyone he recognizes as being in his camp, he should treat you generously. Lord Robin, do not cling to that idiot duke. Attach yourself to Cromwell."

Ohh, Her Majesty kept calling him that idiot duke right out loud! For Her Majesty to say something like that, it had to be quite something, did it not?

At any rate, all I needed to do was answer,

"Yes!"

"Also, Lord Robin, I want to ask whether you know this."

"What is it?"

"Lord Robin, do you know of Hero Summoning?"

What did you just saaaaaay!?