The Returnee Wants Peace

The conquest party gathered for the sixth trial was a ragtag group, just as Rosha had expected.

Nobles and private soldiers who came to establish their position. Those who wanted to know their own level of skill. Even mercenaries who wanted to make money from elixirs or other by-products.

“Haah.”

She couldn’t help but sigh.

But the biggest problem was the Emperor who was willing to send such people straight to the trial.

“I hope you return safely without incident. I express my gratitude to you who have stepped forward for the Empire, and there will be a fitting reward for your courage.”

“Waaah!”

At the departure ceremony for the conquest party.

As the Emperor’s speech ended, thunderous applause erupted.

From the promised prize money to the support supplies, it was an extremely lavish journey.

However, there was no welcoming crowd.

Not only did they gather outside the Imperial Palace, but the knights also controlled the gates under the pretext of safety.

The hidden reason behind this could be understood from the subsequent conversation with the Emperor.

“Lady Roshanak, His Majesty is calling for you.”

Following Count Nigel, the Emperor, who had been watching the bustling conquest party with his hands behind his back, said this:

“Brave yet pitiful people.”

“…”

“It’s probably the first time participating in a trial for most of them, so I wonder how many will survive. That’s why we didn’t bother to mobilize a crowd for the departure ceremony.”

He’s sending them like this even though he knows that?

But the Emperor went even further.

“Lady Roshanak, please send them off well without suffering.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s a world full of despair. You never know when and where demonic beasts will appear to threaten your life, and you have to tremble in fear that your family might die. We’re managing to fend them off somehow now, but how long can that last?”

“…”

“They’re going to die anyway, so if they can be of help to my plans, it will have some meaning for them too. I’ve already told Sir Nox as well.”

The Emperor seemed to be staring somewhere with blind eyes.

‘…I don’t understand.’

Of course, Rosha knows that not everyone can be saved. However, she had never once thought ‘They’ll die someday anyway, so let’s kill them painlessly in advance’.

Although it’s a speculation she had deliberately excluded as it seemed hasty until now.

The Emperor’s words and actions seemed to indicate an intention to kill not just the conquest party, but all of humanity.

Is such a thought possible for a fellow human?

“It’s possible. Humans are inherently complex creatures.”

“That’s true, but…”

“You just need to go your own way. Wasn’t your goal to see the end of the trials and live happily with your family? Whether the Emperor is a doomsday believer or a misanthropist, such worries are just secondary.”

That’s right. Koko’s words were correct.

When you don’t even know your own heart accurately, it’s impossible to perfectly understand others. Instead of wasting time on that, you should do what you can.

Isn’t that why she and Nardil, being ‘human-lovers’, are going through this trouble now?

“This is how you move it.”

During a brief rest period while traveling.

Rosha, who had come out of the carriage for a walk, demonstrated basic magic to the novice magicians who had gathered around her one by one.

She had merely lit a single fireball above her finger, but everyone was captivated by the perfect flow of magical power.

“How fascinating.”

“How is such magical power manipulation possible?”

There was no one in this Empire who hadn’t heard of Rosha’s name. No one denied that she was an outstanding magician.

However, actually seeing her perform magic was different.

Although they were novice magicians, they perceived things differently from ordinary people because their eyes were different.

“I can see it’s truly textbook-perfect magical power manipulation.”

“After learning only from , seeing it in person really shows the difference. I thought I was quite good, but I didn’t know it could be this different.”

“Lady Roshanak, have you ever thought about establishing a magic academy in the capital?”

“An academy… I’ll look into whether there might be a good way to do that.”

Most of them had learned on their own from books without a teacher, so their skills improved rapidly even after just a few lessons. Moreover, perhaps because there were far fewer magicians compared to swordsmen, everyone was friendly.

Of course, not everyone was friendly.

“What exactly is different about my magic compared to yours?”

Everyone turned their heads at the gruff male voice.

There stood a mercenary with fire lit above his finger. He looked quite skilled, lengthening and shortening the fire, swirling it around his hand.

Word spread that he was famous among mercenaries for his magic.

However, there were still points that could be improved.

“Tell me, what’s the difference? Huh?”

“The detailed manipulation isn’t bad, but the overall flow needs to be smoothed out. If you just refine that, you could save much more magical power than now…”

“Ha, don’t nitpick unnecessarily. Say it properly.”

“I did say it properly, it’s you who’s not accepting it.”

The mercenary frowned deeply.

Though his large build and numerous scars could have been intimidating, Rosha didn’t even blink. Rather, it was the novice magicians around her who were startled.

The mercenary, a bit taken aback by this, soon retreated as Nardil approached from afar.

“Is there any problem?”

Nardil asked, looking at the mercenary’s retreating back.

In fact, he too had been occasionally overseeing the swordsmen, so he seemed to have already noticed.

Being a muscular man with a large build and a royal to boot, no one dared to openly challenge him, but still, comments like ‘Who does he think he is, a prince from a small country trying to impress the Empire’ could often be heard behind his back.

Rosha smiled ambiguously and said:

“It’s not a big problem, Your Highness.”

“Even small problems can become big ones if left unattended.”

“But it’s really fine. There are always people with complaints wherever you go, and I’m just doing what I can do.”

“Hmm…”

“And I’m not leaving it unattended. It’ll be resolved soon.”

Because of the trial, that is. Humans all become humble in the face of a life-threatening trial.

Especially this sixth trial, even more so.

“You are… truly a rare person.”

Rosha looked up at Nardil’s words. He was looking at her with quite a peculiar gaze.

“What do you mean?”

“It’s just that. To have such mature thoughts despite your young age, it’s admirable.”

“…How old are you, Your Highness?”

“I’m twenty-two this year.”

You’re much younger than my mental age, you wet-behind-the-ears kid.

Rosha, who was about to retort, sniffled.

It was midwinter. Thanks to her cape, her body wasn’t cold, but her face exposed above the neck was cold. Her ears and cheeks were freezing.

“Here, put this on quickly.”

Nardil personally put on the earmuffs she had temporarily removed, somehow having brought them.

Then he came very close and whispered:

“Listen without saying anything.”

“…”

“That person somehow feels strange, so you’d better be careful too.”

She thought he meant the mercenary, but that wasn’t it.

Rosha turned her gaze after feeling footsteps moving away that had been watching them.

She saw the Iron Mask approaching his black horse he had ridden.

‘His name was… Nox, wasn’t it?’

* * *

Fortunately, Sir Nox didn’t take any action until they neared their destination.

The destination was the northern mountain range.

It was a three-day journey in a straight line without stopping at villages, and coincidentally, it was quite close to the capital. That was partly why they had quickly formed the conquest party.

“The snow melts more and more as we get closer to our destination.”

Koko, perched on the carriage window frame, preened his feathers with a regretful look.

He seemed to quite like snow.

When asked if it couldn’t be artificially made in summer too, he said that wouldn’t have the taste of winter.

Rosha stroked it and opened a small notebook given by Froy.

Today too, there was a question from Froy.

-Is everything alright? I have a lot to tell you.