Chapter 149 – Grand Duke Collector (1)

“I’m your godfather~.”

Next day.
As soon as I entered the conference room with Liv, Erzsebet clung to me, making a noise.
The sight of him issuing an order to ban guests, telling them not to even think about coming back until he persuaded them, was nowhere to be seen.
She approached me warmly, grabbed her shoulder and headed off somewhere.
It was a small side room right next to the conference room.

“Herze has a favor to ask.”
“It’s so salty, princess.”

What is Ergé again?
Is it a nickname?

“What request?”
“The five-colored ball yesterday put a condition on a yes vote. “But I need your help, godfather.”
“What are the conditions?”
“It’s a duel.”

After hearing the explanation, I began to understand a little.
Scarlett, who remembered my face at the festival, announced that she would approve if I defeated her in a duel.
Breaking Adela’s spell must have left an impression.

“You can win, right? “Now is the time to show your strength.”

It’s no wonder that Erzsebet clings to me without any worries.
Not only did she hear about my true identity from her father, but she also saw me crumpling an armored personnel carrier in Skandal like a piece of paper.
Mareil must have heard about my inaction, so I’m asking for it even though I’m skeptical.
However–

“It’s a little difficult.”
“Yes… ?”

It’s tough.
No, to be precise, it is difficult to suppress it ‘without causing damage.’
When I fought Esther, I destroyed her heart with the intention of killing her.
Even when she fought Karvius, she didn’t hold back.
I, who do not have the full power of a warrior because I do not have a holy sword, have to do my best to fight a wizard as good as a five-colored ball.
However, even if she is seriously injured, she cannot be active in the war.

“What is it, the knight just throws me out without showing any resolve?”
“I’m a store owner…”
“Now no one believes you are the owner of the canteen. And if the meeting is successful, you can easily receive a knighthood, so what’s the problem?”
“Did you really plan on giving that to me?”
“I saw you doing it.”

Erzsebet’s golden eyes glared in this direction.
Skandal said he would give me a title and a medal.
It seems that he was steadily preparing from the time he expanded his influence over the royal family.

“That’s troublesome.”
“Why… ?”

Erzebet does not know the relationship between the Holy Kingdom and the warrior.
And they don’t know how to use the hero’s power.
If I had wanted to receive a medal, I would have proudly entered Thessalon with the devil’s head from the beginning.

More time was needed.

“If… “Is it because you want something other than a medal?”
“Yes?”

But Erzébet, who must have felt troubled by my attitude, suddenly fanned herself with his hand and blinked incessantly.
It was quite hectic to see him swallowing his saliva as he straightened his hair before the meeting started.

“Well, of course, I acknowledge that your contribution to this meeting is great, but if it is to the extent of adding a new line to the noble lineage of Penheim, I can say that it is absolutely not… ! You say you can’t even duel? Peeeee, Louis is no help at all. “It’s like a water bowl made of cardboard.”
“Pi—.”

Just as I was about to say something to Erzsebet, who had started talking nonsense, the wizard came in and announced the start of the meeting.

“We’ll talk again later.”

I watched her rush out of the conference room behind her.
Liv and Esther, the seats are now filled by two people.
However, Adela could not be seen beyond the crystal ball.

***

She wanted to ask Esther what had happened to her, but she decided that it would be better for me to go find her myself.
So, as soon as the meeting started, I boarded the airship and headed to Adela’s island.
Taking advantage of her thief’s aptitude, she caught her and spanked her from the olden days until now.
According to my experience, the story about Adela being quiet meant that she was plotting a huge scheme.

The first thing I saw when I landed on the island was a beautiful flower field.
Similar to the place where Liv lived, it was a place with a fairly well-maintained natural environment, but it was rather strange.
Adela does not have the ability to make fantasy a reality like Liv.
Besides, isn’t it winter now?
It is strange that such a flower garden would appear on a floating island high in the sky.

“Hey, hey! “Are you from there!?”
“Huh?”

As I was moving forward through the flowers, someone saw me and ran towards me.
A middle-aged man wearing a straw hat, garden shears, and an apron.
He looked like a horticulturist, but he looked strangely familiar.
He too seemed to recognize me and asked in surprise.

“There you go. “Aren’t you the owner of the canteen at Parenzia Academy?”
“That’s right.”
“Nice to meet you! “You too were dragged in by that wicked guy!!”
“Yes?”
“I am Jean-Vierre Batournay Grenouille! “I’m a gardener who works at the academy.”

Ah, then I realized why his face was familiar.
In fact, he was an employee of Parenzia Academy whom I had met several times on my way there.

“This is the Baltic Mountains… “What brought us here?”
“I was kidnapped! I was dragged in without knowing why by the minions of the ruler of this island. But aren’t you going to tell me to turn this rocky island into a flower garden!?”

You are so amazing that you actually do it.

“Are you talking about the students wearing red hoods?”
“That’s right! Not only that, but there are ice ducks patrolling… Shh!”

At that moment, Grenouille lowered his body and whispered softly to me.

“They are coming.”

When he peeked his face out between the flowers, he really saw Red Banner students.
They loaded the harvested flowers into a basket, placed them on an ice duck that was similar in size to an ostrich, and left.
It must be exam period at the academy right now, so what are you doing here?
I sighed, but found Adela first.

“Adella, where is she now? “You designed this garden, so you know where to go, right?”
“You want to meet her in person? “Are you out of your mind!?”

Grenouille told us in detail how terrible traps and weapons were lined up along the way.
And he was afraid that all kinds of supplies were coming to the island as if they were preparing for war.
I ignored his objections and moved inside along the garden.
Then, I saw a small wooden building that was small compared to the size of the island.

“Adella… ?”

I called out to her, avoiding her dozing ice ducks, and her handle froze.
I’m sure you’re listening to me.
When she called out to her again, an answer the size of a mosquito came from beyond her door.

– Go.
“…”
— The teacher abandoned me. She left me and fell in love with another woman.

It was a very heartbroken voice.
It was a world where bigamy was relatively free, but that didn’t mean there was no jealousy.

“It’s not like that.”
— Leave. I will be going soon too.
“Where are you going? “Please open the door.”
— I’m leaving for the far south. I’m going to ride this island.
“What… ?”
— This island is paradise on earth. I will take my followers and the ice ducks and found a new nation.

Oh my god.
Adela was planning a project that, if Erzsebet heard about it, would raise her blood pressure and shorten her life by ten years.
As soon as she finished speaking, the floating island that was one of the plum’s petals began to gradually move away from the other islands.
Airships sounded alarms like crazy in the sky, as if they had disturbed a beehive.

“Adella!? Come out… !”
— There is no older sister who bothers me or an annoying fox there. And her teacher…
“No, that’s not the problem…”

A floating island that gradually begins to escape the mountain range.
However, I carefully pointed out the wrong parts of her thoughts.

“If you leave here, this island will fall… ?”
– Yes?

**

The reason why the mobile fortress created by Terra——the lighthouse of Horus—was talked about like a legend was simple.
This is because the very characteristic of a moving building was an almost impossible feat even on a continent where magic was developed.
Plum’s floating islands also have a similar effect as a magic source that controls magnetic fields, but the reality is completely different.

The reason why all the islands can rise is simply because of the enormous amount of magnetite distributed in the Baltic Mountains.
In other words, beyond the mountain range, the island is just a lump of stone.
No, it’s not just a rock, it’s closer to a meteor magic that causes it to fall the moment it goes out of range.
There was a reason why the island was operated through a strict ownership certification and permit system.

“I don’t know where you’re going, but you can’t leave without the island.”
— …
“Do you want to open the door?”

The door opened with a squeak, and Adela’s blue eyes were clearly revealed.
Only then did I breathe a sigh of relief.

“Can I come in?”
“Yes…”

It was quite cold inside the room.
It was full of frost.
For some reason, there was an ice statue kneeling on the floor.
I asked Adela, trying to take my eyes off the statue with its sad expression.

“Have you met Esther?”
“As soon as my sister landed on the island, she was chased away by ice ducks.”
“How did you bring Mr. Grenouille here?”
“I have been running an underground organization since the sewer incident. “Security at the academy is terrible.”

Darling clearly said he would increase military expenditures.
Or maybe the Red Banner’s intelligence skills are better than we think.

I opened my mouth a few times, but couldn’t speak.
Because Adela, who always smiled brightly, became very sensitive.

“Uh, over there…”
“Joy.”

Persuade.
I need to persuade them.
There was no suitable way.
Because I met two different women.
I will never change my mind easily.

“Shall we double the toppings on the bread at the concession stand from now on?”
“… Gulp.”

It’s not easy… Right?

“Well, there’s no need for that!”

Adela resisted the temptation with her great self-control.
As she was wondering if there was another way to soothe her, her flower basket that had been left behind by some of her former followers caught her eye.
Flower basket.
Bouquet.
Suddenly, it occurred to me that it wouldn’t be a good idea to hand over a small blank check.

“Excuse me… Adela.”
“Yes?”
“What do you think about marriage?”