Chapter 64 – The Dark Side of the Game

「And, what should we do for the game those guys mentioned?」

As I said that, Sylphy picked up the letter she received from the idiot noble from the trash can.

「……Fumu, let’s just check the contents for now.
In any case, it’s worthless」

「……No, the contents are unexpectedly decent」

His Highness Lewis, who already heard about the summary in the capital, answered.

Oh, those rude fellows who don’t even have manners, actually thought up a game that even a royalty says it’s decent, huh…….
I’m a little excited about it.

Sylphy and Aisha also had expressions of surprise when they heard His Highness Lewis’ words.
While smiling wryly at our looks, His Highness Lewis continued speaking.

「In a separated place about 50km north of the royal capital, is the “Divine Spirit Forest”, where some powered-up monsters are prowling about, right?
The gist of the game is to collect materials from that forest」

What His Highness Lewis then said is:

 

・Collect the chosen materials withini the time limit.
Each of the materials will be assigned points, and the winner will be decided by the total points collected.

・The points of the target materials will be discussed by the chivalric order.

・Points may be added or subtracted depending on the state after dismantling.

・The game will be held for two days.

・To prevent unfairness, a few knights will be deployed in the forest as surveillance.

・The participants can have substitutes.

 

That’s roughly the details.

Basically, the eight nobles who are opposed to our wedding will each choose their own adventurer substitutes, making a total of eight adventurers.
Nine people, including me (Along with the knights tasked with surveillance) will enter the forest, and each of the participants will hunt and compete for points within the time limit.

When we enter the forest, dedicated storage bags will be handed over to us by the knights. The materials will be put away in it, and will be retrieved after the end of the game.

By the way, that storage bag.
It seems to be the work of a famous transmutator, a precious item where the items put inside will “not experience the passage of time”.

……It’s the same as the one I made with 【Unique Magic・Space-time】.
I’m curious, how did that transmutator make it?

He can’t make it in the same way I did…….
……Well, let’s leave the storage bag aside.

The venue will be the “Divine Spirit Forest”.

I’ve heard that there has been a legend since ancient times, that a Divine Beast sleeps within the deepest parts of the forest, and it’s a place famous for the few powered-up monsters prowling about.

For example, goblins.
The individuals living in this forest are stronger than the normal high goblins from other places.

Rare monsters which are rarely seen appears here, and valuable materials can be gathered here, which makes it famous.

By the way, His Highness Lewis’ Clan, 「The Library of Alchemists」 want and gather a lot of the materials obtainable from this forest.
Once our Clan officially starts its activities, since our cooperation has been decided, we will frequent this forest from then on.

「……I see, the contents are certainly decent」

「But how do the stupid nobles plan on playing dirty?」

「……They’ve bribed the knights.
It came to light when the knights who have contacted them pretended that they have been bought out and reported to us」

It seems that this is their plan.

They will borrow the time-stop storage bag in advance from the bribed knights, infiltrate, and collect the materials in large quantity before the game.
And on the date of the game, they will fill the newly handed storage bags and hand them in as the results. A truly plain and simple plan.

If they were normal people, you wouldn’t think that they could bribe the knights.
However, the amount they presented for the bribe this time is unparalleled.

For argument’s sake, even if they are bribed, it wouldn’t be that difficult for the knights to do it, and there isn’t that much labour.
If we compare the benefits of the reward and the labour they requested, it certainly is an unprecedented condition.

There’s no way the stupid nobles would have thought that the knights they bribed might deceive them.
They seem to have planned to have their own way using their position as the succesor of an influential noble and the power of money.

However, the one who coaches the imperial knights is that Brother-in-law-san (Alto).
There’s no way the knights who received Brother-in-law-san (Alto) teachings would partake in such a bribery scheme. The plan was quickly exposed, and this is the result.

……How do I say this, they…… are really idiots.
In the first place, if Sylphy did not accept the game like what had happened, the plan would have fallen apart just like that…….

He’s definitely raging in his house right about now, isn’t he?

「There isn’t a problem to arrest Claude-dono at this point in time, but…….
Chichiue said to round up their accomplices who are not directly participating in this.
There’s also the possibility that each of their own house will be involved, so all eight members will be arrested」

In the case where not only the sons, the idiot nobles, but even their parents are involved in this matter, it would become something outrageous.
If they are unlucky, the family would probably disappear, huh…….

「I see, and will Danna-sama be the only one hunting in the forest?」

「That’s right, Nee-san-tachi will be preparing for the wedding ceremony in the royal capital.
It’d be bad if this matter isn’t settled quickly, since there’s also the matter with the dragon.
That’s why the wedding ceremony’s schedule will be considerably accelerated.
After this, I will send out a knight I brought along to Claude-dono and tell him that the game will be carried out.
The game’s schedule and marriage ceremony’s schedule will then be officially decided, I guess?」

「However, even though Lewis will handle the game, you don’t have much persuasion power, do you?
If I were the one to say it, it might be different」

「If Nee-san-tachi wins, it might be good to get them to consent to disinherit.
Since they’ve paid quite the price, I think they’ll gladly accept such a condition.
There’s also the fact that they are probably confident that they’ll definitely win through backhanded means, after all」

However, if they save up and store the ones they hunted beforehand, I’ll lose even if I do my best on the day, won’t I?

When I enquired about that, it seems that they will pass them a storage bag where time still works and pretend that it’s one that doesn’t.
If they put it in a storage bag with time flow, then naturally, the materials will deteriorate, so it would be easy to verify.

After that, the details were knocked together, and His Highness Lewis returned to the royal capital.
……He seems to be really busy.

We’ll also have a lot to do from now on, don’t we?

 

◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

 

「Dammit, dammit, dammitーーーーーー！」

Where do I vent this boiling anger of mine!!
How much do they think I’ve spent on making the arrangements!

The effort I put in preparing surfaced in my mind.

 

The First Princess, Sylphid Augusta.
If I can get her to be my wife, our Roselia family will be secure.

On top of that, she possess such beauty.
You could say that she is suited to be my wife.

It’ll be relatively easier to set up a marriage proposal with the royal family as long as one has good Skills.
Not to brag, but I think my 【Two-handed spear・Extreme】 is pretty strong.

Despite that, the royal family refused my proposal.
……Everyone else also had their proposals turned down.

However, there’s no way she’ll never marry.
In that case, I’ll give in a little.

Just as I thought that, the royal family dropped a bombshell: Sylphid’s wedding has been decided.
On top of that, it seems that her partner is a commoner.

It’ll be bad at this rate.
I’ll have to somehow prepare a plan, and get the wedding cancelled.

Thinking that, I worked out a plan.
I kept in touch with my noble comrades who also were turned down by Sylphid, and got the preliminary arrangements ready.

I thought up a game with “Falconry”, an interest of nobles, as a base, and applied for it in a meeting with the King, and explained the outline of the game.

「Fumu, overturning a wedding the royal family has approved…… Claude Roselia-dono, is that what you’re saying?」

「That is not my intention, it’s just that I am apprehensive about commoner blood entering the royal family’s」

「Oh? I was originally a commoner, though?」

「Isn’t Faren-sama the King now?
No matter the origins, right now, the royal family’s blood is Faren-sama’s.
In the first place, the act of comparing Faren-sama to a no-name commoner is a mistake in itself」

「Fumu, well, alright. I understand your point.
If Sylphy accepts your suggestion…… I’ll think about it.
I don’t think that’ll happen though, so you better give up」

 

Tch, I didn’t get his promise, huh. Whatever.
Since he said he’ll consider it, it won’t be an exaggeration even if I say that he gave his approval.

I’ll have to do something to ensure my win in this game.

I called out to an acquaintance from the first knight unit, and requested for cooperation.
What? Although he’s a knight, he’s on a tight budget? There’s no problem if I just dangle some money in front of him.

He also took care of me quite well until now, after all.

Now then, let’s make the necessary arrangements and get Sylphid as my wife by hook or by crook.

 

……Arrangements complete!!
However, there’s no meaning to it if Sylphid doesn’t participate in the crucial game!!!!

What should I do?
What in the world should I do to get them into the game?

While I was holding in my rage, I desperately spun my thoughts round and round.

「Young master, His Highness Lewis’ messenger came to visit, how should I handle this?」

What? Did he say His Highness Lewis? What does he want.

「Understood, let him in」

As I made my way to the visitor room, a knight, probably His Highness Lewis’ imperial guard, was waiting.

「I heard that you are here with a message from His Highness Lewis?」

「Yes, I was tasked with handing this directly to Claude-dono」

As he said that, he took out a letter from his bust and handed it over to me.

He then left at a quick place after saying 「I have handed it over」.
……He’s restless.

I opened the wax seal on the letter I was handed, and read the contents as I drank the tea the old servant brought over.

「What!!!!」

Written on the letter is that Sylphid has accepted to participate in the game.
……However, there’s a condition that we’ll be disinherited if we lose, huh…….

Well, my preparations are flawless, there’s absolutely no way I will lose.
With this, the wedding will start afresh.

It seems that Lady Luck is finally smiling on me.

---

AN:

Thank you for always reading.
Please take care of me from now on as well.

*Syosetu stuff*

TL: Izzy

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