Ch 3

As I leisurely walked into work the next morning, I found a blonde young man with a fresh smile sitting at my desk.

"Ahahaha! Looks like we were bound to meet again. I’ll be in your care."

In the end, it seemed I had been chosen as a guide for inspecting people's livelihoods.

"I made a mistake yesterday. I regret that I suddenly came in without thinking about how you would see it. I apologize for jumping the gun without following proper procedures."

"No, it’s okay, it happens. What does it matter as long as it doesn’t delay me getting off from work?"

He laughed cheerfully again at my frank remarks.

"I see! I'll make sure to defend your ability to get off work on time!"

"Thank you for that. So…"

I couldn’t figure out a proper way to address him, but he quickly introduced himself when he saw me struggling.

"My name is Za... Zan. Yes, please call me Zan, without honorifics."

With his introduction, he handed me an official order bearing the seal of Guild Director Glont.

"This is what Guild Director Glont asked me to deliver to you."

A special class-one confidential seal was stamped at the top of the document. I was taken aback for a moment. It was the first time I had ever seen a special class-one confidential document.

The “confidential” documents I dealt with were frankly, not confidential. They were only ever tasks designated to the workers at the very bottom of the food chain. The contents of this particular document were simple.

'Do your best to provide for this person’s convenience. Active time is four days, starting today.’

That was it.

"Since there’s no additional information, it seems this is all I am allowed to know."

I expected this. I knew who I was dealing with the moment Guild Director Glont said 'him'. Zan was likely Zantes, the crown prince of this country. To be honest, Guild Director Glont saying ‘him’ openly was no different from letting me know directly.

"Ahaha, sorry."

"Well, that's fine. So, Zan, what are you going to do next? Are you just going to observe my work?"

When I said his name out loud, guards who were hiding their presence in the building outside the Adventurers' Guild, moved slightly.

Were there about ten ‘energetic people’ on the guard list?

I still couldn't tell the difference between people’s energy levels. Considering Zan’s status, I figured they must be high-ranking knights, but even they were insignificant compared to the Black Water Buffalo Knights I saw in the Demon's Territory. Since the Black Water Buffalo Knights was a division raised by Guild Director Glont himself, perhaps they would be the ones assigned to a special detail.

"Basically, yes,” he replied. “To be honest, it's an inspection of the people's livelihood, but I'm just going out with permission to enjoy a bit of freedom. Not from my father necessarily, but others are strict."

His sister went to the magic school to achieve freedom, and it seemed the brother had similar goals.

"Ah! While we’re at it, should I set up a character for myself? What about being a rookie civil servant who just started the job?"

I smirked as he went on about this and that with excitement.

"You can do so if you wish. Have you had breakfast? Let's eat somewhere nearby."

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"Sounds good! Is there a place you recommend?"

"A nearby bakery sells sandwiches, although they may not suit your taste."

Thinking of the bakery, I wondered if Demuir had worked up the nerve to ask her out yet.

* * *

Glont suddenly froze before stamping the approval document. He briefly wondered if it was a good thing to attach Zantes, the crown prince, to Den. If Den was just a normal civil servant, he wouldn't have thought this hard. The subordinate he knew was bold, but had proper manners, culture, and quick wits. He figured Den wouldn’t act rude, because he must have guessed Zantes' identity after Glont referred to Zantes as ‘him’. Also, wasn't Den the person who had matched the identity and intentions of Duke Asteria with just a short conversation?

Glont thought that in that sense, Den von Mark... No, 'Den von Asteria', resembled the duke. To be exact, he resembled Anemone, the duke’s daughter. She had the insight and brilliance to be able to grasp anything just by looking at one aspect of it. Den reminded Glont of the surprise and awe he felt for her in his youth. That gave Glont confidence, but it also made him falter. It turned out that Den was too much like Anemone. Den didn’t seem to have Anemone’s ambition, but Glont was anxious that he might resemble her in how she thoroughly destroyed everything that interfered with her with extraordinary methods. Glont was worried about the crown prince, not Den. What if they didn't get along? Would the crown prince be able to survive long enough for Glont to decide whose side he should take?

"Hmm..."

Considering it further, Glont didn't think it was a bad opportunity for Den either. If Den’s status as the descendant of the duke was restored, a friendship with the crown prince would be a great weapon. That was one of the reasons Glont had purposefully chosen Den for this assignment. Ultimately, Glont decided he would just do his best to mediate if the relationship between the two fell apart. Although, if Den's personal safety was threatened, Duke Asteria wouldn’t leave that alone, and Glont would have to put his life on the line. Glont smiled lightly, thinking of his nephew, and stamped his seal.

* * *

The bakery, located near the headquarters of the Adventurers' Guild, had tables and chairs laid out on the square in front of it to allow people to sit down and eat for a while. They also offered drinks such as coffee and tea, increasing store sales.

"Hmm, do you think there’s an issue with their water? The tea tastes a little dry."

After sipping the tea several times, it seemed the crown prince had determined he didn’t like it. He put down his cup and didn’t touch it again.

"Well, the water used in ordinary homes and shops use plain old groundwater. They can't use purification magic like the nobles do."

"Aha! So that's why. Mmmm!"

The crown prince nodded joyfully as he bit into the sandwich.

"Mmm! The sandwich is delicious! It’s as good as the pal, ah, my house’s cook!"

The store owner would have passed out from pure joy if they heard him say that. They were being compared to the palace chef, the absolute best of the best. To be honest, it wasn’t strange to hear such comments at this place. The bakery was so popular that it would have been hard to eat there if I wasn't part of the Adventurers' Guild. As a ‘protection cost’ to the Adventurers’ Guild, this bakery provided discounts and priority service to adventurers and their employees, so it was easier for me to eat there. It was wise for the bakery too, because businesses that did well ended up with gangsters or good-for-nothings on their doorstep asking for some kind of cut. There were no gangsters bold enough to touch a store that adventurers loved.

"It’s because this is a famous restaurant." I replied.

"This alone makes coming out for inspection worth it. I'm jealous of my sister. Has she been enjoying this kind of stuff this whole time?”

After enjoying the sandwich, the crown prince suddenly activated an artifact on his wrist that created a soundproof wall around them.

"Listen while you eat. Actually, I was planning on doing this without explaining anything to you, but I think it's unfair if there's no explanation at all. I'll tell you what I can within my authority."

"No, you don't have to."

"Ahahaha! You don't have to refuse. How bothersome would it be to let a stranger follow you around without any explanation?”

No, you following me is a bother on its own.

He sighed and began to explain the situation, regardless of my thoughts. "You may have already guessed, but I'm a person of a very high status. I can't tell you in detail, but I'm a person from a family that's so stuffy that it's hard to go out as I please unless it’s some special day."

I thought it was probably the same for most members of the imperial family, and I figured it was because of the Blood Emperor. The reason why they couldn’t go out freely, even in the relatively safe capital, was because the Blood Emperor made too many enemies on his road to absolute monarchy. In this era, it was all too easy for a grudge to spread from an individual to their friends and family. Above all, the fact that the Blood Emperor was assassinated inside the palace, which was famous for its safety, had the biggest impact.

"I don't have any dissatisfaction or think it’s a misfortune to be born into such a family or having a high status. On the contrary, I am well aware of the fact that it is a blessing."

If he had whined about it, he’d deserve to be the first one beheaded in a revolution.

“But my sister, who was on the same boat, suddenly risked her life and attained freedom, even if just temporarily. I’m proud of her and... to be honest, I am jealous.”

He smiled bitterly. It seemed as though he felt that he wouldn’t be able to attain that much freedom, even if he risked his life too.

I felt like I knew who this sister was. The Third Princess, who had entered the magic school and didn’t hesitate to go places and play with Alice and Yuria, was undoubtedly the weird one.

"So to find out if there was a way to attain freedom, even if briefly, I looked through the old records of my ancestors. Then, I found some records that showed some of them had occasionally gone out to inspect livelihoods, accompanied by a civil servant!"

Hmm … Does this guy actually have any intentions of hiding that he’s from the imperial family? What he just said is doing everything but outright telling me he is of imperial blood. There is a soundproof barrier, but still, don’t tell me such bothersome truths.

"I understand. Since it’s an inspection of the people's livelihood, you get free time without annoying guards or subordinates attached to you."

"That's it!" he said, snapping his fingers.

Looking at the brightly smiling crown prince, I sipped my tea lightly.

"But why me? There must be other people, other kinds of civil servants. For example, there are those that roam outside the capital, and there are those that roam freely inside the capital."

Incidentally, Zantes had still managed to leave using Den. But for freedom, it would have been better to choose a civil servant who could move more comfortably and freely than me, an office worker.

"You are certainly right. It was only a lucky coincidence for me that you went out for work, and even if you were an outside worker, there were people who were more suitable than you."

"Then why did you choose me?"

The crown prince laughed cheerfully. "Didn't I tell you already? To return the favor."

"The favor?"

"Guild Director Glont said that you were a talented person who understood ten things when someone said only one thing, but don't you understand? It may seem a bit snobby for me to say, but taking care of me is a tremendous move for your career."

That was right. The experience of aiding the crown prince would pave a straight path to success for imperial civil servants, and was better than most elite courses. I’d probably be promoted within the next two years. Since civil servants belonged to the imperial family, this was an enormously powerful career move, leagues above aiding the duke. If the crown prince was satisfied here, I would immediately be promoted to the fourth rank of first class prestige, no longer in the second class. It could be said that receiving such an opportunity alone was more than enough as repayment.

But that would be if I were an ordinary civil servant. I couldn’t immediately feel privileged when I thought of the fact that I had to have this troublesome crown prince follow me around. Unfortunately, I couldn’t be an ordinary civil servant. I didn't want to become a high-ranking official, even after I realized that that wasn’t ordinary. It was no exaggeration to say that I had no ambition to raise my status, unlike everyone else. I regarded myself as someone that was beyond status. I was reluctant to admit it, but I thought of myself as a socially harmful person, removed from society, similar to my father. I was causing harm in real time. I really didn't want to admit it, but it was important to look at myself objectively. Of course, I never once believed that facing that fact would change me.