Chapter 11: The Proverbial Three Visits

A man stepped into the Sealence Forest. His lustrous blond hair carried a hint of red, and his brown eyes glittered with intelligence. He was the Scarlet Moon Ministry official working under Viscount Berman to oversee the construction of Princess Town, and his name...was Balthazar Brandt.

Born the third son of a Count, he and Ludwig shared a long history as friends and fellow disciples. He walked down the narrow trail, navigating its twists and turns with the deftness of familiarity. Lately, he’d been making frequent trips here to discuss matters surrounding the town’s construction, and his legs already knew the path better than his head, which freed his mind to sink deep into thought.

He reached the Lulu village, but this time, he didn’t stop. Instead, he headed deeper into the forest. Eventually he came to a small tent. Consisting of a thick, stiff cloth hung over a simple frame, it was a shelter constructed using the method traditionally employed by the Lulu. Standing in front of the tent was a familiar figure, whom Balthazar greeted with a relaxed, “Well, if it isn’t Ludwig. Shouldn’t you be serving your princess? What’re you doing wandering around in the woods?”

Ludwig turned toward him and shrugged.

“There’s not much I can do now, it’s down to her.”

“Huh. That’s not what I expected to hear from our friendly neighborhood princess fanatic. I thought you’d be buzzing around her every chance you got. Didn’t you swear your eternal loyalty to her or something?”

“I was being considerate. It’s your first experience, after all, and I didn’t want to get in your way.” Ludwig smiled with teeth. “So, what did you think? Enrapturing, wasn’t she?”

Balthazar scrunched up his face into a scowl of reluctant agreement.

“Okay, fine. You were right. I’m pretty damn impressed. The princess actually managed to talk Berman out of building that ridiculous golden statue.”

“That’s what you’re impressed by?” Ludwig rolled his eyes. “Please, Balthazar. You know how much that project would have cost. Of course she’d stop it. That was never even in contention.”

Balthazar stared at his old friend, who spoke as if it were a self-evident truth of the cosmos. After a brief silence, he shook his head.

“No, Ludwig. It was in contention. At least, it was to any objective observer. Throughout history, there’s been no shortage of rulers with a fondness for large statues. An inflated sense of self-worth leading to expensive acts of exhibitionism is a common quality among corrupt rulers, and plenty of nations have had their coffers emptied by the unquenchable egos of their sovereigns.”

“Hm, you raise a fair point... It seems that being in the service of Her Highness has distorted my perspective somewhat. I’m starting to hold everything up to the standard of the Great Sage of the Empire,” Ludwig admitted.

There had been a king who’d erected bronze statues of himself throughout his kingdom and commanded that they be regularly worshiped. There’d been an emperor who’d feverishly insisted his statue be the biggest in the world... Such stories were in good company. The desire to be worshiped or deified was a powerful, almost irresistible one for many a ruler.

“At such a young age...and when blessed with such beauty... For her to be so immune to the influence of pride and ego... Well, let’s just say I get why you’re so infatuated with her now.” He crossed his arms and nodded thoughtfully. Then, he raised an eyebrow. “On that note, what are you doing here?”

“I’m here to see my— our master. We’re trying to set up a meeting between him and Her Highness, and I figured I’d do some of the legwork in advance...” Ludwig grimaced at the tent. “Haven’t managed to get a word in yet though. He’s thinking.”

“Ah, figures. The good old ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode. Glad to see that part of him hasn’t changed.” Balthazar let out a sympathetic sigh. “Our master’s a tricky old badger, isn’t he?”

“He sure is.”

They shrugged helplessly at each other and laughed.

“Hm-hm, some nerve you’ve got, laughing in front of your master’s...”

The sound of a third voice made both of them jump. They hastily shuffled a few steps apart and stood to attention, their gazes focused on the figure of an old man who appeared from the tent. He had a prominent gray beard, and it shook a little as he turned his head toward Ludwig.

“I swear, you buggers always show up at the darndest of times,” he said, his roguish grin expressing less annoyance than his words would otherwise suggest. “Can’t a man have some time to think these days without someone barging in on his tent?”

“I’m glad to see you’re doing well, Master.”

He bowed deeply. The old man matched his gesture.

“And I, you. Much time has passed since we last traded words, hasn’t it, my dear student?” He stroked his thick beard. “So, what brings you here today? I’m pretty sure I already told you I’ve got nothing more to teach.”

“You have indeed, which is why I’ve come today not for my own learning, Master, but to seek your help.”

“Hm-hm, my help, you say? Frankly, I don’t think this old bag of bones has much left to offer.”

“There is much you can yet offer, Master. Please, give me a moment to explain. The fate of the empire rests on this matter.”

The serious tone of Ludwig’s voice failed to move the old man, who dismissed the plea with an annoyed shake of his head.

“I’ve still got ears, Ludwig, and they’ve been hearing things. Things like how you’re apparently serving under the Tearmoon Princess now. Does this involve her?”

“Yes, I serve Her Highness Mia Luna Tearmoon, and this does indeed involve her.”

“The Great Sage of the Empire, huh. I’ve heard enough of her to last me three lifetimes. Can’t say I’m thrilled about the idea, honestly... You know me. I’ve got a thing against nobles.”

“I do know, Master. I make this request not in neglect of your aversion to nobles but in spite of it.”

“You’d go that far, huh? What is it about her, Ludwig? What makes you think it’s worth all this effort just to get me to talk to her?”

“Forgive me if I sound overly dramatic, Master, but she is the one to whom I’ve sworn my lifelong loyalty. She commands my complete devotion.”

The old man narrowed his eyes.

“‘Complete devotion’? You? So, I am to believe that she prevailed upon someone of your caliber. That certainly makes things more interesting... Balthazar, are you of the same opinion?”

Balthazar responded with a firm nod.

“Man is a castle, and man is its walls...”

“Oh? She knows about that proverb? Rather well-read for someone her age,” he said, nodding thoughtfully to himself.

Balthazar, however, shook his head.

“No, she didn’t. Not the proverb. But she spoke the wisdom contained within. It was not allusion...but conclusion. A facet of fundamental truth discovered through pure reasoning. It was...impressive, to say the least. I am therefore of the same opinion. She does indeed deserve the title of Great Sage.”

A vision of Mia reappeared in his mind, and a tingling sensation—not unlike a mild shock—ran over his skin. He’d heard from Ludwig. Heard all about her. But still, it wasn’t the same. The sheer impact of experiencing her firsthand was incomparable.

“Master, please see the princess. Speak with her. Look her over in person, and judge her with your own eyes and mind. And if you find something of value in her, then lend her your strength.”

“Hmmm... All right, you win. I guess I just can’t refuse a request from my dear students. Honestly, you two are lucky I’m such a kind and accommodating person.”

Neither discipline remembered any remarkable displays of kindness or accommodation from their master, but both were prudent enough to refrain from commenting.

“The thing is...” continued the old man. “It’s not that I don’t trust the two of you, but I’d prefer to test her myself. How about...that ancient piece of folklore from the east? The three visits? Yes, I think that’ll do just fine....”

Ludwig regarded the wily grin on his master’s face, feeling a worried grimace forming on his own.

The day after she was briefed on the academy’s construction roadmap at Viscount Berman’s residence, Mia arrived on-site to inspect the progress. The inspection itself was little more than a formality, really just a quick tour of the area. What came after was the real business of the day. It was finally time for her to meet face-to-face with Ludwig’s master, the Wandering Wiseman.

“Your Highness... It’s about time.”

At Ludwig’s cue, she gave her cheeks an invigorating smack and breathed out.

“All right. Let’s do this.”

With a look of grim determination, she stepped into the Sealence Forest.

Her view on the matter had changed a little over the past day. After a sweet welcome—for her tongue, anyway—at the Berman manor, she gathered enough of her wits to reconsider her position. Running away, she’d decided, wasn’t actually a feasible option. This understanding had come with the realization that Anne had meant her words to be taken as emotional support rather than a literal escape plan.

This...is not a situation I can afford to run away from.

In general, Mia tried her best to live up to the expectations of her loyal subjects. They believed in her, so she felt an obligation to reciprocate. Though it might come as a surprise, somewhere in her was a heart of genuine, twenty-four-karat gold. It just took a lot of digging to hit the vein.

Besides, Ludwig’s counting on me. And the only reason he’d count on me is if he couldn’t do it himself...

Okay, maybe eighteen-karat.

If I stroll in and manage to convince his master in one try... I can just picture the look on his face. I bet his eyes will pop out of their sockets. Oh, it’s going to feel so good!

Nope, never mind. It was gold plated at best. Regardless, she’d switched from the “hightail it out of there” camp to the “stay and tough it out” camp. Mia, you see, had a flexible mindset. It was one of her strong points.

Now, the task at hand was figuring out how she was going to acquire the help of the famed Wandering Wiseman. She’d spent the whole of last night pondering it. She’d pondered and pondered...and then she’d woken to the morning sun. Without any good ideas, of course, though that hardly needed to be said. At least she wasn’t suffering from any sleep deprivation.

“Well, I’ll just have to try everything that comes to mind and see what works!”

Thus began Mia’s preemptive maneuvering.

“By the way, Ludwig, wouldn’t meeting your master in my current attire be disrespectful?”

She was currently dressed in outdoor clothes. A heavy, long-sleeved top coupled with a sturdy skirt worn over thick tights. Not an inch of skin was showing from her neck down to her ankles. Ludwig’s master purportedly resided deep in the forest—deeper than even the Lulu village—and the heavy-duty getup was to protect her delicate skin from being scratched by branches and underbrush.

“I assume he values decorum. Perhaps it’d be best if I changed into a dress...”

“No, my master is averse to excessive ornamentation. He’s of the opinion that one should always dress pragmatically. When in a forest, wear forest clothes, so to speak. In this case, showing up in a dress might actually worsen his impression.”

“Huh. Is that so?” said Mia with a tinge of disappointment.

How unfortunate. With such unfashionable clothes, it’s going to be difficult to put my enchanting good looks to use. Such a shame...

We all know what you’re thinking, folks, but remember. Silence is golden. Be golden.

“Oh, how about bringing him a gift then? What kind of things does your master like?”

In a flash of inspiration, she decided to try repeating her success with the priest in the Newmoon District.

“Things he likes, you say... Hm, I’m not quite sure. He’s far from a gourmet, so foods are not— Oh, but I do remember that he once said wild hare caught in the forest made for an excellent stew.”

“Ah, I’ve had some of that before as well. Interesting. I see that he knows his delicacies.”

Her taste buds recalled the exquisite pot of hare stew she’d had when she was in Remno, and she covertly wiped her mouth. The thought had awakened the unquenchable passions of her inner epicure.

Granted, there’s no guarantee we’ll be lucky enough to catch one of those delicious hares on the way there. The bribery card is going to be hard to play too... A shame again.

As they walked and talked, the forest grew darker and denser.

“Since we’ve come all this way, we should probably say hi to the Lulu before we leave.”

“Indeed. I’ve been intending to arrange a meeting with them.”

“You have? Excellent.”

“Yes. They are, after all, helping to build the academy.”

The path they were following narrowed into a winding trail through the ever-thickening vegetation.

“Gotta say though, I’m still glad we didn’t end up fighting any of them here,” Vanos commented. He looked around and rubbed his arms as if he felt a sudden chill. “Can’t thank you enough for that, Your Highness.”

Visibility was terrible, and the terrain heavily favored local inhabitants. He didn’t even want to imagine the consequences of fighting a battle in such a hostile environment. Just then, the encroaching darkness gave way all at once to a clearing. In the middle sat a small tent.

“We’re here. That is my master’s temporary abode.”

“Oh? Fascinating...” Mia regarded the little tent with curiosity. “Hm... With one of those, I could set up camp anywhere, in case I ever need to make a quick getaway... I should ask him how to make one for myself later.”

She continued to contemplate the utility of small tents for a while, murmuring indistinctly to herself, until finally taking a deep breath, steeling herself, and taking a few steps forward.

“Excuse me. Is the Wandering Wiseman home?”

She waited a few seconds. There was no answer.

“...Huh.”

She lifted an eyebrow.

Maybe he didn’t hear me? He’s called a wiseman, so he’s probably pretty old. Maybe his ears don’t work too well.

A repeated attempt, however, was met with the same silence.

“Is he...not home? Just to confirm, Ludwig, you did tell your master I’d be coming today, right?”

“Of course.” After a period of contemplation, Ludwig continued. “However...there are times when my master becomes absorbed in his thoughts. In this state, he would ignore all communication from the outside. To my knowledge, the longest he’s been in one of these meditative states is five days straight, during which he never once stepped out of his room.”

“What?!” The cry was of outrage, and it came from Anne. “How dare he! That’s so incredibly rude to milady!”

It was a rare display of anger from her, and she was in good company; the guards with them were glaring at the tent with equal displeasure.

Before they could act on their indignation, Mia held up a hand.

“It’s no matter. We’re the ones who’ve come to ask a favor, after all, and he probably has his fair share of things to deal with.”

“B-But, milady...”

“Since he doesn’t seem to be home, why don’t we wait here for a while,” said Mia in a soft voice.

Her expression was perfectly placid. No... Almost perfectly placid, because the corners of her lips showed the slightest hint of...a smile!

This is my chance!

Having spent most of the trip there pondering how to wrangle an “okay” out of Ludwig’s master, her thoughts had grown increasingly litigious, and now, Mia the polemic saw an excellent opportunity to go on the offensive. Agreeing to meet someone and then being absent when they show up was a major faux pas. If he was ignoring her, then all the more so. Clearly, the other party was at fault.

I have plenty of fodder now! If he says something mean to me, I’ll just hit him back with this! In which case, the more I have, the better...

“Then... Let’s find you somewhere to sit, milady.”

“No, that will not be necessary. I shall wait for him right where I stand.”

If the man popped up and caught her during an unflattering moment—when she was yawning or scratching an itch, for example—she’d be handing some of that fodder back to him. No, what the situation called for was absolute adherence to propriety. She was going to be a paragon of decorum. That way, when the gloves came off, she’d be faultless and impervious to criticism. And then she was going to thrash him for being late to this meeting.

That means I shouldn’t talk too much either. What I need to do right now...is to keep quiet and look pretty.

Fortunately, her experience as a dungeon detainee armed her with the skills necessary to kill time. Back then, she’d passed days on end just by counting the number of stones in the dungeon.

Compared to that, this is a cinch. There are so many things to count. Let’s see... Why don’t I start with blades of grass... One grass, two grass, three grass...

Standing expressionless and completely still, Mia began to count the number of blades of grass in their vicinity. It was a little creepy, honestly, and the kind of thing that, had people known what she was doing, would have caused them to back slowly away from her. A little after hitting thirty thousand...

Hm, I think that’ll do for now.

She nodded with satisfaction and addressed her company.

“It seems like we’re out of luck today. A little disappointing, yes, but we’ll head back and try again on a later—”

That was when her mind lit up with the most devious of inspirations.

Yes, that’s it! Oho ho, I just figured out how to put him in an even worse position!

She thought of Ludwig’s earlier anecdote.

Ludwig was talking about how this guy holed himself up for five days straight and ignored everybody else. If one no-show is a strike against him, then imagine the leverage I’ll have with five! I just have to keep coming here for the next few days...

Missing someone once was undoubtedly rude but still arguably within the realm of forgivable affronts. Twice though? Or even...thrice? In a row? That was unforgivable. And in a duel of decorum, that would be a checkmate. It’d throw his “I hate nobles because they’re presumptuous pigs” argument straight out the window. After all, one couldn’t claim to hate presumptuous people while acting in a presumptuous manner. Such hypocrisy would only make a fool of the speaker. It’d weaken his position so much that he wouldn’t even be able to talk back, much less say mean things to her.

If I can gain that much leverage over him, he’ll have no choice but to accept our request! Moons, what a marvelous idea this is!

She trembled at her own brilliance. Then she began subtly maneuvering to set her marvelous idea into motion.

“Ludwig, could you arrange for someone to make a trip to the Lulu village?”

“Hm? Certainly. But... What for?”

Ludwig frowned in puzzlement at her request.

“I was thinking... If I don’t get the chance to meet your master today, then it might be best to seek lodging with the Lulu. Better than going all the way back to the Viscount, right?”

Returning to the Berman manor would inevitably result in her being tied up by something or other, making it difficult to come here on a daily basis. Staying at the Lulu village would cause no such limitation. Ultimately, her goal was to present to Ludwig’s master the fait accompli of having tried to meet him multiple times to no avail. That way, when she eventually found the man, she could say to his face, “While you were busy being stuck in your thought coma, I wasted many days of my life trying to meet you.” Five times might be a stretch, but ideally she’d get two more unsuccessful attempts in. At the very least she needed to fail once more tomorrow.

“B-But... Isn’t the forest rather, uh... Lacking in various comforts?”

“Is it, really? I certainly don’t mind. Back in Remno, I spent a night in the open with a campfire, you know?”

She giggled as though she found his question comedically ludicrous, which only deepened Ludwig’s bewilderment.

And so, unbeknownst to everyone else, Mia’s ploy to bring down the bastion that was the Wandering Wiseman was quietly set into motion.