Chapter 39 – Exchanging Information

“Thor.
May I ask a question?”

“Yes, Rukie-sama”

I nodded to Rukie’s question.

This is the headquarters of the Demon Territory army, just beside the rocky mountain.
Rukie and Mabel, and I are in the biggest tent to talk about the subjugation of Monster Gargarossa and the events with the Imperial soldiers.

On the way, Rukie suddenly had a serious face,

“Thor.
When you were in the empire, have you ever done a magic sword repair?”

“……I think?”

I thought a little and said,

“I remember doing that kind of work in the storage at the government office.”

I think it was a job that came from an aristocratic.
I didn’t ask about the client because it wouldn’t be my achievement anyway.

What I repaired it at that time, it was a fairly old magic sword that had a crack up to the center of the blade.

At that time, I hadn’t awakened [Creation Alchemy], but I was able to add attributes.
Therefore, I closed the cracks with materials and then added “light” and “earth” attributes to it.
By the way, I should have increased the strength of it.

However, it was not been completely restored because I was recalled back Duke’s family before I could finish it.
I’m still worried about that half-finished job …

──I explained to Rukie,

“……I see”

Rukie, who heard the story, was silent for a while and looked at me from the other side of the mask.
Then, she coughed to change the topic,

“I’m your Lord.”

“Yes, Rukie-sama”

“And I want to be a lord who is not going to be ashamed to you.”

“Yes, Rukie-sama, you’re someone who I respect.”

“Thank you.
Thor”

Rukie grabbed the armrest of the chair with her mask on.

“Because I am such a lord, I will talk without hiding it.
About what the third princess of the empire said.”

── Then Rukie started talking slowly.

They talked about what the Third princess said after the monster subjugation.
The third princess, Liana, was looking for a “wandering alchemist” who had fixed her magic sword.
She wanted to thank him and hopefully, the alchemist will continue to make items for the Royal family on her side.

── With a calm tone, Rukie told me that.

“Isn’t the princess’s “Wandering alchemist” you?”

“I think so”

The achievements for the things I did is being treated as void by the Duke
That’s why he probably decided that the “Wandering alchemist” did it.

“I repeat, I want to be a master who is not ashamed to you.”

Rukie kept her eyes closed while talking.
Mabel, who is next to me, on top of her worried face, also looked really nervous.

“Thor, your power is wonderful.
I don’t want to use it or keep you by force.
Do you understand?”

“Yes, I understand”

“That’s why I decided to talk about what the third princess of the empire said without hiding it …”

After saying that, Rukie sighed for a long time.

“I wanted to hide this but I’m the Lord who governs the Demon Territory.
I don’t want to lie to you as a friend.”

“Yes, Rukie-sama”

“… Then … then … that … that …”

“The next time you meet the princess, please say “stop with your bullshit.”

But it goes without saying that the answer to the Princess’s proposal is simply “Stop bullshitting, I refuse it.
“

“I’m glad you used the magic sword I repaired …”

That’s the only thing I can sympathize with.
I can’t understand the rest at all.
“Keep making items for the Royal family”, what is that?

“It’s a life of just making items according to the emperor’s wants, isn’t it? He wouldn’t say “Just make what you want” like Rukie-sama, right?”

“… Thor”

“In the first place, I was able to make [Foot bath], [simple warehouses] and [laser pointers] because Rukie gave me a place to work.
I found also found a [Mail order catalogue] there.
It’s all thanks to Rukie-sama.”

I told Demon Lord Rukie.

“I’m living happily now because there was a lord who suddenly gave me a place to work, allowed me to make what I liked, and was happy with what I made.
I refuse the proposal of the princess of the empire ── “

“… I refused”

Rukie murmured.

“I refuse on the spot.
I did not want to give the alchemist to the empire.”

“Well then … why did you ask me …?”

“Because I was worried after I refused! I cut down one of Thor’s paths.
I refused without permission … I thought that maybe I did something wrong.
As a friend of yours, I was worrying … “

“You don’t have to think about that.”

I looked at Rukie’s eyes behind the mask and said.

“In the first place, I’m not going back to the empire.”

“I know! I know … I also wanted to hear the feelings you…”

She reached for the mask, and Rukie took it off.
She’s staring at me with her slightly moist red eyes.

“The third princess’s proposal was declined in the name of Rukie Evergard.
I have nothing to say anymore.
Rest assured.
Thor.”

“Yes, Rukie-sama”

“Only I, Kelve, and Reisenga know about the place.
The talk has ended.
They should be keeping it confidential, but it would be helpful if they didn’t talk too much about it.
“

Rukie said so and put the mask backmask.
I see.
So the third princess of the empire said such things to Rukie.
Please do not recruit people in such a strange way.
I’m not going back to the empire any more.

“Then, the letter brought by the Regus soldiers may also be related to the princess.”

“That guard captain from your parents’ home”

“That person was returned to the Imperial army by the General and Chancellor.
…”

Rukie and Mabel looked at each other and nodded.

The Guard Captain of the Regus family has been thoroughly questioned by the Chancellor and General Reisenga.
The two should now be leading some soldiers to the rocky mountain near the border to see if the Imperial army has returned to their country.

“That soldier only said that he was too hasty to gain achievements and ended up luring the monster.”

While drinking tea, Rukie said.

“Kelve and Reisenga think that they lured the monster on purpose, but I wonder if it’s that he doesn’t know… or if he’s tight-lipped?”

“I think that he probably doesn’t know of anything.”

“Hmm.
What does Thor think so?”

“The letter from Barga Regus used words and phrases that he doesn’t use.
The Regus family is all about fighting.
He doesn’t use all that decoration phrases that filled the letter.”

I took a breath and continued,

“It’s possible that someone in the empire ordered that letter to be written by Barga Regus, and I think the empire was intentionally trying to get that soldier to deliver the letter.”

I’m not so confident about it right now.
Being a conspiracy strategist is not my job

“I see.
I wouldn’t give important information to the soldier who was going to be sent to the Demon Territory army.”

“That’s why they brainwashed him with the idea [I was too hasty to gain achievements and ended up luring the monsters].”

“I agree with you.
And then the letter’s purpose was to use Thor.”

“Or maybe it’s to make my stay in the Demon territory harder.”

“… May I give you my opinion? Your Majesty.”

Suddenly, Mabel muttered.

“It’s fine if you talk without permission, Mabel”

Rukie laughed

“This is a place where Thor, Mabel and I exchange information, no need to hold back.”

“… I don’t understand why that soldier sent such a letter.”

Mabel had a serious look.

It seems that she is still angry that the Guard Captain brought a strange letter.

“[Tell me the information about the Demon territory] and [Bring Agnis to the Empire?] there’s no way Thor-sama will accept that…but they even made someone act as Thor-sama’s trusted aid…”

“It’s natural that you, Mabel will think that way when you see the letter.”

Rukie nodded, wearing a mask.

“But what about others? For example, how would you react if Thor hid the letter?”

Yes.
I was thinking about it too.
So at that time, I asked Mabel and Agnis to make the contents of the letter public in front of everyone.

“A different reaction…”

“Well, for example, if Reisenga knew about that letter …”

“He’ll be so angry and burn the letter saying that they tried to use Thor!”

“Well, that’s right.
But if it was Chancellor Kelve …”

After thinking a little about Rukie said,

“… No, he knows that Thor is all about alchemy research and he doesn’t have that much time, so he shouldn’t make any weird suspicions.”

“I don’t think the Minotaurs will doubt Thor either.”

“Even the elf troops … a person that sends information to the empire wouldn’t fork over the [Laser Pointer].”

“That’s right.”

“That’s right”

“So that letter wouldn’t cause discord in the Demon territory.
Of course, Thor wouldn’t follow the contents of the letter.
That letter is completely useless, it just made Thor uncomfortable.”

Mabel clasps her fist and trembles.

“But the person who wrote that letter doesn’t understand it.
In other words, the owner of that letter isn’t interested in Thor himself or the Demon Territory.
Such a person,… I can never forgive him … “
“……I see”

I published the letter on the spot so that everyone in the Demon territory wouldn’t suspect me … but it wasn’t necessary.
Everyone in the Demon Territory doesn’t doubt me.
That letter just offended Mabel.

“I’m sorry.
Mabel”

“It isn’t Thor-sama’s fault … I don’t know anything about Thor, but I just can’t forgive those who try to use it unilaterally.”

“Still, I’m sorry”

“… Uu”

Mabel’s eyes were wet but when I stroked her back, she calmed down.
She even wanted to use attack magic at the Guard Captain… Mabel seems to be the type who gets emotional easily.
Let’s be careful.

“From now on, when the Regus’s house sends you a letter, Your Majesty or the Chancellor should check it first.”

“Anything sent to “Thor Regus” will be checked beforehand.
Sending it under Thor’s original name would mean that they don’t know anything about Thor.”

Rukie said that and grinned.

“It’s a good strategy to change your name to Thor Canaan.
It makes it clear that you’ve become a resident of the Demon Lord.
Everyone was happy too.”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry to bother you Rukie-sama.”

“You’re under my jurisdiction so it’s fine.”

“By the way, I have to apologize for one more thing.”

I said.

“I told you before that I dream of making a sword that surpasses the holy sword of the empire.”

“U, umu.
And you said that you would make a magic sword for me.”

“Yes, but … when I saw the Holy Sword of the Princess … I still thought that it was impossible for me to make anything beyond that.”

Before coming here, I received the material and thread of a small spider from General Reisenga.
When I appraised it, both of them were insanely strong.

The blade of light created by the holy sword of the empire easily sliced through the body and thread of the small spiders.
I knew I wasn’t strong enough to make a magic sword that surpassed that.

“That’s why I want to have a little more time.”

“No, no even if there isn’t a magic sword, that [Laser pointer] is strong enough already.”

“That is an item in the world of heroes.
I want to give Your Majesty a magic sword that is original to me.”

I bowed to Rukie.

“So, please wait a little longer until you get the magic sword.”

First of all, let’s study by making items in the Hero’s world by referring to the [Mail order catalogue].
Once I’m good enough, let’s make the perfect magic sword for Rukie.

To do that, I have to study the holy sword of the empire.
…… To do that I should think of a way to counter the [blade of light] of the holy sword.
Let’s look for something that could be used in the [Mail order Catalogue] later.

“… Thor.
Are you plannin something again?”
“No, no, no.”
“What do you think, Mabel?”
“I think you’re thinking of making something fun.”
“Right?”

Looking at me, Rukie is holding back laughter.
Then ── she changed her tone,

“Anyway, the subjugation of [Monster Gargarossa] was completed successfully.
There were various things that happened with the Empire … but it’s over now.
Thor’s [Laser Pointer] was very useful for subduing it.
This achievement isn’t a small one, I’ll consider the reward as soon as I return to the castle.
“

“Thank you.
Your Majesty.”

“The army and I will return to the Demon Castle tomorrow morning.
Thor and Mabel should accompany the Flame General Reisenga to the mansion.
Thor’s mansion and workshop will be built in Reisenga’s territory.
Inspect the house and go sightseeing for some time.”

“Sightseeing?”

“Since you came to the Demon territory, you have hardly left the castle, right?”

By the way.
This is the first time I’ve gone out of the castle.

“Under the protection of Reisenga and Agnis, take a look around the Demon Lord’s territory for a while.
Do whatever you want.”

“Rukie-sama”

“What?”

“I have one request.”

“Let’s hear it”

“Can you give me something like a permit that I can do alchemy anywhere?”

“Permit license?”

“If I go around the territory of the Demon Lord and meet various people, I will definitely want to make something.”

“”……ah””

Rukie and Mabel look like they’ve guessed something.
It seems that they understood what I meant.

“Some people in the Demon Lord’s territory may have never seen alchemy.
If I suddenly start something, they would be surprised.
So I wish I could get something like a permit from Rukie-sama…”

“There’s really no hope for you.”

Rukie holds her mouth and laughs.

“After all, Thor cannot be given to the princess of the empire.
If you return to that country … you would be wanting to do things all the time, and you wouldn’t be able to sleep.”

“……Excuse me”

“It’s okay.
Let’s get a permit.”

Rukie clapped her hands.

“I’ll write a permit that says, “This person, in the name of the Demon Lord Rukie Evergard, will be allowed to do alchemy everywhere.” It’s like a permit.”

“Thank you.
Rukie-sama”

From now on, I’ll be doing alchemy outside the Demon Castle.
It would be safer to have Her Majesty’s permit.

“Then, let’s let Mabel keep it.”

“… Why?”

“I feel like I’m going to lose it while I’m absorbed in alchemy.”

“I think that kind of thing is honestly great, Thor.”

“Okay.
I’ll keep it.
Thor-sama.”

Then we continued eating dinner and talked about our upcoming plans.
It seems that Rukie will return to the Demon Castle and begin dealing with the aftermath of this subjugation.
It seems to be surprisingly difficult because there was also the interaction with the empire.
The soldiers returned to the Demon Castle and disbanded as they were.
After a few days off, everyone seems to have returned to their original work.

The [Monster Gargarossa] and the bodies of the small spiders are being studied by an elf magic unit.
They said that they would tell me if they found something interesting.

General Reisenga, Agnis, and their unit were returning home.
Mabel and I were accompanying them too.

“By the time I return to the Demon Castle, I have to make a magic sword or an item that Her Majesty wants.”

“Yes, I will help you too.”

“Agnis can also be used as a laboratory table at any time …”

Talking about that, we headed to the territory’s mansion with the procession of General Reisenga.