Isekai GM 18. Rewards

I was red with embarrassment.

I slowly returned to the ship with Adelle.
Adelle seemed embarrassed as well and flew a short distance away from me.
A lot of the people who fell into the sea had been rescued, they were now receiving warm soup which Roxas had prepared.
It’s nice to have such a great cook in these rough waters.

As we descended, the Earl came running to greet us.

「Masaki-dono, thank you for saving the Kingdom from this crisis. Who would have thought that Leviathan was being manipulated…」
「It won’t happen again. The Leviathan said that he has had enough of human offerings」
「What!? The Leviathan can talk!?」
「Yes, he was surprisingly friendly. And I got this item」

I showed the Leviathan Bracelet to the Earl.
Anyway, the bracelet didn’t overlap with arm equipment, so there was no problem
(TL: thanks, kittenbitten need help with this 腕輪なら腕装備とも重複しないし問題なかった)

「Such a wonderful item……」
「I can’t imagine how much mana is contained inside this item…」

Both the Earl and Claudia came closer to gaze at the bracelet.

「The Leviathan gave me this item and entrusted us with his desire to defeat the Empire. But I am worried that the damage would be too great if I handle it on my own」

Let’s keep the detail about NEET God a secret. To save his dignity.

「Is that so… Let’s head to the castle at once. I have to report various things to his Majesty」
「What about us?」
「I’d like only Masaki-dono, as the head of pirate group and as the otherworlder, and Adelhide to accompany me to the castle」

My men seemed to dislike the idea of me going into the castle without them.
I’ll just have the 3 people who can use magic report to me if anything happens via telepathy, other than that, they can move freely.
I’ll set the inn as the meeting point.

「I understand」
「Okay」

Adelle and I agreed and went to the remains of the military port.

「Big Boss, just take it easy! We’ll be waiting back at the inn」
「Thank you. If something happens, I’ll contact you via telepathy」

Adelle and I got off at the military port and everyone else crossed the canal and passed the cliff.
They should anchor in the lake ahead.

「If we go straight from here, we will arrive at the castle. There are rumors about you around the town. The Hero of the Blue Sea and The Crimson Princess Knight」
「Treated as heroes… I wonder if they know that we’re pirates…」
「Even though I’m not a princess…」

It seemed that both of us don’t want to stand out, we would rather be left alone if possible.
Since we just fought head-to-head with the Leviathan and saved the legendary god from a curse, I guess it couldn’t be helped.

Adelle, the Earl, and I went up the brightly lit stairway together.
We were walking up the slope for a while and admiring the white wall. Is it marble?
Eventually, the gorgeous royal palace appeared before our eyes.

Both of us were lead by the Earl. A soldier ran toward us from across the street.
The soldier told the Earl something and the Earl handed a bundle of paper to him. Then the soldier bowed and left. I wonder what happened.

「Apparently, His Majesty wants to see both of you now. It seems that he watched your battle with a telescope」

D-d-does that mean he saw my little “scene” with Adelle?! No way! I refuse!
Well, even if I said “I refuse”, the King wanted to meet us, so we had to meet him.

God damn it!

「Audience with the King, eh? Even though I don’t know anything about the nobles etiquette…」
「Just follow my movements and you will be fine. Fortunately, His Majesty isn’t very strict about manners」
「I’m very thankful for that」

Following Adelle’s movements, right? I will manage somehow.

「I had intended to introduce both of you to his Majesty, but this incident saved me time and effort. Oh, it’s time… Come with me」

It seemed that we were planned to wait in the guest room at first, but we were told to head to the audience chamber at once.
As we were lead to the audience chamber, Adelle looked like she was reminiscing something.
I remembered that she was acquainted with the King, has she been here before?

***

Both of us arrived at the audience place.
The marble floor in the audience room was covered with a bright red carpet.
In front of us wearing a thick red cloak sitting on the throne was the King with a luxurious crown that looked heavy on his head.

The royal guards were stationed near the surrounding walls.
The knight who stood beside the King was equipped better than the Earl.

Since I don’t know anything about etiquette, I bend my knees a bit and lowered my head.

「Raise your head」

I was able to look at the King’s face after he told us to raise our head.
Meeting a King is really nerve wracking. I hope my nervousness didn’t show or I disrespected him.
He was probably 60 years old. His white mustache and gray hair stood out.

「Earl Allan, we are really grateful for your initiative to gather reinforcements to help the Kingdom in its crisis」
「I’m honored by such praise, Your Majesty!」

After the Earl lowered his head deeply, the King looked towards us.
My nervousness made me shiver.
Why can’t 【Status Effect Immunity】 cure nervousness?

「I am Roland el Saint Drag. You must be the person who stopped the Leviathan. It was a great fight to watch. I thought it was over when you were eaten but I was surprised when you came back out alive」

As expected, he saw the whole incident…

「Your praise is wasted upon someone like me」
「And humble as well, but you certainly deserve the praise. No matter what anyone here says, you have saved this Kingdom」
「It is as dear father had said. Even among the legends, I have never heard about any human surviving a fight with the Sea God Leviathan. Your achievement will be written in history. You should be proud about it」
「R-right! I will devote myself to keep your expectation」

I lowered my head deeply as I replied. Maybe this is fine. Since both of them didn’t show any displeasure, I think it’s fine.

So the one beside him is the prince. That explained a lot. He is black-haired ikemen. that looked lean and muscular even with the armor on and looked very similar to his father

「It’s been a long time, Adelhide. I’m sorry we couldn’t help the Valentine Empire」
「I understand because of the distance between Valentine Empire and the Kingdom, just the words are enough. For now, let us pray for the fallen ones」
「I remember many years ago… You were brought to me by my little brother as a very energetic small child. You used to run very cheerfully around the palace」
「P-please don’t spread it around. Roland, His majesty. I was a child back then. I’m different now」

Adelle’s face became red as his majesty retold the story of when she was a child.
Even so, she is still cute right n-… Wait what? Little brother?
I asked the Earl.

(Is Adelle his Majesty’s niece?)
(That’s right. You don’t know?)
(I didn’t know… Adelle didn’t tell me anything)
(Perhaps she didn’t want to show off her lineage and wanted to be recognized for her own effort)

It makes you wonder that if your parents were royalty of another country and watching your every moves with a biased viewpoint.
Maybe that’s why she didn’t tell us. Then I will respect that.
I don’t want to treat the current Adelle as a princess.

「And that embrace just before… The way you embraced Masaki was good enough to be put into a drama」
「In truth, there are petitions to make a play from it, dear father」
「His Highness Roland… Prince Leon… uuu………」

So his name is Leon.
Both king and prince were having fun over there but over here I’m could pass out from the embarrassment.
I beg of you, please stop the drama!
I couldn’t see her face but Adelle’s face is surely bright red.

***

「Very well, I have 3 people to reward. First, Earl Allan who rushed to our aid when the Kingdom was in peril, The Kingdom presents you the Andorra territory」
「Thank you very much your Majesty!」

Earl Allan seemed to have just increased his territory.
If you get the territory, you can apply taxes to various businesses, but that’s not related to me right now.

「Next the Hero of the Blue Sea. Masaki Toudou, you will be given a medal from Saint Drag and a Baronet noble rank. Furthermore, you will be given 1 million francs for crippling the Empire’s naval fleet」

So they officially recognize me as the Hero of the Blue Sea.
A medal and rank have come! The baronet rank is above the regular knight and below a baron.
However, what about the confirmation about the destruction of Empire’s fleet?

「I’m sorry, your majesty. The report about the destruction of Empire’s fleet is based on Masaki-dono’s testimony alone. We need more confirmaー」
「Our spies who broke out from the Empire captivity have confirmed it. Masaki might know this person」
「E? I… am not…? M-me?」
「Correct. Please come in」

As his majesty spoke, a man wearing knight armor came in.
Is it someone I know?

I stared at his face but I couldn’t remember anything…
I have a rather good memory but I couldn’t remember.

I don’t recognize his height and style either. His muscle build is common as well. He has a normal height too. He is probably 50 years old. But where have I seen him before.

Looking at me who tilted my head, his Majesty seemed to enjoy my confusion.

「Hahahaha. You do not seem to recognize him」
「Your majesty, please stop with the joke. Masaki-dono, I’m the Empire soldier who gave you the breakfast… and a spy for the Saint Drag Kingdom. My stomach got a little thinner thanks to your advice 」
(TL: Masaki gave him the advice to jog 30 minutes every morning in ch2)

「Oh… you’re that guy!」

I remembered. He was the soldier I talked briefly.
It was a short chat, but it preserved my mental health.

「Let me re-introduce myself. I am a Saint Drag spy. I work directly under his Majesty’s order. and… I’m an otherworlder like you A 『Shinobi Chief』from the MMO 『Sengoku Samurai Senki』. My name is Jirou Tanaka」
「Another person from my world!」

I met a person from the same world for the first time. But he came from a different MMO.
I tried to search my memories for various online games but it’s too vague…
That meant it’s not an MMO I played before.
I couldn’t imagine how many kinds of people came to this world…

「Jirou, I’m sure you have many things to talk about, but we still have rewards to give. The medal please」
「Yes!」

Jirou disappeared and reappeared immediately with a small box in his hands.
Adelle gave me advice as she knew I was kneeling without knowing how to receive the medal.

《Stand up, it’s easier for his Majesty to attach the medal to your left chest》

I just let him attach the medal to my Azure Dragon Cloak.
He attached it to me accordingly without any incident or special ceremony.

「Originally, I’d like to have rewarded you with territory but…」
「Dear father, I think that’s moving too fast for Baronet Masaki. Why not give him a house to live instead? There is a mansion suitable for Baronet Masaki」

Yes. I’m grateful for a house. Even if I have 100 million yen of Japanese money, it will disappear quickly depending on the housing market.

「That mansion… that’s right… together with Adelhide. Very well. Let’s give him some territory after he has done more work」
「Furthermore, you wouldn’t need to hire any soldiers yet」

So I’ll be given a territory if I do more work? I don’t want to sound like a certain Sea God, but I’m don’t want to work.

「Finally, Adelhide Bernstein. For defeating the sea serpents and protecting our soldiers, I will reward you the title of a knight. I’d like you to serve royal palace if possible, but you seemed to have found someone to serve already」
「Thank you! I have been saved by Masaki-dono twice. Even as a noble, I will continue to serve Masaki-dono」
「Dear father, other nobles may try to get their hands on Adelle. I also think it’s good to put her under Masaki-dono」
「Certainly, that is another good point. Work hard」

Even though she didn’t get to work in the palace, she was accepted as a noble of Saint Drag Kingdom.
There are many men who would aim for Adelle to succeed the royal family blood.
Then it would certainly be safer to put her under my wing.

The kingdom then acknowledged my pirate group as my own private soldiers.
The prince also told me that they wanted a person capable of moving quickly to deal with occasional fights.

He struck me as a kind and a quite friendly prince.
A likable fellow.

And this is how I got a lot of money, a mansion, and became a noble of this country.
I’m tired of thinking about the nobility’s political war but this is necessary to defeat the Empire.

I’ll endure it.

Oh, I need to have a talk with Jirou. I’d like to ask him for any information he has about this world.
Besides Jirou, there may be other people who came from the same world as I do.
Maybe they can be a reliable companion, and on the other hand, they could strike us as a formidable enemy.

As I carved the Leviathan’s threat in my heart, I left the audience chamber.