Three months had passed since I told my father I intended to accept the military deployment, and the preparations had taken all that time.
It wasn't just me—we had to gather soldiers, establish military formations, and so on, so it took considerable time. Some might think it leisurely to spend so long preparing while rebellions are breaking out, but it couldn't be helped. Moreover, thanks to the cooperation of the dukes, I heard this was actually an extremely rapid deployment for organizing the movement of several thousand troops.
Preparations were necessary to move thousands of people. Furthermore, negotiations with various territories were unavoidable, especially the talks with Romurushi that would become an international issue—normally, no amount of time would be sufficient for that. Given their lack of enthusiasm, even broaching negotiations required ceding territory, albeit a minimal area. We had to handle it properly, so the fact that preparations were completed so quickly truly made me feel the strength of the faction's power.
"And so, due to some family circumstances, I'll be leaving the Imperial Capital for a while."
In the mixing chamber with a kitchen built for me, located within the spirits distillery. Entry here was restricted to a limited few, and before me, who went by the name Dinker, stood Molly and the triplets: Renato, Terenti, and Erasto.
"What do you mean, circumstances?"
Erasto, with his purple fur, pointed out the part I'd glossed over with a bitter expression.
"Just leave it at 'family circumstances.' The problem is that I likely won't be able to return for at least a year."
"Also, I'm leaving the Imperial Capital too."
Herkov was, of course, accompanying me as my attendant, but I didn't mention that. The fact that the First Prince was deploying was already the subject of rumors in the Imperial Capital. Herkov was his close aide, and moreover, a beastman from Romurushi—there was no way he wouldn't go, so Molly and the others should have already realized that.
"Uncle is fine. But Dinker, you said things got better with your family."
Terenti, with his yellow and white fur, appealed with a bear-cub-like face. Could it be that they were misunderstanding something?
"They did. I'm not being driven out or anything. I'll come back."
"Really? Then why did you ask us to make new alchemy tools?"
Renato, with his orange fur, asked suspiciously—it seemed the work I'd commissioned was the cause.
"Ah, are they done?"
The triplets exchanged glances and placed a bag on the table. What appeared to be five square wooden cases. They were reinforced with sturdy leather, rivets, and metal fittings, designed so that the five could be stacked and secured together. When I unfastened the leather straps and opened the securely locked metal fittings, inside sat glass apparatuses firmly secured with cloth lining and belts. Opening the other cases revealed instruments made entirely of metal and modular components.
"Wow, amazing! Thank you. They're exactly as ordered."
Unlike the items in this room, the ones I'd commissioned were compact. Nevertheless, they were all experimental apparatuses for performing alchemy, a complete set for travel. Moreover, they'd made dedicated cases to prevent breakage. With these, if I obtained materials usable for alchemy during my travels, I could process them immediately and bring them back.
"Hey, Dinker. Can't you stay in the Imperial Capital?"
Terenti asked anxiously, but Renato and Erasto wore similar expressions.
"We're in the middle of building a prototype for a new still."
"There's no reason you absolutely have to go, you're just a kid."
The words came one after another, trying to keep me here.
"Why me? Rather than Herkov, who's going to the battlefield?"
"No, Uncle is a lost cause at this point."
"No need to worry about him, it's just a waste to worry."
"Catching a grown adult, why would you ask that?"
"Hey..."
Herkov's voice dropped at his nephews' heartless words. Then Molly approached me and met my gaze.
"Hey, Dinker."
"Yes?"
"Would you consider becoming my adopted child?"
"Yes?"
Molly, smiling brightly, continued rapidly despite my inability to process the situation.
"I'd need you to cross to the southern continent where my parents' home is, but my clan is quite welcoming of non-dragonkin into the family. Moreover, with your talent, they'd welcome you with open arms. Let's see, it would take about a year for travel, acclimation, and ceremonies. The Imperial Capital should have quieted down by then, and of course you'd be able to return."
"Hey."
When I stopped moving in confusion, Herkov stepped in and pulled Molly back by the shoulder. Until then she had been smiling, but she turned a reproachful face toward Herkov.
"What? A parent who doesn't even notice their child's misfortune isn't a parent anymore. And then driving them from the place where they were born and raised—can you really say you love them? If anyone said that to me, I'd point and laugh. 'What a delusional fool,' I'd say."
"There are circumstances on this side too. Don't make strange assumptions."
"Even if there are circumstances, if you don't treasure Dinker, you might as well not exist."
Erasto also directed accusatory words toward Herkov. Then Renato and Terenti nodded vigorously.
"If you're only going to treat Dinker badly, you might as well not be here."
"We value him much more, and so does Molly."
For some reason, Herkov ended up being blamed by everyone all at once. And this—could it be that my identity has been exposed?
(Maybe taking a false name from His Highness was a bad idea after all?)
(Encountered at Herkov's workplace, age, breadth of knowledge, quality of possessions—predictable from these factors.)
According to Sephira, it seems I was more exposed than I thought. Which means they realized it but pretended not to know. That the reason wasn't just greed could be inferred from their words trying to keep me away from the battlefield.
(But where did they get the idea that I'm not valued?)
(The rumor of the assassination attempt on the younger prince has spread widely. Above all, Moriam is a merchant with connections to nobility. While there is much slander, the master's misfortune—whose achievements and character are never discussed—is, if one has the appropriate intelligence, more than obvious.)
Sephira is talkative today. No, come to think of it, at the palace, I'd sent her to investigate what discussions were happening in the military, so she hasn't been nearby recently. Sephira seemed to be enjoying scanning and reading military-related documents too.
"If you just disappear when he takes his eyes off you for a moment, that would be fine."
"As if I could do that!"
"Better yet, if it's Romurushi, Uncle could take you and bring you home..."
"We could hide you at our parents' house. It's spacious and there's a basement."
"Ah, we could also say we're visiting home and come pick you up?"
Whoa, the conversation is heading in a dangerous direction.
"Thank you for worrying about me. But I was the one who advised that I should go along with the other side's intentions this time, so don't worry. My father also resisted at first."
I only told the truth, yet they looked at me suspiciously. There, Herkov stepped in to cover for me.
"Just because he's the father, do you think he wouldn't be manipulated by this Dinker? Do you think Dinker would propose something without a plan to manipulate the situation?"
At these unexpectedly supportive words, Molly and the others groaned. Is that really the impression they have of me?
"I just told him that now is the time to act with minimal danger and maximum advantage."
"And yet you use yourself as bait—that's not something a child should do. Moreover, your prediction is accurate. As an adult who allowed this to happen, I really have no choice but to protect you."
For some reason, Herkov seemed more depressed than when he had been blamed by all four of them. Looking at the little bears, Molly approached me as their representative.
"Dinker, I understand you have a plan. But are you really okay? If you think it's dangerous, use Herkov as a shield immediately, okay?"
Yeah, she's saying this fully aware that I'm going to the battlefield with him.
"I'll leave that to the professionals, so it'll be fine. Even if something goes wrong, I'll make sure it doesn't cost me personally. On the contrary, if I get injured, I'll make effective use of it as a responsibility issue for everyone except Herkov, so don't worry."
"Don't say things that make me worry instead..."
I had properly told her it would be okay, yet Molly held her forehead and looked down. Then, after exhaling deeply, she brushed back her white hair and fixed her gaze on me.
"Listen, Dinker? They say monsters dwell on battlefields. No matter how brave the general, no matter how wise the strategist, they die from just a single arrow passing through them."
Come to think of it, Molly had said she met Herkov while in the military, so I thought I might hear an interesting story, but for some reason, after that, I ended up being lectured on precautions like a child being sent on an errand for the first time.
Regular Update
Next: Northern Rebellion 5