Mightiest Melee Magician

There wasn’t a mana train to Ardell, nor a resident magician there.

That was why, to get any news regarding Ardell from the capital, I needed to ask Ardell’s closest trade city, Monzo.

The half a day where I waited to hear any news from Ardell was probably the longest half a day in my life.

“They say that they’re all fine. Lord Dellin Ardell had already increased overall vigilance against potential assassins, and the Knight Captain of Ardell, Sir Bolvar Patten, was said to have dispatched of five assassins that had sneaked into the mansion.”

“Oh!”

“......”

What a relief.

After hearing that everyone was fine, the strength in my legs gave out, and I sat on the floor.

“And he said that he knows who sent the assassins.”

“The one who sent the assassins? Wasn’t it obviously Josh Galehill?.”

“Yes. However, he had accomplices. The Knight Captain of the Golden Light Knight Order, Sir Bengrass Kegen.”

“......Sir Bengrass? Damn it. They’re all rotten to the core.”

This moment would probably be recorded in the history of the Radian Kingdom.

It was the moment where the two major powers of sword and spell that had supported the Kingdom crumbled away simultaneously.

“With my authority, Bengrass Kegen will immediately be removed from the position of Knight Captain of the Golden Light Knight Order, and Josh Galehill’s authority over the magic tower and his position as Guardian will also be stripped from him.”

“We receive your orders.”

“Your Highness, since the positions they held were all high ranking, if both of them become vacant at the same time, chaos may ensue. You must also appoint someone to take over their positions, even if only temporarily.”

“The Knight Captain position will be given to the Vice-Captain for now, and Josh Galehill’s tower membership and Guardian authority......”

The eyes of both the Twin Princes landed on the Director.

“Could the Director help us out for a bit?”

“Your highness, I’m just an old—”

The Director shook his head with embarrassment…

“Yes. We know better than anyone that you don’t want anything to do with politics. However, as you can see, the situation isn’t that great. You’re the only one I can trust, Director. For now, until a successor can be established, I entrust this to you.”

…but the princes used their eloquent speech to make him an offer he couldn’t refuse.

“......”

After mulling it over for a while…

“......Just until a successor is put in place.”

The Director had no choice but to accept, and the princes silently shouted in delight, turning their heads so the Director couldn’t see it.

The stories about the effort the princes had put in to try and get the Director into the capital were known by almost everyone.

But the Director believed that an educator doing politics was nonsense, and as such, had declined all their offers… until now.

However, the princes used this situation’s danger to create the opportunity they so desperately wanted.

Even if I didn’t know everything that would happen, I could guess that it’d take at least a few years for a ‘successor’ to be found.

“So, with this, is the situation cleaned up for now?”

Josh Galehill had been taken to an underground prison, and Bengrass Kegen became a wanted man.

Most of the supporters that once followed them had turned their backs.

The Galehills were dismissed from all their high-ranking positions, and now needed to find a new way to live life.

At this moment, as the powers that maintained the kingdom found their positions crumble from beneath them, the princes laughed.

“Elder brother, don’t you have something left to discuss with me?”

“What something?”

“The vacant Knight Captain position. I want a person from my side to fill it.”

“Let’s talk about that at another time.”

Positions of power weren’t things that would be empty. Not even for a moment.

When one power crumbled, it was only natural for another one that had been hungrily eyeing that position to reveal themselves.

History had repeated multiple times.

The powers that were with the Galehills and Bengrass Kegen would be distributed to the Twin Princes.

Of course, it wasn’t that bad for me either.

Although the princes were involved in politics, they at least weren’t rotten to their cores.

They still had some pride left as the princes of the kingdom, and they wanted this kingdom to prosper and go down the right path.

On top of that, weren’t the princes both on ‘my side’?

“It’s a pity that, despite Sir Ruin coming to the capital like this, you had to endure some terrible things.”

“I feel the same as my elder brother. If you want, I wish to let you forget these terrible memories and to share a drink with you with light hearts…”

“Wait, a drink? Isn’t Sir Ruin still only 16?”

“Didn’t you drink when you were 16, elder brother? I do remember you being drunk and going over the castle walls in the early hours of the morning…”

“You brat. Silence.”

“......”

Well, they were still quite noisy.

* * *

* * *

The summit of fanciness in the heart of the Raynac Empire’s capital of Ravirdyne.

The dwelling of the Crown Prince.

The Peony Palace.

There, a disheveled blonde-haired lad walked in.

As soon as the man entered the palace, he bowed deep onto the ground and shouted,

“I-I greet His Highness the Crown Prince!”

“......”

He banged his head into the ground as he prostrated, but paid it no mind as he stayed frozen in his position.

This man was the eldest son of House Galahill, Jakil Galehill.

He had fled from his wanted order and came this deep into the Empire.

Jakil had to use all his might to open his quivering lips before saying,

“T-to be able to meet the Crown Prince. It is a great honor for the Gale—”

“Stop.”

The Crown Prince raised his hand, signaling that he didn’t want to hear any more.

The man who commanded unparalleled level of authority on his throne, Crown Prince Chaurmetan Raynac, asked him,

“Ok. So you requested asylum in the Empire?”

“Y-yes…! That's right. Including this humble one, my lacking brothers, and the magicians of my family, about 40 people wish to seek asylum in the—”

“The reason?”

“T-to support Your Great Highness even a little bit and for the future of this glorious—”

“…Boring.”

“I-I apologize.”

As the man next in line for the title of Emperor, Chaurmetan Raynac was at the center of all powers.

Naturally, he was already tired of this type of flattery poured on him every day.

The things that would move him weren’t those that gave extreme praises, but those that would ignite his curiosity.

Something like the young man who, even thought knew that he was talking to the Crown Prince, didn’t even back down and said everything he wanted.

‘Just like that Ruin Ardell kid.’

Seemingly having gotten bored, the Crown Prince picked his ears and then asked, already sounding tired of this,

“What sins did you commit?”

“......I beg your pardon?”

“The Galehills boasted the greatest power in that small nation. Why did you leave your country and seek asylum in the Empire?”

“I-it was because of an assassination attempt.”

“An assassination attempt? Just that created the rift between the Royal Family and House Galehill? Did you perhaps try to assassinate the king himself?”

“That… That’s not it.”

As Jakil Galehill hesitated and didn’t give an answer, the Crown Prince clicked his tongue.

“No matter how small a nation the Radian Kingdom is, it’s unjust for us to accept the Galehills, who fled after commiting a crime. Rather, I think that just capturing you right here and right now before sending you to Radian would help my reputation even more. What do you think?”

“......”

Jakil Galehill froze in an instant and was left unable to respond.

An expected and normal reaction.

“It seems there’s no reason for me to accept your request.”

The Crown Prince waved his hand with boredom.

“Go home. Although I cannot accept your request for asylum, I will not capture you either.”

A total rejection.

At that, having no place left to go, Jakil was barely able to open his heavy lips.

“R-Ruin… It was Ruin Ardell.”

Hearing this, the crown prince regained his interest as his eyes lit up.

“…Ruin?”

It was a totally unexpected name.

And having heard this very curious name…

“Are you talking about the Ruin Ardell that I know?”

“Yes. That is correct.”

…Jakil had succeeded in grabbing the Crown Prince’s attention, and he was able to buy a little more time.

“Galehill attempted to assassinate Ruin Ardell and failed, and just that was enough to make Galehill's authority crumble?”

“Yes, yes. That is correct. Ruin Ardell is receiving the total favor of both the Twin Princes of the Kingdom…”

“…The favor of the princes?”

Hearing Jakil Galehill’s answer, the Crown Prince narrowed his eyes.

Crown Prince Chaurmetan Raynac had a bit of a hobby.

He liked to collect jewels.

And there was no jewel in the world that he couldn’t obtain.

This was because, if there was such a jewel, he would destroy it.

His eyes, once filled with interest, had started to show traces of jealousy.

‘So, in the end, he’s someone I can’t obtain.’

This jealousy he felt right now was that of a child’s after getting their candy stolen.

The Crown Prince muttered toward Jakil, who was still on the floor,

“......Let’s have some tea.”

* * *

The capital tour that was shaky to begin with had talks of being canceled after the event at night.

But in the end, it was decided that the rest of the tour would go as planned.

Thanks to this, I was able to stay at the capital for a few more days.

“Have you heard?”

“About what?”

During these few days, a weird rumor was going around.

“I heard that Michael Galehill is dropping out.”

“Dropping out? Really?”

“Yeah. I heard he finished all his paperwork, too.”

“There’s no way. He’s dropping out when graduation is right around the corner?”

A rumor about how Michael Galehill, who hadn’t been seen these days, was dropping out.

Although it was a pity, since graduation wasn’t that far away, it was an understandable decision.

His father, Josh Galehill, was currently imprisoned in the underground prison, and the magicians of House Galehill that he trusted in and who followed him had all dispersed.

On top of that, the eldest son of the Galehills, Jakil Galehill, who was supposed to lead the family in the future, had disappeared without a trace.

“I heard he joined the rebel nation of Perna.”

“No, a little birdie told me that he was seen on a mana train.”

“What are you talking about? I heard he was dead.”

“My father said he reached the eastern port city of Majeross.”

“Which one’s the truth?”

Jakil had disappeared without a trace.

Leaving to Perna, seeking asylum in the Empire, dead, and so on and so forth.

There were only rumors, and nothing was confirmed.

The one thing that was known was that—excluding Josh Galehill, who was imprisoned—all Galehills had left the Kingdom to hide.

This rumor had spread across the entirety of the Kingdom.

“Have you heard? Galehill collapsed.”

“I heard that it’s now the world of Ardell.”

Galehill’s defeat.

Ardell’s victory.

This news started to spread from many places in the capital, and not just among the nobles.

The entire kingdom heard it.

The important part was now.

It was just as they said.

The world of Ardell had come.

And so, 3 months passed.

——