Evil God Chapter 55

We transferred a little away from the royal castle's gate, so Ben and I began to walk towards the gate.

"I,if it isn't Ashtal-dono. Thank you for coming."

When the gatekeeper found us, they called out to us.

The gatekeeper easily let us pass.

If we go inside and walk straight, we'll enter to audience room.

In the passage, a red carpet was laid down.

While walking on the carpet, we advance.

To our left and right were huge pillars, and furniture items were also arranged.

"No no, as expected of the royal castle. No matter how many times I see it, it amazes me."

Ben raises a voice of praise.

However, I know.

That only one part of the castle is so luxurious.

The places that people often pass through, such as this passage and the audience room are considerably decorated.

However, the places that people rarely go to are plain.

They don't have enough money to make the castle so luxurious.

But as it's a large country, they can't make everything look modest.

As a result, it became like this.

It's just a display.

When we follow the red carpet, a wonderful large door comes into sight.

There's a gatekeeper, and we get our bodies checked.

Soon after, the door opens, and we enter inside.

There are many people on our left and right.

Many of them are wearing luxurious outfits, as expected of nobles.

Already, if we're having a conference with this many people, then we're just wasting our time.

I wonder if it's just there's a lot today?

There isn't a small number of people who just came to watch 'cause they were curious.

A few meters before the throne, we stop, bend onto one knee, and lower our heads.

"Raise your heads."

A voice comes from the person in front of me.

When I raise my head, I saw a man in the prime of his life wearing a golden crown.

To the back of him was a huge banner with the crest of the royal family on it.

His expression was that of a gentle mannered man, and he was full of dignity.

He also had plenty of whiskers.

Richard Arthur Plantagenet.

The current king of the Briton Kingdom.

The founding king was called King Richard Ⅰ, and he's named King Richard Ⅱ.

"Thanks to your work on this occasion, our country was able to escape its predicament. I thank you."

Richard Ⅱ spoke majestically.

"I'll give you anything you want as a reward. Is there anything you wish for?"

"We have only fulfilled our duties as your retainers. Any rewards are unneeded,"

With a tense voice, Ben replies while trembling.

"If you didn't wish for anything, it'd stain the face of the Kingdom."

"In that case, how about one letter of recommendation. My grandfather Ben Springfield received a letter of recommendation from Richard Ⅰ, and turned it into a treasure."

"Understood."

Richard Ⅱ nods, and receives a piece of paper from one of his attendants.

He then handed it to Ben.

When he accepted it, Ben's hand was shaking.

In the first place, there's a connection between a country that is failing because it has no money and a bank that saved that country through money.

It'd be strange to receive money as a reward.

Because of that, he wanted something that related to credit. It's only natural to receive that from an honorable person.

It's common to distribute letters of recommendation if there's no money.

The Founding King, Richard Ⅰ also struggled with things like this.

Ben was covered in tears of gratitude.

He must've been just that happy from getting a letter of recommendation, just like his grandfather.

It seems that the exchange up to here was agreed on beforehand.

There's no room for me to interrupt here.

"Now then, you were called Ashtal?"

"Yes."

He talked to me from his side, so I answered him.

"In the castle and in the town, you're a hot topic. Your background is unknown. This brings about rumors, such as you being the illegitimate child of a past hero."

Actually, that guy is the descendant of a hero.

The masses love rumors like those.

Rumors like those are easy to spread.

"I'm not a great person like that. I'm just a bumpkin from a small country to the east, and very grateful for being able to attend Cantabridge Academy."

I smile bitterly, and deny them.

I can't tell them my true identity.

I don't have the right to.

"I would like to give you a reward as well. What do you wish for?"

"No, as I mentioned earlier, being able to attend Cantabridge Academy is to me, the greatest reward of all. This is just something like repaying a debt."

"Fumu. You're an unselfish one."

Richard Ⅱ puts his hand onto his chin, and starts thinking.

"Your Majesty. The person himself has denied the reward, so isn't this fine?"

The youth on the right in the front row expresses his opinion.

Judging by the luxury of his clothes, and how close he is to the king, he probably has quite the status.

"There is nothing to worry about. After seeing a letter of recommendation, the value of anything would seem to drop. For the likes of a commoner, meeting His Majesty is enough of a reward."

He seems to be Theodoric, the eldest son of the Duke of Coldwell.

"In the first place, was there any need to call this person of doubtful origin here?"

"This person is the one who ended that mess, you know."

Ben muttered under his breath.

Theodoric came out, and began to blame us.

"First, wasn't the mess this time caused by the bank going bankrupt?"

"What did you say?"

"They shut out those who wanted to withdraw their money, and made it so that we couldn't withdraw anything. That's why it we came so close to rioting. This is the bank's fault."

Ben was told me something completely opposite his own thinking, and widened his eyes.

However, he regrouped and counter argued.

"Preserving the public order of the town is the role of the government. In addition to that, the original cause was that the government wasn't trusted."

"It's only natural for the government to handle that. However, when the bank resolves a disturbance that was caused by their own failure, they get treated like a hero. Isn't this your own fault?"

Ben's face turned red, and he kept silent.

Accompanying an idiot like this is just a waste of time.

I hit Ben on the shoulder, and urge him to stop.

However, Ben shakes off my hand,

"Then what are you saying you did about it?"

"What?"

"I'm asking you what you did during this case. What unsightly jealousy. You just don't like that Ashtal-dono, who's the same generation as you is getting treated like a hero."

Apparently that was on the point, because Theodoric became furious.

"Don't speak of that lowly commoner as if he were someone great!"

Theodoric raised his hand, and tried to strike Ben.

As expected, seeing that, the surrounding people come in and stop him.

"We've shown you something unsightly."

Richard Ⅱ voiced an apology.

The surroundings of the audience are still noisy.

The young nobles who thought the same as Theodoric got excited, and began to cause a clamor.

Before the commotion got worse, we bowed to Richard Ⅱ, and left.

"Ah, there's have something he'd like to consult with you later. It's not something you can speak about in a place like this, so he'd like you to come to another room later."

When we left the audience room, the soldiers who were standing by the door told us that.

It's probably the matter about the loan.

Certainly, it's not something you can speak about in a place like that.

We ended up waiting in the designated room.

Chapter end