Your Majesty, Dinner Is Ready. Chapter 180 - The Flow of Time Is a Mischievous Thing

Chapter 180 – The Flow of Time Is a Mischievous Thing

 

“…That’s exactly why you’re Mister.”

Mek reached into his coat to take out a cigarette, but paused when he noticed the children.

When I subtly signaled with my eyes, Rachel immediately brought over something that would both help him quit smoking and improve his health.

A platter of fresh vegetables.

“I’ll eat well, then…”

Chewing on a carrot, Mek smiled bitterly.

“What Mister said is right. Officially, it’s a tournament promoting harmony among every race except humans. But in reality… It’s nothing less than the spark that’ll reduce Pletica into a city overflowing with screams and bloodshed.”

“…I’m still not really sure what you two are talking about.”

Marlin scratched Aiquiril’s head as she frowned slightly.

“I honestly don’t understand either.”

While refilling Mek’s teacup, Abel quietly voiced his agreement.

“…You two don’t need to know.”

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.

Apparently craving a cigarette so badly that he couldn’t stand it, Mek furiously chewed through the carrot before leaning back.

“No… Please don’t dig too deeply into this. It reeks far too badly to be a story I want children hearing.”

Finishing the carrot neatly, the goblin slowly exhaled a heavy sigh as though it were cigarette smoke.

“I just want kids like you… to grow up seeing only beautiful and brilliant things.”

“That’d be difficult. We’re already Karr’s wards.”

“……”

“Sir Mek. Why have you suddenly become speechless? Cultists as beautiful and radiant as I am are quite rare.”

Among Evil God worshippers with beauty comparable to mine, there was only Conspirator Kyras. After all, he was also a half-elf.

But Kyras merely worshipped an Evil God. His class was Ninja. Which naturally led to the conclusion that I was the most attractive cultist in all of Pletica.

“…That’s certainly not a type you see every day. Your atmosphere, your expressions, the way you speak… Everything.”

“You mean my dignified atmosphere… My adorable expressions… And my irresistible way of speaking?”

“Think whatever you want, Mister…”

[At present, you’re famous as the ‘Weird Explorer,’ but if you’d been as taciturn as Rosalia, your atmosphere and expressions would’ve earned you the title of the ‘Creepy Explorer’ instead!]

That was probably true.

I still faithfully followed my former coworker’s advice to try speaking a little more casually because you look too intimidating otherwise.

“Whenever I talk to Mister… My heart somehow keeps getting lighter.”

“We feel the same way.”

“Right?”

“So it’s not just me?”

Chuckling, Mek picked up a cucumber.

“Anyway… The Grand Interracial Unity Festival isn’t actually about harmony. In reality… It’s something far rougher and far more violent.”

“In what way, exactly?”

“To put it simply…”

As the goblin chewed thoughtfully on the cucumber while searching for the right words, I answered first.

“The person organizing the tournament intends to severely injure every moderate executive who opposes his views… under the pretense of competition.”

“Injure them?”

“Exactly. Once the moderate executives are unable to attend the next regular council meeting because of their injuries… he plans to pass the proposal that’s been his true objective all along.”

Shhhhh…

Through the shield emblem upon my chest, the modern-day Artein sent down a rather emotional revelation.

“Violence and oppression disguised as harmony can never be tolerated. Please stop it.”

I nodded immediately. When the chief deity of the Divine Faction earnestly requested something so strongly, there was no way I could arrogantly reply, ‘Let me think about it first.’

“……”

Marlin’s expression stiffened. After remaining silent for a moment, she spoke.

“Wasn’t the Interracial Association supposed to be an organization striving toward coexistence, where every race could live together? I thought they were truly admirable people…”

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, friend.”

Letting out a quiet sigh, Mek tilted his head upward toward the ceiling.

“I heard the Association’s first president always said… that blind hatred toward humans should be avoided. Back then… it wasn’t the pathetic organization it is now, one that automatically mistreats anyone simply for being human.”

But the flow of time was a mischievous thing, turning every beautiful thing into something ugly.

Even the Interracial Association, which had once pursued genuine harmony embracing humanity itself, couldn’t escape ideological corruption.

“Now… Half of the Interracial Association has become consumed by blind hatred toward humans. And the executive leading the hardliners… those willing to use any extreme measure to achieve harmony without humans…”

Mek placed the half-eaten cucumber back onto the plate, letting his body slump.

“…is Great Chieftain Jerix. The goblin known as the Invincible Jerix. He’s the one pushing this tournament?”

Clang!

Rachel, who had been washing dishes, accidentally dropped a plate.

Fortunately, it didn’t break.

“Sis? What’s wrong?”

“…It’s nothing, Marlin.”

After quickly glancing toward Mek, Rachel silently resumed washing dishes.

“The Great Chieftain wants to turn District 5 into a Human-Free Zone. He wants to completely sever contact with humans… and even punish people simply for speaking with one.”

“…That’s absurd.”

Abel, who possessed surprisingly keen insight from all the books he’d read, laughed in disbelief.

“If things are done that way… the hatred toward humans will simply transform into distrust toward the Association’s leadership.”

“Isn’t Sir Invincible Jerix one of the Twelve Heroes? Then why would he advocate something so outrageous…?”

“There’s no point asking Sir Mek. He can’t answer that.”

Taking a sip of Abel’s special tea, I spoke.

“How could Sir Mek possibly understand the thoughts of someone who’s become so consumed by passion… that he’d trample even his fellow Association members to achieve his goal?”

“…That’s true. I have absolutely no idea what the Great Chieftain is thinking.”

Looking as gloomy as a rainy day, Mek roughly shoved the remaining cucumber into his mouth.

A problem caused by stress and nicotine withdrawal happily joins forces.

“Karr.”

While Mek suffered through an acute bout of mental exhaustion,

Marlin asked,

“If everything proceeds according to Sir Jerix’s plan… will over thirty percent of Pletica’s human citizens really die?”

“They will. Not immediately. But after some time passes.”

Chewing away at my favorite vegetable… onions… I continued explaining.

“The moment District 5 completely cuts off interaction with humans… our expedition will experience the consequences firsthand. Our activities will become restricted.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Because humans will also be prohibited from entering District 5. And once that happens… even the Pletica Transit Tram won’t be able to pass through.”

Pendrick and Lucius. Our expedition had two human members.

“Our District 6 also borders District 1… But ordinary people can’t simply enter there, can they?”

Thanks to my status as an honored guest of the Harmony Church, I could enter.

Even so, the procedures remained complicated. And expedition members who weren’t honored guests couldn’t enter at all.

“And initially… it’ll only be a suspension of interaction. But as time passes… Sir Jerix will continue pushing increasingly extreme proposals. Once all the moderates have been severely injured… nothing will remain to stop him.”

“Exactly. Violence is an extremely nasty child. It rarely fades away with time. Instead… it steadily accumulates, growing larger and larger.”

The hatred toward humans born from the Interracial Association’s tournament, if left alone, would continue growing endlessly.

“And eventually… all across Pletica… interracial citizens consumed by blind hatred toward humans will begin indiscriminately attacking them.”

“……”

The massacre of innocent human citizens was an inevitable event within the story. Unless the player intervened to stop it.

“…Mister. Can you really help me?”

Having finally calmed down, Mek asked with an exhausted face.

“Even though the opponent is none other than the Invincible Jerix?”

“Of course.”

I nodded without hesitation. 

“However… Sir Mek still hasn’t fulfilled Karr’s Clear Condition.”

“…What’s that?”

“It’s not difficult. I, Karr, am only an E-Rank Labyrinth.”

Leaning forward slightly, I met Mek’s gaze.

“You simply need to become… my friend.”

Golden Crow Karr’s Clear Condition. Become friends.

“Is that really all?”

“It is. A suitably easy condition for an E-Rank Labyrinth, wouldn’t you say?”

“…You’re right.”

Only then did Mek finally break into a broad grin. He lightly tapped the back of my hand.

“Mister. That condition was fulfilled the moment we first met. This goblin… Mek… …is every human’s friend.”

“…Ghk!”

Clutching my heart, I collapsed dramatically onto the dining table.

Then immediately sprang back to my feet.

“To suddenly move me so deeply without any warning… You’re too much.”

E-Rank Labyrinth. Golden Crow Karr.

Cleared… thanks to the unexpectedly romantic actions of a goblin.

“I’ll solve your worries, Sir Mek.”

I extended my hand toward the chuckling goblin.

“Lady Rachel. Who am I?”

“Ah! Aren’t you none other than the rising exploration prodigy Golden Crow Karr, who discovered the first Hidden Piece during the Guild War, led his team to victory, and brilliantly conquered the Southern Continent Expedition, which had remained a dungeon for fifteen years?!”

“Exactly. And as such an extraordinary explorer… I hereby make this promise.”

I believed the future only had meaning while it remained uncertain. Only then could unexpected hardships and adversity be enjoyed to their fullest.

However… I also quite enjoyed choosing the direction and destination of the future I would carve out myself.

“I will stop Sir Jerix’s plans… and earn fame as one of Pletica’s Successors.”

Successors. Explorers possessing the talent and potential to someday become one of the Twelve Heroes.

Usually, once eight to ten outstanding young explorers had emerged, people collectively referred to them as the Successors.

The Dungeon Management Corps even ranked them, just as they ranked the Twelve Heroes.

“And Sir Mek… will become friends with such an explorer.”

“…If anyone else had said that… I’d have laughed and called it empty boasting. But somehow… when you say it, Mister… I completely believe you.”

Looking considerably more relieved, Mek chewed on a stalk of celery.

Then he stood.

“Thank you. I’ll be going now. ‘Father’ pays especially close attention to what I’m doing. f you give me your Magic Tower communication registration number… I’ll contact you.”

“My friend, Sir Mek. Alright. Let’s talk again later.”

“Karr.”

His form of address had evolved… from Mister… to my actual name.

A sign that our friendship had truly been established.

“See you.”

Declining even an escort, Mek simply waved as he left.

Rachel, who had been diligently sweeping the floor, quietly approached.

“Mr. Cultist. That goblin… wasn’t he Mek the Cunning Sage?”

“He was.”

“Oh…”

“Sis? What’s wrong?”

“……”

Rachel answered with a complicated expression.

“The Invincible Jerix we were just discussing… is Mek’s father.”

“…Ah.”

Jerix Invincible. Ranked Third among the Twelve Heroes.

A goblin who, judging by combat ability alone rather than achievements or reputation, even surpassed Targon, Guildmaster of the Ashen Wolf Guild.

Mek’s father was the strongest goblin in history.

And now… I had to stop such an extraordinary explorer’s plans.

“…Karr. Don’t.”

“Don’t what?”

“You were just about to put your hand on my shoulder… and say, ‘To think we have to stand against such an incredible goblin. Doesn’t your heart race just thinking about it?’”

“Ghk.”

Her understanding of Karr had almost reached a perfect score. But she still fell just a little short.

“Everything else was correct… except my heart isn’t racing.”

“Why not? You love adversity more than anything.”

“To be precise… What I love is the reward. Hardship is merely the seasoning that enhances it. But Sir Jerix… is simply too powerful.”

It was like adding so much spice that it overwhelmed the flavor of the ingredients themselves.

“A trial beyond my current ability to overcome… isn’t something even I can enjoy.”

“…That makes sense.”

“But… You weren’t completely wrong.”

As Marlin had predicted, I placed a hand on her shoulder and gently patted it.

“On the stage where this exploration tournament will take place… even Sir Jerix won’t be able to fully unleash that overwhelming power.”

“Will it be another labyrinth that restricts strength like the Guild War?”

“It won’t restrict strength itself.”

Unlike Battlefield of the Sun and Moon, it wouldn’t interfere with one’s Soul Rank.

What would interfere with… was the mind.

“In the labyrinth where the tournament will be held… the bodies of the members of each expedition that enters together… will be swapped with one another.”