Chapter 229

Chapter 229

Generally it was good for a King to patiently maintain his position even if he had no particular work to did.

The reason for that was for political stability, if a King empties the position he should be at, ambitious people or treacherous subjects were bound to gain power and cause the country to fall into disorder.

Fortunately Rickart was free from such things. Because, most of the lords of the Kingdom were from the Steel Knights Order.

If a long time passes and generations continue, the loyalty or loyalty their ancestors formed would fade and tension and conflict between the monarch and vassals would arise, but not now.

If it's a privilege only the first King can enjoy, it was a privilege. The fact that great disturbance doesn't arise even if Rickart emptied his seat day in and day out.

Especially even if a rebellion succeeded, since the Emperor of the Empire was the King's wife, preserving power for a long time was factually impossible.

Rickart fully recognized such dynamic parts. However he didn't frequently empty his seat because of that.

Because a brave warrior was inherently drawn to a fateful calling. One cannot provide any reason or basis for that.

The Eastern Frontier was calling me, Rickart felt it clearly. And the connecting link of that calling was his first friend Caldebert.

Thinking of his friend from a long time ago, and also missing him, Rickart headed there together with his current friends.

"Is this fellow about twelve or fifteen? In human terms it's an age similar to Master."

Roy said stroking the mane of the Crimson Comet. A hero was bound to have a fitting weapon or famous horse, and Rickart's horse was like that.

Because they were going on a dangerous path where no one went, both person and horse were in a solidly armed state.

Rickart was wearing the golden breastplate of the ancient Emperor obtained in the desert inside, and draped a combat robe and cloak made of silk on the outside. A couple of spears, a shield, and a helmet were tied to the horse's waist.

"Aging faster than the master I don't know if it's fortunate or unfortunate."

Bori on the opposite side of Roy with Rickart riding the horse in the center said.

Since Maters was still awkward he was following a little behind, and Rickart asked looking back at him.

"What does Maters think?"

"Yes?"

"Does it seem fortunate, or does it seem unfortunate?"

"......It would depend on what the horse's heart is. If he likes the master he would feel regretful that time flows fast, and if he dislikes the master time would flow slowly."

"Oh."

Exactly as if hearing a wise answer to a foolish question, Roy exclaimed softly.

"Mister, you're wise unlike a robber."

"I am not a robber now. Washed my hands of it."

"Is that so? But is that washed away just because you wash your hands of it?"

"Hey, why are you giving him a hard time out of nowhere."

Bori said a word to Roy. Unfitting for his large build Roy seemed to be keeping Maters in check for nothing.

"I just spoke my thoughts though?"

"How come you become exactly like a kid the more you age and your build grows larger? You rather had a heavy flavor when you were young."

"If you won't spit out the sounds in your heart exactly as they are it's better to shut your mouth. Because it's a word Master said. As his disciple isn't it my duty to keep it?"

"Ridiculous."

"Me too."

Shedding a hollow laugh Bori said it was ridiculous, and Rickart agreed. Roy merely shrugged his eyebrows and continued walking holding the reins.

However rather than feeling bad, Maters found the appearance and relationship of those three fascinating. Because he couldn't find anything like a King's authority from Rickart, and the two treated him comfortably too.

It was a fresh shock. He thought a peerless hero and King who established a dynasty himself would be extremely arrogant but he wasn't. Although he thought if he was arrogant he would have the qualification to be so.

"By the way passing over that, since Bori is going to explore ancient Codexes or ruins, why did you tag along?"

Rickart asked Roy.

"If it's my father's dying wish it's a dying wish, or not up to a dying wish? Anyway, I think it's natural for a King's attendant to follow where the King goes."

"Yeah, I have nothing to say."

"To speak honestly when I was young it felt exactly like a final destination. Although there's no need to go this way and that way anymore, it feels exactly like doing unfinished business only now, I think it's something like that."

"Definitely a Ricky-esque way of thinking. Rather than things like swordsmanship you learned a lot in that direction."

Bori said.

"I use an axe you know."

"Yeah, yeah."

Actually Bori's evaluation wasn't correct, Roy was taciturn and had a sense of weight in front of other people. He merely treated only close people like Rickart, Bori, or Vilter comfortably.

So perhaps he didn't give Maters a hard time, but was trying to open a conversation even if in that manner. It seemed so because he was clumsy.

The four people heading to the Eastern Frontier first headed north from Adelorn's capital.

Before a day even passed they arrived at the gateway of the Ceska County territory, and passing exactly there a large market unseen 10 years ago was visible.

It wasn't a city, but merely a place where people flocked exactly to trade, so mainly tents were lined up, and occasionally there were things exactly like temporary structures.

The formation of a market that didn't exist before was because Rickart kept his promise to periodically support supplies.

Since money, combat equipment, and daily necessities gathered, it was the result of merchants trying to trade them, and merchants trying to sell new items flocking in. Since supplies came periodically, a market opened periodically.

It was late spring, or late afternoon of early summer. Perhaps because the forest where monsters lived was blocking the way far off, the wind didn't blow well in the Ceska County territory.

Rickart's party approached the market side. Those who closed business early were already tidying up their stalls, and the rest enthusiastically solicited customers or diligently wandered around looking for good prices, or good items.

However discovering Rickart riding the crimson horse approaching, even from afar people flocked exactly to their knees.

Even watching Rickart the people of the capital merely comfortably bowed their heads or waved their hands from afar, but conversely the provincial people were respectful to the King.

As if a ripple was spreading people knelt and bowed their heads, and the noisy market quieted down. Only the sound of chickens clucking scrub scrub in Chicken Coops or other livestock sounds were heard.

Rickart spoke to the people. Though he did, it was barely heard only by the people nearby, and wasn't heard by the people far away.

"I didn't come to interfere with your trades or entertainment. See to your matters."

Saying so Rickart passed the people and immediately headed to Ceska Castle nearby.

Before that, he stopped by the wide graveyard called Shabby Valor and looked around briefly. On the outskirts of the graveyard the skull of the Orc Captain Rickart caught in the past was exhibited.

Not only that, the skulls and bones of the orcs caught independently by the Ceska County territory during the past 10 years entirely surrounded the outskirts of the graveyard. It wasn't yet to the extent of completely wrapping around the entire graveyard.

"What kind of place do you think this is?"

Rickart asked looking back at Maters from on the horse. Roy had come together 10 years ago, and Bori had come while coming and going, but it was the first time for Maters.

"I am an Adelorn native. I've heard a lot of stories since the past. That the rough men of Ceska catch and eat orcs. This place is probably where people who got sick eating orcs until their stomachs were full are buried."

"Your expression is elegant unlike a robber."

Roy again said a word for nothing. Maters merely gave him a quick glance once, and didn't particularly react much.

And exactly as rumors usually go, exaggeration was mixed in. Eat what, eat.

But thinking about it Maters was the only person who originally lived in Adelorn. Rickart, Bori, and Roy were all outsiders.

"O King, why."

While looking around the graveyard someone called from behind. Looking back it was none other than Count Ceska.

Hearing the news that Rickart came it seemed he ran out exactly without even properly putting on his clothes and with his characteristic mustache messy. His breathing was also rough.

"Without giving notice."

"It's been a while, Count. I originally don't travel around putting in notices separately. Since it just makes work complicated for nothing."

Rickart still got down from his horse and greeted him. No matter how much a vassal, because he was a person worthy of respect Rickart treated him so.

Since Count Ceska also knew Rickart's eccentric parts, he was surprised but wasn't so much not knowing what to did with his body to that extent. He was merely curious.

"What brings you here? If you had merely given a command I would have personally run to the capital, or done whatever."

"It's not that, I have a path to go you see."

"Where do you mean?"

"Eastern Frontier."

"......Yes?"

"Originally I know going to Torveil is correct. Generally yes, but geographically going from here to the Eastern Frontier is not impossible right."

"......"

Count Ceska was somehow dumbfounded, looked around at the knights around him, and made a bewildered expression.

Exactly with a gaze as if demanding an explanation he also looked once at each of Roy, Bori, and Maters standing behind. Though it didn't mean there was anything they could explain.

Because Roy as Roy, Bori as Bori, Maters as Maters, and Rickart as Rickart had a purpose for going.

"......Is the King directly going? Do you believe the rumors that there's an elixir of youth or a dragon's treasure there?"

"Were there such rumors? Hearing it for the first time."

"Th-then why."

"I want to go so I'm just going. I know it's dangerous too. Even if something happens to me my son has somewhat grown, and my wife is alive and well so wouldn't it work out somehow?"

"......Is that something you can say so easily?"

So dumbfounded Count Ceska was in a state where his eyes were wide open.

Just exactly as the capital people rather treated Rickart comfortably and the provincial people treated him respectfully, while actually in the capital no one opposed it Count Ceska seemed reluctant for the King to go personally.

But so what if he's reluctant? Rickart decided to go, and was not a person to give up halfway whether anyone opposed or not.

"Could you provide some guides or information needed to go there?"

"......"

Count Ceska was speechless. Then, the image of Rickart overwhelming the orcs 10 years ago came to mind. That was clearly a hero, or a superhuman surpassing a human.

As old thoughts came to mind he thought it wasn't a matter that would be solved just because he dissuaded him, and that he was a person with the ability to did so. Of course on one hand he kept doubting if this was right.

"Guides can guide up to a certain boundary. But beyond that we do not know. Our defense concept is exactly making the orcs perceive it as our territory so. About orcs the King knows better than me, and if it's recent trends......"

As the lord guarding the frontier from the Forest of Demonic Beasts, Count Ceska explained exactly like giving a brief report to the King, operational concepts, recent trends of orcs, power balance, changes in habitats of other monsters, and such things continuously.

The thought that he was doing his duty properly naturally came to mind, but unfortunately it wasn't the information needed right now.

"......Recently rather than orcs man-eating spiders are more dangerous. If they enter human-inhabited areas and go into exactly a cave or barn or something, civilian casualties occur you see. Once they lay eggs it's important to remove them swiftly but......"

"You are working hard. But that's not the information I'm looking for, Count."

Unable to listen further Rickart cut his words in the middle. Then exactly as if suddenly thinking of something Count Ceska said.

"Occasionally adventurers do come. Saying they will discover ancient ruins and find treasure. Of course most die, but 1 year ago I saw a person who went into the forest and came back completely fine alive. As he said he originally is from the frontier so he knows the way."

"Who was it, that person?"

"Malcolm, he said he was Malcolm. His age looked about early 20s and he introduced himself exactly as a descendant of the God King and one of the four tribes following the teachings of the Steel Reaper. His attire was a little unusual, wearing somewhat tight clothes, a hat with feathers, and a single sword dangling at his waist. It wasn't exactly good attire for wandering in the forest."

"......Steel Reaper?"

"Yes, he definitely said so. Because exactly yesterday you see. He went into the forest again. The person didn't look bad and when I asked what kind of place the Eastern Frontier is on earth he merely just smiled."

"What did he say he came for?"

"He said he was on his way back after selling a Codex. Saying he hoped it went into the hands of a proper owner."

"......"

At the mention of a Codex Rickart remembered the matter he experienced with Lena's party. Given he was focused only on exactly it being genuine, he didn't think about how it flowed into the Empire, but it seemed it was leaked on purpose from the Eastern Frontier.

Why, that question clearly came to mind right in the center of his head. And that question somehow smelled suspicious for an unknown reason.