Volume 6 Chapter 6

Part 1

In this world there are children who are born with an abnormality in their magic power.

Speaking of [abnormality] something like a birth defect might come to mind, but many of them will appear normal in terms of outward appearances.

Just that only their appearance is normal.

Those children hold a special ability from the time they are born.

Abnormally fast legs,

superhuman strength,

hearing better than other people,

their body weight is as light as a feather,

or much heavier than normal.

Killing everything they touch,

spitting flames from the mouth,

poison coming out from their fingertips,

being able to teleport short distances,

being able to shoot beams out of their eyes.

Or the ability to nullify all kinds of poisons, or not getting tired even after not sleeping ever, or the ability to simultaneously embrace many hundreds of women and still not lose strength…

Such children who are born with exceptional abilities in this world are called "Miko".

On the other hand, if they aren't useful, or if they are abilities that inconvenience others or themselves, then they are called "Cursed Children" it seems, but let's put that aside.

Well then, now that we have that as the basis let's talk about things in the Shirone Royal Palace.

Currently, there are five princes in this Royal Palace.

The oldest prince is 32 years old and the youngest one is…

Well, their age really doesn't matter.

In regards to this country, when princes are born they're granted direct control over imperial guards.

They're granted in order to move as one's hands and feet since they are young, and it holds the design to let them learn to move people.

And then as they're raised and live, if they do good things the number of imperial guards they have are increased, and if they do something bad they're decreased.

When the King dies, the one who has the highest number of imperial guards at that time ends up becoming the next King.

Or at least that is the tradition in this country.

The more imperial guards you have, the more power you hold basically.

I think there are many problems, but among them the one who has the most imperial guards is the first prince.

The one who has the self-awareness as the eldest son, he might be a bit arrogant, but in regards to royalty it's an appropriate conduct.

Which is why, he holds close to 30 imperial guards.

Then, who is the one who has the fewest.

It's the one despised by the soldiers, the seventh prince Pax Shirone.

Certainly he has a few imperial guards.

Currently, he has around three.

For a period it had decreased down to one, but since he was able to create a connection with the slave market in the strife zone it increased by one.

The final one I'll mention later.

Three people.

Just three people.

His imperial guards are few.

However, there's someone even further below.

That is the third prince, Zanoba Shirone.

The number of his imperial guards is zero.

Zero.

0.

Not a single soldier exists that he can move himself.

Before he was alone, he had the imperial guard known as Ginger, this country's #12 in skills as an imperial guard.

However, eventually that last one as well, was traded for a certain figurine, and ended up becoming Pax's belonging.

It seems that at that point Ginger applied for a resignation, but Pax panicked and held her family as a hostage, so she unwillingly ended up becoming his imperial guard.

Well then, this third prince Zanoba Shirone.

He was a Miko.

He's had superhuman strength and a sturdy body since he was born.

Just by holding that ability alone, he became one who had a special existence.

It wasn't a significant ability, but the king was delighted.

A Miko will definitely be an useful person to the country in the future.

Especially, in this country which is close to the strife zone in the north, an existence which could become a war potential is something to hold with both arms into the air and congratulate.

The one who gave birth to Zanoba was a concubine, but with this she was seen as accomplishing her part, and felt relieved.

The time when the king lowered his raised arms was after three years had passed.

When Zanoba was three years old, the fourth prince was born.

He was the fourth prince, but in regards to the royal consort it was the first child.

It was a child like a ball and everyone was delighted, the country held a ceremony party.

In that party Zanoba walked and walked to the place where his own brother was.

And then, he started to touch his little brother stretched out on the bed, and said he's cute, like a doll.

Everyone who heard those words was laughing with smiles.

Since Zanoba was three years old he liked dolls after all.

The fact that he wants to liken it to something he likes is… pleasant.

In the next instant, Zanoba tore off his little brother's head.

Like a doll.

The party turned into a hell of agonizing cries.

The king and royal consort went mad and exiled Zanoba's mother outside of the country.

However, Zanoba remained within the country.

Part of it was because he was still young and it was also because he was a miko.

It seems that in regards to this world, mikos are very important individuals.

After that incident Zanoba's imperial guards were reduced to three.

It was originally eight, but it became three.

Never increase it beyond this, is what the king declared.

The next incident happened during the time he was 15 years old.

Around this time, though he was suffering from a doll disorder, Zanoba possessed judgement.

Since that was the case, it was decided he would accept a bride.

She was the daughter of a powerful family from a place somewhere to the north.

In regards to the king, during a time of war, he intended for Zanoba to bear the full brunt of it and stand strong.

The wedding ceremony completed safely.

The next day, after the first night…

The bride was discovered in the bed as a corpse without a head.

Zanoba tore it off.

The fact that a powerful family's daughter was killed caused a civil war which had to be suppressed.

The king took two imperial guards from Zanoba, and decided to confine him to the inside of the castle until a war starts.

On top of that, he tried to have Zanoba's favorite dolls taken away, but all the soldiers who took on that job had their heads torn off and died.

[Head Ripping Prince] Zanoba Shirone.

After that incident, Zanoba became called as such.

As expected, if he were to push things that far, the king must have tried to think of doing something.

However, as long as he had dolls he was fine.

As long as dolls were granted to him occasionally, then Zanoba had no harmful intent.

Which is why he thought that this is a dangerous weapon in the shape of a person, so he decided to act as such.

Since then, Zanoba was treated as a tumor, and we arrive at the present.

Although I'm arrogantly talking about it right now, the time when I heard this story was afterwards.

That time I still didn't know that Zanoba was the Shirone Royal Palace's greatest war potential.

Part 2

Zanoba was standing there with a thoughtless smile on his face.

I looked at that with a drawn back face.

My gaze was not on his smiling face.

It was on the thing that he was holding in his hands.

"Shisho, how is this, with this you'll make me into your disciple right!"

"Ouchowowowow! Stop! Please stop older brother!"

"You're loud Pax."

"Ahhhgahhhh!"

That was the face of the captured Pax Shirone.

The places he was being held at had blood dripping from them.

It wasn't Pax whose blood was flowing.

Zanoba's entire body was covered in blood.

"…"

I was lost for words.

I don't understand the meaning.

I thought we were having a light talk about disciples and what not, then at some point unknown to me it had become a blood splattered horror.

No really, I have no idea what is going on.

Zanoba is smiling away.

It's an innocent smile. Scary.

A bloodstained smile is something that a beauty is supposed to show.

If this otaku-like gangly older brother does it, it just seems bizarre.

"Stop it Zanoba! Release your hand!"

"That…that's right Zanoba, get a hold of yourself!"

In this small room there are currently several people.

Ginger wielding her sword and three soldiers confronting her.

And hiding behind the soldiers, wearing expensive looking clothes, were two princes.

Even though they're both princes, one of them was considerably aged.

Inside of this small room there were nine including me. It's a bit cramped.

"Older brothers. Were you aware that Pax had taken his own soldiers' families hostage in order to manipulate them?"

"N-no…"

"It wasn't an imperial guard, it was something belonging to father, this country's soldiers."

Zanoba was smiling.

He was saying it as he smiled.

"Ginger as well, she had her family taken hostage."

"…Is that so?"

"Yes."

Ginger responded to the prince with her sword still drawn.

It was still with her sword drawn, but I wonder if that's fine.

Zanoba was without change wearing a smiling expression,

"Older brothers, do you remember Roxy?"

"Y-yeah. Pax's tutor…"

"She was a Water King Class magician who trained our Shirone soldiers in anti-magician fighting, a person who we owe a great favor. Didn't father officially invite Roxy into the Royal Palace? Thanks to Pax's shallow actions, he completely destroyed that opportunity and she left."

"Y-yes. I guess so, certainly Pax is in the wrong, but you…"

"Even though that's the case… Please take a look. That person's disciple… Rudeus-sama is being put through this disgraceful situation. By Pax's hand. According to Roxy, she was boasting that he was a disciple who had more talent than herself. He's someone who should have a wonderful talent."

Zanoba still hadn't changed his smiling face.

In some ways you could call that a form of poker faces.

"Y-you, during the congress you always make such bored faces as you listen. As an older brother I'm feeling relieved. I surely thought you didn't have any interest in the country…"

"Older brother, I have no interest in anything other than dolls. I'm just pointing out the illegitimacy of Pax's actions. There is just one reason why I'm doing this."

Zanoba clearly declared that and raised Pax up.

"Owowowowow!"

"Rudeus-sama is a great person who has created a wonderful doll with no replacement in this world. Such a great person, being used in Pax's worthless revenge, that is something that shouldn't happen!"

"Aaahhh! Breaking, breaking, breaking!"

Pax's bitter screaming was echoing throughout the room.

"Older brother, if you intend to side with Pax, then I will act violently."

The three soldiers and the two princes started to rustle.

I thought, aren't you already acting violently.

They were all surprised and shaking over that.

In my previous life, when I acted violently in my parents' house, it never became like this.

"I'm not saying anything difficult. I want to save the producer of this doll, but Pax's crime is getting in the way of it."

"However, Pax and the slave market…"

"Older brother, please don't make me say it again. I feel like I'm about to uproot my little brother's head."

Zanoba had already stopped laughing.

I still had no idea what was going on.

I was just bewildered over how or what kind of metaphor uproot was.

I just understood that Zanoba had control over this situation.

Give it your best my disciple.

You're a bit scary though…

"N-n-no way! Stop it! Save me Ginger! Save me! Your family, don't you care what happens to your family!"

"If it's about my family, last night Ruijerd-dono saved them."

"What!?"

Pax was struggling and Ginger coolly replied.

I wonder who Ruijerd saved.

He's always saving someone.

Even though I say that, after all it seems like something was moving in the background that I didn't know about.

"It's just like this older brother, since among the princes I'm the one with the least authority, I had no choice but to ask older brother in this way, if you were to turn me down, I'll act violently to the limits of my power. What, I'm sure with this distance, one of the older brothers or otherwise both will have their heads twisted off. After that, I might be burnt to death by the Royal Court magician, but…"

"Your highness, I'll follow you to the death."

A gangly man like you has quite a bit of confidence, huh.

I seriously thought about it.

It's dangerous to be under the impression that I'm strong, I'll thrillingly look over that in my heart.

Even saying that, most likely it just worked on the first prince and the second prince.

"U-understood! We'll do as you say!"

"Older brother, please properly investigate it? After that, somewhere in the castle should be the two who just caused an uproar before and captured Lilia. I would like you to guarantee their safety as well."

"Of course. We'll put in a word with father…"

I wonder why these two princes would defend trash like Pax.

I seriously considered those doubts.

However, it's different.

They're afraid of Zanoba.

They're afraid of what to do, like a bomb when it's about to go off.

While not knowing what was going on, I was let out of the barrier.

It seems like the magic crystal was hidden in the ceiling.

Pax was arrested and Lilia was released, while still dumbfounded the incident ended.

Part 3

From here on out is a later day, revealing the trick of the incident.

From the flow of events where Lilia was detained.

It seems that at first she was suspected of being a foreign spy.

At the time when she was interrogated, since she let out names like Roxy and Paul, she managed to avoid prison and was instead held in confinement.

Then at the time when information on the teleport incident started to flow in, it seems she was about to be released, but Pax interfered and restricted the information, then locked her away in the castle.

After Roxy ran away, Pax supposedly created a connection with the slave market.

Then, through that slave market connection he employed a private army, abducted the families of the soldiers and kept them confined.

[If you care for their lives listen to what I say] is how he supposedly threatened them.

The soldiers wanted to try and do something, so they dug around in the slums.

For the most part they figured out the location of the hostages, but there were many strong guards, so rescue was difficult.

In the middle of that, Aisha escaped, and they received the pursuit order from the prince.

They unwillingly pursued the fleeing Aisha.

Then and there I appeared and magnificently carried off Aisha.

Adding to that, the soldiers were trying to save Aisha, from the moment they saw the voiceless incantation magic they realized I was Roxy's disciple.

Therefore, the soldiers began their plan.

First, start a fight at the slave market and make the market unusable.

Then, claiming that Aisha was taken away by a mysterious man, they started in pursuit of the private army.

After that they would talk to me about the situation and ask me to participate in rescuing the hostages.

They would launch an attack on the safekeeping place of the hostages when the security is weakened and save them.

And then, in return they would somehow save Lilia, that sort of flow.

Incidentally, before that plan could be realized, I came under the impression that Roxy was in the Royal Palace and sent a letter. After seeing that, prince Pax ordered me to be confined.

At least, if I had waited just another day before I sent that letter, I would have heard about the situation from them and in reverse Pax wouldn't have been able to spring that trap on me.

After all, the Hitogami's advice was to send the letter after saving Aisha.

Then, in regards to the rescue plan, they thought it would be setback, but it was realized.

When I wasn't at the inn, Ruijerd was there.

He heard the situation from the soldiers, it seems that it stirred him up and he saved the hostages in no time at all.

For the most part, it seems at that time he was using a false name.

After seeing the hostages home safely, Ruijerd planned to assault the castle, but the soldiers there said they would do it. Pride so to speak.

According to the soldiers' plan, after reporting that the hostages have returned, the prince would then hear about this in the slums and was planned to be murdered then and there.

If it's a murder in the slums, then he won't be quickly discovered, and they'll supposedly be able to hide the body.

It was a bit reckless of a plan in my opinion, but it seems there was a chance of success.

Ruijerd broke it.

Incidentally, these plans, it seems Ginger didn't know about them until they ended.

She was ostracized, or rather because she was an imperial guard, they thought it might be dangerous to include her.

How pitiful.

Then, at the time when the hostages were released, Ginger's family was discovered and following that flow they realized that Ginger was the same as them.

Meanwhile, Ginger thought this time was a good chance, so she handed the doll over to Zanoba.

Zanoba who holds the strongest combat power in this kingdom.

After handing the doll over to him, he would be interested in me.

If I were to speak about that doll, he might join my side after seeing a precious source of information.

There was that sort of calculation as well, but the fact that Ginger simply swore loyalty to Zanoba is another of the reasons.

If she could be released from Pax using this incident, she wanted to return to Zanoba's side it seems.

Even though she was sold for a doll, I wondered why she still swears her loyalty, but I'm sure she has had her own tearful episode.

Then…

The next day.

Zanoba killed two of Pax's imperial guards, and took him hostage.

No one beside Ginger predicted this flow it seems.

Part 4

The king had a clearly tired face as he sentenced Pax to be exiled outside of the country.

It seems that the connection to the slave market was a bit wasteful, but taking the soldiers' families, moreover the imperial guards' families hostage, then capturing me who they would normally try to win over as a court magician, and even more so in order to try and lure out Roxy to rape and kill her.

He really had no choice but to discipline him there.

Since there's the matter of appearance, up front it would be studying abroad.

In reality, he was sent as a hostage, that could be killed, to the Dragon King Kingdom.

Zanoba was also being exiled from the country.

This side as well was being covered up as studying abroad.

The ones who proposed this were the first and second princes.

Their methods weren't really smart, Zanoba did actually make a mistake as well is what the first and second princes said, but in reality they were just afraid of having an unpredictable nuclear warhead around.

It seems like the king didn't want to send Zanoba away, but if the strings manipulating him are unreliable, then he probably thought keeping him outside of the castle was safer.

Then, Lilia was released, even after this there are people who were calling her a foreign spy.

Lilia was taking care of Pax, and in the back she was stealing information from Shirone.

While being confined she was able to do something like that, our Lilia sure is amazing.

Then, in order to prove her innocence, until Lilia makes it to Paul's place she is to be "escorted".

Not to Asura Kingdom, but Paul's place.

Well, even if she was taken to Asura Kingdom, there's no one who could prove her identity there, after all.

Ah, for the time being, Asura Kingdom was her birthplace.

She did try to take remittance, after all.

However, since they do have the relation of husband and wife, it seems she'll be taken to Paul's place.

It seems like the current Paul has stronger ties with Holy Milis Kingdom if you were to ask as well, I'm sure the Asura Kingdom has some weird suspicions about it.

Well, those are all political problems.

If it were up to me, I'd be worried about being killed to have my lips sealed on the way, but it seems Ginger is participating as an escort.

Protecting his shisho's family was supposedly an order from Zanoba.

For others, it seems soldiers saved by Ruijerd are also participating.

So I can feel relieved.

Then, in regards to me, king-sama directly asked if I wanted to be the Royal Court magician and said he would give me status if I stay in this land.

That's how he came to ask.

Judging from his tone, it felt like a sigh was mixed in with it, it seems like he wanted to ask even if it was no good.

Naturally as it was, I turned it down.

And then the king clearly sighed and took a breath, then he said it was fine to take my leave.

That's it.

Well, it's fine though.

From the start I knew something like that would happen, it's not like I'll ask for medical expenses.

Part 5

When I was going to leave the Royal Place, Zanoba came begging in tears.

"Shisho!!! Are you going to leave without me? Are you planning to leave behind your disciple?"

"I'm very sorry. Since we're in a hurry on our journey…"

"Then the doll, will you please make a doll for me?"

"It takes quite a bit of time to make those, so that's a bit…"

"Of all things!"

It seems like Zanoba was saddened by the fact that he couldn't see me make a doll, he was clinging onto my hand sorrowfully crying.

It was at this time that I heard that this person was a miko.

He could dismember and scatter people's limbs and tear off their heads, the Prince of Massacre.

Honestly, I was considerably afraid.

I was nervous over whether my head would suddenly be torn off.

I'm afraid of a guy who I don't know where his kill switch is…

No, I really am thankful to him though.

Scary things are still scary.

"Next time we meet, I'll teach you the way to create figureins from the start."

"Eh! That, but, I, umm, is it fine? Isn't there some secret point?"

"What am I supposed to do if I'm not going to teach my disciple the method to make them?"

"Uooooh, Shisho!"

Zanoba threw my body in the air while crying.

I hit the ceiling solidly.

"O-.oh sheet!! Ginger! Healing magic!"

"Yes!!"

Ginger started the incantation for healing magic, and quickly sealed my wounds.

Zanoba made a pale face when he came dangerously close to killing me, but when I stood up okay, he made a relieved face.

This guy, does he want to be excommunicated!?

No, let's not do that, I'd rather not have my head torn off.

"Well then, shisho, take care of yourself! I don't know where I am being sent to study abroad as punishment, but I have a feeling that I'll eventually see shisho again!"

"Gehooo… Yes, take care."

While crying a great deal Zanoba saw me off.

While watching, that Ginger also shed a few tears.

Part 6

Just like this, the incident related to Shirone came to a close.

We were able to save Lilia and Aisha and are sending them off to Paul.

Pax was exiled from the country.

And I made a disciple by the name of Zanoba.

I had just intended to move according to the Hitogami's advice.

More or less, there were some points that I didn't arrive at but…

You could say the result calmed down in the best shape.

How do I put it, I can't shake the feeling that I'm still dancing on the palm of his hand.

No matter what kind of moves I make, if I roughly follow the advice, then I feel it will still end up with a similar result.

It's a feeling like I'm watching a farce.

However, certainly everything ended up going in a good direction.

Lilia and Aisha are both fully intact.

I don't really get Zanoba, but I didn't feel any animosity.

I felt plenty of animosity from Pax, but he was completely removed as a piece outside of the country.

Putting aside the process, at least it was a convenient conclusion for me.

All of the advices until now as well, they went in a direction that wasn't inconvenient for me I think.

It could be that it's fine to believe in the Hitogami a bit more.

No, when it comes to swindlers, the moment they feel they've got a hit the exploitation starts.

I'll keep going with caution while trying to see through him.

Well, a promise is a promise.

The next time he comes out, I'll stop being belligerent.