Translator: Nox

Ch#30

Harsh thunder and lightning struck beneath the gathered storm clouds.

Marianne, who had been gazing out at the sea through the Governance Hall's floor-to-ceiling windows, hurriedly turned around.

“A mid-sized Mana Stone? Are you certain?”

“Yes! A Mana Stone suddenly rose from the calm sea, and then the thunder and lightning……”

Marianne's face darkened.

It had been six months since she had spent her whole life in the Wavebrill Townhouse and been assigned to Pearl City.

When she was first offered the position of Pearl City's governor, she hadn't felt much enthusiasm.

‘Marianne! Have you gone mad? Do you know what kind of position that is and you're refusing it?’

‘Mother, how could I be a governor? All I've ever done is handle minor administrative tasks for the family.’

‘Then are you going to stay holed up in your room forever? What will your sons learn from you? Get a grip! You're Raoul and Enzo's only parent now!’

But when her sons' names came up, her mind cleared in a flash.

‘They've lost their father they trusted and followed at such a rebellious young age. You at least need to show Raoul and Enzo a steadfast figure!’

Raoul and Enzo.

The twins born to her and her husband on the same day and hour.

When their father was killed by a monster, the Holy Knight twins left their order.

It was out of guilt for failing to protect their father despite being in the same unit.

‘With you staying in your room, Raoul and Enzo are changing too. Raoul's hanging out with bad friends, and Enzo hasn't eaten for three days! Are you really going to let this continue?’

In truth, she had accepted the Pearl City governor position because of the twins.

The imperial advisor's words that ‘it wouldn't be difficult’ also played a part.

‘There's nothing more to touch in Pearl City. All Your Excellency the Sub-Marquis needs to do is keep in regular contact with the imperial family.’

Marianne, who had never dabbled in politics, understood what that meant.

‘They want me to be a figurehead doll. Just obedient and saying the right things.’

It wasn't a particularly appealing offer, but Marianne had no real reason to refuse.

Leaving the Capital for a quiet place might help heal her complicated heart to some extent.

She also thought life in Pearl City would be better for the twins than staying in the townhouse.

[Marianne.

I smiled seeing the photo you sent. Raoul and Enzo look better than before—I'm relieved.

It's very hot here these days. But I'm managing somehow. I hope you're happy there too.

My daughter, I believe in you.

-Mom]

In fact, after coming to Pearl City, Raoul and Enzo had become more talkative.

The two often went out of the Governance Hall to explore the bustling streets and resumed their sword training that had been neglected.

Above all, they sometimes rode boats from the pier and went out to sea…….

Marianne froze.

“……Wait a moment.”

The conversation she had with the twins that morning flashed through her mind.

‘We're going out to sea with Enzo again today.’

‘To the sea?’

‘We've gotten friendly with some people at the pier. They're all captains, so they know good fishing spots.’

Marianne's eyes slowly filled with horror.

“Your Excellency the Governor!”

The next moment, she flung open the office door without even grabbing her raincoat and rushed out.

As soon as she entered the street, cold rain slapped her face.

Pushing through the damp humidity, Marianne started running.

Her shoes quickly soaked up water and grew heavy.

Soon, she saw people gathered in front of the Red Glove Inn.

“No one stepping up! If not mercenaries like us, who are we supposed to ask for help?!”

An old man sat collapsed on the ground, shouting with reddened eyes.

His face was familiar; he was the head of the Pearl City Shipowners' Association.

“I heard a Mana Stone appeared in the sea right off the pier! When night falls, monsters will pour out—are we all just going to die?!”

“Then what do you expect us to do? We've told you a hundred times, Mana Stones rising from the sea are unheard of! We don't know what monsters will come out—telling us to fight is the same as telling us to go die!”

Marianne blankly stared at those pointing angrily at the head.

By their attire, they seemed to be mercenaries staying at the inn.

“Unit Leader Doiji is right. We can't just drop everything to help, Head……”

The shipowners' association head's face turned pale blue.

He trembled and crawled over to the Red Glove Inn's owner, Rudy.

“R-Rudy. Didn't you say a few days ago?! That ‘Trevaga’ members were staying at your inn!”

Marianne's eyes widened slightly.

‘Trevaga’.

Trevaga was the powerful, seasoned mercenary group currently ranked number one.

They might be able to save Pearl City even in this unprecedented situation.

But,

“He left here yesterday morning. Even sending an urgent message, it'd take a full day to get here.”

“Then what are we supposed to do! We're all going to die tonight! We can't abandon our ships and homes and flee again!”

Just then, a massive bolt of lightning—ka-boom—struck the middle of the sea.

The head groaned and pounded his chest.

“How, how can not a single mercenary step up for the village? And you call yourselves mercenaries? What makes you different from those Holy Knights who abandoned us a century ago!”

“F-Fucking old geezer, all you've done is……!”

At that moment, someone burst from the gathered mercenaries.

A fierce-looking face, long wet hair.

“You can't do shit without our help. Can't even beg properly, and now? Comparing us to Holy Knights?”

As the red-faced man swung his fist mercilessly, the head toppled backward, splashing muddy water onto the street.

“Kuhk—! Wh-what are you doing?!”

“I'll make you pay for your insolence against me, Kal!”

He was Kal, leader of Death Hound, who had just arrived in Pearl City after stopping at the Capital.

“What is this behavior?!”

In the escalating situation, Marianne hurriedly wedged herself between them.

Kal flinched at her sudden appearance.

The fallen head scrambled up too.

“G-Governor?”

Innkeeper Rudy looked at her in surprise.

“Governor?”

“……That woman's the top ruler of Pearl City?”

Murmurs erupted even among the out-of-town mercenaries.

Marianne met their eyes straight on and tensed her body.

‘Raoul, Enzo…….’

Her mind was filled with thoughts of the twins, but as governor, she couldn't pass by this scene.

“How dare you resort to violence. This man is the head of the Shipowners' Alliance!”

The mercenary who struck the head narrowed his brow.

He scanned Marianne from top to bottom and said,

“And who the hell are you?”

“Insolent. Will you not address me properly as Pearl City's governor?”

A brief silence followed.

But Kal didn't budge.

“Governor? Pfft, hahahaha—! You?!”

Instead, he leered at her disgustingly with mocking eyes, scanning her body.

Specifically, the lines of her body where her rain-soaked clothes clung.

“You don't look like a governor—I'd believe it if you said you were some whore……”

Thwack—

But before the insult finished, a dull thud echoed between them.

Kal, struck in the face by something, tumbled backward with a crash.

“Unit Leader!”

“Kal!”

As his subordinates rushed to support him, Kal ground his teeth and lifted his head.

“Which bastard—!”

But he soon spotted his opponent and stiffened.

“B-Basto?”

The massive figure standing right in front of him was Basto.

The very Basto whose ID number Kal had personally bribed a gate Holy Knight to revoke.

And beside him,

“……Gasp.”

Some unfamiliar kid was staring straight up at him.

“That's Kal……”

With an expression half curiosity, half wariness.

“H-He's sooo ugly……”