Chapter 41 _ The King’s Token, and the Golden Temptation
The truth revealed by Frey’s far-sight struck us like a hammer—
the fact that my double was nothing less than the Demon King’s shadow.
The Demon King could see the future.
And he had clearly recognized me as a threat.
That meant one thing.
We could not afford to stop.
Determined to pursue the only remaining lead to the legendary hero Seidu Muamba,
we set our sights on the far north—
toward Mount Iapetus, home of the Divine Bird.
Before departing, however,
we returned once more to Eridush Castle.
“Unbelievable…
You say it was the Demon King’s shadow?”
King Rudolf’s voice echoed beneath the vaulted ceiling of the audience chamber.
The relief of having escaped assassination was nowhere to be seen on his face.
Instead, what surfaced was a deep concern—
the unease of a ruler sensing the balance of the world beginning to shift.
“Yes,” I answered.
“He seems to fear that we’re gathering information about the heroes.
Your Majesty, to uncover the truth, I must head north.”
Rudolf closed his eyes in thought.
After a long silence, he opened them again and issued a firm command to the minister at his side.
“…Very well.
Grant these people an Envoy’s Token.”
He turned his gaze to me.
“Mario.
This is my apology for having detained you under false charges.
With this token, you will be recognized anywhere in the world
as my official representative.”
“Your Majesty… thank you!”
The token placed in my hands gleamed with the weight of solid metal.
It was more than a pardon.
It was proof that the king of a nation
had entrusted his faith—and his justice—to us.
We left the castle and headed north along the great road.
The air grew colder.
Forests of evergreen trees began to line both sides of the path.
“…First, we make for Irrablatis,” Roger said, studying the map as he walked.
“Anyone attempting the Northern Ridges prepares there.”
“Irrablatis?
What kind of city is it?”
“It used to prosper as a trade hub,” he replied.
“But once fewer fools started heading north, it adapted to survive.
Now it’s known as the City That Never Sleeps—
a city of casinos.”
“…Casinos!?”
The word slipped out of my mouth before I could stop it.
Some dormant part of my former gamer soul reacted instantly.
“…Why the excitement, Mario?” Frey asked, tilting her head on my shoulder.
“It’s not that I like gambling,” I said hastily.
“In my old world’s games, cities like that were often the final destination.
They’d have the strongest weapons or rare elixirs as prizes…
and before you knew it, you’d forget about saving the world
and spend the entire day pulling slot levers.”
“…What nonsense,” Frey said flatly.
“The strongest weapons as gambling prizes?
What is the point of ending a journey like that?”
“Haha… well, that’s how tempting those places were.”
“Ohoho.
Mario, remember—you’re carrying a large sum of money.
Do not let glitter blind you and spend it all on foolish prizes.”
“I know, I know!”
I laughed awkwardly and changed the subject.
“But still…
I’m glad the king was so understanding.
He didn’t just clear my name—
he gave us something incredible.”
Roger nodded deeply, rare seriousness in his expression.
“King Rudolf is a remarkable man.
…When I once struck a nobleman’s son,
His Majesty merely laughed and forgave me.”
“What? Really…?”
“This sword—the Blade of Eridush—
was a gift from him when I resigned as captain of the royal guard.
I tried to refuse it, but he said,
‘A fine blade shines brightest in the hands of a master.’”
Roger’s grip tightened slightly on the hilt.
“Even now, though I’ve left military service,
my loyalty to that man has never changed.”
For a moment,
the gruff treasure hunter looked every bit the proud warrior he truly was.
“Fred is incredibly sincere once he acknowledges someone,”
Hans said with a knowing smile, nudging my shoulder.
“…Including you, Mario.”
“M-me?”
“Hans! Don’t say unnecessary things!”
“Fufu.
He said you had guts—
the way you stayed calm when you were arrested,
and how you carried yourself before the king.”
“…I was just frozen because I didn’t understand what was happening.”
“That’s fine,” Hans replied softly.
“If you’d panicked and lashed out,
you’d be headless by now.
Sometimes, calm ignorance is the strongest weapon of all.”
“…And I’ve learned that when Frey suddenly goes quiet,
things are really bad,” I added.
“Am I a canary for poison gas, you fool!?” Frey snapped.
“…You do joke quickly, but your comebacks are sharp too,” I said.
“Ohoho! Praise will get you nothing.”
“…Master,” Iris whispered gently,
“I believe Mario was not actually praising you.”
As we climbed the final slope,
the land suddenly opened before us.
In the middle of the barren plain stood a massive city,
unnaturally radiant—
a sea of lights glittering against the darkness.
Irrablatis.
A city that seduces travelers, ruins lives,
or grants dreams of sudden fortune.
“…We’re here,” Roger muttered.
“Enjoy yourselves if you must—
but guard your wallets with your lives.”
The road north would be harsh.
But with these companions,
I felt certain we could overcome not only treacherous paths,
but even the most dazzling temptations of gold.
