"Anyway, I've heard your story well. Assuming it's true, it was worth coming all the way here despite my busy schedule."
Argentir expressed his satisfaction with a snake-like smile, shrugging his shoulders slightly.
He said that he hadn't expected much, but I had brought information that was better than expected.
"To think you'd bring such information. It was worth the trouble of thoroughly blocking rumors about the hero."
Then he boasted to me. That it was he who had blocked the rumors about Friede.
He said if rumors spread that the hero of the Kingdom of Rhine, known to be missing, was wandering Hervor's territory and killing pursuers, it could cause unnecessary conflict between the two countries.
For that reason, Argentir said he had been thoroughly blocking only the information about the holy sword hero being with me, while leaving rumors related to me alone.
He said he distorted the rumors to make it seem like I was fleeing alone, so that others wouldn't even be interested in Friede's existence.
...Should I be grateful for this?
I'm not sure.
I did benefit somewhat from the information about Friede not spreading...
...But if he had the ability to block rumors so thoroughly, it means he could have blocked some of the rumors related to me as well.
"..."
It's really ambiguous whether to express gratitude. So I just remained silent with a dumbfounded face.
Even if I had expressed gratitude, I probably would have just been scolded anyway. It seems the reason he was snapping at me from the moment he saw me was because of that.
That statement earlier, it means he went through some trouble to prevent my escape from escalating into an international dispute involving the hero, right?
So it's no wonder he wouldn't look kindly on me, the cause of all that.
Of course, his thoughts might have changed a bit now that he knows what information I brought.
'Abyss Priests are trying to kill Heid, and to cover the aftermath, they're plotting conflict and clash between the Kingdom of Rhine and the Kingdom of Hervor.'
Even to me, who knows almost nothing about politics or espionage, this story was top-class information with endless utility if proven true.
Especially, the information that the Abyss Priests attempting such atrocities have one of Argentir's faction nobles as their backer would be very useful.
Argentir is a person who wants Heid dead and gone, but even so, he wouldn't want him to die by such a plan.
While he might not mind if Heid died fighting monsters or demons, perishing along with the Rhine Kingdom's army due to an Abyss Priest's plan would make both the Goddess Church and the Kingdom of Rhine go berserk simultaneously.
"Anyway, it was worth listening to... so I should pay an appropriate fee for the information. Tell me. What do you want in return?"
Argentir asked. He asked what I wanted in exchange for the information. It was the question I had been waiting for.
"Yes. So I- no, what I want is—"
"Surely your goal isn't money? I'd like to hear. Just what kind of excessive compensation are you hoping for, to have so presumptuously and boldly called me out like this?"
"..."
...He's really snapping irritably.
Listening to that overtly sarcastic tone continuously made me feel like my inner lowborn slaughterer was about to burst out.
Though it didn't actually burst out since Argentir wasn't a lowborn but the third highest-ranking person in the kingdom.
* * *
While firmly clenching my fist lowered under the table, I told Argentir everything I wanted.
That my situation was very difficult due to the false accusations Gunther and his party members had put on me.
That although I could try to explain since Friede was with me, given my actions, it would be hard to get a good reception until I gathered sufficient strength, due to distrust and the crime of being disliked.
So I needed to gather strength first, but for that, I needed sufficient time and a place to grow that strength.
Therefore, we currently needed a backer who could provide us with that time and place.
"Hmm..."
After hearing my request, Argentir smiled with a subtle expression that was hard to describe.
No, is he really smiling?
Since he originally had squinting smiling eyes, it was hard to tell if he was really smiling now or just expressionless.
"A very bold request indeed. Doesn't it mean you're asking me to personally raise talents that will become core forces of the Kingdom of Rhine in the future?"
Argentir tilted his head as if dumbfounded. It seems he was indeed smiling. The problem was that it wasn't a smile but a sneer.
"To think you'd request an act of treason from a crown prince of a country. As expected, the 'Knight of Betrayal' has a different way of thinking from the start."
Oh, is that how it is...?
Now that I hear it, it was correct in general.
The current heroes and hero parties are not hero candidates to defeat the Demon Lord, but rather a kind of tactical weapon to be raised as each country's top force.
In short, my proposal was no different from saying "use your money to make nuclear weapons and hand them over to the neighboring country."
What crazy person in power would listen to such a proposal?
"...That's not what I meant."
I hurriedly explained.
"What Friede and I want is merely to fulfill our duty as heroes bestowed by the Goddess. Not to protect the interests of the kingdom."
I explained that even if my false accusations were cleared, I had no intention of taking a position in the kingdom and serving as a war weapon.
In simple terms, I was saying that once the false accusations were cleared, we would focus only on exploring deep dungeons and taking the Demon Lord's head.
"Ah, traditional heroes and their companions? My, my, I didn't realize you were such devout believers."
This isn't working at all.
Argentir openly laughed and mocked. With a face that said what era do you think this is to say such things.
"...I'm serious. Neither I nor Friede have any interest in wealth or power. If we complete our heroic deeds as heroes with the Goddess's care and heavenly fortune, we plan to retire right away and live peacefully together for the rest of our lives."
I continued my desperate plea with eyes full of sincerity.
Saying that once we take the Demon Lord's head, we'll kick away whatever conditions the kingdom offers, choose a good place to live, buy a house, and live in leisure.
In the middle, Friede looked at me with a face that said when did she ever say such a thing, but when I said we'd live together, her expression suddenly brightened and she grinned as if she had never done otherwise.
She's so simple-minded. But that's why she's cute.
"It's not a particularly trustworthy answer. Put yourself in my position. If you were me, could you trust those words?"
"That... Yes. Honestly, it would be difficult."
On the contrary, the not-so-simple Argentir was full of suspicion, and therefore, he was honestly quite unpleasant.
Though he was still better than Gunther or Heid.
"This is truly troublesome, isn't it?"
Argentir said with an exaggerated sigh.
"A woman who somehow already knows my true nature, which very few people know about. Such a woman comes to me and makes a difficult request. Moreover, while offering information worth that much as an advance payment."
Through the slightly opened narrow eyes, blood-red pupils stared at me piercingly. They were red eyes slightly darker than Heid's.
"How do you think I feel right now?"
"Um... very suspicious...?"
Argentir shook his head.
"I'm contemplating where I should decide your destination. The ground below, the bottom of the river, the kiln of a crematorium, and an underground interrogation room. Which of the four I should choose."
Hmm... is this a threat to silence me by killing me right now?
It clearly sounds like he's telling me to choose between being buried alive, drowned, or cremated. Or being tortured for life while spilling out all the information I know without reservation.
...You're crossing the line, you bastard.
I didn't expect him to make such blatant threats, but it seems I had once again chosen the wrong option.
"Haah..."
I lifted my head to look up at the cabin's ceiling and let out a deep sigh.
What can I do, when my life is almost always like this?
I felt like my luck had been following me a bit lately, but unfortunately, even that luck seems to have come to an end now.
"...Then you should choose carefully."
I lowered my head again and opened my mouth, staring straight at Argentir.
"Whatever you choose, Your Highness will have to come along."
An overt threat. I threw away any pretense of courtesy. I wasn't polite enough to maintain etiquette in front of someone threatening to kill me.
"Is that so? My, what an interesting escort request."
Argentir snickered amusedly as he took a cigar from his bosom and put it in his mouth.
"Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to match my status, so I'll have to decline."
"We can make it match. Shall we test it?"
Argentir's sarcasm asking if we could kill him at our level. I returned an answer saying let's try if he's curious.
"Hmm..."
A tense atmosphere on the verge of eruption covered the once tranquil cabin.
The two knights guarding the prince revealed their killing intent, and Friede, who had slightly lowered her right hand, grasped the air.
The moment anyone showed a sudden movement, a two-versus-two sword fight would immediately begin.
Of course, Argentir's head would be smashed by my fist before that.
Although the aftermath would be unmanageable, killing Argentir sitting in front of me itself wasn't honestly that difficult.
"I'll let you know the result when we get there. You won't be able to hear it in this world."
I inhaled and awakened the power residing in Brunhilde's body. It seemed the situation that could be resolved through dialogue had already ended.
The Iron Arm of a Valkyria that could crush a person's head like a cookie.
As that fist containing such tremendous power was about to extend like a fired shell—
Clap.
"Hahahahaha! Good, very good!"
Along with a clear clapping sound, Argentir burst into laughter like a person with mania.
"You pass. I can trust you to this extent."
The atmosphere changed abruptly. The two kingdom knights withdrew their killing intent and stepped back, and seeing that, Friede also relaxed her hand.
"...Pardon?"
I opened my mouth blankly and tilted my head. Wondering why this bastard was suddenly acting like this.
"The alias 'Knight of Betrayal' suits you perfectly. With that personality, who on earth could you work under? Unless the Kingdom of Rhine has gone mad, they wouldn't utilize a lunatic who tries to kill a prince of a country just because of some threats as their core force."
Argentir explained the reason for his laughter in a voice full of amusement.
A woman who first thinks of killing even a prince of a country if things go wrong. Saying there's no country in the world that would employ and use such an uncontrollable lunatic under them.
In short, he was saying that he could finally believe my words about retiring because I was a crazy woman ill-suited to rise to a high position.
"...I see."
I nodded with a disgruntled face.
In any case, it's something to be grateful for since he's saying he'll trust me now... but honestly, I wasn't grateful at all.
How could I be grateful for being told it's fortunate that I'm crazy?
I thought this must be exactly what they mean when they say someone "kills with a shield".