Day 61 Nighttime, Murimuri Castle.

Overwhelmed, I feel smaller. It might be embarrassing for a regent, acting in the Kings stead, but the other party is the head of the legendary House Omui, none other than the god of war lord Mellotosam himself. His caliber is different from someone like me, who merely happened to be born into the royal family.

Furthermore, the conference room to which we were guided had not only the civil officials but even the military staff in awe too. This is the frontiers king, Omui.

But as impressed or intimidated as I might be, I already gave up on my life. I came here to deliver my head. I came to make a deal, with my head as a payment.

Is it impossible even in exchange for the regents head? I dont see any other option to bring it to negotiations with the nobles. The war will destroy the frontier, and the Kingdom will be forced into being the Theocracys vassal state. And yet you are still going to insist on starting a war to protect a mere adventurer? There is no other way left.

He is too obstinate. I dont understand his need to cover so much for some weird insolent fellow. Even if this head is not enough to make it up to the frontier, are you saying its not enough to balance out for even one brat? Is he planning to exchange the kingdom and his domain for the life of just one person?

First of all, possible or not aside, by what authority do you want to make that happen? How are you going to justify his arrest and seizure of assets, Your Excellency? Pray tell me. You realize that the boy fought all on his own, and brought us peace and wealth, we have absolutely no rights neither on the boy nor on the treasure?

My goodness! Even lord Mellotosam, hailed as the King of the frontier is fooled by this. Certainly, I was surprised by the wealth of the frontier. It might be even more prosperous than the capital. But thats a hindsight-based approach. What is the need to feel so indebted over something that some foreign brat did on his own, much less even having to weigh it to ones own domain and the kingdom?

This is very true for lord Mellotosam, but it also applies to House Omui in general they cant be moved with money or power. Tenacious self-reliance is the core of House Omuis way. And if needs be, they would even go against the Royal Family authority. Thats how Omui came to be called kings of the frontier.

Do you need a pretext or a just cause to arrest a kid for the sake of protecting the kingdom and the frontier lands? We dont even have any other options than to exchange his head for this. Unless the Theocracy draws back, the nobles also wont pull back.The only thing we can do is to drag it to negotiations, and for that, we need his head. If you can at least accept that, then Im willing to offer you my head as an apology. Please make the correct decision, Mellotosam-sama!

That boy. Thats right, that brat was the one that had a cave-in accident in the dungeon, and through insane luck, obtained the huge fortune and treasures of the dungeon master.

That insolent and ominous person in a black cloak was the aforementioned dungeon killer. That uncanny technique that had the entire mercenary squad of the theocracy slaughtered must be the dungeon masters treasure. If only he didnt have that he would be nothing more than a level 21 brat. All we have to do is catch him in some sort of a trap, confiscate relics, and hand him over to the nobles. That should create an opportunity for negotiations.

I was honestly suspecting that both Mellotosam-sama and Shariceres are under effects of some sort ofCharmorPuppetrybut the investigation showed that they had no abnormal status effects. Then he must be leading them by the nose with that cryptic flippant speech of his. He must be currying favor with eloquent and clever use of words. He is the frontiers parasite that attached himself to it with money and connections.

Then, as he is a captive of the Royal Family, I request his hand over.

No can do. And you may call him a captive, but to me it appeared that he was walking on his own two legs? Certainly, Your Excellency wouldnt claim that is a prisoner, right? And even if that was an order from the Kingdom, that boy is an important guest, and is under House Omuis protection. We cannot hand him over, regardless of possible reasons.

A deadlock. I thought that by meeting him directly and lowering my head, Ill be able to make a deal in exchange for my own life, but he wont budge.

Then, we entered a break during which we were led to a gorgeous guest room. Indeed, the frontier was reborn. Not even the greatest of the states would be able to prepare a guest room of such extravagance and splendor. But cant he see that if the frontier is turned to ashes then all of it bears no meaning? Sure, things might have become safer thanks to that brat, and his absorption in self-indulgent pleasures enriching the town. But why does the Kingdom have to fall for the sake of one snotty brat who simply got lucky?

*Siigh*, he is stubborn, way too stubborn. Why go that far to protect him?

House Omui is famous for their adherence to the principles of loyalty and gratitude. He must be feeling that they have a debt of gratitude towards the boy. After all, subjugation of that ancient dungeon was the dearest wish of every successive head of House Omui.

However, there is no way a level 21 kid could do anything about it. Isnt he nothing more than an insolent brat that painted the accidental death of the dungeon master in a cave-in as his own achievement? I dont understand why Mellotosam-sama, known as Undefeated Swordsman, and even Shariceres, nicknamed Sword Princess, make so much of him.

Did you get information? For now even unconfirmed rumors will do, anything is fine, but give me information!

If things are this hard to comprehend, it means there is a blind spot in our information. Is there some sort of hidden merit to that kid? Maybe something that necessitates his presence?

According to the current intelligence, he is buttering up women with unusual delicious foreign confectionery, this seems to be the current talk in the town.

Sweets? Certainly, just as rumors said, he had 20 beautiful maidens swindled, having them serve him. Is he a gigolo? Was Shariceres ensnared by him? But then how to explain Mellotosam-sama? I see, he first got Miss Meriel and through her deceived the entire family!

Its always like this with women and children. To think they would fall prey to a gigolo after being enticed with some candies. However, could that straight-laced Shariceres be so easily ensnared? Much less that annoying maid?

But if left alive, he will end up nothing but a hindrance. And if dead, his head wont be needed anymore. Ill have to take responsibility with my life, but I was planning to leave this head of mine here anyway. It greatly pains me that I will have to accompany that boundlessly insolent brat to the other world, but even so, we need his head.

*Knock Knock* After a light knocking Mellotosam-sama appeared on his own. Perhaps he wants a private conversation?

Excuse me. Your Excellency, are you really intending to hand that boy over to the nobles army? Is there no mistake?

Mellotosam-sama? There is no way we, royalty, would talk in falsehoods to House Omui, and thats not mentioning that if I tried to deceive Omui-sama I wouldnt be able to face my brother even in death. Its nothing but truth.

Since Mellotosam-sama came alone, it must mean that Miss Meriel was indeed ensnared by that kid, so he couldnt publicly agree to his handover. Such an irritating brat, even though Im still unmarried, he is dragging 20 beautiful black-haired girls around as if making a display out of it, but then, who wouldve believed that, he had to spew sweet lies to the young lady of the counts house, and then, finally, even trying to sink his poisonous fangs into the princess!

Even the troops couldnt hide their astonishment at Shariceres indecent armor. Since the equipment was rivaling or even outperforming artifacts of the kingdom treasure class, everyone convinced themselves that thats it, but as it turns out, even that was that brats doing. I dont plan on surrendering the country to the Theocracy, but I also have no intentions of letting a womanizing brat do as he pleases! As I thought, an assassination is

House Omui, The Frontier, and personally I myself cant hand him over, however? He seems to be raring to go? No, we are actually trying to stop him? But for some reason, he is very eager?

He himself? No, I wont be deceived. He is trying to curry favor by pretending that he is willing to sacrifice himself and go through with his hand over to the nobles army, but in reality thats all talk. So thats how he is tricking girls, making a tragic hero out of himself as if this is some sort of a stage play. The mere thought disgusts me.

Even if this is a cheap drama from a low-life brat, since he made that statement, I wont allow him to walk it back. Im taking him with me even if it means Ill have to drag him.

With this, the negotiations are finally at the starting line. The negotiations (war) with the fate of the kingdom on the line.