Chapter 40: A Proposal for a “King’s Battle”

"Hey, weren’t ‘King’s Battles’ supposed to be rare? Why is another one about to start again after only a month? And from the same country, no less?"

"All I can say is… there is precedent."

While I was working through paperwork in my office, Minister Depron came to report that we had once again received a challenge from the Kingdom of Yaranli.

Though I call it paperwork, it’s really just signing documents that have already been prepared in an easy-to-read format. Whenever there’s something unclear, I ask about it in advance. Considering these are the people who managed the country for years without a king, it’s no surprise they’re highly capable. Honestly, there’s hardly anything for me to do besides sign.

"So even if it’s a ‘King’s Battle,’ Shion already showed up and lost, right? Are they saying the ‘Spear King’ herself is coming this time, old man Depron?"

"No. If that were the case, we would have refused outright. No matter how favorable the terms, we cannot accept a battle we have no chance of winning."

"Yeah… makes sense. As I am now, I couldn’t beat a real ‘King’ anyway."

I may hold the title of ‘Sword King,’ but I can’t say I’ve fully mastered the Holy Sword. In terms of experience and raw combat ability, I can say with certainty that I don’t surpass the other ‘Kings.’

After having past ‘King’s Battles’ investigated, what I suspected became a firm conviction. Even based on records and eyewitness accounts alone, I currently have no chance of winning.

The ‘Dragon King’ perfectly embodies the innate strengths of their race. With wings on their back, they soar through the skies, mastering a single form of magic as naturally as breathing. The scales covering their body can deflect even legendary blades. Their entire physique is built for combat, and in the nation they rule, strength is justice.

The ‘Gun King’ is the only being in this world who uses firearms. In long-range combat, none can rival them. Even the ‘Dragon King’ can be pierced by the terrifying power of their weapon. Moreover, their gun can transform, and it’s said they possess additional hidden trump cards.

The ‘Omni King’ is a master of magical tools. While their physical abilities are said to be below mine, they fight using a vast arsenal of devices capable of confounding even other ‘Kings.’ With tools for every situation and the intellect to use them flawlessly, their greatest weapon is their genius—surpassing even Clarisse, a prodigy of magical engineering.

The ‘Mad King’ lives up to their name. Their country is in complete chaos, and it’s said the citizens live only to avoid incurring their wrath. Entry and exit are heavily restricted, making reliable information difficult to obtain. Even so, there is one confirmed account: their ‘King’ once punched the ‘Dragon King’ away using nothing but raw physical strength.

The ‘Demon King’ commands all forms of magic. Alongside the ‘Omni King,’ they stand at the pinnacle of versatility. Before the one known as the ruler of all magic, every spell is seized and turned against its caster. On top of that, they possess mysterious magic eyes said to grant them power surpassing all other ‘Kings’ when fully unleashed.

And then there’s the ‘Spear King’ of the Kingdom of Yaranli—the one who fought in the last ‘King’s Battle’ and has issued this challenge again. A formidable woman who continues to reign even past eighty. Though she rarely appears in public now, her successors frequently challenge other nations to ‘King’s Battles,’ and her leadership remains unmatched. The fact that she contends with other ‘Kings’ using only her spear speaks volumes about her strength.

"They’re all monsters. I’d rather avoid dealing with any of them if I can. If possible, I don’t want to fight at all. Seriously… can’t everyone just focus a bit more on domestic affairs? It’s peaceful right now."

"There are friendly nations, yes. However, there are also countries—such as that of the ‘Mad King’—where involvement only leads to loss. As long as we never know when or where a challenge might come from, seeking strength becomes a king’s duty."

Even knowing that, I couldn’t help but feel drained. For the weak, this world—or at least this country—is probably very easy to live in. There’s no forced conscription, and with no wars, knights can focus on routine patrols to prevent bandit activity.

With no loss of manpower, agriculture thrives. Thanks to magical tools developed by the research labs, production continues to rise. Even in times of poor harvest, very few people starve.

Compared to other nations—especially that of the ‘Mad King’—this place is far better. Ironically, realizing that this stability exists because of the ‘King’s Battle’ system only makes my position feel heavier.

Incidentally, the nations we maintain friendly relations with are those ruled by the ‘Omni King’ and the ‘Demon King.’ Both are highly rational, and most negotiations are settled through discussion rather than ‘King’s Battles.’ I’m grateful enough that I couldn’t sleep with my feet pointed toward them.

"So, what does the Kingdom of Yaranli want this time?"

"The return of Lady Shion. If we win, they state we may demand anything we wish."

"Doesn’t that completely defeat the purpose of the last ‘King’s Battle’? I mean, we’d still keep the mines, but I was planning to assign her a position and have her work here as part of the spoils of war."

"Honestly, shouldn’t we just refuse? It’s not like there’s anything we’d want from them anyway."

He was right—that was the simplest answer. If we win, it’s essentially a blank check from Yaranli. But the only thing they want in return is Shion, who already lost. It feels suspicious—like there’s some ulterior motive.

If she were truly that important, they would never have allowed her to wager herself in the first place. And yet, knowing that, they still issued another challenge…

"…Could it be that another Spear King candidate made this request? Without the Spear King’s approval?"

"It appears the Spear King has granted permission. In fact, there are rumors that their king has lost interest in nearly everything, to the point of not caring what happens to the nation."

"That gives us zero reason to accept…"

And yet, from their perspective, these terms are almost too favorable to refuse.

Last time, they demanded we wager the Saintess—Alicia. As a vital member of this country, accepting such a demand would have been unthinkable, regardless of compensation. Only because the reward was an extraordinary magic crystal mine were we forced into that decision—a bitter compromise.

But this time? Shion was originally from Yaranli, and it’s not as though we’d be crippled by losing her.

I wanted to give her a role, make use of her abilities, and let her live peacefully—but that’s just my personal wish. From Yaranli’s perspective, they likely never imagined I’d go that far.

If we lose, we only give up Shion—someone who wasn’t ours to begin with. If we win, we can demand anything from Yaranli. These are absurdly generous terms. Used well, they could bring even greater prosperity to our nation.

"As a king, I should probably accept… It’d also be good experience. But wagering people like this… I just can’t bring myself to accept it."

Maybe that just means I’m too soft to be a king. Logically, I should accept, deciding that losing Shion is an acceptable cost.

Even so, I don’t like it. I don’t want to take away their freedom like this. Shion and Lady Ciel are already among the people I want to see smiling.

"…Sigh. Maybe someone this soft isn’t fit to be king after all."

"That is precisely why you have retainers, Your Majesty. With your permission, I will present this matter to Lady Shion."

"I should be the one to tell her… but honestly, I’m not thinking clearly right now."

"It’s already evening. Why not take a bath before dinner? The water should have just been drawn, and no one will complain if you take it to yourself for once."

"Hmm… yeah. I guess I will. I don’t usually bathe alone, but maybe it’ll be nice for a change."

This country is blessed with abundant water resources, drawing from natural hot springs. Naturally, the royal castle has a large bathhouse, where knights bathe after training and maids during their breaks.

I go every day as well, usually at the same time as the knights, since I train and spar with them almost daily. Also, bonding while naked really does help build camaraderie—not in a weird way.

The baths are separated into men’s and women’s sections, so there’s no chance of accidentally walking into the wrong one like in stories. It’s a bit disappointing from a romantic standpoint, but I’d rather eliminate even the slightest chance of anyone seeing Hikari and the others, so this is for the best.

"Alright, I’ll go freshen up. Maybe I’ll come up with a good idea. Minister Depron, please speak to Shion. Tell her I’m inclined to refuse if possible."

"Understood."

"I’ll let the head chef know we’ll eat after I get out."

With that, I left the room and headed for the bathhouse. Being able to stretch out in a large bath feels incredible—and today, having it all to myself made it even better.

I prepared fresh clothes, undressed, and stepped inside. As usual, I brought the Holy Sword with me in its sheath. If I get too far from it, it flies back automatically, and I have no idea what distance triggers that, so it’s safer to keep it close. The knights have laughed at me for how dangerous that sounds.

"…I have been waiting for you, Sword King Toma. There is something important I wish to discuss."

As I moved to enter the bath, I noticed someone already there, partially obscured by the steam. I wanted to look away from reality, but there was no mistaking it—she was a woman.

Gone was her usual lively demeanor. With a blank expression fixed on her face, the one standing there was Ciel—Shion’s mother.