Nido Tensei Shita Shounen wa S-rank Boukensha Toshite Heion ni Sugosu ~ Zense ga Kenja de Eiyūdatta

Episode 113: Ceremony of the Dragon Emperor

The extermination of the horde of monsters that attacked the town was over, and the town had regained peace. The town’s damage was minimal, and although there were injured people, there were no deaths, which made the townspeople very happy.

“Gahahaha! I defeated such a big monster with a single blow! Look at this magnificent horn!”

“How many times have you told that story? Besides, let me tell you about the size of the fangs of the monster I defeated.”

“You’re the one who keeps telling that story, hey!”

“Gahahaha!”

The adventurers who had hunted a large number of monsters were warming up to each other, happily sharing their tales of valor. And there was also a cheerful person here.

“The Dragon Princess Ceremony will be held soon!”

It’s Lune. Lune originally came to this town to participate in the Dragon Princess Ceremony.

The ceremony was in danger of being canceled due to the monster attack, but because the damage was unexpectedly minimal, the Dragon Princess Ceremony was decided to be held as usual, bringing relief to everyone.

And the people of the town were most delighted about that. Not only was the town suddenly attacked by a horde of monsters, but they were also worried that they would lose their annual enjoyment. It seems like everyone was on edge.

“I hope you can win.”

“Yes! I have been training hard for this day! I will definitely win!”

Liliera and the others sent a gentle gaze to Lune, who was determined.

“Well, there’s no doubt that you will win.”

“Yes, there aren’t many humans who can defeat someone who can throw a dragon.”

And then Liliera and the others turned their gaze towards me.

“Even those rare individuals wouldn’t be able to participate in a women-only tournament, so victory is assured, right?”

“It’s easier for us as spectators.”

“Where do they organize the bets for this ceremony?”

While the women who were confident that Lune would win were in a relaxed mood, Meguri was looking around, searching for someone to place bets with behind the scenes of the ceremony.

“Hey, aren’t you all going to participate?”

This tournament is limited to women, so I and Gyro-kun cannot participate, but Liliera and the others can because they are women.

“I’d rather not. I already stand out enough in this town. I don’t want to attract any more attention.”

“Oh, that would be troublesome.”

And then, it happened. In response to Liliera’s statement, a familiar voice reacted.

“You are… the guild master?!”

Yes, the one who approached us and spoke was the guild master who manages the adventurer guild in this town. And the guild master was accompanied by an unfamiliar, well-built man.

“Hey, isn’t that the guild master?”

“Did something happen again?”

The appearance of the guild master in the guild lobby caused a commotion among the adventurers.

“It is said that if you, who is rumored to be the reincarnation of the Dragon Princess, do not participate in this year’s Dragon Princess Ceremony, it will lack excitement.”

Liliera made a weary face in response to the guild master’s words.

“Everyone is talking about it, but I am not the Dragon Princess.”

Liliera said that, and the guild master nodded.

“I understand, I understand. Your point is valid. However, it is a fact that you single-handedly defeated a dragon. Moreover, it happened right in front of the town’s residents. So even if you are not the Dragon Princess, it is natural for them to expect you to participate in the Dragon Princess Ceremony since you came to the town at this time.”

The timing is too perfect. She happened to arrive during the Dragon Princess Ceremony, happened to defeat a stray dragon that appeared in the town, and happened to help repel the horde of monsters that attacked the town. It’s natural to question the relationship if you think about it normally.

“Furthermore, during the recent monster attack, the Golden Dragon and the Silver Dragon intervened in the battle as if they were protecting the town. Just like legendary dragon knights.”

“I have nothing to do with those dragons. I fought on the ground.”

“That’s what they say.”

When Liliera asserted her alibi, the guild master readily agreed.

“But still, the town’s residents are expecting you to be strong. It would be a great achievement if you participate in the Dragon Princess Ceremony and win.”

“As I said before, I’m not interested.”

“Hey, Liliera, why don’t you participate in the tournament? If you win, you’ll become famous.”

Gyro whispered to Mina, questioning why Liliera didn’t want to stand out. Gyro became an adventurer with the goal of becoming a top-class adventurer and gaining fame, so he couldn’t understand why Liliera didn’t want to be noticed.

“Well, if you think about it normally, it’s probably because she doesn’t want to be mistaken for the Dragon Princess. It’s one thing to be recognized for her activities as an adventurer, but it’s another to be famous for something unrelated to her, like being associated with a legend. It probably feels like taking credit for someone else’s achievements.”

“I see, I guess that’s how it is.”

Well, I can understand that too. In my past life, I was constantly involved in troublesome situations because I was celebrated as a hero. So this time, I’ll just stay quiet. I can’t participate in the ceremony anyway!

“So, how about a request from me?”

At that moment, a man next to the guild master interrupted the conversation.

“A request…?”

“Yes, I request that you participate in the Dragon Princess Ceremony.”

Liliera tilted her head in confusion at the sudden strange request.

“Um, why would you make such a request?”

Yeah, Liliera’s question is valid. Making a request means there will be a fee. I don’t understand why they would pay her to fight, even if they want her to.

“Ah, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Mornig, the mayor of this town.”

“Mayor?!”

We couldn’t help but exclaim when we realized that the one who made the request was the mayor of the town.

“The Dragon Princess Ceremony is an important ritual for the town. It’s not just a simple ceremony, but also a festival that attracts people from outside the town.”

Is it about what Lune mentioned before, turning the Dragon Princess Ceremony into a martial arts tournament to attract more spectators?

“As someone involved in the festival’s operation, I want to avoid anything that would dampen the festival’s excitement.”

“Well, I can understand that, but…”

So for the people of the town, Liliera, who defeated the dragon, is like a special guest.

As a guest, it is only natural for her to participate in the festival. They were expecting that, and if she didn’t show up, they would be disappointed.

And if their expectations were not met, the number of repeat visitors for next year’s festival might decrease.

If that were to happen, it would be a big blow to the operation, so they want to make her an honorary guest by paying her.

In my past life, a merchant acquaintance of mine used to say, “Even if it’s an unexpected event, a first-class merchant responds to the expectations of their customers! Otherwise, sales will decline!” So I can understand their thinking.

But even so, I still think it was a bit too much to forcefully make me, who happened to be in town for a mission, participate.

“Hmm, with a reward…”

Liliera started to ponder upon hearing about the reward.

“Speaking of rewards, is there any reward for the Dragon Princess Ceremony itself?”

Meguri asked what the benefits of participating in the Dragon Princess Ceremony were.

“Oh yes, there are. In order to attract strong fighters, we offer a reward of 200 gold coins to the winner of the Dragon Princess Ceremony.”

“Wow! 200 gold coins!”

Meguri’s eyes sparkled at the mention of 200 gold coins.

“200 coins… if we convert that to rent for the inn…”

Well, Liliera, we already have our own house, you know?

“Oh, wait? Does that mean there will be more rivals!?”

Meguri started warming up, Liliera began to seriously contemplate, and Lune turned pale and started to panic.

“Well, there are also some disadvantages… but we have enough money for now…”

But it seems like Liliera still doesn’t like being treated as the Dragon Princess, and her heart is leaning towards refusing the request. But then, the guild master came to the rescue.

“Regarding that, as the guild, if you participate in the Dragon Princess Ceremony, we can offer you corresponding benefits.”

The guild master joined the negotiation, supporting the mayor.

“From the guild?”

“Yes, if you participate in the Dragon Princess Ceremony, I guarantee your promotion to S-rank.”

“S-rank promotion?!”

The guild members were in an uproar at the unexpected mention of an S-rank promotion.

“Isn’t that a bit too good to be true?”

“No, you have the strength to defeat a dragon alone. So there is no problem with your promotion to S-rank. There may be some minor issues, but if you demonstrate your strength at the ceremony, it will be a significant achievement. After all, all the spectators who come to see the ceremony will be witnesses.”

The guild master is clever. The benefits are significant, so it became even more difficult for Liliera to refuse.

“Hmm… with double rewards and an S-rank guarantee…”,Liliera is still pondering, while also glancing at the Guild Master, as she is proposed an additional reward.

“Um…”

By the way, Lune is staring at Liliera, who is struggling to make a decision, with a pale face. And after a short pause, Liliera seems to have made a decision and raises her head.

“…I understand. I will accept this request.”

“Wow!”

“Gyaaa!”

Cheers and screams echo through the lobby.

“Thank you very much. With this, I can face my ancestors who incorporated the Martial Arts Tournament into the Dragon Princess Ceremony.”

Ah, I see. It’s because your ancestors were involved in the ceremony that you negotiated so seriously… right?

“Wait, so it was your ancestors!?”

Wow, I never expected that the ancestors of the mayor were the ones who started the Dragon Princess Ceremony… It feels like we’re connected by blood or something.

“…Well, it’s impossible to refuse when it’s a direct request from the Guild Master.”

I see, Liliera accepted the request to participate in the tournament to please the Guild Master. After all, we adventurers belong to the Adventurer’s Guild. It would be awkward for us to refuse a request from the Guild Master.

But Liliera’s mutter, which she quietly said, is drowned out by the cheers in the lobby and can only be heard by those of us nearby.

“It’s good that everything is settled.”

And here, the Guild Master raises his hand along with his voice, and the guild falls silent again. Everyone looks at the Guild Master, wondering if there’s something else.

“The Dragon Princess Ceremony, however, has been postponed due to certain circumstances.”

“What!?”

Everyone expresses their dissatisfaction at the unexpected announcement of the postponement.

“Was there some negative impact due to the monster attack?”

“No, we have decided to hold another ceremony at the same time starting this year. That’s why we decided to postpone the original date for preparations.”

“Another ceremony?”

“Yes! Starting this year, in addition to the Dragon Princess Ceremony for women, we have also decided to hold the Dragon Emperor Ceremony for men!”

“What!?”

The adventurers in the guild become excited when they hear that a ceremony for men, the Dragon Emperor Ceremony, will also be held.

“Seriously!? Can we also participate in this tournament that we’ve only been able to watch!?”

“Of course, there will also be a prize money for this tournament, right!?”

“Of course! After all, it is a ceremony to choose the legendary Dragon Emperor role in our country! And to commemorate the first ceremony, the prize money will be 400 gold coins, double that of the Dragon Princess Ceremony!”

“Wow!”

“The ceremony will be held in one month! It seems that there will be nobles from the capital attending, as it is the first ceremony to choose the Dragon Emperor! Depending on your performance, there is a possibility of being recruited as a knight!”

“Wow!”

“Seriously!? Not only 400 gold coins, but we can also become knights!?”

“You idiots, winning is impossible for you. The 400 gold coins and the position of knight are mine!”

“Don’t be ridiculous, I will be the one to win!”

The adventurers in the guild become excited by the consecutive statements of the mayor. In the adventure of the great swordsman Ligerd, it is popular as a story of a commoner’s rise to fame when adventurers are recognized as knights.

In that story, Ligerd, who saved his companions and nobles, is recommended to become a knight, but he chooses freedom and declines the offer. Instead, Ligerd recommends his fellow swordsman to become a knight. Everyone likes the part where Ligerd’s companions become knights, but I felt a sense of empathy for Ligerd, who chose freedom even if it meant giving up honor.

“Brother, let’s participate too!”

And just as I was thinking about that, Gyro excitedly invites me to the tournament.

“Huh? Gyro, do you want to become a knight?”

Well, Gyro’s goal is to become famous, so if he wins and becomes a knight, he can achieve his goal, right?

“I don’t really care about becoming a knight. It seems too formal. What I want is to fight in the tournament! After all, it’s a tournament to choose the strongest king in the country! And there’s a prize money of 400 gold coins! There will definitely be incredibly strong people participating! I want to fight them and see if I’ve become stronger after being trained by you, brother!”

I see, Gyro’s aim is to fight against formidable opponents who have come seeking the prize money and the position of knight. Even if humans and monsters are at the same rank, the presence or absence of wisdom can lead to unexpected difficulties.

“So, brother, let’s participate together!”

“Huh!? Me too!?”

No, no, I don’t want to stand out too much, so I don’t want to participate in this kind of tournament.

“Don’t say that, brother! I want to fight against you too! And I’ll let Norbu participate too!”

“Huh!? Am I participating too!?”

Ugh, Gyro is looking at me with sparkling eyes. He really wants to fight against strong opponents. I’m sorry, Norbu.

“I would like to request that as well.”

And then, the Guild Master joins us.

“Even the Guild Master…”

“I have heard about the incident at the dismantling site from my subordinates. You adventurers are capable of slaying dragons, and one of you is even an S-rank adventurer.”

Ah, it’s the Guild Master, so he knows the background of the adventurers under his guild.

“As for Liliera and you, Rex, it was originally because Rex told us that we could fight dragons alone in the town. So I think Rex also has an obligation to participate in this tournament.”

No, that’s not true! It’s just a coincidence, really!

“Ahaha, but I’m not interested in the prize money or becoming a knight…”

“It’s fine, let’s accept it, Rex.”

And at that moment, Liliera suddenly joins the conversation.

“The reason I am participating is not just because Rex told us that we could fight dragons alone in the town. So I think Rex also has an obligation to participate in this tournament.”

I imagined an undead dragging victims into the dark depths of the earth, with Liliera’s expression as she grabbed my arm. It was as if she was saying, “Do you think I’ll let you bask in the warm sun alone?”

“Well, I don’t really need money or honor…”

In fact, my goal is to live a modest life as an adventurer, hunting monsters and living day by day. I want to live a life completely unrelated to honor in this new life.

“Oh, that’s fine. I have a good idea.”

“…”

I don’t know why, but I don’t feel like it’s a really good idea.

“It seems that news of the Dragon Emperor Ceremony has spread throughout the country as planned.”

“Yes, now we can successfully use the tournament as a pretext to expose the new Dragon Emperor.”

We gathered in a salon in a corner of the mansion, away from the servants, for a conspiracy to secretly bury the newly resurrected Dragon Emperor. It was a gathering to ensure the success of a plot to bury the new Dragon Emperor, someone unknown to the public.

We were horrified when we heard that the horde of monsters that attacked the town of Tatsutron was annihilated by the actions of someone riding a Golden Dragon, the strongest dragon. Because a dragon knight who rides the Golden Dragon is none other than the strongest Dragon Knight, the Dragon Emperor.

The revival of the great emperor should have been a celebration for us, the people of Dragonia… but it wasn’t. At least not for us upper-class nobles.

The Dragon Emperor had become a casualty in the battle against the demons, and the son born between the Dragon Princess and the Dragon Emperor inherited the throne. However, due to a plague that occurred in later years, all the dragon knights at that time lost their lives. What was even more problematic was that among the casualties, the Dragon Emperor at that time was also present.

Furthermore, the most terrible thing was that all the blood relatives of the Dragon Emperor were dragon knights. In a short period of time, there were no more blood relatives of the Dragon Emperor left.

This caused turmoil among the upper echelons of Dragonia. At one point, the country was on the verge of splitting in two.

Eventually, the then Prime Minister used the legend that the Dragon Emperor would return someday to select the most outstanding person among the nobles as a substitute emperor, thereby stabilizing the country.

It was also a game of musical chairs, where each time there was a change of emperor, a new substitute emperor would be chosen. Many nobles agreed to this system, as it gave them hope that if they were competent enough, they could obtain the position of emperor.

Well, in reality, it is a system where the major noble families, who can receive sufficient education, monopolize the position of substitute emperor. However, even so, this system has been working well.,After all, even though it was just a formality that everyone had a chance, the nobles were eager to raise capable successors, so there was a high possibility of being promoted as their retainers, even if they couldn’t become the new emperor proxy.

However, there was one major flaw in this system. In order to prevent someone from monopolizing the throne, it was necessary for everyone to declare themselves as mere proxies of the emperor.

This declaration was specifically to declare oneself as the proxy of the Dragon Emperor, and if this declaration were to be broken, it would not only invite opposition factions within the country but also the intervention of other nations.

The content of this declaration was that “When the Dragon Emperor returns, the emperor proxy will return the throne to the Dragon Emperor.” And now, with the undeniable evidence of the Dragon Emperor’s appearance in the town of Tatsutron, accompanied by the Golden Dragon, the nobles in the capital were in an uproar.

However…

“The resurrected Dragon Emperor has yet to reveal his identity or make any demands for the return of the throne. There must be some intention behind this.”

Yes, even though he rode the Golden Dragon and participated in battle, the Dragon Emperor has since disappeared. It is truly an eerie silence.

“Is he sensing that we have no intention of returning the throne?”

“Perhaps the lower-ranking nobles, who are not pleased with the high-ranking nobles monopolizing the position of emperor proxy, are siding with the Dragon Emperor.”

That possibility is high. No matter how excellent the lower-ranking nobles may be, it is difficult for them to advance further due to the high-ranking nobles monopolizing higher positions. It is highly likely that they are welcoming the Dragon Emperor in order to improve their own positions.

“Hmph, as if we would give up the throne to some resurrected ghost from the past.”

That’s right. Regardless of any intentions, it is an undeniable fact that we, the high-ranking nobles, have been governing this country.

Above all, the declaration to eventually return the throne to the resurrected Dragon Emperor is just a means for us to obtain the throne. Everyone knows this.

That’s why we ordered the mayor of the town of Tatsutron, under the pretext of the Dragon Emperor’s revival, to hold the Dragon Emperor’s ceremony. And behind the scenes, to carry out the plot to assassinate the Dragon Emperor.

“We have already sent assassins disguised as tournament participants. Once the true identity of the Dragon Emperor is revealed, we will take care of him.”

“Even if they have a dragon knight who can command the Golden Dragon, they cannot let the dragon rampage in the town.”

“Hehehe, we will make the Dragon Emperor disappear before he can reclaim the throne.”

The elite assassins who have been working behind the scenes to solidify our rule have gathered in one town for the sole purpose of killing a single person. If they are attacked by a pack of rabid dogs who will stop at nothing to eliminate their target, even the Dragon Emperor, no matter how powerful, will not escape unscathed.

“The number of people leaving the town has significantly decreased since the announcement of the Dragon Emperor’s ceremony. It seems that mercenaries and adventurers who were originally planning to leave have chosen to stay in the town to participate in the tournament.”

Yes, the decision to hold the Dragon Emperor’s ceremony was also to keep the Dragon Emperor, who may be hiding in the town, occupied. Dragonia, where the Emperor himself ruled as a dragon knight, respects the strong.

Therefore, if the Dragon Emperor himself does not appear in the first tournament where participants determine their roles, doubts may arise about his strength. Of course, the truth doesn’t matter. It’s enough to spread rumors so that the people believe it.

“Also, from the Adventurer’s Guild, I have prepared a list of adventurers staying in the town of Tatsutron. It’s under the pretense of examining adventurers who may be recruited as knights. There is one person among them who caught my attention.”

“Oh?”

Count Jihou, our comrade, spread the list on the table and pointed to the name of a certain adventurer.

“Rex, the Big Game Eater. He became an S-rank adventurer within less than a year of registering as an adventurer.”

“S-rank in less than a year!?”

Upon hearing Count Jihou’s words, everyone present exclaimed in surprise. And understandably so, for us, adventurers are a lowly profession, like commoners trying to strike it rich.

However, among them, S-rank adventurers are recognized as exceptional. They are capable of subduing magical beasts that even regular knight orders cannot defeat and bringing back legendary treasures from the depths of dungeons. S-rank adventurers are equivalent to elite knights and have contributed to solving various challenges faced by the upper-class nobles of each country.

Literally, they are monsters in human form, those S-rank adventurers. Furthermore, they don’t have proper morals and will bite even nobles if they don’t like them. Because of their strength and difficult nature to handle, even we, the high-ranking nobles, must be cautious when dealing with S-rank adventurers.

“…Ah, indeed, I was surprised to hear that such a big shot is staying here, but it’s unlikely that he is the Dragon Emperor.”

However, in this case, there is probably no need to worry.

“That’s right. Since he hasn’t revealed himself so far, it’s unlikely that the Dragon Emperor would take on a prominent position like an S-rank adventurer.”

“Yes, that’s true. But well… considering his rank, I was a little curious.”

“Well, one capable person has been eliminated from the candidates. It’s not a bad thing.”

“Yes, that’s right. If this monster were the Dragon Emperor, there would be no need to worry about assassination.”

“Hahahaha, yes!”