Moto Sekai Ichi – 229 | Sousaku – 創作

229　Thorny

Arc 11: The Empire

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Gordo Marubell: Emperor
Clearla Marubell: The Emperor's Wife
Melson Marubell: Princess, Eldest Sister
Light Marubell: Prince, Younger Brother

Seram: A spy for Melson?
Nat Shaman: General of the Marubell Empire, Leader of the Princess' Imperial Guard
Sigaronne Elbuni: Prime Minister of the Marubell Empire

"He…………won."
"Really……?"
"……What's more, ten wins in a row!"
"That's crazy……!"

While Seven was shaking hands with General Nat Shaman, Seven's subordinates, the imperial guards assigned to the prince, were so shocked that their brains were tingling.

"As expected, Seven-sama is not the type to remain a Knight Commander."
"He will surely get promoted. Eventually a general, or perhaps a prime minister, or maybe even……"
"Ah, maybe it's not a dream."

The three people who first learned of Seven's abnormality when they were summoned by the prime minister were discussing Seven's future. Among them, it seemed certain that Seven would soon become a general.

"Did you see that, everyone? That's our knight commander. We're going to follow that guy from now on."
"……There's nothing more rewarding than this, right?"
"Yeah, I think so too."

The men who tried to trap Seven with the former Knight Commander and the young man who knocked Seven's booklet out of his hands stood there, staring at Seven, talking about what had happened without meeting each other's eyes.

It had been about two years since the emperor stopped promoting meritocracy, but that way of thinking still remained strong among the people living in the empire. Therefore, just because Seven had defeated Nat Shaman, they readily accepted him from the bottom of their hearts.

That is how powerful a man General Nat Shaman, Commander of the Imperial Guard assigned to the princess, was to them.

"Swordsmanship, Spearmanship, Martial Arts! Shield Arts, Magic, and Thread Manipulation were all amazing! Above all, his archery skills! If I can learn it, it's worth sacrificing everything I have! What an incredible sight! "

On the other hand, the elite man who had stayed up all night to learn 《Dragon King Archery》 was wide awake, his excitement still palpable as he spoke. No, maybe more like an all-night high. His eyes were unusually bloodshot.

"The first match was amazing! Unless you can dodge that first shot from the Soldier Archery, there's no way you can resist."
"That's if you can even dodge it."
"Without doubt. Just as I thought his arm moved slightly, an arrow was already flying straight toward."
"After that, his transition from Shield Arts to Martial Arts was frighteningly fast."
"Now that you mention it, I found the link to Thread Manipulation even more terrifying."
"Yeah. Being kicked high into the air, falling, and then immediately restrained after hitting the ground…… That must be unbearable."

The other knights who had stayed up all night in the same situation were similarly excited, forming a circle and praising Seven's skills.

"I understand the desire to learn. I'm going to take a chance and ask Knight Commander Seven when he doesn't seem too busy."
"Isn't that a little rude? "
"No, Knight Commander Seven is a very generous person. Besides, he is…… our knight commander."
"Yeah, that's right... Haha, look, I got goosebumps."
"I am truly glad to be an imperial guard serving His Highness the Prince."
"We may be witnessing something incredible right now."

To them, Seven was a larger-than-life figure who, despite being ignored, shared his skills with them, led them to victory in a team battle against their rivals, the Imperial Guard Knights who served the princess, and even defeated their commander in a one-on-one battle.

In a sense, he was their hero.

A presence who will raise their abilities, improve their status, and lead them to even greater heights in the future.

With this, how could they not admire him?

"I want to be taught as soon as possible."
"Yeah, I'm so excited."

However, they did not know yet.

That Seven was about to be sent into battle as commander at the recommendation of Prime Minister Sigaronne.

＊ ＊ ＊

After finishing my match with Nat, I took a break and had dinner with Light.

"This is really delicious, as expected."

"What do you mean, 'as expected'? Didn't you eat such good food at my aunt's place? "

"No, I just thought that princes would eat something different."

"Hmph. Thanks to me, you can eat such good food, so you should be grateful to me, Seven."

"Yeah, yeah."

"……Seriously, learn your place. I am a Prince, and you are the Commander of the Imperial Guard. I'm not saying you always have to use respectful language, but stop treating people like they're a bother."

"Then stop being so patronizing. Or what, did you want me to praise you? "

"T-That's not it! I'm just stating the truth! It's all thanks to me! "

"Thank you, Light-kun. Thanks to you, I can eat delicious food."

"You're making fun of me, aren't you?! Ugh! "

As always, Light is being snobby. However, I feel like he has softened a little. At least he stopped saying, “You're fired.”

Oh, that reminds me.

"Hey, 'you're fired, you're fired' act of yours. Are you imitating Sigaronne-san? "

"…………That's not it."

I knew it.

"So you were trying to imitate the most capable person in the empire? How cute of you."

"I said it's not like that! "

"Your face is turning red."

"N-No, it's not! "

What do you mean 'it's not'?

As I watched him panic, Light turned away and started eating his meal, ignoring me.

I get it. I totally get that thing where you imitate the way your favorite character talks during puberty.

Well, if he embarrasses himself now, at least the damage won't be too bad.

"I mean, didn't Sigaronne-san become like that after being appointed prime minister two years ago, a position he didn't even want? What are you going to do by imitating that? Just imitate him from his time as a general…… Oh, or maybe he's always had a foul mouth, ever since he was a general? "

There was just one thing that bothered me.

According to Joe, the brainwashed soldier, Sigaronne-san wasn't like that two years ago. Maybe he was a little softer.

Is Light imitating Sigaronne-san as he is now, or as he was two years ago?

"……It wasn't as bad as it is now, but even then, he was always sarcastic. Just not with such foul language like now."

"Is his catchphrase ‘you're fired’? "

"Yeah……But."

"Ah, you admit it."

"Don't laugh!"

"Sorry."

I see, that's pretty much what I expected. His personality has probably always been like that, but his current favorite word, “shit,” is something he probably started using two years ago.

In other words, two years ago, there was a reason why he had to start saying “shit.” That's probably an act of defiance, implying, "I was forced to become a prime minister against my will, but it was His Majesty’s order, so I’m obeying even though I’m miserable."

Sigaronne-san, how did such……?

"Hey, what are you smiling about? How dare a mere maid insult me? "

"My apologies! However."

"You're fired. And that's not just a catchphrase. Aren't you glad you got to hear it from me? Come on, laugh."

"……I am very sorry."

While I was thinking about various things, Light started picking on the maid who was serving us.

He's still such a brat in this regard.

"Hey, didn't I tell you that you lack imagination?"

"Huh? "

"I don't think that maid was mocking you. Right? "

"Y-Yes! I swear! "

It's obvious when you think about it, but…… how can I put it…… Light doesn't have any flexibility.

No, I suppose that is to be expected. With his own father treating him that way, his sister and the general as his enemies, and not being allowed to see his mother, and no one he could trust in the castle―― it's no wonder he developed this thorny attitude toward everyone.

……Ah, I think I understand why the maid smiled.

"I-It was my first time seeing Your Highness eating so cheerfully, so I couldn’t help but……"

"Wh――! "

In other words, she felt “warm and fuzzy.” So she couldn't help but smile.

The maid's confession was exactly what I expected. However, this seemed to be unexpected for Light, and as a result, it only made him angrier.

"You bastard! You've shamed me! No more excuses! I will never forgive you! Get out! Shitty Maid! "

"Your attempt to hide your embarrassment is obvious, so just give up and be humble. Like the other night."

"～～～! ! "

"! ? "

Light's face turned bright red with anger, and he glared at me.

And for some reason, I felt like the maid's eyes flashed.

"Well, I understand. I totally understand that if you get looked down on, you lose. But if you treat even harmless people harshly, you'll only reduce the number of your allies and increase the number of your enemies. Isn’t that right? "

"Yeah, I know, but still......"

"You're doing exactly what you consulted me about that night. Was it a lie when you said you wanted to get rid of your habit of putting on airs? "

"You're wrong! "

"Now is your chance. The tide is turning. If you're going to change, now is the time. Oh, that's right, I defeated Nat and improved your position a little. Consider this a reward, and try being nice to this maid. Okay? "

"……～um……"

Light glared at me with teary eyes and groaned softly.

To groan means to be troubled.

As a reward…… With that reason, it seems that it became a little easier for him emotionally.

Light let out a deep sigh and turned to the maid.

"……So, the thing is. You're not fired."

"I am truly grateful for Your Highness’s generous decision."

"It can't be helped. If I'm told it's a reward for defeating Nat Shaman, then I have no choice but to accept it."

"Yes, you’re absolutely right."

"Hmph…… I'll overlook that smile too. Well, I guess there's no helping it."

"I'm truly honored."

"……You don't seem apologetic."

"N-No! No way! "

That's the spirit!

When you do something that I couldn't do when I was a kid, for some reason it makes me happy.

Besides, if you don't get your act together, I won't be able to become a general.

"You apologized well. Well done!"

"I had no choice. Besides, you know…… you were amazing. You properly, supported, me……"

Light averted his gaze from me and said that in a hushed voice.

I see, that's why he became so mellow.

"Hey, Seven. Um, about the reward, I don't think this is appropriate. It should be something more――"

"Oh, Sigaronne-san told me to come to his office after lunch."

"――You seeeeeeeeeeeriously love messing with me! ! Every single time! ! "

"You're here. First of all, I should thank you for allowing me to enjoy a long, leisurely meal."

Sigaronne-san starts off with a sarcastic remark.

Even though he called me, he's still the same. He's so consistent.

Seriously, though, between the prince and the prime minister, why are all the people around me so thorny?

"Don't mention it."

"……Tch."

When I replied sarcastically, Sigaronne-san raised the corners of his mouth and clicked his tongue.

"You were confidently saying that I should look forward to three days from then, weren’t you?"

"Yes."

"Simply put, it was boring. How will you take responsibility? "

"That's a very obvious lie."

Clearly a lie. I'm super conscious about entertaining people during games.

"It's not a lie. It was boring for me. I said so, so it is so. It is an undeniable fact. And you have no way of verifying it."

"Yeah, I guess it's true."

Even if it was a lie, it cannot be verified.

No, it's clearly a lie, though……

"Now, let's get down to business."

Sigaronne-san refused to admit that he had enjoyed himself, sipping his coffee and rummaging through a drawer before pulling out a piece of paper.

"You know about the conflict between the Kingdom of Oranjee and the small country of Shizun, right? "

"No, I don’t."

"Ah, now I remember, you are an idiot, aren't you?"

I'm sorry.

"The Sacred Country of Kamel, I guess it is now called the Republic of Dizart? Well, it's fine as it is, the Sacred Country. That place is exhausted from the revolution and is still in the process of bringing the country together. With this goal in mind, the Marubell Empire occupied the small country of Shizun, located between the Marubell Empire and the Sacred Country. Officially, we are protecting the small country that has lost the backing of the Sacred Country from the Kingdom of Oranjee."

I see. I believe the Kingdom of Oranjee is located next to the small country of Shizun and the Sacred Country of Kamel. In other words, the small country of Shizun is a very important strategic location for the Empire, the Kingdom, and the Sacred Country.

Since it has been occupied without permission, the Kingdom of Oranjee cannot remain silent.

"The small country is at the mercy of the Empire, but eventually the Kingdom of Oranjee will also exert pressure. With the permission of the Sacred Country, soldiers from the Kingdom of Oranjee are already stationed in some areas of the Sacred Country. However, the king of that country does not have the courage to occupy the Sacred Country. It should still be safe…… but if the commander there sees an opportunity, he might even invade. Therefore, the empire must take action before then."

"Are you setting something up? "

"Specifically, we will invade the Sacred Country first. The ideal scenario would be to have the Sacred Country cede more than 30% of its territory to the Empire and put further pressure on the Kingdom of Oranjee. At the same time, we will interfere with trade with the Kingdom of Castall and crush any complaints. Even if the three nations unite, they are not enemies of the empire."

Hey, hey, hey.

"What is the justification for the invasion? "

"None. If anything, it's because it's an eyesore."

There it is. This is the Marubell Empire I know. Power is justice, power is everything, and this is a country of pure meritocracy where everything has been achieved through brute force. This is the Marubell Empire in Mobius Online.

I finally got to meet you. Was that mighty Marubell Empire hidden inside Sigaronne-san?

"What should I do? "

So, what was it again? I didn't listen very well.

What's my job, anyway?

"That's easy. Hit the joker with a joker. If only we could get rid of 'that', the Kingdom of Oranjee would be no match for us."

Sigaronne-san said that and handed me a piece of paper.

It was an extravagant piece of paper that was clearly an order from the emperor.

It basically said something like, “You're strong, so go to war.” The emperor seems to have been very impressed by today's match against Nat. It even says “I have high expectations for you,” something he would certainly never say to his son.

Then Sigaronne-san smiled and continued.

"You shall lead your troops to invade the Sacred Country of Kamel, where you will strike and defeat the general of the Oranjee Army――"

=====
Thank you for reading.

Cheat sheet

Status Details

HP　Hit Points
MP　Magic Points
SP　Stamina Points
STR　Short range attack skill power, strength, physical power.
DEX　Long range attack skill power, dexterity, hit rate.
AGI　Quickness, avoidance rate.
INT　Attack Magic skill power.
LUK　Good luck, critical rate.
VIT　Simple defense.
MGR　Magic defense.

Skill Ranking

From lower (16th) to higher (1st) class, then it changes to the “Dan” system of martial arts, which means Grade

16th class
15th class
14th class
13th class
12h class
11th class
10th class
9th class
8th class
7th class
6th class
5th class
4th class
3rd class
2nd class
1st class
Grade 1
Grade 2
Grade 3
Grade 4
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9 (Can challenge Title when all related skills are at this level)

Types of combat skills

Named after shogi pieces (The word in bold is the one being used in this translation). From easier to acquire to harder.

Pawn/Soldier (Fuhyou)
Lance(Kyousha)
Knight (Keima)
Silver General (Ginshou)
Gold General (Kinshou)
Bishop (Kakugyou)
Rook (Hisha)
Promoted Bishop/Dragon Horse(Ryuuma)
Promoted Rook/Dragon King (Ryuuou).

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List of Swordsmanship skills

【Swordsmanship】　Damage： STR Dependent.

《Dragon King Swordsmanship》　Powerful ranged attack forward + stun.
《Dragon Horse Swordsmanship》　Powerful ranged attack in all directions.
《Rook Swordsmanship》　Very strong single-target attack.
《Bishop Swordsmanship》　Quick and powerful penetrating attack.
《Gold Swordsmanship》　Ranged attack in all directions.
《Silver Swordsmanship》　Strong, single-target attack.
《Knight Swordsmanship》　Precision attack＋added damage against vital points.
《Lance Swordsmanship》　Penetrating attack.
《Soldier Swordsmanship》　Normal attack.

(Rook＋Knight, Silver＋Knight, Lance＋Knight, Soldier＋Knight are possible for Combine)

List of Jojutsu (cane) skills

【Jojutsu】Thrust・Strike・Sweep

《Dragon King Jojutsu》　Extremely powerful wide-area attack
《Dragon Horse Jojutsu》　Wide range defense + knockback
《Rook Jojutsu》　Very powerful ranged attack
《Bishop Jojutsu》　Rush piercing attack
《Gold Jojutsu》　Very strong defense
《Silver Jojutsu》　Powerful ranged attack
《Knight Jojutsu》　Rush attack
《Lance Jojutsu》　Piercing attack
《Soldier Jojutsu》　Conventional attack

List of Spearmanship skills

【Spearmanship】

《Dragon King Spearmanship》　Extremely powerful single-target attack
《Dragon Horse Spearmanship》　Powerful long-range attack (shockwave)
《Rook Spearmanship》　Rush attack (charge thrust)
《Bishop Spearmanship》　Powerful ranged attack (Cleave)
《Gold Spearmanship》　Counterattack (Counter)
《Silver Spearmanship》　Powerful single-target attack (charge thrust)
《Knight Spearmanship》　Forward leaping attack (leaping thrust)
《Lance Spearmanship》　Ranged attack (Cleave)
《Soldier Spearmanship》　Normal Attack (Thrust)

List of Archery skills

【Archery】

《Dragon King Archery》　Powerful on-impact ranged attack.
《Dragon Horse Archery》　Powerful piercing ranged attack.
《Rook Archery》　Very strong single-target range attack.
《Bishop Archery》　Strong piercing range attack.
《Gold Archery》　Range attack with added knockback.
《Silver Archery》　Strong single-target range attack.
《Knight Archery》　Precise sniping range attack.
《Lance Archery》　Piercing range attack.
《Soldier Archery》　Normal range attack.

List of Shield Arts skills

【Shield Arts】

《Dragon King Shield Arts》　Very powerful ranged attack to the front.
《Dragon Horse Shield Arts》　Reinforced defense + all-range attack.
《Rook Shield Arts》　Powerful forward Rush attack (VIT converted to STR and added to net STR)
《Bishop Shield Arts》　Great Reinforced Defense (16th class: 250% ~ Grade 9th: 600% Defense)
《Gold Shield Arts》　Range homing defense ＋ Knockback（While active, attacks within a certain range would redirect themselves towards the shield）
《Silver Shield Arts》　Reinforced defense (parry grace time reduced by 0.01 second, successful parry triggers counterattack effect)
《Knight Shield Arts》　Defense + Knockback.
《Lance Shield Arts》　Piercing Reflective Defense
《Soldier Shield Arts》　Normal defense.
Success condition for parry: Activate the skill 0.287 to 0.250 seconds before the attack reaches the target.

List of Magic skills

【Magic】 (Four attributes: fire, water, wind, and earth)
Advantages and disadvantages: Fire>Earth>Wind>Water>Fire
・First Form　Normal Attack （Preparation time： Super short. Cooldown： Super short）
・Second Form　Extended range attack （Slow. Long）
・Third Form　Strong single-target attack （Short. Short）
・Fourth Form　Powerful extended-range attack （Super slow. Super long）
・Fifth Form　Very powerful extended-range attack （Slowest. Longest）

【Magical Magic】
《Combine》　Combines two magic skills into a single attack.
《Synergy》　Overlays two magic spells on top of another magic spell.
《Charge》　Magic attack that increases in magnitude the more it is charged up.

List of Martial Arts skills

【Martial Arts】　Attack：(STR+DEX+AGI)/2.56

《Dragon King Martial Arts》　A very powerful wide-area attack in the front (shockwave)
《Dragon Horse Martial Arts》　Accelerated forward strike (Dash Punch)
《Rook Martial Arts》　Very powerful single-target attack + charge (Punch)
《Bishop Martial Arts》　Omni-directional attack (Roundhouse kick)
《Gold Martial Arts》　Short-range attack plus defense (Tackle)
《Silver Martial Arts》　Strong single-target attack （Punch）
《Knight Martial Arts》　Forward jumping attack （Jumping kick）
《Lance Martial Arts》　Short-range attack (Kick)
《Soldier Martial Arts》　Normal attack （Punch）

List of Sword-drawing skills

【Sword-drawing】 (STR+DEX+AGI+VIT)/5.12+remaining SP/10^4（fire power when using a sword at the belt 128％）

《Dragon King Sword-drawing》 (The more you charge, the more power) Extremely powerful area of effect attack.
《Dragon Horse》 Range attack in all directions.
《Rook Sword-drawing》 (The more you charge, the more power) Extremely powerful Sword drawing attack (Single attack)
《Bishop Sword-drawing》 Quick and powerful thrust.
《Gold Sword-drawing》 Counter (Single attack + defense)
《Silver Sword-drawing》 (The more you charge, the more power) Powerful Sword-drawing attack.
《Knight Sword-drawing》 Large movement + Sword drawing attack (Single attack)
《Lance Sword-drawing》 Movement + Sword drawing attack (Single attack)
《Soldier Sword-drawing》 Sword drawing attack (Single attack)

List of Thread Manipulation skills

【Thread Manipulation】
《Dragon King Thread Manipulation》　The most powerful single attack, limited to the restrained target.
《Dragon Horse Thread Manipulation》　Simultaneously emits multiple threads, forcibly restraining the touched object.
《Rook Thread Manipulation》　Very powerful single attack using a bundle of threads
《Bishop Thread Manipulation》　Powerful penetrating attack using thread like a needle.
《Gold Thread Manipulation》　Thread restraints on objects within a 4-meter radius.
《Silver Thread Manipulation》　Powerful single-target attack with a bundle of threads
《Knight Thread Manipulation》　Manipulate monsters, humans, and puppets using strings for a certain period of time.
《Lance Thread Manipulation》　Penetrating attack using thread like a needle.
《Soldier Thread Manipulation》　Single target attack with a bundle of threads
(Gold + Lance or Bishop can be Combined)

ToC