I follow Sebastian through the house and out onto the grounds.
When I arrive, I’m greeted by a rather absurd sight.
The king’s carriage is parked directly in front of my mansion. King Raymond himself is waiting outside, with his head assistant, Loyd, standing rigidly beside him. Behind them is another wagon—this one fitted with a cage. That is followed by six additional carriages, less ornate but still respectable. Behind those, a formation of guards… and behind them, roughly two hundred people escorting wagons filled with supplies.
They stretch so far back they disappear around the corner.
As I approach, Loyd starts sweating bullets.
I ignore him.
“Welcome to the Moonlight District, King Raymond.”
“Please,” he says warmly, “call me Father.”
“I refuse.”
He looks mildly crushed.
I turn my attention to Loyd.
“Hello, Loyd.”
He flinches so hard his knees nearly give out.
“What’s wrong?”
He doesn’t answer.
The king gestures toward him.
“He’s afraid of you.”
“Of me?”
The king gives him a light smack on the chest. Loyd straightens, visibly forcing himself to breathe.
Ah. That explains it.
“I am not your enemy, Loyd.”
He drops into a full dogeza.
“P-Please forgive me, Lord Hero! Due to my negligence the messenger arrived late! Please spare my life!”
I burst out laughing.
“That’s it? Don’t worry about it.”
He peeks up cautiously. I help him to his feet.
He rubs the back of his head, mortified.
“See?” the king says smugly. “I told you.”
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
“Mmm! Mmmmmm!”
The sound comes from my left.
I turn.
A girl is bound inside the cage.
It’s Shanon.
The moment she sees me approach, she freezes. Then she curls inward, trying to make herself as small as possible.
The king steps up beside me.
I point at the cage.
“What did she do?”
“She’s also afraid of you,” he says with a sigh.
“We had to keep her sedated for the last week of the journey. Otherwise she would’ve run.”
“Then why bring her at all?”
“My instructions were explicit.”
He raises his hand slightly and whispers a single word:
“Management.”
…That’s serious.
“Sebastian!”
“Yes, Lord Kaijuu!”
“Fetch my wives. Have them take care of her.”
The king places a hand on my shoulder.
“Sebastian,” he says calmly.
“Yes, my king?”
“Do not release her until both of them arrive.”
“Understood.”
I motion for the king to follow me.
“This way, King Raymond.”
We pass Loyd.
“Get your people settled. Speak with the head maid for instructions.”
I gesture toward the woman waiting by the mansion entrance.
“Yes, Lord Hero.”
He bows deeply.
The king falls into step beside me.
“You’ve truly become a lord since we last met.”
As I turn to reply, I notice a woman stepping out of one of the carriages—green dress, blonde hair, pointed ears.
An elf?
I’ll ask later. This isn’t the time.
---
My Study
The room is sealed and encrypted the moment we enter.
“Before we begin,” the king says, “shall we have a drink?”
“What’s your poison?”
“Jonas Brothers Whiskey.”
“Fifteen years?”
He freezes.
“…Management.”
“Management indeed.”
I retrieve the bottle and two glasses. We pour and drink in silence for a moment.
Then he speaks.
“I owe you an apology.”
“For what?”
“I lied to you. It is not our custom to offer a bride to the king’s benefactor. I followed instructions.”
He sets his glass down.
“I’ve been told you’ve been contacted by Management before.”
He raises a hand to stop me.
“This is the third time they’ve contacted me. Listen carefully.”
I nod.
“The first time, they ordered me to marry Roka’s mother. I complied.”
“What happened?”
“They call it the Butterfly Effect. It doesn’t always occur—but in this case, it saved her life. She was meant to die in a robbery that year. Living in the palace spared her.”
“I see.”
“The second time, I was ordered to bring eight guards into the forest and attack an orc. Failure meant my kingdom would fall three years later.”
He pauses.
“They told me *you* would be the cause.”
I blink.
“I followed their guidance. I made you an ally. I pushed the marriages. They even gave me the plan to save you when you fell into a coma. Your title, your land—every step was instructed.”
I lean back.
“Give me a second.”
I pour another drink. He extends his glass. We drink.
“How exactly was I supposed to destroy your kingdom if we’d never met?”
“They said you would continue gaining levels unchecked, as you did on your journey from the East Empire. Without bonds. Without love. You would become paranoid.”
He meets my eyes.
“One day… you would snap. Half my kingdom would fall before we could stop you.”
My head throbs.
“Why obey them so absolutely? Have you never considered defying them?”
He recoils.
“Heavens no—”
“Please. Call me Ryu.”
“…Ryu-san. Every king and emperor is warned at coronation. ‘Ignore Management at your own peril.’”
He exhales.
“Then we’re told of the Salt King.”
“My blessing came from the Force Awake Stone.”
“Tell me about the Salt King.”
He nods grimly.
“James Tailor. One of the first kings. Management ordered him to imprison his wife of twelve years. He refused.”
He swallows.
“The next morning he was found on his throne—his entire body turned to salt. Still wearing his crown.”
“A letter was left. All future rulers were warned. Disobedience would bring the same fate.”
“I need another drink.”
“So do I.”
We drink.
We talk.
Eventually…
Everything goes black.
