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TL: The first upload was duplicated. Here's the real chapter 13. Sorryy!!
Chapter 13: Let's put in the King
We arrived at the audience chamber.
It's quite spacious. It feels like more than 100 people could comfortably sleep and stay here.Armed guards line up on both sides of the room, and from the protruding area on the second floor, resembling a spectator's gallery, wizards were staring intently at us.
Quite strict security measures, indeed.
If we make any strange moves, they'll probably attack us all at once.
Scary, scary.
Among all that, there's something that particularly catches the eye.
A curtain made of light that divides the room into two halves.
Although it's called a curtain, it's neither made of fabric nor fluttering in the wind.
A band of slightly bluish light stood erect without any gaps, impenetrable by even a bug.
So, that's the barrier Sir Brandie mentioned.
Apparently, that barrier doesn't allow any weapons or magic to pass through.
It's because of this barrier, which separates the king and those who come as audience, that the king can appear before adventurers like us without revealing his identity.
Well, I hope everything goes smoothly.
I would have liked to do a quick test beforehand, but I don't want to raise any suspicion with strange movements.
There are so many guards watching. I don't want to do anything unnecessary.
I have to trust in the ability of the hole. It's not ordinary magic. Even if it fails, they shouldn't be able to figure out what I was trying to do.
While I was having such thoughts, people appeared from the back.
There are five men dressed in expensive-looking clothes.
The king’s... or maybe not.
I glanced at Sir Brandie, and he shook his head.
I guess not.
Then, are these important people of the country?
They must be ministers or secretaries or something like that.
They're looking at us with eyes that seem to see something dirty, so they probably are.
"Well, well, welcome. Heroes. We welcome you."
The old man's long speech begins.
It's quite contradictory to separate us with a barrier and then welcome us.
Well, I guess they're just scared of assassination.
Can't be helped, I guess.
But man, they sure love to ramble on.
One after another, the old guys continue their long speeches.
Meanwhile, we have to keep bowing our heads.
I'm in the position of an attendant, so I'm sitting in seiza, bowing my head. It's quite a humiliating posture.
However, I sneaked glances around, lifting my head from time to time to check the surroundings.
They probably think, "What an uncultured country bumpkin!" I rather prefer it that way.
Suddenly, someone else entered from the back.
They whispered something to one of the five old men.
I try to read their lips.
"...has arrived."
What? No way—has arrived?
Finally, the king appeared.
Accompanied by two attendants, he walked leisurely.
He wore a crown on his head.
In his splendid attire, with shoes that have rounded tips and make a clacking sound as he walks.
...He's fat.
I was more concerned about his body shape than his clothes.
He must be indulging in delicious food.
"Lift your heads!"
One of the five old men says so.
I was already staring at him, but it seems Rick and the others finally lifted their heads at this point.
When the king's eyes met mine, he smiled warmly.
However, there is no laughter in his eyes. It feels like he's assessing whether there's any threat to his own safety.
He whispers something to the person next to him.
"Are there no parasites?"
"We're fine."
Their hushed conversation is completely audible.
Are they referring to us as parasites? What a rude king. I don't really understand the basis for the person next to him saying we're fine either.
"Let's get this over with quickly."
The king says in a low voice.
I can hear that too. Has this king not mastered volume control?
Well, I feel the same way—I want this to end quickly.
"It is a great honor for everyone! To achieve this great feat, there must have been extraordinary efforts."
While listening to the king's words, I carefully assess the timing. I want to set it off at the most interesting moment if possible.
"I shall offer my heartfelt praise. You have done well to defeat the Demon King! As the king, I shall ex—"
"Halt!"
As I raised my hand, the king fell into the hole with a thud.
"Huh?"
"Huh?"
As if time had stopped, the surroundings fell into a dead silence.
No one understood what just happened.
However, there were some who realized that it was my doing.
Rick and the others.
"No way!"
"Could it be..."
"He did it..."
That's right!
I kept it a secret from Rick and the others.
It was a secret between me, Sir Brandie, and myself. Well, it's a surprise. Teehee!
"What have you done..."
Rick and the others were clearly taken aback.
The surprise seemed to be a great success. Well done!
And now, this is the moment of truth, the grand showdown.
I raised my voice.
"From now on, I am the king!!!!!!"
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