Even if my only strength is water magic, having modern knowledge should be sufficient, right?

Episode 50: The Invited King and the Unconventional Jormungandr.

I feel bad for Frim. I think I’m causing trouble.

If only I had more power, if my uncle wasn’t so greedy, if other countries didn’t threaten, if the nobles were more united, if my brothers were still alive… surely she could have lived in peace.

As a reward, I granted her a title, a mansion, and money… More people than expected gathered around Frim. But when I asked what she desired, she said, “I want to live in peace without my life being threatened.”

――― It’s impossible no matter how you think about it.

When everything burned with a deafening roar, the knights witnessed it… and the rumors spread. It couldn’t be hidden anymore.

Only my uncle, Riaum, could gather such renowned assassins, and it might become even more dangerous if I protect her… But leaving her without anything is also too risky.

So, I tried to force Frim’s desired outcome by forming factions within Frim to ensure her life wasn’t threatened.

Perhaps due to my protection, she’s surprisingly wise for her age and possesses extraordinary magical power. She probably has the spirit of a wise person with her.

The fact that she doesn’t say anything… She probably knows it’s dangerous to say she can see ghosts, so she’s deliberately hiding it. If it became known, she might be treated as insane in the Temple of Light.

Entering the mansion of Levias was good, but it seems I haven’t gained control as I was severely criticized by Ael. If it’s useless, it might be useful for Frim to be known as “the owner of a mansion of the noble house of water” outside the capital. I thought this might be helpful, but I never imagined it would harm her body due to being too close to the spirits.

“Do you intend to give her more suffering!? Please think about the small body of Lady Frim!!”

Even if she says that…

There are only about five subjects, but she’s studying magic and etiquette… It’s normal to collapse even if it’s funny.

I decided to be one of the first to attend the mansion’s unveiling. Although Frim’s faction is technically separate from the royal faction, it’s good to appear friendly. It might not be good to be seen as completely my faction.

However, she shouldn’t be subjected to abuse if I’m here. There have been nobles in the past who dueled over trivial matters like cooking, debts, or the shape of the floor. Dueling in front of royalty is not legally allowed, and with the knights around, no one would dare to act.

Frim’s smile when she greeted me seemed stiff, but today I’ll protect her from any malice!!

I thought a new force would lack tradition and have bland food and service, but… it was quite splendid. There were many refined types of “tart.”

“Well, well…!”

“It’s delicious!”

“Oh, this is very tasty!”

The meat tart was so delicious that you could eat as much as you wanted, and even my people ate more than usual. It’s too much to eat, and I wonder what would happen if there wasn’t enough food… If I stopped here, I would end up criticizing Frim’s shortcomings.

“This was also made at Lady Frim’s suggestion. Isn’t it delicious?”

“Hahaha, it’s very delicious!”

I received a sarcastic remark from Ael saying, “Do something about it,” but I conveyed with my gaze that it’s impossible.

Frim works hard. From greetings to instructions to the household, and welcoming the faction leader… She’s definitely not an ordinary child.

“Looks like it’s from the Riaum faction.”

“How vulgar, is this what you call ‘commoner’s’?”

“Where is she from?”

I don’t know if she realizes it, but she’s being looked down upon and eyed with hostility.

In this kind of situation, I want to hear as much as possible about the true feelings of the nobles. I use wind magic to listen to the nobles’ words in their ears. There’s a lot of noise, and I can’t catch everything. …But maybe it’s not her will, but because she’s with her faction members, they’re saying things a bit more strongly. I wonder how much of it is true.

“The food is good, but that’s it.”
“Miss Mahan, still as beautiful as ever.”

“It seems she succeeded in developing a new tool, outdoing us!”

“As expected of the king’s mistress, no wonder the king isn’t interested in normal girls.”

“Is it a girlish taste? No, it’s more like a child’s… Truly vulgar.”

“I can hear you.”

“Budget for the knights is…”

“There’s no radiance like His Highness Terioff’s.”

“Count Mordiva, it’s been a while!!”

“Do you not even have a light magic tool?”

“The emerging faction… lacks funds.”

I feel like there was undeserved contempt towards me… But it can’t be helped. If there’s a woman being treated well despite being kept away because she’s not capable of anything until the national situation stabilizes a bit more, it’s natural to feel something about it. There are many unrelated discussions, but there are also wind users in other factions, so we subtly read each other’s words to avoid suspicion. It’s harder to hear outside than usual.

At least I’ll support Frim. If she seems troubled, I’ll summon her for cooking. It’s normal for the head of the household to carve the king’s food. …I feel like bursting, but by insisting on calling me here, I’ll separate Frim from the idiots who seem likely to cause trouble at this gathering.

It’s getting dark, but instead of magical tools for lighting, there are torches. When I asked Ael if it was because of a lack of money or if there were no spare magical tools, it seemed to be some kind of presentation.

Furthermore, when Frim walks around and uses magic, ice is created. Is this also part of the presentation? Every time Frim moves, several pillars of ice are created.

“Hmm.”

“It’s… the five attributes!?”

“What!?”

Indeed, the ice illuminated by the flames sparkles beautifully. Did Frim also possess the attribute of ice? Displaying a rare attribute is certainly effective.

―――――However, this was just a part of the presentation.

“Everyone gathered here! Thank you for coming!”

Frim stepped forward with a smile in front of the crowded venue.

She had already greeted important nobles, so now she just had to show magic. Should she show her own magic as the leader of the faction, or should she show the magic of the faction’s mages… Lucarim’s daughter is still eating, but is it okay? Well, there are still others eating, but… it’s bad that she arrived late. It’s indirectly provoking a fight, but Frim had prepared something before she arrived.

“Please watch my magic! ”

Something huge appeared.

―――――”Jormungandr,” a disaster that devours countries, also known as the “World Serpent,” a legendary serpent larger than the world, a serpent with a circular tail that bites itself… such an ancient legend exists.

And from Frim’s magic, the serpent emerged, dancing in the air.

It’s a huge serpent, but it’s not just an ordinary one. Scales, mane, magnificent horns, sharp fangs, and eyes… it seems to be holding some kind of orb in its mouth… Even though it’s known to be made of water, it exudes such heaviness and intimidation. I’ve only seen it in documents, but was it something like this? It’s truly magnificent.

There are attack magics of shaping spirits and creatures with any attribute, but there are not many as huge as this. The shock of the nobles must be immeasurable; some nobles who saw it up close even lost their composure.

Frim is manipulating the water attribute to move it within double the normal range. Nobles who don’t know anything are murmuring if there’s also a wind attribute. Jormungandr released by Frim dances amidst the torches and pillars of ice in the venue, the flicker of flames reflecting off the ice and water body creating a truly fantastical scene.

And then Jormungandr turned towards the tall torches and spewed flames into the sky.

“Scream!”

“Could this be the work of the spirits??!”

“Is this the protection of the royal family?!”

“Miss Fleemis!!”

The venue was in an uproar because of the intense flames.

I don’t know if it’s the effect of Rula’s protection, but this is too much.

Why can she create such intense flames from water when she said she can only use the water attribute?

Grandpa was happily eating tart for his age, but now he’s frowning and lost in thought, not moving.

Confident as she is, Frim has surpassed my imagination. Rather than just achieving my goals of “protecting Frim’s life” and “stabilizing the domestic political situation”… she might even take away the position of the head of the main family of the Lucarim clan.