Stupid Heroes ~We Draft Candidates~ (WN): Chapter 10

 

Chapter 10: Speculation in Motion

 Church Academy has a dormitory for students from distant countries. Usually, the academy has a hard time securing rooms due to the flood of applicants, but this year, however, that is not the case.

 One-third of the hero candidates are commuting from homestays.

 Then the dormitory was full of vacant rooms, but it wasn't. This is because the children of influential families who were sent to assess the hero candidates occupy the dormitories quite lavishly. Moreover, the building had been renovated in advance to prepare for this.

 The second dormitory was originally a men's dormitory with about 20 rooms, but now it resembles the residence hall of the Izrim Magic Kingdom.

 A meeting is held in the main conference room of the building. Sitting at the center of the meeting is Milianea Sakura Frencia, princess of the Izrim Magic Kingdom.

"Then, your report."

"Ha"

 Hyde Spencer, a close aide and a candidate for a royal guard knight, stood up after receiving Princess Milianea's instructions.

“The first round of investigations on the Class C hero candidates has been completed. I have concluded that there is no one to keep an eye on."

"Oh, is that so?"

"Yes. As for the titles, there are three swordsmen and two mages. This is natural, but there are no unique titles. The rest are non-combatants."

"What about special skills?"

 It is not only titles that should be checked. Princess Milianea knows that it is also important to check if there are any special skills that others do not have.

"I have not been able to confirm any special skills."

"I see"

“It is my judgment at this point that all of the Class C hero candidates are people that do not need to be nominated.”

"What that one?"

“Yes....... his name is Ren Takashiro. However, he himself has publicly stated that he has abandoned the family name of Takashiro, and is thorough enough not to actually respond with Takashiro. He has very few friendships with other hero candidates. The only exception to this was Shizuru Tojo."

"I want to hear about his talent."

"...Suitable occupation is necromancer. That's all I know."

"Hyde?"

 Despite asking about special skills earlier, Hyde only talked about his occupation.

"I'm sorry. It's just an excuse, but unlike other hero candidates, he doesn't talk about his talents at all. I heard about his suitable occupation from a student named Mike, who is the only classmate who is close to him."

 It's not that he didn't talk, it's that he couldn't get the information.

“So how could he have decided that he didn't need a nomination?”

"A necromancer can't fight. Besides, he's been removed from being a hero candidate. The church knew his talent and did it, so I don't think there's anything special about him."

"Yes. If the premise is correct."

"Eh?"

"Lang. Tell me what you know."

"Ha"

 After Hyde, another aide, Lang Millet, stood up. She was not a knight, but a civil official.

“First of all, it was incorrect information that he was removed as a hero candidate. In fact, it seems that he declared himself not to be a hero candidate. This is the testimony of several hero candidates, so I am sure of it."

"Why?"

 He declined to be a hero candidate. For Princess Milianea, it is not common to do so.

"I don't know the reason why he declined. It seems that he said he didn't have the strength to become a hero, but I do not know what his true intentions were."

“Why was the wrong information circulated?”

“If it was intentional by the person himself, I would like to buy it just because of his talent, but unfortunately that was not the case. The source of the information is Yuya Kisaragi.”

"Why would someone with the title of Hero do such a thing?"

"Probably jealousy. He doesn't like it when Shizuru Tojo likes him."

"Ara."

 Princess Milianea is stunned to learn that this is a ridiculous motive.

"He is a little immature for a hero. I think we should keep an eye on this in the future."

 Talent matters. But Lang subtly argues that they shouldn't ignore him.

"I agree. What else?"

“Regarding the guild, we are facing difficulties. I can't get any information from the guild officials about the registrants or the nature of the requested missions. I can only gather gossip from adventurers."

"It can't be helped."

 It is a well-known fact that the guild is such an organization. The guild is an organization that is known for its strictness when it comes to secrecy, even more so than a country.

"And he has only appeared at the Guild once, and since then he has not been seen, at least not publicly."

"So how could they have connected with him?"

"His companion at that time was the old woman who looked after him, a grave keeper. This is entirely speculative, but I suspect it's for referrals."

"...That's weak."

 Princess Milianea says that it is insufficient as a basis for judgment. But Lang's report isn't over yet.

“And then there's the hair color and the height. In the first place, it was brought up in the guild because a child with black hair came to see the guild leader. The black hair made people think of a hero candidate, and that's what got people's attention."

"He has silver hair."

"When he was summoned, he seemed to have black eyes and black hair."

"Eh?"

"It looks like he had dyed his hair. Somehow I managed to find out that the word [colored contacts] is related to it, but I don't know what it means."

 There is no such thing as colored contacts in this world. At this point, Lang was gathering information from the wrong person.

"But still. There are more than twenty men with black hair."

"He has a street name"

"Street name?"

"It seems he didn't do all the requests alone. He was accompanied by a companion."

"I understand."

"The story of a promising newcomer is of great interest to adventurers. Just being in the guild, you hear stories."

 For a guild where confidentiality is strictly enforced, this was an unwise thing to do. But, as expected, this is not an option. And that's why they have nicknames.

"I see. So what's a street name?"

 Princess Milianea, who had no connection to the guild, didn't know the word "street name". It is not only used by the guild, but it is also something that is not associated with the princess.

“It's a nickname in short. But depending on who you are talking to, it can also be a title of respect. Yes. In the old days, there was the [Thunder Emperor] and the [Ice Witch]. These are also street names."

"I kind of get it."

"In the guild, that adventurer is called [Silver Wolf]."

"……I see"

"That's all I need to know. That's right. This is my hunch. When I heard the name [Silver Wolf], his image came to me."

"What did this Silver Wolf do?"

"Gossip has it that he is hunting the undead."

"Undead... it's not that difficult a mission."

 She is the princess of the Izrim Magic Kingdom. She has an extraordinary talent for magic. For such a person, the undead is not such a scary enemy. She doesn't allow anything to approach her, and she only needs to extinguish it with light-attribute magic or burn them down with fire-attribute magic.

"Without magic. What if there were even zombie wolves in the mix?"

"Without magic? How?"

"With a sword, but I don't think so. I'm thinking of some kind of special skill."

"What is a zombie wolf?"

 Magical beasts are also something the princess is not familiar with.

“As the saying goes, it's a wolf undead. It's hard to explain even if I told you. Spencer-dono."

 Lang, who was worried about how to explain Zombie Wolf to Princess Milianea, turned to Hyde.

"What?"

"Do you know what a zombie wolf is?"

"Of course, I do."

"So, can you defeat this zombie wolf with just your sword?"

"...I am a magic swordsman."

 A magic swordsman fights with a combination of sword and magic. It doesn't just mean using both. It is a person who uses his or her own unique sword, such as a sword with flames.

"I know that. Just a sword, can you defeat it?"

"Of course."

"Is it that easy?"

"…………"

 It's not easy for Hyde. Zombie Wolves are pretty capable when it comes to speed.

“In other words, even Spencer-dono, who is the youngest and most talented in our country, has the strength to fight against what is not an easy opponent.”

 The words seem to be praise, but there is a subtle hint of sarcasm in them. Princess Milianea noticed this but continued talking normally without touching it.

"He isn't just a necromancer?"

"I think so"

"...Hyde?"

"A necromancer has the skills of a necromancer. Maybe there's something special about them while fighting the dead."

"You mean to tell me that it doesn't work on the living?"

"Yes"

 Hyde refuses to recognize Ren's abilities. If Ren was here, he would probably say thank you.

"Difference in opinions."

 Princess Milianea is showing a troubled expression, but inwardly she wants things to work out this way. She prefers to have her subordinates compete with each other.

"Then why don't we do this? I will give the evaluation regarding the main heroes to Spencer-dono. I will continue to find the hidden talent centering on him."

 A suggestion.

"Not a bad idea. But Hyde alone with four people......"

"No problem at all"

 It was somewhat humiliating for Hyde to have the princess feel uneasy. He tried to put it out of his mind by making it clear.

"But"

"Even though it's four people, those four people always act together."

"Well, yes. Will you be fine?"

"I'll take care of it."

"Then tell me your current assessment of the four of them."

 Don't judge others based on feelings alone. Princess Milianea has this kind of strictness.

“The main choice is still Yuya Kisaragi. He has the title of a hero. He has shown overwhelming strength in the practical lessons."

“As I recall, the Lemberg Empire was poking at him, wasn't it?”

"Yes. Heinz Ruben, the second son of the Imperial Knight Commander. It was a crushing defeat."

“By the way, what happened to the two after that?”

"...They hit it off."

 The Lemberg Empire is a competitor. Heinz of that Lemberg Empire is quite close to Yuya.

"He beat me to it. Well, that's okay. It doesn't matter whether we are good friends or not. Lang pointed out his personality. What about it?"

"He's a little childish, yes. But he seems to have a genuinely strong sense of responsibility."

"I see... next"

“The runner-up is Mei Katsuragi.  It's only been a year but she has already mastered intermediate-level magic of all four elemental attributes. Practical skills are."

"I also saw it. Right. Let me share some information with you. In a word, it's a tour de force."

"Tour de force?"

 Princess Milianea also attends classes, though not all the time. She had seen it with her own eyes, but it doesn't sound like a good assessment.

"Huge mana. She's taking advantage of that to invoke some magic. It's pretty powerful."

"But you look dissatisfied?"

"Magic is more subtle, at least for me. Talent, yes, it's all there is to it, but her magic isn't beautiful when she relies on it."

"Ha"

 Beautiful and not beautiful magic is Princess Milianea's unique value system. It is not something Hyde can understand.

"But it is definitely a talent that overwhelms such thoughts. What's next?"

"...This is my personal opinion."

"That's what I'm asking."

"The remaining four Heavenly Kings. I doubt that Shizuru Tojo and Jin Takamiya deserve to be nominated."

"Ara?"

 The people around them call them the Four Heavenly Kings. Hyde rated half of them as unworthy of nomination. It's a bold decision.

"First, there is Shizuru Tojo. She has the unique title of saint, but she can only use light magic."

"I see."

“Of course, she has special skills in magic correction, so her magic itself and its power are superior to others. However..."

“Is it possible that her relationship with Ren Takashiro has tarnished her reputation?”

"No, that is not true. I understand what the other world people want from the opposite sex."

"...I'll pretend I didn't hear that."

 What do people from the other world want from the opposite sex? It has nothing to do with choosing a hero for your own country, but Princess Milianea was personally curious about it.

"Well then. First is appearance. Next is assets and status, and talent is hardly a subject of evaluation."

"Status and talent are the same, right?"

 If you have talent, you will be given a position commensurate with your talent. This is the common sense in this world.

"No, it's not necessarily the case in the other world."

"...That's unfair. Those with talent can't get the positions they deserve. Ah, there are those in this world, too. There are those who get in the way of that sort of thing."

“Your Highness!?”

 Hearing Princess Milianea's remarks, Hyde raised his voice in a panic.

"I didn't say who."

 Princess Milianea doesn't seem to care that Hyde panicked. She even has a sarcastic smile on her face.

"Even so, please refrain from saying anything."

"...That's right. Then why did you lower Shizuru Tojo's rating?"

"Is it necessary for our country?"

 Princess Milianea is also a user of light attribute magic. It's also rated pretty good. Hyde doesn't even feel the need to seek out Shizuru.

"I see what you mean. That is the right decision. The user of the light attribute magic is very valuable. But we are talking about other countries, aren't we?"

"Yes"

"I understand Shizuru Tojo. Then what about Jin Takamiya?"

"Inevitably, compared to Yuya Kisaragi and Mei Katsuragi, He's one step lower."

 Their talents are outstanding. This is a fact. Considering talent alone, it is a normal decision to drop Shizuru and Jin. But this is just Hyde's mistake.

"Hyde. Apparently, you don't understand the point. Our country isn't the only one to choose, you know?"

"I'm aware of that."

“No. You don't understand. Everyone knows that the two stick out. Every country wants to have one of the two."

"Yes"

"But is there any country that can beat the three countries of Luine, Lemberg, and our country in terms of conditions?"

"None"

 The hero will go to the country with the best bid. And the amount of the bid is the power of the country. There is no country that can beat the three great powers.

"So in the end, it's a contest between the three countries. But there are only two candidates that will be nominated. One country will get a hero with a lower rank."

"Yes... to make sure that doesn't happen."

"We can't do much about it."

"Wha?"

 The fact that he is surprised shows that Hyde still doesn't get it.

"If you really want it, you just have to bid on it and get the best deal you can."

"That's true, but then what was the point of even enrolling the princess in the academy?"

 Hyde thought that it was to make contact with the hero candidate and advance the bid in an advantageous manner. This is wrong.

"What if we can't get them? That's what I'm trying to figure out."

"…………"

"Still don't get it?"

"I'm very sorry"

"We have several options. First, we go for the real deal head-on. If we are lucky, the other two countries may put their bids in for a different one. But if not, it will be a battle of terms."

"Yes"

"And on those terms, even if our country can compete, we probably can't win."

"......We can't do it?"

 Even though they are called the three major countries, it does not mean that they are neatly aligned. It means that they are prominent compared to other countries. It is the same as Jin and Shizuru being called the Four Heavenly Kings along with Yuya and Mei.

"National power is different. Besides, magic costs money. The difference is even greater when it comes to surplus funds."

"Therefore, we should not only rely on magic, but also develop our skills in sword fighting and armor making."

 Hyde, a knight, has been complaining about this for a long time. The opinion of Hyde, who is an apprentice to a royal guard knight, does not reach the national government.

"There's no point in saying that now. Anyway, the winning factor in the first option is luck. Of course, there is a way to determine who the two nations will not choose, and that is what we are going to do."

“So we're approaching them not to evaluate the hero candidates, but to explore that?”

"No. Did you not understand this as well?"

"I'm very sorry"

"Who and which country approached? That's what we're trying to find out. It is not the candidate you want, but the student who knows and can give such information that one needs to get close to. And don't forget this."

"Yes"

 It was not enough to just approach Yuya and Mei. Hyde finally understood that.

"And the other option is to give up on them."

"Wha!?"

 Hyde did not understand this possibility either.

"It's not out of the question. If it becomes certain that the two countries will put their bids in for different candidates, then this is what we have to choose."

"Then we'll have to go with Jin Takamiya."

"That's not possible."

"...I still don't understand."

"It's the bidding rules."

"Rules?"

“All countries bid at the same time. So we don't know if there will be a competition until they open it. If there is a competition, we start negotiating the terms and conditions. Then what about the hero candidates who didn't compete?"

“Don't tell me that's where the decision is made?”

 It is almost the same as the professional baseball draft. If you make a nomination and there is an overlap with some other country, you enter negotiations on terms and conditions instead of a lottery. While this is going on, other countries finish their nominations. The most promising candidates will be selected there.

"Yes, that's right. If you lose the competition, you can re-bid, but then there are only lower-ranked candidates left. You'll have to go back to the country without winning a bid."

"…………"

"Do you understand? The reason we're looking for the first bidders is to make sure we have someone who can still be nominated. If not, then what? It could be Jin Takamiya with the first bid. It could be someone else."

"...The important thing is to find the third place for our country."

"Yes, you finally understand. Sometimes that requires bold decisions. That's why I'm here."

"What if we made the wrong decision?"

 It will be a rather difficult decision. If you fail to do that, there is a high possibility that you won't get a hero.

"It is my decision as a royalty. Moreover, I am not involved in the succession to the throne. I can't make them take any responsibility. At best, I could be forced to leave the country."

“Your Highness is!?”

"That's how it is. That's why I'm here."

"…………"

 There was one more thing that Hyde did not understand. Trust was not the only reason Princess Milianea was here.

"Now for the current third place candidate. Jin Takamiya on the front and Ren Takashiro on the back?"

"Yes" "Yes"

 Hyde and Lang. Each of the recommended candidates has become a de facto nominee for the current Izrim Magic Kingdom.

“I'm going to ask you to keep working with them. And please don't be so concerned about these two that you miss out on others.

""Ha""

 The season is summer. It is not only the Izrim Magic Kingdom that has begun to move. The other countries had also decided on their own policies and were about to move in earnest.

 The area around the hero candidates is finally getting noisy.

◇◇◇

 In fact, it was the church that grasped the movement of each country earlier than the hero candidates.

 The conference room at the back of the church. Bishop Mikhail and his assistant priest were making a report in front of the church's upper echelons.

"Have you grasped the contact status of each country?"

“Roughly. Yuya-kun has been contacted by the Lemberg Empire. I would say they have a very close relationship now."

"Only Lemberg? What are the other countries doing?"

"They haven't made any serious contact yet."

"Why?"

 The situation right now is not what the church leaders expected.

"This was unexpected. This is the common idea of ​​each country. The four people whose talents are outstanding do need to be examined in detail. Even if they don't, their abilities are visible to all."

"Hmm, that's true."

"So, the intention seems to be to put it off and look for talent that is not on display. This is not only true for small nations, but for large nations as well."

"I see……"

 The expressions on the faces of the church's upper echelons clouded as they learned of the circumspection of the various countries. They realized the naivete of their own thinking.

"The countries are much more clever than I thought. I think we should pay attention to this, not as a church, but as a nation, after this matter is over."

"That is not for you to consider."

"……I beg your pardon."

 Bishop Mikhail, who holds a high-rank position of bishop in the Church, has no position when it comes to the state. The office of the state is held by the cardinals, who are chosen from among the bishops.

“Are you aware of the intentions of the major powers?”

"Yes. The Kingdom of Luine currently ranks Yuya-kun as number one."

"Well, that's a safe bet."

"The Lemberg Empire has chosen Mei-san."

"What? You said earlier that Lemberg has contacted Yuya Kisaragi, right?"

"That's right, but at the meeting, Mei-san's name was mentioned. Contrary to what I thought, the Lemberg Empire is quite a crook."

 Much of what is spoken in the academy is bugged by the church. And if it is a meeting to discuss a bidder, there is no way they would not eavesdrop on it.

"Why do you think so?"

“First of all, they made contact with Yuya-kun. Asked him to fight with the representative, and when he was defeated, he recognized his ability and asked him for his friendship. At the end of the fight, they shook hands firmly."

"What is that?"

 There are no youth dramas in this world, but still, it is a situation that makes them feel somewhat embarrassed. Even in the original world, it is a considerably embarrassing situation that would not be possible today.

"You may think it's silly, but that's a setting that Yuya-kun likes. I think they did so after researching it."

"Is it a plan?"

“Yes. Moreover, he states that their main goal is Mei-san. If they approach Yuya-kun, other countries that want to avoid competition will choose Mei-san."

"That's right."

“Are they trying to outwit them? Or perhaps, as you might expect, he knows he is being eavesdropped upon."

"...If that's the case, he's certainly a crook."

 Lemberg's moves will have a big impact on the bid. Not being able to find out about it is quite painful for the church.

"The Lemberg Empire is unlikely to be measured by the information on the table."

"Hmm. What about the other two countries?"

“The Izrim Magic Kingdom has prioritized the selection of the third place after making Yuya-kun and Mei-san their favorites.”

 The content of the meeting of the Izrim Magic Kingdom is also conveyed to Bishop Mikhail. Whether the Izrim Magic Kingdom is aware of this or not is a bit of a question.

"Have they given up hope of winning the competition?"

"Yes. It seems that the budget of the Izrim Magic Kingdom is not as generous as we thought."

"Did something happen?"

"No, it appears to be the cost of producing and maintaining magic tools."

"Yes. It certainly costs money."

"Under the circumstances, they have not yet made a definite decision."

"Well, it's just the beginning."

 It is only the summer of the first year. The church believes that this is not a time to be in a hurry.

"And the United Kingdom of Mercenary, they may not be willing to bid."

"What did you say!?"

“Even though they have military power, they are not rich. They seem to have given up hope of beating the other three kingdoms."

"Why would they not bid for anyone?"

"The evaluation of the United Kingdom of Mercenary is that no one but Yuya-kun or Mei-san is worthy of being nominated."

"What!?"

"And those two are impossible. If that is the case, there is no need to waste money. They said it should be used for a domestic military buildup. That's what they're thinking at the moment."

“…Did they lose their minds?”

"Speculation?"

"Will there be much of a bidding war?"

"It's possible. Since Mercenary is willing to give up, I wonder what other small countries will think."

"Wouldn't that bring in more money for the church?"

 The upper echelons of the church thought that the bids would skyrocket. They were certainly wrong. Even if their thinking was quite naive.

"......Isn't the purpose of this time to minimize the chaos in the world?"

 Bishop Mikhail does not care about the amount of the bid. He is thinking about how to achieve his objective.

"That's... well, that's the first priority."

"If that's the case, then it's perfectly fine."

"However, the money to take care of the hero candidates is being paid for by the church."

“The bid for Yuya-kun and Mei-san will be enough... Unless they don't make an offer."

 Bishop Mikhail added words that did not need to be said. Even if it was out of sincerity, the recipient of it would not be.

"What did you say?"

“Only when there is competition will the terms soar after the bidding process. Without it, it could mean a minimum deposit."

"......It's still a failure. If only there had been more balance of talent."

"That would prolong the chaos."

"It doesn't matter if we prolong it a little!"

"That's absurd! The mission of the church is world peace! War is not something the Church approves of!"

"Shut up! We are thinking not only of the Church, but also of the nation! You don't understand our thoughts!"

"…………"

 What is the church country for? It was originally meant to protect the church. At some point, that church country stands above the church. Bishop Mikhail has the wisdom not to point out this contradiction.

 If he says this, he will be stripped of his current position. In fact, he may even be expelled from the Church. If he did so, he would not be able to fulfill the mission that he should have done.

"That's enough for the report. Now we're going to start the nation's conference. Outsiders must leave."

"……Yes"

 There is a great feud within the Church. The difference in thinking between the administrators of the Church, that is, the highest rank of the Church, and those who are lower than them. The lower one goes, the more one thinks in accordance with the original ideals of the church. But this is something that has been lost by the upper echelons, who have been in power for too long and have become tainted by greed.

 Bishop Mikhail is in the middle. In ideology, he is the same as those in the lower ranks. But what he does is in line with the will of the upper echelons. That is what makes him feel uncomfortable.

"Are you sure you don't need to report him?"

 As soon as they left the conference room, the priest called out to him.

"......It would be fine. They are only interested in the money the candidate brings in."

"He carries that money too."

"Were there any other inquiries for his talent?"

"From all the so-called great nations. I'm sure the inquiry fees will cover his living expenses until he graduates."

 The church is also taking money to provide information on the status board. The summoning of heroes is a business for the upper echelons of the church.

"Does that mean the Mercenary too?"

"Yes"

"...We may have been deceived by Mercenary as well."

 If they had no intention of bidding, they would not have gone to the trouble of paying the not-so-expensive money to inquire about Ren's information.

"That may be so."

"But why..."

 Bishop Mikhail's question is not just about the inquiry. Bishop Mikhail took out Ren's status board he was holding.

 There, he found the same information as when he first registered.