I’m an Appraiser, But What the Heck is a [Divine Eye]? ~I Want to Live Freely as the World’s Best Beginner Class~ - Episode 51: The Royal Castle 4

Episode 51: The Royal Castle 4

BANG!

In the room where the royal family had previously held their secret discussions, Gozef slammed his fist on the lavishly decorated table.

“Why?! The Hero still hasn’t manifested *that power* yet!”

“Please, calm down, my dear,” 

Amanda tried to soothe him.

“How can I stay calm?! It’s been nearly three months since we summoned them! And all we’ve done is sit around waiting for that power to appear!”

Without *that power*, the Kingdom of Shriden can’t dominate the world. That’s the sole reason they summoned thirty-one people from another world.

“…Could it be that Haruka, the one we banished, had the potential for it?” 

Gozef wondered aloud.

“That’s impossible, Father.” 

The sharp voice came from Maria, who sought to correct him.

“And how can you be so sure?” 

“Because that power only manifests in those with a special class.” 

“I see… In that case, it couldn’t have been Haruka.”

“Exactly. She was just an advanced class—someone like that could never awaken such power.”

With Gozef calming down, Amanda breathed a sigh of relief. However, the fact remained that the power had yet to awaken, leaving a lingering source of concern.

“…But wait. Does this mean there’s a chance that Madoka or Yuria could awaken it?”

“The possibility isn’t zero. But if they refuse to cooperate, we can deal with them accordingly.”

“Hmm, that’s true, but…” 

There was a reason behind Gozef’s hesitation. Summoning the heroes required vast resources, including a great amount of mana. The Kingdom of Shriden had to mobilize multiple magicians to conduct the ritual. And in the process, several of them lost their lives from the strain of having their mana drained.

“Surely, Kouya-sama or Arata-sama will awaken that power. Once they do, Shriden will stand at the pinnacle of the world.”

“She’s right, dear. There’s no need to worry about those two any longer.”

“…Yes, indeed. After all, we already sent them to the Forest of Demons.”

Three days prior, both Madoka and Yuria had been transported to the Forest of Demons. When their disappearance was noticed, everyone, including Kouya and Arata, demanded an explanation. The royals had lied, saying that the two had left to search for Maki and Haruka, who had already been sent away. Normally, someone might have doubted such an explanation. But now, every one of them was under the influence of Gozef’s charisma skill, and they simply accepted it.

“Even if they share the same Charisma skill, it’s easy to persuade developing children.”

“True enough. Just waiting idly seems a bit boring.” 

“Dear, why don’t we declare war on the neighboring kingdom? Even if that power hasn’t awakened yet, with the strength of the Hero and the Sword Saint, we should be able to conquer them.”

“Hmm, yes, that’s a fine idea,” 

Gozef agreed, his mood now fully restored as he and Amanda laughed together.

Maria smiled outwardly. But inside, she was mocking her parents, the King and Queen.

(What fools. It’s painful to think these two are my parents.)

Maria had been plotting to one day seize the throne of Shriden herself. She excused herself and left the room.

(With the Hero and the Sword Saint, conquering the neighboring kingdom is certainly possible. However, if the other nations see Shriden as a threat and form alliances against us, we’ll be the ones to fall.)

As she walked down the hallway, deep in thought, she heard a familiar voice call her name from ahead.

“Maria-sama!”

“Oh my, isn’t it Kouya-sama?”

Kouya had fallen in love with Maria. But it wasn’t a natural affection. Maria had implanted this feeling in him using her Magic Eye. Any lingering emotions Kouya might have had for Madoka were now completely forgotten. He had once thought his Charisma skill would be enough to outwit others. But when pitted against Maria’s Magic Eye and her far superior Charisma skill, it was easy for her to turn him into a puppet.

(Please awaken soon, Kouya-sama. Awaken to *that power*—the one that bears a divine name.)

Maria had forgotten something. And so had Gozef and Amanda.

They had all overlooked the existence of the Appraiser, Mihiro Maki, who had been the first to be sent away.