I wonder about that. [2]
I think that it's easy to manage me, though.
If Sylphy crawled into bed at night and asked [Hey Rudi, I have a request...] I'd do everything that she asks.
Of course, Ariel will never come begging that way.
She only asks for minor things.
I'm a man who acts for women and money.
Anyways, back to the main topic.
Give Ariel a hand.
"When you say influential person... for example, someone like Ariel-sama?"
After saying that indirectly, Ariel covers her mouth and squints.
"Rudeus-sama sure knows how to flatter a girl..."
It's not just flattery.
She might be cornered, but Ariel is still a princess of the Asura Kingdom.
Her stature can be compared to the Crown Prince of England in the past world.
From her etiquette, language, or how we're seated together, she might not look it.
Only because we know each other well.
We're good acquaintances only by chance.
Everywhere else, Ariel has been working hard in various ways.
Right now, very few key positions in Magic City Sharia have not been touched by Ariel.
Principal and Vice-Principal of the Magic University.
Notables of the Magic Guild.
Head of the Magic Tool Workshop.
President of the Merchant Association.
Branch Manager of the Adventurer's Guild.
Everywhere I go, all I need to mention is Ariel's name and I'm set.
Well, all I have been doing was taking discounts from Magic City Sharia businesses by name dropping Ariel.
Basically, what I want to say is this.
She is really capable when it comes to networking.
Ariel truly is capable.
"Once, I also considered asking Rudeus-sama to work for me, but..."
"Really?"
"I gave up right away. There are plenty of reasons, but the greatest was..."
Ariel looks straight ahead.
Forward, across the cloud cover sky on the other side of the beautiful garden.
Even further away, towards the edge of the blue sky.
As she stares, she murmurs.
"[You, who desire power beyond your means, shall face ruin.]"
For an instant, I thought that was meant for me.
But, no.
Ariel follows up that line.
"A line from my younger days, from a play I watched at Asura palace, Great Demon Empress Kishirika Kishirisu said that."
That's definitely a lie.
Who came up with this bullshit history.
Kishirika could never come up with a line that cool.
"It was the curse Kishirika placed on Golden Knight Aldebaran before her death."
"... Oh."
"Afterward, Aldebaran became the King. He was feared by all, and was ultimately rebelled against and killed."
How dramatic.
Wait, this sounds completely different from the history I knew.
"That play was a required watch by Asura royalty for our coming of age." [3]
Coming of age? So their 5th, 10th, and 15th birthdays.
In Asura Kingdom, these must be major events.
For royalties, plays are probably a must.
"Of course the truth differs, but it was crammed with all the ideologies of the Asura line."
So it was different to historical fact after all.
I see.
It's entirely different from what I knew as well.
The Golden Knight Aldebaran and Kishirika Kishirisu fought to a stalemate.
But wasn't it really the battle between Demon Dragon King Laplace and Fighting God?
Well, it doesn't matter, but still.
"All of the ideologies?"
"Yes. Like war, victory, governance, and kingship."
"..."
"Even so, why was Aldebaran betrayed and murdered? Did some king write this play to warn his descendants of our ruin? I wondered about that when I was young. I was 15 when I finally realized that, the line [You, who desires power beyond your means, shall face ruin] covers everything."
With that said, Ariel looks toward the distant sky.
"Power beyond one's means leads to destruction. Thus, only handle what you can control, what you can master. The power to manipulate all is the way of the king. Right now, I still think so."
... Ariel looks downcast.
Her long eyelashes cast a shadow.
"I understand. Perugius-sama and Rudeus-sama, both are more powerful than I."
A gentle smile reappears on Ariel, her usual one.
But she looks like she's about to cry.
"One more time, and if Perugius-sama refuses, I'll give up."
"Give up?"
"Yes. Of course, I won't give up on becoming king even if I don't have Perugius-sama's backing. Because I still believe that Asura's throne is not too much for me, at the very least."
"..."
I can feel it.
The sigh.
But it did not come.
"Ariel-sama."
"Yes, Rudeus-sama?"
"How am I powerful?"
Powerful, being special.
Indeed, I once dreamed of being such.