The Death Mage Who Doesn’t Want a Fourth Time

it was someone who just happened to look like Darcia, but… Darcia and the others had no intention of hiding their identities, so the people were forced to accept this reality.

And since Darcia and the others weren’t putting on airs, Sandy and the others decided to treat them just as they had done during the duel with the Alcrem Food Cart Pentagram… though there were many adventurers and traveling merchants who were genuinely unaware, as they had only arrived in the capital today and had thus not seen the ceremony yesterday.

Still, it seemed that they were aware that this food cart was related to Darcia because the Empusa Myuze and the Ghoul Kachia were working with her.

“Mantis lady!” a customer called out.
“Five Gobu-gobu skewers and five Orc-meat skewers over here, please! And a refill on the fruit juice!”

“Right away! However, I am not a mantis but an Empusa, so please remember that!” said Myuze.

“Hey, are you guys not selling alcohol? There was alcohol yesterday, wasn’t there?” another customer complained.

“Drinking outdoors is illegal in this city except for special days.
We only had it yesterday because of the ceremony with the duke’s permission,” said Kachia.

Perhaps the customers were under the impression that Darcia and Vandalieu, who had become honorary nobles, were operating the food cart with a new employee and two familiars.

“All kinds of things happened and we ended up not being able to leave the city for a few more days, right? So, we thought that we’d teach everyone about Vida’s races and Vandalieu’s familiars while we earn some money to cover the cost of our stay,” said Darcia.

“The cost of your stay?” Sandy said incredulously.
“You’re an honorary noble, right? Haven’t you been given some huge mansion with its own servants?”

“No,” said Darcia, shaking her head.
“Just because I’m an honorary countess now doesn’t mean I’m suddenly rich.
I’ve been given a medal, and I’m legally treated as a countess while Vandalieu is now the child of a noble, but that’s all.
I haven’t been given land or an important position.
I receive the same annual sum that an earl would receive, but we’re a big family.”

Under the system, the title of honorary noble was granted to adventurers or commoners who had achieved great things, and this title allowed them to be treated as nobles.
Thus, they would be given a medal, a high social status, and an annual sum that corresponded to their honorary court rank, but that was all.

They would not be given a position as a civil official or military officer, and naturally, they would not receive any land, either.

However, as one would quickly realize, those who became honorary nobles had their own lives that they lived before receiving their titles, and many of them were B-class or A-class adventurers, so it wasn’t rare for them to already possess more wealth than the average viscount.

Rewarding non-nobles for great deeds was important, but if real court ranks were given out too frequently and there were too many nobles, that would negatively impact the rule of the nation, so the honorary noble system was partially for preventing that as well.

Thus, honorary nobles did not receive the mansions and money that an ordinary noble of their court rank might have.

“Of course, we’ve received a monetary reward for defeating the evil god, so we’re not actually in trouble when it comes to money,” Darcia added.

“So, the other reason… You want people to feel closer to members of Vida’s races and your son’s familiars?” said Sandy.

Seeing the customers calling out to Myuze and Kachia, she felt that Darcia’s plan had been largely successful.

The other thing was…

“Wow, the legs are moving!” a child’s voice said excitedly in the distance.

“We’re not shaking!” said another.

The large-build Arachne Gizania was doing large laps around the food cart with children riding a specially-made saddle attached to her spider-like lower body.

“Make sure to not lean too far forward,” Gizania warned the children.

If Sandy knew of the theme parks on Earth, she might have been reminded of a miniature steam locomotive ride.

Meanwhile, Maroru, Urumi, and Suruga, the three rat sisters, could be heard squeaking elsewhere as well.

“Red rat!” a bystander said.

“The silver rat, this time!” said another.

“I think it’s the white rat!” said a child’s voice.

The rat sisters were lying flat and stretched out with their stomachs against the ground, and a large number of adult onlookers had gathered as well as children.

With a loud squeak, the rat sisters all stood up on their hind legs together, revealing Vandalieu, who had been lying under them.

“He was under the red rat, Maroru! Those of you who guessed correctly, hold out your hands so I can give you your raspberries!” said a small girl dressed in a cute costume… or rather, a Dwarf woman, as she went around handing raspberries from a basket to the children.

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It seemed that they were betting… or rather, guessing which rat Vandalieu would be lying under.

Surprised to see that Vandalieu was not at the food cart, Sandy peered over the food cart to see that… the skewers were being grilled by Juliana, who was about the same height as him.

“Oh, so it was Juliana-chan who was doing the grilling,” Sandy laughed.

“Yes! I have to do my best!” said Juliana.

“I see.
You do your best, then.
I’m cheering for you…” said Sandy, getting a fluffy feeling from seeing Juliana, who was younger than her own daughter, helping with the food cart.
“Wait, that’s not it,” she said, remembering what she wanted to say and turning back to Darcia.
“I understand why you’re doing it, but are you sure about this? Everyone’s interested in you people, so they’d gather round even if you weren’t working at a food cart, you know? And as for the cost of your stay, you’d be able to earn enough by going to one of the Devil’s Nests or Dungeons around here, wouldn’t you?”

There was no denying the truth in Sandy’s words.
In fact, Simon and Natania had gone with Arthur’s party and Fang to accept a commission from the Adventurers’ Guild and do some hunting and gathering in a Devil’s Nest.

If just one of Darcia or Vandalieu joined them, they would certainly be able to hunt enough to cover the cost of their stay.

“That’s true, but… I’m not an adventurer, and I like working like this,” Darcia said simply.

Sandy gave her an odd smile and decided to stop asking questions.
“Well, if you put it that way, there’s nothing more for me to say.
There’s all kinds of work in this world, so it’s best to earn your keep the way you want to.”

Darcia smiled and nodded, but… she felt guilty about the fact that she was actually lying.

“But you should be careful.
There are people who’ll come to make strange false accusations about you because they don’t like the fact that an honorary noble is working at a food cart,” Sandy warned.
“Those kinds of people are –”

“Strange false accusations? Now that is a false accusation in and of itself,” interrupted the haughty-sounding voice of a man from behind her.

Sandy turned around and jumped out of the way in surprise as she saw a young man who seemed to be a noble, with two guards escorting him.

“Wow, that’s amazing,” Darcia said with a sigh, both out of admiration of Sandy’s agility and out of exasperation at the fact that her warning that an unpleasant noble would come to harass her had come true right away.

It was uncertain as to how the young man had interpreted that, but he exhaled arrogantly through his nose before giving her a bow.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Honorary Countess Darcia Zakkart-dono.
I am Viscount Piscott Orlamb,” the young man said.

“Well, thank you for your polite greeting.
So, what would you like to order?” Darcia said cheerfully in response, ready to take his order.

Bewildered by Darcia’s complete lack of hesitation, the two knights who were escorting Piscott froze.

“D-do not insult me! Do you think that the crude cooking that is sold at a food cart is worthy to be eaten by me, the head of the Orlamb house of viscounts?!” Piscott said, outraged.

“Oh my, that’s unfortunate.
Well then, I must take the orders of other customers, so please excuse me,” said Darcia.

She gave Piscott a small bow and tried to leave with the petrified Sandy, but the two knights stood in their way.

“How dare you show such insolence to Piscott-sama!” one of them said angrily.

 

“Where do you think you’re going!” demanded the other.

Neither of them drew their swords, but Sandy was trembling under the intimidation of these armed knights.

As for Darcia… she sighed heavily as she looked over at the master of these two knights whom she was capable of turning into piles of flesh with minimal effort.

“Do you still have some business with me?” she asked.
“Or have you decided that you want to order something?”

“Are you trying to make a fool of me?!” Piscott demanded.

“No, I am providing appropriate service as a food cart worker,” Darcia replied.

She had no intention of making a fool of Piscott.
However, she was currently a waitress at a grilled skewer cart.
If Piscott was not a customer who wanted to make an order, there was no need for her to attend to him any longer.

If she was at a ball or something that she was attending as a noble, then she would have responded to him differently.
Either that, or Piscott simply needed to state what business he had with Darcia, but…

“Damn it, you really are trying to make a fool of me! Perhaps you have become arrogant and conceited after you received your honorary court rank and became one of us?!” Piscott said angrily.

“No, I really am doing nothing of the sort… Umm, so, what business do you have with me?” Darcia finally asked, being left with no choice as Piscott seemed to refuse to state his business otherwise.

There was nothing fun for her about making a fool of Piscott.
Both he and his knights were frightening the customers with their shouting, and they were impeding her work.
She honestly just wanted them to leave as quickly as possible.

“Mph, fine,” Piscott said reluctantly.
“Now that you are an honorary noble, you are at the lowest position among us nobles, and I have come to warn you, because it is the duty of us true nobles to guide you so that you do not find yourself in trouble!”

“… Oh my,” said Darcia, surprised that there really was a noble who had come to harass her because they didn’t like the idea of an honorary noble working at a food cart.

But Piscott mistakenly took her response as a sign that she had understood what he was trying to say.

“Hmph.
It seems that you finally understand just how much contempt you are showing for the dignity of nobles.
Now that you understand, close this silly food cart at once, and have your son stop that vulgar display over there.
As head of the Orlamb house of viscounts, I shall take responsibility and teach you the appropriate manner in which nobles should conduct themselves,” he said in an arrogant tone, reaching out to place a hand on Darcia’s shoulder.

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At that moment, a space-attribute Ghost twisted the space behind Orlamb, and at the same time, somewhere in a deserted alleyway, Braga unsheathed his dagger.
Myuze and the others began making discreet attempts to stand in front of the children so that they couldn’t see what was happening.

But before anything else took place –

“I do not think you are worthy enough to do such a thing, however,” a woman said in a chilling tone.

Viscount Orlamb stopped his hand.
“What is the meaning of this? You filthy commoner, who do you think I –”

Piscott stopped mid-sentence and his eyes opened wide in shock as he turned to see a Dwarf woman dressed in an adorable costume with colorful decorations.

“Th-the ‘Knight of a Thousand Blades,’ C-countess Baldiria Redgorder?!’”

The Dwarf woman who had been working as an assistant in the guessing game was Baldiria, who had replaced her armor with a cute costume for the occasion.

Piscott hastily stood up straight, and the knights who were escorting him quickly did the same.

He was standing before Baldiria, who belonged to a family with a longer history and higher court rank than his, and was even a close subordinate of the duke.
The arrogance was visibly slipping from his face with every passing second.

“W-what are you doing in a place like this?!” Piscott asked.

“As you can see, I am helping Darcia-sama, to whom I owe a large debt of gratitude,” Baldiria replied.
“Knights are forbidden from working in other occupations, but as I am not receiving payment, there are no problems with this.”

“A-and the reason you are wearing clothes such as those?”

“Oh? ‘Such as those,’ huh? It seems that you have a strong obsession with the dignity of nobles… Do you believe that I am disgracing that dignity?”

In her fluffy, bright pink and light blue one-piece dress, Baldiria glared at Piscott.
Overwhelmed by the chilling wrath that was emanating from her, Piscott took a step back and shook his head so furiously that the droplets of cold sweat on his forehead almost flew off.

“Excellent.
Now then, let me tell you why you are not worthy of providing Darcia-sama with instruction of any kind,” said Baldiria.
“First! Unless the nation is at war, paying a direct, unannounced visit to the head of a noble house that you are not even acquainted with is a grave breach of etiquette! Send a messenger to secure an appointment in advance! Second! Your knights stood in the path of the head of another noble house and intimidated them! Why did you not reprimand them? This only speaks to your poor quality of character! And finally! Attempting to touch a lady as if you are close to her is absolutely outrageous! Educate yourself before you show your face around again, you inexperienced brat!”

Piscott let out a hysterical scream.
“I-I’m so terribly sorry!” he squeaked.

With that, he turned tail and ran.

“Piscott-sama!” the two knights shouted, hastily running after him.

Onlookers cheered for Baldiria after she chased away the unpleasant nobleman.

“Nicely done, Baldiria-sama!”

“Nice, tough instructor!”

The people who had kept their distance from the food cart throughout the incident came back to eat.

“Darcia-sama, I am terribly ashamed by the behavior of that man, who is a noble who serves this duchy,” said Baldiria.

“No, you saved me, Baldiria-san,” said Darcia.
“By the way…”

“Yes, it seems that he approached you with unpleasant intentions.
Honorary nobles are only nobles for a single generation, so there are people who look down on them as inferior in any duchy, but… it is likely that he was attempting to make use of your beauty and fame.”

What Baldiria described was something that was common in any aristocracy.
No matter how high the court rank of an honorary noble was, there were nobles who believed that they were superior for having their court rank passed down to them over the generations.

Nobles served their nations for generations; it was not amusing for them to see honorary nobles come out of nowhere and receive the same treatment as them.
They were not entirely mistaken; nobles contributed to the nation by ruling over their lands for generations and serving in various official posts, and they possessed more political influence and connections than honorary nobles.

But even so, Piscott had gone too far by calling himself a true noble and directly insulting Darcia despite her being an honorary noble.

“No, that’s not what I wanted to say.
You could call me ‘Darcia’ instead of adding ‘-sama’ to my name, you know?” Darcia said.

“R-really?! But I cannot simply refer to you without any honorific all of a sudden…!” said Baldiria, who had flushed cheeks and was shifting around in embarrassment for some reason.

“Good grief, I was scared to death, but I’m feeling alright again after listening to you two!” Sandy laughed.

A small wobbling sound came from the creature that had taken on Vandalieu’s appearance.

“Then, let’s continue the guessing game…” it said, and then it returned to work.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, the real Vandalieu, who had managed to sneak away and fool the gods, looked up, put his pen down and stopped writing his reply to Selen.

 

From Cuatro’s deck, a distant shadow had become visible.

Vandalieu gave a satisfied nod.
“I’ve found the Demon King’s Continent.”