"……I figured as much."

After leaving Sara-san’s mansion, I used my Eavesdropping skill outside to listen in on their conversation.

From what I heard, at the very least, the royal family of the defeated nation would be executed. To eliminate future grudges and prevent unnecessary rebellions, all blood relatives of the defeated king would be put to death... I’d seen this kind of thing often in manga and dramas back in my world.

I knew something was off. Gina-san had probably intended to ask me for help back then. But Sara-san didn’t allow it. She wouldn’t have me fight as the nation’s representative in a duel where my life was at risk. Even if it meant losing their own lives.

What was truly astonishing was how well Sara-san concealed it. She must have realized that I was the one who defeated the Calamity. Maybe, deep down, she had wanted to ask me for help. But she never showed a hint of it, maintaining a calm facade the entire time.

She’s still so young, yet she’s truly admirable. I suppose that’s what they call having the qualities of a king. But if that’s how Sara-san wants to play it, then I have my own plans. First, I’ll gather some information.

"Masayoshi-dono, it’s been a while!"

"It has been, Gildart-san. Sorry for bothering you when you’re busy."

For starters, I went to the town of Egarton to ask Lilith-san and the others for information, but they weren’t there, so I left them some souvenirs. From there, I headed straight to the Adventurers’ Guild in the town of Bradley.

Unlike Luxeria, Bradley wasn’t as bustling, but the Adventurers’ Guild was still quite busy. However, as soon as I mentioned my name, the Guild Master himself, Gildart-san—the descendant of a Great Mage—personally escorted me to a private room.

"I truly appreciate your help during the mutated beast incident. The specimen you provided us with has been invaluable for our research."

Oh yeah, that did happen. Back then, I had secretly followed Lilith-san and the others on their hunt because I was worried about them.

"No, I should be thanking you for purchasing the materials. Today, I came because I have a few things I’d like to ask about."

"Of course, what would you like to know? For an esteemed benefactor of this town like yourself, Masayoshi-dono, I will tell you everything I know."

"Thank you very much. The truth is…"

I proceeded to ask Gildart-san about the duel between nations and the one who had inherited the title of Great Mage.

"…I see. So you have connections to royalty. In this case, since it is a battle waged over the fate of a nation, it is not just a minor duel. If they lose, avoiding execution will be extremely difficult."

"There have been several instances of duels over the fate of a country in the past. In almost every case, the defeated nation’s royal family was executed to prevent future conflicts."

"I see. Was there no way to avoid war?"

"Regarding the current war between Bartom and Edwards, we’ve gathered quite a bit of information. Skirmishes with Bartom had been frequent before, but we never expected it to escalate into a duel for the fate of the nation."

"…This is still classified information, but the opposing nation’s representative is rumored to be a formidable warrior—one who has inherited the title of Great Mage. That might be why their nation was emboldened to push such reckless demands."

Wow, they’ve already uncovered that much? As expected of this town’s Guild Master.

"It’s a common occurrence for nations lucky enough to obtain an overwhelming warrior. If they can force a duel between representatives, they can take what they want through sheer strength. If the opposing nation refuses, they can simply threaten all-out war. The more a king values his people, the more he is forced to accept a duel to prevent a full-scale battle."

…I see. The more a king cherishes his people, the more they must accept a representative duel to avoid sending their citizens into war, even if they stand little chance of victory. …Though, it seems the two princes were against it.

"I see. But wouldn’t the citizens oppose it? Changing rulers is a huge deal, isn’t it?"

"Nowadays, there aren’t many people with strong nationalist sentiments. In the past, both civilians and adventurers were dragged into wars, but since representative duels became the norm, the common people are barely affected."

"Taxes and laws might change slightly, but if they don’t like it, they can just move to another country. The victors understand this, so they usually don’t make major changes to taxes or laws."

"…That’s surprisingly pragmatic."

"Around 70 to 80 years ago, Edwards itself won a duel and annexed another nation as a vassal state."

…It seems this world has a rather detached approach to these matters. I suppose it’s still better than a war where every citizen is forced to fight with magic. That would explain why Luxeria was in such turmoil while Egarton and Bradley remained relatively calm.

"What kind of person is the one who inherited the title of Great Mage?"