Ariel takes her leave from the audience room.
Ariel looks composed, but Luke and Sylphy look accomplished.
"..."
I was leaving with them... when I suddenly turn around.
Perugius and his twelve familiars remain behind.
Perugius was watching us leave, and we inevitably exchanged a glance.
"What is it, Rudeus Greyrat."
"Nothing..."
I turn back and plan my retreat with Ariel.
But it still bothers me.
"So in the end, the most important factor of a king, was that the right answer?"
Perugius answers with a snort,
"That wasn't what I hoped for."
"Then, why?"
Perugius laughs happily when he heard my question.
"Ariel Anemoi Asura does not at all resemble Kaunis. But the way she talks, how she stands up for herself reminds me of something. Wasn't Kaunis, the so called [Ideal King], also someone like her?"
Kaunis, the Ideal King?
"Everyone regards Kaunis as the ideal king, but even he thought that he was far from ideal. In his youth at the bar, in our war encampments, even after becoming king of Asura, he often talked about what it meant to be the ideal king."
Perugius speaks with nostalgia.
In the end, Ariel is far from Perugius's ideal.
But maybe she's closer to the ideal for Kaunis, something like that?
The ideal differs for everyone.
"I see ... For Perugius-sama, then, what is the ideal king?"
Perugius stares me down when I asked.
"I have no reason to tell you."
"Indeed. Apologies."
I take a bow and decide to leave the scene.
If he doesn't want to tell, I don't need to know.
But suppose he did?
Suppose I tell Ariel the answer later.
Maybe Ariel will lose her hard-earned confidence again and become lost again.
So if I don't need to know, he doesn't have to tell me.
"Rudeus Greyrat."
But Perugius stops me in my tracks once again.
When I turn around again, Perugius is already up and heading towards the other exit.
"Let me ask you a question."
"What is it?"
"Why did you not mention Orsted? I dislike him, but I cannot ignore his name. If you had mentioned him in that situation, wouldn't the conversation have gone more smoothly?"
Orsted has asked Perugius himself and was refused.
So I thought mentioning Orsted wouldn't do much good.
Am I being tested?
What did he want me to say?
"Because the one who wants to be king wasn't Orsted-sama."
"But he does want Ariel as king, correct? And you agree as well? If so, then why not bring that name out as much as possible?"
"Even if we did that, Ariel-sama still needs Perugius-sama's support if she is to be king. Orsted-sama and I do want to help, but we're mere outsiders. I think it's counterproductive to bring him up to force the topic."
I think it's a good idea.
Ultimately, it's ideal to let the person in question be involved.
I don't have anything in particular planned for after Ariel becomes king.
I mean, I don't expect anything from her.
I don't know what Orsted has planned though...
Regardless, since this isn't my responsibility, I don't need to force anything.
"Your way of thinking is too timid."
Perugius acts like he spat out something and returns to his room.
"..."
Unable to stand the gaze of the remaining twelve familiars, I take my leave.
It's a little embarrassing.
So in other words, he's saying that it's no good for me to say noncommittal and insincere things.