Reincarnation into the Barrier Master

"Master, it's done."

After hearing my words of thanks and appreciation, the harpy jumped up.

The summer sun was shining brightly. In the distance, beyond the horizon, the sun was shimmering. I look at the stable, feeling the summer coming.

In the stable are ten men dressed as adventurers. I stand in front of them in silence.

It all started on a holiday, when I was having lunch and relaxing. About 10 bright red markers appeared on my map. I alerted everyone and put them on alert. The group split up into three groups... two groups of four people each, and a group of two.

The two groups come straight to the house. The other two groups seem to be heading for the stable and the backyard of the house. The plan seems to be to pin them down.

Without waiting for my instructions, Harpy comes to tell us that there are suspicious people coming. I give the order to mobilize everyone who can move.

When we are ready and the prowlers appear to be in place, two of them stand at the entrance of my house.

"warder, is this the house of Lord Rinos?

I greet the prowler at the door.

"I'm Linos the warder, what's up?"

Princess Licoretto wants to see you. You're to come with us."

"Princess Lycorette? What the hell do you want?"

Peeeeeeeeeee! A shrill harpy cry echoes through the air. From the stable, human shrieks of "oooh! A couple of startled people go outside. I follow them out.

Hey! Harpy! Why is the Harpy here?"

"Hey, guys. Don't kill them. Take them alive.

What the hell are you...

What if they're demons?

An adventurer swings his sword at me. I dodge it lightly and hit him with a blow, knocking him out. Meanwhile, the harpies have the other guy under control. Hearing the commotion, the backyard troops arrive. The harpies have him pinned down, helplessly.

"So, what the hell do you want with me, Princess Licorette?"

The men do not answer.

"You all seem to want to be harpy bait, don't you?"

"Wait. I'll talk!

The man who spoke to me at the door opens his mouth. I step in front of him.

"...you are a dog of Gremont, and you are in my way."

"What are you going to do, make me disappear? My disappearing won't do you any good."

I was told that if you die, the wards of Gremont will be lifted. That's why!

They're trying to assassinate the Prime Minister. That's a very dangerous story.

"Gremont is the regent of the empire but he's lining his own pockets and even trying to usurp the throne. He cannot be allowed to live!"

This man, who was speaking passionately while being restrained by the harpy, appeared to be quite young. When I asked his age, he said he was 20 years old.

"The empire has a crown prince, doesn't it? It would be difficult to take the throne from him.

"I am going to put my grandson, His Highness Weiras, on the throne, and I am going to be his guardian!

What he is saying is a bit of a muddle. I take a peek into this man's past just to be sure.

"Hey, hey, hey! Princess Licorette had nothing to do with this! Don't lie to me!

The man's body jerks.

"Huh? Has His Majesty the Emperor died? Oh, you want to assassinate the Prime Minister and put Princess Lycorette under the new emperor's guardianship? So you guys can suck on the sweet juice? You're a bunch of pussies, you know that?

"Shut up! Don't be selfish! The current empire is not making the most of its best and brightest! The empire will collapse in Gremont!"

"And you're going to sit in his place. Are you stupid? How can you replace the Prime Minister with your skills?

Gremont's dogs!

In the meantime, I'm going to tie up these assailants. I'll warding them off and erase the memories of the harpies and rewrite them as if I had done it to them. After that, I'll lead them away and head for the transfer point. Just in time... a good test to see if I can handle 10 people on board. I activate the transfer. The destination is my store in the capital.

We all make it to my store in the capital without a problem. I leave them there and ride to the transfer point again, and transfer to a point near the Prime Minister's residence. Then I enter the residence.

The Prime Minister is not at home. I told the Prime Minister's steward what had happened, and he told me to stay at the house, and he went out to Miyagi. Then, the members of the Prime Minister's family went to my store to pick up those who had attacked me.

Soon after, the men who had attacked me were taken away by the Prime Minister's men. They were all beaten to a pulp, perhaps because they resisted as they were being taken away.

I waited for quite a long time, but the Prime Minister would return at night. I pretended to go to the washroom, went into a private room, made a transfer point there, and returned to my house. I told Peris that I might not be back today, and I went back to the Prime Minister's bathroom again after re-establishing the warding just in case. I resolved the transfer point and returned to the drawing room.

It was late at night when the Prime Minister returned. He looks very tired.

"You look tired, sir."

"Well, yes. We've had a lot of problems. I wish I had a body and a head like His Eminence Bertham's."

"I understand that Your Majesty has passed away?"

! How did you know that! So they talked. Stupid people. Killing me won't change anything.

"What will happen to them? Is it still death?

"They are the third and fourth sons of counts and viscounts. Their chances of succeeding to their families are very slim. They will either become adventurers or start a business... or else they will have to live on a pittance from their older brothers. I don't think their houses will help them. Well, at worst they'll be condemned to death, at best they'll be exiled."

"I'm sure."

"But first, we must get the name of their ringleader. And I also need to know how far they're willing to go with their plan.

"From what I heard, it sounded like they were the only ones who did that.

"No, I heard about the attack on you. Perhaps there is a ringleader. And I have a feeling a rebellion of epic proportions is being planned.

"Are you going to throw up?"

... I must make him tell me what he wants to know.

"Since we're at this juncture, Your Excellency, would it be possible for me to meet these men once? I have some questions I'd like to ask you, too."

Very well. Follow me.

The Prime Minister slowly walks down the stairs to the basement of the mansion. The distance to the basement is quite long. After descending the stairs and walking down the corridor for a while, I saw a door at the end of the corridor.

When I entered, the ten men who had attacked me were just being interrogated. They were all tied up and had bruises all over their faces. It seemed that they had been tortured quite severely.

"How are they?"

"No, he won't talk at all. They're insisting that it's their plan and theirs alone.

"Make him talk by any means necessary. If worse comes to worst, I don't care if I have to kill you.

Wait a minute.

I walk up to one of the captives. He's not the same guy I interrogated in my house, but for some reason his eyes meet mine for a moment. I look into his past.

"...Krumfal?"

The man's body twitches.

"What's he like?"

I don't know. I don't know anything about Mr. Krumphal!

"You don't put 'sir' in front of someone you don't know, do you?"

"Krumfal... I'm Mr. Ricolet's tutor. I see. He's also your tutor. So it's Count Krumphal who's behind all this!

The Prime Minister's eyes light up.

"My Lord Rinos, this is a major achievement! Now we can wipe out all the evil that roams the empire!"

"Good for you. I don't suppose you're concerned about that, are you, Mr. Licoulet?"

No, I don't think so.

Hm? I thought you said it had nothing to do with that.

"You will have to take the blame too, Mr. Licourette. He's guilty as sin.