Chapter 230 You’re Lucky to Be Alive…
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Before the massive double iron doors that led deep beneath the imperial palace, Ayumu muttered to himself.
”So this giant fortress even has a basement…? Don’t tell me this is the Armed Reconnaissance Directorate of the Office of Foreign Negotiations…”
Bracing himself, he pushed the doors open and stepped inside.
It had all started earlier, when Royal Knights Commander Sergei had clapped him on the shoulder with a booming laugh.
”Well, well♪ This is worth celebrating. I thought for sure the First Princess would end her days in a convent. (T/N: In this world, royals or members of the imperial family without a marriage engagement are expected to become nuns and devote their lives to prayer.) But if you’re going to marry her, you’d better grow stronger than ever! Hah!”
He had handed Ayumu an accepted transfer document. That was how Ayumu found himself at these dreadful doors.
Inside stretched a staircase spiraling downward. The moment Ayumu crossed the threshold, the iron doors slammed shut behind him with a thunderous clang!—sealing off his retreat.
He had no choice but to go down.
Then—thud!
Something fell behind him. He spun around, eyes wide.
A massive boulder came rolling straight for him.
”Wh—what?! You’ve got to be kidding! I’ll die! I’m dead, I’m seriously dead! (sob)”
Crying and screaming, Ayumu bolted down the stairs.
Elsewhere, within the bureau’s headquarters, two of his future superiors and his new colleague watched through a magical projection device.
”The new recruit’s entered the lane… He’s promising material.”
That was Brisk, the team leader of the execution squad, reporting to Dimihol Kuzmin, Director General of the Reconnaissance Bureau.
From behind, laughter rang out—bright and unrestrained. A girl around Ayumu’s age was doubled over, giggling at the sight of him on the projection.
Her name was Ruby.
She might look like a lovely Yugan girl, but she had been raised in the slums. As a child, she awakened a skill perfect for assassination. She survived by taking contracts on gang leaders and mafia bosses—until one day she accidentally crossed paths with bureau agents during a mission. Their target overlapped. To keep identities secret, they fought to kill each other. Ruby slew several of those seasoned agents and, impressed by her ability, the bureau recruited her.
She had been an ace ever since.
So it was no wonder Ruby now looked forward to this “hopeful newcomer” called Ayumu Sanai.
Most thought he was nothing more than a lucky upstart suddenly raised to nobility. In truth, he had been unlucky enough to be ordered into the Armed Reconnaissance Bureau, and only surviving agents knew it.
The ordeal was infamous—known as the “Death Entrance.” A trial designed to kill intruders. Ayumu, screaming and sobbing all the while, had triggered every single trap. Yet somehow, impossibly, he was still alive.
Spears shot from walls and floor, fire burst from hidden nozzles, crushing weights slammed down with bone-breaking force. He fell into pit after pit, yet by pure chance he landed between spikes, wedged in the narrow gaps of trap spears, or landed on long-dead skeletons instead of impaling himself.
By the end, he bore little more than scrapes and bruises.
Exhausted on his very first day, Ayumu stumbled out only to be greeted by Brisk and Director Dimihol.
”Well done, rookie. You passed the entrance trial. Congratulations. You seem to have what it takes—we accept you. Welcome to our organization.”
The words came from a broad-shouldered Yugan man—Brisk himself.
Ayumu exploded at once.
”What kind of trial was that?! I thought I was going to die!”
But before he could get further, another figure loomed from behind Brisk. A tall man in a black hooded cloak, face scarred with a vertical slash over his blinded right eye, glared down at him.
”If you’d died from something like that, you were never needed. Better you die early—it saves us the trouble of culling the weak.”
Ayumu froze. H-he’s terrifying…!
”You mean… I could have actually died?!”
Trying to argue, Ayumu snapped back, “If I die, Crown Prince Aare’s life will be in danger too, you know?!”
The black-clad giant sneered.
”If your life ends, and with it the Crown Prince’s, then that’s all it meant to be. An emperor whose fate runs out doesn’t deserve to rule. If the boy dies, he dies. Better that than a ruler propped up by luck.”
The words were chilling. To speak of the future emperor so coldly—this man had nerves of steel. Ayumu could only mutter faintly, pale as a ghost.
”Y-yes, sir…”
No way. This guy’s too scary. Better not resist anymore.
The thought struck him suddenly: If this is how they treat the Crown Prince, how will they treat me? His stomach twisted, tears welling up. Maybe I should just file another transfer request…
Later, however, Princess Ronafermia teased him gleefully:
”Oh my♪ Sanai, I heard from Sergei♪ You were assigned to a dangerous bureau, weren’t you? That’s what happens when you defy me♪ If you swear to devote your life to me, I might just ask Sergei to move you out♪”
Infuriated, Ayumu clenched his fists. Forget it! It’s not like I’ll die immediately. I’ll tough it out here for a while!
What he didn’t know was that Royal Knights Commander Sergei himself secretly hoped this “nobody” who dared to marry the First Princess might die off conveniently. And if Ayumu had actually tried to resign… well, once someone saw the empire’s darkest secrets, an “accident” would inevitably silence them.
Ayumu Sanai. A man of absurd misfortune—yet blessed with even greater bad luck resistance.
Truly, he was too lucky to die.
To be continued…
Notes:
• Sergei – Elderly but towering commander of the Royal Knights, hawk-eyed and authoritative. Holds powers equal to a Defense Minister, trusted by Emperor Rai as his most loyal and stabilizing force.
• Brisk – Broad-shouldered Yugan officer of the Recon Bureau, witnessed Sanai’s absurd survival and accepted him as recruit. Stern but pragmatic.
• Dimihol – One-eyed director of the Armed Reconnaissance Bureau. Coldly judged Ayumu Sanai during the “Death Entrance,” declaring even Aare expendable if fate willed it.
• Ruby – Assassin prodigy from Yugan slums, recruited after killing bureau agents. Now ace of the Recon Bureau; amused by Ayumu Sanai’s pitiful yet lucky survival.
• Ronafermia – Second Princess, Norfemina’s younger sister. Harassed by Doll’s poems, then slandered with rumors of stable boys. Publicly shamed him, hurled her glove, and forced a duel—pushing Ayumu to fight as her champion. After his win, she claimed it as proof of her virtue. Reminder: fiery, reckless, twists scandal into pride.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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