The Lord of the Rust Mountains

by Kanata Yanagino

  “That’s him! Valacirca!”

  “You dunce, you’ll be killed!”

  “I still have to do it!”

  “You’re telling me the only way is to fight? After considering all the other ways?!”

  “What other ways are there?!”

  “You idiot!” Gus shouted, flinging a spectral arm into the air. “Didn’t you even consider persuasion?!”

  It was an idea that no one had even imagined.

  “P-Persuasion...?”

  “The gods hired Valacirca. That means there’s a chance that this can be resolved with money and objects.”

  Everyone looked flabbergasted.

  “You know, this kind of idea feels very familiar to me.”

  “That’s funny, Menel, sir, it does to me as well.”

  “Mm.”

  “Yeah...”

  They all nodded with deep expressions. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I was entirely content with being put in the same box as Gus, but I managed to hold back.

  “Granted, I imagine it would be difficult to cajole an evil dragon that has lived since the time of the gods. But there is no need to restrict your solutions to just one. Always keep your thinking flexible. Avoid becoming blinkered.”

  “Okay.”

  It was a very Gus-like way of thinking, and a Gus-like way of speaking, too. I felt like I’d gone back in time, and it made me feel happier than I could explain.

  Gus cleared his throat. “I apologize for that unsightly argument.” He smiled at everyone. “Friends of my grandson: A warm welcome to you all.”

  I could tell from his voice that he was in the best of moods.

  Copyright

  The Faraway Paladin 3 Primus: The Lord of the Rust Mountains

  by Kanata Yanagino

  Translated by James Rushton

  Edited by Sasha McGlynn

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

  Copyright © 2016 Kanata Yanagino

  Illustrations Copyright © 2016 Kususaga Rin

  Cover illustration by Kususaga Rin

  All rights reserved.

  Original Japanese edition published in 2016 by OVERLAP, Inc.

  This English edition is published by arrangement with OVERLAP, Inc., Tokyo

  English translation © 2017 J-Novel Club LLC

  J-Novel Club LLC

  j-novel.club

  The publisher is not responsible for websites (or their content) that are not owned by the publisher.

  Ebook edition 1.0: July 2017