Vol 3: Chapter 37
We couldn’t even meet and report to Muge-san.
As soon as we got off the elevator, we were surrounded by the fully armed army of the Lev Magic Empire. Each soldier carried not weapons usually seen outside the Empire, but rather, equipped to the teeth with Magic Gears designed with magic tech. What they carried was indeed a spear, but sorcery was installed into the metal handle.
「When I was suddenly pulled out of my bed in the middle of the sleep, I truly thought we were attacked by an enemy nation… but to think it was because you guys captured the labyrinth, huh. Chupa.」
The floodlight—the base principle of it is the same as that of a magic lamp, but a high value magic stone is inserted into it to increase the intensity of lightーilluminated the figure of Abba, who was licking on syrup.
I was on guard because of the armed soldiers surrounding us, but at the same time grateful that someone whom we have spoken to previously was here.
Dante-san glanced at me, so I took a step forward.
「Did you come here because of the fireworks?」I asked.
「’Fireworks’? Oh, you mean the ‘Blessed Magic Light’ that was launched into the sky. That’s an interesting way to call the “Flower of Flames”. Incidentally, when this happened, I was sleeping.」
「I see. Anyway, as you might have guessed, we have captured the Labyrinth of Fear.」
Astonished “Wow!”s rose from the crowd. …Didn’t you guys come here because you knew the dungeon was cleared? Hmm, maybe it’s just nice to hear the actual words.
Several people were desperately writing down everything I said. …Are they perhaps newspaper reporters? If so, thenー
I came up with the words I wanted to say in my mind.
「It is all thanks to Lulusha-san of Labyrinth Capture Division 4.」
「!」
Abba seemed startled, like he was taken by complete surprise, but the reporters were frantically writing down on the paper at hand. Andー
「Excuse me! I have a question. Were you cooperating with the Labyrinth Capture Division!?」
「Yes. It is no exaggeration to say that our success is due to Lulusha-san.」I answered.
Another type of “Wow!” broke out from the crowd. Everyone looked surprised.
「W-Wait a minute. The reporters can ask their question again tomorrow. I am sure you guys are tired, so you can rest at the place I have arranged.」Abba said.
「I don’t mind, but I’d like to contact my employer, Muge-san.」
「—Most of you seem to be humans. Who hired you?」
A newspaper reporter leaned forward and asked.
「We are the adventurer party “Silver Balance”, and our leader is Dante-san over here. And we are hired by the owner of “Muge Company” to enter the Empire. The owner is the type of businessmen who is honest, hardworking, and would never lieー」
「H-H-Hey!」Abba interrupted me.
Using this as my chance, I thought that if I praised Muge-san and made it into a newspaper article, it would affect the lawsuit with Rororo Company.
「Didn’t I say that the questions are over?」
Abba looked at me with anger in his eyes, but I just pretended not to have noticed.
After that, we were asked to get into a magic car that was prepared for us. A spacious and solidly built car overflowing with luxurious air, which couldn’t be compared to Neko-chan even in the slightest.
Neko-chan was promised to be delivered safely by the Empire’s soldiers, so I decided to entrust it to them. Just in case, I made a list of the items on the load-carrying tray in Abba’s presence so that I could check if any item were stolen later.
The public order in this country is not exactly bad, but they look down on Muge-san too much… The soldiers scowled when they saw Neko-chan.
The shaking of the magic car was small enough while travelling, and we arrived at the center of the Empire in no time.
An astonishingly large bungalow stood there. A bungalow, in this country with limited land, is simply that extravagant.
A small artificial river flowed through the entrance. A magic lamp set up in the gravel-filled garden, ensuring midnight light. We passed through the gold-leaf gate, and a woman in a dress – unfortunately, she was a Lev, so I don’t know if she was a beauty or otherwise – appeared.
「Welcome to the Guest House. I am your guide.」
It was a guesthouse.
「We are adventurers. A cheap hotel would have sufficed.」Dante-san said.
「That won’t do. Don’t worry. There is no etiquette to follow, so just make yourself at home.」
Abba said nonchalantly, but he seemed to have stopped licking syrup since we entered this place, so it’s doubtful if there was actually no etiquette.
「I would suggest you retire to bed immediately. You have an audience with His Majesty the Emperor when you wake up.」
Abba was grinning broadly.
An audience with the Emperor!
Dante-san blinked in surprise, Mimino-san screamed “Eek” in a high-pitched voice, Non-san tried to walk past by pretending not to have heard it, and Zerry-san quickly tried to escape, so I grabbed her by the tail.
**
「I can’t. I have always been unable to bear that kind of stiff atmosphere.」
Inside one of the rooms in the guesthouse, Dante-san sat covering his face with his hand, already stripped out of his armor.
This might unexpectedly be one of Dante-san’s weak points.
Incidentally, Mimino-san, Non-san, and Zerry-san were going to the bath. It seems that there is a large public bath here. …Hmm, if I go to the public bath, “accidents” may occur, so I should restrain myself and stay here, yeah?
「Dante-san… In that case, can you leave it to me?」
「To you?」
「I worked as an escort at a noble house, so they also beat etiquette into me.」
「However… no, I know that’s the best choice, but to send you alone…」
I understood that instead of being hesitant about me getting the job done, he was only worried about sending me alone. And my lips loosened.
「It’s okay. It’s all about the right person in the right place, right? I also have something I’d like to ask you to take care of, Dante-san.」
「What do you want to ask?」
「I want you to check in on Muge-san. It’s been four days since we left the city. I wonder if anything happened with Polina-san or how the lawsuit is progressing.」
「Right, there was some trouble there too.」
Dante-san pondered for a while, rubbing his chin.
「All right, then. I’ll leave the line-up before the Emperor to you.」
Line-up? He makes it sound like a suspect lining-up before the police. I guess that’s why Dante-san doesn’t feel like meeting the Emperor.
「However, I do have one condition.」
Dante-san raised his index finger.
「Take Non with you.」
* Anastasia *
In the section next to the building where the Emperor lived, there was a one-story building quite similar to the bungalow guesthouse. Despite making heavy use of geometrical shapes unique to the Lev Magic Empire, trees and plants dotted the place to give a calm feel.
Although noble guests from other countries used to stay here when visiting for extended periods of time, this place had been reserved exclusively for elf nobles for some time now.
「………!」
Anastasia reflexively stood up after receiving the report from the Lev lady attendant.
She raised her index finger and turned it upside down. It meant “say it again”.
「Yes. We received word from His Majesty the Emperor. An audience will be conducted with an adventurer at 10 o’clock today. The reason is to commend the capture completion of the Labyrinth of Fear. Your Highness is called to be present at the audience.」
「…………」
Anastasia was already asleep last night, so she was unaware of the fireworks and the turmoil that followed.
She was dazed for a while when she heard the report from the attendant.
「Y-Your Highness!?」
By the time Anastasia came to realise, a stream of tears was flowing down her cheeks.
(That person, he braved danger to bring back the bag that proved Lulusha’s innocence. He even entrusted it to me and said he would look for more if that wasn’t enough. I failed to live up to his expectations, and yet, that person has…)
Anastasia handed the bag to the Emperor, who promised a re-investigation. However, the investigation was left to Abba, and she was not informed of what had happened since then.
(How did he find out…?)
The Emperor suggested a possibility to Anastasia. If someone close to Lulusha—that is, if Silver Balance succeeds in capturing the Labyrinth of Fear, Lulusha will be able to live normally in this Empire as before. No, on the contrary, a road of success would be opened up to her.
But she couldn’t bring herself to tell that young boy about it. As the Emperor said, she was a “caged bird”. Powerless, unable to even chirp. The only thing she could do was to cut her hair and give it to the boy. She thought it was shameless to ask more of him.
(I really wanted to write it. Please lend me your strength to save Lulusha. But I couldn’t… Did that person notice that? How…)
For Anastasia, who was trapped in darkness for a long, long time, it was like a dazzling ray of hope. Small blinks of starlight were brought about by the many kind people she had met in this country. However, this was the first time that she heard a news that shone so brightly.
In the withered heart of Anastasia, who had given up on everything, it was now beginning to rain.
(Let’s go meet him. All I can do now is to thank that personーReiji-san with all my heart.)
The maid was about to rush out to call for help, looking at Anastasia shedding tears after tears. Anastasia wiped the tears with the back of her hand.
「Y-Your Highness…?」
And she pulled out a paper and wrote.
『I will participate in the audience. Please make the perfect preparations.』
Relievedly, the maid started to make the preparations. Anastasia put her arms through the sleeves of a dazzling dress she received as a present in the past for the very first time today. She wore the tiara made in the Elven Forest, which is proof of High Elf royalty.
The presence of the Elven princessーeven to her attendant, who is accustomed to seeing her everyday, was breathtaking.
Not one person knew that all of this was for the sake of meeting one boy.
