Chapter 276
Heading back to a place where you know trouble awaits is a heavy feeling.
We emerged from the spirit corridor near the royal capital, onto a path away from prying eyes. From there, we took a carriage.
"Liberta-sama, it seems there are more guards at the gate.""Madaruda is far away, but it seems the capital is on high alert too."
I doubt the sounds of the battle with the Rainy Devil reached here. But the pillar of light from the magic stone bomb, contained in its cylindrical barrier, must have stretched high into the sky. It might have been visible even from the capital. Until the cause of that light is determined, this alert probably won't be lifted.The checkpoint is strict.
Called by Ingrid, I peeked out the window. More gate soldiers than usual were stationed, checking each person entering and leaving. Will I have to explain to the Duke what caused this heightened security in the capital...?
"Why are you deliberately entering from outside the capital? Using the spirit corridors, you could emerge directly at the Duke's mansion, couldn't you?"
The checkpoint itself isn't a big deal. We have the Duke's daughter onboard, and Claudia is here too. Plus, this carriage belongs to the Duke's household. It would be a major issue if the soldiers stopped us.
"First, I wanted to see the state of the capital from the outside. Second, there was something I wanted to check.""Something you wanted to check?""Yeah."
Establishing a security net is a natural response for the nation. What I was curious about was the reaction of those around us when the Duke's carriage returned under these circumstances.
"........"
I can feel the attention. It's natural for a grand noble family's carriage like the Edelgard's to attract looks. Merchants, adventurers, people out on business—it's natural for them to watch the carriage, wondering "What's happening?"
I moved my gaze as naturally as possible, scanning the surroundings.
"Spies?" Ingrid asked quietly."Either employed by some noble, from an underground organization, or just curious onlookers."
Among them, I clearly sensed malice from a few gazes. Ingrid noticed too, but with her usual poker face, they had no idea they'd been detected.
"Yeah, I've confirmed what I wanted to know. Let's go through the checkpoint and head straight to the Duke.""Understood."
A few spies were mixed in. If there was an explosion that large, confirming the scene would be the national army's job, and a reconnaissance unit should have been formed. I asked the spirits to monitor, but no unit has arrived at Madaruda yet.
Meaning, regarding the cause of the mysterious explosion and pillar of light at Madaruda, neither the national army nor the local lords have obtained complete information. Despite that, spies were lurking, probing the movements of people associated with the Edelgard Duchy into and out of the capital. Is it because the spirits investigated Azhdaha's location the other day, or is the Duke himself under suspicion?
I came back from outside to see the capital's condition firsthand after the impact of the Rainy Devil battle, but it's more ominous than I expected. Watching the spies slip away, the carriage joined the line for the gate checkpoint.
"Lady Esmeralda!"
Such a splendid carriage is rare. Within minutes of lining up, several soldiers came running at full speed. Saluting and calling for Lady Esmeralda, their equipment differed from the checkpoint guards. Their armor was more ornate, and a familiar family crest was emblazoned on their chests.
"Oh, it's you...""Y-Yes! By His Excellency's order, we have come to escort you!"
Seeing the soldiers running up to the opened window, Lady Esmeralda seemed to recognize them. I didn't remember their faces, but from their equipment, I immediately guessed they were the Edelgard family's private soldiers. Though they seemed momentarily captivated by Lady Esmeralda leaning out, they remembered their duty and answered her questions.
We had informed them we'd return today, but sending an escort like this was appreciated.
"Then, we can enter?""We have orders from His Excellency! To escort your party to the mansion!""Understood. Ingrid-san, please follow their lead.""Understood."
Once inside the capital, we probably wouldn't be attacked. But the atmosphere suggested that if they called for more spy reinforcements, it could become troublesome. I still firmly believe the decision to defeat the Rainy Devil was correct, but unlike spirits, humans often bring trouble, I can't help but think.
I guess we're back, but the thought of more troublesome days ahead makes me a little gloomy. Led by the soldiers, the carriage moved forward.
"The capital itself doesn't seem that chaotic, does it?" Nell observed."Probably just rumors and speculation about what the pillar of light was," Claudia added.
Peeking through the carriage curtains at the town's state, I didn't sense a dark atmosphere. Just because there are more soldiers doesn't mean the air becomes dangerous. It's not a grim, murderous mood like during the previous stampede.
"Liberta, aren't you being overly cautious?""It's just... feels like I have to be on guard here, unlike in the Spirit World... can't help it."
It's the gap between the atmosphere of the Spirit World and the capital. Over there, I could relax and be carefree, but the moment I returned here, my heart screamed "Be alert!"
"I understand your point, but surely trouble doesn't happen *that* often in the capital?""Those exact words are a flag! The classic development is right now, as we have this conversation, the carriage jerks to a stop and we go 'What's going on!?'""What world's classic development is that?""Stage plays, perhaps?""Ah, indeed. A very common trope."
It's a strange foreboding, like being told "Summer vacation is over, time to get back to work." Having spent two years without any human-caused trouble, maybe I'm feeling uneasy precisely *because* no trouble is flying our way, a reaction to that period.
Lady Esmeralda laughed, familiar with the trope, but I thought to myself... if something really did happen, it would be such a hassle...
"Well, nothing happened.""Yeah, we arrived normally.""We've arrived, huh..."
What was all my vigilance for? We had safely reached the Edelgard Ducal mansion.
Well, thinking normally, no fool would attack a ducal carriage with an escort inside the capital. I wanted to blame event flags, but under Nell and Amina's exasperated gazes, I averted my eyes.
"Oho! Esmeralda! You've returned safely!""Father. Yes, as you can see, I am unharmed."
As we got off the carriage and this exchange happened, the Duke appeared at the entrance. He walked towards Lady Esmeralda, with Lotus-san behind him, smiling happily at his daughter's safe return.
"Good, you seem even more beautiful than before you left... Did you undergo some special training? Your equipment looks quite different too."
Approaching, he noticed the changes in his daughter first.
"Special... Well, yes, it became normal for us, but by ordinary standards, I suppose we did special things."
The reason is simple and clear. I wanted to tell the Duke, who was tilting his head at his daughter, "It's because Lady Esmeralda leveled up tremendously over the course of two years." But there were other people present. I couldn't carelessly say that, so I nodded slightly at Lady Esmeralda, who made eye contact.
"Father, we cannot speak here. Let us change locations first. We also have a report concerning the pillar of light.""...Understood. Then, let's go to my office. Later, make sure to see Catharia and Iris. They were both worried.""Yes."
Thanks to that, we could move locations, but...
"A divine oracle? Class 8? The Sunlight series? Defeated the Rainy Devil? The Spirit World? Became acquainted with the Spirit King? Azhdaha?"
In the moved-to office, after we reported everything we had done, with evidence, without holding back, the Duke was holding his stomach, sweating profusely.
Every single word deserved a question mark; he couldn't keep up with reality. He understood, but it seemed he found it lacking in realism.
"Your Excellency, it appears I am dreaming. Seeing the young lady looking so beautiful is a happy dream, but rather unrealistic information seems to be coming through as well.""A strange coincidence, Lotus. I seem to be having the same dream. Tell me, dream-Liberta, could you laugh it off as a joke now?""It's all real. You saw Lady Esmeralda's status, didn't you?"
But these are genuine events that happened in reality. Lotus-san, who was listening too, looked out the window, trying to escape reality. I understand the desire to reject it, but we can't afford that.
"......Sigh, I truly never know what you'll get up to."
When I threw out those words to drag them back to reality, the two, resigning themselves with a 'guess we have to deal with it,' took a deep breath and returned to the present.
"I'll confirm this point by point. You went to the ancient ruins of Madaruda, were attacked by the Rainy Devil there, escaped via a spirit corridor using the power of the spirits contracted with Amina. Originally, you just planned to get away from the attack site, but there you were invited by the Spirit King to come to the Spirit World.""Correct.""Being permitted to stay in the Spirit World, you decided to deepen ties with the spirits and become stronger while you were at it.""Correct.""During that time, a divine oracle came from the Goddess of Wisdom, and upon verifying it, you discovered that a great calamity called Azhdaha was reviving.""Correct.""And to counter that, you leveled up, prepared equipment, and... defeated the legendary disaster-class monster, the Rainy Devil?""That is correct.""......"
As I kept nodding to the Duke's succinct summary, he fell silent.
"How did it come to this?""Really, how *did* it come to this?"
As a certain beckoning-cat-shaped monster might say, it might be the blessing of the great god attached to Nell, but I feel it's more than that.
The Duke held his head, overwhelmed that his beloved daughter had become a legendary figure through a series of escalating troubles.
"You sound detached? You're the one who carried out everything in that report.""If it weren't for the fact that those northern nobles are up to no good, I wouldn't have gone so far as to defeat the Rainy Devil, you know?"
I delivered a splendid counter-punch to the Duke's words, which were essentially taking his frustration out on me, though he knew it. Finally, the Duke had accepted reality enough to banter lightly.
"Is this 'Azhdaha' entity really that bad?""It's dangerous enough to destroy not just the country, but potentially this world.""......Can we win?""In our current state, the probability of victory is barely there, and only by accepting significant sacrifices. We are currently acting to turn that into a flawless victory."
Faced with the Duke's serious expression, I answered with equal seriousness.
Because he doesn't doubt my words, the discussion moves quickly. Crossing his arms and tapping his fingers on them, the Duke thought for a few seconds.
"What do you need?""People. Specifically, capable individuals who, despite having become strong themselves, harbor no ambition and can be trusted."
He accurately deduced what I wanted to hear.
A typical noble would be suspicious and dismissive of a commoner's words. That's the common sense of this world. But the Duke, having been continuously hit with reality-defying common sense, asked me directly, as if he had no time for such conventions.
"Until now, I thought hiding was safer, but given the situation, we can't afford to stand on ceremony. We have no choice but to create it. The strongest army, with you, Duke, as its standard-bearer."
If the world ends, it's all meaningless.Therefore, I've made my resolution.
To create an army capable of fighting Azhdaha.