Chapter 108 - Eve of the VIP Visit
Stepping out of Rosmerta's hidden mansion and the prison's grand gate, I couldn’t help but exclaim, "The air of freedom sure tastes good!"
Oh, right. I shouldn’t be the one saying that, considering how often I snuck out.
Outside, a vehicle arranged by Rosmerta awaited to take me to the base. It’s quite a distance to walk, so I was grateful for the ride.
By evening, we arrived at our Kikyo Society's Royal Capital base. Seeing it again after a while, I couldn’t help but be taken aback.
The Kikyo Society’s base was a fortress in every sense of the word. A large compound surrounded by towering, sturdy walls. It had gained even more solidity and a sense of oppression since Priene made renovations.
As I stepped down in front of this fortress, I was greeted by my familiar junior, Valeria.
"Onee-sama!"
Whether it was a coincidence or her unusually keen senses, she rushed to me and clung on. I caught her and, as usual, petted her soft hair and wolf ears. The texture was as delightful as ever.
I let her touch and sniff me too, but only because she was my beloved junior.
"Valeria, it’s been a while. Where is everyone else?"
"A few are on patrol, but the rest are here."
After our reunion, we walked into the base together. Once inside the fortified gate, the overall robustness was even more evident.
Priene, who likely supervised the renovations, had imbued the place with a military-like atmosphere. The warehouses were preserved and renovated, capable of housing a large number of people. There was even a tall tower, probably a lookout.
However, the sight of women in tattered Kikyo Society robes here and there gave an incongruous impression.
Greeting the enthusiastic young men, I entered the old warehouse, which had been our first renovation project. The senior members were already gathered, having been informed by someone at the gate.
"Yukari, you’re back!"
"How was prison?"
"Thanks for your hard work."
I wish they wouldn’t say it like that.
"Yukari-san, you’re finally out!"
"Things were hectic here too, you know?"
They all spoke at once, expressing their joy at my return. It had been a while, and I was happy too. Listening to their banter made me feel like I had truly returned.
Still, before getting caught up in small talk, I needed to get an update on the situation.
"Everyone, you all know that my return means things are about to start moving."
I went to the prison to meet with Countess Rosmerta and discuss our plans. My return signified whether the talks had succeeded or failed. No one doubted my success; given the circumstances, the talks had a high chance of going well. If not, we would have other options.
That’s just the kind of leader I am. The young men might worry, but the senior members are confident. We have the skills and confidence to handle any situation.
"Of course. We’ve taken care of most things while you were gone," Gradena said with a sly smile. Everyone nodded in agreement. How reliable.
"Good job. Since the groundwork is done, we can move quickly. We can address minor issues later. Let’s gather everyone, including the young men, and share the current situation. We’ll hold a briefing once the patrols return."
"Sure! But it might take a while for them to get back. Why don’t you take a bath?"
That’s a good idea. While I used a purification spell to clean myself, I still felt the need to scrub thoroughly. Soaking in a hot bath would be wonderful. Since we have some time, I might as well enjoy it.
Valeria joined me, and we washed each other’s backs before immersing ourselves in the tub.
"Ah, this feels so good."
"Ah... yes..."
Priene did a great job building the bath. Using materials pilfered from noble homes, the bath was well-constructed and didn’t feel like a makeshift facility. I couldn’t do something like this, and it would be a waste to let this skill go unused. Maybe we should establish an architecture department in the Kikyo Society. I idly thought about it, feeling warm and cozy.
I wasn’t that tired, but the bath seemed to wash away my fatigue. Ah, this feels so good.
"Valeria, what did you do while I was gone?"
Valeria, lounging next to me, closed her eyes and looked content. Catching up with her was important, especially after so long.
"I hunted monsters and developed new combat strategies with Mia."
"Interesting! I’d love to see them sometime."
Hearing about that made me a bit envious. During my time in the forest, I learned a lot from hunting monsters. The urge to do it again welled up inside me. I’m sure I’d see things differently now.
After a leisurely chat with Valeria, we decided to get out before getting too relaxed and falling asleep.
As we sipped mint-flavored iced tea after the bath, a young man called out to me.
"President, everyone is here."
"Got it. I’ll be right there once I change."
A young woman peeked into the changing room. She probably came to cool off but looked a bit embarrassed seeing us half-naked and drinking cold tea. Valeria seemed a little shy too.
We quickly dressed and headed to the large room where everyone waited.
Standing before the Kikyo Society members who had been on the Royal Capital expedition, I got straight to the point.
Rosmerta would visit tomorrow, and we didn’t have much time to spare. If there were any tasks to complete tonight, we should do them now.
"I’ve returned after a while, but let’s skip the formalities. First, I’ll share what I discussed with the Countess."
The content was straightforward and wouldn’t take long to explain.
Rosmerta’s goal was to stabilize the Royal Capital under the leadership of House Oversta. Stabilizing the chaotic city was a priority.
Of course, she had plans for after the stabilization, but that wasn’t our concern. House Oversta gaining control of the Royal Capital wouldn’t be detrimental to the Kikyo Society, which would be assisting them.
Our role was to eliminate foreign forces that operated in the city’s underworld, offering no tangible benefits. We would act as part of House Oversta’s forces, though we wouldn’t hide our Kikyo Society emblems.
There were many foreign organizations, but House Oversta would handle the target selection. Our job was straightforward—crush the designated targets.
Additionally, we would eliminate the Snake Head Society, which operated in the city’s dark underbelly. Despite a non-aggression pact in Exembra, the Snake Head Society’s presence in the Royal Capital was a different matter. They had indirectly provoked us multiple times, so we had no reason to hold back. We would use this opportunity to weaken their forces and funding.
"The Oversta family will handle the complex matters. We just need to worry about the details. We’ll also gather information from House Oversta about any nobles or merchants in the Royal Capital who are hostile to the Kikyo Society and take care of them if we have the time."
That was my part. Next, I wanted to hear about what happened while I was gone.
Gradena gave a summary.
"As I mentioned, we’ve wrapped up most things. We dealt with the groups that were plotting against us, and the thieves and monsters are now under control by the guilds."
Good to hear. It was the perfect timing. Dealing with miscellaneous tasks before starting the main operation would be ideal. The information from House Oversta about our enemies was likely already mostly dealt with.
"We have plenty of healing potions. We have enough to sell."
Colette and her apprentice had produced more healing potions than we needed. We would likely use them heavily, but they wouldn’t go to waste. We could sell them to House Oversta for a profit.
Next, Josephine reported.
"We’ve already taken care of a few small foreign groups. They were mostly local smugglers."
"Yeah, we found a few drug dealers. Josephine tracked their connections and took them out."
Impressive, they made it sound so easy.
I had asked Gradena to eliminate such groups during patrols, but they had gone beyond that and taken out the entire network. What a reliable Kikyo Society.
I also mentioned Caroline. She would be assisting House Oversta in the Royal Capital and wouldn’t join the Kikyo Society for a while. However, this connection with House Oversta would make it easier for us to help each other if needed.
Finally, we discussed tomorrow.
Rosmerta would be visiting. Her appearance would likely energize the powerful noble families and the underworld, especially the foreign forces that viewed House Oversta as a threat. They might even launch an immediate attack. However, the Kikyo Society’s fortress-like base and the Delta would be well-protected.
"Gradena, can you take the Delta tomorrow?"
"Sure, but where are we going?"
"The Countess wants to see our base. I need you to pick her up. Treat her with respect."
"Wh-What? Me? I’m not sure I can be that formal!"
"Don’t worry; the Countess doesn’t mind the details. Plus, the Delta’s defenses are perfect for escorting a VIP. And with you as the escort, it’s even better. We’ll have a few more guards from House Oversta, so it won’t be too much."
No one else seemed eager to take on this role. Ophelia and Albert were avoiding eye contact. I could handle it, but as the host, it was better for me to stay here and prepare.
That was the internal discussion. The specifics would be decided during tomorrow’s meeting with Rosmerta. There was no need to rush, so we could relax and chat tonight.
The Kikyo Society’s young members kept the base clean and organized, making it a comfortable space. The furnishings, likely taken from noble homes, had been rearranged by Josephine, giving the place a cohesive look.
The large room was especially pleasant, a perfect setting for a meeting with Rosmerta. I couldn’t help but admire their efforts.