Chapter 242 - A Much Closer Capital
As usual, I roared through the streets and headed out of town. Once we were well away from any people, it was time to show what we could really do.
"From here on out, we’re going full speed. Hold on tight. We’ll be going faster than usual, you know."
"Faster than usual, you say?"
"Just wait and see."
I had my precious little sister and a large load to carry, so I couldn’t go all out. Still, I could go faster than before. I aimed for about twice our previous top speed, around 300 kilometers per hour. At that speed, we could reach the Royal Capital in about two hours.
I put on my goggles, started up, and gradually increased the speed. The acceleration was noticeably stronger than before, and I pushed past the speed that my little sister had never experienced before. Valeria, surprised, clung to me even tighter.
I had to be careful since I wasn’t alone, so I drove gently, deploying a shield as a windscreen and even paving the road. At this speed, I still had plenty of room to spare.
After a few minutes, Valeria got used to it and relaxed, enjoying the ride. We couldn’t talk over the roar of the engine, but I could tell she was having fun. I was glad she was enjoying herself.
We continued our comfortable journey and arrived at the Royal Capital right on schedule, about two hours later.
As we neared the city, I slowed down, sensing the presence of people in the distance.
"Onee-sama, this is so fast!"
"This is the result of Doc and my new improvements. But let’s keep it a secret for now."
"Okay! Can my bike go this fast too?"
"Probably. Doc is still working on it, so once he’s done, we’ll see if he can do the same for everyone’s bikes."
With the members’ magical power and physical abilities, I think they could handle speeds of up to 300 kilometers per hour. Going any faster would probably require some intense training, though.
I entered the Royal Capital, but instead of heading to the Duke’s residence, I went to the fortress. The one we built and handed over to Rosmerta.
It might not look good for someone from the underworld to visit the Duke’s residence openly. Rosmerta had instructed me to come to the fortress.
I followed my memory to our old base, and soon the familiar, imposing walls came into view.
It was quite nostalgic. The Kikyo Society’s new headquarters would be a significant upgrade from this place, but I thought it was a good foundation.
As I approached the gate, an elderly butler I recognized was there with the guards. The noise must have drawn him out.
To make conversation easier, I switched the bike to silent mode. I like the loud noise, but it’s not necessary if I don’t want it. Can’t help it, I guess.
"Lady Yukarinowe, the Lady is awaiting you. Please park your vehicle over there."
I entered the base and parked the Bloomstar Galaxy in a convenient spot. I untied the load and, with Valeria, followed the butler inside. There was no body or luggage check, which I took as a sign of trust.
Once inside, I was surprised to see that the decor was still as rugged as before. I thought it might have been redecorated to suit the Duchess, but apparently not.
"The Lady appreciates functional beauty and prefers to keep this place as it is. There have been some minor renovations, but it’s mostly the same as before."
He explained this to us as we looked around. What a considerate butler.
Well, there’s no need to decorate this fortress, and the Duchess of Oversta, who now controls the Royal Capital, probably doesn’t need to use it as a fortress anymore. It would be a waste of money to invest in it.
However, the existence of the fortress itself is a symbol of power. It could serve as an evacuation site in emergencies and a base for personal forces. It’s good to know it’s still useful.
I was led to a room that had been renovated for Rosmerta. There, I saw a familiar face after a long time—since before the expedition to the western continent.
I consider her one of the most important figures in the kingdom, but since this wasn’t an official meeting, I greeted her casually as a friend.
"Long time no see, you look well."
"Thank you. I was relieved to see you haven’t changed either. Valeria, it’s been a while too. You’re awfully fast, aren’t you? I thought it would be a while before your letter reached me."
"It arrived today, and I set out immediately after reading it. With the speed limiter removed, this is about right."
I said this casually, playing dumb. If I mentioned the super-fast vehicle, she would probably try to use it for something. It’s better to keep it secret for now, even if it might come out eventually.
She offered us seats and served tea and snacks as we started chatting. Valeria, not at all nervous about meeting the Duchess, sat beside me and calmly enjoyed the snacks.
Rosmerta and I had been exchanging personal letters, so we were somewhat familiar with each other’s situations. We talked about things that had come up in the letters and recent developments that hadn’t been written about yet.
"By the way, do you know Baron Icetoy? He owns a territory in the southeast of Exembra."
"Icetoy... Yes, I’ve heard he contributes to the food supply of the Royal Capital, but I haven’t had the chance to meet him. What’s the matter with him?"
"I met him recently, and he’s quite an interesting guy."
"You praising a noble? That’s unusual. Tell me more?"
I skipped over the trouble with the delinquents and told her about the chain of events that led to my meeting the Baron, the delinquent rehabilitation, and the upcoming inspection.
"...Interesting. Baron Icetoy, you say? I’ll look into it. By the way, you’re up to something new, aren’t you? Can I come and observe the training?"
"If you want to, I don’t mind, but I’m not sure your people would be comfortable."
"Hehe, they’re professionals, after all."
I’ll take her offer to observe the inspection as a joke. The final exam for the apprentices isn’t something that can be scheduled around outsiders. It’s unlikely our schedules will align.
"Well, that’s about it for now. Before we get to the main topic, let me give you a gift. Valeria, can you bring it?"
"Sure, Onee-sama. Here you are, Rosmerta-sama."
From the large bag, she took out a jet-black scale and a piece of golden bone.
The scale is large and plate-like, but someone knowledgeable about magical beast materials would recognize it as a scale. The golden bone, however, is a mystery. A whole bone would be too large to bring, so we only brought a piece that had broken off during the fight. It’s about the size of a human torso. Anyone would think, ‘What is this?’
I placed the black, hard plate and the golden, mysterious block on the table.
"...What are these? Can you explain?"
As expected, Rosmerta asked. I explained.
"You know about the Forest of the Underworld, right? I’ve been keeping quiet about it, but something seriously wrong has been happening there."
I had kept the dark space and the undead a secret and hadn’t told anyone outside the Kikyo Society leadership.
Even before considering whether to believe it, the official narrative is that the Church destroyed the undead, which is a common belief on the continent. Careless talk could lead to trouble, and it would likely be dismissed as nonsense.
Since I was giving her a gift, I decided to tell Rosmerta. It would be fine to say I just discovered the magical beast materials, but I thought it would be better to bring her into this. It’s too dangerous to discuss such matters in letters, but we can have an off-the-record conversation here in the fortress.
Rosmerta would believe the truth about the Forest of the Underworld and the events that took place there. The materials from the Undead Dragon would lend a certain level of credibility. If we’re friends, I want her to believe me.
On a continent where no one might know the truth about the Forest of the Underworld, especially if the Church found out, who knows what would happen. We don’t know much about the Church, so we can’t predict the repercussions.
I could take her to the site to prove it, but I’m not that eager to make the trip, even though I have some free time. The Kikyo Society is extremely busy, after all.
"...Yukarinowe, you really do enjoy getting involved in troublesome situations. These items could be dangerous just to possess, you know?"
"That’s a bit harsh. I was in a life-threatening situation, so I thought it was only fair to bring back some spoils. If you don’t want them, I can take them back."
"Of course I want them. Since you’ve given them to me, I can’t just return them. But this could be quite interesting if used properly... If I spread the news to the media without the Church’s knowledge, we might make some powerful enemies."
The Duchess smiled slyly. I hope she doesn’t misuse them, but if the Duke of Oversta takes the lead, it could be a relief for us. Rosmerta isn’t one to act rashly, and if she does decide to do something, she’ll be careful and prepare thoroughly.
"Since I’m giving them to you, I won’t comment on how you use them, but please don’t be reckless. This is the price for introducing you to the Magic Item Guild and a gift to help you get along with them."
"You plan to give them to the Magic Item Guild too? But do you think that’s a good idea?"
"Are you saying these gifts won’t help?"
You’re right; just because you bring a good gift, it doesn’t mean negotiations will go smoothly.
Let’s hear Rosmerta’s opinion, given her connections with the Magic Item Guild.
"I might be wrong, but they’ll probably find some fault and try to take the gifts, perhaps even involving the Church. I think it’s better to assume that they’ll refuse to negotiate in good faith."
"If you say it’s that bad, I guess we can’t take the direct approach."
They sound like quite a ruthless bunch. I don’t dislike tough people; they can be a reliable ally once you’re on their side. But dealing with them initially is a hassle.
"The guild is essentially authoritarian. No matter how much money or valuable items you show them, they won’t move unless they recognize you. I don’t know about the lower ranks, but the upper echelons are filled with the personification of authoritarianism. The Duke of Oversta’s introduction won’t be enough to get the kind of cooperation you want."
The guild seems to be quite arrogant. It won’t be easy to deal with them.
"Hmm, then maybe I should try a different approach. If the direct method and even my secret connections won’t work, and the gifts are no good, perhaps it’s time to consider a bit of a dirty approach."
This wasn’t my idea; it started with Priene’s suggestion, but since I accepted the task, I’ll see it through.
If I, as the president, can’t bring back satisfactory results, everyone else will be disappointed too.
Besides, things are always more exciting when they’re a bit challenging. Let’s give it our all.
I refocused, but first, I needed information. The only person who could provide it in the Royal Capital was the woman in front of me, who was smiling slyly. I reluctantly asked her.
"...Are you planning something?"
"To say I’m planning something is harsh. But I have some information you might find interesting."
"Interesting to me? Stop being so dramatic. What is it?"
I had a bad feeling, but I knew this woman could be relied upon.
"When should I use it? I’ve been saving this for just the right moment. But it’s not free."
"That’s only natural. What’s the trade?"
"The information fee is these magical beast materials. Is that acceptable?"
"They were gifts for you anyway... Ah, you want the ones for the Magic Item Guild too?"
"Hehe, I think you’ll find this information interesting. How about it?"
I didn’t really want to hear it, but if I want to achieve my goal, this is the quickest way.
Besides, it’s too late to back out now. I absorbed some of Valeria’s calming presence and reluctantly nodded.
Honestly, dealing with this woman always leads to trouble. But I can’t help but find it a bit exciting, which probably means we’re the same kind of people.