kscans

Chapter 107 - At the Imperial Castle

The Empire, in the medical room of the royal castle.

A place equipped with the latest medical instruments the country could provide, where the best possible treatment was always administered.

There, a man lay in a bed. He was said to be the hero brought here by General Goltor, the one who had saved the Empire. Beside that man, Shinsuke, stood Tina.

A full day had passed since he was brought here, and he had yet to awaken.

Tina looked at Shinsuke with concern.

"You're such an idiot. Going to such lengths just for a hunt. Even for a hunter, there are limits. You'd better be prepared when you wake up."

She wore an expression that was a mix of anger and amusement.

And in her eyes, a hint of sadness.


In Princess Yorune's office.

Princess Yorune was receiving reports from General Goltor and the Captain of the Royal Guard.

The Captain reported on the incident that occurred in the castle, the General on the incident at the base. Hearing both accounts, the princess let out a deep sigh.

But it couldn't be helped. The new empress, Grine, had suddenly turned into a monster, partially destroyed the city, broke through the great wall, and headed for the front-line base, annihilating the villages in her path.

The future of the Empire was nothing but uncertain.

The General spoke.

"Your Highness, under these circumstances, if you do not ascend to the throne immediately, the chaos will only worsen, and there is no telling what the nobles will do."

The Captain of the Guard agreed with his words.

After a moment of thought, Yorune replied.

"You are right. However, our current priority should be the reconstruction of the city and the rescue of the villages. Therefore, I believe I should act as regent for now. I will ascend the throne once things have settled down."

After a moment of silence, the General and the Captain nodded in agreement.

Right now, rescue and reconstruction were the top priorities. Dealing with the nobles was important, but they could not neglect the people.

Yorune continued.

"Then, Captain, you will lead the Royal Guard to rescue the villages. Prioritize saving lives over reconstruction for now. Please bring them to the royal capital."

"General, you will assess the damage in the castle town. Please also prioritize saving lives. Report information as it comes to prevent the current confusion from escalating. Please relay this to the people."

"I will deal with the nobles. I believe none will act out of turn if I, as regent, make a public appearance."

She gave appropriate instructions.

The Captain bowed and immediately left the room.

As the General was about to leave as well, Yorune stopped him.

"And about the adventurer who is said to have subjugated the unknown monster—has he not woken up yet?"

To this question, the General replied.

"The doctor says his injuries are quite severe. He has cracks in bones throughout his body, and two broken ribs. We treated him with a High Potion, but it will take some time for him to regain consciousness."

Upon hearing this report, Yorune said,

"I see. When he awakens, I would like to award him a medal of honor as thanks for saving the country. However, his companion mentioned that he dislikes being in the spotlight?"

To this, the General replied.

"Yes. I have seen him once myself. After offering a little resistance to my aide's rampage, he was about to leave. I understand that he dislikes trouble and standing out. If that weren't the case, he surely would have said something to me."

He stated his report and speculation.

From the General's perspective as well, it seemed the man had no desire to be a hero.

During the battle at the border, he had been punished by being forced to fight in the center, but he hadn't aimed for any high-value targets, properly defending his post. When the General heard the story of him repelling the Minotaur, several soldiers had testified that the monster itself had charged at him. The result made him look like a hero who had subjugated a great beast.

But the General felt that he fought out of some kind of impulse. He didn't know what it was, but at least he didn't sense any malice.

Yorune mused.

"In that case, awarding him a medal would be a nuisance to him, wouldn't it? On the other hand, to give him nothing would be a disgrace to the royal family. It seems we will have to decide what to do after he awakens."

To this decision, the General said,

"I believe that would be for the best."

After agreeing, he bowed and left the room.

Alone now, Yorune looked out the window.

It was daytime, a time when the city should have been bustling with energy, but now a stillness was conspicuous.

She couldn't see it from here, but Yorune could somehow sense it—the people of the city had lost their vitality, and there was a coldness in the air. The former emperor was dead, and the new empress, Grine, was also dead.

No one would rejoice at this.

No matter what kind of person they were, only a madman would rejoice in someone's death. Yorune asked herself what she truly thought of Grine. When they were young, they had played together often, they were always together.

But as they grew older, she felt the distance between her and her sister growing ever wider. Not a physical distance, but an emotional one. When she consulted her father, he had said, 'That's what it means to become an adult.'

At first, she had forced herself to accept this, and Yorune had done her best in everything she could. She believed that one day, the distance between them would shrink. But reality was different.

The more ventures she undertook, the more the distance between them grew, to the point where she felt her sister was avoiding her.

While she was busy with her own projects, her sister was doing the same—but in the exact opposite direction.

What had driven her sister? Why hadn't she said anything? Why hadn't she tried to talk to her sister?

Such thoughts filled her mind.

Yorune had given a plausible reason for not being able to ascend the throne, but in reality, she was terrified.

Terrified that if she became empress, she too would change, just like her sister.

In her sister's case, there were other issues, but Yorune was overcome with anxiety that she might change later on.

However, she could not remain regent forever. She must become empress.

But before that, she had to find it—an answer of her own.

Something that wouldn't change, even if she became empress.

Yorune gazed at the daytime sky and made her resolve.


In the medical room. In Shinsuke's dream.

I was in a dark world.

I didn't know why I was here. I couldn't remember anything.

As I tried to recall, I heard a voice from behind.

"Yo, Shinsuke. Did you die to end up here?"

It was a fat man who spoke to me.

I couldn't remember who he was, but for some reason, my chest felt tight.

The man continued.

"What's with that look? Like you don't know me. You really piss me off. Looks like you're not dead yet, but I'll kill you right here and now! Muscle Manipulation!"

With that shout, the man's body transformed from a mass of fat into a mass of muscle.

I didn't understand what was happening, but I readied myself.

Just then, something flashed in my mind.

"Turmoil!"

At the moment I shouted, power surged through my body.

The man charged at me. A simple body blow. I stopped it with my left hand. For some reason, I felt I could win against this opponent. After catching his attack, I threw my right fist.

The man was sent flying.

He fell, but immediately got back up.

"It's useless! Thanks to Pain Perception Block, nothing works on me!"

With that shout, he charged at me again.

Honestly, I didn't know why we were fighting. But I couldn't die.

That feeling alone drove me.

I said.

"I don't really get it, but I'll take you on. Come at me!"

I readied myself as I shouted.

The man charged again. I dodged it without any problem, and then, I thrust my hand into his wide-open right side with all my might. The man's body was tough, but I pierced it with ease.

Blood spurted out, and the man looked surprised.

And then, on instinct, I shouted.

"Thunder Shock!"

I sent an electric current through his body.

The man didn't scream, but his face was contorted in agony. It didn't hurt, but for some reason, his body wouldn't move. That's the look he had. Just then, my own electric shock suddenly flowed back into me, and I felt a jolt.

And then, I remembered everything.

I had lost consciousness right after defeating the Triceratops-like monster.

I said.

"It's been a while, Takeo. I don't know if you're a ghost or just a figment of my imagination, but to think we'd meet again like this."

To my words, Takeo replied.

"Tell me about it. I never thought I'd see you even in hell. For the record, I don't know what I am either. A ghost or a delusion. Not a clue. But since we've met like this, there's one thing I want to ask. Are you happy? Right now?"

To his question, I answered.

"I don't know if I'm happy or not. But I'm living a whirlwind of a life."

I answered with a smile.

Takeo looked exasperated.

"What are you talking about with that look on your face? Oh well. Shouldn't you be heading where you need to go?"

He said, pointing. In that direction, a single point of light shone.

I said.

"Yeah, you're right. I'll be on my way, then. Let me just say one last thing. I'm sorry for getting you involved."

As I headed toward the light, Takeo said.

"Hmph. Either way, I would have killed someone. It was just a matter of going to prison or going to hell. That's all."

With those final words, Takeo vanished.

The moment I touched the light, the dark world disappeared.

When I woke up, I saw an unfamiliar ceiling.

And next to me, Tina was looking at me with a sad expression.