kscans

Chapter 175 - The Queen's Worry

After hearing what was happening in the city, I headed straight home. There was a chance I wouldn’t learn anything more by sticking around. It was better to just focus on getting stronger.

That night, I had a simple dinner of grilled Wolf meat. It was eight o’clock.

Figuring the workers would be gone by now, I teleported. If any of them were still there…

Arriving on Earth, I scanned my surroundings. No one. Thank goodness. I had been planning to knock them out and give them amnesia. A look at my house revealed it had changed considerably. The walls were gone, leaving only the frame and roof. The kitchen and bathroom had been demolished, and piles of new lumber and concrete lay around. At least they hadn’t left any heavy machinery.

I immediately pulled out my phone and searched for a place I could stay. I found a 24-hour health land about an hour away. A true godsend. I decided to head there at once.

Since I didn't have a car, I created a pair of iron roller skates and propelled them with magic. Fortunately, I was in the countryside. There were only a few streetlights, and hardly anyone was around. I proceeded without a care in the world.

Meanwhile, in the Kingdom’s Royal Capital.

Bardos’s party, having departed from the city of Alum, arrived sooner than expected. The journey should have taken four days.

"We arrived surprisingly quickly," Leona commented. "I guess this is what it’s like when there are no monster attacks along the way." Her tone was ambiguous, a mix of relief and disappointment.

Milfy, holding Leona’s baby, replied, "It can’t be helped, Leona-san. The monsters haven’t been showing themselves lately. We were wary of bandits, but there was no sign of them either. It’s safe, but it’s also abnormal."

Matilda, standing next to them, added, "Of course it is. To not encounter a single one is like the world screaming that something is wrong. That must be why the Queen summoned us A-rankers."

She seemed to have figured things out. Everyone present had felt it, too. For the past few days, there had been a complete absence of monster-related quests, leaving them all perplexed. A summons at a time like this had to mean they’d learned something.

When they reached the gate, a gatekeeper approached them. "Excuse me. Are you the A-rank adventurer party ‘Wind Guard’?"

"Yeah, that’s us," Bardos confirmed. "The Guild Master sent us at the Queen’s request." He explained the situation as the Guild Master had instructed him to upon their arrival.

After a brief exchange with someone else, the gatekeeper said, "We’ve been expecting you. Please proceed to the throne room at once. Her Majesty the Queen is waiting."

"W-Wait a minute," Leona interjected. "It’s nighttime." An audience at this hour was unheard of.

"It’s quite alright," the gatekeeper assured her. "Her Majesty has given orders to let you through if you arrive anytime outside of her sleeping hours." He pointed to a carriage waiting nearby.

Bardos and the others exchanged glances. They could feel that something extraordinary was happening. They boarded the carriage and headed for the royal castle.

In the throne room, illuminated only by candlelight and the moonlight streaming in from outside, were several figures. Normally, the room would be empty.

Queen Olivia sat on the throne, with Chancellor Alphonse beside her. Before them stood Bardos and his party. The baby was being looked after by the maids.

"I apologize for summoning you on such short notice tonight," the Queen said.

"Not at all," Leona replied. "We understand this must be an important matter. Is it about the recent monster situation?"

"Indeed," the Chancellor confirmed. "According to reports from the towns, monsters have completely vanished for the past few days, leaving adventurers and the guild in a state of confusion. The only ones happy about it are the merchants. One was heard laughing in a tavern about how he’d ‘saved on escort fees.’" The Chancellor sighed.

That merchant was a fool. If the monsters suddenly returned to their usual activity, who would be willing to escort him?

Matilda spoke up. "May I ask a question? Under these circumstances, why were we summoned to the Royal Capital? Isn’t this a situation that calls for an investigation?"

Leona and the others agreed with her assessment. A proper response was only possible after a thorough investigation. Bardos remained silent.

"We have, of course, conducted an investigation, but it yielded nothing," the Chancellor replied. "There have been no reports of attacks on any towns or villages. We held a meeting on the matter, but it produced no fruitful opinions or suggestions. Useless yes-men…" He muttered the last part under his breath.

Matilda considered this for a moment. "Does this mean that our presence in the Royal Capital implies there is something important here?"

"No," the Queen said. "While this castle and the city do hold important national treasures, they are merely symbolic. There are no artifacts sealing away powerful monsters. I feel that there is some sort of deliberate intent behind this situation. So, I asked myself, if I were the one attacking, where would I strike? The answer I came to was the Royal Capital. To conquer a country, it’s most effective to take its heart. If you can make the city with the royal castle fall, conquering the rest becomes much easier. After all, the people will have lost their sense of security and their foundation. Few would have the will to try and take it back."

She closed her eyes as she laid out her prediction.

Leona and the others were astonished.

"Your Majesty, that won’t happen," Leona declared. "The citizens all support you. You should not underestimate their loyalty."

It wasn't flattery. In every town and village, there was no ill will toward the Queen. She had implemented various initiatives to improve their lives and had done everything within her power for them. Of course, some nobles were dissatisfied, but the Queen had so much support that they couldn’t openly oppose her. They were left to remain silent and simply agree.

"Thank you," the Queen said. "Now, to return to the matter at hand. That is why I want to fortify the defenses of the Royal Capital. I have also requested that B-rank adventurers come as well. The soldiers and knights are armed with all available weaponry. Thanks to technology from the Empire, our armaments have been strengthened."

Her expression was one of relief. Smooth relations with other nations were a great advantage in an emergency.

"So, will we be stationed in the same area as the other adventurers?" Leona asked.

The Chancellor shook his head. "No, you will act as a mobile unit, on standby at a temporary post in an inn in the city center. In the event of an emergency, you will be dispatched to provide relief to the area in the most critical situation."

"What? Wait a minute," Milfy protested. "Isn’t that a bit… vague? Wouldn’t the most dangerous place in the capital be the main gate?"

Matilda and Rumily agreed, while Leona pondered the decision. Bardos remained silent.

It was a logical assumption. In times of war, the easiest point of entry was the most likely target, as it allowed for the deployment of a large army.

"Of course, that was my initial thought as well," the Queen said. "But as I mentioned, I feel a deliberate hand in this situation. If the attack were coming from outside the country, fortifying the gates would be standard procedure, as there would be no need to worry about what’s happening inside. However, if this is a domestic matter, it’s a different story."

"Since the monsters are not showing themselves, they must be hiding somewhere, waiting for orders. That means there’s a possibility they’re already doing something within the Royal Capital. We’ve issued a high alert and are conducting an investigation, but personally, I think it’s too late. The preparations may already be complete. That’s why I want you, Bardos-san, and your team to be able to respond flexibly. There are several secret passages near your temporary post. Using them will allow you to reach the scene faster than usual."

Milfy seemed to accept this explanation, and Matilda and Rumily nodded in agreement, as did Leona.

"Uh… so, basically," Bardos said, scratching his head and stammering, "we just go where we’re told and rough things up, right?"

He couldn’t be disrespectful in front of royalty, but he was awkward and unused to such situations. If he were alone, it wouldn’t be a problem, but now he had a wife and child. He couldn't afford to cause them any trouble.

"Y-Yes. Well," the Queen replied with a wry smile, "that’s the gist of it."

Leona and the others let out a small sigh. The Chancellor looked unsure how to respond.

Back on Earth, the next morning.

I spent the night at Muscle Health Land.

It was less of a bathhouse and more of a gym. There was a wide variety of training equipment, but the sleeping area was just a tatami mat and a blanket.

Oh well. My real goal was to learn about Onmyōdō. I promptly set off for a place that would suit my purpose.