Reiko repelled the magic-specialized Deformed Golems that had attacked them with practiced ease.
"It’s over. Good work, Reiko."
"No, it was a simple matter."
Jin praised Reiko as she returned. Just then, a contact came in from Laojun.
Entrusting the surveillance of the surroundings to Reiko, Jin responded using the manacam function of his Fellowship Bracelet.
"What is it, Laojun?"
『Yes, My Lord. I am contacting you because new information has arrived from the Quinta.』
"Yeah? What is it?"
『Yes....To state the conclusion first, the current King of the Kingdom of Elias, Adalbert Nemo Elias I, is a blood relative of yours, My Lord.』
"What!?"
It was a staggering revelation.
『His great-grandmother was a member of the Nido family.』
"I see... I suppose that’s not entirely impossible?"
Jin thought that Daiki, back in the Shouro Empire, might know something about the family’s history.
＊ ＊ ＊
"In my father's reign, your lot did as you pleased, but now that I have ascended the throne, things will not go your way!"
Adalbert Nemo Elias I declared majestically to the man who was now his former Vice-Commander of the Royal Knights, Hugus Unlock.
"Ugh... so you were deceiving us all this time!"
"Precisely. For I am one who carries the blood—however thin it may be—of the second Magi Craft Meister."
Pretending to be sympathetic to the ideologies of the Magic Federation had all been a performance.
By this stage, Volk had already neutralized all ten combat golems. Now, the warrior golem closed the distance to Hugus Unlock in a single bound.
"A mere golem, acting so clever!"
Hugus Unlock drew his sword and slashed at Volk, but the gulf in their reaction speeds was insurmountable. Volk avoided the strike with ease and unleashed a Stun spell.
"Gack!"
Unable to even attempt an evasion against such swift magic, Hugus Unlock was knocked unconscious. Volk tied him up and dragged him before the King.
"Mmm, Volk. Well done."
"Your words are an honor."
The New King praised Volk and inspected him. There wasn't a single scratch to be found on his body.
(Truly magnificent....The technology of the Magi Craft Meister is a wonder to behold.)
"Your Majesty! Are you unharmed!?"
Just then, the cabinet ministers who had been separated from the group came rushing in along with a detachment of soldiers.
"Mmm. Are you all safe as well?"
However, the arrival of the group brought a new wave of chaos. Taking advantage of the confusion, someone lunged forward, blade in hand, aiming for the New King.
"Your Majesty, look out!"
"Kaela!?"
It was Kaela, the lady's maid golem Jin had gifted him, who intercepted the strike. Using her high reaction speed and her incredibly hard body as a shield, she blocked the assassin's knife.
"Guh, you machine!"
Kaela’s body was made of sapphire with a Mohs hardness of 9, and her clothes were woven from tough GSS. A mere concealed knife couldn't leave a single mark on her.
"I will not permit this."
Jin's foresight in having her learn self-defense had been correct. Kaela twisted the hand holding the knife and immediately sent the man flying over her shoulder.
The assassin lost consciousness before he could even let out a groan. The guarding soldiers fell upon him and had him bound in an instant.
The one who had targeted the New King was one of his own cabinet ministers. He was arrested on the spot.
"Mmm... I was careless. Kaela, you did well. You have my thanks."
"Your words are more than I deserve."
Kaela remained at the New King's side, maintaining her guard.
"Your Majesty, I am deeply sorry that we failed to protect you!"
Ritter Commander Bartolo Eldiais bowed his head in shame. The New King gestured for him to rise.
"Bartolo, that attack couldn't be helped. You and your men were prepared for an assault from the outside. I myself failed to realize there was a traitor within our ranks. I was the one who was careless. I am simply grateful that Kaela was here."
＊ ＊ ＊
The commotion finally seemed to have settled, and the New King’s party returned slowly to the Royal Palace.
No further attackers appeared. They took a roll call in the Royal Palace Plaza and assessed the damage, finding that there were no fatalities.
The former Vice-Commander Hugus Unlock and the cabinet minister’s attendant were also relatively unharmed.
Soon after, Jin and his group arrived. Since the drivers of both vehicles had fled, Jin and Tomax were riding in the same automobile. Manon was at the wheel, with Reiko acting as their guard.
"Oh, Jin-dono!"
Magic Technology Minister Fiorina de Dorante ran over to welcome them.
"Thanks to your Volk and Kaela, His Majesty is safe. I must offer you my personal thanks as well."
"...What happened?"
Caught off guard by the sudden gratitude, Jin looked puzzled. Fiorina gave him a brief summary of the attempted coup.
"I see... I’m glad they were of help. We were also attacked by Deformed Golems on the way, though we managed to repel them."
"Ah, I see your group has been reduced to a single automobile."
Finally noticing the missing vehicle, Fiorina asked for more details before hurriedly reporting the situation to Ritter Commander Bartolo.
The Ritter Commander came over immediately, and Jin recounted the ambush once more.
"For the time being, we loaded the defeated Deformed Golems into the other automobile and left them with some security guards we met on the road....Ah, it looks like they've arrived."
The second automobile pulled up. One of the drivers who had fled was behind the wheel, looking thoroughly embarrassed.
Seeing that the situation was under control, the Ritter Commander entrusted the guests to the Magic Technology Minister.
"Understood. We will handle the cleanup. Jin-dono, Tomax-dono, please proceed to the Royal Palace....Dorante-dono, I'll leave them in your care."
"Certainly. Now, Jin-dono, Tomax-dono, please come this way."
Formal apologies were deferred until after the situation had completely stabilized.
＊ ＊ ＊
Jin and Tomax were guided back to the same rooms in the Guest House they had used the previous night.
"...Phew. I think things have finally quieted down."
Jin took a breath as he finished the meal that had been brought to him. Lunch had been significantly delayed by the day's events.
"A Vice-Commander and a cabinet minister. I wonder how many more traitors are lurking in the shadows."
Between that and the suspicious person who had broken into the hangar last night, Jin’s expression remained grim.
"Father, it is dangerous for you to remain here. Perhaps you should return home?"
Reiko’s suggestion was born of concern for his safety, and Jin wasn't inclined to ignore it.
"You're right. In that case, maybe I should swap with the Body Double."
"Please do."
"The problem is how to pull it off..."
Sending the Doppel here from Hourai Island would be a simple matter for Laojun using the transporter, but Jin’s return trip was more complicated.
"Why not head to the Hurricane under some pretext and use the Warp Gate there?"
"Good idea. Let's do that."
Jin and Reiko informed the Royal Ritter Order guarding the palace of their intentions and prepared to head to the airfield.
Their official reason was that they wanted to inspect the Hurricane following the reports of a security breach at the hangar the night before.
Since the sun was still high, the request was granted immediately. Escorted by two knights, Jin and Reiko set off for the airfield.