After receiving an errand from Grandpa, I quickly got my things in order and set off for the Royal Capital.
Upon arrival, I immediately got to work on the tasks I had accepted from the clan, moving to secure an appointment with a sponsor for upcoming negotiations. My business partner this time was a noble—not the kind of person one could meet on a whim.
I had already notified them through the clan that I would be visiting in the near future, but I expected the actual meeting to be the day after tomorrow, or tomorrow at the earliest. Or so I thought. As it turned out, they wanted to meet immediately, and the discussion with the sponsor began without a hitch.
"Well now, I certainly didn't expect that Orun would be the one coming to see me."
A middle-aged man sat across the desk from me in a private room within the Royal Castle, offering a smile and speaking in a friendly tone. This was Count Bowell. He was one of the sponsors I had visited last month. Since his younger brother served as the Division Commander of the Central Army’s Second Division, he was a man with significant influence over the military.
While my presence here was largely a matter of coincidence, he seemed to be under a certain misunderstanding. I saw no reason to go out of my way to correct him.
"...Our clan also views the current situation with gravity. While we have no intention of taking to the battlefield ourselves, we are prepared to offer our full cooperation in other areas."
"So you still won't join the front lines? It would have been quite heartening to have the assistance of the man who repelled the Hero of the Empire."
"My apologies. Regarding the incident in Regrif Territory, I only joined the fray because of a specific overlap of factors. I have no intention of becoming directly involved in the war."
"No, it can't be helped. Besides, if we relied entirely on Explorers at a time like this, the very raison d'être of us nobles might be called into question. We are the ones who should be standing at the vanguard."
Count Bowell’s eyes were sharp as he spoke; I could sense a firm resolve behind his words.
The coming war would be a battle of vengeance for the King’s death. The enemy Empire was vastly superior to the Kingdom in both territory and national power. Furthermore, with the high probability of a Great Hero appearing on the battlefield, the Kingdom’s chances of victory were slim, even by the most optimistic estimates.
Even so, the Kingdom would fight. While some might see that as reckless bravado, I couldn't bring myself to criticize it. I didn't want to imagine it, but if my own comrades were killed without reason, I would likely take a similar path.
That said, given the objective fact that the Kingdom’s chances were low, I needed to start considering my own movements in the event of a defeat.
"Now then, shall we discuss our future arrangements? The Second Division's requirements are as stated in the documents. We would like priority access to any Magic Stones and Labyrinth Materials you obtain."
Count Bowell stated his request. As he said, this was exactly what had been proposed in writing beforehand.
For reference, the Central Army—the military force under the Royal Family—is composed of four divisions and the Royal Guard, who protect the royalty. Each division has a defined role. The Second Division’s primary purpose is the elimination of external threats; they are often called the 'Spear of the Royal Family.'
That said, since the Second Division hasn't seen any major action for several decades, there are more than a few voices claiming the spear has grown rusty.
...I'm getting off track.
"Yes. We have no problem supplying you preferentially. However, regarding payment, we would like the transactions to be conducted at the current Price Rate."
I replied to the Count with the terms we had established within the clan beforehand. The value of Magic Stones and Labyrinth Materials fluctuates constantly. While Magic Stones don't change much, Labyrinth Materials are a different story. It’s not uncommon for something previously deemed worthless to skyrocket in value if it’s found to be a necessary component for a newly developed Magic Tool.
To prevent the economic chaos that would follow such spikes, a "Price Rate" is set for these items. While they don't usually fluctuate wildly, setting and updating these rates periodically is one of the tasks of the Explorer Guild. To put it simply, the price of Labyrinth Materials is never truly static.
"I see. I have no objections."
"Thank you. Moving on to the next point—"
From there, we hammered out the logistical details, such as transportation routes and the frequency of deliveries. Once we had finished discussing the general framework, a civil official attending the Count handed over a contract detailing the terms we had just agreed upon.
I read through every clause, confirming that nothing disadvantageous to us had been slipped in. Since I had managed to secure terms slightly better than the minimum requirements the clan had set, the Exploration Management Department and the Materials Procurement Department shouldn't have anything to complain about.
"There are no problems with this."
"Good. No issues on my end either. Let's make it official, then."
"Understood."
After confirming that the content was satisfactory to both parties, we each signed and sealed the contract.
"The deal is done. Still, I didn't realize you were such a shrewd negotiator, Orun. Since you're an Explorer, I thought I might be able to squeeze out more favorable terms for us. I feel like I've caught a glimpse of how Golden Dawn managed to maneuver so successfully despite only being a single party."
"You flatter me, Lord Bowell. If you had come at me in earnest, I would have had no choice but to surrender."
In truth, this negotiation had a predetermined goal from the start. That was the only reason I was able to take the lead on it. If this had been a deal that significantly impacted the clan's future direction, they never would have left it to me, regardless of what I said.
"Hahaha! I doubt that. Now that we've concluded our business, I would normally invite you to dinner, but my apologies—my schedule is packed for the foreseeable future."
"Please, think nothing of it. I should be the one apologizing for barging in so suddenly. I look forward to our continued partnership."
"Likewise. I'll be counting on you."
With the business with Count Bowell concluded, I obtained permission to enter the Royal Library. I spent some time browsing through books while waiting for my next contact. When I heard the sound of footsteps approaching, I closed my book and turned around.
"Orun, it’s been a while."
Abel Eddington, the man I had been waiting for, stood there. He was the eldest son of the Count Eddington House—the lead sponsor of the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky. We had bonded over our shared love of reading when I visited Regrif Territory for the Labyrinth investigation recently.
"It has been a long time, Lord Abel."
"...Thank you for coming. It’s a bit sudden, but I’d like to change locations. Is that alright?"
The primary reason I wanted to visit the capital was to meet Abel. He had apparently arrived in the Royal Capital shortly after we repelled the Imperial invasion in Regrif. I had learned this from a personal letter he sent me. In addition to thanking me for that incident, he had asked me to visit the capital whenever I had time, as he wanted to share new information he had gathered regarding the Labyrinths and the Great Labyrinths.
"Yes, that's fine with me."
Abel led me to the Count Eddington House Manor within the capital and guided me straight to his private study. While it didn't quite match the scale of his room back in Regrif, there was still an impressive number of books lining the walls.
"To say it once more—Orun, thank you for protecting Regrif Territory from the Empire. Thanks to you, we were able to keep the damage to a minimum. And... I truly am sorry for the way we maneuvered to force you onto the battlefield."
Abel bowed his head deeply as he offered his apology. As he said, the real reason they had summoned me to Regrif under the guise of an investigation was because they had anticipated the Imperial invasion. Furthermore, they had put not only me but my comrades in danger as well.
What they did was something I personally find hard to forgive. But that’s only from my perspective; it’s ultimately a matter of my own feelings. While it was an incredibly unreasonable situation for me, I could understand why they did it. They were simply that desperate to protect their land.
"It's already in the past. Since no harm came to my companions in the end, let's leave it at that."
"............Thank you."
"So, what kind of information do you have for me today?"
I didn't want the atmosphere to stay heavy, so I asked the question in a deliberately cheerful tone. Abel offered a somewhat troubled smile and began to speak.
"Well, I actually wanted to discuss the Sanctuaries—the Great Labyrinths—but the situation has shifted because of the recent incident. I have to return to Regrif Territory immediately. I’m sorry, even though you came all this way to see me."
I had received Abel’s letter last month. It was unlikely anyone could have predicted things would turn out like this at that point.
"...I see. In that case, I apologize for taking up your time while you're so busy."
"No, no! I was the one who called you here, so please don't worry about it. If anything, I'm the one at fault. I'm sure the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky is going to be very busy soon as well. Ahaha... it seems I'm always causing you trouble."
"Please, don't mind me. I actually came to the capital for another matter as well. Even if I hadn't received your letter, Lord Abel, I would have ended up here anyway."
"I see. That’s a relief. Still, it would weigh on my conscience to let you leave without anything, so I’ll give you one piece of information that hasn't been made public yet. Although, it’s not the kind of thing that can be kept quiet for long; the general public will likely know soon enough."
The news of the King’s death was already a crisis. Was there something else? I prompted Abel with a look to continue. He gave a single nod.
"The news is that reports of Stampedes are coming in from multiple Labyrinths across the Kingdom."
"From Labyrinths within the Kingdom...!?"
"...Yes. It feels as though someone is intentionally trying to gut the Kingdom’s national power in tandem with the King’s assassination, doesn't it?"
Stampedes are rare occurrences. While there are dozens of confirmed Labyrinths within the Kingdom, a Stampede usually only happens once every few years nationwide.
Abel’s theory was that Labyrinths were artificially created. During last year's Thanksgiving Festival, Stampedes occurred simultaneously in the Labyrinths around Tsutrail, and the mastermind was highly likely Philly Carpenter. Now, Stampedes were breaking out in multiple domestic Labyrinths as if synchronized with the Empire's aggression.
When you put the pieces together, the picture became clear whether I wanted to see it or not—the shadow of the Cyclamen Cult.
"...Thank you for sharing such valuable information."
"You're very welcome. I'm glad I got to talk with you before heading back to Regrif. This might be the last chance I have to speak with you, after all."
Beyond that, Abel shared the general movements of various influential noble factions that we hadn't quite been able to pin down yet. After our talk, he departed the capital for Regrif Territory. As I stood among those seeing him off, the look on Abel’s face—a smile with slightly furrowed brows as he said, "Goodbye, Orun"—left a strangely strong impression on me.
A while after the sun had fully set, I was navigating by the notes Grandpa had given me, heading toward the shop of the pharmacist I was looking for.
The main thoroughfares were bright, lined with Magic Tools that emitted light at regular intervals, but the castle town seemed less vibrant than I remembered. It might have been unavoidable given the circumstances, but I couldn't help but find it lonely that the greatest city in the country lacked energy. I was lost in these idle thoughts when I felt a gaze from behind.
It's not Titania. Besides, I'm not using Ki Control right now.
I didn't sense any specific malice or hostility in the gaze, but there was no attempt to hide it either. It was an unsettling sensation, as if I were being constantly exposed to a stare.
Even after I turned into an alley to move away from the crowds, the feeling persisted. The moment I rounded the corner into an even darker alley, I used my Ability to negate the gravity acting on my body and manipulated my Ki to leap instantly onto the roof of a nearby building.
Peeking out slightly from the roof's edge, I saw a small shadow run toward the spot where I had been standing moments before. They seemed to be searching for me, looking around restlessly. The figure was wearing a black hooded cloak pulled low, so I couldn't see their face, but based on their height, I guessed they were either a woman or a child.
After a few moments, the person’s shoulders slumped in a way that was visible even from where I was. They turned and trudged back toward the main street with an air of disappointment.
...What was that all about?
Though puzzled, I descended from the building, making sure not to stand out, and resumed my walk toward the pharmacist's shop.