Rigne: High Elf. Ria’s mother. Currently works at the Royal Capital Academy.
Ojes: Flame Dragon. Currently living in the Royal Capital as a part-time worker.
Hyfryguta: Wind Dragon. Currently living in the Royal Capital as a part-time worker.
Kihatroy: Earth Dragon. Currently living in the Royal Capital as a part-time worker.
Isree: Human. Urza’s friend.
The investigation of Shatto City requested by Miyo was officially accepted and scheduled to begin immediately.
"Well then, I’m off."
Rigne, having been appointed captain of the advance party, gave me a sharp salute.
"We are departing as well."
Following her lead, Ojes, Hyfryguta, and Kihatroy—the three members of the Post-Age of Gods Dragon Race—saluted me in turn.
I returned the gesture.
As it happened, I was staying behind to watch the house. There was no need for me to head out first just because I’d accepted the mission. I see. I suppose that was how Miyo had managed to convince my wives.
Still, I didn't think it was strictly necessary to summon Rigne and the others all the way from the Royal Capital… I wondered if Alfred and the rest would be alright without them. Oh? She was carrying a letter from Alfred? Why didn't anyone lead with that?
The letter contained updates on his daily life and a request to look after Rigne’s team. He seemed to be doing well, which was a relief. Apparently, Urza was having a grand time playing with Isree. They’d supposedly been wiping out gambling dens across the capital? What on earth were they doing? I’d have to write back and tell them to stay away from dangerous places like that, even if they had adults accompanying them.
As for Tiselle, it sounded like she was practically living at the Dalfon Company. I just hoped she wasn't being a nuisance… I’d have to ask Asa and Earth to keep an eye on her. I wanted Mettora to focus exclusively on guarding Alfred at the academy.
While I was busy reading the letter, Rigne and her team departed. They were heading to Shatto City after traveling to Village Five via the Teleportation Gate. I worried if just the four of them would be enough, but they explained that since the advance party's goal was scouting, a larger group would actually be a hindrance. I see. So they weren't planning to go on a rampage. That was a weight off my mind. I told them to retreat immediately if things got dangerous.
My turn to join the investigation wouldn't come until Rigne’s team returned, so I was officially on standby. Not that "standby" meant I had to sit still. I decided to spend some time with the children. …Wait, they were currently in a study session with Guronde. I couldn't go in and disrupt their lessons.
In that case, I thought I’d whip up some treats for them as a reward for their hard work. When I headed to the kitchen, the Fairy Queen was already there, waiting with a look that said she was ready to fulfill her duties as the official taster. Well, I didn't mind.
Now, what to make? The summer harvest was over, but the heat was still lingering. Ice cream? No, we already had a stockpile of that. I could try developing a new flavor, but I wasn't confident I could finish before the kids finished their studies. How about parfaits then? Fruit parfaits sounded perfect.
Earth’s Shop in the capital served something called "Assorted Fruit with Ice Cream," and while I wasn't sure if that technically counted as a parfait, I decided to try making the version I had in my head. We had plenty of fruit in frozen storage.
Once the first one was finished, I handed it to the Fairy Queen. She looked utterly delighted. That was good. However, I didn't have any proper glass containers, so I had to use Mithril Glass… The presentation left something to be desired. Mithril Glass is beautiful, but since it isn’t transparent, you can't see the layers.
I really did need proper parfait glasses. I wondered if I should ask a glass technician to make some. Ah, right, that presented its own set of problems. There were people making glassware in Shashato City and Village Five, but the items they could produce were strictly regulated. This wasn't because the technicians were limited by their tools, but rather because of a petty turf war. They were divided into three factions—Vessel Glass, Plate Glass, and Artistic Glass—and they had detailed agreements on who was allowed to make what. While it seemed like a massive hindrance to technological progress, it did serve to protect their livelihoods. I couldn't say it was purely a bad thing, especially since it ensured a steady supply of standard products.
However, it made custom orders a nightmare. While the glass technicians in Village Five were somewhat flexible, I couldn't exactly take advantage of their kindness and force them to ignore their guild rules. Did that mean I’d have to make them myself? No, I definitely didn't have enough confidence in my glassmaking skills for that. I decided to put the parfait glasses on hold for now.
"By the way, Fairy Queen? I know you finished your parfait, but don't eat those fruits soaking in the heavy syrup. Those are for the children." The syrup wasn't just for sweetness; it was to keep the cut fruit from oxidizing and turning brown. "Good grief. If you’re still hungry, eat some yogurt. You can even add some jam to it." Before she could dive into the yogurt, I asked for her thoughts on the parfait. "Satisfied," she replied. Well, that was the most important thing.
I was in the middle of handing out parfaits to the children who had finished their lessons when one of the High Elves came running in. She was one of the ones assisting Yoko in Village Five. "What’s wrong?" I asked. An explosion in Village Five? No, that wasn't it. Apparently, a massive explosion had occurred in the vicinity of Shatto City, where Rigne and her team were headed. It was reportedly so large that it could be seen from Shashato City and Village Five, despite the distance.
Based on the timing, I hoped Rigne’s team was nowhere near it, but if the three dragons had transformed and flown there, they might have been caught right in the middle of it. "Is Rigne’s team safe?" I asked urgently. The messenger confirmed that three dragons had been spotted flying away, with Rigne riding on one of them. So they were safe. What a relief.
Now, as for the cause… were Rigne and her team responsible for the blast? The answer to my question arrived before Rigne did, in the form of Gucci bowing his head before me. The explosion was apparently his fault. Or rather, he was the reason the explosives were there in the first place. For years, he had been using Shatto City as a dump for hazardous materials. Since it was an abandoned ruin, he’d assumed it wouldn't bother anyone. He’d even applied protective magic to keep people away for safety, but he didn't know if the spell had faded or if an adventurer had simply broken through it. Regardless, the city had been rediscovered.
If Gucci had heard about our investigation team, he could have warned us or stopped them, but he’d been too busy with various matters in Village Five. I decided not to pry into what kept him so occupied. "Ah, no need to apologize so much, Gucci. You might have been the reason the materials were there, but you aren't at fault for the accident itself." Apparently, Rigne’s team had arrived at the city and encountered monsters. When they used fire magic to drive them off, the spells ignited the hazardous waste. It was purely an accident. Rigne and the others were in a precarious position, but they were uninjured, and they didn't seem to hold a grudge against Gucci. That was good enough for me. In fact, we probably owed him compensation for blowing up his storage. When I offered, he declined, explaining they were just discarded items anyway. Hmm. I’d have to think of some other way to make it up to him.
By the way, how exactly did Rigne and the dragons escape that explosion without a scratch? They were supposedly right at the epicenter. "It’s simple. If you run faster than the blast wave, you’ll be fine," Rigne explained. …Well, I suppose Rigne could actually do that.
"It is the fruit of training that would kill a lesser being." "As swift as the wind." "A mere explosion devoid of killing intent cannot even singe my scales." The three dragons replied with their chests puffed out. … "Ojes of the Flame Dragons has a natural resistance to fire, so we just used her as a shield," Kihatroy confessed, unable to withstand my skeptical gaze. I appreciated the honesty. And once again, I was just glad they were all safe.