Checkpoint

"Your Majesty. Then shall I order the extraction of his memories?"

At the court mage’s question, Daisy shook her head.

"Before that, there is a proper procedure to observe."

"A procedure, Your Majesty?"

"Even a king asks permission before entering a subject’s home. Need I say more when it comes to peering into another person’s mind?

Every human lives carrying countless memories. Among them, there are bound to be recollections one wishes to share with others. But not every memory is meant for that. At times, is there not something one would rather keep to oneself? A secret one-sided love is exactly that sort of thing.

If even precious memories can be like this, then who would willingly expose unpleasant memories or private shame?

Duonoraong is not a suspect, and certainly not a criminal. At best, he is a witness. How, then, could I simply look through his memories as though they were something in my own pocket? I should obtain his permission first."

That was precisely why memory-extraction magic required strict authorization. It left far too much room for privacy violations and abuse.

"Housekeeper of Tamer Territory. Would it be all right if I used magic to draw out your memories and show them to those gathered here?"

"Yes, Your Majesty! By all means. If it is necessary for the affairs of state, I would gladly comply even if you were to take not my memories but my skull."

"Thank you."

Grateful for the queen’s consideration, Duonoraong nodded vigorously, and the court mage summoned a crystal orb to float in the air.

"You there. Bring him a chair."

At Daisy’s command, the housekeeper was startled.

Even Marquis Iorid, an elder of the nobles’ council, had been standing with a staff in hand, trembling all over, and yet she dared to offer a chair to someone like him?

"Y-Your Majesty. How could I possibly…."

"It is all right. Sit comfortably."

The court mage forced the shuffling man into the seat and placed the crystal orb on his knees.

"The more relaxed the mind, the easier it is to extract memory. So remain still and steady. Just don’t drop the orb, so keep your legs firmly together and do not relax."

"…Are you telling me to be comfortable, or to stay tense?"

"Both. Ease your mind, and keep your body heavy."

Duonoraong felt like crying. How could anyone remain comfortable in a situation like this? If he could, he would drag this damned mage back to Tamer Territory, lay him down among the monsters, and tell him to sleep in peace for once.

"When Her Majesty speaks, listen carefully and bring the scene to mind. For this one occasion, you need not answer Her Majesty’s questions. No, do not answer. If stray thoughts get in the way, the extracted contents become messy. Now, close your eyes and place both hands on the crystal orb."

As the court mage intoned the spell, the orb lost its usual bluish hue and turned transparent.

"Duonoraong. Recall that object called the Bakgyeokpo when it was in use."

Once the preparations were complete, the queen spoke slowly.

The housekeeper concentrated and called to mind the Bakgyeokpo’s performance as he had seen it, and the crystal orb began to radiate a bright light.

"How did the Border Region Count use that thing?"

Despite its name, memory "extraction," there was no sensation of anything being pulled out of his head, no sense of being emptied.

Is it working?

That was why Duonoraong was uneasy. Of course, it was a relief that it did not hurt, but if that meant the magic had not taken properly, then it would be a disaster.

"It is done. Open your eyes."

After a while, the court mage took the orb back.

"You may move now."

Wobbling as he rose, the housekeeper stood in an appropriate spot.

"Your Majesty, I have filled in the memories. Would Your Majesty care to look first?"

"No. Let everyone see it."

Daisy examined the faces of the judges and issued her command.

After several incantations, the light pouring from the orb gathered together and rose upward. The drifting mass of light soon transformed into a hologram.

『It, it’s incredibly powerful. It seems far stronger than most fireballs!』

『That single blast wiped out the goblins all at once. Amazing.』

The footage was being replayed from Duonoraong’s first-person perspective.

『What was just fired? There was only a sandbag in there, wasn’t there?』

『No, before that the lord tossed in a tiny monster too! What kind of tactic is it to fire away a gremlin like that?』

Because the housekeeper had been observing the battle from the rooftop of the eastern district office, he had been able to watch the Bakgyeokpo’s performance in detail.

The queen and her retainers watched in silence.

『It’s a hobgoblin! Where on earth did that come from?』

『Spearmen, encircle it!』

Everyone held their breath at the appearance of the Stage 1 boss, the hobgoblin.

From that point on, the footage shook violently, because the housekeeper had been trembling so badly.

『Stop it!』

『Hoooom!』

『Aaaagh!』

When the hobgoblin casually swept its hand and sent soldiers flying, some of the onlookers even covered their mouths.

Soon, it was time for the highlight, the climax.

『Haaaaaaah!』

『Hoooooooh?!』

The Border Region Count launched himself like a cannonball from the Bakgyeokpo, striking with a leaping blow.

With the hobgoblin’s skull crushed in, the hologram vanished.

"That concludes it."

Only when the court mage announced the end of the projection did the audience finally exhale.

"Duonoraong."

Daisy spoke slowly.

"When I heard that a horde of several hundred goblins, including goblins and hobgoblins, had suddenly attacked, I was astonished. Then I was astonished again that such a number had been driven back without loss of life."

Duonoraong, the one who had delivered the report, listened in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠taut silence.

"But seeing what your lord accomplished with that bizarre iron cannon astonished me even more. What was Joren Tamer thinking, to build such a weapon?"

At the king’s ambiguous tone of praise, the housekeeper only swallowed.

"Do you know? I mean the precise reason the Border Region Count came to build that thing."

"I am sorry, Your Majesty, but I do not know that much. I beg Your Majesty’s understanding."

"Is that so? Well, I can simply ask him directly. But as I do not know where the fellow has gone, nor what he is doing at this very moment... I suppose the battle with Hogrifon is still ongoing."

"I am sorry, Your Majesty. Because we lost our communication parchment during the chaos some years ago, I have been unable to send word promptly. I beg Your Majesty’s understanding."

"Yes, I have heard enough. You there. See that communication parchment is prepared for Tamer Territory again later."

Duonoraong grew anxious, ignorant as he was of the territory’s situation.

If the battle has not yet ended, then having that Bakgyeokpo weapon summoned may have been a mistake. I may have caused trouble for Joren Tamer, no, for the soldiers of Tamer Territory.

Daisy, too, was anxious for a different reason.

"Urgent news, Your Majesty!"

At that moment, a secretary rushed in and broke the silence.

"A message from the Kihara Barony. The whereabouts of the Border Region Count-"

"The whereabouts of the Border Region Count?!"

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Daisy leapt over the steps in a single stride and snatched the communication parchment away.

"What is this now? The Border Region Count was supposed to be stopping Hogrifon, so why has he gone to the Kihara Barony? Minotaur? How can a monster said to dwell only in the deepest layers of a dungeon suddenly appear on the western plains?! And in dozens, no less, all together!"

At the unbelievable news, she flung the parchment aside.

The retainers were just as curious about the contents, but none of them dared pick it up; they could only watch the queen’s expression.

"He has slain twenty-three of twenty-five? Then what became of the remaining two?"

"Your Majesty, please wait a little longer. There is no closing formula in the letter, so it seems there is still more to come."

The court mage picked up the communication parchment and handed it back.

"Very well. I shall do so."

Daisy stared hard at the page while waiting for the magical ink to dry.

"How much longer must I wait! What a slow little sheet of paper!"

Even that much made the queen vent her frustration.

"Please steady yourself, Your Majesty. First, I shall use a time-acceleration spell on the palace’s communication parchment to dry the ink. However, if the sender has not written the rest…."

"...I understand. Leave it as it is."

As everyone watched in silence, the parchment dried. When she read the newly appearing words, the queen sprang to her feet.

"The two were converted? Even when it was said he was commanding a mandragora or goblins, I questioned the Border Region Count’s mental state, but I conceded, fine, that might be possible. Those fellows can be tied up with rope or shackles. But how in the world are they handling a monster like a minotaur? Are they planning to make it pull a plow instead of a warhorse?"

What came next was even more absurd.

"What? ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠There had been a misunderstanding in the earlier petition? Is this Kihara fellow mocking me? He caused this uproar by lodging the accusation himself, and now he says it was a misunderstanding?"

"Could it be that the Border Region Count blackmailed Baron Kihara-"

"Hold your tongue!"

Daisy cut off the cautious retainer’s words and went on reading.

"There are matters to be settled, and the road all the way to Gado is long and rough, so time has been delayed? Hah. I commanded him to come at once, and now the excuses keep piling up."

Just before the parchment could be crumpled in her grip, the court mage quickly managed to take it away.

"Your Majesty. What should we write in reply?"

The secretary also read the mood and spoke up.

"We cannot summon Tomikan Kihara at once... not if the Minotaur sighting is true, since another monster may well attack. As lord and mage, he cannot be absent from his post."

The queen let out a long sigh.

"Tell Baron Kihara to write down this entire affair in full and present it by messenger. Appoint as the envoy someone among those we dispatched as an escort to Tamer Territory who knows the details thoroughly. And tell him that this man is to be treated as a witness to the present matter."

"I shall carry out Your Majesty’s command."

"And if someone says the road is long, then someone must go out to meet them, mustn't they? This time, send the Holy Knight Order if need be, and make certain that fellow is brought here."

The court mage, Guzel, was quick-witted enough not to commit the folly of asking who "that fellow" referred to.

"Yes, Your Majesty. However, because we have been on campaign so often of late, we have no spatial-movement scrolls left...."

"What did you say?"

Seated on the throne, Daisy rubbed at her eyelids. Seeing her retainers crowding timidly at her feet made irritation surge through her.

She wanted to bring this headache of an affair to an end quickly. To do that, she needed to summon the source of all this trouble, Joren Tamer, and give him a sound thrashing as soon as possible.

"Forget sending a messenger to Tamer Territory. Instead, instruct every post station along the western highway, including the terminus in Rainpa City, to give the Border Region Count and his party every possible assistance if they ask for help. The court audience will begin when the Border Region Count arrives at the capital. So until then, no one! Say another word about the trial. This audience is dismissed."

Only after the main hall had emptied could Daisy finally let her anger subside.

Seeing the Bakgyeokpo standing alone in the silence left her with a strange feeling.

What an odd man. How did he ever think to build such a thing? He even fires himself like a projectile and soars through the air.

The image from the video still felt vivid.

Still... you did well to protect them. You honored my request.

The request that he protect her precious subjects.

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For all the fighting he had endured, it was admirable that not a single soldier or civilian had died.

And you even saved the Kihara Barony. If it is true, then it was a praiseworthy deed. But is it really true? I can believe that dozens of Minotaurs appeared and that he drove them off without losses, but it is even harder to believe that Joren Tamer was the one who appeared there. Did he set out without knowing that Baron Kihara had filed the accusation? Perhaps that was it.

It was hard to imagine that he would willingly help the very faction that had struck him from behind.

You have protected my command and your territory well. So keep the promise you just made too. Keep the promise that you would come within seven days.

She decided to extend her forbearance a little longer.

"But this is the last time. If you do not appear, then I shall appear before you myself."

* * *

"I said seven days, but... the real issue is whether the king sister will actually wait."

Ho-yeong had deliberately set a long deadline.

Whether it’s shipping or product repair, the standard move is to quote a little longer than the time it really takes. If something comes up and I’m late, it still buys me safety. If nothing goes wrong, people are happy because I handled it fast.

Fortunately, his scheme had succeeded.