The Return of the Expedition
The Blue Tower and the Black Mages. The conference hall carried an air of solemn gravity. The Northerners, whom one would always expect to be cheerful and full of vigor, wore serious expressions here as they gazed at one another. Every Northerner gathered in this room was far from ordinary. They were either nobles of baron rank or higher, or at the very least possessed Gold-grade strength. United under the name of the Grand Duke of Libertas, they had come together in the conference hall to discuss the future of Starus.
"Our current stockpiles amount to one month's worth of supplies. We've increased the rations distributed to each unit, and we expect to reach our target reserves within a year."
"What about the monster extermination beyond the front lines?"
"The First through Twelfth Knight Orders, along with the elite adventurers from the Adventurers' Guild, have all been mobilized. We're clearing the zones sector by sector. With the city's full capabilities committed, it should be completed within three months."
The baron's words as he stepped forward in his staff officer role brought satisfied looks to every face in the hall. Defending the territory they had claimed would be another matter entirely, but simply conducting periodic subjugations to ensure no monsters remained to join Magranas when it descended south would already count as a success.
The positive news eased the atmosphere in the conference hall just a little. The Grand Duke of Libertas, who had gathered them all, merely maintained his light, inscrutable smile. The nobles continued the meeting with practiced ease.
"It's fortunate that the subjugation plan is proceeding smoothly. However, with Starus's Gold-grade forces diminished, we must be extremely cautious when drafting future operations."
"That was unavoidable, wasn't it? We had to send an expedition beyond the front lines."
"It was a necessary choice if we wanted to understand the situation beyond the front lines."
An expedition of twenty Gold-grade and eighty Silver-grade members, handpicked from the finest scholars, guild staff, and intelligence agents for exploration. What began as a journey to reclaim the legacy of the War Ant Queen had coincided perfectly with the command headquarters' ongoing front-line survey, allowing them to dispatch a grand-scale expedition.
"They really knew how to advertise it."
"If the front lines hadn't gotten so noisy, I would have joined them myself."
"Even now, I regret missing out."
"That Hornst fellow—despite his looks, he's got a sharp mind. The way he jumped at the chance made me so envious."
The fifty members sent by headquarters had participated as part of an official operation, but outwardly, the goal had been framed as a quest to recover Adela's mother's legacy. The nobles' faces filled with envy as they imagined how much those who returned would boast about it. Despite belonging to families with histories stretching back a thousand years, these people were still closer to warriors than nobles at heart.
Arthur, who had been listening to their conversation with his chin propped on his hand, shifted his gaze toward a middle-aged man who had been sitting quietly the entire time.
"You're the head of the Golden Merchant Group, correct? I'd like to hear your opinion."
"Would a mere merchant like myself dare to decide the fate of the North? It is already an honor simply to be allowed to attend."
"Come now, why is the head of one of the continent's Five Great Merchant Groups acting so timid? If we lose, the entire continent will be destroyed anyway. We can't afford to ignore even a single person's input."
"......Please give me a moment to think."
"Take all the time you need!"
At Arthur's words, the middle-aged man—Eliades—quietly fell into thought. Why on earth was he even here? Hearing information he had never anticipated made his head spin.
Trade with the North was crucial for the Golden Merchant Group as well. As the group's leader, he had come personally to handle the contract when he encountered a certain noble and struck up a conversation.
'I heard your daughter helped subjugate a half-descended demon at the academy alongside some Northern children. I'd like to hear the full story from her companions later.'
'I don't know the details myself, but I'll explain what I learned from my daughter's letter.'
At the urging of the viscount—a vassal of the Edenberg Countship—he had accepted the invitation lightly, thinking it would be a good chance to build connections with Northern nobles. He had no idea that the gathering the viscount mentioned would be a meeting that would decide the fate of the North… no, the fate of the entire continent. Nor had he dreamed that several counts, marquesses, and even the Grand Duke of Libertas himself would be present.
'Just what is this place...?'
'Hahaha! You're supplying us with more than just one or two goods for the North, and word was bound to spread eventually. Consider this your chance to join in!'
'What? Wait, what do you mean?!'
Upon confirming that dozens of Sword Master-level warriors—only two or three of whom existed per nation—had gathered, he had quietly shuddered. A single mistake here would not end with the Golden Merchant Group simply dissolving into thin air.
But crisis was opportunity. Maintaining their position among the Five Great Merchant Groups required solid trade with the North. With luck, they might even secure a contract that could shift the group's ranking.
"In my humble opinion, I believe strengthening our supply lines is of paramount importance. In war, nothing matters more than logistics."
"Oh? So you think we should bolster the defenses of our supply routes?"
"Well, I am a merchant, after all."
He delivered his strong assertion with words that would have earned open scorn from nobles at any other social gathering or banquet. Comparing Northern nobles to others was foolish. Even after a thousand years, they had inherited the temperament of the warriors who once stood beside the First Great Warrior. They remained closer to warriors than nobles. When dealing with them, it was better to show the ambition and boldness that had brought one to this position rather than a merchant's groveling.
"Throughout history, supply issues have always been the greatest headache in maintaining an army. No matter how powerful a force may be, how can they fight without food for tomorrow? Any commander who fails to consider this is either a fool or a puppet riding on his parents' glory."
"A fair point."
"It is true that we have few troops guarding the supply lines to the front lines."
"Considering Magranas's intelligence, we must also prepare for the possibility that our supply lines will be targeted."
At the positive reactions, Eliades secretly unclenched the fist he had been gripping beneath the table. He had never imagined that at his age he would once again display the spirit of his youth. Still, it seemed he had handled it well enough. He was quietly letting out a sigh of relief when mana suddenly began gathering at the center of the conference hall where various discussions had been taking place.
The hall fell silent at the abrupt development.
"Is that a spatial teleport?"
"We had anti-teleport measures in place..."
"What an interesting fellow."
Unexpected as it was, interest bloomed on the faces of everyone present. When the auras of dozens of monstrous beings simultaneously surged forth, Eliades felt his mind go faint. Yet the overwhelming pressure that seemed ready to explode into violence did not lead to combat. The owner of the hall, the Grand Duke of Libertas, remained seated with his usual gentle smile.
"Ugh!"
The figure that appeared on the desk performed the bizarre feat of falling headfirst. Clutching his bumped head, the figure muttered as he rose.
"I knew I shouldn't move recklessly during the transfer process. I thought it might give me a chance to explore my unique dimension..."
The figure, who had been mumbling incomprehensible words while standing up, suddenly stopped and looked around as he realized his surroundings. An awkward silence hung between the figure and the nobles for a brief moment.
"Where am I?"
"This is the conference hall of Starus."
"Oh! So I arrived in the right place?"
After confirming through the short exchange that he had indeed arrived correctly, the figure stepped down from the desk and bowed deeply to Arthur.
"All 132 members of the expedition have returned! We have completed the exploration request ordered by Your Grace!"
Arthur clutched his stomach and burst into laughter as he watched people emerge through the rift that had opened behind the figure.
I had been told they would send us somewhere safe. I never imagined it would be here.
Having crossed hundreds of kilometers in a single leap via Phase Escape and arrived directly in Starus's conference hall, I wore an awkward expression. The people in the hall, upon seeing the faces of the expedition members and grasping the situation, either laughed heartily like Arthur or wore expressions of awe.
"Ahahaha! What an amusing friend indeed! Did you really cross that distance with spatial movement?"
"I believe your guess is correct."
"You truly are loved by absurdly powerful beings, aren't you?"
Arthur's golden eyes turned toward me. Or rather, not toward me, but toward the things beyond me. His expression was filled with interest, as if he had sensed the presence of my unique dimension and the Water Realm.
"Well, they aren't dangerous, so there's no need to worry. Everyone has worked hard, so let's end today's meeting here."
"Yes!"
At the Grand Duke's command, everyone in the hall rose from their seats. They had been curious about what the expedition had experienced, but since the Grand Duke had called the meeting to a close, they planned to head to a tavern with us to hear the stories.
As I watched the crowd filing out, I too prepared to return to the guild to report our successful expedition and write up the official documents. That is, I would have—if the Grand Duke hadn't stopped me.
"Hold on. Since you showed me something interesting, I'll share some intriguing news with you as well."
"What is it?"
I looked at Arthur with a puzzled expression. His mouth slowly opened.
"The situation at the Blue Tower in the Central region is not good. During the subjugation of a demon summoned in a large-scale terror attack in the Carnot Duchy, the Tower Master and several elders fell in the demon's final desperate struggle."
At the completely unexpected news, Neon—who had been listening beside me—widened his eyes. I had no idea how Arthur had obtained this information, but I bowed my head in gratitude to the man who had helped us.
"Thank you for this valuable information."
"It's nothing compared to the information you've brought back from beyond the front lines."
Having received our thanks, Arthur displayed his usual frivolous demeanor as he led us along.
"Since we've met like this, it must be fate. Could you tell me what happened beyond the front lines?"
"It would be my honor. Though it might be less exciting than you expect."
"That's fine. I want to hear about the adventures you all went through."
Following the excited Grand Duke who was eagerly anticipating our tale, the eldest and second sons of the ducal house quietly trailed behind us as well. It seemed that even the family known as the rulers of the North could not resist the thrilling stories of an expedition.