The Ribelt Territory
The Inadequate Party, having parted ways with Olivia and Celia, returned to the Adventurers' Guild and promptly fell into a dilemma.
They had even received a generous mission reward. There was just one problem.
Their master, Olivia. They had grown stronger thanks to her, yet a serious issue remained.
"Should we really not say anything about this?"
"Say it to whom?"
Hans answered coldly to the girl who used a bow.
How long had it been since they had sworn that promise to their master? And already they wanted to talk?
"To the lord of this castle? The lord is the Saint's older brother, right? Even if we keep it from everyone else, family should be fine, shouldn't it?"
They had been told to tell no one, but still—the lord of Crad Castle was their master's older brother, was he not?
Wouldn't it be better to speak up?
"That may be true, but if we say the wrong thing, won't it blow up in our faces?"
"Right. Let's just stick to adventurer missions. Master told us not to tell anyone, so we don't need to worry about her family."
Their master was the daughter of the Ashtar family, the foremost noble house of the Empire.
There was surely some reason behind it. There was no need to speak unnecessarily.
They might even get an earful for their trouble.
"Then what do we do from now on?"
"Master said so herself, didn't she? Use this power to practice justice."
That was right. Do not use power merely to earn money—use it for the people. It was a shame they had not heard anything about the Hero Party, but one could become a hero even without the Holy Sword. That was how it was.
"That's right. Anyone can become a hero. Even without the Holy Sword."
"So starting today, we become a new Hero Party."
This wet-behind-the-ears party, once scolded by Olivia as the Inadequate Party, finally declared that they would become a hero party by their own strength.
In that way, Olivia had transformed a party no one paid any attention to into a new Hero Party.
Empire's Northern Ribelt Territory
"Oh, so this is Ribelt land."
At last we had arrived at the northern territory.
The land where that Valen bastard was called a prince. We had reached that barren, freezing land that fielded the strongest cavalry force in the entire Empire.
Teleporting there had felt awkward, so we had come by carriage, yet even the outskirts were lined with farms raising every sort of livestock.
Monsters never came here, they said. As proof, the livestock were plentiful, and every single border guard we saw was a cavalryman.
"It's really cold here. Ugh."
"This damn thing is pretending to be cold just so she can cling to me."
A mage who managed her mana properly could shrug off mere cold. Especially for Celia, whose body was more developed than most, claiming she was freezing was the most transparent lie imaginable.
Even so, if I shook her off again I had no idea how much harder she would latch on afterward, so I could not quite throw her off either.
"But those cavalrymen are really impressive. How many magic cavalry do they have?"
"The magic cavalry numbers are probably small. It's not that they can't train them, but it takes quite a lot of time."
Magic cavalry.
Heavy cavalry whose bodies were coated in mana.
When they charged like that, no weapon could touch them, and even large monsters with greater stamina than humans—orcs and the like—were cut down in an instant.
A handful of mana-armed magic cavalry led the charge, regular heavy cavalry followed, and light cavalry brought up the rear. Once the magic cavalry killed the enemy's momentum and shattered their formation in the opening clash, the heavy cavalry poured in behind them and settled the matter for good.
Ashtar had magic cavalry as well, but theirs were supported by infantry and mages from the rear; in pure mobility, Ribelt held an overwhelming edge.
Clop-clop, clop-clop.
As we walked the snowy road, several cavalrymen who had been patrolling the area came riding toward us.
Light cavalry. Probably so they could race back with word the moment enemy forces appeared. Using magic tools for communication would be rare in the cold, barren Ribelt Territory.
"Unfamiliar faces. Judging by the clothes, outsiders? Two women is an odd combination."
"Yes."
"Do you have identification? There have been no outsiders lately, and with the Four Heavenly Kings attacking the Empire several times, security has been tightened."
Ah. Identification after all.
This being Ribelt territory, it could not be helped, but the moment I showed this they would start treating us with the utmost respect. Even Ribelt would know that much.
Of course it would reach the ears of the Ribelt family head as well.
Ugh. Horrible. Should I just turn around right now?
Even as the thought crossed my mind I hesitated, took out my identification, and handed it to Celia. She pulled out her own as well and passed both to the guard.
"Um, here."
"Hmm. Court Mage Olivia Lapa Ashtar, Magic Tower Head Mage Celia. The Imperial seal and the Magic Tower crest are both present."
"Yes."
After examining the cards thoroughly, the guard returned them.
"My apologies. I am Arand, captain of the guard of the Ribelt Territory. I never expected such distinguished guests to visit Ribelt at a time like this."
His attitude changed at once.
Yes. Normally it went like this. The real question was whether word would reach the family head. These people were a faction fanatically loyal to their lord.
"This time we simply came to look around the Empire's territories without any particular purpose. No special intention."
"Hmm. Even so, I must report to the family head."
"Go ahead. Our identities are not those of mere noble young ladies or common adventurers, so it cannot be helped."
The one silver lining was that Valen was not here.
That alone was enough.
The Ribelt family head at least possessed a measure of sense. Unlike Valen, that freeloading bastard who managed to be irritating simply by existing.
"Young Master Valen did not accompany you?"
"No. He did not."
The way they immediately asked about Valen made it clear this whole region was practically Valen and Ribelt's private world.
"Understood. Then please come this way."
Arand began guiding us into the territory.
Before we knew it, several cavalrymen had fallen in as our escort.
"The Ashtar young lady has no carriage. Will that be all right?"
"It's fine. We rode horses this far—what's a carriage? We simply came in a travel mood and were not invited in the first place."
"Oh? I had heard the young lady of the Ashtar family was a flower raised in a greenhouse, yet it seems the rumors were off the mark."
Arand let out a sound of genuine admiration.
These damn bastards. True to form as Ashtar's rival house, the way they sniped at us sideways was anything but ordinary.
After guiding us for some time, Arand led us to an inn that outsiders commonly used.
"Please rest a while at that inn first. I will send word shortly."
"No, you really do not need to go to such lengths to entertain us."
"But you are, after all, the young lady of the Ashtar family."
Arand poured out a stream of words and then headed straight for the mansion where the family head resided.
Suddenly finding myself resting at the inn, I brushed the snow from my clothes and stepped into the room.
Ribelt Haut Mountain
The Empire's northern Ribelt Territory was cold and barren, and for that very reason it also possessed a massive mountain.
One of them was Haut Mountain.
Having received a report from Ribelt residents who had gone hunting on Haut Mountain, Balk Ribelt, the family head of Ribelt, climbed the mountain with several close aides.
"Hmm. So there was a reaction of demonic energy here."
"Yes, Family Head. It is said that people wearing black cloaks have come and gone several times."
Demonic energy had been discovered.
Indeed, at the site the residents had reported, thick traces of demonic energy still lingered.
Any footprints had unfortunately been erased by recent heavy snow, yet this was unmistakably the mark of someone who possessed demonic energy.
"What the hell are these bastards up to? You don't know where the trail leads?"
Balk muttered while staring at the black haze.
"Yes. Is it not the New World Cult? Those people were said to have been using magic around here."
"The New World Cult. Those scum, all the way out here?"
"We cannot be certain, but if someone is spreading demonic energy in a place where not a single monster can enter, it can only be Mains or black mages, can it not?"
At his retainers' words, Balk pressed hard on his temples.
If it was true, things had just become a great deal more troublesome.
Of all places for a black-mage cabal to slip into Ribelt Territory. So arrogant that tearing them limb from limb the moment they were caught would still feel insufficient—yet the real problem was that they could not be found.
"They will come again, without a doubt."
"Those people are underhanded by nature, so they will almost certainly return. Whatever they are after deep in these mountains, it is obvious they will soon either cause an incident in Ribelt or make preparations for one. They may already be hiding somewhere nearby."
Otherwise, with demonic energy lingering this thickly, nothing would simply end quietly.
The culprit would either return or was already lying low.
"Family Head!"
"Arand? What is it?"
What other matter could have brought the guard captain looking for him?
"The next Magic Tower Master and the Saint who is also the Taesa have arrived!"
"What business brings them here?"
"They said they simply stopped by while traveling. As a precaution I guided both of them to an inn and have come to report to the Family Head."
"Hmm."
Come to think of it, the Ashtar young lady was said to be quite accomplished in magic. The next Magic Tower Master as well.
Perhaps those two could resolve this matter cleanly.
"Invite them to the mansion at once."
Whether the pair would prove unwelcome guests or guests worth welcoming remained to be seen.
How much time had passed?
Somehow an uneasy feeling kept gnawing at me.
"There really are a lot of horses, though."
Celia remarked.
It was only natural. This region could not help but have many horses.
"Of course. Even if the Ribelt Territory is barren and freezing, they have long been strong in livestock and military training—while still handling magic."
"Is that so?"
Ribelt was truly not a power one could afford to ignore.
Their territory might be wretchedly barren, yet if they ever turned their backs on the Imperial Capital and drew their swords, the Empire would face the worst civil war imaginable.
The capital armies would struggle to break through Ribelt, and if Ribelt ever marched on the capital, Ashtar would suffer considerable losses as well.
"I have never been here myself, but I have seen them a few times on the battlefield. When war breaks out they even have mages who cover farming and everything else with blessings, so every last man can be conscripted as a soldier. In this region the male sex itself means 'soldier,' and while they accept female volunteers, most women simply cooperate by producing military supplies."
The wartime system Ribelt had built that way was a genuine headache for any enemy.
"Wow, amazing. But isn't farming hard in this region too?"
It was hard. The actual farmland available for cultivation was not large.
Hmm. Something told me this conversation was about to get long.