Chapter 111
Chapter 111
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 111
Chapter Title: Reconnaissance
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“Well, bringing those kinds of people doesn’t seem too difficult. Let’s proceed right away.”
The meeting appeared to conclude on those terms.
From the start, what Carlyle had requested wasn’t all that demanding—
“...It is demanding.”
“...”
“Putting aside those who were originally the Hero’s companions. A catastrophe-level magical beast, foreigners with no ties to the Empire, and...”
Theodore flipped through the document summarizing Carlyle’s requests as he responded.
“...You want us to find someone? A warrior from the Sand Kingdom?”
“I know it’s not easy.”
“Easy or not, the Sand Kingdom is an enemy state to us...”
Carlyle could only offer a wry smile at Theodore’s incredulous tone, without any real rebuttal.
Well, fair enough.
Even if the Empire was one of the strongest nations on the continent, it wasn’t without enemies.
The desert-bound Sand Kingdom was a prime example. A stubborn warrior kingdom that ignored the Empire’s overtures for diplomatic relations.
And yet, they possessed such formidable military prowess that a direct confrontation would surely end in disaster.
There was only one reason the Empire would ask someone to poke at what amounted to a hornet’s nest.
Drexler Declan.
The final piece of the Hero Party puzzle was likely there.
‘He’s probably somewhere in that desert right now.’
Due to his nature, he was always the last member “recovered” in any cycle.
Still, it was wise to at least track his whereabouts.
With the demons’ movements accelerating so radically at this juncture, early contact might become necessary.
“I’ll make the effort. After all, it’s a request from the man who saved His Majesty.”
“Then, while you’re granting my request, may I ask one thing?”
Carlyle continued calmly.
“How did you know that demonic energy had possessed Princess Ilia’s body?”
“...?”
Theodore and Bellatrix both tilted their heads in unison.
“Didn’t you notice the demonic energy on His Majesty too?”
“I started searching after already concluding that ‘someone must be corrupted.’”
Reasoning inductively from a preset conclusion was worlds apart from deducing step by step from scratch.
At the very least.
Sensing an aura that even the Hero’s senses had missed on their own was impossible without prior tip-off from someone.
“...”
Theodore and Bellatrix fell silent simultaneously.
It was the briefest of pauses, but Carlyle noted their hesitation without missing a beat.
‘They haven’t told me everything yet.’
[It looks that way.]
These people.
They were still hiding something.
They seemed perfectly fine on the surface—and truly were—but it felt like landmines remained.
“...We’ll reveal that when the time is right.”
The silver lining was that they didn’t intend to hide it from Carlyle entirely.
Yes, there was still room to resolve things here somehow.
“Oh, and one more request.”
“You ask for a lot. What now?”
“How advanced are the Empire’s palace medical facilities?”
“...Why do you ask?”
“I might need them.”
Carlyle glanced toward the outer edge of the meeting room as he spoke.
There stood Gray, arms crossed with a sullen expression, waiting for him.
“Who suddenly needs those...?”
“Me.”
Mainly because of that person.
...Due to what they had to do from here on.
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First things first.
“If the Emperor was under some form of ‘control’ by the demons, there are a few things we need to investigate immediately.”
This was the information Felix had shared with him after Carlyle’s “treatment” of the Emperor.
“...A list of goods currently inside the capital.”
As soon as Carlyle scanned the documents Felix handed over, a heavy groan escaped his lips.
“Were these people planning a war with someone?”
“If it were just a simple war, we’d be fortunate.”
Felix sighed in agreement.
“These are items meant to reduce everything to ashes. Not merely to kill.”
And indeed.
Every item here was designed for explosive devastation—wiping things out by detonation.
Even in a real war, deploying them would deal a fatal blow to the ruler’s reputation.
They were less war weapons and more extermination tools.
“The Emperor’s in a coma now. He’s in no state to order their use, but...”
“...If the demons orchestrated bringing these into the capital, all hell will break loose.”
Carlyle built on Felix’s concern.
And if these were actually “used,” he knew exactly what that would unleash.
[...Capital collapse.]
‘A metropolis of millions vanishing in a single day.’
It wasn’t part of his regression cycles, so he hadn’t witnessed it firsthand.
But combining what he knew of the aftermath with this new intel made it clear.
That event.
It was imminent.
These items were the precursors.
[Much faster than in my original memories... This shouldn’t be happening yet.]
‘The enemy’s moving quicker too. No time to dawdle.’
Felix’s request needed handling without delay.
And the necessary people had to be there.
Fortunately, summoning those from Cradle to the palace posed no major issues.
It was spearheaded by the Empire’s top powers, the 1st Prince and 2nd Princess. Bringing in a few people was no problem.
“Th-the palace...!”
“...Yes, Vespa.”
“Carlyle! The palace! The PALACE—!”
“.........Yes, the palace.”
Carlyle barely managed to respond to Vespa, who was clutching his hand and shaking it frantically, eyes wide with excitement.
She’d been like this the whole way here—no matter what he said.
“I never dreamed I’d enter the palace when I left my rural hometown for the capital...!”
“Calm down, Vespa. Look, Panhima’s staying composed—”
“Hey, compatriot. Think we could sell off stuff here for a decent sum?”
“...”
“Travel expenses-wise, it’d cover months—”
“.........Let’s step back and talk, Panhima. The guards are watching.”
These people were all out of their minds.
“Aren’t they acting weird?”
As Carlyle mulled that over, the Hero snickered and chimed in.
“You’re just too calm. Everyone reacts like that the first time in the palace.”
Gray had been here countless times, but she’d never seen a newcomer like Carlyle show zero emotion.
...Not calm so much as numb.
Emotions dulled after far worse experiences.
Even so, there was one part that tensed Carlyle up no matter what.
“No time to waste, so shall we head out?”
“Head out?”
“We need to quickly check the sites Cardinal Felix requested. And...”
“...And what now?”
“Lady, please calm down.”
No need to explain what she needed calming over.
“Wow, it’s really Carlyle!”
“There, there he is—!”
“He’s so ta~ll—! Proportions perfect—! Who were those liars saying he looked weird?!”
Three girls came shrieking down the corridor and promptly surrounded Carlyle.
He took a deep breath and threw himself into action.
More precisely, wedging between the girls and Gray to block her incoming murderous dropkick.
...Gray’s forehead vein throbbed menacingly where she’d halted mid-motion.
Carlyle barely turned to scan the girls around him.
First impression.
‘Traffic lights?’
Three girls of similar height in red, yellow, and green—hard not to think it, rude as it was.
“Carlyle! Carlyle! We really get to spend the whole day with you today?”
“Wow, they said he was young, but he looks even younger!”
“Aren’t you around our age? Mind if we ask how old you are?”
Questions poured out in a giggling flurry.
Gray’s temple vein now pulsed thickly on the other side as she opened her mouth.
“You little shits... No, who the hell are these kids?”
“.........They’re the young ladies I agreed to escort today. We’re... going out together.”
Gray’s face flushed crimson, on the verge of exploding.
...It might’ve been cute in normal circumstances, but to Carlyle now, she looked like a great demon about to spew hellfire.
He somehow managed to usher the traffic light trio away.
“I’ll talk with the Hero a bit and catch up. Head to the carriage first?”
“Hero, please take good care of us today!”
““Please take good care of us!””
Even with Gray this pissed, they bowed—red leading yellow and green—with impressive nerve.
“You said you’re busy, but you’ve got time for a picnic with kids? You fucking—”
...Carlyle was terrified to be left alone with her.
“Please, it’s not like that. It’s necessary.”
“What?”
“You think I’d leisurely meet girls at a time like this?”
Carlyle swept a weary hand over his face.
“They’re daughters of the Empire’s top noble houses. I heard their personal combat skills are decent—no dragging us down, they assured.”
And above all.
“...Refusing would cause problems.”
“Problems?”
“It’s festival season. Everyone wants connections.”
Lionel had once mentioned Carlyle’s value was already quite high.
At this point, rumors of his entanglement with the Emperor had spread among the influential.
So, awkward as it was to say himself.
“I’m the hottest potato in the palace right now, Lady. I need to throw them some bone to cool things down.”
Hiding completely would only stir more trouble.
In Theodore and Bellatrix’s words, “a few deaths” from underhanded strife over him weren’t out of the question.
...Better to stick with capable people and temper public sentiment, busy as he was.
“That’s the situation. For now.”
“...Fine.”
She didn’t look convinced at all.
“If you get it, Lady, please don’t do anything harsh to those girls—”
“Carlyle, what were those girls just now?”
“...”
Before he could explain to Gray, Vespa’s voice from behind made him squeeze his eyes shut.
Unlike usual, it carried a chill.
[Unavoidable situation, but think positively.]
‘What’s positive about it?’
[Stoking jealousy has always worked well. If it builds ‘bond’ with you, isn’t it a solid method?]
‘I might die in the process...?’
[Manage it so no one dies, yourself included.]
“...”
Could he?
Could he really pull it off...?
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-System Message
▶ ‘Vespa’s’ Taming List adds ‘Jealousy’.
▶ ‘Gray’s’ Taming List adds ‘Murderous Impulse’.
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