Chapter 99: Mysterious Jungle Ronobelli (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 99: Mysterious Jungle Ronobelli (1)
The United Kingdoms consisted of a total of eight nations, three principalities, and four cities.
However, only five nations formed the backbone of the United Kingdoms and were eligible to participate in this conference.
Asteria Kingdom.
Ashtalon Kingdom.
Kingdom of Calliban.
Kingdom of Colony.
Kingdom of Laxas.
Of course, the Holy Kingdom Rosario was also entitled to attend, but they had historically abstained from such gatherings.
Even when they did participate, it was only when specific matters required their attention, and even then, a lower-ranking official would attend instead of the Pope. Thus, these five nations were effectively the core of the United Kingdoms.
"Hmm. I don't believe that is an issue our side can resolve for you."
"Monsters crossing over from your border account for thirty percent of the total. And yet, you intend to overlook this?"
"Should we not strive for coexistence? Regarding certain specific items among the trade goods—"
Indeed, once the kings had taken their seats and exchanged brief pleasantries, they began discussing state affairs in such minute detail that even Alon struggled to follow.
The only thing he could grasp was that everyone was laboring intensely to gain a political advantage during this conference.
‘The allies and enemies shift every time the topic changes.’
When discussing the first topic, Asteria Kingdom and the Kingdom of Calliban were allies, but by the second topic, they had turned into enemies as if the previous alliance were a lie.
Watching the political maneuvering where they became allies again by the third topic, Alon thought to himself:
‘Seeing this, I wonder if a truly incompetent king can even exist.’
He looked at Karmakeses III, whom he had seen before.
The man who had previously shown only a jovial laugh or a slightly dazed appearance was nowhere to be found; in his place was a monarch engaged in a political battle without a single hint of hesitation.
‘...There may be emotional kings, but there are no stupid ones.’
Alon marveled for a moment at how quickly conclusions were reached and topics shifted—so fast he could barely keep up.
"Then, let us conclude for today. We shall be seeing each other's faces for the next three days anyway."
The first day of the conference came to an end.
* * *
Afterward.
"Good work."
"Not at all."
Alon shook his head at Siyan’s words.
In truth, he hadn't done much. His role as an aide had simply been to accompany her into the conference and listen to the kings' discussions; he hadn't actually performed any specific tasks.
"How was it?"
"To what are you referring?"
"The conference."
At her question, Alon hummed, contemplating briefly.
More accurately, he pretended to contemplate.
...In truth, he hadn't fully understood a single thing.
It wasn't that he didn't understand the words themselves, but rather that he couldn't decipher all the hidden political intentions behind them. Moreover, instead of paying close attention to the kings' political discourse, Alon had been focusing on Siyan.
Her demeanor during this session of state affairs was quite different from how she was portrayed in the original game.
‘...In Psychedelia, she was definitely described as someone who found governing bothersome, leaving everything to the nobles... and it seemed that way in reality, too.’
Contrary to the image he had held, Siyan was actively participating in the power struggle, even if not as aggressively as the other kings.
"...I apologize, but it is not for someone of my station to judge."
Since he had stopped listening closely at some point, he gave a vague answer.
Siyan chuckled at his response.
"You're playing humble."
She spoke as if his modesty was amusing since she assumed he knew everything. Alon hid his embarrassment behind a stoic expression.
"Well, no matter. I have an additional favor to ask anyway, so I shall let it slide."
"...A favor, you say?"
"Yes."
"What is it?"
At Alon's question, she spoke.
"If you are willing, could you go to Ronobelli?"
"Ronobelli...?"
"Yes. Are you familiar with it?"
"I am."
Ronobelli.
Though he had never been there in person yet, he knew the region well.
After all, Ronobelli was one of the areas he had visited countless times while playing Psychedelia, and it was also the place he had intended to go immediately after this conference ended.
"There should be a place there called the 'Malaka Ruins.'"
"The Malaka Ruins...?"
"Yes. You just need to go there and come back."
Alon remained silent for a moment before asking.
"...Is there a message I need to deliver to someone there, or perhaps an item I need to retrieve?"
"No. Just go there and come back."
"Just go and come back?"
"Yes."
Alon felt puzzled by the Queen's cryptic instructions.
"Well, once you get there, you'll understand why I said this. From the third day of the conference, you don't need to follow me back. You may head out as soon as you wish."
After leaving him with the words, "Then, get some rest," Siyan returned to her room with her servants.
"..."
Alon stood there for a while with a somewhat strange expression on his face.
* * *
Returning to his room, Alon stared blankly out the window for a long time before suddenly recalling the words the Observer had spoken previously.
‘...Does it look beautiful to you?’
Alon reflexively looked up at the sky.
In the dark night sky, countless stars were forming the Milky Way.
Some stars shone brightly beside the moon, while others, though small, emitted a steady light.
‘Thinking back, she had a strangely bitter expression.’
As Alon was idly wondering what could have made the Observer make such a face—
Pop!
"Mentor!"
A familiar face suddenly popped up from beyond the window, and he barely managed to calm his startled heart.
"Is that you, Seolrang?"
"Yep!"
"You startled me."
"Eh—liar! Mentor, you weren't startled at all!"
No, I really was.
However, Alon didn't bother to argue and continued.
"So, what is it?"
"Hmm? Nothing special. I just came."
"Just because?"
"Yeah, because I wanted to see you."
Seolrang, smiling brightly and wagging her tail like a dog greeting its master, perched on the windowsill.
"Is that not allowed?"
"It's not that it's not allowed, but..."
Alon glanced away and confirmed that a blue crescent moon had risen among the stars. After a brief moment of thought, he spoke.
"There's a place I have to go now. Do you want to come along?"
"Yes!"
Without even asking where they were going, Seolrang performed a flashy mid-air flip from her seated position and landed gracefully on the floor.
Seeing this, Alon stood up.
He felt a slight hesitation because the place he was heading to contained an item that could only be obtained here in Tern.
‘Well, it should be fine. If I tell her, she'll keep the secret.’
Thinking about it, taking Seolrang along wouldn't be an issue.
"However, the place we're going must remain a secret."
"A secret?"
"Yes."
"Just between the two of us?"
"That's right."
"Wow."
"What is it?"
"I love that so much!"
Seolrang repeated the word "two" several times.
Soon, with a wide smile plastered across her face, she wagged her tail vigorously like a windmill, her ears twitching with excitement.
Watching her, Alon felt a fatherly smile tugging at his heart as he began to walk.
* * *
The place Alon headed to was the underground prison of Tern.
Confirming that it was pitch black like an abyss without even a single magic lamp, he was about to use magic when—
"Should I light it up, Mentor?"
"...Can you?"
"It's easy!"
With a crackle! Seolrang exhaled lightning, and her surroundings immediately glowed brightly.
"How's that!"
"...You could do that too?"
He walked deeper into the underground prison with Seolrang, who nodded proudly.
Eventually, they reached the end of the dungeon.
‘It should be around here.’
He fumbled with the bricks on the wall until he found one that moved quite loosely and pressed it firmly.
Then.
Rumble, rumble!
With the sound of a mechanism activating, the bricks that had been a wall just a moment ago began to move aside one by one, creating a path.
"Oh...!!"
Seolrang marveled at the sight of the bricks clicking into place like a machine to form a doorway.
Even Alon, who had seen this scene countless times in the game, felt his heart race with the thrill of exploration now that he was experiencing it in reality.
Thud!
The door was completed with a heavy sound.
Stepping inside, they found a cave brilliantly illuminated by a beautiful green light.
"We have to go a bit further."
"Okay."
Alon and Seolrang walked through the cave.
After walking for what felt like ten minutes, they reached a green-lit grotto that marked the end of the cave.
[Huh? A human?]
"Ah."
Inside the grotto, they encountered a fairy about the size of a small child, dressed in blue attire, looking at them with a surprised expression.
Alon let out a low sigh.
‘...It's Tobet. Just my luck.’
The composite artifact hidden in Tern's underground prison, the 'Hand of the Wanderer,' was guarded by five fairies who took turns every two days.
To obtain the artifact, one had to pass the trial of whichever fairy was on duty at the time of arrival.
And.
"Sigh—"
The fairy before them, Tobet, was notorious for having an extremely difficult trial.
Well, strictly speaking, the trial itself wasn't complicated. Tobet's trial was simply 'Tag.'
The problem was that Tobet's speed far exceeded that of a Sword Master, and even a mage using consecutive Blinks would look like a joke in comparison.
...To put it in game terms, while a player could move about 8 tiles per turn unless they used a special skill, Tobet could move a staggering 106 tiles.
‘Besides, it's not just about catching him; you have to avoid being caught for over a minute, so it's practically impossible.’
In the game, Tobet's trial was designed to be bypassed using Fairy Honey from Ronobelli as bait, rather than through a direct approach.
‘...I wish it had been Geppetto or Chemita... No, if only it wasn't Tobet.’
Alon decided to cleanly give up on obtaining the artifact today.
There were still three days left until the conference ended, and the fairy guarding the artifact would change if he came back tomorrow or the day after.
Alon turned to Seolrang and said, "Let's go."
"Okay!"
Seolrang nodded without any questions.
[Ha? Didn't you come all this way looking for treasure? But you're just leaving? You're a real scrub, aren't you?]
As soon as they turned around, the fairy sneered, sounding somewhat flustered.
Alon didn't bother to respond.
He knew that if he got baited by the blue fairy's provocation and took the trial, he would only become a source of amusement.
[Tsk, tsk. This is why humans are all the same—just a bunch of goblins with no will, only looking to gulp down whatever they want to eat.]
Tobet continued to provoke them, seemingly disappointed that his chance to toy with a human during a game of tag was slipping away.
Naturally, Alon did not react to those words, but—
"Hey."
[Hmm?]
"What did you just say?"
Unfortunately, Seolrang could not ignore Tobet's words.
[Why? Did I say something wrong?]
"I asked what you said to Mentor."
[Mentor? Oh, you mean that guy running away because he's scared he'll lose without even trying the trial?]
Snicker!
[I called him a scrub. Got a problem?]
Tobet mocked them even more, looking delighted. Seolrang’s face made it obvious that she had fallen for his provocation and was about to indulge his game.
[Well, if you want to deny it, try to beat me in a game of tag right now—]
Tobet vanished from his spot as if to prove his overwhelming superiority.
[But I wonder if you can even touch the tip of my wing?]
He laughed mockingly, moving so fast that the eye could barely follow.
Knowing that continuing to needle her would only make Seolrang angrier—
"Seolrang, let's just go—"
Alon tried to stop her, but—
"—Wait...?"
What he witnessed in that instant was a vivid flash of golden light.
"Gack—!?"
And then, the sight of Tobet’s neck firmly gripped in Seolrang’s hand.
Tobet’s vision was met with the same reality.
"Say it."
Golden eyes filled with nothing but murderous intent were right in front of his face.
"What did you... just call him?"