One Magpie, One Crow
A single magpie soared through the sky, flaunting its iridescent blue feathers.
Leaving a faint, dappled trail of azure in its wake, the bird glided down and perched on a window sill of the imperial palace in the capital, Caulan.
Tap, tap.
"Enter."
Granted permission, the clever creature pulled the window latch open with its beak and poked its head inside.
It hopped into the room and held out its leg toward Morgan Reinhold, presenting the letter tied to it.
[Report on the Appearance of Demons in Epaltelga]
Reporter: Tigria
"Finally."
The handsome, blonde-haired, blue-eyed young man unfurled the report and read it thoroughly.
The initial details aligned perfectly with the previous reports he had received.
The demon, presumed to be a succubus, had been eliminated using the holy water the porter carried at the time.
It also detailed how the Hero, Luciena Estelle, had fully recovered.
"Hmm?"
'The porter and the Hero's projected destination is Waltercroix.'
"Waltercroix..."
Morgan's informants were scattered across every major city in the world.
Naturally, the commercial city of Waltercroix was no exception.
In fact, because it was the home turf of Rabine—a former candidate for the Hero's party—he had planted his most capable and high-ranking spies there.
Even so, keeping tabs on the city was no simple task.
Rabine had already caught and executed one of his informants in the past.
The spy had been a mere low-level scout, but Rabine had sent the corpse back with a dead fish stuffed in its arms—a blatant, unmistakable warning.
Furthermore, 'they' had warned him not to provoke Rabine any further, forcing him to keep his distance and merely observe.
"If the Hero, the porter, and the thief join forces..."
Things would become incredibly troublesome.
If Lucy threw caution to the wind and attacked, it would take the Saintess, the Archer, and the Shield Knight fighting together just to match her.
Having Tigria on their side would tip the scales depending on who struck first, but a thief capable of erasing her presence and executing a backstab would serve as a direct counter to the mage.
Just as he finished scanning the report, another tap sounded at the window.
"Enter."
This time, it was a crow.
The crow, its feathers a deep, purplish black, ruffled its wings aggressively at the sight of the azure-hued magpie.
"Hand over the letter."
The crow shoved the magpie aside with its body and offered its leg to Morgan.
The note tied to its leg contained a single, brief sentence.
Redhead spotted. They say they will handle it.
Crumple.
Look at these fools.
They wrote the message as if they were the ones who spotted her, only to say that 'they' were stepping in?
Those useless, money-wasting informants had undoubtedly heard about Lucy's location from 'them' first, then scrambled to scribble this single sentence and send the crow off to take the credit.
"What to do..."
Both the Hero's party and 'them' were trying to break free from the delicate balance Morgan was maintaining.
It was an incredibly displeasing and arrogant display.
As the self-proclaimed guardian of the world, he was more than capable of balancing the scales himself. It was deplorable how they, blinded by their own petty greed, kept trying to disrupt his design.
"Morgan!"
In that sense, Crown Princess Linasien was a woman truly to his liking.
"Since the last meeting, the nobles and the public—led by the citizens of Epaltelga—have been clamoring for us to secure the Hero's whereabouts."
Her bloodline was noble, but she possessed a slight, endearing lack of competence that fell short of her status.
Even now, look at her.
The Crown Princess had run all the way to his office without a single guard, throwing the door open herself.
Linasien brushed a strand of sweat-dampened platinum-blonde hair away from her neck with an irritated sigh.
She tried to maintain a haughty, composed demeanor, struggling to hide her agitation.
"We haven't even recovered from the disgrace of the last incident, and now public opinion is demanding the Hero. We need a strategy to overcome this."
It was amusing, really.
Had she not previously tried to paint herself as a brilliant tactician whose only flaw was being too pragmatic?
Yet, the moment a real crisis hit, she came running to Morgan, demanding a solution.
The more he observed her, the more he adored her.
The beauty of her long platinum-blonde hair, her arrogant yet doll-like features.
And as he had noted, her competence fell short of her ambition.
Yet, she still possessed the diligence to work hard in secret when no one was watching.
Morgan was not being sarcastic.
He was genuinely in love with Linasien.
From the first moment he laid eyes on her, from the instant he understood her true nature, she was the only woman he wanted by his side.
To place her on the throne as Empress and rule beside her as the eternal guardian of peace, he had suppressed his fiery passion, going so far as to play the part of the Hero's fiancé—an engagement he had never truly wanted.
His devotion to Linasien had always been absolute.
"Do not worry, Your Highness. I have just discovered the whereabouts of the Hero, Lucy."
"Where is she?"
"The commercial city of Waltercroix."
"From Epaltelga to Waltercroix...? That is not a distance one can travel in such a short time."
"The Hero's physical capabilities transcend human limits. A single leap from her can shake the earth and reach the clouds. Simply sprinting would allow her to cover vast distances in no time. Though, it is hardly an elegant method of travel."
Linasien had not come for a lecture on physical feats.
"Reinhold."
The Shield Knight did not appreciate it when the Crown Princess addressed him by his surname.
She only used 'Reinhold' when she was strictly business, dropping all warmth. Morgan always found it rather provocative.
Once we are officially wed, I will have to correct that habit of hers. Even if it requires a somewhat stern hand.
Oblivious to her fiancé's inner thoughts, Linasien maintained her cold, composed tone as she made her demand.
"Reinhold, the Demon King may be dead, but the remnants of his army still linger, and the Hero—who commands the absolute support and adoration of the public—has returned. Neither of these facts bodes well for my succession. In fact, they pose a direct threat to the crown. As my fiancé and my chief vassal, I demand a solution."
Her words were grand, but her message was simple: she needed his help.
A proud Crown Princess who had no choice but to lean on the Shield Knight.
She was the exact ideal Morgan had dreamed of since his youth.
"The problem is complex, but the solution is simple."
"What do you mean?"
"We have demon remnants. To deal with them easily, we need the Hero. However, having the Hero alive is inconvenient."
"Are you suggesting we recruit the Hero again to sweep up the remnants?"
The Shield Knight shook his head.
"The Hero has only recently recovered. It is highly likely she is not in peak condition. While the demons are strong, they are no match for her. It is best to send a subjugation force to eliminate them while we have the chance."
"And the demon remnants?"
"The Hero's party can handle them even without Lucy. It won't be easy, but it allows us to permanently eliminate our greatest obstacle, Luciena Estelle."
"Who will you send?"
"The Mage and the Saintess. With Tigria's magic, they can travel swiftly."
"And if the Hero is in peak condition?"
She might have lacked Morgan's strategic genius, but the Crown Princess was no fool.
Following his cues, she quickly grasped the core of the issue.
Morgan offered her a pleased smile.
"In that case, we attempt to recruit her. If only to make quick work of the demons."
"We already stabbed her in the back. Do you truly believe Luciena Estelle would ever take our hands again?"
"Your Highness, do you remember what I always say is most important in these situations?"
"Yes."
Linasien remembered it clearly.
"Information. Information on the situation, and on the enemy."
"Exactly. Therefore, our first step is to ascertain whether the Hero is in peak condition, and if there is any leverage we can use to force her back into our fold."
Morgan penned two letters.
He spoke aloud to the crow, ensuring his words reached the Crown Princess's ears.
"Go and deliver this. Find the Hero's weakness, and if the opportunity arises, eliminate her. Given her violent temperament, it is kill or be killed. Tell them to fight with their lives on the line."
To the magpie, he gave a different command.
"The world remains in chaos due to the demons, so the Hero is needed. Make thorough preparations, head to Waltercroix, and welcome her back. However, if she is deemed a greater threat to the world than the demons themselves, incapacitate or execute her. Do not rush your preparations."
With that, the two birds took flight, carrying their respective letters.
Watching the birds fade into the distance, Linasien leaned her head against his shoulder.
"I am always learning from you."
"You are a quick study, Your Highness. I look forward to seeing what you will accomplish."
"To be a ruler recognized by all, I must be complete now, not in some distant future."
"Do not be impatient."
Morgan wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
"The finest vessels require the most time to craft."
"You are a true comfort, Morgan. If I had someone like you by my side when I was young, I would have already been fully prepared to ascend the throne."
"While it pains me that you had to spend your childhood in such a place, I believe it was a valuable experience. It gave you the depth of character to understand and embrace the foolish, greedy citizens of this empire."
"Yes, you are right."
The Crown Princess recalled a certain boy.
A scrawny boy, yet one who always possessed a fiercely determined gaze.
A boy whose feelings she had known, but whom she could never accept due to the noble blood flowing in her veins.
A boy who, when she tried to reward him for his devotion, had spat back arrogant words and walked away.
'Just wait! I'll make sure I can stand before you as an equal!'
In the end, the only thing he had taken with him was the name she had given him back in Gutter Alley: Rin.
It was a sentiment that would have scandalized Morgan, but Linasien was willing to embrace even a boy like him as a citizen of her empire.
For that was the duty of a ruler.
That was what it meant to be a benevolent sovereign.
To love and enrich the lives of the people under her reign.
'I've been thinking about you a lot lately, Rin.'
I hope you are living peacefully in some quiet countryside, farming and staying healthy, just as you wanted.
Living a life suited to your station.
And so,
"Go to Waltercroix and secure Lucy?"
"Preparations will require exactly one day."
"A whole day? Actually, when dealing with Lucy, that might be too short."
The Mage and the Saintess set off for Waltercroix.
"Let's just stick to the plan and keep it smooth, damn it!"
"Stop acting so close to Rin!"
"You're the one who needs to stop flying off the handle over nothing and ruining everything!"
"Good grief..."
Rin let out a heavy sigh as Rabine and Lucy bickered back and forth.
"So, they are finally moving."
She smiled softly as she watched them from afar.
"Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting for this?"
Calming her racing heart, she whispered.
"Once I get rid of the pests, I'll come get you right away."
At last, the main episode of DLC Chapter 2 had begun in earnest.
"Just wait a little longer, my Rin."
And 'they' had finally begun to make their move.