Ch.352The NPC Who Dropped the Sun. (1)

“You took quite a while.”

“Yes, well, I had some business to attend to.”

“Ragni…”

“Are you alright? Have you calmed down?”

“Ah, yes. Sorry. Thanks to Jack, I’ve calmed down.”

Whether it was because of Ragni’s puffy, reddened eyes from crying, or because the Chancellor had mentioned something beforehand, Rey and Gorg approach Ragni and gently rub her back.

After coming up from the underground where the ancient relic was located, we were able to rejoin our group quite late. Looking outside from the first-floor corridor, the morning sun is now rising. It’s satisfying to see the barrier gone and the normal sky visible again, but seeing Ira rubbing her eyes sleepily in Gorg’s arms makes me want to finish this and go home.

“Business? What else was there besides that defective item?”

“No. It was just personal business.”

“Personal business? Isn’t this your first time at the Imperial Palace?”

“Ah, that’s…”

“Brotherrr. I’m sleepyyy~”

“Right! Ira, want to sleep in your brother’s arms?”

“……”

Thanks to Ira’s timely interruption, I was able to cut off the Chancellor’s strangely persistent questioning and move on. Why is he so fixated when I said it was personal business? Is he concerned because of how Ragni was struggling?

I took Ira from Gorg, patted her back telling her to sleep well, and looked at what appeared before me.

[(!) Sub-Quest – Deliver a certain item in the Empire to Ragni Bluemoon Ottoman.]

[Reward: Something will be unlocked.]

[Target item acquired. Quest will be completed when delivered to Ragni Bluemoon Ottoman.]

Before descending to the depths of the underground where the ancient relic was, the status window kept appearing as if saying, “Get the item first, not just down there.” After Ragni’s mental state had partially recovered, and with the Chancellor absent, I talked to her about the quest and we went to the destination together. Thanks to her sniffling and not checking what I was looking for or what I brought back, it should be a nice surprise.

“Chirp, chirp…”

“She’s asleep. Shall I hold her?”

“Yes, please. From now on, only Ragni, the Chancellor, Rey, and I will briefly visit the audience chamber. Luxuria, please stay with Gorg and Ira. We’ve completely dealt with those creatures, but we don’t know what else might appear.”

“Hey, hey. Can I hold the little sister too? She looks so cute when sleeping♡!”

“Go ahead. I won’t hand Lady Ira over to enemies or to this stupid demon.”

“Eeek!!”

“Just make sure she doesn’t wake up.”

Earlier she was screaming while surrounded by three people, but now they seem to have become quite friendly. I smirked as I watched the Seven Deadly Sin demon pestering Gorg, trying to touch Ira. Then I moved with the three others toward the audience chamber where the Emperor was.

*

-CLANG!!

“…Ah, it’s no use. It’s too sturdy…”

“Find a way to break it open right now…!!!”

As we approached the audience chamber, unlike before, I could sense the presence of many people. The Chancellor showed no change in expression, as if he already knew. Rey drew his sword, thinking they might be enemies, and Ragni pulled out just one gun from her waist. As we entered the open door…

“Huh?”

“Th-they’re enemies!!”

“Handmaidens, step back!!”

“Kn-knights? No, not quite.”

They’re wearing armor and carrying swords, but their status windows only show “Palace Guards,” and none of them are above level 50. There are also handmaidens around, but similarly, none are above level 20.

“Y-you! Traitors!! You’re the ones who did this to His Majesty the Emperor and the Minister…!!”

“Well. So there were actually proper people here. With only undead and undead-like priests jumping out, I thought everyone else had been taken hostage.”

The Chancellor showed no tension as he was about to swing his staff at the guards pointing swords and spears at us, but—

-Thump.

“Chancellor, let me handle this.”

“Is that necessary? You had quite a hard time underground, so just leave it to m…”

“No, because I saw that, that’s exactly why I need to do this myself.”

Ragni’s words, spoken while holding the Chancellor’s staff without even turning her head, seemed directed at me as well. Well, I’ll respect your decision.

-Step.

“Eek!!”

-Click!!

As Ragni steps forward, about ten guards move simultaneously with startled clanking of armor, and immediately the one in front shouts loudly and swings his sword at her.

-Clang!

“Do you know who you’re pointing that sword at?”

“Huh?!”

But she doesn’t even draw her sword, easily blocking his blade with the short barrel of her gun and pushing him back. Seeing this, the other guards’ faces grow more tense.

-Thud!

“Stand down! I am the Imperial Princess of this Empire! Ragni Bluemoon is my name!! If you claim to be soldiers of the Empire! Drop your weapons and surrender immediately!!”

I briefly question whether this is the same person who just earlier hated being part of this country’s royal family, as she now proudly proclaims her status. Then it hits me.

Ah, I used [Command] to tell her not to go around saying Ottoman. Well, Ragni can handle herself just fine.

“Pr-Princess?”

“Ragni Bluemoon? Wh-who’s that…?”

“””Huh?”””

“Sigh…”

After Ragni reveals herself as the princess, even stating her name, the soldiers start murmuring among themselves with expressions that say, “What is this woman talking about?” Most are saying things like, ‘Do you know the princess’s name?’ ‘How would I know, I’m just a gatekeeper.’ ‘That princess who never appeared in society?’ ‘Rumor has it she’s confined in a separate palace due to plague…’ What on earth? What exactly is going on in this empire?

-Thud!

“I am the daughter of Emperor Edmund Bluemoon Ottoman. The only heir to the throne in this country. The Minister you’re protecting and the Emperor, who has fallen to madness, have attempted to assassinate me multiple times, forcing me to temporarily seek refuge abroad. This war is a self-orchestrated drama by that Minister trembling over there. I have returned to stop it!!”

“L-lies!! That woman is neither a princess nor anything else!! L-look at her neck!! She wears a collar of servitude…!!”

-BANG!!!

“Eeek?!!”

“Irade Salver. You bark quite freely with that open mouth of yours. I hear even the ancient relic protecting you has been completely destroyed, so where does this confidence come from?”

“Y-you destroyed that?!!”

Ragni shoots next to the head of the Minister, who is still bound by the Chancellor’s magic, and at her subsequent words, the Minister’s face turns deathly pale. So that bastard knew about that trash’s existence? Indeed, I can’t let him die easily.

“Insane!! That relic has sustained this empire as the strongest nation on the continent!! Have you truly gone mad?!!”

“Shut up!! A defective item that only sees people as energy sources and turns them into bloody pulp!! If a country needs to rely on such a thing to survive, it would be better off destroyed!!”

-Bang bang bang!!

“Aaaaargh?!!”

Magic bullets pierce the Minister’s shoulder, foot, and calf, causing blood to spurt from his body. The soldiers, who couldn’t even see Ragni’s attack, turn pale and begin to retreat as if to protect the Minister, but she seems to have no intention of shooting more as she holsters her gun…

“P-Princess Ragni Bluemoon Ottoman…?”

-Clatter!

“Hmm?”

I knew someone was approaching from behind, but with only level 13, I didn’t pay much attention. Rey and the Chancellor had also noticed but ignored it as non-threatening, but this presence, undeterred by the gunshots, called Ragni’s name from the entrance of the audience chamber.

“…Eh, Kara?”

“Ah…!!”

-Patter patter!! Whoosh!!

A handmaiden who had spilled some potion all over the floor ran at full speed and embraced Ragni when she called her name. Huh, what? Who is this?

“Your Highness!! Your Highness!! *sob*!! You’re alive, you’re alive!! *sniff*! I knew it, I knew it! I always believed it was a lie that you were dead!!”

“Ka-Kara?!”

As the handmaiden suddenly bursts into tears like a family reunion, shouting how thankful she is that Ragni is alive, Rey, the Chancellor, and I are completely stunned. Ragni asks, seemingly confused, “There were rumors that I was dead?”

Well, they wouldn’t have not held a state funeral if a royal family member had died, right?

“Yes!! Minister Salver!! After that day, when you didn’t return, he spread rumors among the nobles that you were killed by ruffians from Ponia…!! After that, I and the other handmaidens were all moved to different palaces!! Then one day came the story that you were confined alone in the princess’s palace due to plague! And finally, there was even talk that you were kidnapped by Natie!! But, but I, Kara, your personal handmaiden!! I believed!! I believed you would absolutely be alive…!!”

“Uh, yeah? W-was Kara always this talkative?”

“Sniff!!”

As the handmaiden continues to sob and blow her nose, Ragni seems increasingly uncomfortable, her eyes twitching. The handmaiden takes out a handkerchief and, instead of wiping her own face, begins cleaning Ragni’s dusty face and exposed neck while continuing to speak.

“Of course I’ve become talkative!! I was only quiet when Your Highness needed time to think about the Empire!! But now that you’ve returned safely after 4 years!! How could I not find my voice?!”

“…Uh, yeah. R-right?”

“*Sob*!! Really, really, to return having grown so beautifully…!! *Sniff*!! I’m so relieved!!”

“H-haha. Th-thank you?”

-Clatter…!

“Huh?”

-Click!!

“We didn’t recognize you as the Princess!! We sincerely apologize!!”

“””We sincerely apologize! Your Highness!!”””

As if triggered by the handmaiden Kara’s outburst, all the soldiers put down their weapons, kneel on one knee, and bow their heads to Ragni. So this is really the end? Goodness.

“Well, they said you didn’t have any allies in the empire, but it looks like you properly had one.”

“Ah, y-yeah…”

Looking somewhat awkward, Ragni stared blankly at the handmaiden who was cleaning her.