episode_0178

000

The Tromeria family’s mansion, revisited after several weeks.

As before, the interior is very restrained, considering the family’s status and wealth, if you exclude its size.

Except for Kuon, who left due to the Order’s summons, and Sasha, who went with her in case something happened.

Laila, holding a large bag, and Cleon, dressed in casual clothes with minimal courtesy, visited the mansion at Aurelia’s request.

Unlike the previous evening visit, the mansion felt less populated during the day than expected.

Lord Percis, the owner of the house, would of course be at the royal castle on business by now, and even the servants wandering around the house were fewer in number compared to smaller mansions.

Even Cleon, who wasn’t very knowledgeable about etiquette among nobles, found it a bit odd that Aurelia herself came to greet them and led them to the reception room.

“Is something strange, Cleon?”

Perhaps Aurelia heard the sound of Cleon’s rolling eyes, as she asked without turning around, and Laila nudged Cleon’s side with her elbow with a “tsk.”

“No. It just… feels like there are fewer people.”

“Ah. That’s right. Some of the servants are away right now. Even though they are servants, they are combat servants… my private soldiers, that is.”

Aurelia answers Cleon’s question without much concealment.

Including Rubella, her private soldier organization.

They don’t receive instructions from Lord Percis, only from Aurelia.

And their top priority is to eliminate the threat of demons from the royal capital along with Princess Amelia.

That means-

“Could it be that they went to fight demons?”

“To be precise, they went to find the shops they are running and rescue people like last time. That’s how you can think of it.”

“…If you had told us, we would have cooperated.”

When Cleon says that, Aurelia stops walking and smiles slightly, turning to look at Cleon.

“Of course. That’s probably true. But, Cleon, the fact that you’ve been running around this royal capital day and night lately is information that comes in through various sources. I heard that you solved a few problems even outside the royal capital recently.”

It must be about Arachne – Anansi in the Forest of Virtue, and the bandit – Ein in Mount Mpalgeop.

Three days have passed since returning from Mount Mpalgeop.

While waiting to receive permission with Iona to enter the land where the spiritual veins flow, to prevent the same thing from happening as before where they entered without permission and received a barrage of paperwork.

Perhaps thanks to the two black magic streams flowing through the spiritual veins being reduced, a vitality was gradually returning to the faces of the people living in the royal capital.

If there’s another change, it’s Eustace.

I was a little worried about him afterwards, so I went to see him.

He seemed to have completely shaken off any hesitation or fear now.

As soon as he saw Cleon, he ran up to him healthily and even grabbed his hand first to greet him.

[Cleon. Even if I become someone else, Cleon will still treat me the same, right?]

…He said something like that, so of course, I nodded in agreement.

Moreover, Mistilteinn, which had lost its function, has also finished recovering and is gradually regaining its power as a holy sword.

Cleon was convinced that Eustace would be a great help in the fight against the demons even before his body returned.

“Your skills are recognized, but you seem to have a tendency to shoulder too much alone. We are cooperating partners. I am also thinking that Cleon needs rest.”

Cleon could only nod awkwardly at Aurelia’s words.

Laila was looking at Cleon with a raised eyebrow, as if saying, `See? I was right, wasn’t I?`

“Oh, right. Congratulations on your pregnancy, Laila.”

“Heeh!? Ah, t, thank you…. But it’s really spreading everywhere….”

“Hehe. You never know how rumors spread among women.”

Laila made a “keueung” sound and quietly thought, `I didn’t say anything….`

As they talked, they arrived at the reception room, and the three naturally sat down on the sofa.

When Laila and Aurelia’s eyes met, Aurelia nodded as if granting permission for something.

Then, Laila accepted it, and took out a large iron cage from her bag, placing it on the large table in the middle of the reception room.

Inside, as if asleep, with its eyes closed – was a `horned woman’s head`.

“This is… the demon’s head. Is it alive?”

“Yes. I put it to sleep with medicine and magic.

When Laila said that and flicked her finger, a barrier of magic covered the cage, deploying a barrier.

At the same time, Kamala’s eyes flickered, and her mind returned.

“Where is this…? Ah!? Master! You dared to give me sleeping pills☆!?”

“Quiet… A demon doesn’t naturally sleep anyway… Mrs. Tromeria. This is the demon that Cleon captured. `Kamala`. Most of her magic power is lost, and she’s bound by a pledge. She’s safe now.”

When Laila conveyed that to Aurelia, Kamala also moved her head, following Laila’s gaze, and looked in the direction of Aurelia.

“Hmm…? Who’s that old woman? Just by looking at her, I can tell that the relationship between the couple has been nonexistent for over 10 years-”

The moment Kamala said that, Laila flicked her finger again, and a magic drill appeared inside the cage.

“W-Wait! Just kidding, just kidding! Succubus jokes♡ Don’t take it too seriously, Master~!”

“It’s okay, Miss Laila. Right now, it’s more important to extract information from this demon. Torture can come later.”

“Ah, later…? Not stopping it? Hehe…☆”

Kamala, whose face had brightened at Aurelia’s words, turned pale again at her subsequent words.

“…I’m sorry. I should have added an additional pledge to prevent her from speaking carelessly.”

“Pledges are said to be a heavy burden on the caster as well. Besides, this level of provocation is nothing compared to the words the Duchess has heard until now.”

Both Laila and Cleon quietly exclaimed inwardly at her words.

“Now then… Kamala. You are undoubtedly a wicked demon who made a contract with Ishtar long ago and took root in this royal capital, correct?”

“… …”

“Answer.”

When Kamala didn’t open her mouth to Aurelia’s question, Laila raised her hand, showing the evidence of the pledge, and commanded her.

Then, because of the pledge, Kamala had no choice but to answer as predetermined.

“Keueuk…☆ Y-Yes… I made a contract with Ishtar unnie… and I’ve been with her for quite a long time…”

“Then I have one question. In the past, the coup that was about to happen in this country… wasn’t it your `Astaroth` who was behind it?”

At Aurelia’s question, both Cleon and Laila widened their eyes.

They had reported that they had captured a demon, and several weeks had passed. They had tried to predict to some extent what the background might be to her desire to talk directly.

However, the words that came out of Aurelia’s mouth were very different from what they had expected.

And- the eyes she asks with.

The affectionate yet strict eyes of a mother towards Aruru.

The kind eyes looking at young people like Cleon or Laila who lend their strength to protect the royal capital.

Unlike those.

The merciless, pitch-black eyes that Cleon and Laila show when facing the enemy they must defeat.

Aurelia was looking at Kamala with those eyes now.

The murderous intent felt from it, like the tip of a spear, made even Kamala, who had lived for a long time and possessed high-ranking magic power, pale.

The spirit she exuded was enough to make an ordinary person collapse on the spot.

`This is the mistress of the Tromeria family… the silver spear that protects the kingdom from the shadows…`

Cleon had only heard about her achievements from Aruru.

She had heard that her accomplishments as a knight in her youth during the war with the Empire were comparable to the heroes of legend.

“… Laila.”

“… Kamala, answer.”

“Ah, uh… Hehe…☆ That’s… half right, half wrong… I guess…”

Kamala still had a pale face, rolling her eyes, and slowly opened her mouth. Even in a situation where it would have been difficult to open her mouth, she had no choice but to open her mouth when Laila commanded her because of the pledge.

“Explain in detail.”

“… T-To be exact. Before it became the current `Astaroth`… just a little. I only helped with the coup… In the end, it failed, though….”

“…The then Queen’s younger brother was the mastermind behind the coup. You did something to him with that recognition… that’s undoubtedly correct, right?”

Unlike her usual relaxed self, she, who had become a little emotional, stared at Kamala with her fist clenched tightly.

Then, Kamala spouted out information even though Laila hadn’t given her new instructions.

“Y-Yes… Ishtar used magic to manipulate his mind… to make him start a rebellion-”

The next moment.

The silver dagger that Aurelia pulled out from her chest was swung like lightning towards Kamala’s forehead.

A sudden attack. Cleon was about the only one who could respond.

Fortunately, just before Cleon grabbed Aurelia’s arm, Aurelia also stopped the dagger just before it reached her forehead.

“H-Hik…☆ A m-mithril dagger… If I get stabbed by something like that, I’ll really be expelled…☆”

“…Mrs. Tromeria.”

Ignoring Kamala, who seemed frightened, Cleon spoke quietly.

Aurelia also put strength into the hand holding the dagger once, then sat down in her chair and placed the mithril dagger on the desk as if throwing it.

“What was the purpose.”

“I-If we cause chaos in the kingdom, it will be a little easier for Demiurgos to descend… or so Ishtar unnie said.”

“Demiurgos… a great demon with power strong enough to be called a god… Bringing something like that to the royal capital. For just that reason. How many innocent people…!”

Aurelia raised her hand to her forehead, as if trying to suppress her anger.

Both Laila and Cleon were looking at Aurelia worriedly, but it wasn’t that they weren’t angry at the story they had heard from Kamala.

As a result of their rebellion, Amelia’s uncle was beheaded by Setos Tromeria and died. The queen was imprisoned while pregnant, gave birth to a baby, and died.

…Amelia, too, inherited the sins of such an uncle and had to live locked in a tower, ridiculed by the people, even though she had not committed any crime herself.

What would happen if she knew this fact?

Would she burn with revenge and mercilessly engage in the fight against the demons, using all her power as a Saint Princess?

Such an image of Amelia was not easily imaginable.

A long silence flowed within the reception room.

Kamala, too, could only lower her gaze, cowering under the murderous intent that Aurelia continued to send, with no more questions from her.

And soon, it was Aurelia who broke the silence.

“There are… too many questions to ask this demon. But. If I continue to listen to her stories now, I don’t think I’ll be able to restrain myself.”

“Then-”

“Let’s stop questioning her here today. Instead, you two have obtained some of the information you wanted.”

At her words, Cleon and Laila’s eyes sparkled.

Laila immediately flicked her finger, and Kamala immediately closed her eyes and fell asleep as before.

While covering her with a sound-blocking cloth, Cleon said.

“Information about the scholar. Trismegistus.”

“That’s right. I had the ancient documents owned by the kingdom thoroughly examined. Because he was a famous scholar, many materials themselves remained… but there were no materials left about exactly where he studied or what happened to him in his later years.”

When Aurelia said that, Laila also nodded, saying as if she couldn’t help it.

“He’s a person from the primordial world. In fact, it’s just that he left behind an unusual amount of data. There’s a gap of thousands of years between us and him, you know.”

“But. It wasn’t that there was nothing.”

Aurelia went on to tell them.

“In the southern part of the royal capital. There’s a valley called the `Beryl Water Valley` that’s not well known to the general public.”

“… `Beryl Water Valley`? It’s not on the map though….”

“Yes. It’s a kind of protected area… should I say. It’s a place that only a few people in the kingdom, including the royal family, know about.”

When Aurelia answered Cleon’s question, Laila also sparkled her eyes.

“What kind of place is it?”

“As the name suggests, it is a valley with a river flowing through it, surrounded by beautiful emeralds. There are people who live here avoiding the eyes of people. According to the story, the canyon existed even in the primordial world, and it is said to be an artificial space created as a result of some kind of experiment. In addition to the spiritual veins of water flowing through the land, it is characterized by a very strong divine magic power, so there are no monsters either.”

A canyon. And a village that exists in between.

Cleon’s heart fluttered a little when he heard such a story, but he soon asked Aurelia.

“…How did Mrs. Tromeria know about the existence of that place…?”

“She was my friend- Amelia’s mother… Shariel. The former Queen is from that valley’s clan. I’ve never been there myself, I just heard it from her.”

Both Cleon and Laila quietly closed their mouths.

“For more information, you should listen to her mother… that is, Amelia’s grandmother. I met her once at Shariel’s wedding and haven’t seen her since… but she will remember me. I’ll write you an invitation.”

When Cleon bowed his head and expressed his gratitude, Aurelia smiled as if she had finally calmed down.

“Actually, even most members of the royal family can’t set foot there. It’s only for someone like the king… Of course, they will be wary. I don’t want to say this, but Cleon, a member of the Black Magic clan, will be even more so.”

“… …”

Cleon’s expression didn’t change much. To some extent, he had expected and prepared himself for it.

However, Aurelia took Cleon’s hand and spoke in a gentle voice.

“So, please take `Amelia` with you so you can go inside.”

“…Amelia? But, she…”

As a Saint Princess, she has to protect the royal capital-

Before Cleon could say that, Aurelia answered.

“As I told you earlier. It’s not supposed to be that everyone relies on one person and entrusts work to them. That’s the same for you… but it’s the same for Amelia too. That child is also hunting demons at night without rest… Is that really the right thing to do? No matter how much she is a legendary holy warrior, a being who wields power to protect the people of the royal capital… she is just a girl who is a little over 10 years old.”

Cleon listened to her words and quietly nodded his head.

There was nothing wrong with her words.

“Besides. It will be her first time meeting her grandmother. She’ll be happy too.”

“And, one more thing. Positionally, the `water vein` we were trying to purify was likely only the middle part flowing from that valley… Since it’s a place that’s not generally open to the public. If we don’t cut off the source, the situation won’t improve, so it’s perfect.”

Cleon also nodded at Laila’s words.

“We’ll depart as soon as we’re ready… Thank you, Madam.”

“That’s what I should be saying… I have risen to this position and attract people’s attention more than necessary… I haven’t been able to properly give Amelia the adult care she needs… But, if it’s you.”

Aurelia said that and looked at Cleon and Laila.

The guilt she felt was something Amelia would not think at all.

But still, as an adult. As her mother’s friend.

If only she could have taken care of her more freely and kindly.

With that in mind, she held Cleon’s hand tightly.

The heart that was transmitted through her hand was clearly precious to Amelia as well.