Chapter 26: The Banquet
In the end, Hyalda forced twenty Adventurers to accept two gold coins each to settle the matter. Since neither Hyalda nor Fiene would take their share, the Armored Buffalo became mine. I also handed out two gold coins to each of the twenty Adventurers. My persuasive line was that I was receiving plenty of escort fees from the Marquis, and I would also be compensated for the three Armored Buffalo, so they shouldn’t worry about it.
With smiles on their faces, the Adventurers accepted the four gold coins and the escort fees, scattering into the streets of the Royal Capital.
I asked the Guildmaster to deposit everything except the meat, including the Magic Stones from the three Armored Buffalo, into my Adventurer Card account. The Guildmaster examined my card closely, comparing it to my face, and muttered, “Wait here,” before disappearing into the back, only to return shortly.
“Kaito, right? You’ve been promoted to Silver Rank 2.”
The card he handed me was silver, marked with two lines.
“Again, huh?”
“You’ve taken down one of them, haven’t you? We can’t keep someone who can defeat such a creature at the Bronze level. Come pick up the meat tomorrow afternoon; the gold will take a bit longer, is that alright?”
“Yes, anytime is fine, so please deposit it into my account. Hyalda, Fiene, let’s go. The Marquis is waiting impatiently.”
“Wow, that was quite the spectacle. That’s why I can’t get enough of the Adventurers’ Guild,” someone remarked.
“That old man buying it was quite the sight,” another added.
“Kaito, if you’re taking all the meat, could you spare a little for my household?”
“Of course, Marquis. I intended to do just that. I’m satisfied as long as I have a few chunks.”
“Sorry, but if it’s Armored Buffalo meat, I can serve something worthy of a feast.”
“Being a noble is tough, isn’t it?”
“It seems like even tougher things are waiting ahead, giving me a headache.”
That night, I stayed at the Marquis’s residence, and the next day, I went to collect the Armored Buffalo meat in the Marquis’s carriage. There were large chunks of meat, wrapped in blood-stained cloth, about the size of a grown man’s torso. Fiene had taken down eighteen pieces, and Hyalda had lost a leg from hers, leaving her with sixteen. I had only eight due to the damage from my shotgun, totaling forty-two pieces.
I handed over five pieces to the Marquis’s household and gave seven to the kitchen. After placing ten pieces into the Marquis’s Magic Pouch, I kept the remaining twenty in my storage.
That night, we indulged in Armored Buffalo steak at the Marquis’s residence. Although he mentioned it was for a feast, the flavor was so exquisite that it made Kobe and Matsusaka beef pale in comparison (though I had never tasted either). The taste burst in my mouth, and I regretted how quickly it disappeared with each chew. After the meal, we enjoyed a rich, brandy-like drink, and Hyalda’s ice clinked against the glass, producing a clear sound.
“Kaito thinks of everything, even how to drink. This new way isn’t bad at all.”
“I often wished for cold water. When I tasted the alcohol, I thought it might be delicious chilled, so I decided to try it with Hyalda, who can use Ice Magic.”
Before heading to the hotel, I received a bag of gold coins from the Marquis as payment for the escort and the meat. I declined the payment for the meat, but he laughed and told me not to worry. He said it was a small price to pay for turning one piece of meat into something worth many times its value, so I accepted it without hesitation and added it to my storage.
The hotel had reserved the same room as last time, allowing me to finally change from my Adventurer’s attire into commoner clothes and relax.
“Sharda Hamawal, I have come at your summons.”
“Take it easy, Hamawal. We’re finally close to securing evidence, but if we move to capture them, they might resist and destroy the evidence.”
“Is it impossible to pursue the former Duke Jacksen Nagyar?”
“If we use that, there are too many involved, and it could easily lead to a rebellion. Making it seem like a simple revocation of title and confinement would be wasted. We need to gradually dismantle the corruption of those merchants unrelated to that. I want to temporarily remove the problematic nobles from their mansions.”
“Is that alright, Your Majesty?”
“Do you have a good plan?”
“How about hosting a banquet at the Royal Castle? Fortunately, I have some excellent Armored Buffalo meat on hand.”
“Armored Buffalo, huh… That sounds like good bait. How much do you have?”
“I have about ten chunks in my Magic Pouch. If you call the kitchen staff and an appraiser, I can present it here.”
As the head chef from the kitchen was summoned, numerous wagons were prepared. Under the watchful eyes of His Majesty the King and the Prime Minister, large, blood-stained chunks of meat were placed on the wagons, wrapped in cloth. Once everything was presented, an appraiser was called to evaluate each piece of meat.
“All of this is indeed Armored Buffalo meat. There are no issues.”
“Chef, we will hold the banquet in ten days. Prepare accordingly.”
Once all the wagons were taken away, I informed the Prime Minister.
“Nagarun, send invitations to all the nobles in the Royal Capital. Let’s give those three a final supper.”
The King’s cold voice echoed in the room, indicating he had no intention of showing mercy to those who would devour the Nagayar Kingdom. It seemed that this time, three nobles would fall from grace, and His Majesty was serious about tightening the noose. As I pondered this, Marquis Hamawal returned to his mansion.
The banquet was held on the first day of December. Noble carriages continued to flow into the Royal Castle. In the grand hall, nobles held glasses of aperitif, nibbling on slices of cheese and smoked meats while exchanging greetings and laughter with acquaintances. The sight of many nobles and ladies was splendid, though a few appeared somewhat gloomy. One of them, Marquis Hamawal, responded to the flattery from the nobles he had previously looked down upon with a mask-like smile.
Hyalda, now a Viscountess, had it even tougher. Suddenly promoted from Baron to Viscount, she faced a barrage of envious remarks from higher-ranking and equal-ranking nobles, responding with diplomatic niceties.
Kaito casually remarked how tough it was to be a noble, but I couldn’t help but feel a distant gaze, thinking it truly was difficult. However, while they directed their jealousy at me, they seemed to forget that I would eventually become a Marquis, which made me chuckle inwardly.
Fiene’s situation was slightly different; she received many friendly greetings and thanks for stopping the Magic Tournament. In the gaps of conversation, those eager to connect with the Marquis’s household tried desperately to win Fiene’s favor, but only received sharp retorts in return.
“Oh, the praise I received from His Majesty was for being the only one to counterattack with my clumsy magic. I often hear that I’m just a little girl with a Mana Grade of 70 who can’t use magic properly. They were scared of my magic that didn’t even hit, so I was saved!”
With a perfect monotone, she dealt with those approaching her, scattering the men who tried to woo her. The chuckles of the grateful nobles for Fiene only made the suitors blush and retreat hastily.
At the voice of the attendant, everyone headed toward the dining hall.
Meanwhile, at the noble’s mansion that had received a messenger from His Majesty the King during the day, preparations were underway to accommodate the personnel for the search of the neighboring house as instructed by the messenger. As the sun set and darkness enveloped the area, groups of searchers began to arrive at the nearby noble’s mansion. The household members and servants were careful not to be in the way.
Two searchers were flanked by a knight from the mansion’s guard, forming a trio to assist with the search. Those hiding in other mansions received word that preparations were complete, heightening their tension.
From the Royal Castle, fire magic was launched high into the sky, producing dry sounds of “Bang, bang.”
“That’s the signal; let’s begin!”
At that command, the waiting men drew their large knives and pointed them at the neighboring man. A cold voice addressed the startled knight guarding the mansion.
“Sorry, but the search is for Count Alden’s mansion, which means here. If you stay quiet, you won’t get hurt. If you resist, we won’t show mercy.”
Another man stripped the sword from one of the guards and bound him behind his back, locking him in one of the empty rooms. The search began quietly but violently, with no commotion. First, the butler and other servants were gathered, and inquiries began about the existence of basements or hidden rooms known to the servants.
With a declaration to cut through lies and deceit, the interrogation commenced with drawn swords and knives. The head butler and the apprentice butlers were taken to separate rooms, where they faced intense scrutiny over their conflicting testimonies.
If they complied willingly, they could avoid the pain, but those who resisted were met with a relentless storm of violence. Injured, they were forced to drink potions without hesitation, and as soon as they showed any signs of recovery, the torture would resume. After enduring this cycle repeatedly, the servants began to speak out honestly. Hidden rooms and secret vaults were uncovered and searched one after another. Those who had been unjustly imprisoned were rescued, while the remains of those who had been murdered and buried in a corner of the garden were exhumed. The same events were unfolding at the Kirik Marquisate and the Hansel Viscountcy.
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As the banquet concluded and the guests departed the Royal Castle in small groups, Marquis Kirik was informed by his attendant that His Majesty was requesting his presence. He followed the attendant’s lead, entering a small yet lavishly decorated room to await the king. The marquis pondered whether he would receive even a word of gratitude for his cooperation in today’s search.
Without a knock, the room was entered by the royal guards, who pointed their swords at Marquis Kirik.
“Harriet Kirik, you are under arrest for the illegal trafficking and murder of women. We have unearthed the remains buried in a corner of your estate. Your butler and the guards masquerading as bodyguards have all confessed, so no further explanations are necessary.”
The same fate had befallen Count Alden and Viscount Hansel, though the charges against them varied slightly.