Early in the morning, after a day and a half of traveling with Lady Amanda, the daughter of the Marquis, our group, led by Lord Lionel, successfully entered the Royal Capital in secret.
I have heard that the son of Duke Jiemeld is already entrenched in the heart of the kingdom, plotting something with the aid of Undead Beasts. Anticipating that we would be met with suspicion if we approached directly, we disguised ourselves as a caravan with the assistance of House Beresford and Goliath, and were invited straight to the Marquis Beresford’s Residence.
“It’s been decades since I last visited the Royal Capital. But it feels strangely quiet,” Dolf remarked, looking puzzled as he reflected on the journey since our arrival.
“Today, there’s a spectator subjugation event taking place at the northern arena. The lack of people in the streets is due to that,” I explained.
Upon hearing the unfamiliar term “spectator subjugation,” Lord Lionel and the others exchanged curious glances. Then Lady Amanda turned to me.
“Miss Flora, I would like you to meet someone.”
With that, we were led to the guest room of the Beresford residence.
“Miss Flora…!?”
“Miss Chelsea! I’m so glad to see you safe!”
There stood Chelsea, whose safety in the Royal Capital had been my greatest concern. It was surprising to find her in Lady Amanda’s mansion, but overwhelmed with joy, we embraced each other.
“I’m relieved to see you’re safe too, Miss Flora. And who are those behind you…?”
After shedding a few happy tears and hugging me once more, Chelsea turned her gaze to the others behind me.
Gilbert, Dolf, and Barbara exchanged glances, and for some reason, they all lined up. Priest Sidney, along with the members of the private army and mercenaries who had been with us since the Territory of Kelvim, as well as the Holy Cleric, Lord Lionel, the Black Knights, and even Goliath joined the formation.
How long has it been since I set out on this journey alone? Though it hasn’t been that long, it feels like a distant memory. My heart swells with gratitude as I realize how many dear and supportive people have gathered around me, allowing me to return to this city without hesitation or sorrow.
Just as I was about to introduce each person in line, a commotion erupted from outside the guest room.
Rushing into the room with guards in tow was none other than His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Alexis.
“Oh, thank goodness, everyone is already here. I apologize, but there’s no time for greetings. Can I borrow a Holy Cleric who can provide healing?”
Before we could respond, the Crown Prince directed his words to Lord Lionel, and Priest Sidney nodded in agreement before exiting the room. Everyone present followed suit.
In the front yard of the Marquis’s residence, several mud-covered figures, seemingly unconscious clergy members, were being carried in.
“They were trapped in the underground waterways of the Royal Capital. It seems Bishop Powell and a few others protected themselves with a barrier, but they are in a severely weakened state. I need your assistance,” the Crown Prince instructed.
We all split up, using the grand hall of the Beresford residence to accommodate the clergy members while the Holy Cleric began to heal them. Fortunately, it appeared that none of them had sustained serious injuries.
Then, the royal guards brought in a knight-like figure, bound with ropes and encased in a barrier. He was wearing the uniform of the Jiemeld Knights.
“Your Highness, what should we do with him?” one of the guards asked, his expression grim.
Lord Lionel and Priest Sidney rushed over, as if they had noticed something.
“I recognize that face. He’s likely one of the officers from the missing Jiemeld Knights,” Lionel stated.
“This man… has been turned into an Undead,” Sidney added.
“…As I suspected. I saw him regenerate from the wound inflicted during the ambush,” Lionel confirmed.
The guard looked panicked. The horror of a human becoming Undead was evident in the expressions of the Crown Prince and Lady Amanda as they gasped in shock.
“However, he doesn’t appear to be rotting like a typical Undead Beast; he looks almost like a healthy human,” the Crown Prince noted, prompting a nod from Sidney.
“It’s a change from within. In other words, he is still in an incomplete state. We cannot know for certain if he will remain like this once fully transformed into Undead… Now then, Miss Flora, could you prepare the usual item for us?”
Priest Sidney turned to me, his face creased with a deep smile. I nodded vigorously. Barbara, standing beside me, whispered, “It’s your time to shine,” and gave me a gentle pat on the back.
“Yes…! Lady Amanda, may I borrow your kitchen?”
“Eh…? Of course!”
Lady Amanda looked bewildered, her expression one of surprise. We quickly moved to the kitchen, where I retrieved the Magic Pot and asked the Holy Cleric to prepare some Holy Water.
This time, considering the speed of absorption into the body, I decided to make a sweet porridge-like soup. After heating the distilled alcohol to evaporate the alcohol content, I added plenty of malt syrup, then warmed it with Holy Water and milk. I then asked Lady Amanda for some of the Marquis’s bread, which I soaked and broke down in the pot.
As the pot simmered over the fire, faintly, from outside the window, I could hear the distant sound of a fanfare carried by the wind.
“…It seems the spectator subjugation has begun,” I mused.
“I hope Kevin is alright…” Chelsea said, her face filled with concern.
“Kevin is part of the Royal Knights Order, after all…” I added.
It seemed all members of the Royal Knights Order were participating in the event.
“In that case, we must go help them. Just a moment ago, Bishop Powell regained consciousness,” Gilbert said, rushing into the kitchen.
“According to the reports, it seems that the Undead Slime was indeed lurking in the underground waterways. They say it suddenly moved somewhere around midnight last night. It’s suspected that it’s been set up for the spectator subjugation,” he explained.
Hearing this, Chelsea’s face grew more anxious, and Gilbert looked flustered.
“Ah, um, Chelsea, please don’t worry. The important person to Miss Flora is also important to me, which means I will do everything I can to help…!”
Gilbert’s flustered yet determined words seemed to ease Chelsea’s tension a little.
“Gilbert is our proud secret weapon, so we can count on him!”
Imitating Dolf and Barbara, I added a hint of jest, and Gilbert smiled awkwardly, his ears turning red in what was surely embarrassment. But even as a joke, it was an undeniable truth. For some reason, when Gilbert smiled, I felt invincible.
Dolf and Sidney forced the soup down the throat of the Undead knight. Dolf had found a funnel he made long ago in our supplies, cleaned it up, and modified it. It was quite a sight, but it seemed the soup was having an effect.
“Well then, let’s take that pot and head out,” Dolf said with a serious expression. The fact that the contents of the pot hadn’t diminished meant that there were still those in need of the soup.
With preparations complete, we departed from the Beresford residence.