Chapter 12: In the Royal Capital – 17
The next day, upon entering the castle, I was guided by Mr. Raylot to the usual “Waiting Room.”
After a short while, Lady Shizuna entered the room, accompanied by her maid.
It hadn’t been long since we last met, so Lady Shizuna appeared much as I remembered. Her neatly trimmed black hair framed her face, and a single horn protruded from her forehead. I had recently learned that she belonged to the Oni Race, a species prevalent in the cursed nation of Oz. She wore a garment reminiscent of a shrine maiden, exuding an overall Japanese aesthetic.
Her complexion was healthy, showing no signs of fatigue, which suggested she was being treated well as a guest.
“Oh, Lord Soushi, and everyone else, I apologize for troubling you to come all this way for me.”
With that, Lady Shizuna smiled brightly.
“I heard you requested our presence. We are also quite interested in the Oz Country, so we would be delighted to serve as your escort, Lady Shizuna.”
“I’m so glad to hear that. I was a bit hesitant, but I simply cannot forget that comfortable journey we had. Besides, I knew I could trust you all, and I couldn’t imagine asking other adventurers for help.”
“Your words bring us joy as well. It will be a long journey, but we look forward to it.”
“Likewise. We are set to depart tomorrow morning, but I have already prepared everything except for the food. Would it be alright if I leave the meals to you?”
“Of course, we will take care of that.”
“Thank you very much.”
Afterward, Lady Shizuna conversed with Freinir and exchanged introductions with Mariane before leaving the room.
Next to enter was none other than Princess Margarot. The suspicion that had previously clouded her gaze was gone, replaced by a somewhat apologetic expression.
“Lord Soushi, thank you for coming again today. I am grateful for your help in saving my mother yesterday.”
The princess greeted me with a graceful bow, embodying the essence of a true lady.
“We are pleased to hear that the items we provided were of assistance.”
“Thanks to you, my mother has recovered remarkably. However, she is still unable to leave her bedroom, so she asked me to convey her heartfelt gratitude to you, Lord Soushi, and everyone from ‘Soul’s Guidance.'”
“Please extend my best wishes to her and remind her to take care of herself.”
“I will certainly do so. Also, I must apologize for the disrespectful words I spoke to you the other day, Lord Soushi. I am embarrassed that I could not understand your feelings.”
With that, the princess bowed deeply. It was overwhelming to be addressed with such honor, and her bow only intensified my discomfort.
“I understand that your concerns were born from your deep worry for Freinir, so please do not trouble yourself over it. I truly do not mind. Please, raise your head.”
Finally, the princess lifted her head, her expression softening, suggesting that this matter was settled for now.
“Freinir seems to trust you wholeheartedly, Lord Soushi. Please continue to look after her.”
“Yes, she is an irreplaceable member of ‘Soul’s Guidance,’ and I will cherish her.”
As I replied, Freinir murmured softly, “Lord Soushi treasures me…” Hearing this, the princess shot me a meaningful glance. I hoped she wouldn’t misunderstand; there was no deeper meaning behind it.
Just as I was feeling awkward in the tense atmosphere, Mr. Raylot stepped in to save me.
“Your Highness, may I interrupt? His Majesty wishes to speak with Lord Soushi.”
“Oh, is that so? Then I will continue my conversation with Freinir and the others. Lord Soushi, if possible, I would like to request the cards from yesterday…”
It seemed the princess had indeed become quite fond of playing cards. After receiving permission, I retrieved the deck from my Item Box and handed it to her, then proceeded with Mr. Raylot to the Audience Chamber.
“You’ve been a great help these past few days. We couldn’t discuss the Elixir matter yesterday, but I would like to hear a bit about what happened at the Foundation of the Royal Family. I received some rather intriguing reports from Harsivil and Meldoza that I would like to confirm.”
In the Audience Chamber, there were indeed His Majesty the King, Chancellor Julius, and the guards Harsivil and Meldoza. It was surprising that such important figures would dedicate their time to a mere adventurer like me… or rather, I was painfully aware that I was no longer just an adventurer due to my connection with the Kin of Twilight.
“First, regarding your strength, according to Harsivil and the others, it seems that the monsters up to the fifth floor were no match for you. Was that your impression as well?”
“Yes, I felt that the monsters up to the fifth floor were not particularly challenging. However, while I excel against monsters I can overpower, I struggle against those that do not fall into that category. I believe my favorable matchups with the fifth-floor monsters played a significant role.”
“I see. I also heard that you defeated the final boss, a rare species, in almost a single blow. Was that also due to a favorable matchup?”
“Yes. I am most adept at dealing with monsters that engage in close combat.”
As I answered, His Majesty turned to Harsivil and the others, who seemed to respond with a slight shake of their heads.
“Even so, defeating an A-Rank rare species in one blow is quite extraordinary. By the way, how formidable was the Kin of Twilight for you?”
“In my previous battle with the Kin of Twilight, I was on the receiving end of their attacks until the very end. I was only able to win because my skill activated by chance at the last moment. Without that, I would have surely lost.”
“What kind of skill was it?”
“I don’t know the details, but it seems to activate when I am cornered, significantly enhancing my physical abilities.”
“I see… So even someone capable of defeating an A-Rank rare species in one blow would struggle against the Kin of Twilight without that skill.”
“There may also be factors related to my compatibility with the Kin, and I fought them barehanded at that time. I hope you can take that into consideration.”
Furthermore, I believed I had grown significantly stronger since that encounter. If I were to face Zaikal now, I might not even need to rely on my Excitement skill. However, that was something I could only confirm through battle, and with Zaikal no longer around, I had no way to test it.
“I understand. Your assistance has provided us with crucial information. Thank you. Now, I have heard that you obtained some rare weapons from the Foundation of the Royal Family, and I would like to see those as well. Any named weapons retrieved from the Foundation must be recorded.”
“Understood. Please allow me to retrieve them from my Item Box.”
I stood up and took out a massive shield, said to be made entirely of orichalcum.
Upon closer inspection, it measured 2.5 meters tall, 1.5 meters wide, and was over 20 centimeters thick—a mere hunk of metal. It had a sturdy handle, allowing it to be identified as a shield, but it truly resembled a weapon born from madness.
Its weight was likely several tons. Without the aid of my skills, I could barely hold it up without the floor collapsing beneath me. For an ordinary person, it would be a dangerous object just to be near.
“This brilliance is indeed orichalcum… but is this truly a shield?”
His Majesty’s eyes widened as he stood up. Even the composed Chancellor reacted similarly, indicating that this was indeed something extraordinary.
“It is called the ‘Immovable Fortress Wall.’ It possesses remarkable auxiliary effects: ‘Immovable +5,’ ‘Iron Wall +5,’ ‘Steel Body +5,’ and ‘Steel Core +5.'”
The King swallowed hard at Lady Meldoza’s words, while the Chancellor opened a ledger to record the information.
“This must rank among the highest quality weapons ever obtained from the Foundation of the Royal Family, wouldn’t you say? Julius, what do you think?”
“Without a doubt. However, Lord Soushi seems to be holding it with ease, but I doubt an ordinary adventurer could even lift it.”
“I can’t say it loudly, but even Gandrois would struggle to carry it,” added Harsivil. It seemed Gandrois was the second strongest among the royal guard knights. I couldn’t quite grasp why they couldn’t say it out loud.
However, the fact that it was among the highest quality weapons raised concerns. Was it truly acceptable for me to keep it?
“If it is such a valuable item, I should offer it to His Majesty—”
“That will not do. The royal family does not break promises. That shield belongs to you. If it is something that can only be used by you, then it is rightfully yours. Weapons are neither mere decorations nor burdens for treasure vaults.”
His Majesty spoke with a stern expression. It was clear he held strong convictions regarding this matter.
“However, you must understand the true value of that shield. Julius, what would you estimate its worth as an all-orichalcum item?”
“Well… the materials alone would likely be worth 10 billion Rom. However, with multiple high-level auxiliary effects, its price could easily multiply by several tens.”
Hearing that, I nearly dropped the shield.