第３５１堀：誰か知りませんか？ (Part1)
**Chapter 351: Does Anyone Know?**
**Side: Comet**
Well, well. Despite the various problems that arose, we managed to suppress them just in time, so there were no delays. The opening of the Sanctuary’s dungeon went ahead, and I was able to stand by and confirm the Holy Swords alongside Samantha’s older sister, Runo.
"These are...?"
"Yes. They are the three Holy Swords passed down in our country. No, that’s not quite right. They are the keepsakes of those girls."
"...I see. So, Chancellor, you were alive back then as well?"
"Yes. I was young, but I remember those girls who wielded these Holy Swords well. They lost their lives in the battle against the Demon King, and their fellow Holy Sword users entrusted them to us, asking us to keep them safe. We have kept them enshrined here ever since."
As for me, I wouldn't go so far as to call them "rushed jobs," but they were essentially prototypes I slapped together on a whim. Seeing them treated with such solemnity, surrounded by guards and dressed in formal attire, makes my skin crawl. It makes me wish I’d put a bit more effort into the decorations.
"...I thank the gods from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to meet such legendary artifacts and a person who lived through that era."
...Which god? Who are you praying to? As far as I know, there’s one on this continent and another one above who’s somewhat involved, but they’re both useless deities, aren't they?
*“I feel a sacred, pure prayer.”*
*“Indeed. It’s rare to see such a thing these days. Should we grant them some kind of special ability?”*
*"Don't you dare."*
Yuki and I immediately shut down the telepathic voices we’d heard. That would only lead to unnecessary chaos.
Once the confirmation of the "Holy Swords"—not the "Bet-Swords"—was finished, we moved to the Dungeon Core room.
"Your Majesty."
"Indeed. It remains authentic. We shall now begin the ritual of infusing magic power. Maintain maximum vigilance. Ensure nothing like yesterday happens again."
"Yes, sir!"
Now, all that’s left is the infusion process. In reality, Yuki has already supplied more than enough, so it’s technically unnecessary, but only a few people know that. For the sake of public stability, we have to go through the motions. And so, the King and the Chancellor are to spend the next twelve hours "infusing" magic while surrounded by guards.
Honestly, I thought this was quite clever. Instead of dumping all the magic in at once, they do it slowly and steadily, allowing the core to recover its magic naturally. It allows for a much higher total volume of energy. It’s a sort of "wisdom of life," I suppose.
"Lady Runo, Lord Yuki, we are about to begin the long ritual. For security reasons, please withdraw."
"Understood."
"Very well."
Good. Being forced to wait here would be nothing short of hell. I can’t stand just sitting around.
"Still, that was a close call. The responsibility for this incident almost fell on Roday."
For now, we’ve returned to the guest room with Runo to catch our breath. We had prepared thoroughly for this, but if we hadn’t followed up properly, I’m sure we would have been detained.
"Yes. Fortunately, His Majesty conducted the preparations and investigations immediately, so no undue suspicion was cast upon us, but..."
"As Lord Yuki says, looking at the events here and what happened in Roday and Gartz, the enemy is clearly serious if they are pulling strings in so many countries."
I agree. They are openly maneuvering against major powers. The day they make their move is close. They will likely strike once they receive the stolen Dungeon Core. The enemy is highly knowledgeable about Dungeon Masters, which is probably why they chose to steal the power source. As for the other countries, they’re likely just testing the waters and gauging their defensive capabilities.
"...Anything could happen. Let us return to Roday to report as soon as possible."
"Yes. However, it would be rude to leave without saying goodbye to the King and the Chancellor. Let’s wait until the ritual is over. The King did say he would write us a letter of recommendation."
"...That’s true. *Sigh.* I must stay calm. I would like to set our departure for the day after tomorrow, if that is acceptable?"
"Yes, that would be best. I will handle the preparations today. We can have our meeting with His Majesty tomorrow and depart the day after."
"After yesterday’s commotion, as a representative of Roday, I cannot carelessly leave this room. I apologize for leaving the travel preparations to you."
"Not at all. Please, don't worry about it. We have plenty of people for that."
"It is good to be in the position of a mercenary, not burdened by the weight of a nation."
Exactly. The greatest strength of Yuki and his group is the mobility that comes with being mercenaries. And they are backed by...
"Samantha, continue to support Lord Yuki well. And if any problems arise, use the name of the Huge family to protect him at all costs."
"Yes, I understand."
...The people around him. The noble families of various countries who accept and support Yuki’s actions. There’s the royal bloodline from Zilba and Enaria—even if it’s a bit of a stretch. There’s the endorsement from Principal Popuri of the Lancer Magic Academy. There are the connections through Cleena and Samantha as Yuki’s wives from Gartz and Roday. And White Forest is practically under our umbrella.
It sounds like a joke when you say it out loud, but that’s exactly why it’s so powerful. In fact, in Weed, despite its small territory, it’s viewed as a nation on par with the major powers.
...If the bigwigs here heard that, wouldn't they foam at the mouth? With just a whim from Yuki, the allied forces of the other continent could end up at war with a single nation. There’s no chance of winning. The idea of them forming an alliance is a pipe dream. They are united in a sense thanks to Yuki, but if he were to pull a few strings behind the scenes, they’d crumble into paranoia.
...Wait. Was this part of his calculation, too? It’s getting scary to think about, so I’ll stop here. Besides, Yuki’s personal monster army could handle anything anyway. Thinking about it is a waste of time.
And so, having been given time to prepare for our departure, we began the work of checking the registry of Dungeon Masters. How are we checking it? It’s simple.
"Heave, ho, heave-ho!"
"...Lady Comet. What are you doing?"
"I am currently a machine that distributes documents!"
I decided to have them—the girls who lived through the same time as me, or rather, who continued to watch the world after I left—check it. The owners of the Holy Swords.
"Just leave her be. She’s probably been influenced by Lord Yuki again."
"...If Lady Hifie says so, then I suppose it’s fine."
"Peace. You should tease her more. That energy is definitely weird."
"Then you do it, Kishua."
"Eh!? No, that’s... Sia, you say something."
"Don't pass it to me. You always do that, Kishua. Do it yourself."
"Well, well, Lady Comet is just being herself. She was always like this during our research."
"...As Alfin says. Lady Comet is always like this."
"Right, Nina?"
Yeah. When we reunited, they were terribly haggard, but thanks to the removal of the mental control and the warm life in Weed, they’ve returned to how they were when they spent time with me. Or perhaps, even better.
...Maybe this is the future for girls who didn't hold weapons.
"Hey! Will you all be quiet!? Lady Comet asked for our cooperation. Can you take this a little more seriously!?"
The one shouting is Difes, the leader. She has it rough as always. After all, she spent 400 years wandering this continent with Peace after cutting me down. In a way, she’s had a harder life than I have. She was always so serious. Come to think of it, didn't she ask for my punishment at first?
As for me, I could only bless them for choosing their own path. I held no grudges. Oh, wait, I shouldn't get distracted.