Imperial Capital V-1

There are three major things. The first was originally planned.

Securing a base.

Near the outskirts of the Imperial Capital, there was a large abandoned building close to the dungeon we recently conquered, which had become overrun with sub-beasts.

It was reportedly built by nobles who wanted to live in areas with abundant nature.

However, since the dungeon had now been cleared and the influence of the sub-beasts had disappeared, we purchased the site.

Rumors are hard to dispel—especially the one about sub-beasts appearing, combined with the fact that the area is surrounded by dense woods and abundant nature.

Thanks to this, there’s little foot traffic, making it easy to conduct noisy experiments without being noticed, and we won’t have to worry much about leaving the house unattended for long periods.

There’s also a solidly built underground space, which now allows us to store our belongings securely.

After moving in all the items we’ve created and collected, the underground space is quite full.

With this, we've fortunately reached the goal of establishing our base.

Next in importance is Emma.

When I reported that the rear axle of the Arcane Triwheel had broken, she was actually pleased that the data could still be retrieved.

But that wasn't the real issue. When I went to report it to the research facility, I was surprised to find my mother, Marie, there.

Seeing the two of them together made the blood connection between them feel especially strong. It's true—these two are quite similar after all.

Why Marie was there was because she highly valued the performance of the Magical Tricycle.

She claimed they would mass-produce the Magical Tricycle using the guild's resources. Yet Emma hesitated.

That small disagreement had gradually escalated into a complicated situation.

Of course, Daniel, who had come to help, couldn't stop her, and Marie's butler was also present, smiling cheerfully while watching, clearly not intending to interfere.

After hearing each side of the story... Emma said

"I've been working hard and taking action all along. It just feels like someone's taking over what I've been doing....No, I understand the logic of it. It's just... I wanted to do it with my own strength, you know..."

Then Marie said

"You're still just a child, you know. I've gone out of my way, as a motherly favor, to take on the production for free. You could be working at home, so why go out and live elsewhere? Taro feels the same way, doesn't he? And lately, that girl hasn't come home at all. Her hair's a mess—can she even be eating properly?" Saying this, she fiddled with her hair.

When I asked the butler, it seemed he was saddened that his daughter hadn't come home at all....I don't know, it's kind of a hassle.

Since it was ultimately a matter of emotions, I took the lead and arranged the contract anyway.

I decided to just wait for time to resolve the rest, and forcibly ended things by arranging for both parties to meet periodically, as a form of report.

As I was leaving Emma's lab, Marie approached me with something to say.

"That's right! Taro, I heard you've been invited to the queen's party next time."

Yes, this is the third major thing.

"Yes, indeed. It's to celebrate the dungeon clearance, and to hold a get-together with capable citizens. It seems other prominent adventurers have also been invited besides us."

"Be careful around nobles—especially those who support war or are experts in weapon manufacturing. I heard Taro can now use magic twice. It's probably best not to share that information if we can avoid it."

He's sharp, I'll give him that.

"Why is it better not to mention that Taro can now use magic twice?"

"If you want to get involved in trouble, that's fine with me. Being able to use magic just once can get you into the upper ranks of the nation or earn special treatment in the army. In noble circles, it grants respect and gives you an edge in power struggles. But being able to use it twice? There are almost no recorded cases of that in history."

I'd never heard that before. It seemed magic use was even more politically significant than I'd imagined.

"People who want to exploit Taro's power, those who find it uninteresting, and those who wish to use magic itself as research material—nobility is quite a troublesome lot. So be careful. If you wish to live a long life..."

"I'll keep that in mind. But why are you telling me all this?"

"I suppose... because you're an important client to my daughter?"

This person has a sly side, but in this world, they're someone I can truly trust. I'm certain of it.

"Shall I send someone from my daughter's household and another from our own merchant group to help you out if you're worried?"

"…Yes, please. I seem to be rather lacking in subtlety, it appears."

Thus, I found myself facing the most anxiety-inducing event in recent memory—the imperial banquet hosted by the Empress.

—This was the first time since arriving in this world that I had become aware of how ill-fitting my attire truly was.

"Why does this outfit look so utterly unnatural on me…?"

"Is that so? It really suits a adventurer."

That was Alex, perfectly styled for a party. Next to him stood Emma, equally perfectly dressed. She was as beautiful as any noble lady.

She had been invited for her high praise of the development of the Arcane Tri-Wheel. Though clearly unfamiliar with such events, she was visibly extremely nervous.

And the two of them, Kenny and Clara, ran away. For some reason, those two had been able to escape.

Damn it, if I could do that, I would've run away too.

And then there was one more.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Matthew Taylor. I've come at Marie's request. If you ever need anything, feel free to ask."

He was an incredibly pleasant young man.

He was in his early twenties, resembling a longtime regional noble from this country. It seems Matthew's parents and Marie had been business partners and close acquaintances.

That's why he was invited as a noble representative to this get-together, and was asked to come by request. Honestly, I'm grateful.

Under the cold sky, it was too tiresome to talk at length, so we quickly entered the building. Inside, the decor was lavish and dazzling, skillfully using light-emitting gemstones. As someone researching gemstone applications, I found it quite fascinating.

We were led to a secluded room on the second floor, where the party was held. Many people were already there, chatting among themselves. Nobles-like individuals spoke confidently, while commoners-like people listened quietly.

Well, let's see how this turns out. This is my first time attending a party like this. I'd prefer it ended smoothly...