Chapter 62

Albein Castle is surrounded by walls and a moat, connected to the city by a bridge. Inside the walls, in addition to the royal palace, there is an 'Inquisition Hall' where trials for crimes committed by citizens are held.

There are sixteen inquisitors, who do not belong to the royal family, nobility, or commoners, and are given independent authority. Their positions and the legitimacy of their judgments are guaranteed by the king, but every five years, an internal investigation is conducted to evaluate their performance. If they are found to be lacking in ability or if there are doubts about the correctness of their judgments, they are replaced. The king also holds the power to appoint and dismiss inquisitors.

The judgment of the inquisitors is the judgment of the king. The people of Albein cannot defy it.

Furthermore, even the master, who had no fixed residence, must submit to the judgment for actions taken in the capital.

"Dee, you don't need to worry about me. I can't die, but I can accept other punishments."

"...Master, is it okay if your true identity is known?"

If the fact that the master is immortal becomes widely known, it could lead to unrest or even targeting by those seeking immortality.

Even if targeted, our strength would prevent us from being put in a difficult situation. However, living peacefully in the capital would become difficult. We would inevitably receive curious looks from others.

"Hmm, that's true. One of the reasons I left the capital in the past was because my appearance didn't change. I could make myself look older with an illusion spell, but I didn't feel it was worth it to stay in the capital. Now, I can't do that, though."

"Master, did you come to the capital because of me?"

When I asked, she paused for a moment, looking unsure of how to answer. She approached the bridge railing, placed her hand on it, and gazed at the moat filled with abundant water.

"It's almost been two thousand years since the capital Alvinas was founded."

"...Master, were you alive back then? Is this related to that time?"

"Yes. I had companions back then. Like you, I had five companions, one of whom became the first king of Albein. There were also Orland and Stollen, whom you know, right?"

"The first king of Albein, the Orland family, and the Stollen family... So, Master, you were a companion of the people who founded the country?"

The master smiled at me as if it were no big deal.

"Someone as strong as you is a first in this country. An adventurer with a strength rating over 100,000 is said to appear once every thousand years. Two thousand years ago, there were three such people."

We five were called the 'Miracle Children' because five such individuals appeared in the same era.

Two thousand years ago, there were three SSS-ranked individuals—two of whom were the founders of ducal families, and the first king. The other two were not human.

"Three were human, so the other two were of different races?"

"Yes. One of them was also immortal, but she died."

"Immortal and yet died... You said there was no way to die."

"There is one way, but it can only be used once. To use it again, time must pass."

"...I see. Then, I can rest easy for now."

Using that method, the immortal master could end her eternal life.

However, I can't let her use it, since she said she wants to live with me—perhaps sensing my thoughts, the master smiled and said:

"Even though I said I wanted to die, it's selfish of me to say this now. I want to live until Dee says it's okay."

"I can't tell you to live as long as you want, regardless of my will... That would be irresponsible."

"No, I think it's like you. Now I understand that you really didn't want me to die."

"...Hope is something that's lost when you give up on it."

"Good that you didn't give up, Dee. You're saying embarrassing things."

I didn't answer, feeling a bit awkward myself.

"...But I need to learn these things from you. About empathy between people?"

"You're saying something uncharacteristic, but it's fine. You don't need to be a perfect person."

"I don't think I can be, no matter how hard I try. I've done too many bad things, so I need to get rid of as much of the bad as I can."

Whether or not one shows remorse is also considered when determining punishment. If the master were to brazenly admit her guilt, it would only worsen the inquisitors' impression.

But I was confident that the current master would be fine. With that certainty, I started walking across the bridge again. The master followed and walked beside me.

◆◇◆

When we entered the First Inquisition Hall, three inquisitors stood up and bowed to me and the master. We returned the gesture and then confirmed the faces of the people seated around us.

Grenadin, the High Priest of the Albein Church, and Codi, the Knight Commander who had arrived earlier, were there. Additionally, a young man and woman who looked like nobles were present. From the family crests on their clothing, the man was from the Orland family, and the woman from the Stollen family.

The man from the Orland family, Marquis Orland, had short brown hair and a thin-eyed appearance. He wore blue clothing and always had a smile on his face, but he gave an impression that one shouldn't let their guard down. According to the information I had, he is currently 25 years old, the second son of the Orland family, but is seen as the next head of the family. Behind Marquis, there was a woman, Kirsch, who had previously brought a request to my guild and is now the head of the Orland household. She likely serves as his secretary or bodyguard.

The woman from the Stollen family wore a hat with a veil, perhaps because she didn't want her face to be seen. While it might be criticized as inappropriate attire for a ducal family member at an inquisition, she had already explained herself to the inquisitors. Her name, as I had found out beforehand, is Primiere Stollen. She is the eldest daughter of the Duke of Stollen and the heir to the ducal family at the young age of 23. The Stollen family is a matrilineal family, with women traditionally leading the household.

Even the Chancellor Lowe Brumayer, known as the 'White Beauty Duke' for his unique appearance with white hair and eyebrows from a young age, was present. I saw him for the first time, and he lived up to his nickname.

First, one of the inquisitors, a middle-aged man, read from a document containing information about the master.

"Let us begin the inquisition. The subject is the person who effectively led the 'White Goat Inn'... a hundred years ago...?"

"I believe the information is correct. Even a hundred years ago, I had no name."

"...Records show that you were known as the 'Colorless Snake Charmer' at the time. A hundred years ago, you founded the Adventurer's Guild in the capital and then disappeared."

None of those present were born a hundred years ago. Even though the master has lived for over a hundred years, she still looks like a young girl. It was hard to believe, and everyone was surprised—except for Marquis, Primiere, and Chancellor Lowe, who seemed to have known beforehand.

"She has recently returned to the capital with the Guild Master of the White Goat Inn and has been involved in several incidents. We will confirm these facts and determine the appropriate punishment. You must answer all questions truthfully."

"Yes, I have no objections."

The master answered calmly. The inquisitor looked at me, then returned to the document.

"Guild Master of the Silver Water Flask Inn, Dick Silver. You were involved in this matter as one of the Adventurer's Guilds, preventing a major incident and working to resolve the incidents that had already occurred. We will consider this in our judgment. Is that acceptable?"

"Yes. You can treat me as her guardian."

"Understood. Let us begin the inquisition. Everyone, please be seated."

The master returned to the capital three months ago. The Guild Master of the White Goat Inn, unable to secure work for the guild's adventurers, began assigning jobs only to a few elite guilds.

This led to the collapse of the Purple, Blue, and recently the Green guilds, potentially causing mass unemployment. Leaving the capital was an option, but abandoning a long-standing base was not feasible, so they began taking on criminal jobs—then.

"At the request of the Guild Master of the White Goat Inn, she created 'Collars.' These are magical artifacts used to subordinate humans or beastmen. Some have already been used, causing actual victims. The Garamdoor Trading Company used the collars to keep beastmen in animal form and sell them as rare animals. Fifty-three victims have been identified. Half of them have been freed by removing the collars, and the buyers, who were involved in the illegal trade of rare animals, will be fined."

After the middle-aged inquisitor read the charges, the two younger female inquisitors continued.

"Even if the remaining half can be freed, considering the mental suffering and the time they were improperly restrained, a prison sentence of over twenty years seems appropriate."

"Additionally, for creating, illegally possessing, and teaching the use of magical artifacts in the capital, the destruction of the magical artifacts, a prison sentence of up to eight years, and forced labor are imposed."

The Blue Archer Inn and other guilds that engaged in criminal activities were the responsibility of the White Goat Inn's Guild Master. The master was not held responsible because evidence showed that the White Goat Inn had been complicit or had introduced criminal jobs even before she arrived.

"Is this information correct?"

"Yes, it is correct."

The master did not argue, looking straight ahead and admitting the charges. This would confirm that she would receive the punishment determined by the inquisitors—however.

Chancellor Lowe, and the two ducal family members stood up. The Chancellor spoke first.

"Although the inquisition is ongoing, I would like to make a statement. Upon hearing about this matter, I, the Chancellor of the Albein Kingdom, and the two ducal family members, would like to make a request to the inquisitors."

"Your statement is recognized. What is your request, Lowe?"

"The Adventurer's Guild will face difficult requests in the future. Therefore, I would like to request that the punishment for her be suspended. To put it bluntly, the capital is facing an unprecedented crisis."

The inquisition hall was filled with tension. The inquisitors were the most shaken, likely not expecting such a statement from the Chancellor.

I could only observe the situation for now. The information I had did not confirm whether the 'it' was an actual threat—this was related to the forgotten legend of the capital's founding, which I had a hunch about.

"An unprecedented crisis... Can it be resolved by the Adventurer's Guild?"

"More accurately, we need the power of the heroes who defeated the Demon King and high-ranking adventurers. Many adventurers have combat abilities that surpass average knights. Without their help, the capital could be reduced to ashes."

"Is it... an attack by monsters? Or an invasion by a neighboring country?"

"To put it simply, the former. The underground labyrinth beneath the capital, which has been sealed for two thousand years, is about to break its seal."

—The forgotten legend was not a fairy tale.

The capital Alvinas was built over a large hole that sealed an evil entity. In other words, the first king of Albein defeated this entity and became king.

The master knows about this. She looked at me, as if she wanted to say something, but remained silent.

"Richard Silver. I would like to ask a favor of you, the fifth hero who defeated the Demon King, and her, who founded the Adventurer's Guild, despite the difficulty."

Chancellor Lowe bowed. Marquis and Primiere followed suit and spoke in turn.

"The Orland family is also prepared to fight to protect the capital. However, as Lowe mentioned, the strongest forces in the capital are the Demon King slayers and S-rank adventurers. Our role as nobles is to provide the environment for you to fight and prepare rewards."

"The king has also considered abandoning the capital. However, if the sealed entity is released, the entire kingdom of Albein could be destroyed. Therefore, we are determined to fight to the end."

Why were they present? It finally made sense—they were the next generation of nobles who would support the kingdom.

They should not be able to interfere with the inquisition. However, in this case, the master's power is needed to save the capital—thus, the punishment is suspended.

"…If that is true, what will happen to the capital in the future?"

The middle-aged inquisitor asked, and Chancellor Lowe, looking at me and the master with a serious expression, replied.

"All those with the power to fight will enter the underground labyrinth beneath the capital and aim for the deepest level. Of course, we cannot force anyone, but we would like to ask for the cooperation of all guild adventurers. The magic university, the knight order, the nobles, and anyone, regardless of their affiliation, must participate to reach the deepest level. The underground labyrinth has a hundred floors, and we must clear it as quickly as possible."

A hundred-floor underground labyrinth. All the fighting forces of the Albein Kingdom will participate.

If the evil entity is released, the failure to clear the labyrinth means the destruction of the kingdom.

The inquisition hall was filled with heavy tension. The two young inquisitors were unable to accept the Chancellor's words and kept looking at each other.

"How much time do we have to act as quickly as possible?"

"…Richard. Do you believe my story?"

"If there is a labyrinth under the capital and monsters are emerging, we have to explore it regardless. Whether it's true or not, monster hunting and labyrinth exploration are part of an adventurer's job. If it's a formal request, I will consider accepting it as a guild master. That's only natural."

The Chancellor listened to me in silence.

It's as if I'm representing all the guilds in the capital, but with the White Goat Inn's collapse, the guilds need to be reorganized.

However, if clearing the underground labyrinth is urgent, the reorganization will come after