Chapter 31

After finishing her business, Keena returned to the mainland. Luka, looking on the verge of tears, was about to leap at her. Keena, who momentarily stopped Luka's charge with a glance, cast the spells of "Drying" and "Purification" on herself to prevent Luka from getting wet and to dry her clothes. After completing these, she embraced Luka again. Before forgetting, she also dismissed the blue dragon. The blue dragon, barking once with a "Gwooo," grinned and dissolved into water, disappearing.

"Welcome back, Luka. Thanks, Rox."

"No, it's my duty."

"...Welcome back."

The three of them, looking like a family, made Exis and Quorke smile wryly as they approached.

"It seems there was no need to worry. How was the Dragon Palace? Were there any snappers or flounders dancing?"

"...If you mean a bright pink frog..."

"What's that...?"

Keena, slightly pale, muttered softly, and Quorke looked puzzled.

"Still, I didn't know such magic existed. It would have been convenient to use it."

"From your reaction, it seems you haven't done the offline quest?"

Keena briefly explained the skills obtainable offline, and Quorke looked away with a dry laugh. It seemed he hadn't even noticed the existence of offline content. Keena was exasperated, wondering what the guild members had been explaining to the beginners. Most of the skills obtainable before building a fortress are rooted in daily life and are of little use during the actual game.

"Anyway, thank you both."

"No, there wasn't much to do. The girl was well-behaved."

While waiting, Luka had packed her belongings with Roksilus's help. There were only a few changes of clothes and some mementos from her parents. A few items, like her mother's apron and her father's armband, were all she had. Additionally, at Quorke's insistence, they had built a collective tombstone by piling stones at the edge of the village where a small hut had once stood.

After paying her respects and offering a silent prayer, Keena registered with Exis and the others and parted ways.

"Alright, I'll send you off."

"What about you guys?"

"We'll go wherever. We can't use 'Teleport' with Luka, but it's only a three-day journey anyway."

"Maybe I'll mention your name when explaining, okay?"

"Sure, but be careful when using my name in Felskeiro."

"Huh?"

The spell being used is "Transfer," a form of "Teleport" that affects others. It can forcibly send someone to another location, ignoring their will, and is used to eliminate intruders who interfere with hunting grounds. However, this can only be done if the user's level is higher than the target's. Otherwise, the target's consent is required, which is why few people use it recklessly.

A dark curtain sprang up from the feet of the two, enveloping them completely. Quorke, waving lightly to Luka, and Exis vanished from the spot. Keena, stroking Luka's slightly disappointed head, squatted down to meet her gaze and smiled encouragingly.

"Alright, let's go, Luka. We'll meet Exis and the others again if we're alive, okay?"

Luka, blushing, nodded slightly and timidly took Keena's hand. Roksilus's lips curved into a warm smile at the heartwarming scene, and he followed them at a respectful distance.

On the way, Keena summoned an octopus horse to carry Luka, and they arrived in Felskeiro the next day. Running into the two who had been sent ahead was a pleasant surprise.

── Outarokus

It's hard to believe that this country, now covered in dense forests, was once half desert.

The royal castle was built by a guild that once flourished in this land. Its base is buried in the forest, and its surface is covered in green. The exterior can be seen as either buried in or coexisting with giant trees. Vines and branches have invaded the castle's interior, but the inhabitants do not find this inconvenient. The result of the country's unique magical technology and nature, the plants act as soldiers to eliminate threats.

The town below the castle spreads across the treetops, connected by drawbridges. Most people live in the trunks and branches of trees, with only a few, mostly dwarf craftsmen, living on the ground. The tree-dwelling population is not exclusively elves; there are also humans and eccentric dwarves. Cat people and dragon people also exist, just like in other cities.

In the throne room of the royal castle, the queen, Sahara Shade, who has maintained Outarokus for two hundred years, and those involved in politics were gathered to evaluate the information brought back by the hermit and to fulfill the country's role on the continent.

Among those present were the hermit, Crof, and three others who had been sent to two countries to communicate with Keena. Each had gone to the capital of Felskeiro, the capital of Helsper, and a border village, respectively, to negotiate with anyone they met. Crof's report was a simple "No."

Sahara Shade, playing with a blue part of her long black hair, responded to Crof's report with a deflated "Oh, I see..."

Unlike Keena, the queen exuded a charm that captivated everyone with her adult woman's allure.

While the queen was nonchalant, many of her subjects believed it was hasty to judge Keena solely by her name, especially among the short-lived races.

The knight commander, a young mage over three hundred years old, had witnessed the great deeds of a relative called a Transcender two hundred years ago. That person, a frontline warrior, had cleaved an enemy stronghold in two with a single sword strike. If Keena was of similar caliber, the queen's words made sense. The prime minister, an elderly dwarf, had also seen two Transcenders eradicate a vast horde of monsters in an instant during his long life, so he did not argue.

"A queen who invites an unknown adventurer to the palace just because of favoritism is truly admirable. Such consultations should be made through us beforehand."

"That's right. Bringing someone without the necessary skills into the country would not benefit us."

The nobles, including dukes and earls, spoke disparagingly. The queen completely ignored them, and the knight commander, who had been looking at them with disdain, nodded to Crof.

"Don't worry, I've assessed her strength. My sister was completely outmatched, and I was impressed."

The knights and soldiers guarding the room murmured in amazement. Despite her somewhat haughty and sharp-tongued nature, Crophia's skills were highly regarded within the knight order. If even someone as promising as Crophia was outmatched, the interest from those in battle was intense. On the other hand, the nobles who had spoken disparagingly were silenced and shrank back, interpreting Crof's confident statement as a sign that even he could not handle her.

After observing the exchange among her subjects, the queen, who had been lounging, crossed her legs. It was not a posture befitting a royal in front of her subjects, but if she were a dictator, it would not be a problem. Even the prime minister and the knight commander did not reprimand her, but their expressions tightened.

"Well, I'm glad we got the expected result. Good work."

"Hmm, thank you. We'll take our leave now."

After bowing, Crof and the others left. In their place, a group in copper-colored robes entered. The elf at the head was the head of the country's mage corps, followed by two human subordinates. They knelt far from the throne and bowed to the queen. When Queen Sahara Shade nodded grandly, only the head of the mage corps stood and unfurled a scroll.

"The results of the observation are complete."

"Speak."

For some reason, the throne room fell silent at this moment. The officials, who had been whispering, leaned in to hear the report.

"In conclusion, it seems the seal is deteriorating compared to the last measurement."

"......I see."

The queen squeezed out those words with a drained expression. The prime minister and the knight commander, standing on either side, paled and swallowed hard.

There was once a land called Hesjingium, known as the Tea Country. Two hundred years ago, it became known as the "Ruined City" due to circumstances unknown to the people of the present. At the time of the formation of the three countries, the hand of a god sealed away something harmful to the future world. The god covered the area around the "Ruined City" with a sturdy barrier. This is what the legends say. In reality, Sahara Shade should have been present, but her memory of that time was lost. The same was true for the first kings of Helsper and Felskeiro when she confirmed with them.

While the god had covered it, two hundred years had passed, and problems had arisen. Outarokus, which had the task of monitoring the "Ruined City," had discovered in recent years that the barrier was deteriorating. Whether to question the god's power lasting only two hundred years or to tremble at the strength of the entity sealed within was a matter of debate.

"In any case, we should call for assistance from other countries...?"

"There's no choice. The entity sealed within, though small in appearance, possesses formidable power."

The prime minister, a dwarf, nodded forcefully. Despite the risk of ridicule, the knight corps had been nearly decimated by monsters that had leaked out. If not for the adventurers who happened to pass by and lend a hand, there would have been casualties. Even if it was just six goblins, the same would apply to Felskeiro, which bordered the Ruined City. The problem was Helsper, where the merchants' federation had more influence than the royal family, making it difficult to secure cooperation.

After the prime minister and the queen discussed the wording of the documents to be sent to other countries, the knight commander asked the head of the mage corps about another concern.

"What about the monster ship that drifted from the sea?"

"Yes, that one. Our hermit was tracking it, but after destroying two fishing villages in Felskeiro's territory, it was defeated by adventurers on the spot. Among them was the queen's aunt."

"Well, to trouble Aunt Keena... We had already sent a warning to Felskeiro, hadn't we?"

The queen had expected there to be room for response. Coincidentally, at the same time, the knight corps of Felskeiro and Helsper were jointly tackling a bandit group. The document arrived after the knight corps had left the castle, so the country was unable to act, according to Outarokus's assessment.

"Also, according to the hermit's report, the queen's aunt has a mission to awaken something called the 'Guardian's Tower.' Perhaps calling for cooperation on that point might yield some returns regarding the Ruined City?"

"Ah, Aunt Keena is a Guardian. There were thirteen of them in the past, but where have the others gone in this world?"

The hermit had confirmed the existence of the spirits Keena had summoned, including Roksilus. The spirits judged that the hermit posed no threat to Keena, who had her own hermit. However, Roksilus did not think so and had discreetly driven the hermit away during their camp. Keena only reported that "nothing happened."

The meeting concluded with the exchange of detailed reports. After seeing the officials leave the throne room, Sahara Shade dismissed the knights and slumped onto the carpet laid on the floor. She sighed in exhaustion, and the knight commander, the prime minister, and the head of the mage corps smiled wryly.

"Your Majesty, I understand your feelings, but this is not proper."

"The issues just keep piling up, and I'm getting tired... I wonder if Aunt can help..."

"From the report, she seems to be a rather gentle person, despite her reputation for being fierce."

"Aunt doesn't even realize she's a High Elf. She gets along with commoners right away and seems to have left her dignity somewhere."

Her concern was more like a mother scolding a child. The prime minister and the others laughed at her age-ambiguous comment but soon nodded seriously. The head of the mage corps would continue monitoring the Ruined City, the knight commander would strengthen the military, and the prime minister would work on closer communication with the queen and other countries.

"Your Majesty, let's end the break and write some letters."

"It would be nice if a handsome person were here..."

"Shall we send a handsome knight from the corps?"

"...Just a joke. Knight Commander, focus on your work!"

── Felskeiro

On a high terrace of the royal castle, the king, the prime minister Aguide, and the high priest Skargo, along with the princess, My, also known as Myriene Ruskeiro, were gathered around a table.

Despite the height, the wind was not a concern. The castle, once owned by a guild, had been maintained by its members as a hobby, and the barrier cast on it still functions.

"When the report from the trade guild came, I had a feeling..."

"The report from Outarokus provides the necessary corroboration."

The king frowned at the two documents on the table. Aguide was concerned about a name included in one of the reports, a person the country needed to handle carefully. Skargo, who usually exhibited eccentric behavior, was deep in thought over the document from Outarokus, to the point where Myriene worriedly asked.

"Um, Sir Skargo, is something wrong?"

"Yes, no. Your Majesty, has Outarokus requested any aid regarding the Ruined City?"

"No, the current notification is only a warning about the threat from the sea. They know more about the Ruined City than we do. High Priest, do you know anything about it?"

In general, the public only knows that the Ruined City is a place where a god sealed away evil. The upper echelons of the government know that the Ruined City exists and is located in the southwest of Felskeiro and the western end of Outarokus. However, they are only told that "evil is sealed there." Players would make different judgments if they knew the full story.

Skargo, while connected to the player Keena, cannot easily share the confidential information of the three countries. He is the best person to consult for wisdom, but he has publicly stated that he does not want to be involved with the state, so it is impossible to ask him for advice. The next best person is...

"...We should ask the knight commander when he returns."

"Really? He doesn't seem like the right person for intellectual work."

They laughed at Aguide's harsh comment, but the king and Skargo smiled. Skargo, judging from the information he had seen and heard before, decided to drop a bombshell, thinking he could apologize to the person later.

"Sir Shining Saber is from the same era as your mother, two hundred years ago."

"......What!"

"......Yes. I heard that he and your mother were comrades during the great war."

Skargo was more shocked than expected, causing him to worry if he had misspoken. He hid his concern and smiled brightly, though with a worried expression, as he continued. While they are players, in terms of their countries, they were more like enemies. Skargo did not know this, but they were one-sided enemies, with one side being repeatedly blown away by magic.

"Father, even if we interrogate Sir Shining Saber, it's not that simple. Information about pre-founding events can cause confusion in the country. From what I've observed, the technology Keena uses is out of place in this world."

"Princess... Is your mother a contraband item?"

"More like a cute, but troublesome, stray dog that spreads easily..."

While the king and prime minister discussed what to ask the knight commander, Skargo nodded in agreement with Myriene's words. They, too, tended to be lenient with Keena once she had won their trust.

── Helsper

"Has there been any change? How is he doing?"

"Here, Lady Keirina."

Keirina, who had come to the mine where prisoners were forced to labor, asked the dwarves in charge about the person in question. It was about the leader of the mage race captured by her grandmother. According to the report, he had become less violent and was working diligently with his pickaxe. At night, he sometimes moaned or cried, which was unexpected for someone who had committed such heinous acts.

The information obtained from interrogating the surviving bandits and searching their stronghold was disturbing. At least two hundred travelers, merchants, and adventurers had fallen victim to the leader. The silver dragon knight from Felskeiro was briefly told about the capture of the leader. Surprisingly, he knew her grandmother and did not question the circumstances. However, he was quite shaken when he heard that the leader's purpose was to "level up" as a "player killer."

Keirina's reason for checking on the leader's behavior and conduct, who was in custody, traced back to a conversation her grandmother had when she suddenly visited. She had inadvertently revealed the leader's punishment, but the topic of discussion with Keirick was entirely different.

Keirick's trade guild had a public role—managing trade networks, price adjustments, and establishing trade routes—and a secret role of gathering confidential information from merchants who visited the royal family and selling it to the appropriate parties.

Of course, they were aware of the disturbances related to the Ruined City in Outarokus. They did not have information on the countries' responses, but they believed that it might require the combined forces of the three countries.

The disturbances in Outarokus were as follows: Six goblins from the Ruined City breached the barrier and attacked a caravan. A few people managed to escape and inform the knight corps. The threat was that a hundred or more knights sent to deal with the goblins were nearly decimated. Fortunately, a few adventurers intervened and saved the knights. These adventurers were likely in a similar situation to her grandmother.

Keirick, judging that military strength was needed to resolve the Ruined City issue, was considering releasing the leader with a suitable pardon and