Chapter 71

Thank you for accessing today as well.

In the capital, a princess and the daughter of a great merchant house were enjoying shopping together in the town below the castle.

The time had already passed dinner hour, and the two were talking about returning soon.

"Thank you, Lady Olivia. To be introduced to so many wonderful stores..."

Wearing a white dress that reached just above her knees, a slightly longer gray cardigan, a necklace with a single large black pearl, and a lace scarf, the color scheme was close to monochrome and simple, but perhaps because the wearer herself was too beautiful, this much was just right.

"No, no, but I'm glad that you, Crown Princess Crowne, also enjoyed it."

Today, thanks to Olivia's kindness, they had visited several stores. Mainly clothing and accessory stores, and the two had acquired a few items they liked.

"I always envied Lady Olivia's clothes, so today was really delightful."

Today, Olivia was wearing a tight dark blue dress with her shoulders exposed. Over it, she draped a large, light pink cloth to prevent too much exposure of her shoulders and chest.

"Oh, oh... Crown Princess Crowne, you really know how to make people happy."

"That's not true. I just said what I felt, so it was easy to convey."

As they walked, it felt as if spotlights were shining only on them.

Their presence and beauty were so captivating that not only men but women were also drawn to them.

As they moved forward, even such a simple gesture was so refined that it felt as if they were in a different world.

The two were enjoying their conversation as they walked back to the castle.

Of course, there were guards following them at a distance. Female knights of the royal guard were walking behind them.

"By the way, is Ein about to board the train?"

Crown Princess Crowne was talking about Ein.

They hadn't seen each other for nearly two weeks. Was he eating properly? Was he injured? Did he catch a cold? ...She was worried about Ein like a parent.

"Well... yes, it's about time for him to depart."

"Ein's journey this time has brought many new discoveries. I'm glad to hear that."

The immediate report was about clues related to the red fox and the valuable healer, Bara.

Considering the achievements, it was a significant result, and rewards for Ein were also being considered, as Crowne had heard.

"I haven't heard the details yet, but there seems to be one small trouble."

Regarding the issue with Viscount Sage, Olivia had not yet received detailed information. She was only told that it was a bit troublesome.

"Really... Ein can't stay still, can he?"

"Hehe... yes, that's true."

Had Ein ever gone somewhere and returned without any problems? If asked, the immediate answer would be "No." He had never returned without any issues.

Even Olivia, his mother, smiled in agreement.

Both of them had star crystals given by Ein, which were shining. Olivia wore hers around her neck, and Crowne wore hers on her wrist.

"By the way, Crown Princess Crowne, you really like that necklace, don't you?"

"...Yes, actually, I do like it."

Crowne often wore this necklace. Friends and her grandfather Graf thought it was too plain, but she still preferred to wear it.

"—...It feels like a collar, but I can't tell anyone that..."

"Crown Princess Crowne, did you say something just now?"

Olivia, walking beside her, noticed Crowne's voice. But this time, Crowne was able to handle it calmly.

"Yes. I was praying for Ein's safe return."

"Hehe... I'm sure he'll show up bright and early tomorrow morning."

In the Ishtrika royal family, the Crown Prince, who looked better in black than white.

Naively, by wearing his color around her neck, she wanted to show that she belonged to him. Such thoughts quietly existed in Crowne's heart.

*

"It's a bit sad, but I'm glad to see you one last time, Crown Prince."

"Likewise. I've been well taken care of. Thanks to Professor Oz, I think the future investigation will progress smoothly."

After a two-week stay, Ein and Chris were finally returning to the capital. They had wanted to try a wyvern service, but had to give up because Ein's presence frightened monsters. Despite this, Ein spent the remaining days meaningfully, buying a few magical items as souvenirs for Olivia.

Dil did not return in the end. The reason was that Bara's sister, May, had become attached to Dil and couldn't bear to part with her. Dil, who was supposed to return for his main job (guarding Ein), decided not to return to the magic city of Istr due to the words of Warren and others.

"If anything happens, please contact me. If there's anything I can do, I'd be happy to help."

The time was approaching 7 PM, and the temperature was low enough to see one's breath. The location was the central station of Istr.

Oz, who had taken the trouble to come to see Ein off, was truly appreciated.

"Thank you for everything."

Ein bowed with a smile. Seeing this, Oz also showed a gentle expression.

"...Actually, I have a 'souvenir' for the Crown Prince."

Saying this, he took a box from the bag he had brought. The box, adorned with gold carvings, made Ein wonder what it was.

"Princess Christina, please be careful with it."

"...Excuse me, Professor Oz. What is this?"

It was natural for Chris to be curious, but she also checked the contents for safety.

"It's a magic stone I finally obtained. It's from the 'certain monster' you were investigating. I've thoroughly checked the contents. It arrived 'this morning,' and I managed to finish the inspection, so I thought I'd give it to you."

Emphasizing the word "this morning," Oz mentioned that he had finished the inspection today. More clues were better, and this red fox magic stone might lead to new discoveries if Katima or Majolica were consulted.

"It's supposed to be quite rare... I can't believe you found it."

"Consider it good fortune. The fact that even luck is on the Crown Prince's side is undeniable... In any case, I'm glad it was found. Please take it."

"I think it's quite expensive..."

For a rare monster, the value of a magic stone would skyrocket. Even if it had limited uses, it would be a treasure for collectors and nobles. Ein suspected that this red fox magic stone would be quite expensive.

"I used old connections to get it, so it was actually quite cheap. Please don't worry... So, please take it."

Oz smiled. For Ein, it was a welcome gesture, so he decided to accept the magic stone. He didn't want to be too hesitant about the valuable red fox magic stone.

"Thank you. The royal family will also express its gratitude."

"No, no, please don't worry. If I ever visit the capital, it would be enough to meet the Crown Prince again."

How humble could Oz be? Ein bowed even deeper. If he ever visited the capital, he decided to meet him.

"Yes, of course. If we could have dinner together..."

"That would be great! For me, that would be the best reward."

After a bit of small talk and a discussion about Majolica, they spent the time until departure with Oz.

—And finally, it was time for the direct train from Istr to the capital to depart.

"Professor Oz, thank you very much."

"Please have a safe trip, Crown Prince. I look forward to the day we meet again."

Chris, who had received the magic stone, bowed beside Ein. Then, Chris led the way, and Ein boarded the noble-class carriage he had rented.

Oz kept his eyes on the carriage until the water train departed and the carriage was out of sight. He sighed lightly and left the platform.

"...It was fortunate that the Crown Prince didn't have to touch that red fox magic stone."

He didn't give it to Ein for security reasons, but purely because he didn't want Ein to have it.

"It's a good day. ...Yeah, let's open a special bottle of wine. Drinking it with my beloved father... It will be a great night."

It was a pity to part with Ein, but they had made a promise to meet again, and Ein would likely continue to rely on Oz. Considering this, it was natural for his mood to improve. Handing over the magic stone he had been unsure about and getting rid of the trouble also improved his mood.

—And that night, a small but joyous party was held in his laboratory.

*

"To be on the safe side, I'll store it more securely."

After leaving Istr, the city was still visible in the distance.

Chris, considering the worst-case scenario, stored the red fox magic stone she received from Oz more securely.

"Thanks. We need to prevent any accidents."

Even if his wife could control it, there was no guarantee that her husband wouldn't touch it. The situation was different from when he saw the wooden doll. After all, this time they had obtained a part of the enemy's body...

"Once we get to the castle, it would be better to hand it over to Katima for management."

"Yes, but as a precaution, we should also contact the Majolica Magic Stone Store."

Ein nodded. Just a magic stone... but it could lead to dramatic developments, like the magic stones of Dullahan, Elderlich, or the Demon King.

If it were a beautiful drama, that would be fine, but if it were a drama like the red fox, which indulged in pleasure, he would rather avoid it.

"...So, should we go to Majolica's place first when we arrive in the capital in the morning?"

"Well... no, I'll have the royal guards contact them when we have time tomorrow."

"Okay, got it."

Thinking about it, the idea of returning to the capital... to his home, felt like a relief. But the days spent in the magic city of Istr were also enjoyable, and he felt a bit nostalgic.

"(Hmm? ...It was fun, but I mostly spent time with Chris.)"

With Katima taking Dil, Ein was forced to spend time with Chris. The latter part of the trip was mostly sightseeing, and they spent a lot of time alone together. To an outsider, it might have looked like a date.

Realizing this made him a bit embarrassed, but it was too late to worry about it now.

"Well, that's it, Ein... Oh, what's wrong? Why are you holding your head?"

"It's nothing, just feeling young..."

"I, I see... Being a Crown Prince is tough, isn't it..."

He was misunderstood, but it was fine. He let the conversation flow without addressing it.

"By the way, I was surprised by Majolica's background."

"Actually, I heard it for the first time, so I was also quite surprised."

Majolica's background was the story Oz told. Majolica, the honorary professor of Istr's Great Magic Academy... From an outsider's perspective, she seemed suspicious, but how did she become an honorary professor?

"The base of the magic stone pedestal and the sealing case. Those technologies are the result of Majolica's research alone."

Strictly speaking, both technologies existed long ago. However, Majolica significantly reduced costs, simplified the process, and made it more efficient.

It was astonishing that she achieved this alone.

"I knew she was excellent, but I didn't expect that much."

In fact, thanks to this development, she made a considerable amount of money. But she donated all of it to the Great Magic Academy of Istr for new research.

Her scale of achievement was so large that it confirmed that one shouldn't judge a person by their appearance.

"She was honored with the title of honorary professor for her achievements."

"People shouldn't be judged by their appearance... Oops, I misspoke."

Chris, too, was surprised by Majolica's unexpected background. She decided to remember her slip of the tongue, thinking she might use it someday.

Ein had also thought the same thing earlier. But such a fact would be put aside.

"Well, but... Thanks to Professor Oz, we got several leads."

"Yes. The next places to investigate are... the adventurer town of Balt and the port town of Magna."

From the leads they obtained, they picked a few locations, but these two cities were the first choices. Both were major cities in Ishtrika, and it was more efficient to start with larger places rather than smaller ones.

"What kind of town is Balt?"

"It's a town where people who want to strike it rich, adventurers, and merchants, as well as thrill-seekers, gather. There are many monsters nearby, so there's an abundance of monster materials, making it a holy ground for blacksmiths."

"Hmm... A holy ground for blacksmiths. That sounds interesting."

Ein currently didn't have a proper weapon. The black short sword had disappeared after killing the sea dragon. Therefore, he was particularly interested in the holy ground for blacksmiths.

"However, there are many dangerous areas around Balt, so caution is needed. For example, there are paths to dangerous regions like the former Demon King's territory."

The former Demon King's territory. It refers to the area that Demon King Asha ruled when she existed. It is now a restricted area, and unauthorized entry is punishable by law.

"Have you been to the former Demon King's territory, Chris?"

"Yes, I have. If you'd like, I can tell you about it. It's a good opportunity, so I'll explain what kind of place it is, including my experience."

"Sure, let's do that. ...Why don't we change into more comfortable clothes first and then talk?"

"Oh, right. I'll change too."

As she left, Chris said, "I'll prepare some drinks when I return." Ein simply acknowledged her.

The large windows offered a view of the starry night sky, creating a perfect setting.

The carriage had no large lights, only a few small ones, which added to the intimate atmosphere.

Ain, with his gentle face inherited from Olivia, and Chris, with her stunning beauty and elegant golden hair, were a perfect match for the setting.

As always, thank you for the many bookmarks and evaluations.