Chapter 97

Good evening.

Thank you for accessing today as well.

"Y-You even investigated a place like this?"

"Well, we're putting more effort into this than before. I suppose it's only natural, then."

Ain's room at the inn. There, Ain, Crowne, and Lloyd gathered to go over the investigation report from the former Demon King's territory.

It had been a week since their encounter with the blacksmith Mutton. Ain and the others had continued their investigation throughout the town of Balt.

"Humans and elves coexisting, this is a new discovery, right?"

"Of course. I had never heard of it before."

"Hmm... Why is it that we've made so many discoveries this time?"

Just a two-night, three-day investigation period.

Furthermore, on the first day, they hardly did anything, and the only day they had ample time for investigation was the second day.

On the third day, they left at noon, so they didn't even spend half a day on the investigation.

"Still, we haven't gone beyond the realm of estimation."

"...I see."

When he looked at the report again, it contained the following content.

Several graveyards within the former Demon King's territory.

They hesitated to excavate, so they investigated the construction and culture of the graves.

They found traces of offerings similar to those at elf graveyards in front of some tombstones.

Moreover, human bones, presumably from pure humans, were discovered in the gaps of tombstones that had cracked due to aging.

"It doesn't seem like they were forcibly brought here."

"Indeed. If they were forcibly brought and treated like slaves, they wouldn't have graves."

Crowne's opinion was agreed upon.

If they were slaves, there would be no reason to prepare graves for them. It might seem simplistic, but it felt natural.

"I agree. Humans, elves, and even monsters. Perhaps there were even more races existing than in today's Ishtaria."

"Perhaps only the Demon King could have achieved that."

"...Monsters generally don't obey the weak."

By raising them from a young age and making them think of you as a parent, you can make them obey. However, this is limited to lower-level monsters. Ain's control over the sea dragon is not a good reference.

"About the Great War with the Demon King. Do you know where the humans and elves who were there afterward went?"

"...Unfortunately, that is still a matter for future investigation."

"That's true. It's difficult, but... Ah, elves."

Elves who lived in the Demon King's territory. It feels familiar somehow...

"Hmm..."

"What's wrong, Ain? Is something bothering you?"

"A bit. When I hear about elves in the former Demon King's territory, it feels like I've heard of it before... It's nagging at me."

"Ain? When did you make such an acquaintance?"

"No, it's not an acquaintance. But I feel like I've seen something of that sort..."

It's a rather vague story, but it's difficult for Ain to explain. He continues to hum thoughtfully.

"Ah, could it be that?"

He claps his hands as if he's figured it out.

Lloyd, who is very interested, asks.

"Lord Ain! W-Where did you meet such a person!?"

"Hey, Lloyd! Calm down! I just remembered, but I didn't actually meet them!"

Ain pushes back the towering figure that is pressing in on him.

He realizes how much stronger he has become.

"O-Oh... I'm sorry, Lord Ain. I got a bit excited."

During this investigation in Balt, Ain has seen many sides of Lloyd.

While it's easier for Ain when he acts this way, it's not always the case.

"Here. Remember that one elf? The one who knew a lot about the Demon King."

"...S-Said like that. Mmm..."

Lloyd, with a deep wrinkle on his forehead, doesn't understand at all.

In contrast, Crowne, sitting next to him, understands.

"That's it... I never thought we'd connect to the 'author' of that here."

"Right. I've been wondering how they could have studied so thoroughly. It just doesn't feel right unless they lived in the former Demon King's territory."

"Lord Ain! Please, could you tell me as well!?"

Seeing Lloyd about to press in again, Ain smiles wryly and speaks to him.

"Sorry, sorry. Well, it's a book Katima bought before. The one Chris translated, that ridiculously expensive book... I was thinking about the author of that."

"O-Oh! I see, indeed..."

"If the author was like the elves in the former Demon King's territory, it would make sense. Even if they included some fakes in their writing, the amount of information is beyond what could be researched from the outside."

"You're right, Lord Ain. This brings us closer to proving that humans and elves coexisted in the former Demon King's territory."

"Right, right. The Demon King Ash's domain might have been at a higher level than we think."

It's a level of skill that can't be achieved by humans. However, he is a Demon King, not a human.

Even with Durahan and Elder Lich as subordinates, it would still be difficult.

"This would be a topic that researchers in the capital would be delighted to hear."

"At worst, we might have to tie Katima down."

Hearing Ain's words, the two nod deeply.

With such a significant discovery, there's a risk of independent action. There was such a level of "trust."

"...Eventually, textbooks might change significantly."

"Maybe we should investigate the former Demon King's territory a bit more before rewriting the textbooks from scratch."

"Hehe... That's true."

However, that's not Ain's job.

He'll leave such matters to the researchers.

——... *Knock knock*

"Is it Dil? It seems he's back."

In the slightly more relaxed atmosphere, Ain's room is knocked on.

Dil had been out on an errand for Ain.

"I'm back, Lord Ain."

"Welcome back, Dil. Thanks for the errand."

"O-Oh, Dil's back. So, what about Mutton?"

Dil's task.

It was about Mutton, who had decided to go to the capital on a whim.

He was supposed to dismantle and transport a valuable magic stone furnace. Dil went to check on him just in case.

At the same time, he was to ask if his mind had changed.

If he really came to the capital, Ain thought they should cover the cost of transporting the magic stone furnace.

"...'Can this bird be thrown into the luggage?' he said."

"U-Um, he seems as energetic as ever... So, what did you say to him?"

"Non-humans cannot be placed in the cargo car. That's what I said."

A few days ago, Dil had visited Mutton for a similar reason.

Thanks to that, Dil learned about the relationship between Mutton and Ememe. It seems he was more careful in his approach.

"Did Ememe say anything?"

Ain, expecting a noisy scene, asked for a report from Dil.

"Yes, indeed. 'Master! Can the perch be placed on the seat!?'... That's what he said."

"Ah, I see. I get it."

If he were to answer, it would be difficult to place a perch on the seat.

Even in a carriage for nobles, it would be the same.

"(I think she's similar to Katima. She's a lazy cat, but Ememe is a lazy bird... No, she's an ostrich.)"

Thinking about it, if they ever met, what would happen?

It might lead to an increase in the number of pets in the Ishtaria royal castle. Should this be avoided?

"Ain? You should be careful too. If you and Katima cause too much trouble, it won't do."

"...That's not nice, Crowne. You're a very perceptive assistant..."

"(Crowne is perceptive today. Though I don't mind this two-way feeling.)"

*

As Ain and the others talked, the surroundings began to darken.

The same was true in the capital. While it was still brighter than in Balt, the sky was showing a similar gloom.

At that time, a message from Crowne in Balt arrived at the castle.

It was delivered to Warren's office while he was working.

"Lord Warren. This is a report from Assistant Crowne."

"Hmm? Ah, I remember. Indeed, I received it. Thank you for your hard work."

"No, it's nothing. I'll take my leave then."

The butler handed over a large envelope and left the room.

Warren checked the envelope and then opened it with a small knife.

"Well, well. Not using a message bird means there's no major problem... But..."

Hiring a private carriage for the report.

Ain would say it's a waste of money, but he didn't tell Ain.

However, this is the most convenient in various ways. It arrives quickly and is safe.

"...The former Demon King's territory is indeed a mysterious place."

He was surprised from the first page. The report of Ain meeting the Demon King's subordinates and Crowne's easy-to-read report captivated Warren like a popular novel.

As he read through it, Warren understood what happened during the initial investigation.

"Hmm, hmm. This should be reported immediately..."

*Chime*

He rang the bell on his desk to call someone.

The castle servants are excellent and arrived without keeping Warren waiting.

"Did you call, Chancellor?"

It was a different butler from before.

Warren immediately gave him an order.

"Request an audience with His Majesty. And call Marshal to my office."

"Understood."

He called Chris not just as a replacement for Lloyd.

Ain, who was waiting for her return. Warren thought Chris would want to know about him too.

"Excuse me, Lord Warren."

Then, a civil servant, one of Warren's subordinates, came in to replace the butler.

"Lord Ain sent a gift... What should I do with it?"

"Gift...? What's inside?"

"Two whole Yatsume Rabbits... What should we do?"

Such high-quality ingredients sent whole. Even in an adventurer's town, the scale is impressive, making him smile.

"Leave all preservation and preparation to the head chef. ...By the way, wasn't there a letter attached?"

"Indeed, Lord Warren. This letter was attached to the wooden box."

He handed the letter to Warren.

It was a bit dirty from dust, but that couldn't be helped. On the back, it read "Ain von Ishtaria."

"Then I'll take my leave."

"Yes. Thank you for the report."

The report from Crowne and the letter from Ain.

And the huge gift. He was surprised at how many things had arrived. But he needed to check the contents first, so he opened the letter.

Inside was another small, thin envelope.

"...Fufufu. As expected of Lord Ain... He never runs out of topics."

The note was concise but explained why the Yatsume Rabbits were sent.

He received two from a Living Armor. There was another one, but they shared it for comfort.

In summary, that was the content. Warren chuckled, never expecting to receive a gift from a Living Armor.

"It's a tough road, but if the knights got such a meal, their morale must have been good."

Under the guise of comfort, he served the Yatsume Rabbits lavishly.

Warren highly appreciated this behavior. It was a good judgment, full of Ain's character.

He slowly read through Ain's letter.

Then, noisy voices began to be heard from the hallway.

"...Huh? Who is it?"

Hearing two women's voices, he perked up his ears. The voices stopped in front of his office, and the sound of knocking echoed.

"Come in."

He answered the knock and decided to check who the visitor was.

One was the expected person, and the other was unexpected.

"Excuse me, Lord Warren. I came when I heard you called."

"Warren!? What's that meat!? It's Yatsume Rabbits! My favorite! W-Why are there two such beautiful ones!?"

Crowne's report had reached him somehow.

But she had keenly seen the Yatsume Rabbits being brought in.

Meeting Chris on the way, she felt that everything would be clear if she came here, so they came together.

"It's a gift from Lord Ain. It was sent to the capital while it was still fresh."

"...My nephew isn't just a mama's boy...? How capable...!"

Katima, overjoyed, said something impolite. Chris, who usually would have been exasperated, looked even happier upon hearing that Ain had contacted her.

If she had a tail, it would have been wagging at a high speed.

"Lord Ain contacted you!? Lord Warren, is that true!?"

"O-Oh, please calm down, Lady Chris. ...It's true. He said to share the Yatsume Rabbits with everyone."

Chris, who had been excited for a moment, suddenly became dejected.

It's not a good thing to wish for, but personally, she had hoped for a letter or something.

The crown prince wouldn't do such a thing for just a guard. She understood that intellectually, but couldn't stop feeling a bit sad.

"—...And. For Lady Chris, this."

"...Huh?"

"It was enclosed. It's addressed to you, so please check it."

Her expression was so bright that anyone would be convinced. She beamed with joy, and it was clear her mood had improved.

"(Indeed, as expected of Lord Ain.)"

Warren had pushed the task of informing Chris to Ain.

Even if he had pushed it, it was the most effective because it was Ain.

Now, he was sending a personal message to Chris.

Warren was grateful for his consideration. Without it, she might have been even more dejected.

"When are we eating!? Today!? Now!? Have you already eaten!?"

Katima, barely holding back her drool, started speaking in increasingly incomprehensible phrases.

"Lady Katima, please calm down. If we do it today, the royal family's meal will be delayed..."

"It's fine! I'll convince my father and the others, so don't worry!"

Katima ran off, saying "Wait for me!"

He tried to stop her, but her momentum was too strong.

She probably headed straight for Silvardo's private room.

Meanwhile, Chris was reading the letter from Ain, completely absorbed in it, oblivious to Katima's antics.

Seeing her occasional smiles, it was clear she was happy.

Her goddess-like smile and slightly flushed, fresh cheeks were so charming that they could captivate any man.

—...It was more like a love-struck woman than a marshal.

"...Lord Ain. I look forward to your return with all my heart."

After finishing the letter, Chris put it away like a precious gem.

Then, facing the direction of Balt, she wished with a clear voice.