Chapter 53

A tall woman, wearing a long-sleeved shirt and a long cardigan that reaches her knees, was walking.

Despite being a woman, it was rare in this world for her to wear tight pants. Only a few women, such as those in the military for ease of movement or those engaged in heavy labor, wore them.

However, she wore pants by choice.

She was over 170 cm tall and wore heels because she liked them.

Her large chest pushed up her shirt, and her ample bottom was emphasized by the tight pants, but she didn’t seem to care at all.

She walked, her abundant blue-gray hair, tied up at the top of her head, flowing behind her.

Her heels clicked on the perfectly polished tile floor.

The officials and servants who passed by bowed respectfully to her.

The soldiers, armed with armor made from the hide of monsters—knights of Phonsania, known for their heavy armor—would probably sneer at the sight, but they saluted her as she approached.

"Hey, is the queen inside?"

"Huh!"

Her casual tone was endearing, but the two guards blushed.

Her long, slanted eyes, the same color as her hair, were hidden behind glasses, but they exuded a charm that couldn’t be concealed.

Her lips, though not painted, were red and added to her beauty.

However, she seemed unaware of these things and said,

"I’m coming in."

"Huh! ——Lady Zephirah van Hortense has arrived!!"

Zephirah raised her hand slightly and entered through the wooden door opened by the soldiers.

This was the office of the king of the Forsetia Union.

It was early summer, but being further north than Phonsania, it was chilly even in the shade during midsummer.

The pillars were cut from giant trees.

The reception chairs, tables, and desk were all made of wood, and the beautiful grain of the fragrant green trees, known as "God’s flowing lines," was used generously.

There were eight people in the room.

Seven were standing, and only one was seated.

The seated person was a small girl, about 10 years old, if she were human.

"Welcome."

Beautiful blonde hair was not uncommon in this region.

But the eyes visible beneath it—shining red like precious stones—indicated that she belonged to a certain clan.

"Yes, I hope Her Majesty, the Queen of the Forsetia Union and the representative of the Spirit Elves, is in good spirits."

"……"

Zephirah, kneeling on one knee, delivered her formal greeting, but the queen, Makedo, turned her face with a look of deep dislike.

On the other hand, the seven standing people looked satisfied.

"Formal greetings are unnecessary. Stand up. ——You can leave now."

When Makedo gave this order, all seven standing people smiled. This was a sign of refusal.

They were all from different countries. Four of them could have easily passed as people from the Kingdom of Phonsania. One had the same red eyes as Makedo. One was a large, hairy man. One had pale skin.

Their clothing styles were as varied as ethnic costumes, making them look very mismatched.

"Your Majesty, we are the representatives of the seven countries blessed by the gods and the protectors of the queen……"

"I said leave. Did you hear me? Did my voice reach your ears, adorned with those jingling earrings?"

"……"

Indeed, the man who spoke for the group had a large number of rings in his ears—more than just piercings or earrings. He looked very displeased.

"I don’t think you have the power to protect me, considering how easily you let outsiders sneak into this room."

"……Your attitude will make you regret it, you know?"

The seven people shuffled out.

As they left, they glared at Zephirah, who was still kneeling with her head bowed. She ignored them.

When the door closed, Makedo walked from her desk to a reception chair.

Her dress was made of the finest fabric but was a simple dress. The accessories, such as bracelets and necklaces, were enchanted to protect her body but looked plain. She didn’t look like a queen.

"Hey, what do you think? Every year, I feel like they’re looking down on me. Even those from my hometown of Kirihar are like this?"

"Well, if those seven change every year and act this way, there’s a problem with you too."

"Huh!?"

"Meaning you’re too young."

Zephirah suddenly stood up in a casual manner and prepared tea, then sat down across from Makedo.

"Huh? I’m older than Zephirah, you know?"

"That attitude is childish. Do you want some tea?"

"Yes. Put a lot of sugar in it."

Zephirah shrugged, as if to say, "See, childish," but Makedo didn’t notice.

No matter how much she was looked down upon, how childish she seemed, she was the legitimate queen of the union.

And Zephirah, at just 22 years old, had become the top minister of the country.

There were various reasons for this appointment, but there was only one decisive reason.

Makedo had the blood of the Kirihar royal family, which ruled one of the seven small countries that formed the union. The throne rotated among the seven countries, and she had the highest magical power among the royal family when it was her turn—her term would last another four years.

Zephirah, born into a family of bureaucrats, was extremely capable—she had initiated tax reforms to save the union, which was financially struggling, and had succeeded. She was more capable than anyone else in the country.

Both of them had assumed their current positions at almost the same time.

They were greeted by seven representatives from the countries. They were called "national advisors" but were essentially monitors. The union was established on a delicate balance.

Both of them were envied and resented by those around them.

Naturally, they formed an alliance.

"The tea is delicious. Your tea is the best, Zephirah."

"No one can make tea better than me."

"Hehe."

Makedo’s pointed ears, a symbol of the Spirit Elves, a type of elf, twitched. It was a habit she had when relaxed.

"So? Have you heard anything about the situation in Phonsania?"

"To put it mildly, it’s in chaos. After all, they’re denying a dynasty that lasted 600 years."

"When Lord Balbus contacted me five years ago, I was skeptical, thinking he was a delusional old man… But he took all your advice and acted on it, so he’s quite a character."

"Yes. He wouldn’t have acted if the dungeon ‘Ancient Divine People’s Underground City’ hadn’t been found."

"…600 years, a history limited to a specific family…."

Makedo narrowed her eyes, recalling Gafurasti, whom she had met only once.

At that time, Makedo had been a queen for about a year. She was tired from the unfamiliar political duties, but Zephirah had told her, "Agraya insists that you must meet him." Agraya’s "intuition" sometimes led to incredible results.

"That dungeon contains documents that prove the lineage of the rightful king. If we find them, we can remove the current king… the fake king."

Gafurasti sought Makedo’s assistance.

For Makedo and Zephirah, Gafurasti’s downfall wasn’t a significant issue or risk. However, the current king of Phonsania was considering invading other countries. The Kingdom of Quinbrand would be the first target. If his country were defeated, it was easy to imagine that the Forsetia Union would be the next target.

Therefore, Zephirah advised Gafurasti.

First, to extract funds from the king to explore the dungeon. Gafurasti’s family believed that the ancient dynasty had "advanced technology," so she suggested, "If you explore the dungeon, you might obtain that technology. Even if you don’t, there will certainly be treasures." This was necessary to secure the national budget, as the Balbus family’s financial situation was dire.

Second, to bring Agraya. Gafurasti was an isolated noble within the kingdom and lacked support. She also lacked guards. Agraya would be useful—moreover, if Gafurasti misused the "advanced technology" and turned against the union, Agraya could eliminate her.

Finally, the method of communication. The king of Phonsania was greedy and corrupt but suspicious. If Gafurasti proposed exploring the dungeon, she would be watched. Communicating with the union would be extremely dangerous, so it was better to use intermediaries. Agraya would handle this.

Gafurasti followed all the advice and achieved results—though it seemed to be more luck than skill.

One of the smart things Gafurasti did was involve the Adventurer’s Guild in the dungeon exploration. The "Ancient Divine People’s Underground City" was recognized by the "Phonsania Royal Family Relic Research Society," which had the king’s approval.

The acquisition of the royal lineage scroll from the dungeon was confirmed by the "Adventurer’s Guild," which was nominally independent.

Even if the king of Phonsania tried to deny Gafurasti’s claims, there were two layers of verification.

The Adventurer’s Guild probably realized they were involved in the country’s internal conflict. Did the officials sent to the dungeon understand that they would be hated by the king for the records they kept?

"Quinbrand must be relieved. This will delay Phonsania for a while."

"I hope Lord Balbus isn’t killed."

"That’s why we have Agraya—your cousin."

"Even she might not be enough. After all, there’s that boy in Phonsania…"

"Oh, that…."

The two fell silent.

They were recalling the boy who had appeared in the room, wearing a black robe and a mask of the sun god.

The next chapter will cover what Hikaru did in the Forsetia Union.

The details of what he obtained from the dungeon will be at the beginning of the next chapter.