**Side: Manalease**
Yamato returned to the Audience Chamber after defeating Lux.
Lux’s magic was undeniably immense, enough to overwhelm even High Class adventurers, and Trial Hearts had suffered damage from that magic alone, yet… I hadn’t worried at all.
No matter how much Lux’s magic grew to rival that of Ancient Class, there was no way he could defeat Yamato with just that.
“I’ve returned. Forgive me for saying this in front of Trial Hearts, but I killed Lux.”
“Understood. And the body?”
“I’ve retrieved it, but should I produce it here?”
“It’s fine.”
When my brother gave his permission, Yamato retrieved Lux’s body from his storage.
His head had been severed.
“Hmm, this saves me the trouble of separating the head from the body,” he mused.
“W-what do you mean?”
“Trial Hearts, I shall now announce your punishment.”
As my brother declared this, Trial Hearts knelt in unison.
“It has been determined that this offense was Lux’s sole act. Furthermore, considering your past service alongside me, I sentence Trial Hearts to a fine of five million El.”
“…Is that all?”
Bout blinked, but the punishment was indeed light. Five million El was a considerable sum, but it was not an amount that Trial Hearts could not pay. They would likely need to undertake expeditions for a while, but to be let off with just that was understandable grounds for their surprise.
“Furthermore, Lux, as one of Trial Hearts, will have his head displayed as a traitor who conspired against the state. Your honor will undoubtedly fall to the ground.”
With a traitor emerging from one of Amister’s top raids, there was no way to salvage Trial Hearts’ honor. They would undoubtedly be viewed with suspicion by other hunters for some time. However, their abilities would remain intact, and lost honor could be regained. Thus, this too could be considered a light punishment.
“Are you truly certain that is all?”
“I am in your debt. While you will be barred from the castle for a time, I am, in essence, a member of Trial Hearts, and thus I find myself being lenient. Fortunately, my father and the Prime Minister have also shown understanding regarding this punishment. Furthermore, Mana, Elis, and Maruca have interceded on your behalf. Therefore, this is appropriate.”
I too was indebted to them, and Sister Elis was a member of Trial Hearts. Sister Maruca, being Bout’s sister, would naturally plead for a reduced sentence.
“Your Majesty, and Your Highnesses, we are deeply grateful for your magnanimity. And as we swore earlier, we reiterate our vow to harbor no ill will towards Wing Crest, nor towards Riot Flag.”
Trial Hearts bowed deeply. From one perspective, it was as if Wing Crest and Riot Flag had set a trap for Trial Hearts, so the possibility of lingering resentment remained. However, now that Bout had declared otherwise, it was unlikely any ill will would remain.
“Indeed. And to Riot Flag, I must apologize for the trouble caused. However, thanks to you, we have avoided losing an excellent High Class hunter. I express my gratitude once more.”
“We are humbled. However, we accepted the commission with the sole purpose of preventing Retisencia from having her way. We could not allow what happened to their homeland, Feel, to occur in this Royal Capital.”
Lark, the leader of Riot Flag, spoke with genuine conviction. The deciding factor in issuing the requested task through the Hunter’s Guild was that Shizune, the High Harpy, Kuraver, the Human, and Tear, the S-rank healer, were all from Feel. As Yamato and Prim had saved Feel, they were favorably inclined towards them. Shizune, in particular, had been close to a G-rank hunter who had been killed by an Evil Drake. Thus, without delving into specifics, they had agreed to the surveillance of the Retisencia ambassador, which included acting in a way that would be noticed.
“That is precisely why. As I said earlier, if asked whether I could have acted to achieve this, my answer would undoubtedly be no. This incident must serve as a solemn warning, etched deeply in our hearts. This is my resolve, but without your efforts, I might not have reached this conclusion and could have become a foolish king. Therefore, I wish to bestow a token of my appreciation upon Riot Flag, who guided me back to the right path through your actions. In addition to financial support for your activities, I shall grant the three High Class members weapons forged from either Jade Silver or Blue-Gray Iron by my father.”
The talk of alloys had already spread throughout the Royal Capital. However, due to the priority given to reequipping the Order’s Guild, supplies had not yet reached the hunters. The refinement of Jade Silver was proving more difficult than anticipated, and they were unable to produce enough. While the Rock Boar hides were being gathered faster than expected, the shortage of refined Jade Silver meant that the process might take longer than scheduled.
“Th-this is the new technology recently announced by the Crafter’s Guild, which not only High Class but even Ancient Class users can wield without experiencing fatigue or degradation due to magic power!?”
However, Lark did not expect such a thing to be a reward.
“Indeed. While this technology should ideally be prioritized for High Hunters, we must prioritize the Order’s Guild in consideration of the potential war with Retisencia. But that is speaking of the Crafter’s Guild’s distribution. There should be no particular issue with weapons personally forged by my father.” Even so, for my father to personally forge weapons, even in a private capacity, is problematic.
“But Your Majesty, as the King, surely that is a given?”
My brother explained to a bewildered Lark, which only led to further confusion. It was true that my father was currently delighting in forging weapons from Jade Silver and Blue-Gray Iron, and my Lapis Laz multi-jointed sword was also complete. However, the issue was what to do with these weapons. A normal crafter would either deliver them to the Crafter’s Guild or sell them in their own shop. But given my father’s position as King, he could not do so. If it were a commission from the Crafter’s Guild, there would be no problem, but with personally forged weapons, even if they were for acquaintances, it was not something he could casually hand over.
“Ah, precisely. Therefore, a pretext is needed, such as bestowing them upon hunters who have rendered meritorious service. In fact, my father is happily forging them. Please accept them without hesitation.”
“Th-thank you very much!”
Lark, Shizune, and Kiris, the High Elf, expressed their delight at the unexpected reward. Being granted a weapon forged by my father was an honor in itself, and to have it made of Jade Silver or Blue-Gray Iron, their joy was understandable.
This would conclude the matter, but the punishment for the Retisencia ambassador still remained. While the outcome may have been unexpected, she had still betrayed excellent hunters and attempted to abduct me, so it was not something that could be left unaddressed. Lux’s corpse would be transported by the Order. However, due to the sheer number and severity of his crimes, his head would be displayed in front of the Hunter’s Guild after undergoing preservation, and his body would be examined before disposal. Since he had absorbed Demon Crystals, it was imperative to thoroughly investigate Lux’s condition, and the Priest’s Guild would presumably agree to this.
**Side: Yamato**
While the punishments for Trial Hearts and the rewards for Riot Flag were being announced, I was preoccupied with thoughts of Lux. He had absorbed a Demon Crystal, and his magic had increased significantly. I hadn’t expected him to be able to absorb a Demon Crystal, but now that he had, I too was curious about what had become of him.
“That concludes today’s proceedings. While there were unforeseen circumstances, I place my expectations on your continued efforts.”
With that, His Majesty left the Audience Chamber, and we were ushered into a separate room.
“I apologize.”
As we exited the Audience Chamber, Bout offered his apologies. While there was no need for him, as the Raid Leader, to monitor the activities of his members, and it was physically impossible to do so, Lux’s actions were unforgivable. I understood, however, that the Raid itself could be implicated. Yet, Bout had been caught up in it, sustained injuries, and was even subjected to a hefty fine. I felt it was more than enough.
“Yamato may think that, but for us, it’s nothing short of a miracle that the punishment was so light. While His Majesty has been kind to us, we could have had no complaints even if we had been relegated to criminal slaves due to collective responsibility.”
“Indeed. Furthermore, for us High Class adventurers, becoming criminal slaves would be tantamount to a death sentence, unlike for the Normal Class members.”
That’s right. For High Class adventurers, enslavement magic is less effective, so they don’t become criminal slaves, and are instead executed after interrogation. The High Hunters from Retisencia who had ravaged Feel had already met their end. So, had Trial Hearts become criminal slaves, we would have lost not only Lux but also Bout and the others.
“As he himself said, my brother has no intention of turning you into criminal slaves. While the significant reduction in the number of High Hunters is a factor, more importantly, he grieved the loss of close friends. That is why he lobbied my father and the Prime Minister to lighten your punishment.”
“I feel even more regretful…”
“Well, you can accept that much, can’t you? Even the fine, you can pay it off quickly, can’t you?”
“It’s quite a blow, though.”
After all, a fine of five million El is equivalent to five Divine Gold coins. We couldn’t build a mansion, but we could build a moderately sized house, and it’s enough to live idly for several years. That’s a tough sum even for Trial Hearts. Moreover, considering the penalties from the Hunter’s Guild, there’s a possibility of further financial strain.
“Fortunately, the purchase price of Rock Boar is currently high, so we’ll target them. We can eat the meat too, so we won’t starve.”
“That’s true. Besides, since you’re using alloys, you should be able to hunt more than other hunters, and most importantly, I heard your weapons won’t break easily, so if you work hard for a while, you should be able to make it back.”
Yeah. Depending on the Hunter’s Guild’s penalties, Trial Hearts should still be able to earn the fine amount without taking too long.
“I hope so. Therefore, we must be going now. It’s impossible today, but if we don’t work hard starting tomorrow, we won’t even be able to eat.”
“All I can say is good luck.”
“That’s enough. Well then, I’ll see you around somewhere.”
With that, Trial Hearts left Amagi Castle. Later, I heard that the penalties imposed by the Hunter’s Guild were quite severe: a 20% reduction in purchase prices and commission fees, and a ban on accepting designated requests except in emergencies. They accepted the punishment with resignation. However, with Lux’s head displayed in the plaza in front of the Hunter’s Guild, they were also met with hostile gazes from many hunters. It was fortunate that it was announced from Amagi Castle that Lux was solely responsible, so they were not completely ostracized.
“Speaking of which, Your Highness Manalease, I don’t recall any rewards being mentioned for Wing Crest?”
“You also didn’t mention the Retisencia ambassador. What are your intentions regarding her?”
After Trial Hearts departed, Shizune and Kiris, as if suddenly remembering, inquired. Shizune is a High Harpy and Kiris is a High Elf male. Both, along with their leader Lark, are said to be over forty years old. As expected of High Class adventurers, the three of them appear to be in their mid-twenties, with Lark at level 48, Shizune at 44, and Kiris at 45.
“That’s right. Frankly, we’ve already exhausted most of the rewards the Royal Family can offer, so my brother is quite troubled.”
Mana, looking genuinely perplexed, pressed her forehead with her right hand.
“Eh? Uh, no, Your Highness Manalease, ‘exhausted’…?”
“As you both know, Yamato became an O-Rank Order for saving Feel, and Yuri and I have married him. Yet, even so, it is nowhere near enough to compensate for Yamato’s accomplishments.”
From my perspective, that’s more than enough, and I’ve received prize money, so I have no complaints.
“It’s a matter of national prestige. We have to find a way to reward even achievements that cannot be publicly disclosed, and now with this incident, I truly don’t know what to do.”
Ah, so if we don’t offer rewards commensurate with his achievements, dissatisfaction will arise, and there’s a possibility of national instability. So, it’s about carefully assessing the situation. And regarding undisclosed achievements, if they were made public, dangers to oneself would significantly increase, so I think the biggest reward is for them to remain silent.
“From the Royal Family’s perspective, we cannot see it that way. Precisely because they cannot be made public, if we do not properly bestow rewards, the nation itself could fracture.”
Lydia’s explanation was certainly true, but it was also bothersome. Does this mean that my reward is still under consideration?
“Still under consideration. Generally, we would grant a title and territory, but Yamato doesn’t want such things, does he?”
“I don’t want them.”
I responded at light speed. The idea of managing a territory is truly dreadful.
“In that case, the only remaining option is to grant him succession rights, citing his marriage to me and his engagement to Yuri.”
“No, I don’t want that either.”
I replied at faster-than-light speed. I can barely tolerate the idea of being a lord, so why would succession rights even come up? Unlike Mana, who renounced her succession rights, Yuri has the potential to inherit the throne. If Yuri inherits the throne, I would become the King’s Consort, but that’s unavoidable. However, a King’s Consort and the King himself are entirely different things.
“And besides, are his achievements truly worthy of that?”
“If you want to know, I can tell you, but it’s absolutely confidential. If it leaks, the penalty could be death at worst.”
Mana gave a terrifying response to the curious Kiris. Leaking information that could result in the death penalty is a matter of national security, and the fact that such a response was given was not something Kiris had anticipated, leaving him quite taken aback.
“…Just that alone tells me it’s an incredible achievement, but…”
“I want to know, but… I have a feeling I’ll regret it if I do…”
“Frankly, it’s utterly nonsensical. The report came from Feel’s Order’s Master, but I felt genuine sympathy.”
My wife and fiancée nodded in agreement with Mana. I always think, you don’t have to say that much, do you?
“From our perspective, what are *you* all doing?”
“Normally, we wouldn’t even consider it.”
Ludia glared at me, and Meena looked into the distance.
“I’m a little scared, but… since it’s about Feel, I’d like to hear about it.”
“Shizune, are you sure?”
“I heard you saved Feel, but we haven’t heard the details. It’s scary to hear, but the desire to know is stronger.”
Shizune’s words were echoed by Kuraver the Human and Tear the Fairy. All three are from Feel, and they knew many people in the affected town and the hunters who had been killed. Their feelings are understandable.
“I understand. Very well. Your Highness Manalease, while I won’t inquire about the specifics, would you be able to provide a brief explanation?”
“In that case, it would be best to show you that as well. Will you come with me?”
“Understood.”
I decided to guide Riot Flag to the treasury. This is where the numerous magic stones donated by Yamato and Prim are also kept. Yes, *those* magic stones are here.
“Your Highness? Where is this?”
“This is the treasury. This is where Yamato and the others’ achievements are enshrined and kept under strict guard.”
Riot Flag wore an expression of bewilderment. It’s understandable to feel that way when shown into a treasury.
“Could it be… the magic stones of the Abnormal Species he defeated?”
“That’s part of it, but it’s something far more tremendous. Come, enter.”
The treasury of Amagi Castle could be called a mountain of treasure. It contains not only weapons and armor made of Magic Silver but also items made of Adamantine Steel and Divine Metal. Furthermore, there are various magic tools.
“I-it’s amazing…”
“Did Amister’s treasury surpass expectations?”
“While I am proud that some items are more magnificent and important than those of other nations, frankly, compared to what Yamato and Prim have donated, they are all insignificant.”
“Ar-are they that… valuable?”
Yamato and Prim looked at me as if I were exaggerating, but compared to those items, the value of these items truly pales in comparison. After all, these are the first magic stones obtained from the Helios Orb.
“Before I show you that, I must tell you something. Prim is publicly known as P-rank High Foxy, but in reality, she has evolved into an Ancient Foxy.”
“Yes!?”
“Ancient Foxy!?”
If I’m going to reveal the true achievements of Yamato and Prim, I have to tell them that as well.
“For certain reasons, we cannot publicize that, which is why we’ve claimed she is a High Foxy. However, we’ve kept their levels a secret, as there’s nothing we can do about their Hunter ranks.”
Even at the same level, the magic power and individual combat capability of a High Class and an Ancient Class are vastly different. Furthermore, since the only other Ancient Class individuals are Yamato and the Grand Hunter’s Master, Valentia, especially Leonas, would undoubtedly try to recruit them if they knew.
“And these are the magic stones donated by Yamato and Prim.”
Two dark red magic stones are enshrined in the deepest part of the treasury. They are placed where the colorful magic stones of Catastrophe Species were previously displayed. The magic stones of the Catastrophe and Abnormal Species have been rearranged on either side of these.
“Wh-what is this ominous magic stone…”
“I’ve never seen it before… but it’s more astonishing than the magic stones of Catastrophe Species!”
“The color hasn’t just become darker; it’s as if the color has become too intense.”
As expected, the High Class adventurers of Riot Flag could discern that these magic stones were superior to those of Catastrophe Species. Their ominous appearance, combined with the leaking magic, made them look even more eerie.
“These are the magic stones of Demise Species: the Orc Emperor and the Orc Empress.”
“Demise Species!?”
“Huh? Magic stones of Demise Species… Could it be that they defeated them!?”
“And not just one, but the Orc Emperor and the Orc Empress… Could it be that this magic stone is…!”
Shizune seemed to realize something. Mylight has many Orc settlements, so it wouldn’t be difficult for someone from Feel to figure this out, would it?
“Yes, they were born in Mylight. Both the Orc Emperor and the Orc Empress.”
Utter speechless. I can understand the feeling from the bottom of my heart.
“Initially, it was not expected that Demise Species would be present, was it?”
“Yes. With the presence of the King and Queen, an Alliance was hastily formed. Although the number of participants, including the Orders, was 15, we proceeded forcefully due to the presence of Ancient Class adventurers like us.”
“Th-that I know. The Head Hunter’s Master informed me after we accepted the commission.”
“We know about Holy Grave, and we heard that you two alone defeated the Orc King. But was it not actually the Orc Emperor, not the Orc King?”
That’s what you would think. But the truth is far beyond that.
“No, in reality, the Orc Emperor was defeated by Yamato alone, and the Orc Empress by Prim, individually.”
“What!?”
“Alone? You defeated Demise Species all by yourselves!?”
Their surprise is understandable, but the story isn’t over yet.
“There were also five other Orcs, including the Orc King and Orc Queens, but it’s reported that Yamato and Prim swiftly annihilated them in passing, leaving only one Queen.”
“…I apologize, Your Highness. I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
I’m sure you don’t. If you understood immediately, that would be more surprising.
“It means exactly what it sounds like. To add to that, after the Alliance concluded, the two of them were unharmed.”
“Shizune!?”
“Tear too! Pull yourself together!”
It’s no wonder some people are collapsing. Meena and the others are also looking at them with deep pity, so I understand how they feel.
“S-so, Feel… was on the brink of destruction, no joke?”
“If it were just Feel, that would be a mercy. The overall assessment is that worst-case, Amister would have been destroyed. This is their true achievement and the reason it cannot be disclosed.”
“…I understand now…”
Because of this, Yamato’s appointment as O-Rank Order, his marriage to me and Yuri, and Prim’s formal guardianship are far from sufficient. While granting him a ducal title based on his marriage to me might be possible, even that wouldn’t be commensurate with his achievements. Despite the actions of my husband and his consorts, it truly gives me a headache.
