Chapter 87: With Everything Concluded
“Then, let us begin the emergency conference.”
A room in the Royal Capital’s castle was filled with many nobles, knights, and even high-ranking temple officials. All of them were influential nobles holding key positions.
And among them, I, Uruz, the Guild Master governing the Royal Capital’s Adventurer’s Guild, was the only commoner. It was exhausting.
This conference was hastily convened after reporting the earth-shattering events that occurred deep within the ruins of the former forbidden mining area to the nation. Well, if you read the contents of the report seriously, it’s nothing but seriously crazy, unbelievable stuff.
“Guild Master, let us hear your explanation.”
The person who spoke those words was none other than His Majesty the King himself. Normally, a retainer—a Minister—would preside over the conference, but since this was an emergency session, formality was waived. They probably wanted to avoid contention over strict protocols, given that so many influential nobles, regardless of faction, were gathered. But thanks to His Majesty’s consideration, I, a commoner, was even permitted to speak at the conference, so it wasn’t all bad.
“It all originated with the mass appearance of high-rank monsters from the forbidden territory…” And I reported the full details of this incident before the nobles.
When the report was finished, the conference room became chaotic, just as expected.
“Demon!? Wasn’t that supposed to be a creature from fairy tales!?”
“Who are these S-Rank adventurers who conducted the preliminary investigation!? A large Chimera is an opponent that would require an entire brigade of the Royal Knights! Is it true they defeated it with just a few people? What strategy did they use for the subjugation? I hear those same adventurers even subdued the Demon!?”
“Wait, wait, a Bahamut!? Why would an S-Rank monster be inside a cave!?”
“No, the bigger problem is that ancient Chimera manufacturing facilities were found in usable condition! With this, our nation can acquire an inexhaustible army of Chimeras!”
Hmm, the original agenda was supposed to be the report on the resolution of the monster mass appearance. Even so, none of these discoveries are things the Adventurer’s Guild could handle alone. They were, in fact, matters of such gravity that we were obligated to report them to the nation.
“Enough! Adventurers and Bahamut are irrelevant. The problem is the Demon. Was it truly a Demon? If it was a genuine Demon, what was its individual capability? This incident marks the first time we’ve encountered a Demon in this era. We must gather information on the Demon before other nations learn of it.”
One of the esteemed nobles questioned me. Well, if humanity’s supposed natural enemy, long thought to be a legend, actually exists, it is a matter of considerable importance for national defense.
“Baron Norman, have you not heard the report from the inland sea monster survey? There was a report confirming the existence of a Demon in that incident, was there not?”
“N-no, I heard talk of it, but I assumed it was nonsense fabricated by the Navy…”
I also possess information regarding the subjugation of the colossal monster that appeared in the inland sea, and the subsequent Demon and giant monster incident it precipitated. It was a major incident where a massive monster that troubled the coastal nation extended its influence to the inland sea, and the cause of it all was that Demon.
Fortunately, with the cooperation of high-rank adventurers accompanying them, they succeeded in capturing the Demon before it could truly rampage. And the Demon was supposed to be jointly managed with the coastal nation… supposed to be. However, while transporting the Demon, the legendary monster Bahamut suddenly appeared and dragged the entire transport ship away, resulting in a disastrous failure.
Therefore, it was understandable that the nobles who had not personally witnessed the Demon would doubt the existence of the captured Demon.
However, the situation changed completely when that same ship, which had been dragged away, later returned to the Royal Capital reborn as the preposterous entity known as a flying ship. After all, a ship flew right across the sky above the Royal Capital. The Royal Capital was in chaos, nobles and commoners alike running around in confusion. The nobles, unaware of the ship’s affiliation, even sent unreasonable requests to the Guild, demanding we investigate the flying ship.
With that incident, I thought the existence of the Demon could no longer be dismissed as mere nonsense, but it seems those who stayed cooped up in their territories and mansions without seeing the actual thing couldn’t grasp the reality. Inadvertently, this spectacle highlighted the disparities in the nobles’ information-gathering capabilities. Nobles like Baron Norman, whose failure to keep up with intelligence was exposed in this conference, will have a hard time going forward.
“Settle down, everyone.” As the conference became chaotic, His Majesty raised his voice, calming the room. As expected of the King’s words, the nobles, who had been chirping like chicks, fell silent instantly.
“First, the mass appearance of monsters, which triggered this agenda, has been resolved, has it not, Guild Master?”
“Yes, that is correct, Your Majesty. Through the efforts of the S-Rank adventurers belonging to our Guild, many dangerous Chimeras and ferocious monsters have been subjugated. We trust that the Chimera materials delivered the other day allowed you to grasp the power of our Guild’s elite.”
“Yes, I also confirmed the corpses of those Chimeras. To think that a Chimera exceeding several tens of meters could be subjugated by a small group—truly, these S-Rank adventurers are exceptional.”
The giant Chimera, I believe it was called the prototype Chimera, which we deliberately transported without disassembling to enhance the credibility of the report—seeing that confirmed to His Majesty that my report was truthful.
“Chief Knight, if a Chimera is several tens of meters long, how great a threat would the Royal Knights assess it to be?”
“Hah, a typical Chimera has a length of approximately 3 to 6 meters. Because Chimeras are extremely troublesome creatures possessing the abilities of multiple beings, at least three squads are required. By Adventurer’s Guild standards, this would be B-Rank. However, a Chimera of several tens of meters would be an even greater threat. It is undoubtedly equivalent to or greater than an S-Rank monster, requiring the total deployment of the Royal Knights, along with the complete mobilization of Court Mages and Temple Priests, just to stand a chance…”
Hearing the Chief Knight’s statement, the air in the room froze.
“In other words, a threat comparable to a high-ranking Dragon.”
“That is correct.” The room was once again enveloped in murmurs at His Majesty’s statement.
“A Dragon…!?”
“Could the ancient people artificially create beings of that magnitude!?”
“Everyone, there is no need to fear. Guild Master, there is no error in the report that the Demon and the Chimeras created in the ruins were all defeated by the S-Rank adventurers?”
“No, the Demon was subjugated, but regarding the Chimeras, I cannot definitively say until the entire cave has been thoroughly searched.”
“Yes, then let the Royal Knights participate in the subjugation of the remaining monsters and Chimeras. Furthermore, after all salvageable items are retrieved from the ruins, the access point to the mine will be sealed, and the mine will be reopened in the future.”
I see. Since the monsters and Chimeras in the ruins—the source of the high-level monster appearances—have been defeated, there is no longer a benefit to abandoning the mine as a dangerous area. This is a reasonable decision.
Well, in reality, they probably plan to use the reopening of the state-owned mine as an excuse to bar adventurers and monopolize the ruins. That’s fine, as the Guild will likely be given a share of the profit from the discovery. It also serves as a bargaining chip for any future issues. More importantly, if the Guild monopolized the Chimera development technology, it would only lead to trouble. It’s the wise adult approach to simply hand it over to the nation and receive compensation and rights, rather than being unnecessarily scrutinized by the government.
“But truly, these S-Rank adventurers are remarkable. I hear they wield powerful magic items discovered in the ruins and Lost Magic revived from ancient knowledge? Fortunately, in this incident, such fierce individuals capable of mastering those powers happened to be gathered, allowing us to overcome an unprecedented crisis. Truly, you did well to gather such formidable individuals. Guild Master, I commend you.”
“Ha hah, I am deeply honored by your words.”
Well, the one who is truly dangerous is only one of them. Since they wouldn’t believe me anyway, I’ll keep quiet. Honestly, the more I hear about that boy’s exploits, the more I doubt my own ears and sanity.
“However, the existence of the monster known as the White Calamity, which repelled both the ancient people and the Demons, is a point of concern. If we can utilize those Chimera development facilities, it would be immensely beneficial for the future of us humans.”
“Yes, that’s right. If we can create Chimeras capable of giving S-Rank adventurers a hard time, our nation’s military advantage over other countries will be immeasurable.” A noble who had just finished arguing with Baron Norman agreed, sidling up to the King.
Hey, don’t get too carried away, considering there’s an S-Rank who easily slaughtered those Chimeras.
“Yes. But it is concerning that the undead who was conducting research in the ruins—was it an undead?—has disappeared.”
Well, that concerns me too, but I only learned about it after everything was over and I received the final report.
“Nonsense, he was merely a single undead. If he rebels against our nation, we need only forcibly purify him with exorcism magic from the Priests.” The knights and the bishop boasted, puffing out their chests with a laugh, but I wonder if they considered the new Chimeras the undead might create first?
“Moreover, the monster known as the White Calamity does not even exist in ancient legends. Is there any need to take it too seriously? Furthermore, even the Chimera created to defeat that monster was reportedly defeated by adventurers. We, the Royal Capital Knights, are an assembly of knights who have trained for a long time since the founding of this nation. No matter how strong that monster is, it is merely one beast. If we engage with full preparations, there is absolutely nothing to fear.”
“That is right, Your Majesty. Demons are fundamentally legendary beings. Although they proved to be real, it doesn’t mean they possess the strength spoken of in legends. And these, too, were opponents that mere adventurers could defeat when banding together. If they were opponents of that level, there is no reason why we, the Royal Knights, cannot defeat them.”
The Royal Knights, seizing the opportunity, began disparaging the adventurers and boasting about their own usefulness. Seriously, do you guys really think your proud knights can fight inside a cave swinging your damn heavy armor and spears?! Your strength relies entirely on numbers, horses, and magical support! Don’t measure the adventurers’ strength by the same standards as your own!
However, as the Guild Master, it would be problematic for me to speak against the Royal Knights. I must endure. I’ve conveyed what needed to be conveyed, and now I’ll focus on getting through this tedious and troublesome conference safely.
And so, while we were completely relieved that all problems had been solved, we were yet unaware that a few days later, the Chimera development facilities and their research documents inside the ruins would vanish completely, throwing everything into turmoil.
“I’m home!”
“Welcome back, Big Bro!”
“Oh, welcome back~”
Jairo and the others welcomed us home after we finished work. “Hey, hey, Big Bro, what was that S-Rank nomination quest about?” Jairo pressed for a story as soon as we got back.
“Now, now, you’re tired from work, so at least sit down on a chair.”
“Norb will prepare some tea now.”
Mina gently chastised him, and Norb prepared the tea. Ah, this truly feels like being home.
“So, what kind of adventure did you have?” Just as I thought, Mina and the others sat down, eager to hear the story. Ah, they plan to listen to our adventure instead of having snacks.
“Alright, alright.” And so, I began telling Jairo and the others what kind of adventure we had.
“…And so, after defeating the prototype Chimera on the bottom floor, we spent several days exterminating the remaining monsters and Chimeras inside the cave. Once we couldn’t find any more notable monsters, the quest was successfully completed. And here are the rewards: 1,500 gold coins, the monster materials we split, and this history book that was left in the ruins’ archives.”
I finished recounting the adventure, pausing for several tea breaks along the way, and placed the reward gold coins, the best-looking share of the monster materials, and finally, the history book found in the archives, on the table.
“…”
But for some reason, after hearing about our adventure, Jairo and the others were silent, unable to give their thoughts. Huh, maybe it wasn’t very interesting? Well, it wasn’t exactly a super thrilling adventure.
“Th-that’s amazing! So Rex and the others got their hands on research documents and technology for creating Chimeras from the ancient civilization era, right?” Mina’s cheeks flushed as she spoke in excitement.
“Is that great?” Meguri, who is technically illiterate, tilted her head, contrasting with the excited Mina. Meguri‘s eyes were actually glued to the monster materials placed on the table.
“Of course it is! That’s Chimera manufacturing technology! Chimeras are creatures created by combining elements from multiple animals using ancient civilization technology, but that knowledge doesn’t exist anymore in the current era! So acquiring that knowledge is a huge deal!”
Huh? Is the technique for creating Chimeras lost in this era? Now that I think about it, I haven’t seen the pet Chimeras that were common in my past life anywhere in the Royal Capital.
“…I don’t really get it.”
“…Well, anyway, it’s an incredible lost technology.” Mina sighed and only told Meguri that, given Meguri‘s lack of interest in technical matters.
“Ah, but I got a report later—it seems the main documents and equipment inside the ruins vanished suddenly while we were leaving the mine and returning to the Royal Capital.”
“What!? What’s that about!? Was it stolen!? By whom!?” Mina’s eyes widened in shock upon hearing that the valuable technology was gone.
“I think Ganei probably took them to create a new Chimera? He was managing those ruins originally, and since we now know the location, he likely took them to continue his research somewhere else without interference.” Well, that’s typical researcher behavior.
“Oh, noooo~” Mina seemed very interested in the Chimera development knowledge. Maybe I should teach her the Chimera techniques I know sometime?
“So, that’s why our spoils are basically just the monster and Chimera materials, and a few documents we found in the archives.”
“S-such a waste~…” Well, our original purpose was to resolve the abnormal monster appearances, so we achieved our goal, which is what matters.
“…”
“Huh? What’s wrong, Jairo?” Norb asked Jairo, who had been silent all along. Now that I think about it, it’s rare for Jairo not to shout.
“…Kuh.”
“Kuh?”
“I’m frustrated!”
Huh? What’s with the sudden outburst!?
“What are you frustrated about?” Mina asked dismissively, having lost interest since the Chimera knowledge was gone.
“Because, Big Bro, you guys went on such an amazing adventure, and we weren’t able to fight alongside you! That’s frustrating, isn’t it!” Ah, Jairo was disappointed that he couldn’t join our adventure.
“It can’t be helped. We just became adventurers, you know?”
“If anything, thanks to Rex, our rank is increasing much faster than normal adventurers.”
“That’s right, for us to have surpassed D-Rank—a mark of being a full-fledged adventurer—when we only became adventurers recently, that’s actually amazing.” Everyone tried to console Jairo.
Yeah, yeah, it’s great to have understanding comrades in times like these.
“But still, man, not being able to participate in such an amazing adventure is frustrating for a guy!”
“Stop being so selfish.” Mina looked at Jairo, who was still frustrated and dissatisfied, with a look of exasperation.
“But I understand that feeling.” The one who spoke was Liliera.
“Oh, you understand, Big Sis Liliera—ow!” Jairo, pleased to have Liliera‘s agreement, stood up, only to be kicked by Mina to shut him up. Yeah, moments like this make me not envy close relationships.
“What do you mean?”
“I took this quest with Rex, but in the battles against the Chimeras, I honestly felt my lack of power keenly… I really thought I had become much stronger.”
“Hmm, I don’t think that’s true,” I interjected. I honestly think Liliera did great.
“But in reality, in the fights against the Chimeras, I was barely able to handle the enemy in front of me. Helping Rex was out of the question. At this rate, I’ll never be able to repay Rex‘s favor.” Come to think of it, the reason Liliera joined our party was to repay a debt. She really is a serious person.
“But an adventurer’s strength isn’t just about physical power. Didn’t the adventure of the Great Swordsman Liegard say so? The one who wins without fighting is invincible, and conquering an adventure with wisdom is also a form of strength.”
“An adventurer’s core duty is adventure. Fighting is only one means of achieving a quest; resolution through combat is the job of knights and mercenaries.” Norb and Meguri nodded in agreement at my words.
“That’s true, if we can solve it without fighting, all the better. In that sense, I can accept the idea of skill in resolving matters without combat.” Mina also affirmed my words.
“But still, I think it’s better to be stronger. Aren’t there some problems you can’t solve without winning?” But Jairo and Liliera were still dissatisfied with their lack of strength.
Hmm, I can’t say I don’t understand what they mean. It’s true that such possibilities might arise in the future. In that case, the next destination is…
“Then, for our next adventure, how about we go somewhere we can test our strength and train at the same time?”
“We’ll go!!” Jairo and Liliera‘s voices harmonized perfectly.
“Okay, then how about we train against Dragons next?”
“Oh, Dragons! That really gets the blood pumping… hah?”
“Yes, if Dragons are our training partners, they certainly won’t be lacking… huh?” Liliera stopped mid-sentence, and everyone stared at me.
“…Huh?”
“Yep, our next destination is the holy land of the Dragons, the Dragon Knight nation of Dragonia!” Yeah, when it comes to training partners, Dragons are the perfect choice! “There are tons of Dragons there, so we won’t run out of training partners!”
“WHAAAAAAT!?”
Yep, everyone’s already fired up before we even leave.
