Your Majesty, Dinner Is Ready. Chapter 85 - Exploration Maniac

Chapter 85: Exploration Maniac

 

Odilon Estate Dining Hall.

“Everyone, have a drink!”

Maid Charlotte poured a mug of beer for everyone gathered around the dining table.

A drinking party celebrating both the successful completion of the hidden route in Sanctuary of Restful Purification and the conclusion of the Faint Shadow agent training.

Since the Young Master, who fundamentally distrusted interpersonal relationships, had contacted them saying his schedule in District 3 would take longer than expected, everyone had gathered to enjoy some camaraderie together.

“Even the FaintShadow agents have a drink toooo!”

Even the former thieves from the Black Sword Guild, now officially appointed as agents, proudly enjoyed their alcohol.

“Our training is finally over!”

The fiercest-looking of the Faint Shadow agents chuckled with a flushed face.

[Andre (Human, 33), a thief who had once served as the Black Sword Guild’s vice guildmaster. His skills have improved considerably since the last time you saw him. Despite his appearance, he seems to have trained quite diligently.]

Watching him greedily devour the freshly made appetizers Charlotte had prepared while chugging beer made for quite a hearty sight.

The other newly appointed agents likewise enjoyed their long-awaited freedom.

“Lady Marlin, Lord Abel. Here’s your cake and juice.”

Everyone except the siblings, who, being minors, were given premium desserts instead of alcohol, was merrily drinking.

Everyone except me.

“Butler, why am I not allowed to drink?”

“It was Lady Rosalia’s earnest request.”

Sergius, who was carrying the dishes Charlotte had prepared, stopped and answered.

“She specifically told us never to serve Lord Karr any alcohol.”

“It was the first time I’d ever seen her insist so strongly about anything.”

Just what on earth had happened last time?

Because my memory had been heavily damaged after blacking out, I couldn’t remember the reason at all.

[That taciturn pointy-ear made the correct decision!]

Even Truthy agreed.

Could it be that I’d gotten so drunk I’d ignored the alcohol and merely stuffed myself with side dishes?

If it had been something that disgraceful…

Then I could understand.

“Lord Karr, isn’t it inconvenient having lost an arm?”

After placing a glass of Spirit Water before me, Sergius glanced at my missing left arm.

He was calm now…

But he’d been utterly shocked when he first saw it.

“It’s difficult because my balance is off. So I’ve been considering cutting off my right arm as well. While I’m at it, perhaps my legs too. Then I’d replace everything with prosthetics.”

“…Please don’t make jokes like that.”

“Uh… I’m not joking.”

Wouldn’t my combat ability increase dramatically if I replaced all my perfectly healthy biological limbs with artificial ones, like in cyberpunk?

That wouldn’t count as recklessly getting them severed during battle.

Surely the siblings would approve of that.

“…Karr. Do you want to die?”

Apparently not.

Marlin shamelessly poked my side from the left again.

“Please eat freely while listening.”

Taking a sip of Spirit Water, I addressed everyone.

“I’ll soon be participating in the Guild War as a member of the Ash Wolf Guild.”

“Oh, the Guild War is almost here already?”

Pendrick smiled brightly while spearing a sausage with his fork.

“So we only need to spectate?”

“Watching is fine. But please continue your training whenever possible. Our expedition’s combat strength is still severely lacking.”

“As expected, Lord Karr was never going to let us rest quietly!”

Leaders who constantly worked their subordinates hard generally weren’t very popular.

Still…

I had my own defense.

“Didn’t I already tell all of you? I intend to keep running toward our goal without ever stopping.”

There were only five years left until the world would be destroyed by the Great Calamity Monster of Nightmare Dungeon.

Certainly, lazily lounging around at home until time ran short before desperately struggling under crushing pressure had its own appeal.

But…

I had no intention of taking things easy.

Since the fate of the world itself was at stake, I intended to keep that tension alive within my heart at all times.

“Butler, when will the newly appointed Faint Shadow agents begin their field assignments?”

The Faint Shadows.

The primary duty of House Brites’ intelligence agents was to live disguised as ordinary civilians while gathering every piece of information accessible from their respective positions.

“Very soon. The Faint Shadow agents will begin from the shadows, gradually expanding their influence.”

A vast intelligence network with neither blind spots nor sanctuaries.

That had become the defining specialty of House Brites.

“By the way, Lord Karr. Are you perhaps intending to directly assign information-gathering duties to one of the agents under your command?”

“More or less.”

“I anticipated that, so I’ve already prepared someone.”

As expected.

He truly was experienced.

“I look forward to working under you, Mr. Cultist!!”

One of the agents, who had quietly been drinking, suddenly sprang to his feet and bowed at a perfect ninety-degree angle.

[Rachel (Human, 34), an agent formerly of the Black Sword Guild. A thief who considers stealing an art form. Extremely loyal to those in authority, so she will obey your orders very well.]

“Starting tomorrow, I’ll be working as your housekeeper at your home!”

“I look forward to working with you!”

“Likewise. May Lidni bless you with boundless knowledge!”

She was trying to win over not only me…

But the Wise One as well?

She wasn’t an ordinary agent.

[The Wise One seems pleased. 🙂 Whether it’ll last is another matter, but at last another believer has joined Us!]

After watching Rachel exchange cheerful greetings with Marlin, I took another sip of Spirit Water before speaking again.

“After the Guild War, the Moonlight Expedition Team will become even busier. Before that happens, I’d like us all to go on a vacation together. Even just for a single day. What do you think?”

“A vacation?”

Bartimir, who had done nothing but quietly stuff food into his mouth until now, suddenly widened his eyes.

“Where?”

“District Five.”

“I’m in.”

I’d never expected my innocent-looking demon daughter to oppose the idea in the first place.

“I’d like that too. It sounds fun.”

“How unusual. Lord Karr actually made a wholesome suggestion for once. I’m in too!

The couple agreed.

The siblings had already accepted beforehand.

The decision was unanimous.

“Excellent. Then it’s settled. Our expedition’s next destination shall be an exploration of a D-rank labyrinth in District Five.”

“L-Lord Kaaaar!!”

Astrimia cried out in protest.

Unfortunately for the beautiful Ego Sword…

No one present shared her opinion.

“I knew it! Hehe! Honestly, I predicted this time!”

Pendrick, the very embodiment of positivity and sociability, rarely voiced negative opinions.

“D-rank? A little disappointing… But fine.”

Bartimir, a labyrinth enthusiast, was never going to oppose an expedition.

“Karr… So you really went through with it…”

“Still… We’ll finally get to show you how much we’ve improved…”

The siblings, having already been persuaded, reluctantly nodded.

Meanwhile, the butler and maid, neither of whom belonged to the expedition, pretended it had nothing to do with them.

Left entirely alone, Astrimia struggled within her lover’s embrace.

“Why am I the only one against this? You’ve all been brainwashed by this Exploration Maniac!!”

“An Exploration Maniac? Thank you. I rather like that.”

It was a nickname that suited my tastes perfectly.

 

***

 

Artea Monastery.

Workshop of a Harmony Church master craftsman.

“…It’s finished.”

The craftsman, whose profession was Artisan, looked utterly haggard as he opened the lid of a box with trembling hands.

Inside lay a somewhat compact prosthetic arm.

“Amazing!”

After carefully examining it, Valentin laughed heartily while repeatedly thumping the craftsman’s shoulder.

The exhausted artisan’s rigid muscles swayed like a flag beneath the Holy Knight’s rough pats.

“As expected, you’re incredible!”

“…No matter how much you flatter me, don’t ever bring me a request like this again. Do you have any idea how much trouble I went through coordinating with the enchanter dispatched from the Magic Tower?”

“Haha! My apologies, my apologies!”

Despite the apology, the artisan’s mood didn’t improve in the slightest.

This loud Holy Knight was exactly the sort who would shamelessly bring another outrageous request next time without the slightest embarrassment.

“Still… To produce something of this quality in only three days. When did your craftsmanship improve this much?”

“…That’s what surprises me too.”

The Harmony Church artisan scratched his head.

“Lady Solmiran bestowed inspiration upon me as hot as molten lava. It’s the first time I’ve ever completed a project this smoothly.”

“As expected, you’re the best!”

“…Enough already. Just leave. I’m going to sleep.”

“Good work!”

With the box tucked under his arm, Valentin exited the workshop.

Waiting outside, Lucius approached him.

“Brother, how is the quality?”

“It is nothing short of superb!”

“Honestly… I never thought this would actually be possible.”

“Haha. Truly exceptional craftsmen can produce work of this caliber simply by sacrificing a bit of sleep!”

Had the artisan heard those words, he undoubtedly would’ve blushed and erupted in embarrassment.

Yet the Holy Knight spoke them without the slightest concern.

Suddenly, he turned his gaze toward the Abbot’s residence where the Archbishop lived.

News that communication with Saintess Seraphina had become possible had transformed the entire monastery into something resembling a festival.

Only that particular building remained strangely quiet.

“Simply uncovering Lady Artein’s hidden arrangement within the Sanctuary of Restful Purification was enough for the honorary Harmony Church identification badge to be successfully issued. But the real problem comes afterward.”

Lucius narrowed his eyes.

“If the Archbishop learns that Lord Karr has formed such a close bond with Saintess Seraphina… The situation will become rather troublesome.”

“…Indeed. Until the justification Lord Karr mentioned arrives… We should treat everything as though it were merely an extraordinary achievement accidentally accomplished by an ordinary expedition.”

Fortunately, the two belonged to the same sect.

Neither was the sort to casually spread confidential information everywhere.

Had they belonged to different doctrinal factions…

Artea Monastery would’ve been consumed not by celebration, but by endless day-and-night theological debates.

“Then… Please guard this secret until the very end.”

Just as the two prepared to part ways and return to their respective quarters…

“Brothers.”

A low voice suddenly emerged from the shadows cast by a nearby giant tree.

Valentin’s expression immediately hardened.

His hand gripped the hilt of his sword.

‘…I noticed nothing.’

The stranger’s presence had been so faint that, had he remained silent, Valentin never would’ve realized anyone was there.

Yet now that he concentrated… He could vaguely sense it.

The razor-sharp pressure attainable only through long years of training and real combat.

A warrior capable of casually severing both Valentin’s and Lucius’s heads without even moving from where he stood.

“Please, remain calm.”

The uninvited guest, raising both empty hands, continued speaking from within the darkness.

“The wisdom of mankind. The ideal of harmony. Our brilliantly beautiful Goddess.”

“…!”

Lucius quickly exchanged glances with Valentin before asking,

“…Were you sent by the Saint?”

His expression remained composed. His voice did not.

Saint Ferris.

Artein’s chosen representative of the present age currently resided not in Pletica but at the Harmony Church’s Grand Cathedral in the Northern West Continent.

Precisely where the Sanctuary of Restful Purification had once stood in the past.

“Correct.”

The Holy Knight stepped slightly out from the shadows.

A face so handsome that even another man couldn’t help admiring it.

Proof enough that he truly belonged among the Saint’s closest attendants.

“Time is short, so I’ll get straight to the point. Several weeks ago, the One Who Protects All spoke to the Saint. ‘Karr, the cultist of Twisted Truth… That man must be watched.'”

“…Ha!”

Valentin let out a quiet gasp.

So Lord Artein had already been paying attention to him all this time!

“At the time, however… It was somewhat unclear whether we should regard him with goodwill or hostility. Lady Artein overestimated the intellectual capabilities of her humble servants and failed to explain things clearly. But this time… she delivered a new oracle to the Saint.”

 

The Holy Knight serving as the Saint’s bodyguard lowered his voice as much as possible, wary of eavesdroppers.

“If the cultist Karr is not protected until the very end… And if he dies… The end of the world shall descend upon the earth.”