Ch#73
Interesting.
Elanes, as she thought, crossed her arms and tilted her head sideways.
She soon lowered her eyes and spoke.
"If that's true, it's impressive. Not only innate talent, but also quick situational judgment."
"Situational judgment?"
"Yeah. Awakening mana a month and a half ago and suddenly being able to handle dark attribute magic—honestly, anyone would be flustered, right?"
Elanes lifted the corner of her mouth.
"But instead of panicking, she calmly thought about what to do with that power and formed a mercenary group. That's amazing."
And that mercenary group had already settled at 39th place.
"It was the optimal choice in every way, right? Honestly, everything fits too perfectly—it's almost suspicious."
Of course, Elanes was openly mocking the Sovereign King.
'You have to stage it moderately.'
In truth, everything the Sovereign King had just said was undoubtedly a complete lie.
What? Awakened mana a month and a half ago?
And in that short time, honed it enough to form a mercenary group?
Elanes could accept that the Sovereign King disguised herself as a child out of envy.
The world is wide, and there are many attention-seekers.
But claiming to have awakened mana just a month and a half ago was an excessive, forced setting.
"Honestly, it sounds too much like a lie, doesn't it?"
With a satisfied expression of having landed a solid hit, Elanes shrugged her shoulders.
However, the Sovereign King's expression was somehow off.
"Hehe... Th-thank youuu."
The Sovereign King was blushing red and looking shy.
"Everyone says Tie's amazing too, hehe."
Even twisting her body bashfully.
As Elanes narrowed her brow,
"Cut it out, Elanes."
Riper next to her tapped her arm.
He was frowning at her with a pathetic look.
"No matter how much you want to check her, picking on a fellow mercenary who just barely survived?"
"W-what are you talking about?!"
Elanes cleared her throat awkwardly and stared at the Sovereign King in a fluster.
The Sovereign King was alternately looking at Riper and Elanes with a clueless expression.
"Stop while she's letting it slide. Don't make a fuss."
Elanes looked at Riper with an absurd expression.
Riper seemed quite exhausted from all the commotion today.
After gulping down the water from the glass in front of him, he turned his gaze to Astie.
"You're in good shape for someone who survived the subspace. That's a relief."
Unlike Elanes, Riper was sincere.
Honestly, he had been somewhat impressed since the Sovereign King tore through the subspace to emerge.
"They say in Krazar's subspace, you face your greatest fear. The moment you break there, it's over."
Astie rolled her eyes.
Turning her head, she saw Basto sitting silently beside her.
In truth, those initially invited to the upper conference room were Riper, Elanes, and Astie.
However, Astie had insisted on going with Basto.
To prepare for any slips of the tongue or unexpected situations.
'Like now.'
Noticing Tie's gaze, Basto patted her hand under the table.
It meant there was no problem, so she could continue talking with them.
Gaining courage, Tie nodded at Riper.
"Y-yeah. It was obviouuus."
To be precise, it was Berugon who said it.
Thinking back, Berugon had nearly died several times in the subspace.
Tie had tied his feet with the vacuum cleaner cord and bashed his head on the floor, and he was out of his mind because of Ppuppu... anyway.
"But we survived, so it's good!"
Riper nodded in addition.
An awkward silence flowed in the reception room for a moment.
The three were waiting for Berugon, who had gone for emergency treatment, to return.
Because Elanes and Riper needed to confirm Berugon's condition.
Additionally, per the Association's request, they had to investigate the whereabouts of Krazar's core.
So for now, it was fine to see this as the probing stage before a full conversation.
'Killing time while waiting for the factory chief too.'
Riper gazed at Astie again.
"Valentis Lumenen. Have you met him?"
Tie, who had been thinking of Valentis Lumenen at that very moment, startled and looked at Riper.
Then she shook her head.
"Nooo. Never."
Riper replied as if he expected that.
"As the top brass of the Holy Knight Order, he's not easy to meet. I heard his position changed recently with the military reorganization. Did you hear?"
Military reorganization? Position?
As Tie tilted her head at the difficult words, Riper smiled.
"Mages being oblivious to worldly news seems universal. Why, he was previously called Grand Commander Valentis."
Grand Commander Valentis.
Tie shut her mouth at the impressive-sounding name.
But it didn't end there.
"However, with the recent military reorganization, a rank above Grand Commander was added. Now he's called the Lumenen Leader."
"Lumenen Leaderrr...?"
"That's right. The Lumenen Leader."
Tie unwittingly swallowed hard.
In truth, Tie had been feeling the limits of her stamina since a little while ago.
With so many things happening since morning, her concentration was starting to wane.
But hearing the words 'Valentis Leader' snapped her mind awake.
'...A bit scary though.'
She had longed more than anyone to meet a holy knight who might know Dad.
Yet thinking of facing the empire's top holy knight made her heart pound.
Perhaps reading the tension in Tie's expression, Riper smiled.
"Don't worry. Though he's a noble to the bone and a knight with a position needing no kneeling..."
"......"
"He didn't give off that usual holy knight vibe of looking down on mercenaries. I met him once long ago, and surprisingly, he had a polite and gentle impression."
Tie nodded absentmindedly.
In the meantime, Riper, having emptied his glass, leaned back against the chair.
"Once the factory chief returns and we figure out the core's whereabouts, he'll probably head back soon."
Core.
Tie rolled her eyes at the topic coming up again and timidly asked,
"Buuut, couldn't the core just disappear...?"
At those words, Riper's gaze turned to Tie. Then Elanes, who had been quiet, leaned over the table.
"For small magic beasts, sure."
Tie stared at Elanes with wide eyes.
Meeting Tie's gaze calmly, Elanes continued.
"I've seen cases where small magic beasts' cores completely vanish. Especially from magic-based attacks."
Elanes's mercenary group 'Silvar's Scream' had a total of seven mages.
So she knew better than anyone what happened to magic beasts hit by magic strikes.
"As you know, magic strikes are powerful but lack precision. Not as sharp as sword strikes, you could say."
"Hmm... Yeeah."
"That's why sometimes our mages would obliterate magic stones along with the core—such a waste."
I see.
A small hope flickered in Tie's heart.
If that was the case, then she too could say she had obliterated Krazar in the subspace, core and all...
"But a behemoth like Krazar is different."
The moment she heard that, the plan forming in Tie's head dissolved into bubbles.
"It doesn't make sense for a guy like Krazar's core to vanish. Unless it's still alive and hiding somewhere."
Elanes narrowed her eyes thoughtfully before speaking.
"Which is why I've been wanting to ask since earlier. According to the factory chief, you personally obliterated Krazar."
"......"
"Didn't see the core?"
