Ch#75
* * *
The situation report proceeded quickly.
This was because the sequence of events and their veracity had already been somewhat sorted out.
"Thus, we were able to escape the subspace without external help."
As Berugon's words ended, Valentis Lumenen lifted his gaze from the documents.
He set down the quill he had been rolling in his hand and asked again.
"Is it certain that Krazar's core has truly been destroyed?"
"Yes. I can assert this with absolute certainty, staking my entire life as a forge master."
Berugon was a man with immense pride in his own life, philosophy, and the path he had walked.
Thus, if such a man staked his entire life on a certainty,
"If the forge master says so, then it must be true."
It was just as Valentis judged the meeting concluded and began gathering the documents,
"Lumenen Leader."
Elanes suddenly spoke up.
She wore a confused expression.
"Are we wrapping this up? Without properly recovering Krazar's core?"
"The core has been destroyed. Didn't you just hear?"
"Of course I heard. But there's no evidence? Just the testimony of the factory chief and Sovereign King......"
Valentis Lumenen's eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
He pressed his lips briefly before speaking.
"Are you claiming it's unreasonable to accept testimony as evidence?"
It was the same stiff, cold voice as before.
Elanes flinched but quickly nodded.
"Honestly, doesn't it seem that way?"
Krazar's core was no ordinary item.
The Church, Imperial Family, mercenaries, and even renowned nobles and wealthy individuals.
'Everyone coveted that historic byproduct.'
Once obtained, such an item would benefit its possessor in some way.
'Sell it for money, craft something into a top-grade weapon.'
Or hold onto it and make a profitable deal with the right buyer.
Elanes's gaze slowly turned toward the Sovereign King.
Toward the mysterious necromancer who sat demurely, stealing glances at Valentis Lumenen since earlier.
'A mercenary...... and a mage at that.'
Could she possibly not covet such a useful item and let it pass?
If Elanes were the Sovereign King, she absolutely couldn't.
After all, what exactly happened in the subspace was known only to the Sovereign King and Berugon.
So what if the Sovereign King had threatened Berugon with dark attribute magic and seized the core?
For a necromancer who could summon spirits, handling a stubborn forge master obsessed with weapons would be easy.
'Besides, my intuition is hardly ever wrong.'
Elanes lifted her chin slightly.
"Come to think of it, someone could have siphoned it off in the middle, right?"
Riper, who had been listening, let out a sigh.
Berugon stared at her in disbelief as well.
"Siphoned it off! Are you saying the Sovereign King or I have hidden Krazar's core and refuse to hand it over?!"
Elanes shrugged at the furious Berugon.
"Don't take it so emotionally. Isn't it better to handle things thoroughly?"
She turned her gaze back to Valentis.
"Krazar's core has extremely high value as a byproduct. Rather than settling with just testimony, it would be right to conduct a proper investigation if necessary."
Valentis Lumenen tilted his head ever so slightly.
"A proper investigation would be."
"The two who directly saw Krazar. At the very least, we should search the bodies and residences of the Agavert leader and the factory chief."
Silence descended on the conference room.
Riper nudged Elanes as if to tell her to stop, but she didn't withdraw her gaze from Valentis.
And Tie was the same.
'Search......!'
Body search and residence search.
No matter how she looked at it, this was disadvantageous for Tie.
Since Ppuppu, which had come from Krazar's core, was currently inside the Hanbit Kindergarten bag.
As Tie secretly rolled her eyes,
"Very well."
Valentis Lumenen's cool voice fell from above.
Before she knew it, he was staring at Elanes with a composed expression.
"However, it's late today. We'll conduct the residence search at dawn tomorrow."
"Tomorrow? But......"
Valentis ignored her words and stared at Berugon.
"Additionally, the Weapon District will be sealed off from this moment. From now on, my subordinates will control the movements of everyone inside."
As if those words were a signal, several holy knights waiting at the door approached the table with precise steps.
Elanes frowned at the holy knight standing beside her.
"No, why me too......!"
"If someone has taken Krazar's core, then everyone who remained in the Weapon District today is a suspect. The investigation must be fair and accurate."
Disbelief flickered in Elanes's eyes.
She bit her lip hard and abruptly stood from her seat.
"You plan to do body searches soon too? Even us 'innocent' ones suddenly summoned by the Association while resting."
It was a remark laden with hostility, anger, and rudeness, but Valentis Lumenen didn't twitch.
He simply raised his gaze quietly and said,
"The body searches are already done."
"What?"
"It seems you've forgotten that I am the one who sealed Krazar 35 years ago. And that I possess the 'Holy City's Awakening' as well."
Elanes's mouth shut.
'Come to think of it......'
She had truly forgotten.
Holy City's Awakening.
The technique of wielding extremely refined holy power to cause resonance.
Valentis Lumenen's ability to detect energies he had personally experienced.
As the Lumenen Leader flicked his hand, the knights behind the five stepped back one pace each.
"The scan was complete the moment you entered the room. Krazar's magic power is not felt. Meaning, at least there's no core in here."
Gulp. The Sovereign King's swallowing echoed faintly.
Valentis Lumenen raised his gaze.
"Moreover, Krazar's magic power is not detected anywhere in the entire Weapon District."
He added dryly.
"Accepting your objection, we'll proceed with the investigation until tomorrow. That is all."
* * *
"Hey, kid. Lie down here quick. Hurry."
In a large room where all the furniture had been pushed to the edges.
Tie, who had been staring out the window at the fallen night, turned at Veil's voice.
Veil was patting four layers of thick blankets spread on the floor.
"You sleep right in the middle here. Don't go anywhere—just stay right here!"
Tie nodded and scampered to the center of the blankets.
Around her, the other members were busy preparing for bed.
"Enzo. Need bedding?"
"I'm fine! I can sleep on the floor."
"Alright. Just use your pack then. Kid, need another pillow?"
"I don't need a blanket. Give it to Astie."
"For real, old man? No complaints later."
Watching Veil snatch bedding from the members, she suddenly recalled right after the meeting.
For some reason, Valentis Lumenen had stared at Tie intently before leaving first, and Tie and Basto had returned to the guest lodging under the holy knights' guidance.
Soon after, Ollek had visited the lodging with a troubled face.
'Um. If it's not too much......'
Ollek's request was simple.
Could Agavert, who had been sharing three rooms, stay together in one room just for tonight?
'Guests suddenly increased, rooms are short.'
She hesitated at first.
Sleeping with the members felt like camping and was fun, but the others might be inconvenienced.
But,
'Sure? Yeah, why not. What's up? Tell 'em quick.'
Before Tie could even think it over, Veil had promptly accepted the proposal.
