Chapter 597 – From the Northern Region to the Royal Capital

After Tauro and Black-Gold Wings left the northern region, rumors about them spread widely, especially throughout Swen.

Most of those rumors were favorable. The most popular story concerned their heroic rescue of the expedition investigating the ancient underground ruins.

The adventurers who had been present spoke passionately about Black-Gold Wings’ exploits. Count Swen himself also made a restrained official statement: “It’s true that the investigation expedition was saved from danger through the actions of a single adventuring team.” The story had probably grown somewhat in the retelling, but the people of the territory believed its core to be true.

Another subject of discussion was how Black-Gold Wings had vanished like smoke after its great achievement.

One person said:

“Several days ago, people saw Black-Gold Wings heading toward the Antas Mountain Range again, but apparently the Adventurers’ Guild has no record of them taking a quest there.”

That suggested the party had gone into the mountains for some purpose of its own rather than for a quest.

Another person offered newer information.

“No, the owner of the inn where Black-Gold Wings was staying said, ‘They left the other day saying they were going to another town.’”

Then someone with military connections spoke up.

“I do business with the army, and I heard something strange. I thought it had to be a joke, but… after hearing what you just said, I’m starting to think it might be true.”

“What did you hear?”

“Well, apparently Black-Gold Wings entered the Antas Mountain Range even though they weren’t on a quest, went to destroy the source of the monster force that attacked the investigation expedition, and then reported to the military high command that they had eliminated it. I heard it from a soldier who happened to be on duty at the time. Everyone laughed because it sounded too ridiculous to be true, but…”

“…Wait. If the source of that monster force was supposedly on the Empire’s side—”

“Stop. We shouldn’t say anything more. Whether it’s true or false, the military and Count Swen keep anything involving the Empire classified. Spread a rumor like that and you’ll get arrested.”

A tense silence followed.

“Y-Yeah, you’re right. We should drop it. And don’t tell anyone you heard that from me, alright?”

“I don’t want to get arrested, so I’m not telling anyone…! But seriously, what kind of adventuring team was Black-Gold Wings? They resolved the whole impostor incident, fought a massive monster army and saved the investigation expedition, and then suddenly vanished after picking a fight with the Empire… They can’t be ordinary people, can they?”

“They’re a first-rate B-plus team led by an honorary viscount. They’re popular at the Swen branch of the Adventurers’ Guild, and apparently even A-rank-band adventurers think highly of them. Their strength is real. And they have the nerve to challenge the Empire. Put that together and there’s only one answer: they’re genuine heroes.”

“Heroes, huh… What did they actually look like? Most of the descriptions I’ve heard sounded ridiculous, so I never knew what to believe.”

“Hahaha! You heard the rumor that almost everyone, including the leader, is really young, right? That part is true. There’s a fifteen-year-old beastfolk girl, and an even younger-looking child who’s actually a puppet—a golem that moves just like a real person. There’s also an incredibly beautiful priestess, a gorgeous spear-wielder, and a red-haired warrior dressed in black who swings a greatsword. He’s the older one, I think. And leading all of them is a kind-looking fifteen-year-old boy with dull blond hair and blue eyes, with a slime sitting on his shoulder. Even after seeing them myself, I could hardly believe my eyes. But somehow, when they’re all together, it just feels right. Looking at them, I thought: maybe this is what the ideal adventuring party looks like.”

“Wow… I wish I could have seen them. But why would a team that incredible suddenly disappear?”

“Who knows? Maybe they became too famous around here. And if they really did pick a fight with someone powerful, staying in the north would make them an obvious target.”

“Yeah… Moving elsewhere would make sense.”

“Whatever the truth behind all the rumors, once you include what’s leaking out of the military, one thing is certain: they’re the heroes who saved the north.”

“Then what’s the name of the leader of Black-Gold Wings?”

“Tauro. Honorary Viscount Tauro Giro Sugar.”

Thus, Tauro and Black-Gold Wings became living legends throughout the northern region.

The story that they had picked a fight with the Empire was whispered only among a small number of people and was soon forgotten. The rest of their exploits, however, continued to spread—sometimes embellished, sometimes told exactly as they had happened.

Unaware that they were becoming legendary heroes in the north, Tauro and his companions traveled from the Dragonfolk Village to the Dungeon of Beginnings.

From there, Tauro used [Spatial Transfer] to move them to Babylon, the dungeon near the Royal Capital.

After returning to the surface, they headed toward the capital itself.

The trip from Babylon took several hours, so they rode there leisurely in a shared stagecoach.

“Tauro, what are we going to do once we reach the Royal Capital?”

Aeris asked. With her long golden hair, red eyes, and priestess-like appearance, she stood out even among the other passengers.

“It’s been a year since we were last there, so I need to report in and pay my respects to quite a few people.”

Tauro, the dull-blond-haired, blue-eyed leader of the party, answered his fiancée.

“You’ve got a lot of people to visit even just in the Royal Capital. Sounds rough, Leader.”

Ankh, red-haired, red-eyed, and dressed entirely in black, laughed as though it had nothing to do with him.

“You probably have plenty of people to ‘visit’ too, Ankh—mostly at brothels, I imagine?”

Ragune, the long-black-haired, golden-eyed dragonfolk spear-wielder, cut in sharply.

“Ugh…”

Ankh was left speechless.

“Hahaha! Maybe it’s time you decided to settle down like Lord Tauro, Ankh.”

Zion, with short blue hair, blue eyes, and her black hooded cloak, added a teasing but rather practical suggestion.

“Come on, Zion, not you too!”

Seth, the child-shaped autonomous-thinking puppet disguised as a young adventurer with a hat pulled low over his eyes, patted Ankh reassuringly on the back.

“Thanks, Seth. You’re the only one on my side…”

Ankh sighed and patted Seth on the head.

“No one is blaming you, Ankh. But if there’s someone you like, maybe you should tell them.”

Tauro offered advice as someone who now had a fiancée of his own.

As though agreeing, Emperor Slime Pella bounced once on Tauro’s shoulder.

“Alright, enough about me! More importantly, Leader, where are we going after you finish making the rounds in the Royal Capital?”

Ankh hurriedly changed the subject.

“The south, of course. That was our original plan, and everyone agreed to it before.”

Tauro decided to stop teasing him and answered normally.

“I’m looking forward to the south. There are plenty of unexplored regions and hidden places there, and many areas that can only be entered because of your honorary-viscount title and the royal crest.”

Aeris sounded excited by the prospect.

“Then, everyone, we’ll take about a month’s vacation in the Royal Capital and head south afterward. Make whatever preparations you need.”

The others agreed just as their stagecoach arrived at the Royal Capital.