Kays Translations

Chapter 67. Operation: infiltrate the Royal Capital

Early morning, a day and a half after joining up with Lady Amanda, the Marquis’s daughter, our group, led by Sir Lionel, secretly entered the royal capital.

We’ve heard that the son of the Duke of Ziemeld, who is using the undead demon beasts to plot something, was already in a central position within the country. As we expected, we would be met with caution if we approached from the front. So with the help of the Beresford Marquis family and the cooperation of Goliath-sama, we disguised ourselves as a merchant caravan and entered the capital, where we were invited to the Marquis Beresford residence.

“It’s been decades since I’ve been to the royal capital. But it’s strangely quiet, isn’t it?”

Mr. Dolph looks puzzled, reflecting on the journey since we arrived in the royal capital.

“Today, there is a spectacle, a public subjugation at the arena in the north. That’s why there aren’t many people in the city.”

Sir Lionel and the others look puzzled upon hearing the unfamiliar term “public subjugation”.

Then, Lady Amanda turned to me.

“Flora, there is someone I want you to meet.”

With those words, we were led to the guest room of the Beresford residence.

“Flora…!?”

“Chelsea! I’m so glad you’re safe!”

There was Chelsea, whose safety in the royal capital I had been most worried about. It was strange that she was at Lady Amanda’s mansion, but I was overjoyed at the reunion and hugged her.

“Flora, I’m glad you’re safe too. And the people behind you…?”

　Chelsea gave me another tearful hug and then looked behind me.

　Gilbert, Dolph, and Barbara exchanged glances and then, for some reason, everyone lined up. Father Sydney, the private soldiers and mercenaries who have been with us since the Kelvim Territory, the clergy, Sir Lionel and the Black Knights, Mr. Goliath too.

When was it that I left this city all on my own? It hasn’t been that long, but it feels like a distant memory.

　It really touches my heart to think that I was able to come back to this town once again without any hesitation or worries thanks to the so many encouraging and precious people I have found in my life.

Since everyone was kind enough to line up, I was about to introduce them one by one when there was a commotion outside the drawing room.

The one who came rushing into the room with his guards was, if my memory serves me right, Crown Prince Alexis.

“Ah, good, everyone is already here. I’m sorry, I’ll explain later. Can I borrow a cleric who can provide treatment?”

Without even a moment to exchange greetings, the Crown Prince directed his instructions to Sir Lionel, and Father Sydney nodded in response and left the room. All of us in the room followed suit.

In the courtyard in front of the Marquis’s residence, a dozen or so figures resembling clerics, covered in mud and unconscious, were being carried in.

“They were imprisoned in the royal capital’s underground waterway. It seems that Bishop Powell and several others were protecting themselves with a barrier, but they’re in a terrible state of weakness. I’m counting on you to treat them.”

We all split up to accommodate them in the grand hall of the Beresford residence, and the clergy administered healing. Fortunately, no one seemed to be seriously injured.

Then, the royal guards carried in a man who was dressed like a knight, bound many times over with ropes and surrounded by a barrier. He was wearing the uniform of a Ziemeld knight.

“Your Highness, what shall we do with this one?”

The royal guard’s face was grim.

Sir Lionel and Father Sydney rushed over as if they had noticed something.

“I recognize that face. It’s probably one of the superiors of the Ziemeld Knights who went missing.”

“This man… has been turned into an undead…”

“…Indeed… I was attacked on the way, and during the tussle, I saw a wound I’d inflicted… regenerating…” 

The royal guard were in a state of panic. The horror of a human being turned into an undead made the Crown Prince and Lady Amanda gasp.

“but, unlike ordinary undead magical beasts, he is not covered in rotten flesh, and his appearance is almost indistinguishable from that of a healthy normal person.”

Crown Prince Alexis asked, and Father Sydney nodded.

“It’s because of the changes from within. In other words, You could say that he is still in an incomplete state. I don’t know if he will remain like this when he is fully transformed into an undead… Now, then, Flora, can I leave it to you?”

Father Sydney turned to me, his face wrinkling with a deep smile. I nodded vigorously. Barbara-san standing next to me said in a low voice, “Now it’s your turn,” and patted me on the back.

“Yes…! Lady Amanda, can I use your kitchen?”

“Eh…? Yes, of course!”

Lady Amanda looked puzzled and stared blankly.

I immediately moved to the kitchen and took out the magic pot, and first, had the priest make some holy water.

This time, considering the speed of absorption into the body in a short time, I made a sweet bread porridge-like soup. After heating distilled alcohol to evaporate, I added plenty of maltose syrup, holy water, and milk, and warmed it up. Then I asked Lady Amanda for some of the Marquis’s bread and soaked it in the soup, letting it fall apart.

As I put the pot on  fire, I could hear the faint fanfare of a band carried by the wind from outside the window.

“…Have the public subjugation started?”

“I hope Kevin is okay…”

Chelsea, who was helping me, looked worried.

“Kevin-san is also a member of the Kingdom Knights, after all…”

It seems that all the members of the Kingdom’s Knights are participating in the public execution.

“In that case, we have to go and help him. Bishop Powell has just regained consciousness.”

Gilbert called out as he came running into the kitchen.

“According to what they said, the undead slime was in the underground waterway after all. It suddenly moved somewhere around midnight last night. They think it might been set up for the public subjugation.”

Chelsea looked even more confused and anxious after hearing that, and Gilbert gave her an anxious look.

“Ah, um, Miss Chelsea, please don’t worry. Flora’s important person’s important person is also important to me, I mean, I will help you no matter what…!”

Chelsea seemed to relax a little after hearing Gilbert’s flustered, yet strong words.

“Gilbert is our proud secret weapon, so we can count on him!”

I mixed in a little joke, mimicking Mr. Dolph and Mrs.  Barbara, and Gilbert smiled awkwardly. His ears were red, so he must be trying to hide his embarrassment.

But even if it was a joke, it was still an undeniable fact. For some reason, when Gilbert is smiling, I felt like I couldn’t lose to anything.

Mr. Dolph and Father Sydney forced the undead knight to drink the soup. Mr. Dolph found a funnel that he had made a long time ago in his luggage, cleaned it thoroughly and modified it. It was quite a sight, but the soup seemed to be working.

“Now then, let’s take the contents of that pot and head out.”

Mr. Dolph said with a serious face. Since the contents of the pot hadn’t decreased, that meant that there were still people who needed this soup.

After preparing, we departed from the Beresford Marquis residence.

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