Kays Translations

Commemorative SS for the release of the first volume] Events at the beginning of autumn (2)

At the same time, in a room at the exclusive Arnea Inn in the Imperial Capital.

“We've been waiting for you. Please come in.”

“His Highness is waiting for you inside.”

Ren was already a face-pass for the plain-clothed Kingsguard knights standing in front of the guest room.

After they urged him to enter the guest room, Ren put his hand on the doorknob. Once inside, he saw Radius at a desk sitting at the back of the spacious guest room.

It was Radius' attire, but it was the first time Ren had seen it.

Although he had removed his jacket, he was dressed in the uniform of the Imperial Cadet Academy.

“It's unusual for you to show up on time.”

Ren was never late.

“Yes?”

“Because you usually arrive a dozen minutes early. I'm not complaining. I just thought it was unusual.”

“I don't mind. I just wanted to order some extra reference books for the third exam today.”

Ren answered and walked around the guest room and sat down on the sofa inside.

And then

“The third examination? Ah, you received the results of the second exam, right?”

“Yes. I've just passed the exam with Licia.”

“It was obvious. No wonder you two passed at the top of your class.”

“I'm glad to hear you say that, but if we're not careful, we could get caught flatfooted.”

“What nonsense. If there is any chance of getting flat footed, it's only the third exam now. As for the final exam, I don't see the need to take it in the first place.”

“If that's the case, I guess I'll just give it my all."

Radius put down the pen he had been holding in his hand on the desk and stood up.

A look of amusement on his face.

“That’s just like you. I like the virtue in your words.”

He then asked Ren, "What about lunch?" Ren answered, "Not yet”.

Radius then approached the table by the sofa where Ren was sitting and rang the bell on it.

Within a few minutes, several snacks were brought into the guest room that could be eaten while working.

“Aren't they arriving fast?”

“Nobles are often pressed for time. We have a policy at the Arne Verde trading company to bring these refreshments quickly.”

“I see, then feel free to do so.”

The innkeepers are under Radius' control, so they feel comfortable talking to him like this.

“So, what happens next?”

“As I had told you, we are going to Elendil. That's why I was going to meet up with you in Elendil, but I heard that the reason you said you were coming to the capital was for a reference book.”

The investigated cinders weren’t brought to the imperial capital, but to a laboratory located six hours away from the capital.

Ren had also heard about them beforehand. He was a little excited because the laboratory existed on the map but he hadn’t been able to set foot in the place.

However, Radius had told him in advance that it was unlikely that they would be able to obtain any information.

Since they were only going to check out the cinders, such predictions weren’t a problem, and Ren was not particularly concerned about them.

“Incidentally,  Let me show you what I was working on earlier.”

Radius stood up and went back to the desk he had been at earlier. He picked up the papers on it and returned to the sofa.

“You may read it.”

“Umm.. is it okay if I’m shown the details of the third prince’s works?”

“You must be misunderstanding something. This isn’t my work as a member of the royal family, but merely a compilation of stories I was personally researching. That is precisely why Ulysses had nothing to do with it.”

“Heh, if that’s so, then I’ll look through it without hesitation.”

Ren tried to look at the document with a snack in one hand, but changed it.

He thought it would be impolite indeed.

“Don't worry about it. I'm the only one here."

Radius asked him to mainatain a frank attitude, and Ren did so without hesitation.

Holding the snack in one hand, he turned to the papers on the table.

Then Radius said with satisfaction, "That's it”.

“Oooh.... I think I may have found out why you were looking into it.”

“After reading it, what do you think?"

“As a result of the investigation, I wonder what’s hidden.”

"Hmmm. I'll tell you later.”

It was a few ten minutes later that they settled down to talk over a meal.

“Now, it's time for us to go. When we get to the magic ship, I'd better change my clothes.”

“That's right. Why were you in uniform?”

“I was at the academy because it was a weekday. The people who were attending the party in Galgazia were absent, but I had nothing to do with it.”

Ren nodded and left the guest room with Radius.

The two of them boarded a carriage in secret and headed for Elendil without exposing themselves to the commoners.

A few hours after they boarded the civilian magic ship, hiding there as well.

The sky was just beginning to turn a shade of madder red at the edges.

“Ren, look down.”

Radius said abruptly, drawing Ren's attention to the window.

The two were in a luxurious guest room, where even nobles stay.

Naturally, their rooms were separated, but they were in front of the same window, as they were engaged in chatting while traveling in the sky.

Ren looked down at the view outside the window.

“Is that Galgazia?”

“Yes, it is. That must be the inn where Lessard and his group are staying.”

Radius pointed to a large building.

“Ahh… it certainly seems like the most luxurious inn.”

“Did you check the prices of the inns?"

“---- Well, something like that.”

Ren, who somehow dodged it, continued to stare at Galgazia.

Without knowing what was happening at the inn.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

“Ahh......."

Sarah Riohard held her head.

She was in the reserved salon of the luxury hotel where she was staying.

“Why is this happening?"

The cries continued to echo throughout the salon.

But there was no need to worry. This salon is by appointment only, and only those with reservations are allowed to enter. Even if they are employees of the inn.

And the salon's reservations are filled with Ulysses' name until the party is over.

“Why, because we were invited to the same party.”

“Yes.... I'm sorry to have surprised you....”

Two beautiful princesses answered Sarah's rant.

Licia, who spoke first, and Fiona, who spoke next, said as if to repeat the words of Sarah, who hadn’t yet calmed down.

“I don't care that we've seen each other!  What I'm trying to say is that somehow the three families had dinner together afterwards, and we, the daughters, are having a chat like this in a different place!”

It wasn't long before everyone who met at the elevator was bewildered by the strange situation.

Ulysses suggested that the Ignats, the Riohards, and the Clausels, who were doing what they always do, should have a meal together.

Ulysses had reserved a private room for them, and they took the opportunity to sit down together.

(...... Aside from our family, the Ignats and Riohards probably had many different agendas in mind.)

As Licia says, the Clausel family isn’t going to refuse Ulysses' invitation, let alone play belly games at the prepared table.

That’s not the case with the two remaining families.

The two families have a relationship with the Clausel family, even though they are from different factions, and with the Grand Clock Tower fiasco that broke out in the summer, it wouldn’t be surprising if they were to make some sort of check.

(Marquis Ignat is a cunning man, isn't he? If he had invited us first, it would have been natural for the Riohard family to pay attention to us.)

It is unclear whether Ulysses had any intention to probe Elk's feelings or not.

Because he’s such a man who acts so aloof, there was a possibility that he was just enjoying watching the nervous Elk.

Only Ulysses himself knows.

Also, the reason why the three daughters are now separated from their fathers.

“I'm renting out the salon, so the three of you can go and have a nice chat.』

Ulysses made a proposal that was strangely difficult to refuse.

Licia really had no idea what he was thinking.

“Isn’t it better to discuss separately? Sarah is making too much noise.”

“Oh, it's just me! I mean, you have been too calm since the meal, Licia-sama!”

"Yes, I see no reason to make a fuss.”

It's not worth making a fuss anyway.

On the other hand, from Licia's words, It could be seen that she has met Fiona and Ulysses several times.

Sarah immediately recognized this.

However, they didn’t tell her why they had met, or what kind of exchanges they had had during the Grand Clock Tower riot, at the dinner table.

Naturally, the head of the Riohard family, Elk, wasn’t inclined to ask Ulysses directly.

The other party was Ulysses. He didn’t want to get into a troublesome question-and-answer session by asking Ulysses directly.

Sarah, who had given up on understanding various things, exhaled.

She takes a bite of the prepared cake and tries to calm her mind with its sweetness.

Seeing the two exchange words in front of her without seeming to be surprised, she speaks again.

“I wonder if we could have a similar conversation as our fathers are having.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean the reason why the three of them dismissed us from the meeting. They seem to be talking about all the troublesome things we have to do as nobles, but don't you think they're also talking about that money thing?”

Sarah said confidently, but Licia and Fiona looked at each other as if they didn’t understand ..

“Fiona-sama doesn't understand either?”

“Yes. I don't remember my father telling me anything about it.”

Then Sarah explained to them.

"I heard that there were some interesting money flows in this big project.”

Fiona, intrigued by what she had just heard, asked.

"Has there already been an investigation by the public authorities?"

Sarah, in a somewhat stiffer tone than she had adopted with Licia, answered.

“I don’t think so. If the investigation had begun in earnest, it would be too late to have a party.”

“I see. If that's the case, then the people who know what's going on are discussing the situation.”

If the current situation is that Elk has that information, then there may be some kind of investigation underway under him.

Also, Licia and Fiona both thought that even Ulysses must know about it.

“If you two are interested, I'll go and ask them a few questions.”

“Could it be you’re talking about going to the place where the three of them are having a discussion?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

No one says a word, but if you go to the place, he is there.

Yes, Ulysses Ignat is there.

The question was whether or not Sarah was capable of doing so, even before she was allowed to be in the room.

In fact, when Sarah noticed this, she whistled badly and looked in the direction of the day after tomorrow.

Fortunately, this delicate atmosphere would soon come to an end.

A dozen minutes passed, and that was when everyone's fathers returned.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

After Licia returned to her father's guest room, where it was still a little early for dinner.

Her father asked how the three daughters were enjoying their conversation, Licia, who had answered without hesitation, asked him what he thought of the conversation.

“Father, have you heard about the strange flow of money?"

“......Who did you hear that from?”

“I knew you’d say that.”

Lessard shrugged his shoulders and asked Licia to sit down on the sofa. He himself sits opposite her.

“I was moving quietly so as not to get caught up in it. It’s for self-defense.”

Lessard continues.

Organizing the necessary information for explanation.

“First of all, let me reiterate the details of this project.”

This time, the size of the magic ship terminal in Galgazia was expanded by a factor of 1.5.

Many nobles and merchants, including Lessard, put together ideas and money to make a deal that would be beneficial to everyone.

Another nobleman's estate, located far from here, had no magic ship terminal, so a new one was built.

Roads were also built to make it easier for merchants to move from place to place.

The expansion of the magic ship terminal in Galgazia was largely due to the increase in the number of magic boats flying to various places.

“The reason for the expansion of the landing site in Galgadia was due to the increase in the number of magic ships flying to various locations. We had to order a mountain of necessary materials.”

“You found something suspicious there?”

“Yes. It's due to the fact that this is a big project involving numerous nobles, wealthy people, and countless others, including the Trading company, but it's just a little bit.”

Lessard found something of interest in the work that had nothing to do with him.

Although still a viscount, one of the lower nobility, he’s so good at his job that even Ulysses recognizes him.

That's why he noticed the tiniest discomfort that was...

“I noticed that there was an unnecessary flow of money between a certain trading company and a landowner.”

“A landowner?"

“Yes. This time, in conjunction with the expansion of the magic ship terminal, some of the roads were redeveloped. In doing so, Viscount Gargazia bought some of the land because he wanted to pass by the mountains owned by the old landowners.”

But the story did not end there.

“After that, somehow money was exchanged between the trading company and the landowner I mentioned earlier. Since there’s no indication that land was bought or sold between the two parties, it seems incongruous."

“In terms of the flow of money, was there anyone else besides you who had any doubts?”

“If the money is simply passed on, it will eventually be discovered. But in this case, he was clearly trying to hide it.”

In order to make it difficult to know the source of the funds, for example, donations were given to institutions with which they had connections, and money was moved in the form of precious metals, which fluctuate wildly in price, and real estate transactions.

According to Lessards investigations, they also used the buying and selling of grains.

That is, both domestically and internationally.

It's complicated and intricate, and you can find out where and how the original money flowed: ----

That he deliberately concealed such information in a complicated and clever manner.

"Oh, so you understand even such things. ......”

“I’m thankful for the experience I have gained as a noble.”

Just as Ren continues to grow in a monstrous way, Lessard is also gaining strength as a nobleman.

“The name of the trading company is Norman Trading Company, but the amount of money wasn’t suitable for the size of Norman Trading Company.”

“Just listening to it, I can already tell there’s something fishy.”

“Right? Maybe he's in some underhanded business that people don't know about. Or maybe he is about to do so. There will be a proper investigation in the near future."

Maybe they already have.

Lessard smiled.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

On the way back from their visit to the institute, Ren and Radius returned to the magic ship.

Today and tomorrow they will stay on this magic ship. The room was very comfortable because they had rented an expensive room on the ship.

“I guess it was just a burnt-out husk after all.”

He let out a sigh in Radius' stateroom.

He was sitting in a wooden round chair by the window, and Ren was sitting in a pair of chairs opposite him.

“Well.... it's like you already knew.”

It's the material of the Unholy Sky Tyrant, but as we've known for some time, it's cinders.

The research institute was investigating the possibility that if special drugs or magic had been used to make them appear above Elendil, there must have been some traces of them left behind.

Although Radius has the skill of analysis, there was no way he could rely on that alone and not investigate.

However, according to what I heard today, they were only able to identify the characteristics of the Unholy Sky Tyrant in the information they had.

"Tomorrow, we'll get the results of another test. It's not too late to conclude after we wait for that, is it?"

“It’s just as you said, Ren. I'm sorry that I don't know anything about it, even though I went to the trouble of asking you to go with me.”

“I don't mind. I've got a lot to talk about too."

It was a good opportunity, no lies.

If Ren could know the fastest information that Radius might get, it must be a worthwhile opportunity.

But every time, he just couldn't get the information he wanted.

“If you want, we can head to Galgazia right now.”

Radius suggested apologetically, knowing that the chances of getting information tomorrow were infinitesimally small.

But Ren was adamant about the suggestion, saying, "Okay”.

“Even if I want to go, it’ll be after I’m done with my business here.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I'll be scolded by Lessard-sama if I don't give priority to my appointment with you---but I'll go along with you as planned since I'm on a magic ship.”

“Thank you. Then let's head to Galgazia tomorrow. We should be there in time for the party."

"Eh? Radius is coming too?”

“I won’t participate in the party, I'm just going to have a chat with Lessard, who's just become a viscount, and see Ulysses.”

“Ah, Ulysses-sama is next.”

They looked at each other and laughed.

The window next to them was already dark.

Radius looked out the darkened window and spoke.

"Can I have a few more minutes of your time to talk?"

“I'm not sleepy yet, so I don't mind at all.”

Then Radius, with the handsome profile that Ren sees, turns his head to the side and says.

“I'd like to continue with the interesting story I told you in the capital. I just received a report on something I was looking into.”

“The thing you were looking into..... Oh, you were talking about the strange flow of money, right?”

“Yes. I was wondering why the trading company was paying so much money for a job that they didn't deserve. My people have made an interesting discovery about that.”

“So there was an immediate action.”

“Fortunately. We didn't get good results at the laboratory. ...... it’s a big deal. Do you mind if I talk about this?”

“It’s fine. It's interesting to listen to both of them.”

Radius was pleased with Ren's willingness to talk with him.

He then proceeded to share with Ren, who was sitting beside him, the information that had just been obtained.

As Ren listened, he suddenly felt thirsty and picked up a glass from the table to quench his thirst.

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