Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 153: “The Demon Lord’s Territory & ‘Town of Nosa’ Joint Investigation Team, Moves in the Shadows (1)”
──A few days ago. In a forest near the border──
“Why hasn’t anyone returned!?”
Prince Ricardo shouted.
Several days had passed since the operation began.
During that time, the prince had dispatched the 1st and 2nd units—one to Princess Sophia, and the other to the trading post in the border region. To obtain information about “that box.”
However──
“This is strange. Not a single person has returned. What’s going on!?”
“Please calm down, Ricardo-sama.”
“Aren’t you the investigative unit that serves the imperial family!? And this is the result—such a blunder──”
“Successive emperors have always remained composed in unforeseen circumstances.”
“…Mm.”
At the unit captain’s words, Prince Ricardo fell silent.
It was as if he had suddenly remembered that he had come on the Emperor’s orders.
Ricardo had taken on this mission to demonstrate his strength as a prince.
The empire places the highest value on strength.
Therefore, princes and princesses alike must prove they are worthy of their positions.
If one’s ability is recognized, their status rises.
However, if deemed lacking the “power” to bear the nation, disinheritance is entirely possible.
In fact, Princess Sophia, once the second princess, had lost her right to the throne and was now the “Unnecessary Princess.” Such things are commonplace in the empire.
“But those with power are given favor. I was born into a not-so-bad country. I, Ricardo.”
“You seem to have calmed down, Your Highness.”
“…But that doesn’t mean your incompetence will be forgiven.”
“We will accept punishment once we return to the capital.”
The captain of the investigative unit knelt on the ground and answered.
Perhaps satisfied with that sight, Ricardo said,
“Give me your judgment. Do you believe the ones who haven’t returned were captured?”
“Indeed. However, none of my subordinates will speak.”
“What about the possibility that what they carried was stolen?”
“All they had were name lists. With just those, I doubt anyone could understand who we’re looking for.”
“If we don’t know the appearance of those who stole ‘that box,’ then we have no way of finding them.”
In the imperial capital, the soldiers from the fortress where the monster summoning took place had been interrogated.
For long hours. Repeatedly.
As a result, they learned the names and appearances of the missing soldiers.
Those soldiers were the ones who fled after stealing “that box” when a giant scorpion monster appeared.
They could have released the information publicly to track them down, but the Emperor desired a top-secret investigation. That is why Ricardo had come here leading the investigation unit.
(The contents of ‘that box’ are unknown. If we provoke the owner and they act rashly, it will be a problem. That would fall on me—Ricardo—as my responsibility.)
Still, it was probably time to act himself.
──Prince Ricardo made his decision.
“Gather the remaining men. I, Ricardo, will conduct the investigation personally.”
Prince Ricardo declared.
“We will not divide our forces. All troops will head to that fortress. We’ll avoid contact with the Demon Lord’s territory and the ‘Unnecessary Princess.’ Let’s say we are soldiers heading to secure the eastern front. That will do.”
Before leaving the capital, Ricardo had read up on the border region.
Among the documents was a military construction plan for a new facility.
The location was east of the fortress, near the empire’s border.
It was where the capital of the former Kingdom of Tilik once stood.
Farther east lay a small nation. It seemed the empire planned to expand its front lines beyond the southern front. Ricardo decided to use that place as his base for further investigation.
“To avoid being seen, we’ll travel through the forest. After investigating the fortress, we’ll also search the surrounding towns. There’s a chance they may contact us first.”
Prince Ricardo immediately gave orders.
They already knew the names and appearances of those who had taken “that box.”
If they were near the border, they could be found.
“That is the plan going forward. Any objections?”
“““None.”””
The members of the investigative unit all bowed in unison.
Only about a dozen soldiers remained.
But they were skilled fighters. A sufficient force.
And so, they moved out.
Avoiding the main roads, traveling only at night. Heading for the fortress──
They stopped when they sensed a group of monsters in the forest.
──Thor’s perspective──
“So this is ‘Zaigan Town,’ huh.”
We had arrived in the town northeast of the fortress.
A town surrounded by walls. About the same size as “Nosa Town.” Located along the main road, it serves as a distribution hub in the empire’s northern region.
Heading east from here, you’ll find grasslands and desert.
That area used to be the territory of Marquis Tilik.
Now, it’s a remote region dotted with small towns.
“This is my first time around here, but it’s a pretty big town.”
“There are a lot of different kinds of people…”
Mabel looked around the town with curiosity.
She kept her hand on her ears through her hood.
Her usual elf ears were hidden under a “partial concealment hairpiece.” In their place were ears shaped like a human’s. The hairpiece had transformed and now allowed Mabel to blend naturally into a human town.
It was evening.
The perfect time to move around unnoticed.
The ground was dim, and our coats helped us stay hidden.
Even without “Noise Cancellation,” no one paid attention to our plain traveler outfits.
The coat was the color of dried grass, looking cheap and inconspicuous to others.
But if we activated the “Noise Cancelling Coat,” it would erase our presence and sound. It could even use dark magic to become pitch-black.
During the day, it worked as normal clothing; at night, it could enter “stealth mode.”
Two forms in one—an extremely handy coat.
Seriously, the technology of the Hero World is amazing.
With Dorothy’s guidance, we were heading for an inn.
From there, we’d gather information and decide our investigation strategy.
“Is ‘that box’ really in this town…?”
Next to me, Princess Sophia whispered.
“It might be something dangerous. Hopefully, it’s stored somewhere outside the town… somewhere safe…”
“I agree. If it’s a dangerous item, it should be kept where there are no people.”
I also test my attack-type magic items in safe areas.
So I understood Princess Sophia’s concern.
“But that box couldn’t be opened no matter what, right?”
“Yes. But we can’t be sure its contents are inanimate. It could contain a dormant magical beast that might suddenly jump out.”
“…That’s true.”
“If that happens… then I must take responsibility and deal with it. After all, that was something the Empire originally summoned.”
Princess Sophia said seriously.
“Thanks to you, Thor Canaan-sama, I can now use ‘light attack magic.’ I am prepared to fight monsters. For the peace of the borderlands… I will do what must be done.”
“That’s amazing, Your Highness.”
“Do you think so?”
“I was only thinking about how to open ‘that box.’”
Like having Rukie use “Dark Magic” to erase just the door.
And if that failed, I thought of hitting it with a pseudo-Meteor spell.
I hadn’t really considered the dangers of what was inside.
“Compared to Your Highness, who’s thinking of the townspeople’s safety, I feel a little ashamed.”
“Thor Canaan-sama, that’s quite all right.”
Princess Sophia smiled as she said it.
“Your abilities bring happiness to others. That is why I hope you’ll continue to wield your alchemical powers as you see fit.”
“Thank you, Your Highness──”
“…Thor Canaan-sama.”
“Yes?”
“Here, you might want to refrain from calling me ‘Your Highness.’”
Princess Sophia placed a finger to her lips and looked intently at me.
“There’s no telling who might be listening. You should avoid using real names as well. Please, call me ‘Sophie.’”
She has a point.
We’re in the middle of town. Even if we speak quietly, someone could overhear us.
I get that, but… why now of all times?
If it’s Princess Sophia, it wouldn’t have been strange for her to warn everyone before entering town.
“Now then, please call me so.”
Princess Sophia leaned closer, bringing her hood into contact with mine.
Calling her by just her name feels too familiar, so…
“Sophie-sama?”
“Yes. Canaan-sama.”
“So you’re using my surname, huh?”
“I thought that might help keep your identity hidden. As for me… I cannot be called by my surname.”
Well, that makes sense.
“Dolgaria” indicates both the country and the imperial family.
The moment someone hears it, people around us would react.
“Then Mabel, you should call me by my surname too.”
“Y-Yes!”
When I turned and spoke to her, Mabel looked surprised.
She was actually a lot closer than I thought.
I could’ve sworn she was walking a bit further behind earlier…
“Mabel, you can just call me by my first name. We’re pretending to be fellow villagers on a journey, after all.”
“Y-Yes. Um… Is just ‘Canaan’ okay?”
“Yeah, that’s fine.”
“Um… Canaan-sama, would you call me without an honorific?”
“Sophie-sama is a no-go.”
Misana-san from the Lady Omawarisan Unit has been watching us for a while now.
She probably doesn’t like how familiar we are with the princess.
If I started calling Sophie without an honorific on top of that, she’d think ‘Those people from the Demon Lord’s Domain sure are rude.’
To avoid causing trouble for Rukie, I’ll stick with “Sophie-sama” here.
With that in mind, we continued walking through town.
Dorothy had already scouted out our lodging in advance.
All we had to do was follow her lead—but…
“This town is quite lively, isn’t it?”
“It is. I thought this was supposed to be a remote region of the Empire, but…”
Mabel nodded in agreement to my words.
“It makes sense as a distribution hub, but… there’s quite a crowd.”
“It’s comparable to the town of Nosa.”
Maybe people are coming here since the trading post on the border is closed?
But there are a lot of soldier-looking types too. Maybe a magic beast showed up nearby?
“…Canaan-sama. Mabel-sama.”
Suddenly, Sophie lowered her voice and murmured:
“I have something to tell you. This comes from Isaac-sama, so I ask that you keep it secret—”
Her voice gradually faded.
Her lips were moving, but I couldn’t hear her. Did she activate “Noise Cancelling”?
It must be something serious.
I leaned in closer to Sophie.
This coat is designed so that when our hoods are touching, we can still talk even under “Noise Cancelling.”
I activated mine too, and once our hoods were connected—
“…Oh my? I seem to have tripped.”
Sophie suddenly lost her balance.
She tumbled straight toward me—
“Are you alright, Sophie-sama?”
—only for Mabel to step forward swiftly and catch her.
“…Thank you, Mabel-sama.”
“It’s crowded, after all. Please watch your footing.”
“My apologies… I suppose I got a bit excited.”
Sophie held her cheek, looking a little embarrassed.
Come to think of it, this is probably the first time she’s walked around a town like this.
She used to be quite frail, so it’s no wonder she almost tripped.
“So, what was that secret you mentioned?”
“Yes. Actually, a new military base is being constructed further east of this town.”
Princess Sophia whispered as she maintained “Noise Cancelling.”
“There are several small nations to the east. Perhaps the Empire is wary of them, or maybe—”
“They’re preparing for a new military campaign?”
“…Yes.”
A new military base, huh? Well, as long as it’s not aimed at the Demon Lord’s Domain, I guess it’s fine.
Still… The Empire has been locked in a long war in the south for years now.
Why add another front?
“So this town—‘Zaigan’—is so bustling because of that base?”
“Many people are involved in its construction. Naturally, there are also those doing business with them.”
“Understandable. But with crowds like this, it’s going to be hard to search for someone…”
The person we’re looking for is named “Daryl Zanno,” along with his companions.
All we know is his name, hair color, and height.
The only other info is what the winged fairy who saw him said: “His magical energy gave me a bad feeling.”
“If it’s magical energy, Runes can detect it.”
“Soleil will do her best too!”
From inside the hood shared by me and Sophie, the winged fairies Lune and Soleil laughed.
Sophie joined in with a soft smile.
Seeing her like that… reminded me of something important.
“Sophie-sama, before I forget—this is for you.”
I took a small bottle out of my “Ultra-Compact Portable Storage.”
Of course, I hid my hands beneath the coat hem as I did.
I don’t think any passersby are watching us, but still—better safe than sorry.
“The lotion you requested. It’s the undiluted version, as you asked… but just this once, alright?”
“Thank you so much, Canaan-sama!”
“…Please be careful when using it.”
“I understand. I won’t waste it.”
“Good. I even added a little trick to the lid to help with that.”
“Now that you mention it… There’s something odd attached to the cap. It’s like a tiny tube…?”
“It’s a mechanism adapted from a faraway land. I’ll explain it once we reach the inn.”
“Very well. I’ll be counting on your guidance.”
Sophie smiled as she said that.
It felt kind of surreal.
She’s the Emperor’s daughter—someone I had absolutely no connection to back in the capital.
But walking beside her like this… it felt completely natural.
She really is a mysterious person.
“We’re almost at the inn.”
Dorothy called out from the front of the group.
“Afterward, Erte-san and I will visit a tavern to gather information. Once we have the results, we’ll formulate our strategy.”
“““Understood.”””
Sophie, Mabel, and I all nodded.
“Your Highness—no, Sophie-sama, Canaan-sama, Mabel-sama, please rest in your room. Misana will stand guard. And Canaan-sama—”
“I understand. I’ll ask the winged fairy to contact the escort squad.”
“Please do.”
I nodded and patted Lune’s head.
The escort squad led by Agnis is waiting in the forest near the town.
We need to inform them that we’ve safely arrived in the town.
“Then, I will go arrange the rooms.”
“I shall accompany you.”
Upon arriving at the inn, Dorothy-san and Erte-san walked toward the reception.
After a short while, the two of them returned—
“…Our apologies. It seems… there’s only a four-person room available at the moment.”
“…They said two single rooms will become available tonight, though.”
—with apologetic expressions, they said this.
“This is troubling. According to the scouts who came beforehand, this was said to be the safest area. To pose as ordinary travelers, an inn of this level is most suitable. That’s why we thought this place would be best as a base…”
Dorothy-san continued in a low voice.
“However, we also have second and third candidate inns. If you give us a little time, we can check if they have vacancies. What shall we do?”
Dorothy-san looked toward Sophie.
A four-person room means that I, Mabel, Sophie, and the escort Misana will be in the same room.
I don’t mind. Mabel probably won’t care either.
But what about Sophie and the members of the “Lady Omawarisan Unit”?
Surely, sharing a room with me would make them uncomfortable.
“I have no problem sharing a room with Canaan-sama and Mabel-sama.”
Or so I thought—but Sophie declared it.
Without hesitation. Clearly and firmly.
“We have come here to fulfill an important mission. This is not the time to worry about trivial matters like room assignments.”
“…But, Sophie-sama—”
“Time is limited. To accomplish our mission, we must set priorities. In that case, we should address the most important issues first. Right now, gathering information is the top priority. The rest is trivial.”
“Y-yes. However—”
“Moreover, we are supposed to be travelers from the same village. If we are close villagers, then sharing a room regardless of gender in such situations is plausible. Arguing over room arrangements might cast suspicion on our story.”
“U-understood. As you wish, Sophie-sama.”
Faced with Sophie’s relentless argument, Dorothy-san nodded.
Both Dorothy-san, her subordinate Misana, and Erte-san looked deeply moved.
Priorities.
The backstory that we’re travelers from the same village.
It was an impressive, well-thought-out opinion that took everything into account.
Sophie possesses such wisdom and judgment.
So why did the Empire strip her of her right to the throne?
Their eye for talent must be completely clouded. Honestly.
“What do you think, Canaan-sama?”
Suddenly, Erte-san asked.
After thinking for a moment, I replied:
“If Sophie-sama is okay with it, I have no problem. Besides, the single rooms become available tonight, right?”
“Yes. Canaan-samawill be moved to one of those.”
“I thought so…”
If I could use the ‘Simple Storage,’ I could just rest in there.
But still…
While Sophie might not mind, I’m not sure it’s a good idea to keep using ‘Simple Storage’ in front of people like Dorothy or Misana from the “Lady Omawarisan Unit.”
I want to have a meeting too, so sharing the large room for a bit should be fine.
I whispered this to Erte-san.
“—Understood. Now then, Mabel-sama.”
“Yes, Elte-san?”
“Please guard Canaan-sama.”
“Understood!”
Mabel clenched her fist tightly and gave a determined nod.
Thus, the check-in at the inn was completed, and I, Mabel, Sophie, and Misana from the “Lady Omawarisan Unit” headed to the room.
Dorothy-san and Elte-san left the inn to begin gathering information.