Chapter 344 – The Dwarves and the Mine

After finishing my business at the Moon Temple, I returned to the castle by carriage.

Children running together through the streets… including the one I saw earlier. They seemed to be heading toward the training grounds.

So they were gathering friends to go see the Sirius. It was wonderful to see them all smiling and looking so happy.

A crowd had gathered around the training grounds visible from the main road leading to the castle, all excitedly watching the Sirius from a distance.

“Please proceed slowly to the castle due to the large crowd. There’s no need to hurry.”

“As you wish.”

I instructed the driver to slow down to prevent accidents. With the carriage moving at a leisurely pace, I could clearly observe the people gathered at the training grounds. Both adults and children had crowded together in excitement.

“So cool!”

The children from earlier had apparently arrived with their friends, looking up at the Sirius with shining eyes.

Nearby, a group of Dwarves stood with their arms crossed, engaged in heated discussion.

“I’d heard the Princesses came here on a flying ship… but this is astonishing.”

“What metal is that thing made of?”

“There are decorations, but… it’s clear the hull uses some kind of Magic. I hear it came from their interactions with Silvatoria.”

“Magic, eh? That puts it outside our expertise then.”

I could overhear the Dwarves’ conversation.

“Anyway, good things keep happening lately, and that’s fine by me. I spoke briefly with the new lord, and he seems like a proper fellow.”

“Speaking of good things… I heard the eldest son of the Barony of Silun had a wedding.”

“Oh ho! That’s wonderful. What say we have a drinking party with this flying ship as our entertainment?”

Listening to the Dwarves’ hearty laughter as they apparently prepared to head to the tavern in broad daylight, I continued toward the castle.

After crossing the drawbridge and entering through the castle gate, I disembarked from the carriage and was greeted by servants.

“Welcome. Please come this way.”

The servants guided me through the castle. We passed through stone corridors and were shown to a spacious guest room, where Princess Stephania and the others who had arrived earlier were waiting.

The guest room wasn’t overly decorated, with just a few tasteful furnishings.

While the castle’s furnishings seemed sparse overall, the guest room was appropriately appointed.

The Marquis Broderick’s residence in Termwills that I saw before was quite gaudy… but perhaps after the succession, they sold off or otherwise disposed of unnecessary items to streamline things. Though of course, a guest room couldn’t possibly be left completely unfurnished.

“How were things in the town?” Princess Stephania asked after we’d been served tea and had a moment to relax.

“Everyone was excited about your visit, the Sirius, and the wedding in the Barony of Silun. I also heard voices expressing support for Marquis Broderick. The people seem to have high hopes for the future.”

“That’s good to hear. Father was concerned about the Marquisate of Broderick given everything that happened here.”

As I briefly summarized what I’d seen and heard in town, Princess Stephania’s expression brightened. Just then, a knock echoed through the room.

“Come in.”

When Princess Stephania granted permission, a well-dressed woman entered. She bowed politely and spoke.

“I am Bertille, wife of Marquis Broderick. My husband should be here shortly, but I came to greet you in the meantime to ensure our hospitality isn’t lacking.”

“Bertille, it’s been a long time.”

So this was Malcolm’s wife. While she was considerably older than Princess Stephania, they seemed to be acquainted.

“Yes, it has been too long, Your Highness. Not since I served at the Royal Castle, I believe.”

“That would be right.”

I see. She must have worked somewhere in the Royal Castle and met Malcolm, who also served there, before marrying him.

If the previous Marquis and his second son Norman hadn’t self-destructed, Malcolm would never have been in line for succession… and if she supported Malcolm through all that, she must be a trustworthy person.

After greeting Princess Stephania and Princess Adriana, Bertille turned to me.

“Are you the Otherworld Ambassador, Theodore-sama?”

“Yes.”

“My husband was greatly indebted to you before. Thanks to you, he no longer complains of stomach pains and remains in good health. Please allow me to thank you as well.”

“That’s excellent to hear.”

I returned her bow. Bertille then politely greeted everyone else in turn. She seemed slightly surprised by the unusual members like Tephra, Seraphina, and Floria, but she welcomed them all with equal courtesy.

“How are things with the Marquisate’s vassals currently? Are there any issues?” Princess Stephania asked Bertille again after the round of greetings.

“Those dispatched from the capital are handling administrative matters, so everything is proceeding smoothly.”

“Those would be the people who worked with the Marquis at the Royal Castle.”

Hmm. They must be the ones sent here with Malcolm for the investigation of the Marquisate. They’ll probably work here until the territory stabilizes.

“Yes. Those who were involved in misconduct with Norman and others have been dismissed from their positions, with the more severe cases being apprehended. We’re coordinating with Count Gartner and the Adventurer Guild, so the territory should remain stable.”

“That appears to be the case. I heard about conditions in the territory earlier. I believe Father will be pleased.”

That might have been another reason for Princess Stephania to accompany us to the Marquisate of Broderick.

Indeed, there are things you can’t understand without seeing them firsthand, and King Melvin would naturally be concerned about the Marquisate’s situation. And if the information comes from Princess Stephania’s report, it would be from a reliable source. Since we visited the Temple, we were also able to see the town directly, and if the territory has such a bright atmosphere, that’s a good sign.

Eventually, Malcolm also arrived at the guest room. Having just returned to his territory, he’d probably been busy receiving reports, giving instructions, and confirming preparations for the banquet.

“My apologies for the wait. The banquet will be held this evening, so please make yourselves comfortable until then. If you need anything, just ask.”

“Thank you, Marquis.”

Hmm. So we have time until evening. Irmhild and the others volunteered as musicians, taking turns playing the Lute and harp in a corner of the guest room.

Meanwhile, Malcolm listened to his wife’s account of earlier events and apparently brought out account books to give Princess Stephania a detailed explanation.

Princess Stephania listened to Malcolm’s report while examining the account books with a serious expression.

Just then, the room door was knocked. When permission to enter was given, a soldier appeared from the other side.

“What is it?”

“I have a report. But before our guests…”

The soldier spoke with a deferential attitude.

“Please don’t mind me.”

“My apologies.”

After briefly pausing his report to Princess Stephania, Malcolm stepped out of the room.

As we exchanged wondering looks about what had happened, Malcolm returned after a short while.

“My apologies. It seems a minor problem has occurred.”

“What happened? If it’s not too much trouble…”

When Princess Stephania inquired, Malcolm answered in a somewhat somber tone.

“A group investigating an old mine… part of the tunnel collapsed and they’ve been trapped inside.”

“That’s… isn’t that a serious matter?!”

“My deepest apologies. If you’ll permit me, I’d like to take command at the scene.”

“Of course. Nothing else takes priority over this.”

Both Princess Stephania and Princess Adriana nodded.

“Let’s head to the scene by Airship. I’ll help if needed,” I offered.

Even for a rapid response, having the Airship would obviously be better, especially if there are injuries. When I made eye contact with the others, they all nodded as well.

Ashley’s Healing Magic, Sheila and Irmhild’s detection abilities, Claudia’s Teleportation Magic. All valuable assets for both search and rescue operations.

If they’re trapped… that means the path is blocked, though we might know the investigation team’s status. But attempting rescue could lead to secondary accidents. Without seeing the accident site, I can’t say for sure, but we could use Earth Magic to remove debris, reinforce structures to prevent secondary disasters by strengthening the tunnels, and various other approaches.

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