Chapter 355 – The Sage and the Royal Connection

Princess Stephania handed over the ore and materials—the spoils from the old mine exploration—to Corulis. Corulis then presented them at the Adventurer Guild’s counter.

“We’ll take these into our possession, then.”

Heather broke into a smile at Corulis’s gesture and accepted the items, then looked over the spoils and inquired.

“It seems the exploration went quite smoothly. Do you think Corulis can handle the old mines?”

“Given that it originally lived underground, the old mines seem to suit it well. It seems to have taken a liking to them too.”

“That’s wonderful to hear.”

“And also… I told Corulis to stop by the Guild before diving into the labyrinth. If it shows up during a full moon, could you pass that message along?”

“Understood. I’ll inform the other staff members as well.”

By the time I finished talking with Heather, the calculation was complete, and I received the payment.

Princess Stephania immediately used the money to purchase ore that Corulis favored. Since something it normally wouldn’t eat had become its favorite, Corulis seemed delighted.

“Corulis. This is how money works—you can exchange it for all sorts of things.”

She explained the use of money to Corulis, who nodded in response.

To what extent it could grasp the concept of currency remained unknown… but with the cooperation of the Guild staff, it probably wouldn’t get swindled.

After completing our business at the Guild, I headed to the Royal Castle with Princess Stephania, Princess Adriana, and Corulis.

I needed to escort the two of them back to the castle, and there were still unresolved matters like reporting on Corulis and arranging its sleeping quarters. Besides, there were several points I needed to discuss with King Melvin.

“By the way, Your Highness Adriana, what kind of Magic are you skilled in?”

While waiting for King Melvin, we chatted over tea.

“My specialty is Fire Magic. It was well-received by the knights and soldiers, but because of that, Zadias became wary of me. It’s also harder to apply to various fields compared to Water or Earth Magic… If possible, I wish I had been skilled in another type of Magic.”

Princess Adriana said this as she tilted her teacup. Though she voiced her dissatisfaction, her tone was relatively bright. Perhaps she had come to accept that aspect as well.

“Well, my dissatisfaction is a thing of the past. Silvatoria is a Magic Kingdom, but considering my position, there’s no opportunity for me to utilize Fire Magic. I did struggle with it at one point… but after talking with Steph and observing Zadias, I realized that steering the whole as royalty without making mistakes is more important than me stepping forward to use Magic… That’s how it is.”

“I wasn’t in a position to utilize Magic for anything either.”

“Exactly. When I expressed envy, she told me we were in the same boat.”

She laughed together with Princess Stephania. Both seemed quite skilled in Magic, and perhaps that was why they connected and yearned for adventure.

As we chatted in the guesthouse’s VIP room, King Melvin arrived, accompanied by Knight Order Commander Mildred. The Blazing Fortress was another topic I needed to discuss. With Mildred present, we could likely set plans for it within the day.

“Ah, you’ve returned.”

“Yes.”

After exchanging greetings with the two, I sat on the sofa by the window facing King Melvin. He smiled and looked outside. Following his gaze, I saw Corulis sitting quietly in a corner of the training ground’s square.

“So, how was it? From your perspective.”

“From my observations, there don’t seem to be any major issues. It might be partly because it’s a Familiar, but Corulis is intelligent enough, and the Guild staff are cooperating. If we assist it in the early stages, it should be able to navigate the labyrinth.”

“I believe there are no concerns regarding combat and exploration in the old mines either.”

Princess Adriana supplemented my words.

“Oh?”

“Theodore speculated that it might distinguish Magical Power by scent. At the stage of leaving the labyrinth, it was able to head straight for the stone monument, so it likely won’t get lost due to structural changes either.”

When Princess Stephania shared her assessment, King Melvin nodded.

“In that case, the only thing to worry about would be unexpected disputes.”

“Perhaps.”

Even if Corulis itself isn’t a problem, there’s still that possibility. Though the authority of the Verdgar royal family exists, we can’t guarantee that sudden encounters with those unaware of the circumstances won’t lead to trouble.

“…How about incorporating Corulis’s labyrinth navigation into training?”

“Training?”

“Yes. Previously, there was a report that those who explored the Sealed Door showed remarkable growth. I was considering implementing labyrinth training for soldiers and knights… If Corulis is a sufficient combat force in the old mines, it could be perfect for gaining initial labyrinth exploration experience. Assign one trusted individual plus four rookies to train in the old mines alongside Corulis.”

“I see. That’s an excellent idea.”

Indeed, with Corulis present, regrouping would be easy even if they got separated in the labyrinth. Since it’s excessive combat power for the old mines, if the soldiers find themselves at a disadvantage against Monsters, Corulis could resolve the battle with its brute strength.

It’s not just about acclimating to the labyrinth—it would also be effective in deepening the knights’ and soldiers’ understanding of Monsters. Of course, it would also serve as a preventive measure against sudden disputes.

“Then let’s proceed with that plan. Theodore, I’d like to ask you to continue accompanying them in the labyrinth for a while longer.”

“Yes. You can leave that to me.”

“As for Corulis’s sleeping quarters, we’ve decided to construct them in a corner of the training grounds. Well, we plan to keep it minimal since we’d be troubled if it expanded its burrow too much.”

King Melvin gave a wry smile.

“It might be good to have an awning over the entrance. I believe it’s not fond of sunlight.”

“Then I’ll have it arranged along with the materials for the greenhouse.”

The greenhouse. That must be about the Barony of Silun and the Noble Leaf Farming Method.

“Should we discuss the greenhouse as well? The required amount of materials shouldn’t cost too much to prepare.”

“Thank you.”

“As for me, I have high expectations for Noble Leaf.”

Saying this, King Melvin laughed.

The Noble Leaf Farming Method, huh. If this goes well, it could be a two-birds-one-stone policy for King Melvin too.

“Thank you. I’ll do my best to make it work. One more point—regarding the Blazing Fortress and Dame Mildred.”

Let’s also set various plans for the Blazing Fortress here. The fact that Mildred was brought along likely means he intends to discuss that too.

“The Blazing Fortress, huh. Mildred insists on using her personal vacation time for this private matter.”

King Melvin gave a small, wry smile. Upon hearing this, Mildred quietly bowed her head.

“No matter how one tries to justify it, it remains a personal affair, I believe.”

I see… How dutiful of her.

“Lazaro’s Greatsword has been repaired, so we can head to the Blazing Fortress anytime. The Magic Tools for heat countermeasures are also prepared.”

“Then, how about three days from now?”

“That works for me.”

“Understood.”

Three days from now, huh. I’ll prepare to head to the Blazing Fortress accordingly. It’ll likely involve not just the meeting between Lazaro and Mildred but also advancing the strategy of the Sealed Door.

“As for me, I’m curious about the master Lazaro served. The records indicate that the Verdgar king whom Lazaro served married a foreign Magic Engineer as his consort.”

“…A foreign Magic Engineer?”

“Yes. Since it directly concerns the royal family, those records remain as official documents. The Ring of Change was later created by that Magic Engineer queen. Since then, it has been a secret Magic Tool passed down through the Verdgar royal family. Among the Magicians who came to Termwills, that Magic Engineer might have been present as well.”

“Given the timeline, the possibility is high if we’re talking about a foreign Magic Engineer.”

Magic Engineers and Magicians are similar types of personnel. Alfred specializes as a Magic Engineer, but he naturally possesses magical knowledge too. Though he says he doesn’t pursue it much and isn’t skilled, he can use Magic. Mother was the same—she was both a Magician and crafted Magic Tools. Well, her main profession was being the Sealing Shrine Maiden, though.

At any rate, if the queen consort of that time was connected to the Seven Sages, it makes sense considering the high level of technology involved.

If that’s the case, then the Verdgar and Silvatoria royal families might share a common ancestor from the distant past. Though, since there have been several marital relations between the two countries, it doesn’t really change anything now.