Chapter 782 – Absence Case Log -6-

000

Thanks to the light from the magic lamp attached to the front of the Unicorn car, it took two hours to run from Asteris to the excavation site without any problems even in the dark of night.

As Illenu got closer to the excavation site, he felt a wave of magical energy throbbing in his chest, and he was accompanying Attis to the place where the ruins of the Holy Kingdom were located.

This time, only Schrödinger is accompanying her.

The reason we went with so many people was because we could provoke them.

Finally, when the unicorn stops at the designated location, the three people – Artis, Illenu, and Schrödinger – get out of the car.

“Is this an excavation site?”

“No, you have to walk a little further. I deliberately asked them to stop a little further away. If they try to trap us too, the unicorn is the only means of transportation.”

If Unicorn is not restrained, it can return to Asteris by jumping out or sneaking out.

That was Attis’ intention.

Ilenu looks around her wilderness while listening to Attis’ words.

Although it was a wilderness that seemed completely empty to her, the strange presence beneath her feet was in line with the magic she felt as she got closer to this place, giving her an ominous premonition. Br〉

However, she thinks she can endure all that for Emma’s sake, and she urges Artis to go forward.

“Let’s go. Which side is the entrance?”

“I heard that the humans of Kabalon are monitoring entry and exit, so if you get close to the excavation site, there will be some reaction from there.”

As Artis said that, he led Illenu and Schrödinger and guided them towards the place where the camp that had been set up when Cleon first visited the excavation site was located.

After walking like that for about 10 minutes, they can see their cozy base camp from afar.

Even at night, the surrounding area was brightly illuminated using magic lights, so I could tell that someone was still working.

＂There is someone.＂

As Schrödinger’s pupils became sharper, and she could see the outline of a person even from a distance, she muttered that.

＂What are you wearing?＂

When Artis asked Schrödinger a question, Schrödinger narrowed his eyes even more and answered.

＂What kind of outfit? Just… Normal clothes. At least they don’t seem to be the ones wearing the armor of the Holy Kingdom that we saw.”

“Hmm… Well, then I have no choice but to go closer and check.”

Schrödinger made a puzzled expression as if he didn’t know what Artis’ answer meant, but Ilenu seemed to understand a little bit what Artis was suspecting.

He quickly put on a hooded robe that usually covers his visible hair and eyes, and pulled up his mask to hide his identity as much as possible.

Finally, when Artis arrived at the place where the people Schrödinger had talked about were, there were people wearing clothes that made it easy to move around, just like Schrödinger had said, talking with shovels in their hands.

Then, when they noticed their approach, they looked back while smiling, and it felt a little creepy somehow.

“Sorry, everyone. This place is currently closed to the public as excavation of ruins is in progress.”

Ilenu frowned as she looked at the two people talking in a somewhat friendly manner, but Artis responded by smiling at them without losing his composure.

“… Oh. I also knew that relics were being dug up here. I just came here because there was an acquaintance I wanted to meet… Professor Artis.”

At Artis’s shameless answer, the two people guarding the excavation site looked at each other for a moment.

“Sorry. Professor Artis is currently in Asteris to participate in the Five Elements Festival. If he wanted to meet the professor, it would have been better for him to go to Asteris.”

Although Artis was thinking to himself, “Is that all known?”, He smiled and answered that he knew and asked one more question.

“So, are you his students who are excavating the ruins under Professor Artis?”

The two people nod their heads and say yes.

“I heard that Professor Artis loves excavating ruins more than anything in the world, and that he treats his students terribly. I’m sure you are happy students who have someone like that as your advisor.”

＂…＂

When Schrödinger looked at Artis from the side with salty eyes, the two people guarding the excavation site responded while maintaining smiles.

“Of course. We respect Professor Artis and are proud of the fact that we were able to excavate various ruins under him.”

Looking at them, not even knowing who they were talking to, Illenu looked dumbfounded, but Artis spoke with a different, cynical expression than before, as if he could give a spoiler.

“Really? That answer. This is an answer I would never have given if it were my kids. Don’t you even know the face of the professor in charge?”

＂…＂

The two people’s eyes widened for a moment as if they were startled by Artis’ words, but then the smiles disappeared from their faces as if they understood the meaning of those words.

“So you were Professor Artis?”

“Okay. I am Artis. I did a good job of imprisoning my cute students here. If I hadn’t been interested in those guys, I wouldn’t have known about it until the Five Elements Festival was over, right?”

When Artis speaks in a grumpy manner with his hands in his pockets, they look at each other for a moment.

If something plots and tries to restrain them, Illenu also tries to move her hand closer to the sword hanging on her waist in order to respond immediately.

“I was rude, Professor. Due to various circumstances, we were in a situation where we asked the professor’s students to stay here for a while. We have no intention of confrontation with the professor.”

Unlike what I expected, he smiled similar to before and did not show a hostile attitude.

Looking at that, Schrödinger let out a sigh of relief, and Illenu realized that she could not let go of her tension yet.

Attis took a cigarette from his chest pocket, put it in his mouth, and lit it.

＂Respect me…? Haha. It’s a bit touching to hear such a story from someone from a thousand years ago. But I haven’t done anything to deserve your respect?”

“Thanks to the professor leading the excavation here, we were able to come out from underground. For us, he is like a benefactor. Now, I need to inform my students and Her Majesty the Queen that the professor has returned, so please come this way.”

Artis looks back at Illenu in response to the two people’s polite attitude as if they will guide them.

The look in her eyes was as if asking, ‘What are you going to do?’, But since Illenu thought that if she didn’t know their purpose anyway, Emma wouldn’t know where she went either, so she answered by nodding.

“Good. Guide me. But keep in mind. If I don’t return from here today, the government of Asteris and our sponsor, the Chamber of Commerce, are planning to dispatch an investigation team.”

＂… We can’t answer that question. There is no need to cause conflict. “If only the professor keeps one promise.”

“Do you mean not to reveal the situation here?”

In response to Artis’ question, they closed their mouths for a moment and then turned to Artis with their smiles still on their faces and answered.

“I hope you hear from Her Majesty the Queen directly.”

001

The place the two people were guided to was a huge tunnel that was built to allow vertical movement of several tens of meters from the ground to the underground, just a little bit inside the excavation site.

The only way to go up and down was a ladder that was firmly fixed to the wall, so if you lost your footing, you would free fall the entire distance.

A physical person like Schrödinger, who moves his body on a regular basis, would have been able to climb up and down without any problems even if he was a little nervous, but Artis, who had never expected that there would be unexpected obstacles in a place like this, somehow managed to get down the ladder safely. Because my stamina was low, I had no choice but to pant.

＂When I go out, let Illenu carry me…＂

＂Haa…＂

Ilenu sighed and shook her head at Attis’s words, but the sight that caught her eyes was enough to capture their attention.

An ancient castle that seemed like there would be nothing strange about it even though it was on the ground, was placed in a large pupil.

Although it looks old-fashioned, the fact that it is underground and not covered in dust shows that it is a building with some kind of magical effect.

Both Ilenu and Attis had visited the royal capital before and had seen the royal castle there, so they knew how huge the castle the king lived in was.

The thing before my eyes was a castle one size larger than the royal castle of El Querdo.

“Her Majesty the Queen sits on the royal throne.”

＂So this time we have to climb up there…?＂

Artis spoke with a slightly grumpy expression and looked around after realizing that there were many eyes watching them.

Then, there were several people wearing full armor standing there, looking quietly at us, as if they were watching the surroundings of the castle.

“… It’s an attitude of not letting anyone escape.”

Schrödinger shrugged his shoulders and spoke in disgust, but Artis shrugged his shoulders.

＂If the queen gives permission, those guys will have no choice, right?＂

＂…＂

It would be nice if things could be resolved so easily, but while thinking the same thing and being careful not to raise his voice as much as possible, he followed those who guided them and entered the royal castle.

The inside of the royal castle, like the outside, was designed in a fairly old style, but the inside seemed to have been cleaned here and there, as if it had been full of people just a short while ago.

Portraits on the walls and antiques that seem expensive.

All of these would have been relics of considerable historical value if there had been no living person, that is, no owner.

While thinking this regretfully, Artis lightly licked his lips.

And, round and round.

After being guided through a long maze-like passage, the group arrived in front of a room with a door more ornate than any other door they had seen while entering the castle.

Then, the people guiding the group would turn to the group and talk to them before letting them into the room.

“If you have any items that can be used as weapons, please leave them here with us for a while.”

＂… Well, I guess so.＂

Artis handed over a small dagger that he carried for self-defense, and Schrödinger shook his head, saying he did not have such a thing.

Illenu had a rapier-shaped holy sword hanging from her waist, and also several daggers for throwing. A pile of needles that can be used to apply poison, and holy water that you carry around as a habit.

A considerable amount of weapons is shown, including the memorized weapons hidden under the coat, but I will talk about them before handing over the rapier.

“… This is a holy sword.”

＂It seems so.＂

“The Holy Sword always comes back to me when I call.”

＂… I know.＂

In other words, Illenu says that there is no point in keeping the weapon in charge, but the two people reply that they have no choice but to keep the weapon in charge, at least as a formality.

Probably, these people are also knights.

I couldn’t help but feel that way when I looked at the gait I saw on the way here and the habits that were ingrained in my body.

When a snowball fight like a war of nerves breaks out between Illenu and the knights.

With a thump, Illenu released the rapier from his hand and left his holy sword to them for a moment.

And— finally, the huge, ornate door to the room where the queen’s throne is located opens.

When the party goes inside with the knights, frowning for a moment at the dazzling light coming from inside.

At the end of the long red carpet, a richly decorated golden throne.

Leaning back on that golden throne, a pale-faced, white-haired girl with a somewhat sleepy face was staring in this direction.

Her eyes were red, her small physique, and her gaunt appearance, with almost no flesh attached, seemed to be enough to arouse her protectiveness towards her.

She had a somewhat decadent, yet sickly appearance, and as she looked at her companions who had opened her door, she straightened up the ornate scepter she was holding in her hand and sat down.

“Her Majesty the Queen. We have brought Professor Artis, the leader of the excavation team, and his group.”

“… Okay. There must have been no rudeness while coming here.”

In response to the queen’s somewhat listless question, the knight answered, ‘Of course.’ And stepped behind her.

And the queen turned her head toward the knight’s companions and opened her mouth once again.

“Welcome to the palace of Kabalon, Professor. Without your help, we would have remained trapped in this dark underground. “I want to repay you accordingly.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty. I just came here to pick up my students. I don’t know what secrets Her Majesty the Queen and her knights have. For that reason, I cannot redeem my disciples.”

When Attis answered like that, the queen frowned slightly.

＂… Is this the point before even introducing yourself? It seems that the law of dealing with royalty has not been taught on earth today.”

＂Because I hate formal things like that.＂

Cheolkeong.

When the knight, who seemed agitated by Attis’ words, tried to say something, the queen stopped him with just her eyes.

“… Then let’s keep it short. Jim’s name is Arteas Cavalonia. She is the final queen of the Holy Kingdom of Kabalon and the queen who will become the founder of the new Holy Kingdom of Kabalon.”

With those confident eyes, she had no doubt that their country would be revived.