Chapter 45 – Father and Daughter, and a Guest

An exploration party to investigate the whereabouts of the Imperial Adepts who had suddenly lost contact.

At Neferti’s offer to volunteer, the Duke observed his daughter for a moment before speaking.

“I will not permit it.”

“I see.”

A response she had already anticipated. Expected, even.

Thus, Neferti didn’t falter, and immediately delivered her next statement.

“As you know, I am a student of the Cradle, the student council president, and a member of the Dispatch Squad.”

“…Indeed.”

“Therefore, I can act at my own discretion in emergency situations. Of course, I’ll bear the responsibility for it, but if the situation becomes critical, I can intervene. Father. Or rather, Duke Chester, sir.”

There were no falsehoods. She wasn’t one to lie about such things in the first place.

Duke Chester, well aware of this, couldn’t restrain his daughter.

If it were simply a request from a daughter to her father, he could have refused.

But this was a petition to the Duke from a Cradle student and a member of the Dispatch Squad.

Not an unreasonable demand, and even possessing a degree of justification.

“Very well. It’s not heading towards a Gate, nor will there be any engagements with monsters. If it’s limited to exploration, there’s no reason I can deny your wish.”

“…”

The Duke’s permission. However, Neferti’s expression was far from pleased.

Those words. Not heading towards a Gate, and no monster engagements.

In reverse, that meant that if the possibility of either of those two situations arose, the exploration party would retreat immediately, without hesitation.

As Neferti stated, she was a student of the Cradle. A member of the Dispatch Squad.

But that was all. She wasn’t an Imperial Adept with the duty to subdue Gates and monsters.

So, there would be no issue, even if he declared that he would absolutely not involve her in anything beyond the necessary.

“Why no response? Speak now if you’ve changed your mind.”

“…No. Duke Chester, sir. I will join the exploration party.”

“Good. Then be on your way, Neferti.”

“I will return.”

He watched the empty space where his daughter had been after a short farewell.

The taste is bitter. I finished the wine a while ago, yet it feels as though I’m still tilting the glass.

“Your Grace.”

Turning my head, I see a servant of the house watching me cautiously.

Behind him stood Deus, who had left a short while ago to be shown to his room.

“You’ve come as well, have you?”

The Duke speaks, gesturing for his guest to enter further.

“Yes. Something…troubled the air, unlike before.”

“If you travel further south from the Duchy, you’ll find yourself outside Silstone’s sphere of influence. It seems a Gate has manifested there, and the imperial Espers who were sent have lost contact.”

“An unfortunate situation.”

“Let us hope it does not worsen. I would wish it was but a mere communication failure.”

The Duke pauses in the conversation, drumming his fingers on the table before letting out a sigh.

His gesture was heavy with a sense of frustration.

“I believe I saw the Chairman leaving his office just now.”

“You saw correctly. The Order of Espers requested assistance from our Duchy, and we’ve agreed to form a search party. Hearing this, he came directly to me, demanding a place on that team.”

“Did you permit it?”

At Deus’s question, the Duke chuckled, a hollow sound.

Then, he broached the subject, “What else could I possibly do?”

“It is, after all, a search party, so I could hardly refuse outright. And the youngest, no doubt knowing this, would seize upon it – ‘a student from the Cradle’ or some such nonsense – to force his way in.”

“….”

“The reason, most likely, is a silent protest to his father, a way of telling me to finally give up.”

No one can truly win against their own child. The words of the ancients never fail.

Grasping his forehead and sighing softly, the Duke looked up just as Deus caught his eye.

“…You. What are you doing?”

“Did you not ask me to assist the Chairman earlier?”

“I may have said that… Wait. Didn’t you share quite a few drinks with me until only recently?”

—Thump.

Deus neatly folds the coat he’d casually shrugged off and shakes his head.

The muscles, as though threatening to rend space itself, ripple in unison.

“Such a thing can be restored with mana.”

For a moment, the Duke nearly blurted, ‘Recovering from inebriation with mana? How?’

That he managed to restrain himself was purely thanks to his instincts and training as a martial artist.

Perhaps it was best to remain silent in the face of this towering monstrosity.

“I will join the search party as well, Your Grace.”

*

The most experienced knights and soldiers of the Duchy were assembled.

Following the Order’s request, they would enter the search party and find the Espers who had lost contact.

“Hm?”

Spotting a new arrival, they visibly faltered.

“Lady Duchess?”

“It’s been a while, everyone. How have you all been?”

“We are always the same, but… what brings you here so suddenly?”

“I’ve been assigned to the exploration team. Ah, don’t worry. I got Father’s permission.”

The knights, about to dissuade Nefertiti, fell silent in unison.

If their liege, Duke Chester, had made the decision, there was no arguing with it.

“You might have to move without proper sleep. Are you sure you’ll be alright?”

“I spent time waiting in the Cradle without proper sleep not too long ago either.”

Nefertiti flashed a mischievous smile, telling them not to worry.

The knights nodded and were about to resume their preparations when…

“Excuse me. Is this where the exploration team is gathering?”

A massive monster emerged from the darkness, speaking human words.

“Gah!”

“Senior?”

Correction. The giant youth, Deus, was the one.

The knights were still horrified, however.

“What brings you here so suddenly?”

“I’ve also been assigned to the exploration team. I asked His Grace the Duke for a favor.”

“Why you, Senior… no, rather.”

Nefertiti sniffed the air, wearing a look of disbelief.

“Senior. Have you been drinking?”

“Indeed. I shared a few drinks with His Grace the Duke a little earlier.”

“Then you shouldn’t be here! You should be resting!”

“I can recover from this with my vital energy.”

“That’s utter nonsense!”

No matter how strong a knight. How skilled a mage. Even those with special abilities.

In the face of the deadly poison that is alcohol, they all succumb and stagger.

But suddenly, recovering with vital energy? That’s just absurd…

“It’s not. Not for me.”

“…”.

It was Deus, of all people. The man who killed a demon with his bare hands, saying such a thing.

The knights might not believe it. The soldiers might not believe it. But Nefertiti had no choice but to.

“Well… ahem. This, this is good, actually. I understand the exploration team will be split into two, so perhaps you and Senior can each take charge of one. It’s good to have someone who can manipulate abilities on each team, you see.”

“Agreed.”

After some brief discussion, they turned toward the knights and soldiers.

“I’ve joined rather abruptly. My apologies. Although I am a freshman, I am still a student of the Cradle and will be of some help. I ask for your kind cooperation.”

*Although I am a freshman?* *Senior killed a demon with his bare hands, you know.*

*A student of the Cradle?* *More like a hero of the Cradle, wouldn’t you say?*

“P-please, take care of us.”

Nefertiti didn’t need to make her family’s knights and soldiers aware of the truth.

Because they were already bowing deeply and scraping before her.

*That’s… right. Yes. Right.*

The Duke’s knight, or soldier, such things would have vanished from their minds long ago.

How could anyone maintain composure, faced with such a hulking man approaching to offer greetings?

“Then we shall depart at once.”

The search party, leaving the territory, advanced at a pace neither too swift nor too sluggish.

For should the horses tire, a most awkward situation would surely arise.

Deus, incidentally, rode not upon a horse, but rather a transport wagon intended for the infirm.

Alas, no horse within the duchy could bear his immense weight unaided.

Nay. Perhaps scouring the entire empire would prove equally fruitless.

“Senior.”

Nepherti, skillfully managing her steed, edged her way toward the wagon.

“Why did you suddenly join the search party, Senior?”

“His Grace the Duke requested I assist the Chairman. As when we faced the demon in the cradle some time ago.”

“Father is worrying unnecessarily. He already made me promise that I will not over do myself.”

Unnecessary worry. Unnecessary worry, is it?

“Chairman, perhaps this is forward of me, but… regardless of what their child does – whether it is easy or difficult, dangerous or safe – do parents not simply worry?”

“….”

Nepherti sighed.

She knew. She knew it all. How could she not? Especially given that her own father had already lost a child.

Sometimes, she even considered simply doing as her father wished.

First parting with his wife, and then tearfully bidding farewell to his second son.

If he were to lose his youngest as well, he might truly be unable to bear it.

“Perhaps, not now, but someday, it might be worth contemplating such things more deeply.”

“…I understand. Thank you, Senior.”

*

The search party from the Duke’s territory split into two teams to proceed.

Of the four possible directions the Imperial ability-users might travel, two were taken by those from the Ability Division.

With only two routes remaining, splitting their force was inevitable.

“Good luck, Senior.”

“Be careful.”

Parting ways with Deus, Nepherti increased her pace alongside the rest of the search party.

Two or three hours passed thereafter, yet no noteworthy progress was made.

The hour grew late, furthermore, rendering visual observation exceedingly difficult.

“My Lady, I believe it would be best to resume our movements in the early dawn.”

“Indeed. There is a village nearby, I believe. Even failing that, we can find a place to set up camp….”

Abruptly, Nepherti halted her horse, intently scrutinizing the area ahead.

Initially questioning her actions, the knights, sensing something amiss, also turned their gaze forward.

“…! …!”

“…. ….”

The faint sounds of conversation reached their ears. Up to this point, it was normal.

The problem lay in the fact that this time of night was hardly suited for such peaceful exchanges.

A short while later. What came into Nefertiti’s sight was.

“Huh? What’s this.”

Two figures, a man and a woman, radiating an intensely ominous aura.