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Wirde, the provisional capital city of Cres Freedom United Nation.

It originally used to be a water transportation town with a population of around 2 000 situated near the river mouth of the great river Wirde, but with the establishment of the Cres Freedom United Nation, its status was thus raised to act as the provisional capital city. In no time, and with the help of Imperial Crimson who provided them with the necessary materials while Amitia Republic provided the human resources. The parliament and main institutions like all guilds were quickly constructed, though imperfect as it may be, somehow succeeded in turning an ordinary town into something that could be called the ‘Capital City’.

At the distant western port of the capital city, a big magic ship sent by the Amitia Republic was carrying commodities like grains.

While giving a sidelong glance at the disembarking passengers, crew members, and merchants, the adventurer Chloe of the Rabbitkin tribe slightly quickened up her pace so as not to miss her appointment.

“Are you all right, Master? Your legs are wobbling so much…”
“Don’t mind, it’s just the ground seems to be shaking up even if I don’t move. Also, stop calling me Master.”
“What, but Master is Master though…… ”

Chloe quickly overtook the mid-teens couple also disembarking from the ship in front of her and made her way to her goal, the Adventurer Guild Headquarters of Wirde.

◆◇◆◇

Chloe, as she passed through the entrance of Adventurer Guild Headquarters, the most sturdiest and conspicuous three-story redbrick building in Wirde. She was quickly able to find the person she had come looking for.

It wouldn’t be wrong to say, it was the other party who found her as everyone’s gaze present in the guild was focusing on that person, which of course made that person inevitably stand out. In fact, that person would still garner everyone’s attention should they just be passing by. Such was the beauty and elegance that person’s radiating even with just the simple act of sitting.

“Oh, if it isn’t Chloe, sorry to call you out so far.”

Chloe approached the young girl 一Otherwise known as Hiyuki, the Sovereign of the Imperial Crimson一 who was waving her hands at her with a lighthearted tone and smile while taking a big sigh mentally. She was just about to kneel and give her greetings but…

“Ah, cut that sort of formality. Just take a seat wherever you like. It would just garner unwarranted attention.”

…She was stopped by Hiyuki saying an absolutely ridiculous line, so she just bowed and sat down on the sofa across from her.

An absurdly beautiful blonde-haired young man wearing a tuxedo suit and a maid of inhuman beauty with platinum blonde hair were standing behind Hiyuki.

Wearing a gorgeous dress mix of black and rose, The black-haired hostess sat sandwiched between the two like it was an incarnation of the night adorned by the roses accompanied by the gloriously shining Sun and the coldly illuminating Moon.

Chloe uncharacteristically thought of such things. Even though she was close to 2 meters tall and had a well trained body, exuding a presence that is similar to them.

“Sorry to jump the gun but have you investigated what I have told you to?”

Chloe shook her head at Hiyuki’s words.

“The aforementioned merchant’s trail ya be lookin’ fer had disappeared suddenly after his entry to da Cent’luna territory. ’Twould be a different matter before but with the Beastkin adventurers forbidden entry, ’Tis pretty much impossible for me ta search any further.”

Tengai’s brows twitched when he heard Chloe’s crude tone against his Princess but as Chloe had already warned him —”Just so ya know, I be da kind o’ woman nary an ounce o’ formality. I might rub yer princess da wrong way, but if ya be okaish with dat, I can accept ya request.”— when he first proposed the request and that Hiyuki herself had already expressed her consent, he somehow reigned on the urges to complain.

In contrast to him, Hiyuki was looking at Chloe, who was making a bitter expression, with an impressed face.

“You’re amazing to be able to trace the trail of someone like Kagerou so far.”

Afterwards, she folded her arms and sank into her thoughts.

“But the Cent’luna huh, after that is either the Empire or the Holy kingdom. It’s hard to tell which route he might have taken.”

Although, it’s Kagerou we’re talking about here, the probability of him backtracking was pretty high….. She quipped mentally.

“I guess we should look around Cent’luna, dawdling on this point would just pointlessly increase our suspicion of other places which will lead us to nowhere. 一Thank you Ms. Chloe, you were a great help.”

“Ya be making me embarrassed by sayin’ ‘thank you’ or callin’ me ‘Miss’, Princess.”

True to her words, Chloe showed a smile looking bashful.

“That much is normal for those who warrant such respect though.”

Chloe’s smile deepened, mentally quipping, ‘No other bigshot beside ya would say that tough,’ as she looked at Hiyuki cocking her head in puzzlement.

“Speaking of it, Ms. Chloe had gone up to the border of Cent’luna, didn’t you? How was the situation there?”

“Ahh,” Chloe’s smile switched into a frown, apparently remembering their situation. “Truth be told, it be anything but peaceful,” she said.

“Oh my… that place was so awful?”

“It’s true that robbery, assault, and arson are da marks often left behind by war, but dat place was messed up thoroughly. ‘Twould take them around 3~4 years before they can function again as a nation.”

Chloe suddenly turned her palm up and shrugged her shoulders in an exaggerated gesture.

“Hmm, I expected they would be able to reign in the situation better than others, being the world’s greatest nation and all, but in the end, what they have done is the same as robbery.”

Hiyuki sighed in disappointment.

“Well, from da perspective of the Empire, they absolutely resented Cent’luna. Not to say, ‘twas not even an expedition led by the Emperor himself, so they must be feigning ignorance to whatever outburst’s happenin’ at the end of the line.”

“Hmm? Their Emperor didn’t directly partake in the war? It’s normal for me to stand at the forefront of the battle.”

“That be the same for us, the beast tribe. Fer real, cowardice surely runs deep down in the humans, not even havin’ da balls to stand at the forefront, so incomprehensible. ‘specially their current Emperor, far from the battle, he didn’t even appear in official situations for like da reward ceremony ‘n so on, just goes show how much of a wimp he be, aye…”

“Hmm, I see,” Hiyuki nodded in agreement at Chloe’s words, oozing with absolute contempt. “Maybe that’s why…… ”

“Something da matter?”

“Well, in fact, a letter had arrived to us just the other day from the Graviol Empire.”

Chloe’s eyes widened faintly.

They had merely been talking about some trifling matter but she didn’t expect such sort of conversation to come out in a place anyone could overhear them. She quickly looked around out of reflex, feeling restless that was so out of her character, but fortunately, none was in the nearby vicinity to eavesdrop on their conversation even though there were more than just a few people that were glancing at them.

一Suddenly, she saw the couple she had overtaken in a rush while on her way here entering the guild from the corner of her eyes, but she judged it was alright seeing as they weren’t suspicious-looking, and once again fixed her gaze on Hiyuki.

“Well, the contents were as expected, they were asking about the negotiation to settle down the border of the former Cres Cent’luna Federation.”

“I see,” certainly, there couldn’t be any other reason but this if the letter was dispatched at this time.

“It seems their prime minister is going to be the representative, so we nominated a representative from the Cres Freedom United Nation side.”

“Ah, ya mean that bo一… Oops, I mean our young leader?”

Chloe’s lips curved into a smile recalling Revan who was once her opponent.

“Well, ain’t that be the expected development?”

“You think so? I replied back with, ‘If possible, I would like to have a one-on-one discussion with the fellow ruler,’ but they politely declined my offer. I had been wondering if there’s another reason behind it or that they think it’s too early but now I’m hearing that their Emperor is simply a shut-in.”

“Good grief,” and Hiyuki shook her head.

“’Twas the same either way, Emperor’s nothing more than an empty title now, da real power is in the hands of the prime minister. If ya wanna discuss a serious topic, da Prime minister is indeed a much more suitable person than de cowardly Emperor.”

“Hmm, I guess I will negotiate with Revan and secretly switch our place.”

Tengai could no longer stay idle seeing where the conversation was heading and offered his candid advice.

“That would be too rash, Princess. Your opponent is a mere prime minister. You would be taken lightly and looked down upon if you personally went there, even if it’s an unofficial negotiation.”

Chloe shared the same thoughts as Tengai.

“He’s right. The dignity of each nation is on da line here, so we hafta put a strong front.”

“Politics are so annoying… Then how about I secretly disguise as a maidservant and observe the other party from behind Revan?”

Hiyuki puffed out her chest pridefully as if saying “isn’t that a smart idea?” but Chloe mercilessly dismissed her without a moment’s delay.

“…No, impossible. I be blunt since it seems like yer completely oblivious to ya charm, no matter what form ya disguise in, ya would still be like a jewel shining amidst the grains of sand.”

“She’s right,” nodded Tengai and Makoto.

“Really?” Only the person in question seemed unconvinced, saying, “But I didn’t stand out when I visited the city secretly last time though.”

“Secretly? Ya sure are gutsy. That’s quite a ridiculous feat of ya to do.”

Once again, Tengai and Mikoto firmly nodded at Chloe’s words, who expressed her impression in a tone more out of exasperation than admiration.

“Well no, rather than alone, I was with an adventurer I was acquainted with. You see over there, he looked pretty much like that per一…… huh?”

The direction Hiyuki pointed out was at the other half of the couple 一An average looking boy who seemed to be in his mid-teens一 who entered the guild just a while ago and had just raised his face after sorting out his business at the counter when their gaze coincidentally locked into each other.

No sooner had the boy’s eyes registered the appearance of Hiyuki, his face turned as if he had seen a ghost for a moment but after confirming that he wasn’t seeing an illusion or anything else, his eyes and mouth opened wide as he exclaimed in shock.

“”Why the hell are you here?””

Hiyuki’s and the boy’s voices echoed inside the guild at the same time.