Chapter 87 Chasing The Demon Fratricide
"Long time no see, Adel-san."
A few days after resolving Rick's case.
Me, Maia, and Teti were invited by Cress to visit the royal palace of Rune Gaia.
Inside the palace, we met Fran, who greeted us in her usual Fran-like manner.
"It's been a while since we last met. Weren't you at the Silver Apple Inn yesterday?"
"It's been a while at the palace. Although I'm happy to be assigned a room by the princess, Maia-san's cooking still suits my taste better. Oh, can I come over again tonight?"
While listening to Fran's talkative nature, I sighed and walked down the long corridor of the palace.
According to Cress, there is something to discuss with King Zeios today.
As we headed towards the room where Cress and King Zeios were waiting, I exchanged words with Fran.
"By the way, Fran. Thanks for helping identify the victims of the theft. Appreciate it. Thanks."
"Oh, it's nothing. But I'm glad it all worked out. Seems like it was resolved safely."
Regarding Rick's case, I asked Fran to find the victims of the theft.
Fortunately, they were quickly found, and now Rick is planning to meet them in person to apologize.
"So, what about the other request? Any progress on that?"
"Yeah, finally got them to wake up and interrogated them. Seems like none of them really know much about this Varias person."
"I see..."
I asked Fran about the (Apostles of Salvation) group.
Varias Landerk, who is said to have killed other demons, including Sicily's family members.
Their whereabouts and motives are unknown, but feeling a similar sense of unease as with Marc, I asked Fran to gather information about them.
According to Sicily, the mechanical beast we fought in the underground waterway, Guardian Chimera, seems to be Varias' invention, and there seems to be some connection to the Apostles of Salvation as well...
However, it seems like we haven't obtained any promising clues from that direction.
"By the way, why did the Apostles of Salvation kidnap the citizens of Rune Gaia?"
"According to Sicily, it seems that there are limited individuals who can handle the Magic Crystal. So, I think Varias was trying to gather individuals compatible with the Magic Crystal through the Apostles of Salvation."
"Hmm. In that case..."
"Yeah, it seems they are trying to gather 'soldiers'."
Although, Varias might be considering them as pawns.
Could it be that the leader of the thief group, Avengio, is targeting the royal family of Rune Gaia?
As I pondered this, Maia, who was walking beside me, muttered in a similar puzzled manner.
"But why would a demon like Varias target the royal family of Rune Gaia? It seems a bit different from demon revenge..."
"I think so too. I remember Marc saying something about the demon race's revival last time, but didn't Varias kill his own kind? Would he really act for the sake of revenge for his own kind?"
"That's the tricky part..."
While agreeing with the questions raised by Maia and Teti, it seemed unlikely that we would find answers here and now.
I shook my head and decided to change the subject.
"By the way, have you heard anything about today's incident, Fran?"
"Oh, about that... The princess and the king said they had something to ask Adel-san."
"What do they want?"
"Yes. Even though Fran hasn't heard the details, it's probably better if we team up."
It seems like Cress and King Zeios have a request. If it's a request from the royal family of Rune Gaia, it must be something out of the ordinary...
As we walked, lost in thought, we arrived at the room where Cress and King Zeios were waiting.
We knocked and entered.
"Ah, Adel-dono, and the others, thank you for coming."
"It's been a while, King Zeios. I'm glad to see you well."
"Haha, thanks to you, Adel."
As we entered the room, King Zeios greeted us warmly with a smile.
Cress was by the window, and her servant Halim stood nearby.
It seems like people who know about the recent events in Rune Gaia have gathered here.
Cress walked up to me and bowed for some reason.
"Adel-san, everyone. I apologize for the trouble caused by the recent incident with the thieves."
"Trouble? Oh..."
Come to think of it, Avengio, who I executed the other day, was a former soldier of the kingdom. Cress must be apologizing for the misconduct of someone they had expelled.
"It's not really a bother. Besides, Cress shouldn't worry about it."
"Well... still, it is a fact that we caused you trouble, Adel-san. Thanks to you, we were able to resolve the situation before it escalated."
I don't think Cress is at fault in any way...
It's just like her to want to take responsibility as her own.
I think to myself, she really is a responsible princess.
From what Cress shared, it seems that King Zeios also showed respect. He mentioned giving a reward, but I declined, asking for it to be given to the residents of the slums instead.
And after a brief exchange of words...
"Now then, Adel-dono,"
King Zeios addressed me with a formal tone. Most likely, it was about the matter he summoned us for today.
"There's something I want to ask of you today, Adel-dono, which is why I called you here."
"Yes, I've heard a brief explanation from Fran. I hope it's something within my capabilities."
"No, this is something only you can handle, Adel-dono."
"...?"
King Zeios instructed Halim to spread out a large parchment on the table. It was a map detailing the entire Rune Gaia.
Upon closer inspection, a red mark was placed on one of the locations on the map.
Teti, who was beside me, strained to read the place name aloud.
"Amonas...?"
"The Amonas Falls. It's a waterfall in Rune Gaia known for its abundant water flow."
Cress explained this to us.
She continued tracing her finger over the places marked with red symbols.
"The waterways in the town of Rune Gaia are connected to these Amonas Falls if you follow them back to their source. This place used to be known for its natural beauty, but in recent years, due to the increased activity of magic beasts, it has been designated as a restricted area."
"I see. So this is where the water in Rune Gaia originates from. What is this place?"
"Actually, it's a location I saw through my 'Astrologer' job."
"I see, I understand."
Cress has a very unique job. I remember it was supposed to be one that could see the future in an abstract way...
It felt a bit exaggerated to go investigate just because she saw a location.
"Actually, what I saw was not just the Amonas Falls... There, I saw the figure of a white-haired man in a robe."
"A white-haired man in a robe? No way..."
Cress nodded knowingly at me.
The recent incident - when I executed Avengio - had already been shared with Cress.
Of course, that included information about the demon, Varias Landerk, who killed his kin.
"Based on what I saw with my Astrologer, there might be some clues at Amonas Falls regarding the demon named Varias mentioned in Adel-san's report."
"However, Amonas Falls is currently a place where magic beasts are active. The kingdom's soldiers may not be strong enough. That's why I thought it would be best to ask Adel-dono and the others with strength for help."
Following Cress, King Zeios explained.
"Even if we know the place name, (Amonas fall) is a considerably vast waterside area. Without Cress, who claims to have actually seen the scenery, guiding you, you wouldn't be able to navigate it. Personally, if she accompanies Adel-dono, there is nothing more reassuring."
With that, King Zeios reveals his white teeth.
It's truly a blessing to be trusted so much by a king of a country.
Varias had given the (Magic Crystal) to Avengio, who holds a grudge against the royal family, and had lent ancient relics to the (Apostles of Salvation) who were abducting the citizens of Rune Gaia. There is a possibility that Varias was pulling the strings behind the scenes.
The royal family cannot afford to overlook this.
"I know this is a sudden request and may seem unreasonable. Therefore, I leave it to Adel-dono to decide whether to take on this task."
"No, I also believe we should nip this unreasonableness in the bud as soon as possible."
"Very well then."
"Sure. I'll take on this request."
In response to King Zeios' words, Maia, Teti, and I confirmed the details of this request.
As there might be a chance of encountering Varias, the members accompanying us were decided to be me, Maia, Teti who can engage in combat, and Cress who volunteered to be our guide, making it a group of four.
"Now, whether we face demons or snakes... Either way, we need to be prepared for anything that might happen."
With that determination in mind, I decided to set off towards the Amonas Falls.
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