Reborn After A Death March

"Where's Princess Meetia...? Ah, there you are,"

Upon entering the curved cavern, we were faced with a scene of chaos. Below us, on a ledge, stood Princess Meetia and a group of plunderers. At a distance of approximately three hundred feet, we could see a fierce knight locked in battle with a towering man wielding a deadly battle axe. Meanwhile, on a lower plateau, the other young nobles and their guardians were engaged in a desperate fight against two formidable war mantises. To make matters worse, a woman plunderer led her band along the wall, joining the battle on the plateau.

"No stairs, huh?"

The remnants of a spiral staircase could be seen along the wall, suggesting that it had been there in the past. However, it had completely collapsed, and only fragments remained.

"Uh-oh, Miss Ravna's sword broke,"

Satou carried Arisa under his arm as she used Space Magic spells, Clairvoyance and Clairaudience, to observe the situation. He then gently placed her on the ground before producing some pebbles in his hand, preparing to join the battle. Although it would take the army some time to arrive, we had eliminated any adversaries we encountered, so they should catch up to us in no time.

As we observed the situation below us, my 'Keen Hearing' skill detected a conversation coming from the nearby cliff.

"Done already, are we?"

"Even if her sword breaks, a knight's heart never wavers,"

Ravna really was a gallant knight.

"More monsters are heading this way…" Satou muttered before speaking up. "Right, we need to stop this quickly. Kura, can you handle the guys facing Miss Ravna and Princess Meetia?"

"They won't be a problem,"

The large man with the axe looks tough, but even he should be too much for me to handle.

"Everyone else, go rescue the other kids," Satou ordered once I replied. "I teleport you down behind those rocks. Attack as soon as you are down there. Meanwhile, I will try to stop all the monsters charging towards us."

"Yes,"

Everyone nodded, and as Satou got ready to teleport them, I jumped from the cliff.

"...Please help…"

"Geh-heh-heh, you crying, Princess? Who's going to save you, huh?"

"Gahh!"

It wasn't planned, but I ended up landing on one of the plunderers who moved under me at the last minute. I used magic to stop them from dying, but it probably hurt a lot. As a result of the plunderer's agonised cry, everyone was now looking at me.

"Wear did you come from?!"

"Hero Kura…"

As the large plunder with the axe barks at me, Princess Meetia gasps at my unexpected arrival.

"Ready the Ultramarine Turtle Shield!"

The lowly plunderers bellowed at each other, hastily building a defensive shield wall. However, their feeble efforts posed no threat to me. Utilising the power of 'Magic Hand', I easily tore their shields from their hands and rendered the plunderers powerless with a barrage of 'Remote Stun' blasts, causing them to crumble to the ground.

"Knight Ravna," I use my 'Warp' skill to reach her side. "Please drink this and take a moment to recover."

Ravna put up a good fight but still had several wounds, so I handed her a potion before I turned to face the giant with an axe.

"You picked the wrong day to play hero, missy,"

In a swift move, I evaded the lunge of a remaining plunderer aiming for my neck. With determination, I activated my teleportation skill, 'Warp,' and materialised behind the bulky attacker. My sudden disappearance caught him off guard, giving me the perfect opportunity to strike. My knife sliced through his wrist tendon, rendering him defenceless. As he stumbled back in pain, I followed up with a powerful kick to his stomach, launching him straight into Plunderer King Ludaman.

"M… my hand!"

"Out of the way!"

Ludaman swore furiously and forcefully pushed the plunderer aside. But then the giant tripped and fell, impaling his forehead on the broken remains of Ravna's sword. Realising that the Plunderer King was prepared for any potential retaliation, the knight cautiously retreated towards me instead.

"Thank you for your assistance,"

"Don't worry about it,"

"Tch, ye must be crazy to jump into the middle of a battle like that,"

"It was the only option I had to save my friends,"

The effects of my 'Remote Stun' spell wore off quicker than it should have, and the plunderers whom I had rendered unconscious began to stir on the ground. I was then drawn to the sight of numerous others making their way towards the ledge, all within my peripheral vision.

"Hmph. Think yerself a hero, do ye, brat?"

"Yes, I do, but you don't have to be a hero to rescue your friends from a bad guy,"

I would do even thing in my power when it came to rescuing the people I knew. I refused ever to abandon someone in trouble right in front of me.

"Hero Kura, That man is strong. We'll have to work together if we hope to defeat him,"

"Ye really plan to fight with that broken sword?"

The Plunderer King's expression twisted into a sneer upon realising Knight Ravna's sword was shattered. With a flourish of my hand, I retrieved a Magic Sword from Storage. And not just any Magic Sword, but a Flame Sword crafted by Satou with the assistance of Arisa and Mia.

"Here, you can use this if you like,"

"Is this a Magic Sword...? What a remarkable blade. Victory will surely be ours with this,"

With a swift movement, Ravna conjured a blazing flame and infused it into the skill known as 'Spellblade'.

"Oh-ho? That'd fetch a pretty price, eh?" Ludaman licked his lips.

"With evenly matched weapons, I shan't fall to the likes of you,"

"We'll see about that, now, won't we?" Ludaman pulled out a handful of pills from his chest and swiftly consumed them. As he swallowed, a series of crimson magic symbols appeared on his skin, weaving together like a rope before quickly vanishing. "Aye, the power's coursin' through me. Right now, I'm the strongest man aliiiive!"

The Plunderer King, shrouded in the ominous aura of magic, let out a fierce cry before making a beeline towards us. With deft reflexes, Ravna swiftly parried the incoming strike of the battle-axe. The clash of their weapons unleashed a frenzy of red light and flames, creating an intense spectacle between the two combatants. The ground beneath the knight's feet trembled and began to crumble, resembling a dramatic scene from a manga. The cracks snaking through the ledge only heightened the sense of danger. It seemed like the entire cliff would collapse at any moment.

"You're wide open, kid,"

A nearly naked thief sneaked up on me from behind, wielding a sharp, curved sword. Without even looking, I heard a soft thud. I saw the female assailant propelled backwards as I delivered a forceful punch to her face. I felt something snap beneath my fist, but I made sure to restrain enough of my strength so as not to put her life in jeopardy.

"Hero Kura! Ravna needs help!"

Princess Meetia gestured behind me, directing my attention to her brave knight. As the tyrannical Plunderer King hurled her towards me, I quickly moved to catch her.

"I'll slice both of ye in two!" Gleaming with a red glow, the battle-axe was swung in our direction. "DIE!"

As King Ludaman's triumphant cry dissipated, a crimson mist erupted into the air, casting a scarlet glow upon the cliff. However, Ludaman could only gape in disbelief as his weapon met an unforeseen fate. My hand had intercepted the battle-axe's thrust. The force caused the weapon to bend and fracture while the knight's magic sword sliced through his side.

Without hesitation, Ludaman jumped backwards. I felt the urge to pursue him, but I couldn't leave the injured knight behind. I had to let the opportunity slip away as I gave Ravna a potion. Just as I was about to make a decision, our reinforcements arrived to aid us... or so I thought...

"It is I, Acting Viscount Sokell Bonam! Surren- der, villainous plunderers!"

It was unclear why Sokell was in command of the troops. I began to question whether my intel on his demonic potion production scheme, which I had shared with the guildmaster, had not yet been useful.

"They've got reinforcements already? Let's get outta here, men,"

"Yes, ma'am!"

With a screeching, monotonous proclamation akin to a terrible performer, the plunderer, armed with a dagger, guided her crew up the wall in an attempt to escape.

"Lord Sokell, war mantises!"

"Urgh! Kill them, quickly!"

"W… we can't!"

Instead of pursuing the fleeing invaders, Sokell incited hysteria by spreading fear about the battle between the nobles' guardians and the war mantises. Our girls were quickly taking care of them, so there was no need to panic.

I noticed the chubby third son of the viceroy running away with a girl. While Sokell was a threat, I refused to stand by and let innocent children and soldiers become prey for the creatures. Before anyone could react, a war mantis pounced on the viceroy's son.

"You two need to be careful where you run off to," I stand in front of the viceroy's son and the girl with Claidheamh Soluis in one hand, blocking the war mantis's strike and Gjallarhorn in the other, piecing the monsters head. "Running away isn't always a bad thing, but you need to make sure that you aren't putting yourselves or others in danger by doing so."

The viceroy's son and the girl could only nod as they held each other and trembled. But I made sure they made it safely back to the others before I rejoined the battle.

"Tch, guess it's time… retreat, boys,"

The Plunderer King Ludaman and his accomplices attempted to disorient me by throwing smoke bombs upon my return to confront him. However, their tactics were futile as I was well-prepared for such tricks. With a swift incantation of my spell 'Air Current,' I dispelled the smoke. I charged at the Plunderer King, swiftly overpowering and pinning him to the ground.

As he trashed and struggled, I restrained the Plunderer King with the help of the 'Magic Hand' spell, but that didn't seem like enough. I also used 'Mana Drain' and 'Remote Stun' to ensure he could escape.

"We're leaving, Ludaman,"

"Hang in there, Cap'n Ludaman,"

The Plunderer King's top two ranking officers wasted no time in betraying their leader and making a swift escape. Such cold-blooded actions were to be expected from a group of hardened criminals. Not one of the plunderers even looked like they considered helping.

"D… damn you, you stubborn scale girl!"

"A hairy fellow like yourself has no right to look down upon the orangescale tribe,"

The scythe-wielding plunderer who was fighting Liza couldn't seem to escape.

"Zoooom?"

"Don't swing that, sir!"

Once Tama and Pochi entered the battle, the advantage rapidly shifted in favour of the beastfolk girls.

"Graaaah!"

"Just stay still before you hurt yourself any more than you already have,"

As I watched, Plunderer King Ludaman fought against the restraints despite my best efforts to restrain him. His bones cracked under his escape attempts, and blood trickled from the wounds he inflicted, which seemed to appear all over his body.

"Aaaargh!"

"You'd go that far just to get away...?"

My disbelief turned to awe as the Plunderer King managed to break free and make a run for it. However, his attempt was short-lived as I quickly immobilised him with multiple 'Stun Shots' that seemed to defy the limits of human endurance. Not wanting to harm Princess Meetia and her knight, who were in the vicinity, I took extra precautions with my aim. In one swift move, I fired at all the plunderers who were trying to escape, even those who had already fled.

"Everyone, when you're done tying those guys up, get the unconscious ones in the passages there, too, please," As the ladies tended to the remainder of the tasks, I focused my attention on mending the injured knight's legs. I had given her a lesser healing potion, but it didn't do the trick. "This is worse than I thought."

The knight's kneecaps, along with her armour, had been shattered.

"What, this? Pour a little alcohol over it, and it'll be good as new,"

I highly doubt it. Undoubtedly, the knight was also aware of that.

"Stay still for a second,"

"Sorry to make more work for you,"

Utilising the Practical Magic spell 'See Through', I examined the fractured bones, carefully removing any remnants of armour pieces and fabric fibres that had become lodged inside with the assistance of 'Magic Hand'. To complete the task, I administered an intermediate healing potion at the end.

"Sir Pendragon, I truly appreciate your help and healing,"

"It's fine. Just take a moment to rest,"

Smiling at the knight, I checked in on the others, who were almost finished gathering the plunderers.

"Lady Hero, I thank thee, truly!"

"You did well, too, Princess Meetia,"

As Princess Meetia expressed her thanks, she warmly embraced me. While I awaited the arrival of the rest of our group, I gently stroked her head. Down below, the noble children and their guards were engaged in a battle against the remaining war mantis. However, it seemed that they were handling it well without my assistance. I noticed that Pearl and Nana had already gone to lend a hand, so I allowed them to handle it on their own.

Behind Liza lay the forms of the plunderers, tied up with sturdy rope. Tama and Pochi were striking a victory pose in front of them. Sara and Mia were already healing the injured, and Arisa and Lulu were heading my why. I couldn't see Satou anywhere, but he is probably fine doing whatever he is doing.

"Guards! Arrest Kura, the false hero!"

Not long after the fighting ended, Sokell's nonsensical ramblings could be heard from across the room, causing even the guards to appear bewildered by his erratic commands. The exhausted noble children paid no attention, too fatigued to even spare us a passing glance.

"Sir Sokell! What art thou on about all of a sudden?!"

To everyone's astonishment, the tough young Princess Meetia was the only one who openly directed her anger towards Sokell. I gestured to the rest to refrain from getting involved in their argument.

"Princess Meetia, Kura is the person behind this plunderer attack,"

"And what is thy proof?!"

"This man told us everything,"

Sokell gestured towards his men, and a figure emerged from behind them, throwing a lifeless body at our feet.

"Th… this man is the guide thou sent, is he not?!"

"No, not quite," Sokell shook his head. He then pointed at the man who'd just tossed the corpse toward us. "The guide I hired is this man."

"Then who is this dead man?!"

"A subordinate of Kura's,"

All eyes turned to me at Sokell's words.

"I have no idea who this person is,"

"Enough feigning ignorance! He confessed to everything before he died," Sokell sneered down at me sadistically.

"Sure he did," I chuckled. "And I am sure you didn't do anything to silence him… or maybe you did? That would explain the patch on this guy's arm."

"What are you…?"

"Sir Sokell! That is your family's crest!"

Princess Meetia was quick to spot the same thing I did. Clear as day was the crest of the Bonam family. Now, all eyes were on Sokell.

"It's a lie! Kura planted that evidence! Hurry up and arrest her!" Sokell's panicked expressions sure are amusing to watch.

"I'll tell you what, if you can prove my guilt, then I will surrender to you right now,"

"I don't need to prove anything!"

"Yeah, you do," I smile. "Or are you saying it is okay to abuse your power and arrest people with no proof they committed a crime?"

"If what you say is true, then what was Hero Kura's motivation for putting the Princess and the other children in danger? And why would she save them herself?"

"What?! Who was that?!" Sokell whirled around in a rage at the voice that came from behind him before he bellowed. "It's obvious! She wanted to make a show of rescuing Master Gerits so that the viceroy and his wife would be indebted to her!"

"I see. So the plunderers were all part of the plan,"

"Of course! There's no other explanation,"

Sokell's nod of satisfaction conveyed his understanding and approval. The way he spoke about the plan made it seem as though it was his own creation.

"Then I can say with confidence that that's impossible," From behind, Liza and Nana emerged the speaker. "Hero Kura was with us. The fact that she made it there in time was nothing more than a coincidence."

"You're just one of her allies!"

"I am Captain Zeorun of the Labyrinth Army! And I swear on the name of the Ancestral King Yamato and the labyrinth army that we would never work with plunderers!"

"Wh… why would the labyrinth army be with this fake hero...? Is this General Erthal's doing?!" Sokell drew back in alarm.

"It is strange, isn't it...?" The silence was broken by Arisa's voice. She spoke with the same tone as a cat cornering its prey. "How did you know where this place was anyway, Acting Viceroy Sokell?"

"Hmph, I simply followed the signal from the gold badge, of course!"

Sokell made exaggerated gestures as if attempting to rid himself of the doubts being thrust upon him. The explorer standing nearby glanced at him with apparent discomfort.

"Ohhh, is that so?" Arisa snickered.

"What's so funny, you little tart?! You dare mock me?!"

"Objection!" Arisa struck a pose and pointed at Sokell before declaring triumphantly. "Any explorer worth their salt knows that a signal from a gold badge is only sent out a few times a day. Even if you did pick up that signal, there's no way you could have gotten here this quickly!"

Upon being reminded, I recalled the east guild clerk mentioning this during our registration. Arisa's ability to recall this detail impressed me.

"The only way you could have found this place is if you happened to be passing nearby like we were or if you knew a crime would take place here from the very beginning!" Sokell growled at Arisa's words.

"That's right! The plunderer woman who captured me said as much! 'Once the viceroy's guards come, we'll just curse at them and run,' she said! Guards rarely enter the labyrinth, yet the plunderers knew they would come here!"

"P… Princess Meetia, did my proposal offend you so that you feel you must now lie to harm my honour?! And yet, my love still lies forever with you!"

Sokell's true nature surpassed my expectations of how terrible they could be. Not a trace of the supposed affection was present in his eyes. It was highly unlikely that anyone would be fooled by such a performance.

"That's enough," The knight who protected the viceroy's son, who had been silently listening, stepped in between Sokell and me. He hailed from a count family, similar to Sokell's. "Sir Sokell, if you are innocent, swear on the name of the ancestral king and your family. Lady Kura, I ask the same of you."

Although his face appeared callous, he appeared to possess a reasonable demeanour.

"I swear my innocence on the name of Ancestral King Yamato and the Suou family name,"

With Sokell's continued silence, I decided to break the silence and speak first.

"And Sir Sokell?"

"I swear that I never intended to harm Master Gerits, on the name of Ancestral King Yamato and the family name of Count Bonam,"

Huh? So his aim wasn't Princess Meetia after all. This was peculiar, considering I had heard about his persistent proposals to her.

"Very well. Then I declare you both innocent as of now. If anyone has an objection, they may submit it in writing to the viceroy,"

With that, the viceroy's knight declared the matter settled. This marked the second instance where Sokell attempted to accuse me of wrongdoing. Rather than relying on a tip-off or slipping information methods regarding Sokell's dealings in demonic potions, perhaps I should handle the situation myself. I'm sure Satou won't mind helping me destroy that jerk.

<0>

"Whew, I'm beat..."

"No kidding,"

As we made our way back to our house in Labyrinth City, Miss Miteruna, our headmaid, prepared tea for us. It had taken longer than anticipated to transport both the noble children and the plunderers, and by the time we arrived home, it was already late at night. The capture of Plunderer King Ludaman had caused quite a commotion, more than I had anticipated. However, we were all exhausted, and I decided to delay our return to the explorers' guild for the investigation. After all, the guild had jurisdiction over criminals in the labyrinth, including the plunderers.

"Sleepyyy?"

"Yaaawn, sir,"

Tama and Pochi lounged on Satou's lap, resembling lazy felines. Meanwhile, the other children were completely drained, dozing off on the couch.

"Let's sleep for now. We can take baths and eat in the morning,"

"Mm-hmm..."

Both Satou and Arisa appeared exhausted. Arisa had exerted herself greatly throughout the day, so Satou lifted her and carried her to the bed, just like a princess. He then proceeded to do the same for each of his other girls. I was probably only spared that since my group were already passed out in my bed.

"Morniiing?"

"Breakfast, sir!"

Tama and Pochi pounced on me the following morning, jolting me awake from a soundless slumber. Despite having only been awake for one evening, the unfounded accusations made by Sokell had taken a significant toll on my energy.

<0>

"I tried to make a Japanese-style breakfast today, so there's soy-boiled monster pumpkin and hopping potatoes, grilled eyeless fish, and cold tofu,"

Despite having just returned from our labyrinth expedition, Lulu had gone to great lengths to make us breakfast.

"...Cold tofu?"

"Yes, I heard that there was a shop in Labyrinth City that made tofu, so I asked Miss Miteruna to stock up for us,"

"There's even minced ginger and green onions,"

"Mm, yummy,"

Arisa immersed the tofu in soy sauce before eagerly biting into it, her mouth wide open with satisfaction. She then indulged in a generous serving of steaming hot rice, chewing away contentedly.

"Sausaaage?"

"Mr. Thick-Cut Bacon is delicious, too, sir,"

"They're both very good,"

Lulu had thoughtfully made sure to include a meat option in her preparations for the beastfolk girls. But following the tranquil meal, I was presented with a troubling letter by Miss Miteruna.

"What is it?"

"A summons from the viceroy," Using a letter opener, I opened the seal and quickly glanced through the contents. "He wants to invite me to a luncheon as thanks for rescuing his third son, Gerits."

The summons was not only urgent but also scheduled for that same day, leaving me with barely two hours to prepare. This was quite unusual in the realm of nobles who tended to adhere strictly to etiquette. I couldn't help but feel a bit apprehensive about the speed of the invitation, but I had heard that the viceroy and his wife were loving parents. I trusted they would treat me well after I had saved their child's life.

"I'll meet you there,"

Satou left with those cryptic words. I was the only one invited, but he must be up to something that could aid me.

<0>

"Lady Kura, the viceroy, and his wife await you. Right this way,"

The correspondence explicitly indicated a "luncheon," yet the receptionist directed me to a windowless parlour. Inside, I found the viceroy and his guardian knights, accompanied by his esteemed wife. In the Shiga Kingdom, protocol dictated that individuals of high stature typically enter a room after you, making this situation slightly peculiar. Though Sokell and the noble donning green attire were not present, I had a feeling they were nearby. Luckily, their plan did not involve throwing me into jail without any questions.

"Welcome, Hero Kura,"

The viceroy's wife was a plump, middle-aged woman whose features greatly resembled those of her third son, Gerits. She likely possessed a certain charm rather than striking beauty in her youth. Similarly, the viceroy was a stout man with a face that bore a striking likeness to that of his second son, Rayleigh.

"I'm told you rescued our little Gerits from danger yesterday. We can't thank you enough,"

The viceroy's wife wasted no time and got straight to the point, without any formalities. Unlike most nobles who tended to be indirect, she took a more direct approach by inviting me and breaking the ice.

"And my butler tells me that you sent us plenty of expensive presents, too,"

"I hope you find my gifts to your liking,"

"So first you present us with all those gifts, and then you save Gerits? What do you intend to butter us up for, I wonder?"

The viceroy's wife abruptly interrupted me with a tone that seemed accusatory. Was she insinuating that I was attempting to manipulate them by offering bribes in exchange for a political role? I had believed that I was simply following the customs of the tea parties held in the old capital, but perhaps I had misjudged the situation.

"Well, there is something I wanted if I could make one request..."

"A request?"

As the viceroy's wife gazed at me with patience, I couldn't help but feel a creeping sense of unease. Despite her smile, her eyes remained void of any warmth. It was imperative that I carefully select my words in her presence.

"...Might I be able to ask you to reinstate the public orphanage?"

"Orphanage?"

"Yes, if possible. If a public orphanage is too much to ask, I would be more than grateful if you could offer me permission to build a private orphanage and provide food for the homeless and needy,"

As a result, the viceroy's wife's smile grew wider. What could be happening? For some unknown reason, her expression resembled that of a hunting predator ready to pounce.

"My, my, my. For such a young lady, you certainly are compassionate toward the less fortunate," The viceroy's wife chimed a bell on the table. A maid promptly led the noble in green and Sokell from the adjacent room. However, I was unsure of her purpose for summoning them in at this moment. "Listen to this, Sir Poputema. Hero Kura wishes to provide an orphanage and food for homeless young children. Brings to mind the stories of the Cannibal Snakes, does it not?"

"Yes, quite wonderful, indeed. Will you permit it, indeed?"

"Yes, of course. Rayleigh told us all about her in his letter, after all,"

At last, Rayleigh's name was mentioned. My concern that the noble dressed in green had neglected to hand over my letter to them was unnecessary. I was unaware of the specifics of Rayleigh's message, but based on the viceroy's wife's demeanour, it seemed he had acknowledged my heroic deed of saving his life.

"He said that Hero Kura's wishes are his wishes, so we should fulfil them at any cost. And that if she wishes to wed our third son, Gerits, we should welcome him into our family,"

As we gathered at the Lalagi bar to celebrate the establishment of the Dragonpen Trading Company with a party, I vividly recalled recounting to him the annoyance I faced in declining numerous marriage proposals during my time in the old capital.

"He also wrote that if she wants power, we should make her the acting viceroy, and if she wants fame, we should recommend her as a daughter-in-law to a prestigious noble family,"

"Damn you, fake hero!"

Sokell's face drained of colour, and he glowered menacingly at me, but the viceroy's wife quelled him with a stern look. It was clear that he was fuming over the possibility of being demoted if I became acting viceroy. Yet, I distinctly recalled informing Rayleigh that I had no desire for such a position.

"Did Rayleigh really write that?"

He appeared unfamiliar with the words coming out of his wife's own mouth. The viceroy himself seemed taken aback, sitting beside his wife with a look of astonishment as though he had never heard these thoughts before.

"Yes, he certainly did. It's his handwriting, without a doubt. Such neat, precise, beautiful letters which truly reflect his personality," The viceroy's wife tenderly caressed the letter as if it were a treasured relic. She seemed to be speaking as if the subject were no longer living. "Listen to this, Miss Kura. This is the last thing he wrote," The viceroy's wife read aloud, her eyes trailing across the paper. "As I write this, I am looking up at the crescent moon in the night sky. Dearest Mother and Father, I hope that you receive the moon's divine protection..."

Tears streamed down her cheeks as the viceroy's wife lifted her gaze from the letter.

"I see. Still playing dumb," Her previously cheerful expression transformed into a scowl, and she fixed me with a stern glare. "Surely any noble of the Shiga Kingdom would notice the strangeness of citing an ominous crescent moon and the deathly symbol of moonlight in one's closing words. But in the Ashinen family, they have a different meaning."

"What might that be?"

"The moon's divine protection is a code phrase that means someone is being forced to write a letter," The viceroy's wife's voice was choked with tears. "The crescent moon in the night sky' means that the writer is about to be murdered. We only use that phrase for such an occasion. You understand now, don't you?"

I could feel the intensity of the viceroy's wife's stare as she locked eyes with me, her cheeks stained with tears. If her glare could inflict harm, I would have been lifeless on the ground. It was apparent that someone had fabricated this letter, trying to pin Rayleigh's death on me.

"Madam…"

"Sir Sokell, you should make your claim now, too, indeed,"

Before I could even begin to clarify the miscommunication, the aristocrat in the green attire rudely cut me off with a smug expression on their face.

"R… right!" What's he going to accuse me of this time? "The fake hero has a secret relationship with Princess Meetia. She's been manipulating Princess Meetia from the shadows, holding Lady Shina as a hostage, since she requires Breath of Purification, all in order to make herself necessary to you, Madam. And she's been spreading demonic potions throughout the city, even using them as payment to manipulate plunderers to put young Master Gerits in danger. She must have then rescued him in the hopes of gaining your trust and favour, Madam."

Was not that also Sokell's own plot? He had hoped to shift all of his misdeeds onto my name on top of the murder of Rayleigh. I was unsure if it was Sokell or the noble in green who had devised this scheme, but if I did not speak out, I would most likely be locked away and wrongfully convicted without a fair trial.

There was not a soul in this chamber who would stand by me. Setting aside the disdainful smirk of the noble in green, the viceroy and his wife glowered at me, falsely believing me to be an enemy of their sons. The guards had their hands on their swords, ready to strike me down at any moment. And then there was Sokell, arrogant in his certainty of victory, sneering at me with a twisted grin. Honestly, I was over a barrel. Surrounded by enemies on all sides. Yet, I didn't feel worried at all. I was about to turn the tables on Sokell completely.

"Do you have anything to say in your defence, Lady Kura?"

"Yes. Is it all right if I make two points?"

"If you must, indeed,"

"Firstly, the motivation you think I have for this act is false," I take out some forms the king had given me. Despite her anger, the viceroy's wife seemed to recognise these forms when I handed them to her. "I already had the power to take wealth, resources and property from you before I even met Rayleigh, and as you can see, I am also being promoted to a far higher rank than you could offer me at the end-of-year meeting."

The king included my promotion on the letter attached to each form, telling everyone to treat me as if I had already attained the rank of viceroy.

"Th… those must be fake…!" Sokell cried out, but one look from the viceroy's wife was enough to silence him.

"No, the seal of the royal family can't be faked since it is created using a magical tool left to us by the Ancestral King,"

"And my next point is that I have been in contact with Rayleigh since we parted ways," Satou contacted me with space magic to announce the arrival of a special guest he escorted here. "I helped him set up a trading business and have been selling monster parts through him since we parted ways, and I believe he should be returning home today, according to the last letter he sent me."

"So Rayleigh is…"

Without any warning, the door burst open. I instinctively turned around towards the door.

"Sir Rayleigh is alive, as you can see,"

As the person walked through the door, the entire room's attention was suddenly drawn towards them. Sokell's disbelief was so intense that his jaw seemed almost to reach the floor. However, I couldn't help but feel that it was foolish of him to vocalise phrases like 'impossible!' and 'but he's supposed to be dead!' for all to hear.

"Mother, Father, good to see you! Your prodigal son, Rayleigh, has retur… hmm? Why are you all looking at me like that?" The happy expression on Rayleigh's face slowly transformed into one of confusion. But noticing me, Rayleigh started chatting like an old friend. "Oh, if it isn't Hero Kura! Thanks to those letters of introduction you wrote me, we made so much profit you won't believe your eyes! Oh, and I will have the money from the monster part sales sent to you within the next few days."

"R… Rayleigh!"

"Huh? Father? Mother? Wow, I'm touched that you're so happy to see me again,"

The viceroy and his wife ecstatically embraced Rayleigh, who appeared perplexed but content. I retrieved the letter that had slipped from the viceroy's wife's hand and examined it closely. My suspicions were confirmed. This letter was a forgery.

"Sir Rayleigh, did you write this letter?"

"Hmm? That does look like my handwriting, but... Goodness, what is this? If this is someone's idea of a joke, it's not funny at all. Why, this conclusion makes it sound like I died. It's as if someone was trying to set Hero Kura up in a trap,"

The viceroy's wife looked at her indignant son.

"What did you actually write?"

"Well, to sum it up, Hero Kura and a person called Sir Satou Pendragon saved me when I was adrift at sea. They invested capital for me to start a trading company and brought great fortune to the Ashinen family, so you should be sure to treat them kindly. I think that was about it?"

As the viceroy's wife listened to her son, she sank deep into thought.

"Ah yes, I believe Sokell has a vassal in his house who excels at forgery, indeed," The noble in green observed quietly.

"L… Lord Poputema, I told you that in confidence!" Sokell hissed, which didn't exactly help his case.

A polite knock at the door interrupted, and a maid poked her head in to address the noble in green.

"Lord Poputema, your retainer is here,"

After nudging Sokell away, Poputema approached the door. A man in slightly dishevelled clothing murmured something in his ear. My 'Keen Hearing' skill allowed me to easily pick up the entire conversation. It appeared to be a gathering of Sokell's subordinates, and the criminal organisations had commenced.

"Madam, a word?"

Although the viceroy's wife appeared slightly annoyed at the interruption to her reunion, she remained composed. She attentively listened as the noble in green quietly informed her about the mentioned roundup.

"Sokell. Thank you for your service until now,"

"Wha? Lady Reythel, please wait! It was not I who forged that letter! Someone is trying to frame me!" Sokell fervently inched towards the icy viceroy's wife.

"Did I give you permission to call me by my name?"

"I… I'm terribly sorry, Madam..." Sokell bobbed his head apologetically.

"Oh, that's right, Mother. The area around Labyrinth City's gotten rather unsafe these days, hasn't it?"

At this particular moment, Rayleigh shared with his mother about a recent attack that occurred.

"Your carriage was attacked by a band of thieves?"

"Mm-hmm. We were rescued by some unseen mage…" Oh, that was probably Satou and why he ran off. "But still."

The wife of the viceroy redirected her stare towards the dignified figure adorned in green attire.

"My subordinate relayed information about this to me earlier, indeed. One of the thieves who attacked Sir Rayleigh's carriage was a former steward of Sokell, indeed," No, he absolutely did not utter such a statement. "Unfortunately, the man in question was killed, so we were unable to question him, indeed."

No one perished in the assault on Rayleigh. I'm sure of it. Satou would have never taken their lives, even if they were the most evil individuals in the world. The words the green-clad noble spoke were nonsensical, but the fact that Sokell had mumbled, 'he should be dead' upon seeing Rayleigh made it less surprising. From what I understood, Sokell was the only one in Labyrinth City who would benefit from harming Rayleigh.

"Then it seems that what Princess Meetia said about the incident in the labyrinth was true, too,"

As the viceroy's wife spoke, her expression remained devoid of emotion. It was clear that Princess Meetia had immediately informed her upon her return, confirming my innocence. Despite her youth, the princess possessed a strong sense of duty.

"N… no, I really did follow the gold badge's signal to rescue them!" Sokell's desperate plea fell on deaf ears.

"Sokell, you may reflect on your actions in the northern spire,"

"B-but, Madam...!"

"You had best put your affairs in order before the analyst from the royal capital's judicial police arrive. I will send a letter to your parents as well. Let us pray that self-serving Count Bonam chooses you over his house's best interests,"

"І… І… І..."

With a solemn expression, Sokell collapsed onto all fours in the 'orz' position, resembling a prisoner condemned to die. This stance is commonly depicted through ASCII art on the internet.

"It's all because of him, damn him..."

With his brow pressed to the floor, Sokell gnawed on his fingertips, muttering harshly under his breath. I couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction, as it seemed he was finally receiving the consequences he deserved. Suddenly, a loud chime resounded throughout the room. The viceroy's wife had rung her bell, summoning two servants to grab Sokell by the arms and hoist him back onto his feet. Our eyes met at that moment, and I could see the intense bitterness in his expression.

"It's all your fault!"

Despite the servants' interference, Sokell miraculously retrieved his short sword and swiftly lunged towards his target. The blade glinted with a mysterious dark substance, most likely a lethal poison.

"Rayleigh!" The viceroy's wife screamed.

Sokell inexplicably aimed his weapon at Rayleigh, ignoring me altogether. Despite the efforts of the guardian knights to intervene, they could not reach the former acting viceroy in time. But I was more than happy to stop him and get some payback.

In the blink of an eye, I was in front of Sokell, and in the next, he was on the floor, bleeding from the nose, and his sword was in my hands. It happened so fast that no one could understand what just happened. Even Sokell looked confused but could just be dazed by the force of my punch. I had landed a good hit, holding back only so I wouldn't take his life.

"Thank you, Hero Kura," Rayleigh rubbed his arm sheepishly.

"Not at all. I'm glad you're all right,"

"Y… you've got it all wrong! I was just trying to murder that blasted Pendragon… I must bring about more chaos, more evil… N… no, I'm innocent!" Sokell shouted incoherently. Now bound in ropes, Sokell was dragged out of the room.

Could it be that the use of demonic concoctions resulted in some form of madness? Sokell's hysterical screams echoed through the hallway as he was forcefully pulled along, until they faded into the distance.

"Perhaps someone was controlling Sir Sokell with Psychic Magic, indeed,"

"Psychic Magic? That accursed black art?" The viceroy's wife furrowed her brow.

"We shall investigate this and the corpse potions Sir Sokell's friends were using, indeed,"

"Yes, please do,"

The noble clad in green made a showy bow to the viceroy and his wife before exiting the room. Despite my curiosity about Sokell's odd actions and the noble's apparent plot against him, I knew delving too deeply into the matter would only lead to more turmoil. As the saying goes, it is best to let sleeping dogs lie and avoid stirring up unnecessary trouble.

<0>

"My, Hero Kura is actually a friend of yours, Rayleigh?"

"Well, sure. She saved my life, and she's the investor in my company, the Dragonpen Trading Company I co-owner with that Pendragon fellow I told you about,"

Once the viceroy's wife offered an apology for the incident, we relocated from the formal parlour to a private living room. After resolving the misunderstanding, the viceroy's wife underwent a transformation. She became exceptionally kind, resembling a totally different individual.

"Madam, we've brought the gifts from Lady Kura,"

As we conversed, my attention was drawn to a steward entering with a pedestal adorned with my gifts. Along with the familiar light stone trinkets I had distributed in the old capital, there were also items I had obtained on the sugar route. The viceroy couldn't help but let out an excited 'Ooh!' upon noticing the extravagant sculpture of a youthful man on the pedestal. In an attempt to maintain his composure, his wife smoothly interjected and began speaking to divert attention from his outburst.

"These are all quite valuable in the Shiga Kingdom, especially this sculpture here..."

Despite his efforts, the viceroy could not control the full extent of his geekdom. It seemed to have taken over, and he couldn't help but give in to it.

"This is a masterpiece by Garudoira of the Flue Empire, from his fabled later period, no less! His apprentices could never evoke such liveliness! It's undoubtedly by the hand of the master himself, and unquestionably…"

"...Dear,"

The viceroy's wife interrupted his passionate tirade about the artwork with a gentle remark. I had chosen it randomly, so I was relieved that it happened to be a piece that delighted the zealous viceroy.

In any case, the room was truly remarkable. The wall across from it was primarily composed of glass panels, a rarity in Labyrinth City, providing a stunning view of the lush garden outside. The glass embellishments scattered throughout the space shimmered in the light, adding to the room's overall radiance.

In contrast to our previous room, where tea had not been provided, this time, we were served a scrumptious blue-green tea accompanied by delicate tea cakes. The chef's honey candies were visually stunning, resembling precious gemstones, although I found them to be overly sweet.

"Wow, what unusual pastries,"

"So they're called castellas, are they? Absolutely delightful,"

Rayleigh and his mother were overjoyed with the sponge cakes I had brought. Lulu had put in a lot of effort to make them in such a short time for me.

"Rayleigh, you said that Sir Pendragon is the co-owner of your company? Whatever do you mean?"

After eating her batch of cakes, the viceroy's wife redirected our conversation back to the topic we had been discussing upon entering the room.

"It's just as I say. If it weren't for him, I never would have thought of starting a company like this. And Kura's generous investment was a big help too,"

"All I did was provide Lord Rayleigh with some capital and ships,"

"Oh, don't be modest. Even an esteemed noble of the royal capital wouldn't be able to provide three ships all on their own. Besides, without your and Satou's Liquor Marquis titles and vast funds, we wouldn't have been able to turn such a big profit so quickly,"

"Liquor Marquis? I've scarcely heard the name before. Is it related to the Liquor Baron title from the Kingdom of Sorcery Lalagi?"

"That's right. Liquor Marquis is a higher rank than Liquor Baron, comparable to a regular marquis in Lalagi. It's like a magic title that makes almost all those awful tariffs disappear,"

Rayleigh boasted to his mother as if he was the true owner of the title. Afterwards, he retrieved a jewellery box from the bag beside him and had a servant place it on the table.

"Tariff? It couldn't be..."

"That's right. It's the Heaven's Teardrop that the ladies of the royal capital love so much,"

With a proud grin, Rayleigh watched his mother eagerly open the box, and a smile immediately illuminated her face.

"Oooooh, good heavens! How very beautiful!" The viceroy's wife was not the only one taken aback. The ladies-in-waiting surrounding us grasped each other and let out delighted cries. This was quite a contrast from their poised behaviour just moments before. It seemed that Heaven's Teardrops was truly a crowd favourite. "This is truly splendid craftsmanship. You can see the patterns so clearly when you hold it up to the light."

"Mother, I'd like to sell these in a salon in the royal capital. Do you think you could put in a word for me with Count Litton's wife?"

"Yes, of course. Ema will be thrilled," According to Rayleigh's later account, Ema Litton was Count Litton's wife and a dear confidant of his mother. She had a notable talent for spreading news among the capital city's noblewomen. "Still, I'm amazed you were able to come by such an incredible product. Perhaps you have a gift for trade?"

"I'd like to think so, but this is thanks to Sir Pendragon's and Hero Kura's influence, too. Since I was flying their noble flags, I was entrusted with bringing Prince Sabaan of the Kingdom of Ishrallie back to his homeland. Thanks to that connection, I was allowed to deal in Heaven's Teardrops,"

"Then this isn't just a one-time situation, I hope?" The wife of the viceroy's eyes sparkled.

"Of course. As long as I continue to fly Sir Pendragon's or Kura's flag,"

"Oh my, then I suppose we simply must treat Hero Kura and this Sir Pendragon fellow as part of the family, hmm?"

The viceroy's wife flashed me a cunning smile. As long as she refrained from arranging a marriage for me, I had no objections to them utilising my Liquor Marquis title as they pleased.

"Mother, if you're thinking of marrying either of them into one of our collateral families, please don't,"

"Oh? The main family line, then?"

"No, that's not what I mean. Sir Pendragon is lovesick over a queen from a fairyland, so he isn't interested in any other marriage propositions right now," Lovesick? Arisa would lose her mind if she heard him talking about her crush in such a way. "So just try to accommodate him normally, okay? Oh, and I suggest you do the same for Kura… from what I heard, her engagement has become a political battlefield."

That is putting it lightly. I have heard rumours about the dukes and royal family wanting me to marry one of their sons, but no one I asked could give me a straight answer as to what was happening. Even Rin has been contacted by her father to try and convince me to marry into her family.

Rin spent nearly an hour complaining about it when I connected with Hayato's group last night for our regular exchange of information. I felt it had more to do with the hard time the people of the Parion Provence were giving her group. I'm glad I haven't run into the mess they are currently dealing with.

"Accommodate him, you say? Hero Kura, you did have a request earlier, did you not?"

"Yes, to have the public orphanage rebuilt and permission to start a private orphanage. I'd like to regularly distribute food, too, please,"

"You're asking for philanthropy over any personal business interests? Wow, you really are a nice lady. You even helped those folks you rescued from pirates find new work in Lalagi," Rayleigh stared at me in surprise.

"Well, I'm certain we can grant those requests right away. The public orphanage existed until not too long ago, so we can just have it rebuilt," The viceroy's wife immediately obliged my requests.

"Do you have a plot of land or building in mind for the private orphanage yet? If not, please have my butler help you-Bastian, set Hero Kura up with the proper real estate and materials,"

The second sentence was aimed at a butler positioned by the wall. Comparing him to Sebaf, the butler in the old capital, I couldn't help but notice how close these butlers came to embodying the traditional butler stereotype without fully embodying it. Despite this, I noticed numerous vacant plots of land and houses surrounding our estate, which could potentially be restored for the use of a private orphanage. Thankfully, we accepted the guild's proposal to purchase all the land in one package.

I intended to enlist Viscount Siemmen, his noble friends, and the viceroy's wife in the search for suitable personnel when the time came to staff the orphanage.

At last, our productive tea party drew to a close, and Rayleigh accompanied me to the entrance.

"If trade keeps up like this, we should be able to repay you both money within three years. In fact, I'd love to buy more ships if we can,"

"I'll put in a request with a merchant I know, then. He just sent me a letter not too long ago that they'd received three new ships,"

I disclosed to Rayleigh the identity of a merchant whom I am acquainted with. The name I provided was that of Akindoh, a fictitious merchant. I am amazed by Satou's adeptness at creating these false aliases and never getting confused over who is who.

"These are your dividends from our first trip. From now on, I'll send them to you via the money order system in the commerce guild,"

As I took hold of the weighty bundle of cash, I was taken aback to discover the existence of money orders in this realm. It was logical, however. With only a few individuals possessing the 'Item Box' skill, lugging around all of this hefty gold could undoubtedly become quite burdensome.

<0>

"Welcome home. Judging by your expression, I'm guessing it went well?"

As I arrived back at the house, Arisa appeared from the garden, where she was teaching the hired children how to make cords out of grass. The young ones also greeted my return with beaming smiles.

"Yeah, I'm starting a private orphanage now, and the public one will be reopened soon and the viceroy's wife promised to fun soap kitchens," I answer Arisa as she greeted me at the door. "The Shiga Kingdom will take care of all the budget and staffing for the public one, too. As for the private orphanage, they're going to put me in touch with some good craftsmen, and they're even going to add our area to the city guards' patrol route. Not to mention, I got to punch that idiot Sokell before they dragged him off to jail."

Now, with the freedom from any other concerns, I could dedicate my time to delving into the labyrinth with the girls, focusing on my training and any other tasks without any distractions.

"Wow, that's amazing. What kind of spell did you use?"

"It's a bit of a long story. Let's make some tea, and I'll tell you about it,"

I assigned Arisa the responsibility of bringing the remaining members of the group from their individual jobs.

During our journey to Labyrinth City, our primary objective was to boost everyone's levels, which we anticipated could be achieved in the upcoming month or two. Fortunately, this city appeared to welcome demi-humans without prejudice, making it an ideal place for us to stay.

A demon lord is said to appear, but there are no signs of that happening. I haven't spotted any cult members or heard any rumours of anything strange happening within the city or the labyrinth, and even Satou's cheat 'Map' skill can't detect anything suspicious either. Hayato couldn't find anything when he looked, too. Hopefully, one won't appear here.

"Now all we have to do is relax and enjoy living in the labyrinth,"

As Arisa and the rest of our group rushed towards me, I grinned and greeted them with a wave. The thought of our bright future filled me with joy. It was time to embrace another day in this new world and revel in all the adventures it had to offer.