Manuke FPS

I was in a meeting with the current King in the Royal Castle’s audience room, or rather a debriefing? Chancellor Bergman acted as the facilitator. The main topics were about the intent of the Viceburn Empire and the whereabouts of both Kilik and Felix, who remain unknown up until now.

“From intelligence agents who are collecting information in the Kingdom of Drak, we have received reports that the Dragon Knight unit stationed in a town near the border has returned to the center.”

“Are they planning to go south, in line with Viceburn?”

“I will give instructions to the Second Knight Order in the Dragrange Margrave territory to continue to be vigilant.”

“How about the case of the Viceburn Imperial family who entered the Kingdom?”

“The guild master, Duke Verdaline, is directly in charge of investigating the background, but nothing has been found so far. We need to investigate the current situation and the blood relationship of the Imperial family――Therefore, I have one request for Schwartz.”

The current King and the two Chancellors proceeded with the discussion, but the conversation was suddenly directed to me.

“Don’t tell me… you want me to go to the Empire?”

“Don’t worry, I just want you to arrange one of your mobile phones. In order to safely communicate with Remi, who has infiltrated the Empire, it is desirable to use a method beyond their imagination.”

I see…it’s true that if you use a mobile phone, you can report every piece of information you get from infiltration work. Besides, it would be easier to ensure the safety of Remi-san if it was a means of information transmission that the Viceburn Empire is unaware of.

“If that’s the case, I’ll be happy to prepare one. There’s a limit to how long it can be used, so you should probably bring more than one just in case.”

“Thank you. So, about the whereabouts of Prince Kilik and Felix Mendoza in question, as well as the missing Princess Cyril――”

In addition to Kilik and Felix, who transferred away from the underground temple of the Royal Castle, Princess Cyril, the fourth Princess, was also missing after being last seen in Flyhigh.

Most of the Lily of the Valley, the intelligence clan under the direct control of the Chancellors, died in battle in the Royal Castle. For that reason, the personnel who had originally been conducting intelligence activities in various parts of the Kingdom were pulled back to the Royal Capital to conduct search activities that could not be made public.

Remi-san was one of these surviving members. During the night of the rebellion, she was on duty in Noble’s territory in the far northeast part of the Kingdom. And this Noble territory was one of the bases of Rafflesia, as well as the birthplace of Kilik’s deceased biological mother――the second wife of the current King.

The second wife died when giving birth to Kilik, and he grew up without knowing the love of his mother. Surrounded by a large number of servants, from an early age it was natural for Kilik to give orders to people――to women, but he ended up never growing up properly. The current King showed remorse for that, but I think that the King should be the King of the nation before being the parent of a child.

No matter how Kilik grew up, no matter how much the clan called Rafflesia encouraged his character further down the depth, he himself should be held responsible for his actions.

Kilik and Felix fled north from the forest to the southeast of the capital and escaped into this Noble territory, and it was thought that Princess Cyril, who had disappeared, was also in this Noble territory. However, after the rebellion was suppressed, the Central Knights conducted a search, but all they found was the self-destructed figure of an old nobleman who was also Kilik’s grandfather and the lord of the Noble territory.

“A search of the lord’s mansion revealed that a number of cargoes had passed through the territory via the north. There is no doubt that this place was deeply connected to Viceburn.”

“Perhaps the crystal pedestal that produced the Demon Steel Soldiers was smuggled through there?”

“Perhaps, indeed. I really wanted to collect it and have everyone in the alchemy guild research it, but I can’t find a single fragment of a magic tool that seems to be in the ruins of the warehouse you blew up.”

The crystal pedestal that produced the Demon Steel Soldier seems to be a game system tool or an in-game object embodied by Pedigree Skill. If that’s the case――just like VMB’s firearms and vehicles, it would have disappeared with a particle of light or similar phenomenon at the moment it was destroyed.

“It must have been the product of a Pedigree Skill. Since the caster, the Imperial family member, died, it should also disappear without a trace.”

“Fumu… then King Schwarz――will that cell phone of yours disappear when you die?”

Everyone sitting in the audience room was at loss for words at the casual remark of the current King.

“Well… yes. There is a possibility. But, I can’t try it…”

“It would be a problem if Schwartz died. I have not eaten all the ice cream from the “home center” yet.”

“――Chancellor, we have different things to worry about.”

For a moment, the atmosphere of the place froze, but then it changed due to Chancellor Zephanel’s carefree words and Crown Prince Khan’s gentle reprimand.

“Good grief… we’ll get back to that. Daikan of the Yamigasa company and Rafflesia members that have been captured to find out their motive… but apparently their answer would differ depending on their position in the ranks.”

Pecking order? Come to think of it, there was a guy who said something like that a long time ago――if I’m not mistaken, it was the Yagoche company…

“On the lower ranks, they only know that the purpose was to seize the real power of the Kurtmerga Kingdom and make it the foundation for claiming hegemony over the Orlando continent――but when it comes to the higher ranks, the story doesn’t mesh.”

“Daikan and the adventurers guarding the Prince of Viceburn dismissed the rule of the country as a ‘small thing’, but looking back on the movement of the Rafflesia so far, their main goal is――”

Saying that, the King turned his gaze to Chancellor Zephanel. In turn, her silver hair swayed as the corners of her mouth were raised.

“Without a doubt, he is after me.”

“But, why…?”

“The <Promised Blessing>.”

The current King answered my question. Leaning his back on the throne, he looked up at the latticed ceiling as if looking up at the heavens――.

“A Great Magic granted only to the King of the Kurtmerga Kingdom, its effect is so great that it can change the fate of the nation… After all, when an unforeseen death comes to the person who received it, it defies the irresistible principle of life and calls the soul back from the world of death.”

“A magic that could revive the dead?”

“That’s right. By having the magic cast on you in advance, you’ll be able to avoid death just once. Furthermore, this Great Magic can be given to anyone any number of times. If there is one drawback, it is that it can only be granted to one person at a time.”

“I have never heard of such Great Magic before. Can it not cure Brother Khan’s illness?”

“Unfortunately, it can’t, Ark. It’s not a magic that heals in a normal way, nor can it cure ailments. This Great Magic is used mainly to avoid death in battle―― That gentleman, who once ran through the continent with me, has returned from the world of death many times because of this Great Magic>=. Without that kind of insurance, it would have been impossible to achieve enough combat results to destroy every labyrinth.”

Chancellor Zephanel spoke quietly with downcast eyes, as if recalling something nostalgic. It must be about the Founding King’s days――.

The Founding King, who fell into this world, vowed to build a nation in order to help the weak people who flooded the Orlando continent. He demonstrated his power to the maximum and subdue numerous labyrinths. It was a fund-raising for the founding of the country, and an unavoidable challenge in order to obtain a safe and peaceful land.

However, the Founding King is not an invincible superhuman. Deep underground in the labyrinth where he descended with his companions, he would meet his demise an uncountable amount of times. Either by the monsters――by the gatekeeper――by the master of the labyrinth.

However, Chancellor Zephanel was always by his side. Having obtained the insurance of resurrection from the dead, he used his own life as a shield to save his friends, and destroyed numerous labyrinths.

It’s like a game.

However, in the end, that act led to the Founding King’s complete death. The Founding King, who can come back to life even if he dies, must have done a lot of unreasonable things. At some point, the damage that could not be healed accumulated in the body, and it stayed for good.

The Founding King was unable to live longer, and left the world shortly after the founding of the country.

“Then, why did Kilik want to obtain such Great Magic?”

“That shouldn’t be the only thing… Promised Blessing can only be granted to one person, and it shouldn’t be able to be used “yet” for people in this world. It is necessary to acquire our blood and spread it as Pedigree Skill. It’s a long road that will take years… decades even.”

“Then, what else—―?”

Chancellor Zephanel looked at her thin, porcelain-white palm. Slowly rotated her hand, looked down at the back of it, and rotated it again.

“….Immortality.”

With those words, the atmosphere in the place once again froze. Everyone who was quietly listening to Chancellor Zephanel instantly realized everything.

Rafflesia’s goal――was to become immortal.