Manowa Chapter 40

40th story – Let’s Have a Tearful Reunion

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“Just 2 adventurers? At the current moment, once you’ve entered, you can’t leave. Is that alright?” (Guard)

“We are prepared for that. If we deliver our luggage, in the current situation, there will be quite some money for us in the spring.” (Zinray)

“Yeah, that’s right. We are grateful for any goods that are coming in. Alright, you can pa.s.s.” (Guard)

This exchange took place at the gates of the Royal Capital Gryphonia as Zinray and Yumika pa.s.sed through with the horse-drawn carriage and whatever else shared that s.p.a.ce.

“s.h.i.+shou, it went well.” (Yumika)

“My guts grew cold. Overall, though, I am very happy that it succeeded.” (Zinray)

Before, at the town gates, there was also a Beastman. Zinray had thought that their scents would be exposed, but [Invisible]’s performance seemed to surpa.s.s even his estimation.

“Well, I must admit…” answered Kazane, but neither Zinray nor Yumika heard the voice.

“I wonder if those two really can’t see us?” (Tiara)

“Even if they can see us, they are just acknowledging that we exist (fill up s.p.a.ce); however, they can’t recognize us.”  (Kazane)

The Beastman soldier from before was also the same. He smelled us, but couldn’t recognize what it was. Perhaps without [Invisible], even if we perfectly hid our appearance, he would still have noticed our human smell. (IcedTea: Basically, [Invisible] doesn’t mean undetectable. It just means unrecognizable.)

“The two of us will keep going until the carriage gets close to the Royal Palace. From there, we will descend on our own. The plan is to meet up with Tiara’s father.” (Kazane)

“Kazane really can do everything successfully, ne~” As she says this, Tiara hugs Kazane.

“It’ll just be as I said, ne. We will bring you to your father’s place” (Kazane)

“Yeah~, I know. Kazane is my prince, after all.” (Tiara)

“Leave it to me, princess! Haha!” (Kazane)

So Kazane said half-jestingly, and Tiara, happy from the bottom of her heart, embraced her for a second time.

After reaching the vicinity of the Royal Castle, Kazane and Tiara held hands and jumped off the carriage.

“Yos.h.i.+-” (Tiara)

“Otto-tto. It takes a reasonable amount of courage to descend from a moving carriage, ne.”  (Kazane)

While saying this, the other two went on with the carriage.

“What will they do?” (Tiara)

“According to the original plan, they should enter the royal castle through a request to transport goods in, ne. They should be able to carry that out. If everything goes according to plan, I will call them afterwards.” (Kazane)

Kazane leads Tiara, advancing like this until they were in front of the castle’s moat.

“The secret escape pa.s.sage for exclusively used for the royalty is here, right?”  (Kazane)

“Yes. But probably, it does not open from this side.” (Tiara)

“Even if that is true, they probably won’t let us enter from the front door, ne?” (Kazane)

The weakness of 『Invisible』lies in things that use recognition systems like doors which open automatically. Entering the castle through the front without thinking would’ve been a reckless thing to do after all. Then again, going further down into the narrow pa.s.sageway would become very unpleasant if we were to be noticed.  

“Here it is.” Tiara pointed to a rock a bit ahead of the moat.

“On the other side of this is the entrance?” (Kazane)

“Yea.” (Tiara)

Kazane circled the stone, gazing at it with great interest. After reaching the backside, it still looked like a normal stone.  

“It’s a stone, ne.”  (Kazane)

“You know, the door has the same manufacturing process as a golem. Still, no matter how great of a golem-user you are Kazane, this is just—” (Tiara)

Well, it’s impossible for me; however……

In the middle of Tiara’s sentence, Kazane, without replying, pulled out the “Infinite Key” obtained in the Coral Temple and placed the key besides the rock. She turned it in midair, and with a click, the door opened.  

“What?!” While Tiara shocked into silence, the stone moved and from behind it emerged an underground pa.s.sage.

“Shall we go then?” Pulling on Tiara’s hand, Kazane entered the pa.s.sageway.

Tiara’s chest tightened again, but again, Kazane didn’t notice.

Being able to do just about anything: really, Kazane’s an amazing person~

Tiara spontaneously hugged Kazane.

“Iya~ being embraced in the middle of the stairs is dangerous~”  Kazane seemed annoyed.

>

With a *kakon*, the wall quietly opened. If it was according to what Tiara said, then the escape route should have a [Silence] spell on it to prevent invading troops from noticing its usage.

“Unbelievable. One of the props turned into a spiral staircase, ne.”  (Kazane)

“Haa, not just going down, but going up is, haa, also impossible, ne?”  (Tiara) (IcedTea: This refers to Tiara falling in the forest in the last chapter.)

Kazane is only bit tired, but Tiara was fairly out of breath. That was the difference in Status.

“Although, afterwards….”  (Kazane)

Then, Kazane noticed a single man coming from the inside.

“s.h.!.+?” (Tiara)

Seeing this, she pinned Tiara down behind a wall, preventing her from making a sound.

What is, this?

Kazane felt instinctively that this was something dangerous.

*Katsun, katsun*… the steps came closer…

“Fumu~” (Man)

And stopped really close to the two.

“Was it just my imagination?” (Man)

And starting to walk again.

Then, when the footsteps also vanished, the crisis pa.s.sed and relief came….

“FuuU—–” Breathed Kazane “Tiara, is it alri… ?”

As she was about to ask, Kazane noticed that Tiara was acting strangely.

“What’s wrong?” (Kazane)

“That’s him.” (Tiara)

“Him?” (Kazane)

“That is the butler of the Second Prince Shelkin, Blair Deckerman, who kidnapped me.” (Tiara)

“He is a butler?”  (Kazane)

Kazane felt an intense sense of incongruity there.

That isn’t something that would simply serve someone…

So Kazane thought, but anyhow, the objective was already close by.

“There are two people with smells similar to Tiara’s. The younger one is, probably, this way.”  (Kazane)

Kazane took Tiara’s hand and advanced in that direction.

When they arrived, there was the one man standing still in front of the portrait of the Tiara that was leaned against a corridor there.

Alduin Tsurug Tsuwara, the First Prince of this Tsuwara Kingdom. This crown prince, first in line to the throne, was fairly emaciated.

Unable to grasp the whereabouts of his daughter who went missing one week ago….The search party had departed, but showed no signs of bringing the kidnappers to the light.

Unreasonable demands from the kidnappers did arrive, but not only was there a ransom, but also the annulment of several treaties and, while not directly demanded, inferred that he should hand over the throne to his younger brother, the Second Prince.

Of course, he would not respond to the demand, while there is still the fear that, in the worst case, he might agree to sell out the Kingdom in exchange for his daughter. This is not permitted as royalty.

There are those who think that the kidnapping is the act of the younger brother, but he does not think so. Alduin sees his younger brother as a wise person.

He doesn’t have the strength to support the country, but is still the first to stand up and use his intellect for the Kingdom.

This is Alduin’s evaluation. However, the n.o.bles in his faction might not think so.

There is also the possible concern of an external force like the neighbouring Kingdom Mins.h.i.+ania mobilizing their military. The vicious, false rumors that kept bringing dubious stories about his younger brother came from the soldiers. Rather, this leads him to question if the target isn’t Shelkin.

The questions do not end, and the means with which to settle things are none.

So, with just about everything going around in circles, Alduin was exhausted. The possibility that his daughter was already dead…just the thought of it made his heart clench strongly, threatening to burst out of his chest.

Therefore, even though he felt a dear presence behind him, he hadn’t yet turned his head.

And even when he did, and in front of his eyes was the figure of his beloved daughter, Alduin couldn’t comprehend the situation. However…..

“I’m home, Father.” (Tiara)

The moment he heard the voice he had been yearning for so long, Alduin’s eyes, which should have been dry, spent from days of crying, overflowed with tears once more.

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Status Window:

Name: Yuihama Kazane

Occupation: Magic Swordswoman

t.i.tle: Ogre Killer Princess

Equipment: Cane [[White Blaze]], Two Handed Sword [[Black Fang]], Leather Jacket, Metal Gauntlet, Plain Clothes, Leather Trouser, Berserk Ogre Greaves, Indestructible Cloak (and Futons), Pouch, Crimson Saint Casket, Legendary Spirit Summoning Ring, Infinite Key.

Level : 20

Vitality : 70

Magic Power : 114+300

Strength : 27

Agility : 22

Endurance : 16

Wisdom : 27

Dexterity : 19

Spell : [[Fly]] [[Torch]] [[Fire]] [[Heal]]

Skill : [[Goblin Language]] [[Night Vision]] [[Crus.h.i.+ng Blow]] [[Dog’s Sense of Smell]] [[Golem Maker]] [[Rush]] [[Fire Principle: Second Chapter]] [[Healing Principle: Second chapter]] [[Air Jump]] [[Killing Leg]] [[Fear Voice]] [[Invisible]] [[Tiger Eye]]

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Post Chapter Chat:

Kazane: “This was nice, ne~”

Yumika: “Yea, a great story and such.”