Chapter 57: 57-57 Underwater War

王都の地下大倉庫の崩落の後始末と【灰色の亡霊(ファントムグレイ)】の討伐の事実確認に追われて数日を過ごした王子は、突然出現したという歴史上の怪物の報告に引っ掛かりを覚えていた.

「文献に記録のある『聖銀の祭壇』は、そう簡単に傷つくものではない筈だが」

当事者となった妹(リーン)から直接状況の説明を受けたものの、細かい点が所々腑に落ちない────.

王家の書庫に所蔵される歴史書に記述された【灰色の亡霊(ファントムグレイ)】. その異形の怪物を封じた迷宮遺物の『祭壇』は、その名の通り全てが『聖銀(ミスリル)』で造られており、そう易々と傷つきはしない.

『聖銀(ミスリル)』は強度こそ『王類金属(オリハルコン)』や『最硬鉱物(アダマンタイト)』に劣るが、極めて魔力を通しやすく付与(エンチャント)による強化が容易であり、並の剣や魔法では毛筋ほどのかすり傷もつけられない.

だからこそ先人は、あれ(・・)を封じる為に巨大な祭壇をわざわざ迷宮の奥深くから持ち出し、用意したのだ.

妹(リーン)が嬉々として語った、それを【プチファイア】で跡形もなく消滅させた人物の話には頭を抱えたが────色々と規格外のあの英雄じみた男の話はさておき、普通『聖銀(ミスリル)』製の遺物がただの地震や戦争の余波で壊れるなどということは考えられない話だ.

となると、やはり────.

「やはり誰かが意図的に(・・・・)破壊した────と、そう考えるのが妥当か」　

王子の頭を占めていたのは、先の皇国の襲撃の起点となった『リンネブルグ王女暗殺未遂事件』だった.

その計画は皇国の指揮系統の中で行われたという証拠と証言を得ることができ、その分の賠償は十二分に講和条約の中に明記させたのだが────調査を進めるうち、どうやら別の側面もあることが見えてきた.

────不穏な第三者の影の存在.

王都襲撃騒動の終結後、何度となく皇帝側近のレベルにも確認をしたが、事件のきっかけになった高純度の魔石が使われた『魔術師の指輪』に施された召喚技術──そして召喚された『ミノタウロス』は、そもそも「同じ者から提供された(・・・・・)」のだという.

つまりその存在は、あの召喚魔道具製造技術を皇国より先に手に入れ、更に『ミノタウロス』を捕獲した(・・・・)ということになる.

深淵の魔物『ミノタウロス』はそう簡単に捕えることの出来る魔物ではない.

何度となく相見えた【六聖】クラスであればともかく、通常の戦力では交戦することすらままならない.

それを捕獲し提供したとなるとその「見えない敵」は我が国の【六聖】と同等の戦力すらを保持している、と考える他ない.

信じがたいがそんな存在が皇国に居たということが明らかになった.

目撃者は多い.

────だというのに.

我々は未だにその正体の断片すら掴めないでいる.

不思議なことにいくら皇国で調査を重ねても、聞くたびに違う答えが返ってくるのだ.

ある者はそれは「老いた商人たちだった」と言い.

ある者は「小柄で不気味な姿の奴隷商だった」と言い.

ある者は「美しい女性の占い師の集団だった」と断言する.

────証言が取りに行く先々でまるで違う.

ここまで全てが食い違っているとなると、当初から何らかの偽装を施していたか……もしくは、事後的に記憶の操作が行われた可能性がある.

つまり、皇国に影響を与えていたのは────相当な武力を持ちながら、そんな不気味なまでに器用なことが行える団体.

そういうことになる.

それは誰なのか、という話だが.

被害者(リーン)本人の証言にもある通り、最初の『ミノタウロス』の襲撃時に突然強力な『結界』が王女(リーン)を縛り、彼女は身動きすらできず死にかけた.

皇国の将軍を含めた上層部はその『結界』の存在を把握すらしておらず、結局誰がそれをやったのかは不明のまま.

とはいえ、『結界技術』自体がミスラの独占物であり、そんなものを扱える存在となると自ずと限られてくる.

そして今回の【灰色の亡霊(ファントムグレイ)】の一件も、それと関連性がないとは言い切れない.

何故なら、ミスラへの留学経験のあるリーンが封印の祭壇に『結界技術』の魔法紋の痕跡を見出し、それが削れていた(・・・・・)と言うのだから.

知識のある者が意図して削った(・・・)、とも考えられる.

────この推測に確証はない.

調べても、証拠は全く出てこない.

だが、確信に近いものはある.

証拠は出ないが、状況がそれを示している.

The last Imperial raid.

They were right in the thick of it (・・・・・).

And yet, they are still calling for reconstruction visits, aid, and comfort.

──── How dare you.

It's really ──────── disgusting, Astila.

The words that came out of his mouth were filled with fury.

I can understand why Wang did not allow me to be present at the meeting.

If I had been there, I would have bitten that woman for sure.

It was a wise decision.

I'm confident that the moment I saw her face, I wouldn't have been able to control myself.

Unlike my father, who was calm and gentle, I might have even turned on her without hesitation.

──── It's obvious.

There is no way I could ever forgive her.

I'm sure she's the one who tried (・・・・) to kill Lean (・・・・・・).

And you call that an 'engagement'?　Don't be so foolish. ────

The quiet office in the middle of the night was once again filled with angry voices.

My sister, Leanne, is very good.

Even in the long history of the royal family of the Kingdom of Crais, she stands out.

When I was a child, I was also praised as a child prodigy, but I can't compare to her.

Yes, ──── she is far, far too good.

If she grows up like that, our national power will increase remarkably.

Everyone recognizes her as one of the best in a few hundred years.

Her genius is famous throughout the kingdom, and many of the people are already eagerly awaiting her throne.

Strictly speaking, the girl has not yet completed the [trials] to obtain the right to inherit the throne as stipulated by the kingdom's laws.

However, if she officially obtains the right of succession, the people will definitely choose her.

I don't intend to argue with that.

Above all, I don't think that the people of the kingdom, who are always looking for heroes, would easily accept me, who has done a lot of dirty work even to protect the country.

I'm more comfortable working behind the scenes than on the stage, and more than anyone else, I believe that she (Leanne) deserves the throne after her father.

In fact, when the time comes, the people will be more united than ever, and the Kingdom of Crais will make great progress.

But those who do not like the idea of my country gaining power will see my sister Lean as a threat.

It is not surprising that they would want to destroy her in advance.

In fact, they came to destroy it.

They wanted to take advantage of the chaos of war and destroy it without leaving any evidence.

And when that failed, she approached me as if she had pity for me, and brought up the subject of an engagement, which never happened.

If you can't destroy it, make it your own. ──── I could clearly read her intention to flip it around.

If we don't get angry at such things, what should we get angry at?

"Are we looking for resources or ──── something else?

If you think about it simply, it's obvious.

If they had a rational purpose, it would be the resources produced by the labyrinth, or the Labyrinth of No Return itself.

They wanted those things in the first place.

Mithra, the Holy Land.

It's a military state disguised as a religious state dressed up in military and economic power.

The prince recalls the words of the Healing Saint Thane, who was once born there and abandoned his country.

The prince recalls the words of Sein, who was once born there and abandoned his country: "──── Mithra is no longer a religion.

The people living in the upper levels there have lost their faith and their hearts.

It's something else, something that takes advantage of people's beliefs.

He added, "A sinful country ruled by greedy people.

The "Labyrinth of No Return" is a treasure trove of unknown resources, and even hundreds of years after its discovery, the deepest part has not been reached.

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It is a treasure trove of unknown resources. There are treasures and relics lying there that the powers that be would love to have.

For that reason, there are many troubles caused by the Labyrinth of No Return.

Among them, the "Phantom Grey" was a major incident in the past history.

However, the kingdom has continued to prove that it can overcome and control the threats from the world-famous labyrinth with its own power, and has claimed the legitimacy of its possession and management authority with a certain awe.

But if ──── is seen as incapable of managing it (・・・・).

For example (...), if the management of the Labyrinth of No Return is seriously inadequate and some trouble occurs, it may give other countries a good material to attack over the rightness of the management authority.

From this aspect, the reappearance of the Phantom Gray in ──── is not a coincidence, but an inevitability.

Someone intended it.

Someone intended it, and caused an incident that could have been catastrophic.

That someone is already forming a clear image in the prince's mind.

"So we have long misjudged who we should trust.

The prince gritted his teeth.

Until now, my country and Mithra have maintained a certain distance and balance.

We've been allies for hundreds of years.

Even though there are always dark rumors about that country, we have maintained a relationship of trust as neighbors while respecting each other's interests.

That's why Lean and I both studied in that country when we were young, and why we chose it as a place of exile when the country was in danger during the recent war.

However, the more information we obtained, the more we realized how shallow we had been.

That country is no longer a close ally of ours.

At least, that was their intention long ago.

──── realized it too late.

Will the conflict still continue?

The Empire has effectively fallen, and the Kingdom of Crace has been badly hurt.

The long-standing balance of power has already been broken.

If left to its own devices, my country will use the technology it has acquired from the Imperial Kingdom and develop.

Given enough time, it will prosper.

But she's not so naive as to allow that to happen.

If that greedy bastard wants the Labyrinth of No Return, now is the time.

There is no other time than now.

──── is what I would do.

He'll see this as an opportunity and do everything he can.

The prince is annoyed by the shadows of his peers, who are much more powerful than he is, and his blood rises to his head.

The more he understands their intentions and objectives, the angrier he becomes.

The things he imagines his opponent will do in the future are things he has thought of, but has decided never to do as a human being.

The other party does it without hesitation ────.

The prince couldn't help but feel anger and disgust at himself for understanding and sympathizing with such an outcast.

──── Let's cool down a bit.

My sister's invitation to Mithra (...).

It seems to me that there is a blatant trap laid out there.

If you go there, there will always be danger.

But the prince also thinks that it may be an opportunity on the contrary.

...... If I had the guts to gamble with my sister's life, I would.

I'm sure you'll agree that it's a great idea.

──── I don't even want to think about it.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. ────

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

I say this to myself as if to tell myself that I tend to be soft on my sister.

It is true that Lean is essential for the prosperity of the country.

But that is only if she fulfills her role.

I'm sure you'll be able to figure out what you need to do.

The mission of the royal family──── is the prosperity of the people and the country.

It is our duty to serve them as they keep us alive.

The situation surrounding our country can already be described as a war.

In the depths of what appears to be a calm water, we have already entered the battlefield.

──── In such a situation, it is unacceptable to take personal feelings into consideration for the sake of one's own family.

I have to think about the best placement of the pieces on this board.

Even if it means putting my sister's life at risk.

Even if it means risking his sister's life, he must do it without hesitation if it is in the best interest of the country and the people.

So the prince thought frantically and ──── a few moments later, he came to a conclusion.

"──── Rollo, you say, the boy.

The prince immediately realized.

Perhaps that demon boy.

That boy will be the key this time.

The current balance of power, and the fate of the kingdom, would depend on how the boy performed in the future.

It also occurred to me.

I also wondered if my father was thinking of that when he brought him into the kingdom.

If so, then I was really shallow and foolish for strongly opposing his acceptance as a citizen of the demon race, saying that he would only bring harm to the people of the kingdom.

The path I'm imagining now (that) is also a gamble, but it seems to be a gamble with a big payoff, to the extent that it's worth the ...... gamble.

...... No, perhaps not.

My father is really warm and kind.

Perhaps he was simply motivated by his love for the boy and his desire to fulfill his promise to that man, Noor.

Simple and naive.

It puts reason and emotion first, and puts aside the scales of profit and loss.

At first glance, this may seem to be the work of fools.

But that is the true image of a hero that the people want: ──── "The King's Instrument".

The people of the kingdom follow that kind of straightforward righteousness.

People's hearts are always looking for someone who shows such sincerity.

That's what I lack.

──── I really hate myself for judging things only in terms of immediate gain and loss.

I'll talk to your father and Oaken about it. ──── I'll come up with a plan after that.

The prince, having gained a dim glimmer of light, put aside his pursuit for the moment.

There are so many things to do and think about now.

I have to deal with them one by one.

──── the woman who tried to harm my sister.

I'm going to take my shot at that monster, that's what I'm going to do.

I have to work steadily, one task at a time.

Otherwise, as an ordinary man, I'll never be able to compete with the monsters around me.

If you lack talent, you must earn it with your feet and your hands.

The prince opened the window of his office to let in the night breeze, calmed his still hot head a little, and returned to his task of looking through the mountain of reports from his subordinates.

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