The Returnee Wants Peace

The face of the man who had suddenly become a 'son of a bitch' turned bright red.

"You... you crazy woman!"

His shout conveyed both embarrassment and anger. However, he couldn't retaliate more harshly or rush at her recklessly.

This was because a faint red energy swirled around Lysithea's hand that she had slowly raised.

It was clearly her ability to handle life force.

"Ugh..."

"W-witch..."

Under the pressure that she might suck out their life force if things went wrong, those who had been cornering Lysithea with their previous remarks hesitated.

They seemed to be trying to swallow their embarrassment somehow.

"Hmph."

Lysithea, who had snorted, turned around triumphantly.

Rosha, who was about to intervene if the friction escalated, quietly calmed her magical power and thought:

'...Was Lysithea's personality originally like this?'

She certainly had a bold and naive side, but being born into nobility, she didn't fight directly like this.

But was it because three years had passed?

Her demeanor just now was very unfamiliar.

After the dispute settled, Rosha, sitting on a garden bench prepared in the imperial palace, carefully asked:

"Do such things happen often?"

"Yes, well... occasionally. Since my father passed away and the Belice Marquisate became the land of demonic beasts, they seem to think our fortunes have declined. What just happened is actually quite average."

Lysithea sighed and looked at the garden.

Her eyes, worn by harsh winds, looked particularly pitiful.

However, perhaps feeling Joel's gaze standing behind her, she soon straightened her back and continued:

"But today, thanks to you being here, I could properly retaliate. Using abilities is usually prohibited in the imperial palace."

"...But?"

"But if you're here, even if a report is made about something like that, it will be dismissed at the level of the imperial knights. It will probably be the same today."

In other words, she had benefited from Rosha's image as a national hero.

Moreover, Marian, who had once formed a teacher-student relationship with Rosha, was now in the Imperial Knights, and Rosha's older brother Cedric was even engaged to the Emperor, so it was even more so.

'Come to think of it, that's why Froy moved by carriage instead of using his ability in the imperial palace.'

[The Guiding Lantern] wasn't aggressive and was classified as a special category, so she hadn't realized it.

Rosha nodded slightly and then looked at Lysithea.

A plain black dress without decorations, loosely tied hair, an expression tired of life. Yet her unextinguished eyes were quite impressive.

Suddenly, she thought Lysithea resembled the imperial palace garden.

Winter has passed, and spring's new buds are sprouting.

The vibrant garden that was always in full bloom due to the previous Emperor's ability had disappeared, but green sprouts were rising even on barren land.

In other words, you could say they were similar in enduring the cold and waiting for spring.

"If you have any difficulties, tell me anytime. Both on the battlefield and in daily life."

She didn't speak strongly, thinking that being born into nobility, Lysithea might have pride.

However, every phrase was sincere.

'I can fully understand Lysithea's feelings.'

Rosha also had the experience of living apart from her family for over a decade in a foreign land.

If Lysithea just asked for help, she was willing to help in any way.

Although the Aper Marquis family wasn't an extremely wealthy family, they could easily support several people, including Lysithea and Joel, as well as those around them.

But.

"...What? Ahahahaha!"

At Rosha's words, Lysithea burst into clear laughter as if she had heard something funny.

Just as she was feeling puzzled.

Lysithea suddenly pointed to a magic lamp installed at the entrance of the imperial palace and said:

"Do you see the hand shape engraved in gold at the bottom of that lamp? It's a magic item supplied to the imperial palace by the Golden Hand Guild that I operate."

"...Ah."

"Although we lost the territory, fortunately, the Golden Hand Guild that the family operated is based in the capital, so it's safe. Most of the people running the guild are still the same."

As it turned out, even the tents set up near the lake in the previous trial were supported by the Golden Hand Guild.

Perhaps it was natural since it was a battlefield where Lysithea, the guild master, was participating.

'...What? Then she just dressed casually?'

It was so different from the image of Lysithea growing up delicately and wealthy that she had naturally misunderstood.

It was a side effect left by the gap of three years.

"Hehe, how cute. Rosha, can I call you Rosha?"

Lysithea approached with a smile and lightly stroked Rosha's cheeks, which had turned red with embarrassment.

Since Lysithea was one year older anyway, she quietly nodded.

"Thank you for worrying about me like this. The words of some dimwitted nobles make me angry, but I don't really attach much meaning to them. If I get really angry, I can just drive them out like today. But... since you said to ask for help, I have one request."

"What is it?"

"At the lake from before."

Lysithea leaned in close and whispered.

Along with a faint fragrance, her light pink hair tickled Rosha's face and neck.

"Around the time the trial ended, life force suddenly burst out from above the lake. Even though it was clearly empty air. Is something hidden there?"

Although the rift was hidden by a concealment curtain, it seemed to appear differently to Lysithea.

Just as the rift beyond the curtain was faintly visible to Rosha's eyes.

Rosha answered honestly.

"Yes. We created a rift. It's currently hidden by a concealment curtain."

"Hmm, I see. Then Rosha creating the rift was a gambit to somehow resolve this situation, right? Then please let me participate in that gambit too."

"...That's."

"I want to know the inside story of what's going on too."

Lysithea looked at Rosha with sparkling eyes, but she couldn't give a definite answer yet.

The promotion quest 'Crossroads of Choice'.

She didn't know the details yet as they hadn't appeared. They would probably come out once she entered the rift.

However, there was a part that both Koko and the Guide God had commonly recommended.

-It would be better to secure as many sacred relics as possible.

-To go safely, you need to gather sacred relics imbued with divine power and use them in the right places. Remember, there are sacred relics that are particularly advantageous to have here!

Sacred relics related to gods of secrecy, concealment, hiding, infiltration.

If it was something that could be used to hide the body, that would be even better.

'I'm planning to form a team and leave as soon as the things I need to do are finished and the empire stabilizes... I should look for them in the meantime during the remaining time.'

But Lysithea, who heard her words, opened her eyes wide and said:

"If it's such an item... I think there was one in the Marquisate too?"

"What?"

* * *

Froy quickly flipped through the documents.

The movement of the pen in his right hand was quite lively.

"...You seem to be in a good mood today?"

Lovell, Froy's subordinate, coachman, spy, and bodyguard, asked.

It was a question that sensitively read the change in his superior's expression, but as always, a cynical answer came back.

"None of your business."

But the skilled subordinate with long experience had already guessed everything.

Because 30 minutes ago, a knight had come and told him that Lady Roshanak was looking for his master.

'It must be because Lady Roshanak called. It's obvious.'

In fact, Froy's subordinates had a pretty good grasp of their master's feelings.

Since Froy rarely showed changes in expression, all the subordinates who received orders under him had become proficient in reading between the lines.

And indeed.

Their prediction was right.

'I wonder why she called me?'

Froy, having finished all his work, thought as he hurriedly moved to where Rosha had told him to come.

Originally, it was rare for Rosha to seek him out first.

It's because she's so independent that she tends to do most things on her own, and even if she has some feelings for him, she tries not to express them outwardly.

...Of course, it wasn't confirmed, but that's what he was thinking.

Anyway, being called like this, he felt very welcome and happy.

Moreover, the place where Rosha had called Froy was none other than the innermost room of the underground auction house he operated.

'That room... is a place used only when plotting secret affairs.'

Froy carefully entered the auction house with a mixture of excitement and curiosity.

However.

"Ah, you're here."

When Froy opened the door, Rosha wasn't alone inside.

After confirming the people in the room, Froy looked at her with salty eyes.

She was holding something like a long baton in her hand.

"..."

The end of that baton was pointing at a paper attached to the wall.

Specifically - a paper that read 'Plan to Break Through Belice Mansion!'