"If I could bring this 'Staff of Destruction' back to the One Piece world and successfully reverse-engineer it, it seems like it could be quite a lucrative venture..."
Fouquet had been captured, and the "Staff of Destruction" had been successfully retrieved. Although they were curious about who had hired Fouquet to steal it, after some hesitation, Louise and the others decided to return and wait for Princess Henrietta's decision.
On their way back, Louise and her group were in high spirits. Although their contribution to the mission was limited, they had acted as a team, and now that the task had been successfully completed, they were likely to receive some rewards.
Shortly after Wood and the others left, a figure in a purple dress, with a seductive and commanding presence, slowly emerged from the shadows of the bushes.
Upon closer inspection, it would be noticed that she, too, had the same runes on her forehead as Wood and Saito, though the length and meaning of the runes differed.
"I didn't expect that I would fail to get my hands on the legendary 'Staff of Destruction' this time, and instead, I encountered both 'Gandálfr' and 'Lífþrasir.'
With the appearance of these legendary familiars, it must mean that the other Void successors have also been born. I must report this to Lord Joseph as soon as possible."
The purple-haired woman is Sheffield, also known as the "Brain of God," Mjǫlnir, who possesses the ability to use any magical artifact.
Sheffield had commissioned Fouquet to steal the "Staff of Destruction" because she believed it to be a magical artifact, and with her powers as Mjǫlnir, she could use anything that was magical.
However, what she hadn't expected was that the "Staff of Destruction" was actually a weapon from another world, and that the Void successor in Tristain had already appeared.
Gandálfr aside, that "Lífþrasir" from earlier was so powerful that it defied common sense and might obstruct the mission that Lord Joseph had assigned to her.
The Halkeginia continent mainly consists of several kingdoms, with Tristain being a small kingdom located in the northwest of the continent.
Nearby are two other kingdoms: the Kingdom of Gallia and the Kingdom of Albion. Tristain, where Wood and the others reside, is actually geographically disadvantaged and the weakest of these kingdoms.
Joseph, a Void successor and the King of Gallia, is also known as the "Inept King" due to his poor magical talent.
Sheffield, as Mjǫlnir and Joseph's familiar, had been ordered to destroy both the Kingdom of Albion and the Kingdom of Tristain.
Albion, once a prosperous kingdom, had fallen into civil war due to Sheffield's intervention.
Among the royal family, only a prince named Wales Tudor remains.
Once this Prince Wales is dead, Sheffield would be able to use magical artifacts to control the minds of Albion's high command, leading them to wage war against Tristain.
In terms of military strength, the remote Kingdom of Tristain could never stand up to the might of Albion, allowing Sheffield to perfectly fulfill the mission given to her by her master.
The "Staff of Destruction" was originally intended by Sheffield to eliminate Prince Wales, but this new development had thrown a wrench into her plans.
After successfully completing the mission and returning the "Staff of Destruction," Wood and the others were warmly welcomed back at the Magic Academy.
To honor their accomplishments, the academy not only awarded them medals but also arranged a banquet in their honor.
Louise and the others, dressed in their finest attire, became the stars of the evening.
In this world, nobles are proud and full of a sense of superiority. They live for honor and can even die for it.
Even if their actions are motivated by money or a love interest, they prioritize "noble pride and honor" above all else.
So, having successfully completed a royal mission, Guiche and the others were regarded as exemplary nobles in the eyes of their peers and were thus showered with admiration.
Wood stood on an open balcony, watching Guiche boast as he was surrounded by admirers, with a playful smile on his face.
Soon, a figure in a white dress, with a graceful and curvaceous silhouette, noticed him and began walking towards him.
"I'm truly sorry. Louise has already told me what happened. The success of this mission was largely due to you and Saito, wasn't it?
You two should have been the stars of this banquet, but because you're familiars, and still commoners by status..."
The graceful figure approaching Wood was none other than Princess Henrietta, who had summoned him as a familiar.
Whether it was her appearance, figure, or personality, although Henrietta is not the main heroine of this series, her popularity has always rivaled that of Louise, the main heroine.
In some side stories, like certain... illustrations, Henrietta is undoubtedly the leading lady.
"Your Highness, are you worried that I might feel disappointed because of unfair treatment?
If that's the case, you can rest assured. I'm not too concerned about honors and such.
But if Your Highness truly feels bad about it and insists on rewarding me, then why not give me that 'Staff of Destruction'?"
Wood might be clueless about mechanical objects, but there are plenty of geniuses in the One Piece world, like Vegapunk and Franky, who have even created lasers. Figuring out how to replicate a rocket launcher shouldn't be too difficult.
"Just call me Henrietta. Although familiars are technically subordinates, the relationship between a familiar and a mage is more like that of partners.
I've had no other siblings and have always lived in the palace, so aside from Louise, I've never really had any other friends.
If you could become my friend, Wood, I would be very happy.
As for the disposal of the 'Staff of Destruction,' it should be up to Headmaster Osmond. But since you were the greatest contributor to this mission, if I ask him to reward it to you, there shouldn't be a problem."
Since summoning Wood as her familiar, this was the first time Henrietta had spoken with him for such a long time.
Unlike Louise, Henrietta couldn't treat Wood purely as a familiar because, no matter how she looked at him, he was still a human and, moreover, a man.
However, thinking about it another way, Henrietta was actually quite happy because the relationship between a familiar and its master meant that she and Wood were naturally very close. In the future, when she was in the palace, she wouldn't have to worry about not having someone to talk to.
"Speaking of friends, Your Highness... Henrietta, you should still have a betrothed, right?
If I remember correctly, he is also a member of a neighboring royal family, and his situation is quite dire right now..."
Note: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 200+ at patreon.com/Betek.