"Indeed, that's a rare color."
"Is it a specific type of harpy or something?"
"Oh, like the mermaid or siren species?"
"Alright! Let's go search for it right away!"
"And to think it's a harpy that can't even fly, haha!"
"Apparently, it's a hidden species, so finding it is supposed to be quite a challenge."
"I can't believe this. I really can't. We were the heroes of that war, remember? We dealt with unexpected third-party interventions and even contributed to the fight using Snow. And this is the treatment we get?"
"It's unbelievable that we caught the root of this war, King Clem," Trinity complained loudly as we rode on Snow.
I could have sworn Snow himself let out an exasperated sound, but I hoped it was just my imagination. After all, it wasn't me who defeated the unexpected angelic Orc King; that credit belongs to another Orc. And capturing King Clem wasn't your achievement either.
"Shut up. I wanted to rest for at least a day. My body feels heavy from the aftereffects of that special skill, and yet here I am... What a mess," I grumbled.
We were currently fleeing the Zhipan Empire on Snow, crossing the midnight sea back to the Central Continent—just hours after the war had ended. The reason for our hasty departure? The proof of the Lolita King's power that I had picked up on the battlefield.
"Well, considering the influence of that royal token, I can understand Emperor Charlotte's feelings," Ava said. As she pointed out, the power of that Lolita King's token, for some, is viewed as a supreme treasure, while for others, it's an incredibly dangerous item.
After all, simply possessing it ensures that girls unconditionally adore you—what an absurd ability it possesses. Because I managed to acquire it on the battlefield, I ended up being exiled from the Zhipan Empire by Emperor Charlotte.
The reason why Prince Clem, known as the King of Lolis, is unconditionally loved by girls actually lies in his Loli King's emblem. It's unclear where he obtained it, but Prince Clem seemed to be scheming to attract the girls of the Jipan Empire using this emblem. However, after being defeated by the Angelic Orc King, he lost the emblem, which I ended up picking up.
At first, there wasn't much impact, but during the post-war negotiations with Prince Clem—who was in the process of signing a peace treaty (which he would soon break, rendering it mostly symbolic)—the elven girls who had been by his side suddenly woke up and drifted away from him. It was then that Prince Clem realized he no longer had the Loli King's emblem. In a state of panic, he began searching for it, forgetting about the peace treaty entirely.
Upon noticing that I was holding the emblem, he tried to reclaim it, but for some reason, the emblem never left my possession. Even when I handed it to Prince Clem, it inexplicably returned to me. According to some accounts, the emblem of kingship belongs to those who achieve victory in battle. This implies that, despite being a third party, Prince Clem, having lost, has no rightful claim to the Loli King's emblem. Even if he were to deliberately lose in an attempt to hand over the emblem, it would be deemed an act of dishonor, preventing any transfer of ownership.
The gathered elven girls at Prince Clem's side had scattered, leaving only a handful behind. It was surprising that anyone chose to remain with him. Among those who stayed was an S-rank adventurer known for her puppetry skills.
Since that time, rumors spread that Prince Clem had become a shell of his former self, retreating into isolation within the Lonely Duchy. It seemed unlikely he would ever provoke war with the Jipan Empire again.
As for me, having obtained the proof of my connection to the "Lolita King," Emperor Charlotte declared me a dangerous individual and expelled me from the Jipan Empire. Apparently, Charlotte harbored a deep disdain for those fond of young girls, stemming from her childhood experiences with countless nobles and suitors.
One has to wonder how I was discovered so quickly. It had to do with the emperor, stationed at the rear of the main camp for post-war matters. As the effects of the Lolita King's proof began to manifest, he witnessed me leading a group of girls, which surely raised alarms.
In the end, I was warned rather than outright banished, which was fortunate; I could have easily faced capture. Reflecting on it, I realize now why the Jipan Empire tolerated repeated conflicts with the Lonely Duchy. Considering the threat posed by the potent symbol of the Lolita King, it's understandable.
Considering the possibility that defeating the enemy completely could lead to the Proof of the Loli King falling into someone else's hands, it might be safer for it to remain in the possession of King Clem, where the owner is known. Therefore, it seems reasonable to tolerate the wars instigated by King Clem while managing him with a degree of detachment. However, it remains a top priority to ensure that Princess Josephine, daughter of Empress Charlotte, does not come to light as the owner of the Proof of the Loli King.
That's why we, having been exiled, rushed out of the Jipan Empire without taking much rest, all to avoid any accidents that might reveal us to Princess Josephine.
"At least we can still receive rewards from other adventurer guilds—that's our only saving grace," I said.
"Huh? You can get rewards from other guilds too?"
"Yeah, the Adventurer Guild is essentially a network of interconnected organizations. If one branch hasn't paid the reward, you can collect it from another. However, they only cover the minimum reward since they won't account for the specifics of each job."
Trinity, while lamenting the lost rewards, explained this to me. The guild card records the details of requests, including the types of monsters defeated and the rewards earned, so it seems reporting and receiving rewards can be done at other branches as well.
"Complaining won't change anything. Here we are, dealing with the consequences," I reminded her.
"I understand it, but there are things I just can't accept..."
I get that feeling; I relate to it the most.
"Anyway, we need to head to the Central Continent as soon as possible and find a place to rest. Ava, where would be a good spot near the next of the 26 Apostles?"
"Well, let's head towards the Deep Green Forest located northwest of the port town of Boatport. There's a more developed city there than at Boatport."
"In the forest? If you say so, Ava, let's go there first. Snow, I know you're exhausted after the battle, but I need you to hold on a bit longer."
"Kuruuu♪"
We took a moment to rest on Snow's back as we crossed the Blue Sapphire Sea heading toward the Central Continent.
◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇
――March 30, AL 103――
In the heart of the Deep Green Forest, northwest of the port town of Boatport, there was an open square featuring a reasonably large building at its center.
Two guards stood in front of the building, startled yet wary as they spotted Snow descending toward the square.
After all, it's no surprise they'd be cautious when a massive flying drake suddenly appears in the middle of the night.
Ignoring the guards, Snow landed in the square, but it seemed the fatigue hit her hard, and she collapsed right there. I suppose pushing her to cross the sea without sufficient rest after the war was asking too much.
"Snow, you did well. I'm sorry to ask so much of you. I plan to rest here for a while, so you should take it easy too."
"Kru..."
Snow let out a soft sound before drifting off to sleep.
"Now, Ava. Is this building our destination? Is it another underground city like Cobalt Blue?"
"That's right. This is the underground city of Emerald Green, home to the dark elves. Unlike Cobalt Blue, it looks like there's a structure at the entrance. There seems to be a checkpoint to enter the city."
Indeed, the two guards at the gate were dark elves, their ears long and skin a dusky hue. While dark elves are often considered a fallen race of elves, at a glance, they looked quite similar to elves. Dressed in metallic armor with swords at their hips, they hardly resembled elves at all.
Regardless, we pressed on toward the city's entrance to recover from our exhausting journey across the sea. As we approached the building, the guards called out to us.
"Halt! You don't appear hostile, but what business do you have in Emerald Green?"
"Come on, what business? We're here for work, for an adventurer's request. Sorry, my friend here is a bit rigid in the head. Given that you're riding a drake, are you messengers from the Premium Republic or the Elegant Kingdom?"
"Hey! I'm just doing my job! And it's the guards' duty to be cautious of outsiders!"
Ah, it's only natural to be cautious of outsiders, especially given that we arrived on a ten-meter Drake. But, as the other guard pointed out, who else would come to a place like this? Only adventurers, I suppose, or perhaps those interested in touring the underground city?
"We're not representatives of the country, just ordinary adventurers," I explained. "We intended to take a break in your city and wanted to stop by. Could we enter?"
"In that case, show me some form of identification. If you don't have one, you'll need to pay 500 gold for a temporary identification proof."
After stating our purpose, the stubborn guard requested identification. We presented our guild cards as proof. However, 500 gold for a temporary ID? That's roughly 50,000 yen—surprisingly steep.
"Hmm, D-rank adventurers, huh? With a Drake, I assumed you were C or B rank," the guard mused.
"Well, getting a Drake was a stroke of luck for us. So, can we enter the city?"
"Just a moment. I'll verify your information."
With that, the guard took our guild card and stepped into a small room. Later, I learned that he was not only checking our registration but also verifying whether we had any criminal records linked to our guild cards.
It seems that the guild card automatically records any criminal activities. Well, as a gatekeeper, verifying offenders is essential, so it's only natural.
"All right, the verification is complete. You can go inside now."
We were guided into the building by another gatekeeper emerging from within, descending the stairs. The area resembled Cobalt Blue, with a wide and long slope leading consistently downward into the underground.
By the way, Snow informed the two gatekeepers that we posed no danger and received permission to stay in this square. Normally, mounts and carriages could use the slope to access the underground city, but this building's entrance wasn't large enough to accommodate anything of that size, so we were allowed to wait outside.
"Hey, does this mean the underground city might be connected to that underground labyrinth in Cobalt Blue? This is the other entrance you mentioned before, right?"
"Oh, you remembered well! Just as Trinity said, this is one of the entrances. There's another one in the underground city of Ruby Red in the Jipan Empire."
"Hmph, then if I were to go to the Jipan Empire, entering through the underground labyrinth would be easier, wouldn't it?"
"Of course, if you get caught, it'll be straight to the dungeon."
Trinity pondered on the method of infiltrating the Jipan Empire from the underground, but it was not an option I particularly wanted to consider.
There's the risk of being discovered, but honestly, pushing through that endless distance in the underground labyrinth would be pretty soul-crushing. Not that I'll ever go to the Jipan Empire again, right? ...I mean, that's not happening, right?
I don't know how it works, but even in this underground city, it seems that the vast underground space is somehow linked to the outside. When the sun rises outside, the underground city brightens, and when it sets, it grows dark. Right now, it's the middle of the night, so the underground is pitch black, except for the scattered street lamps illuminated by magic that light up the nighttime city.