The Returnee Wants Peace

“Marquis Lycaon has gone missing, you say?”

As the situation was roughly sorted out and everyone was about to return to their respective homes, Rosha heard unexpected news while exchanging farewells with Marquis Belice before boarding the prepared carriage.

Who did they say went missing?

“Well, it’s understandable that you don’t know, young lady, since you’ve been away for a long time. Marquis Lycaon, who was imprisoned in the capital’s underground prison awaiting trial, just two days after his incarceration… uh…”

Marquis Belice, who had been speaking while stroking his elegant mustache, trailed off after receiving a glare from her grandfather.

It was because grandfather was looking at the Marquis with eyes that said, ‘What are you doing? I’m deliberately not telling her for her own good!’

The man in his 50s, outmatched in experience and spirit, eventually changed the subject appropriately.

“Ahem, more importantly! I heard that our Tia has been greatly indebted to you during this time, young lady. If it’s alright with you, I’d like to invite you to the Marquisate as a gesture of gratitude at an appropriate time. How does that sound?”

“How could I refuse? I’d be greatly honored.”

“Excellent. The Belice Marquisate is very beautiful in spring when flowers bloom everywhere. Once the snow melts and new buds sprout on the trees, I’ll send an invitation. Well then, farewell.”

The Marquis, having finished his business, hurriedly boarded the carriage, avoiding grandfather.

Soon, the carriage carrying the Belice father and daughter along with Joel departed.

Grandfather, who had been smiling gently while watching Lysithea waving from the carriage window, quietly began to speak.

“Marquis Belice might seem easygoing due to his attitude towards his daughter, but he’s the head of a vast merchant guild that has been passed down through generations. He’s not someone to be taken lightly.”

“Ah, the Golden Hand Guild. I’ve heard it’s one of the top one or two largest guilds in the Empire.”

“That’s right. It was the current Marquis who grew the guild from its mid-upper rank to this size. Though he has some weak points, he’s very quick with calculations and bold. If we can bring him to our side, it would be a great financial help.”

At these unexpected words, Rosha glanced at her grandfather.

She had only hoped that he would regain his health, and didn’t particularly expect anything from him. But her grandfather had already been thinking of various things for her sake.

“I know that what you do is dangerous, Rosha. This old man might be too old to fight alongside you, but I want to support you as much as I can.”

His hand patting her shoulder exuded warmth towards his granddaughter.

Duke Feriel, who was approaching, chided him saying:

“We’re the same age, so why do you say you’re too old to fight?”

But her grandfather decided to pretend not to hear.

She felt like she might cry from her grandfather’s affection, which she hadn’t felt for a very long time.

“So…”

Of course, Rosha didn’t forget the main point while being swept up in the mood.

“What do you mean by Marquis Lycaon going missing?”

“…Ho ho, I was planning to tell you later.”

Her grandfather, who had let out an awkward laugh, reluctantly opened his mouth at Rosha’s urging.

“It’s exactly as it sounds. Marquis Lycaon, who was imprisoned in the capital’s underground prison, disappeared without a trace after just two days. Leaving his son, Geoffrey Lycaon, still in prison.”

She wondered if he might have escaped using magic, but it wasn’t such a simple matter.

The place where Marquis Lycaon was confined was the most heavily guarded room in the innermost part of the underground prison, with several Imperial Knights watching with wide-open eyes.

In such a situation, if magic were used, they would have noticed immediately, but apparently no one sensed anything.

‘…This is suspicious.’

Perhaps Marquis Lycaon had an ace up his sleeve. But somehow, she was more suspicious of the Emperor.

She had a strong belief that the Emperor wouldn’t be this careless.

‘Right… I did think it was too easy when they said I could politically attack the Lycaon Marquisate.’

Looking at how the situation was unfolding, it seemed the Emperor was also aiming for something.

At that moment, Duke Feriel spoke.

“Anyway, the Imperial Knights are searching for Marquis Lycaon’s whereabouts. I can vouch for their skills. They’re quite capable fellows. So why don’t we head home and rest now?”

“Yes, let’s go home. I’ve been worried since you said you saw things that weren’t there.”

“You seem weak, so you should take care of your health for a while. It’s strange to see things that aren’t there at your age.”

“What are you saying? We shouldn’t see such things either. Do you want to go to the other world?”

What Rosha had seen wasn’t actually an illusion, but the two close old men were having a spicy banter session on this topic.

“Tsk tsk, these youngsters saying such things.”

Koko muttered dejectedly while preening his feathers.

Anyway.

As she boarded the carriage, Rosha looked at the Lycaon mansion where Heres would remain.

‘Have I grown fond of him? Given the situation, I’m a bit worried.’

To be honest now, Heres was at a stage where he was in pain and feeling chilly as he had half-completed the body constitution improvement process during the trial.

Fortunately, the treatment from the Lycaon Marquisate wasn’t bad. The household staff were quite friendly, probably because he had personally stepped up to resolve the rift in their Marquisate.

…But Marquis Lycaon’s disappearance.

“Hmm…”

She couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was.

But she had a feeling that something ominous would happen soon.

* * *

It took a day and a half by carriage from the Lycaon Marquisate to home.

Normally it would take two to three days, but this speed was possible thanks to replacing tired horses with fresh ones at every village they arrived at, allowing them to travel non-stop.

Upon arriving home, a meal was prepared to match their arrival time.

Fragrant mushroom soup, fluffy bread, white fish cooked with softly cooked potatoes and vegetables. And even lemon sorbet for dessert after the meal.

“Ah, now I feel alive.”

“Me too.”

Rosha and Cassis leaned back in their chairs with weary faces.

They had been living on jerky inside the rift, but eating warm food made them feel like they had finally returned home.

“Since you’re seeing things, it would be good to feed you some nourishing food, Cedric.”

“What do you mean by that? Seeing things?”

“Rosha said she saw something like a ghost.”

Hearing grandfather’s words, Cedric’s expression hardened, and he called the chef to say something.

It seemed the misunderstanding was growing, but at this point, there was no way to change the image of being weak, so she decided to just give up.

‘Well, I was planning to rest quietly for a while anyway.’

Once her return was confirmed, there was a high chance the Emperor would summon her. After all, she had been away for so long despite being a Guardian Knight.

A diligent knight would probably go straight to the Emperor to report what had happened, but who cares.

Rosha decided to just consider it a vacation until the Emperor called for her and rest quietly.

Of course, she didn’t know. How could she have known there would be so little time to rest!

“Master, a letter has just arrived from the Imperial Palace.”

As the meal was almost over, the head butler approached grandfather and respectfully presented an envelope.

It was a neat letter stamped with the Emperor’s golden seal.

‘…Has he already noticed that I’ve returned?’

However, fortunately, that wasn’t the case.

After checking the contents of the letter, grandfather let out a low sigh and passed it to Cedric. Rosha, along with Cassis, looked over his shoulder to confirm its contents and furrowed her brow with a complex expression.

And for good reason, because the letter read as follows:

[Due to the two recent trials that have befallen the Empire, the Imperial Palace has decided that we need to take a more active stance in demonic beasts extermination.

Therefore, we plan to hold a demon hunting competition in the forest near the capital in a week’s time, and we hope that nobles with interest will grace us with their presence.]

It was an invitation to a demon hunting competition that the Emperor had sent to all nobles.