Quick Thinking
Do you really think this is going to work...?
My, my... You still have so little faith in me.
Our investigation shows that this kingdom knows almost nothing about the Eastern Continent.
And dressed as we are now, we could easily pass for foreigners.
It's the perfect disguise.
Cristelle's plan was to pose as an envoy from the Eastern Continent and enter the royal palace.
There was, however, one small and rather adorable flaw...
Would a delegation from the Eastern Continent...
Really show up empty-handed...?
...
Well? Care to answer?
I-it couldn't be helped!
Even after selling every valuable item we had, we barely had enough to pay for a single carriage with only a little left over.
Besides, anything we could buy here would obviously not be from the Eastern Continent.
Trying to dress things up by buying random goods would only make us look even more suspicious.
Well... that's not entirely unreasonable.
You two worry far too much.
Just watch closely and witness how I, Cristelle, overcome this obstacle.
Halt! Identify yourselves and state your business!
Ahh! You would dare impede my passage, guard?
...Huh? And you are...?
My, my. It seems word has yet to reach you.
Ufufu! We are a delegation from the Eastern Continent, far beyond the eastern seas!
From the realm ruled by Her Imperial Majesty Alicia, who watches over heaven and earth beneath the stars!
...Excuse me?
...Just go along with it. Apparently that's the story we're using.
We are envoys of the Great NOA Empire!
Y-yes! That's right!
We have brought medicinal ingredients to treat the mysterious illness afflicting your princess.
A-an envoy from the Eastern Continent!
...Though you're rather modest in size for an envo—
Insolence! Would you dare insult envoys sent by the Empress of the Eastern Continent?!
N-no, of course not...
P-please wait a moment! This is far too important a matter for someone of my rank to handle—
Wait...
Word of the princess' condition shouldn't have reached the Eastern Continent yet.
The knights bound for the Eastern Continent only left the royal capital last week...
...?!
That's a sharp observation.
...You did prepare for that much, right?
Now that you mention it, I hadn't considered that. My mistake.
*Sigh...*
So what now?
Fufu... Unexpected variables arise all the time in the course of business.
An entrepreneur who can't improvise in the face of a minor complication like this has no right to call themselves one.
Allow me to show you personally.
The skill that raised Morrel Ocean Traders to the greatest trading company in Faren.
Oh...!
Ah, my, my.
It seems you still know very little about the sage residing in your royal palace.
She has visited our nation before, you see.
And long before your princess ever fell ill, she made a prophecy.
She foretold that we must gather medicinal ingredients from a sacred mountain and send a delegation to your kingdom!
What...?! She foresaw even that?!
He's so easy to fool...!
Fufu... Now hurry and inform your king that the envoy has arrived, and open the gates!
B-but... you haven't provided any proof that you really are this envoy...
At the very least, I would appreciate some evidence that you've come from the Eastern Continent.
...Maybe not?
He's pretty strict. What are you going to do now?
Ngh... Proof... Something we could show him...
Hmm...?
It can't be helped. Here, take this.
What... is this?
What Cristelle handed the guard was a can of soda from her bag.
You might call it a secret elixir of life from the Eastern Continent.
S-something this precious... Are you sure you can just give it to me?
Phew... It is valuable beyond measure, but seeing you... reminds me of my father.
Even beneath this scorching sun, you remain faithfully at your post, driven only by devotion to your homeland.
My father, too... was a knight who fought for his country.
So I understand, at least somewhat, how hard you work.
Oh...
That sounds like a lie...
Because it is.
Oh.
Now, lift the metal tab on top with some force. The lid will open.
Like... this?
Drink it in one go.
Gkh... Hah... Ngh...
This is... the elixir of life...?! It fizzes inside my mouth. I've never tasted anything like it!
Now then... Guard, listen carefully.
That elixir of life is the very medicinal ingredient the sage requires.
Unfortunately, however, its medicinal properties fade if too much time passes.
Its medicinal properties...!
If left somewhere hot, it loses its fizz.
So surely we must hurry. It would be best to bring it inside the cool royal palace as soon as possible.
I'm not asking for much. After all, you're merely a guard of the lowest rank.
I simply...
Hope you might see to it that the procedure is handled swiftly.
Huh...? A-a gold coin...?
Ah, don't be alarmed. It's merely a small token of appreciation.
I admire your loyalty, but devotion alone won't put food on the table for your dear children.
I understand. I understand completely. Such is life, is it not?
Uh... I really shouldn't...
Oh? Go on, put it away. If you refuse, you'll make me look terribly uncouth.
...Very well. I'll open the gates for now, but you must remain quietly in the waiting area.
Of course, of course! Ufufu!
There were a few complications, but I guess we made it inside.
The skill that raised Morrel Ocean Traders to the top of Faren...
So this was it...?!
The dark truth of adulthood...
I think you've misunderstood. Our company has always been—
What did I tell you? I said everything would work out, didn't I?
Gold works in every era and every land, after all.
Ufufu!
So aggressive bribery was the secret...
We don't do that...!
And you, stop talking nonsense. You're giving the Captain the wrong idea.
Fufu... Well, perhaps it isn't entirely a misunderstanding.
I'd do anything for revenge. Even if it meant trading someone else's life for it. That's my creed.
...*Sigh* Even so, that was a complete gamble. What were you going to do if we'd blown our cover?
How cold. Haydee, you're always so stingy with your praise!
Shut it. You're not a child. Why do you need praise?
Boo... When will you finally commend my achievements with warm words and throw yourself into my arms...?
Never. Give up on that dream...!
Anyone there...?
...It's fine. Come out already.
No one's here. I checked all the way to the end of the corridor.
We'd be in serious trouble if we're caught, right...?
We'd probably die.
Thieves who snuck into the royal palace... Yes, that sounds like an excellent charge to be hanged for.
Ufufu! There's no need to be afraid. We simply mustn't get caught.
With a smile on her face after uttering something so grim, Cristelle stepped up to an ornate door at the end of the narrow corridor.
This is...
The sage's chamber, right?
Yes. Void Force is seeping out from beyond this very door.
Most likely...
Morcerf is inside.
Are you ready, Haydee?
I've always been.
...Ever since the moment I opened my eyes.
Then... I'll open the door. You make sure she doesn't try anything funny.
...Leave it to me. If she so much as struggles, I'll pierce her hands and feet and pin her to the wall.
Ufufu... An excellent plan. I'll leave that to you.
Captain, I'd like you to make sure she can't escape. Can you do that?
No problem.
Then... shall we? It's time to bring our sworn blood-soaked revenge to its conclusion.
...Okay.
The enormous door opened, revealing the sage's chamber that had been hidden away in secrecy.
But inside...
...
...This is...
There's... nothing here.
There was literally nothing.
There was no furniture. Even the walls seemed to melt into one another, leaving a flat, depthless space of nothing but black.
The darkness felt as though the space itself had been carved out of reality, carrying an almost tangible pull that threatened to drag me in.
It's not some kind of barrier, and there's no trace of magic or the Void Force.
This feels less like someone simply emptied the room...
And more like someone erased the space itself.
Maybe she did this before fleeing so she wouldn't leave any traces behind.
Looks like we're one step too late.
Hmm... This throws our original plan completely off course.
For now, I think we'd better go back and reassess the situation.
All... right. Ngh...
Haydee, are you okay? You suddenly collapsed. Are you feeling ill?
...It's not... a big deal.
I just... feel a little sick, that's all.
...No, this won't do. Get on my back.
Wha—n-no. I'm fine. I can walk on my own...!
Stop arguing and get on. You're in no shape to walk.
I'm telling you... I'm fine...!
Hey.
...?!
This area is off-limits. How did you get in here?