Chapter 28
The dungeon expedition ordered by the new emperor ended happily for everyone.
A few people had been injured...
But nobody had died.
They had also discovered an enormous amount of treasure.
It was difficult to call the expedition anything but a success.
The number of magic items was different from what the emperor had expected...
But the next day...
The knights and soldiers proudly left Lutetia City while carrying the recovered magic items.
The workers and mercenaries who received their payment from the Guild settled into taverns and enthusiastically boasted about their achievements.
Meanwhile...
Amber and the Rangers reported the magic items they had secretly taken to the Duke.
A private chamber inside Lutetia Castle.
"You've worked hard."
The Duke slowly looked over the various magic items spread across the table.
"All of you did well."
Then he turned away from the table and praised his retainers.
Once his attention left the items...
Baron Andrew ordered servants to pack them away and carry them out.
"Amber."
The Duke looked toward the mage.
"If there's anything you want, tell me separately."
The Duke often treated Amber casually because she had grown up alongside his daughter.
But regardless of his words...
The Duke always kept public and private matters separate.
He was a man capable of using even his own daughter as part of a political marriage when necessary.
So Amber's answer was always the same.
"Thank you, Your Grace."
"If I need anything, I'll ask separately."
The Duke nodded.
Then his attention shifted toward the Rangers.
"Was there anything else during the expedition that I should know?"
Amber almost spoke...
But stopped.
Unfortunately...
The Duke failed to notice.
"Nothing especially unusual happened."
Nicholas answered.
"Except that we found a useful mercenary."
"A useful mercenary?"
"A thief named Jessica."
Nicholas continued.
"Among the thieves currently active in Lutetia, she's probably one of the best."
"Unfortunately, being a woman may become an obstacle..."
"Still worth remembering."
The Duke nodded.
"Understood."
"You all worked hard. Return to your units."
The Rangers had already received leave and bonus payments.
Their faces were bright as they left the room.
"Amber."
The Duke stopped her.
"Was there something you wanted to say?"
"Ah..."
Amber hesitated.
"No."
"Then go see Rachel."
"She's been waiting for you."
"Understood."
Amber paused for another moment...
Then left the room.
After she was gone...
Baron Andrew returned after organizing the magic items.
"Everything has been secured."
He smiled faintly.
"Quite a considerable amount."
Then his voice became meaningful.
"If the Omniscient Emperor truly knows everything, he may notice."
The Duke leaned back.
"Who knows?"
"This may help us discover exactly how much the emperor truly knows."
"From what we've seen so far..."
"He doesn't appear to know nearly as much as people believe."
"If he questions us, we can simply deny everything."
"Then what do you intend to do with the magic items?"
Andrew asked.
"It'll be difficult to distribute them officially."
"And selling them through the black market would also be..."
"Just store them."
The Duke waved dismissively.
"There's no need to rush."
"The emperor's knights will come here again eventually anyway."
"Understood."
Andrew lowered his head.
The Duke gave one final order.
"And investigate that mercenary named Jessica."
Andrew looked confused.
"That sounds like a woman's name."
The Duke's eyes rose slightly.
Andrew immediately corrected himself.
"Understood."
Like most nobles...
The Duke generally did not place much importance on women.
Naturally...
Andrew found the order strange.
But one look at the Duke's face made it clear that now was not the time to question him.
After the Baron left...
The Duke sat alone in thought.
The mention of a capable female mercenary had reminded him of his daughter Rachel.
His daughter currently had only one mage beside her.
Adding a single mercenary might not change much.
Still...
He intended to give her an opportunity.
Whether Rachel kicked that opportunity away...
Or seized it and crushed both her elder and younger brothers beneath her...
Would be up to Rachel herself.
It was a strange way to compensate a daughter who had returned home after having her engagement broken.
But this was how the Duke of Lutetia...
A man who had defended his territory against the Great Forest...
Lived his life.
At that same time...
Jessica, whose name had just been mentioned by the Duke of Lutetia...
Was sitting inside Jake's room with a blissful expression.
A mountain of ancient gold coins covered the table.
The coins shone brilliantly.
The previous day...
After returning to the inn...
Jake and Jessica had received an enormous welcome from Patrick and his daughter.
Patrick, the innkeeper...
Had even given Jake the title Lucky Mercenary because he had discovered a dungeon on his very first expedition.
Jenny abandoned her work and sat in front of them...
Looking at Jake as if he were a husband returning home after a long day at work.
Eventually...
Jake and Jessica mixed truth with several lies as they told the two about their adventure.
Only then were they finally allowed to rest.
The next day...
After collecting their expedition payment from the Guild...
Jake and Jessica returned to the inn and began dividing their profits.
"What are you going to do with all these gold coins?"
Jessica had been staring blankly at the treasure.
Then she finally came to her senses and carefully asked Jake.
The original contract between Jessica and Jake was now complete.
Naturally...
Jessica could not help worrying about what would happen next.
Jake explained his thoughts.
"Originally..."
"I planned to obtain the Ego Wand and then hide somewhere remote while learning magic."
Jake had assumed...
Like the mercenary who obtained the Ego Wand in the future...
That he would need a long period to properly learn magic.
"But I learned magic inside the dungeon."
"So I think I can move my plans forward."
After learning magic...
Jake's original plans had been to gain combat experience and build connections.
"Lutetia Territory feels much farther outside the empire's direct influence than I expected."
"I don't think there's any need for me to move somewhere else."
"And there probably isn't a better place for practical combat training."
Jessica's face brightened.
"And as for the other matter..."
Jake continued.
"I should get some clues once we meet the Princess and Lady Amber."
Jake alone had no way to stop the tyranny of an emperor ruling an enormous empire.
The collapse of the empire itself had begun with the emperor's disastrous expedition beyond the Great Forest.
And considering the monsters that later appeared had come from beyond that same Great Forest...
Stopping the emperor's arbitrary rule was the most important issue.
Jake did not know whether it would actually be possible to stop him.
But after gaining sufficient strength...
He planned to support a faction capable of resisting the emperor.
The invitation from the Princess and Amber seemed like a good place to begin.
"So?"
Jessica leaned forward.
Jake smiled.
"Yes."
"Let's officially form a party."
"Aaaah!"
"Yes!"
Jessica threw herself at Jake.
The mountain of gold coins on the table scattered everywhere.
And so...
The first official task of the newly formed thief-and-mage party...
Was gathering up the gold coins they had accidentally knocked across the floor.
Jake separated part of the recovered gold coins...
Then handed Jessica the magic dagger they had discovered in the mage's room.
"Returning to the matter of the gold..."
"These coins and this dagger will be your share of the dungeon exploration."
"The dungeon was explored under my request, so this should be fair."
The imperial knights gave expedition members nothing except their agreed payment.
But Jake could not treat Jessica the same way.
More importantly...
