The Returnee Wants Peace

"...It really is."

Rosha murmured while creating a sphere of light.

The footprint, which looked like it was made by someone wearing shoes, was about the size of an adult male's foot.

At first, it wasn't very visible, but once recognized, it was a trace that made one wonder how they hadn't seen it before.

"It's an exemplary gait that neither staggers nor puts pressure on specific parts. It's a person, not a demonic beast, and quite recent."

"How do you know it's recent? This isn't a dirt path but a stone floor, are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

"B-but there are barely five people who know about this secret passage. Besides me and my father... only a few people who have been with the family for at least decades know of its existence."

Lysithea, crouching in front of the footprint, argued while staring at it intently.

She seemed to be examining it closely, but no matter how she looked, she couldn't tell much from just this.

However, Froy asserted decisively:

"According to my ability, that's how it is."

"Ah, if it's like that..."

There wasn't much to say.

However, one question did arise.

'When did Froy's ability become capable of doing something like that?'

His ability seemed to have developed into one that encompassed everything contained in that space, not limited to just handling space.

Even if it was time that had already passed.

Suddenly, the Guide God's words came to mind.

-During trials, those with tremendous talent or who meet certain conditions obtain promotion quests that test their qualifications as a god.

Rosha was a case of meeting certain conditions while pioneering a path to paradise.

On the other hand, tremendous talent, though she wasn't sure, seemed to be something like the ability Froy had just shown.

The ability to make a specific space one's own had aspects that coincided with the realm of 'domain' that magicians so desperately yearned for.

'What... is his true nature?'

It was an abrupt thought, but a question that resonated subtly.

Even the 'anonymous god' he was said to have formed a connection with still had all information veiled.

"..."

Rosha stared blankly at Froy's profile.

Sensing her gaze, he gestured as if to say 'speak if you have something to say'.

Meanwhile, Lysithea and Joel were talking among themselves and coming to a reasonable conclusion.

"It could be a thief, perhaps. Belice was one of the wealthiest families in the empire. Joel, what do you think?"

"...That's probably the most likely."

"Money aside, could it be because of the antique exhibition room? There are so many valuable items, and it's connected to the vault."

"Hmm..."

"Come to think of it, there is a secret passage leading up to the exhibition room from here. But to open the door, you need a seal and a password... I have the seal ring, but only father knew the password."

Lysithea fiddled with the seal ring on her finger.

She had heard that the late Marquis Belice had handed over the seal ring to her at some point, as if to let her get used to it.

"He never told you separately?"

"No. I asked once out of curiosity before, but he just said I already knew it and naturally changed the subject..."

Lysithea shook her head as if she couldn't even guess.

In the end, they were back to square one.

At this point where nothing had been revealed, there was only one thing they could do.

"Ahem, ahem."

Rosha, clearing her throat while avoiding Froy's gaze, spoke softly.

"Let's go the way we originally intended. Whatever is ahead, we'll surely encounter it as we go."

* * *

The secret passage was very complicated, but they had a capable guide and the owner of the house.

"If we go up here, we'll be in the corridor in front of the exhibition room."

Fortunately, there were no demonic beasts either in the secret passage or in the mansion corridor after opening the door. They entered the antique exhibition room, muffling their footsteps.

It was uneventful since they only had to walk about twenty steps anyway.

"Phew."

They quietly caught their breath after silently closing the door.

Though they didn't speak, the same question was circling in everyone's minds.

Cassis, who had been waiting for the soundproofing curtain to be drawn, spoke first.

"It's strange. Wasn't this house abandoned for two years? But the corridor and this place... well, although it's been ransacked, it's really clean, isn't it?"

That was true. The antique exhibition room, one of their destinations, was already empty as if someone had cleaned it out.

The strange thing was that the mansion was as clean as if someone was cleaning it daily.

The carpet in the corridor was spread out without any disarray, and although the candles were unlit, the candleholders on the walls were well-dusted without any dusty parts.

"...It certainly is peculiar."

Froy, who had run his finger over the top of a marble pedestal in the corner, muttered lowly.

However, Lysithea led them deeper into the exhibition room as if there was no time to ponder.

"It's here, Rosha. The place where the invisibility cloak I mentioned is."

She whispered softly as she placed the seal ring against the round hole in the doorknob. For some reason, her complexion was flushed red.

"Lysithea, is something wrong?"

"No. It's just... I'm not sure... Come on, let's go in quickly."

Her reaction was somewhat strange.

But they couldn't help but be speechless at the sight before them.

That was because in the 'vault' Lysithea had opened, at least a dozen sacred relics were displayed in glass cases!

"No, this is..."

"There was a strict order from the former Emperor to hand over all relics to the imperial family, but you managed to collect this many."

Froy, who had entered the vault without giving them a chance to stop him, immediately found the invisibility cloak.

The thick silver cloth that had been neatly folded in the display case slid down like silk over his hand.

"Because my ability manifested from such a young age, father gradually collected these while avoiding the imperial family's eyes. He thought perhaps we might find some clue if we gathered relics. Although we couldn't use them more than a couple of times for fear of catching the imperial family's attention."

Lysithea, smiling with nostalgia, added that if there was anything else they liked here, they could take it too.

It was such a good offer that they couldn't refuse even out of politeness.

"You said you needed as many sacred relics as possible, right? Since it's come to this, why don't we just take them all?"

"But... wouldn't that be too shameless?"

"We've come too far to worry about that."

He opened all the lids of the display cases as if he were a shopping billionaire. Then he started taking out the sacred relics and stacking them in Rosha's arms.

"Five cursed daggers. Be careful not to get cut."

"It looks like a telescope... but it might be something to peek at invisible places."

"I'm not sure about the use of this one. Let's take it anyway."

He didn't seem particularly interested in clothes or jewelry, but his eyes seemed to sparkle noticeably when examining the sacred relics.

She knew Froy liked secrets, but somehow that appearance was amusing.

"Didn't you just say it would be shameless to take everything?"

Cassis chided, seeing Rosha holding the sacred relics tightly without letting go of a single one.

He himself was also holding a small oval shield that attached to the forearm, though it wasn't clear when he had picked it up.

It was at that moment.

"...Butler?"

At the sound of Lysithea's voice from outside the vault, everyone fell silent as if by agreement.

The invisibility cloak was draped over Rosha's head, who was closest to the door.

At the same time, the figure of a middle-aged man in a neat suit appeared.

'...Is it human?'

Of course, it had a human appearance.

However, the way it breathed as if conscious of it, and every single movement felt very stiff.

In other words... it looked half-zombie-like.

However, Lysithea didn't seem to notice these aspects very well.

"I thought I felt a hint of life force in the corridor earlier. What's going on?"

She asked, approaching with a very welcoming look.

Perhaps because she sensed a unique life force, she didn't seem to particularly doubt the butler's identity.

But then.

"...He's coming soon."

The butler, uttering incomprehensible words, grabbed Lysithea's hand.