The capital of the Hazes Kingdom, a major power in the center of the continent and nicknamed the “Sun Kingdom,” is broadly divided into four areas. Centered around the royal palace where the royal family resides, there’s the special district for nobles, the city district where citizens relax, and the slums. The further out you go, the lower the social class.
Within the noble’s special district lies an area where national institutions like the Senate and the Royal Healing Institute stand in rows. In a corner of this area, within a building that combines both a rugged and magnificent presence, two figures were facing each other.
“You called for me, Division Commander?”
“I’ve been waiting for you, Vice-Commander Krishna.”
Sitting at the desk in the back was a man with a stern face and short-cropped hair.
Standing at attention before him was a still youthful woman.
She had long blonde hair and blue eyes, and wore platinum armor, with holsters containing magic guns on either side of her waist. She was a strikingly beautiful woman, but her expression was as unchanging as if it were cast in plaster.
“Division Commander. What is the reason for this sudden summons?”
“Actually, I’ve heard a rather concerning rumor.”
“A rumor…?”
The man nodded slowly, stroking his stubbled chin.
“Lately, it seems the slums have been acting strangely.”
“Strangely, how so?”
“Apparently, the conflicts between the demi-humans have completely subsided.”
The blonde woman called Krishna twitched her eyebrows slightly.
“You must be joking. That area has been plagued by constant skirmishes for many years, with the Lizardmen, Werewolves, and Orcs all claiming territory. It’s utterly unbelievable that their conflicts have settled down.”
“I find it just as unbelievable.”
The man rested both elbows on the desk and intertwined his fingers in front of his face.
“But if, by some chance, it’s true, we can’t ignore it. As you know, our Hazes Kingdom has a history of prosperity built on a strict class system centered around the royal family.”
“Of course, I am aware of this.”
“The citizens’ frustrations are directed towards the poor, and the poor’s frustrations are directed towards their respective enemy races, maintaining a balance. But if the influential figures in the slums were to become united—”
“It could become a threat to the citizens, the nobles, and ultimately, the ruling system?”
“Exactly. As the Imperial Guard Division, which is solely responsible for the security of the capital, this is a serious matter.”
The Imperial Guard Division, which began as a protective force for the royal family, gradually expanded its scale and now reigns as the guardian of the capital.
Without moving a muscle, Krishna spoke.
“However, Division Commander, I’m still skeptical. The three races should harbor deep grudges against each other. There’s no way they could reconcile so easily.”
“There’s a rumor that someone mediated between them.”
“Someone…? That makes it even more impossible. Zofia the Swift, Ringa the Tyrant, and Reve the Strong Arm. They’re all troublesome big shots in the underworld. I can’t imagine a person capable of bringing those three together exists.”
“I share your opinion. The mediator is nothing more than uncertain information. However—”
The depths of the man’s eyes held a dull gleam.
“If the rumor is true—if, by some chance, there is someone with that much influence, we can’t leave them alone. We, as the Imperial Guard Division, must keep them under surveillance.”
“So that’s why I was called?”
“This is a matter that could affect national security; I can’t leave it to the lower ranks. I want to ask you, the Vice-Commander, to handle it.”
Krishna, with the same expression she had when she entered the room, slowly saluted.
“Leave it to me. If such a person exists, I will definitely capture them.”
“I’m counting on you. —‘Stone Lady Rose’.”
“Achoo!”
Zenos sneezed in the clinic in the ruined city.
“Zenos-dono, have you caught a cold? Ringa will warm you up with her fur.”
“That’s my job. Muscles are surprisingly warm, and I also have breasts.”
“I-I… don’t have fur… Don’t have muscles… Don’t have breasts… I’ll make tea.”
“Are you all overprotective or what?”
Zenos, sitting in a chair in the treatment room, said without looking back.
“It’s just a sneeze, don’t make a big deal out of it. We’re in the middle of treatment, so please be quiet.”
In front of Zenos sat Zofia the Lizardman and her younger brother, Zonde. Both had lacerations on their arms.
Zenos held his hands over their wounds. A faint white light covered the injuries, and the next moment, they were completely sealed.
“I’m always fascinated by your treatments, Sensei. I feel like I might intentionally injure myself just to see it.”
“I won’t treat injuries that are sustained from impure motives.”
“Hehe, you say you’ll do anything for money, but you’re surprisingly serious about things like that.”
Lily distributed the tea she had placed on a tray to everyone.
“Come to think of it, it’s been a while since Zofia-san came as a customer.”
“Oh, Lily. Don’t say it like I’m always here even when I’m not a customer.”
“But you are always here even when you’re not a customer.”
When Zenos retorted, Zofia smiled bewitchingly and stroked her healed arm affectionately.
“Just to be clear, these injuries aren’t from fighting with Ringa or Reve over there. It’s from my work.”
“Ah, Zofia was a thief, wasn’t she?”
That said, her targets were corrupt merchants and privileged individuals involved in illegal businesses. She was a kind of righteous thief, stealing wealth from such people and redistributing it to the slums.
“We’re being watched by the Imperial Guard Division. Yesterday, I had a run-in with them during a job and got a little careless.”
“Come to think of it, there was a time before when you and your brother both injured your arms. Was that against the Imperial Guard Division too?”
Her younger brother, Zonde, had his arm burned by fire magic, and Zofia had been shot with a poison-attribute magic gun. Although they had been healed, Zenos remembered the injuries because they were rarely seen in the city.
“Ah, that’s right. Those were the wounds I got when I broke into the special district, from that one.”
“My arm too, sister. That one suddenly blasted me with a Fire Magic Bullet.”
“…That one?”
The Lizardman siblings said with exasperated faces.
“There’s a dangerous woman in the Imperial Guard Division. She’s always expressionless and attacks relentlessly.”
“I still wake up from nightmares about her chasing me. I think she’s the Vice-Commander, called ‘Stone Lady Rose’.”
“‘Stone Lady Rose,’ huh…”
After repeating the name, Camilla, who was sitting on the bed, pulled up the corner of her mouth.
“Kukuku… If such a woman were to set her sights on you, it would be terrible. As if there weren’t enough troublesome women here already, another one would be added to the mix.”
“…Um, Lily is the only normal one here, right, Camilla-san?”
Ignoring Lily’s anxiously muttered words, Zenos scratched his head.
“It has nothing to do with me. I doubt the Vice-Commander of the Imperial Guard Division would care about a lowly dark healer in the ruined city.”
“A wraith’s premonitions tend to come true.”
“There’s no point in worrying about it. Anyway, should we have lunch soon, Lily?”
“Yes, what would you like to eat, Zenos?”
“I’d like a vegetable dish.”
“Ringa wants fish.”
“Are you all insane? It has to be meat.”
“I wasn’t asking you guys, okay? …Wait, are you planning to eat here?”
He told them to at least agree on a menu, and the three reluctantly agreed. After a lottery, they settled on fish. While watching Ringa rejoice and Zofia and Reve complain loudly, Camilla floated up and said, “Well then.”
“I think I’ll take a rest on the second floor. However, Zenos, you’re probably the only one in the entire capital who the big shots of the slums are so attached to.”
“I feel like I’m keeping troublesome beasts. I can’t have any more troublesome customers.”
“And so, Zenos unwittingly raises a flag…”
“Don’t disappear after leaving such an ominous narration!”
The dark healer, unknowingly, was also being watched by the Imperial Guard Division.
A/N: Zenos is raising flags…!