I Was Caught up in a Hero Summoning, but That World Is at Peace (WN)

Chapter 2421 - Spreading Aftermath ㉒

There was a high possibility that something would happen when Kaito encountered Marie…… though in truth, something had already happened. One of the rooms in the Hamilton Marquisdom’s estate had now entered a state of near-lockdown.

After issuing a series of orders to the servants, Eris turned toward the Marquis Hamilton and spoke.

[……Father. Though we’ve taken what countermeasures we could think of, we are far too inexperienced when it comes to handling such matters. As things stand, we’re like raw recruits charging at a behemoth. Therefore, I have a proposal. It may make us look as though we’re bowing our heads, but…… what do you think about seeking advice from Duchess Lilia?]

[……I agree. Even putting aside the matter concerning Miyama Kaito-sama, it would be wise to strengthen our ties with the Albert Duchy for the future. In terms of influence, they already surpass us. Even if our actions make us seem like the ones requesting aid, it likely won’t cause much backlash.]

Eris’ suggestion, to ask Lilia for advice, who almost certainly had far more experience with situations involving Kaito, was met with the Marquis’ approval.

The Hamilton faction was one of the leading noble blocs in the kingdom, so appearing subservient to nobles of another nation could easily send ripples through their own ranks.

There was concern that the Hamilton faction might be perceived as weaker than the Albert faction, but even with that risk considered, they decided it was wiser to seek counsel.

When Eris contacted Lilia via hummingbird and explained the situation, a reply came back astonishingly fast.

“Lady Eris, Marquis Hamilton, I can truly and painfully understand your struggle. However, in my experience, attempting to locate major figures within the Capital tends to end in futility. For some reason, when one takes precautions or moves to act in advance, Kaito-san has an uncanny ability to slip past them, almost as if intentional…… However, if you neglect to investigate or prepare, that’s exactly when a major figure suddenly appears in the capital, so I do recommend maintaining a degree of vigilance.”

From Lilia’s experience, the conclusion was that even if the Hamilton Marquisdom desperately searched for important visitors in the capital, they were unlikely to find anyone fitting.

“I may sound terribly harsh, but speaking from experience…… taking precautions or devising countermeasures against Kaito-san is almost meaningless. He has a tendency to strike from completely unexpected directions, to the point you might suspect him of doing it on purpose, so prevention is impossible. The only viable approach is to respond as swiftly as possible once an incident occurs.”

Most likely, within Trinia, the one who has suffered the most and the worst stomachaches because of Kaito, and can rightfully be called an expert in stomachache-related matters caused by him, is Lilia. And based on her past experiences, the conclusion she has reached is this…… any countermeasures against Kaito are meaningless. One should simply go with the flow and respond to whatever situation arises, as if surrendering oneself to a raging current.

[……According to Duchess Lilia’s conclusion…… there are no countermeasures.]

[……I see…… If the Duchess Albert says so…… then there truly must be none.]

After reading the hummingbird’s reply, Eris murmured distantly, and Marquis Hamilton, wearing a similarly distant look, nodded in agreement. Then, another hummingbird message arrived from Lilia.

“As for predicting Kaito-san’s movements or influence, only someone on the level of Alice-sama…… Phantasmal King-sama could hope to do so. For the rest of us, there’s little point in wracking our brains over it. What you should pay attention to, however, is not so much Phantasmal King-sama’s actions….. Her state of affairs, I mean. Phantasmal King-sama never offers advice unless something would adversely affect Kaito-san…… but on the rare occasion she provides assistance even when Kaito-san remains unharmed, that’s an extremely dangerous sign. It means that the situation has become so bad “you become so pitiful in her eyes” and feels compelled to intervene, which suggests that something quite big is about to occur.]

Reading that message, Eris and Marquis Hamilton began to consider their current situation. There had been a reported sighting of Kaito, most likely information obtained through the Phantasmal King. But that was all, it was merely intelligence gathered by Hamilton agents and passed along without being suppressed. There had been no follow-up or intervention.

If that were the case, perhaps this incident would not escalate into anything too serious. Eris and the Marquis were just beginning to feel some relief when another Hummingbird arrived from Lilia.

“From the information you’ve provided, I believe this situation will be rather difficult for Lady Marie, but it shouldn’t become anything too severe…… That said…… well, I have no evidence for this, it’s simply a gut feeling, so please take it as half in jest, but I can’t shake the sense that…… this time, the matter will seem manageable at first, only for an unavoidable blow to strike a few days later, when everyone has let their guard down. ……No, perhaps I’m overthinking it. In any case, I sincerely pray that this incident ends favorably for Lady Eris, Marquis Hamilton, and everyone of the Ritch Barony.”

Even though Lilia clearly stated it was nothing more than her intuition, the contents, a premonition of unease, made both Eris and Marquis Hamilton turn pale.

[……I don’t know why, but this hummingbird message is more terrifying than any horror story I’ve ever seen.]

[……An unavoidable blow…… If it’s unavoidable, then there’s nothing we could do even if it happens…… No, it’s not as though it’s certain to happen, but still……]

Though an inexplicable anxiety lingered, Lilia herself had admitted there was no concrete basis for her warning. Unable to draw any firm conclusions, Eris and the others continued their discussions on how to deal with the ongoing situation in the Imperial Capital, all while that uneasy atmosphere quietly hung over the room.

<Afterword>

[Regarding Kaito’s Sightings]

Generally speaking, reports of Kaito’s sightings…… especially real-time ones, rarely ever show up within the information networks of nobles or governments. The reason, of course, is the Phantasmal King, Alice. It is thanks to her information control that Kaito’s face remains largely unknown to the general public, while his name alone is famous among the nobility.

That influence extends even when Kaito walks through the streets. Alice blocks, conceals, or scrambles information about him. For large public events such as the Six Kings Festival or the Maid Olympia, where he inevitably attracts attention, she intentionally spreads conflicting reports of his appearance and even his name, throwing any gathered data into total confusion.

When necessary, she even casts Recognition Inhibition Magic or Information Concealment Magic directly on Kaito, supporting him in countless unseen ways behind the scenes. Thanks to that devotion, Kaito has never become widely recognized among the public.

That said, in cases like the one in Rigforeshia, she sometimes can’t resist teasing him, provoking him into retaliating with his trusty piko piko hammer, a bit of mischievous fun that also demonstrates the usefulness of those “Super Recognition Inhibition Glasses”.

But even considering those pranks, the benefits she provides far outweigh them. Her support is nothing short of selfless, and the fact that she never boasts of it, always working quietly in the background, is just like Alice.

Kaito is aware of it as well. Though exasperated by her pranks, he is deeply grateful for all her efforts regarding information management.