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

Chapter 2598 - Demon Realm Amusement Park ㉙

Although it was an unexpected turn of events, there was naturally no such thing as the right to refuse, and so Eris and Cornelia found themselves traveling with Kaito’s group toward Forest Castle.

Since bringing along all of the guards accompanying Eris and Cornelia would have made the group far too large, those guards kept their distance and followed from behind instead.

To begin with, this group already included Lilia, one of the strongest individuals in the Human Realm; Anima and Caraway, both Count-rank Demons; Eta and Theta, Baron-rank Demons; Lunamaria and Sieglinde, who, while not possessing the strength of a Peerage Holder, were still exceptionally powerful; not to mention Fate, a Supreme God herself, and Fortune, one of the elite among the High-ranking Gods. Guards on the level of those accompanying Eris and Cornelia wouldn’t be able to accomplish anything in a situation like this, making it meaningless for them to stay nearby in the first place.

Thus, there was no issue with Eris and Cornelia each accompanying Kaito’s party on their own. The real problem lay in what would happen afterward. The Archlesia Empire was currently viewed as a nation with exceptionally strong ties to the God Realm. It was a country that received the Divine Protection from Fate herself; all of the Supreme Gods had attended its Founding Festival; and a Ripple Tree had even been bestowed upon the Ritch Baron directly from the God Realm…… As a result, connections with the God Realm had become a powerful source of prestige for the empire’s nobility.

Naturally, many noble houses longed to establish such connections. Combined with the empire’s recent political climate, numerous families had begun donating large sums to temples and desperately seeking opportunities to associate with the Gods.

In other words, anyone with genuine ties to the God Realm would clearly stand above those noble houses still struggling to obtain them. That made the Provisional Blessing Cornelia had received from the God of Fortune an enormously significant advantage.

(To be honest, Cornelia-sama’s situation isn’t very favorable. Depending on how things develop, I may have to consider having the Hamilton Marquisdom intervene more directly. Still, even if we’re part of the same faction, interfering too deeply in another household’s affairs could create problems. Especially when it comes to Cornelia-sama’s personal relationships…… I can’t exactly be too forceful there……)

Even as they walked, Eris never stopped thinking. The impact of the God of Fortune’s Provisional Blessing on Cornelia was tremendous…… but perhaps, it was too tremendous. There was a genuine risk that Cornelia would end up like a goose that laid golden eggs.

Even though it had not yet been officially announced, any perceptive noble had likely already guessed that Cornelia would inherit the Victor Trading Company and eventually separate from Sharon County as an independent entity.

If only obvious opportunists came rushing in the moment she became independent from Sharon County, dealing with them would be simple enough, but if rival houses began infiltrating the Victor Trading Company itself, that would be far more difficult. As someone from another household, there would be limits to what Eris could do.

As she pondered this, her eyes met Cornelia’s…… and for a fleeting instant, it almost felt as though sparks flashed between them.

The technique known as telepathy, magical communication using mana wavelengths, was an advanced skill. Even among the Gods, many were incapable of using it. Naturally, neither Eris nor Cornelia possessed the magical proficiency necessary for such techniques.

However, Eris and Cornelia shared something else…… They were both veterans acquainted with stomachache. The countless stomachaches they had endured, the mountain of stomach medicine they had consumed, those experiences had forged an unshakable bond between them, one that allowed them to communicate through nothing more than eye contact.

It was much like teammates in sports…… or comrades-in-arms who had weathered countless hardships together. With only a glance, the two carried on an entire conversation.

(……As I feared, the situation really is that bad?)

(Yes. That said, it’s not that something will happen immediately. I simply mean that we’ll need to remain vigilant from this point onward……)

(Eris-sama…… Hamilton Marquisdom…… I truly am sorry for causing you trouble time and time again.)

(Not at all. If anything, I’m glad it happened where I was able to witness it. Thanks to that, I’m able to think through the situation now……)

As the two exchanged these silent messages through eye contact and the slightest of gestures, both Eris and Cornelia suddenly felt their attention drawn elsewhere and turned their gazes.

There stood Lilia…… and the moment Lilia quietly looked at them, her intent was conveyed as clearly as if she had spoken aloud.

(……Please don’t let your guard down, either of you…… Not yet.)

(Not yet? D- Don’t tell me…… after coincidentally running into the God of Fate…… there’s still more to come?)

The hearts of those who knew stomachache brought about by Kaito resonated with one another, and Lilia’s warning reached Eris and Cornelia at the very core of their souls.

(We’re not in a good location yet. We still haven’t reached Forest Castle…… Considering Kaito-san’s absurd ability to attract fateful encounters…… there’s every possibility that someone else is already waiting at Forest Castle.)

It was a warning born from the experience of the person here who had endured more Kaito-induced stomachaches than anyone else. The sheer weight behind Lilia’s gaze made Eris and Cornelia involuntarily catch their breath.

This was no time to worry about what might happen in the distant future. They first needed to survive whatever was about to happen right now.

……That said, even after steeling themselves, neither they nor even Lilia herself could have possibly predicted that waiting for them inside Forest Castle would be…… the “World King and all of the Seven Princesses”……

<Afterword> 

Serious-senpai : [Even all the Executives are there!?]

? ? ? : [Well, Lillywood-san normally hardly ever attends events like this. She values living simply and modestly after all…… But recently, it seems she’s gone through a change of heart and decided she’d like to experience new things, so she adjusted her schedule and brought all of the Seven Princesses with her.]

Serious-senpai : [……In other words?]

? ? ? : [……Well, as usual…… it’s basically Kaito-san’s fault.]