The sky was a little gloomy. However, the sunlight peeked through the clouds, the heat expelling the cold that had gotten into my bones. This was a place without chills or hunger.
«Now... it seems real. We are truly back alive...»
As always, being in the city after the ordeals we faced in the maze was a strange feeling. We were glad we survived, but our hearts were heavy. There were some who had not been able to return home with us.
«If they lasted... if they lasted just a little longer...»
If they had, a few more people might have been here with us.
«Mrs. Marrone», Sven Parav called in a warning tone. Marrone stopped muttering and gritted his teeth.
Just because we were back in town didn't mean this was over. It was too early to let our guard down. We may now face tougher challenges than those we overcame in the maze.
Aprieta.
We swallowed the complaints that were bubbling inside us, and not just because the place we were in now was the same mansion we were in a few days before entering the labyrinth. It was simply that we couldn't go there. No matter how high and steep the climb was, no matter how hard it was, we had to leave behind those people who fought until the end for us to get here.
«Kaislan, how are you feeling?»
«Ah, it couldn't be better. But I guess I'm the last one». Once Kaislan returned from his appointment with a priest who had been summoned to the mansion, the entire squad gathered in the entrance hall.
«Why don't we go for a walk instead of staying here? It seems like today is a good day».
«I wish we could».
«Would we wish we could?»
«You saw the gentlemen in front of the room, right? They will prevent us from leaving even for a second», Akurava explained.
«Ha! As if we had done something wrong!», snorted the wizard Marrone, resentful. «Be treated like this even after we have completed our mission... They should treat us like heroes!».
«Um, Miss Marrone...»
«That? Have I said something bad?
Sven looked at me, but I didn't feel the need to stop her. It would be weirder if we didn't complain. I told everyone first. The important thing here was something else.
«Haha, our squad is part of the army, after all. Our journey cannot be considered complete until an official report is made to senior management», Kaislan said.
«Still. I also come from the army, but isn't this too demanding?».
«Now, now, let's all calm down. We are the ones who have carried out the task of destroying the Eye of Heaven, right? Once the reports are completed, we will receive our long-awaited reward».
«Hah, finally», James Calla responded with a whistle.
The conversation between us flowed naturally. We spoke arrogantly about the reward, how impatient we were to receive it and what each of us was going to ask for. Of course, this exchange was all for the benefit of our snoops. With your help, our words would reach the ears of all relevant senior officials directly.
«Sir, at least they were able to find us something to eat quickly. Try this a little.»
«Oh, thanks.» I bit into the flesh of Erwen's plate and reflected on everything that had happened since our return to the city. If we had made any mistakes, we needed to prepare solutions as soon as possible.
The guys at the checkpoint didn't seem to notice.
We put the backpacks in our tying subspaces as soon as we returned to Dimension Square. We had separated the equipment into which we could show the royal officials and the one we couldn't. From there, we arrived at the checkpoint. There, I loudly declared that we were a special forces team of the royal family and asked that they contact the marquis. This had been intentional.
Since the checkpoint was full of adventurers, news of the special forces team would have already spread throughout the city.
The checkpoint officer who contacted the marchioness seemed nervous at first, but he took the marchioness's instructions to «keep us there» very personally and held us for a while. The knights sent by the marchioness arrived less than thirty minutes later.
«We will guide you from now on».
We were escorted to the empty mansion in the royal capital where the investiture ceremony had once been held.
«We will take your luggage».
«Our luggage...?»
«Orders of Lord Tercerion. I can promise you on my knightly honor that no item will be missing».
The backpacks containing the loot that was good for the palace to see had thus been removed. Once at the mansion, each of us was attended by priests summoned by the knights. And that brought us so far.
Toc, toc.
There was a knock and the door opened.
It was time. I guess he's finally controlled the situation.
«Lord Tercerion has requested to meet with all of you».
Now we had to be alert.
We followed the gentlemen and arrived at a reception room similar to the one we had just been in. The only unusual thing was that the seat at the head of the table was empty, and there was a crystal ball in its place.
A message stone, huh?
It was so ridiculous that I had to laugh. The marquis' house was not far from here, but he opted for remote communication. I assumed he knew he had committed an act terrible enough to have his head broken as soon as our eyes met.
«Please forgive me for greeting you this way. I have urgent matters to attend to».
«Well, I'm sure so».
As soon as I sat down on the couch, the marquis began to speak to me, his probing tone. «Hmm, seeing as you don't use honorifics on me... I guess the squad knows?».
Since it didn't seem like something to hide, I coldly admitted it. «They caught me. I have already told you that I am Bjorn Yandel. Oh, of course, I explained to them that I was only disguised by palace order».
«I'm glad to hear that».
«Does not matter. Don't you have to explain?». I ended the talk and got to the point, in a furious tone. «Now, tell me: why didn't the rescue team come?». In the time we had left, the team and I had discussed what the most natural reaction would be. «I'm sure you heard my voice: it was sent to the entire region. What happened?»
«...The exact circumstances are still being investigated».
«Haven't you figured it out yet and are you contacting me through a crystal ball?».
«From what I've heard so far, it seems like there were more enemy troops in Deadwood than we could imagine. That's why they had no choice but to abandon the rescue effort». It was a harsh and theoretical answer that sounded almost believable, but even I wasn't expecting the sequel. «It seems that since you sent your message to the entire region, Noark was also alerted to the existence of a rescue team».
Wow, are you really going to try to argue that I'm responsible for this? How shameless is this guy?
«So why didn't they get our initial transmissions? If we had caught them the first time, none of this would have happened to begin with!»
«That... seems to have been a mistake on my son's part.»
«...A mistake?» I echoed him, unsure if I had heard him correctly.
«I apologize for this on your behalf. Sorry...»
My anger overflowed. «Behel-aaaaaah!» This outburst, of course, was not directed at the marquis or the palace, but at the poor chess piece they were throwing under the bus. «Eltora Tercerion!»
«Wait, calm down...»
«So it was all his fault. It was all because of his incompetence! You didn't receive our call by mistake!»
«That's-»
«Marquis!» I roared. «Where is that bastard? No, wait, don't tell me. I feel like I'll break his skull by mistake as soon as I find it». I smashed the table in front of me like a man who can't control his rage, and then stood snorting.
«...Have you calmed down yet?».
There was restlessness in the marquis' eyes. It wasn't like me to get angry like that. I may have been a little more aggressive than the average person, but I always acted rationally in pursuit of my best interests.
«Reward». I cooled my head and spoke, although the anger was still there. I pretended that my display of open hostility was all for this. «You better have a proper reward prepared. I took on the role of commander as you wanted, and the mission was a success».
«Oh... of course. The reward... of course you must be rewarded».
As soon as we managed to get a promise from the marquis, I turned to the crew and exchanged glances with them. Some nodded in approval. It was important to iron out the details when it came to things like this.
«Now, let's leave the issue of compensation for this error for another time. Tell me what happened in the maze».
We come to this part.
I took a breath and told the story I had prepared. It took me a little longer because the marquis interrupted me at all times to ask me questions, but I finished the story in less than an hour.
«You had a hard time because of my stupid son». This is what he said once the story was over.
A difficult time, huh?
Blood ran through my head when I heard our fight for survival summed up in that sentence, but I managed to endure it.
«I will do everything possible to ensure that I receive compensation for my son's mistakes», the marquis continued as if he meant it. «And... I sincerely congratulate you on your return. We will talk again soon».
Anyway, that ended our call with the marquis.
«I'll take you to your room.»
I was wondering if our story would work. Well, only time would tell.
Afterwards, the gentlemen guided each of us to our rooms. There was a large bed with soft blankets, and warm sunlight filtered through the windows. Considering I had spent the last few weeks sleeping on ice, the room seemed too luxurious to me. However, although my body was exhausted for the past seventy-five days, I showed no signs of wanting to fall asleep anytime soon. The same thing probably happened to my colleagues in the other rooms. Surely they were also worried about being attacked by knights as soon as they closed their eyes.
Despite that, as soon as I lay down, fatigue took over and I soon fell asleep.
***
My head is still close to my body.
The next morning, I woke up unharmed.
Gosh, will I have to sleep with this kind of anxiety every night from now on? If so, this is going to be long and hard. Well, what can I do? I still have to do it.
That's how I greeted our second day back in town. Once we were all up, we recovered our backpacks, which had been stolen the day before. When I asked why they had to take them in the first place, the marquis' response was truly impressive.
«Wow... I guess that's what it must have looked like to you. All I did was order my knights to appraise the loot on behalf of your weary ones and buy it above the market price. I will let you know not to misrepresent my instructions from now on».
It was ridiculous, but the marquis kept his word. He bought the loot we were willing to sell at a much higher price, and we didn't miss the opportunity to get rid of the items we didn't want. It seemed like we would have a lot of military funds in the future.
«Oh, and one more thing. The public is showing great interest in the expedition after you showed up at the checkpoint».
That was good news. The radio transmission that the Eye of Heaven had been destroyed had spread throughout the Dark Continent. A team of special forces had appeared in the city. When these two pieces of information came together, it seemed like the news spread quickly.
«There will be a ceremony in two days».
«A ceremony?»
«It will be held in the royal palace. Your identities, which have been kept secret from both the nobility of the kingdom and its subjects, will be announced so that everyone can praise your achievements.»
I expected this to happen, but two days seemed quick. Was it really possible that they did things so quickly? I had my doubts, but I soon realized it.
Oh, I guess I already had it ready.
The ceremony must have been prepared for a long time. After all, it wasn't like he couldn't celebrate one if there were no survivors. With the achievement of destroying the Eye of Heaven behind him, he and our other patrons had probably planned to mourn the annihilated squad and split the credit among themselves.
«So, get ready. I will send you the details of the event and ceremony, so be sure to read what I have prepared. Ah, we will provide you with the clothes, of course».
«Okay. I'll tell the team».
«As I said before, there is a significant amount of interest from the public. Although it may be inconvenient, I ask that you remain hidden here for the next few days to ensure the success of the ceremony. If you need anything during your stay, let me know at any time».
«Ah, there's something I want to ask for...»
I made a request to the marquis and after that, time passed quickly.
«Woahhh!»
«A parade of heroes!»
Just like that, it was the day of the ceremony.