Chapter 55

I feel a bit sorry for Jin, but let’s take a moment to reflect on the record of his crushing defeat.

The Rank 4 Dungeon: Archive of Crystals.

To conquer that place, the unit mobilized under Jin Astrier consisted of 120 men. That was roughly one-third of the entire Denabi Legion.

Every single one of them was a seasoned Denabi warrior. They possessed the skill and experience befitting the unit’s reputation.

Yet, what they brought back was a report of a horrific defeat. They fought desperately, but they failed to conquer the dungeon.

That is exactly what a high-rank dungeon is like. No matter how thoroughly you prepare, even exceptional skill and vast experience can be easily crushed. A soldier who has experienced a dungeon doesn’t need to look to another world for Hell.

It just happens to be buried underground, and the environment just happens to be beyond shitty… so dungeons and Hell have a lot in common.

However, in some corner of the world, even dungeons like that are being easily demolished. Such things don’t even happen that rarely.

A certain Rank 4 dungeon was neutralized in just 48 hours. The number of people mobilized was barely twenty. There were no casualties.

It’s an absurdity.

And yet, in this world, such a contradiction is accepted as common knowledge. Even if you mentioned that ridiculous feat to a soldier of this world, they wouldn’t be surprised. They would simply let out a deep sigh and say:

‘It must have been the Emperor’s Hunters.’

That was the passage from the original novel I recalled the moment I heard the term ‘Emperor’s Hunters.’

The name alone sounds impressive, right? I don’t even need to tell you twice that they’re strong.

But then you might ask, if they’re just strong, why introduce them with such a fuss?

‘…It’s because they’re just too damn strong.’

Just as games have level design, stories have difficulty adjustments. Of course, there are overpowered creative works where a crazy “munchkin” appears from the start and wrecks everything.

But even in those stories, the average combat power of the characters usually trends upward gradually. It doesn’t just leap up out of nowhere. The plot has to progress, after all.

In that context, the Emperor’s Hunters… these guys are uninvited guests to the story. They aren’t supposed to show up in the narrative yet!

‘We’re still in the freaking early stages of the work! It’s only been a few days since the prologue, so how are you breaking the power balance like this?!’

If something like this had happened in the original story, I could at least defend it… but since it didn’t, that’s why I’m panicking like this.

“Why on earth is this happening…?”

I had no clue what was going on.

The Emperor’s Hunters? Now? Here? Why?

‘Is it because I changed fate?’

But what does the fall of Denabi have to do with the Emperor’s Hunters?

I gnawed on my fingernails. Dammit. If this was a problem I could solve just by thinking, I would have stood frozen here for ten thousand years.

We all stood by the roadside, staring in the direction the messenger had disappeared.

That was when Izack spoke.

“It feels like… what was bound to happen has finally arrived. Though I have no idea why they’re here.”

“Dammit. That’s exactly what I wanted to say!”

Those words perfectly represented my current state of mind.

“Well, if we don’t know, we have to find out. Jin! Let’s get back to the castle.”

“……”

Jin seemed confused and couldn’t answer immediately.

I turned back to Izack.

“Mr. Izack. I’m leaving the brewery in your hands. The problem you were going to mention will have to wait until later…”

“I’m dying of curiosity myself. I get it, so just run!”

Izack gave me a push on the back. I didn’t resist and dashed forward.

I gestured to Jin.

“What are you doing?! Move, Jin!”

“Something is wrong…”

Jin muttered to himself, but he started running after me nonetheless.

By the time we returned to the castle, my unauthorized escape had long since ceased to be the focus of anyone’s concern.

Except for Alejandro, of course.

“Just where on earth do you keep wandering off to? I even issued a house arrest order to keep you from doing anything dangerous!”

Alejandro fumed, pointing a finger at me. It was the first time I had seen him this enraged.

“And what have you all been doing, unable to keep hold of my one sickly son?!”

The faces of the vassals, who were getting yelled at alongside me, grew dark. Jin couldn’t escape Alejandro’s nagging either.

“You’re the same, Jin! I told you to bring Shane back, so where did you two go together? Are you trying to worry me to death?!”

“Father, it wasn’t like that…”

“What do you mean it wasn’t like that?!”

Alejandro showed no signs of calming down. Some turned their eyes toward the culprit of this mess. Yeah, me.

‘Don’t look at me like that. I’m going to take responsibility anyway.’

I boldly stepped forward toward the throne.

“Father! But the thing is…”

“What?!”

“Ugh…”

Alejandro’s shout cut me off sharply. Even so, I didn’t give up and continued.

“…I’m sorry. I really have no excuse, even if I apologize a thousand times. But that’s not what’s important right now, is it?”

I bowed my head low but kept my eyes tilted up. It was to gauge Alejandro’s mood.

“……”

He still looked angry, but he couldn’t outright deny my words. Because I was right! My escape wasn’t the issue right now.

Just then, an official asked Alejandro.

“My Lord. Is it true that the Emperor’s Hunters are coming? Why would they suddenly come here?”

“…I don’t know either,” Alejandro replied grimly.

Another official followed up with a question.

“Could they be reinforcements?”

“No.”

Alejandro shook his head.

“It is true that we requested reinforcements from the outside for the dungeon subjugation some time ago. But if this were a response to that, the soldiers of Lord Adria should have arrived, not the Imperial Guard.”

“Then we must assume it is for an entirely different matter…”

The discussion between Alejandro and the vassals continued.

I was also in the dark about this situation, so I listened to their conversation intently.

In the midst of that, someone slipped toward me.

It was Avenger.

“Young Master, if I may…”

“Hmm? What is it?”

“I don’t quite understand what exactly these ‘Emperor’s Hunters’ are… or why they are being treated as such a grave matter…”

What.

Why are you asking me that?

You’re a resident of this world, man.

I stared blankly at Avenger. He lowered his head as if embarrassed.

‘Well, I suppose he might not know. Even though Avenger is the Chief Steward, he’s still young and he’s not a soldier.’

—Sigh.

I let out a long sigh and whispered to him.

“You know what the Imperial Guard is, right?”

“Yes, they are His Imperial Majesty’s personal guards.”

“That Guard is divided into several units depending on their specific purpose.”

Avenger blinked rapidly, hanging on my every word.

I continued.

“Among them, there is a unit responsible for conquering dungeons. They are called the Emperor’s Hunters.”

At that, Avenger tilted his head. I asked him, “What? What else are you curious about?”

“Ah… well, it’s nothing major, but… couldn’t they just be called the Imperial Guard Dungeon Unit? Why ‘Hunters’ specifically?”

“Because the entire Empire is their hunting ground.”

“The entire Empire?”

I nodded.

“The operational range of the Imperial Guard is limited to the Emperor’s direct territories unless something special happens. They aren’t supposed to infringe upon the autonomy of the nobles. But the Emperor’s Hunters can come and go as they please in noble fiefs if necessary.”

“How can such a law…”

What a thing to ask. It’s obvious. It’s because dungeons move…

“Ah.”

“Young Master?”

“Dammit! Was that it!?”

I grabbed both cheeks and shouted.

The sudden outburst caused every eye in the Great Hall to fixate on me.

“Shane…?”

Alejandro called my name in a startled voice.

“Ah. Dammit. Why did I only realize this now? Father. I think I know why the Emperor’s Hunters are coming—”

I wasn’t given the time to explain.

—Clack.

An unfamiliar footstep.

The sound of metal greaves meeting the marble floor echoed through the hall.

A shadow stretched across the entrance.

Everyone’s gaze shifted from me to the owner of that shadow.

A knight wrapped in a white cloak.

The moment I saw that figure, I knew instantly.

‘That person is an Emperor’s Hunter.’

But they arrived this early!?

We just finished chasing after the express messenger ourselves.

Good grief… talk about fast.

I stared at the Hunter in a daze. The silence that rushed in with them was already surrounding us.

—Clack, clack.

The Emperor’s Hunter walked right up to our front, before the throne where Alejandro sat.

Then, they tilted their head to the side.

“Hello. Lord of Denabi, and everyone else. My name is Adele. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“…”

Silence again.

That was a pretty blunt greeting.

It was so blunt the atmosphere turned incredibly awkward.

What are we supposed to say to that?

‘Oh, not at all. The pleasure is ours’?

…That doesn’t seem like a great answer.

While everyone, including myself, was paralyzed by this absurd silence, it was Alejandro who provided the solution.

“But… didn’t you forget something?”

The Hunter who introduced herself as Adele blinked.

“Hmm? No. I brought all my supplies. Weapons… yep, got those. Clothes… yep, I’m decent?”

Adele muttered to herself as she checked the inside of her cloak.

“Ah.”

Suddenly, she froze.

“Right.”

She tilted her head again. It was the exact same motion as when she first entered the hall.

A strange sense of déjà vu took over everyone.

“Hello. Lord of Denabi, and everyone else. I am Adele Simoni, Third-Class Knight of the Mausoleum Subjugation Department, Imperial Guard Bureau.”

She slowly raised her head.

“There… I didn’t forget anything this time, right?”

She grinned.

However, Alejandro spoke.

“No, there is still one thing left.”

“Uh-oh…”

Adele flustered.

“What is it… I really have no clue. What could it be…?”

She looked directly at me and asked that.

‘I don’t know either.’

Why are you asking me? Figure out your own checklist.

While I stared at Adele with an expression that conveyed exactly that, Alejandro spoke the answer once more.

“Your business.”

“Ah.”

“Why has a Hunter of His Imperial Majesty come all the way to this remote region? Was there a decree from His Majesty?”

“Oh, he didn’t give a specific command. But there was intel.”

Alejandro narrowed his eyes.

“Intel?”

“Yes. Intel that His Imperial Majesty’s property is here.”

“I have no recollection of touching His Majesty’s private property. Are you perhaps mistaken?”

Adele smiled and shook her head.

“There is no such thing as a mistake for an Emperor’s Hunter.”

‘Based on your clumsy behavior so far, that’s not very convincing.’

But she paid no mind to the voice in my head. Her next words were enough to make everyone forget her “clumsy behavior” up to that point.

“I heard it would definitely be here. The Sword of Four Seasons.”

I sucked in a breath.

“I’ve come to take it back.”