CH 152

This was the Warren Jewelry Box annex, formerly known as the Adventurer’s Guild’s female dormitory. The men’s camp were ok living there, so Leopold and the rest of the Wheat Grace family were staying the night here this time.

“Stewart made a very smart decision here.”

The former lord Ferdinand was in a good mood, and was acting surprising polite while complimenting his granddaughter’s husband’s actions.

“No, since alcohol production in Skycastle has been increasing lately anyway, we’re grateful to have this new market in Warren where we can unload some of this extra product. In addition, the reputation for Claire-Flint brand toilets and showers have been gaining a lot of popularity among the nobility lately. We already have several dozen units on reserve, and Gurre has already drawn up plans to start a filth clean-up service.”

Stewart never missed an opportunity to praise his wife.

“Gurre, don’t bite off more than you can chew.”

“No no, she’s just doing as she pleases. Be sure to live with no regrets.”

Meanwhile her father Leopold started to give her a warning while her mother Lux tried to encourage her. At the same time, “Stewart, please let me see how Skycastle brews its alcohol,” Hymel was pulling on Stewart’s pants leg. Gurre was especially taken aback by this.

Of course it would be good for the future lord of Wheat Grace to see how Skycastle brews its alcohol and how it differs from the rice-centric method Wheat Grace uses. But to think that her shy younger brother who would always hide by his mother’s legs and cry over the slightest issue would step forward and ask a favor like this on his own.

Gurre secretly wiped away a tear from her eye without anyone else noticing.

By the way, Reeve and Su-chan were left sitting quietly in a corner of the room. These two, especially the dragon, were bad at dealing with Gurre, so it couldn’t be helped. It was only the other day that Su-chan was exposed to a human girl endlessly lecturing him for over an hour, something he had never in his whole, long life thought would happen. And he absolutely didn’t want it to ever happen again which was why he was currently shamelessly hiding himself by clinging to Reeve’s chest.

So just like that the Lorenburg family was able to enjoy a catered meal together while tasting the delightful alcohol Stewart had brought with him.

But then, a small doll Reeve was wearing on her person began to shout.

“Big Sister! Help!”

By the time the voice had faded into oblivion, Reeve had already made her way out of the hotel and into the main mansion next door. Reeve immediately made a report to Ellis and the others who were enjoying their own meal together.

“Mebett just sent an SOS. I’m leaving now and will ask for details when I get there.”

Ellis instantly started handing out her own specified instructions.

“Claire will be going with Reeve! Claire can pinpoint Mebett’s signal and direct Reeve to her location. Pi-tan will stay in his fancy form and ride on Su-chan as well! Frau, go find Maria and ask Sir Chaffee what’s going on at Skycastle through Duke Marsfield! Katie is on stand-by with me!”

Following Ellis’s instructions, Reeve and Claire climbed on the Storm Dragon’s back, disappearing into the night’s sky northward after a few flaps of its wings. Frau used her Magical Horse to head straight for the Merchant Guild. Ellis and Katie headed back to the hotel to explain the current situation to Ferdinand and the others.

“What’s happened to Mebett!?”

Leopold shouted out the question all the rest of them were thinking.

“We’re having someone at the Merchant Guild ask Sir Chaffee about the situation through Marsfield right now. So please calm down a bit.”

Ellis tried to soothe everyone’s worries, explaining to them all that she had given Mebett a Howling Plush Toy so that they could immediately help her if anything ever happened. She explained that the main reason for this was because they had confirmed the fact that demons had already infiltrated Skycastle the last time they were there. Sure enough, the Lorenburg family’s faces twisted when the demons were mentioned. They all knew the terror that came from dealing with them.

“But, how were you able to afford to give Mebett such an expensive magic tool?”

Ellis had tried to be honest with them up until now, but there were some secrets she wasn’t willing to share so easily.

“Claire’s parents Ares and Izerina worked together with the Wisdom Magicians’ Guild guildmaster to develop these tools in the first place. So we were able to get our hands on some of the surplus dolls they had developed.”

The first part of what she said was true at least. But it was that first half that would be harder to believe, but it made sense at the same time. They had already seen the toilets, showers, and golems Claire had made by herself after all.

In the meantime Frau had returned, her the complexion on her face a notably different shade. Maria was with her having ridden on the back of the Magical Horse.

“Kidnapped! Ellis! Mebett was taken by someone! Sir Chaffee has already started the search!”

“Don’t make that face. C’mon Frau, Katie, we’re going too!”

“Just a moment”

Gurre called out to Ellis before she had a chance to charge out of the building. She then handed over a small key.

“When something doesn’t smell right, it’s better to take care of it out of the public’s gaze. Use our home if you need to hide yourselves.”

“Thank you Gurre. I’m sorry, but please take care of our home while we’re away! And Ferdinand, I’ll give you this. If you ever need to speak with us, you can use this doll.”

Saying that much, Fe-rin returned to his normal size, flying off in the same direction Reeve went after Ellis, Katie, and Frau had climbed on his back.

Maria and the Lorenburg family saw them off as Duke Marsfield’s voice echoed out of Maria’s doll.

“The King’s gone mad! According to Sir Chaffee, he’s just announced an unthinkable royal decree!”

That decree was the lifting of a ban on Sabbath. The sacrifices for this Sabbath would be mostly adults, but as long as they have a parent’s permission, then children could be freely sacrificed as well.

“The King’s lost his mind……….”

Ferdinand was at a loss for words when hearing the cruel contents of this new order.

Saying that it’s only if someone ‘agrees’ to it is all well and good, but what if the King ordered them to ‘agree’ with it? The person in question would have to agree. Choosing to disobey the King’s order was a death sentence anyway. In other words, just being nominated meant you were as good as dead. There were more holes in this decree than could be counted.

“Ellis, can you hear me?”

Not even two minutes after they had left, Ferdinand was using the doll Ellis had given him to try and calmly explain everything that was going on.

Skycastle. The Hero Gray, magician Marionetta, and thief Gise were standing stunned before a signboard that had been sit up in the royal plaza of the capitol city.

“This, why is Skycastle lifting a ban on Sabbath, the demons’ feast?”

Good question.

“I’ll go to the Thieves’ Guild and buy some info. You two, don’t do anything to stand out until I’m back. If this royal decree is real, then it’ll be the end of your lives if the King orders you to, ‘Agree to be a sacrifice’.”

Gise immediately noticed the flaw in the King’s announcement as well. His decision to collect information first and make a move after analyzing the situation was a logical one. Which was why Gray and Marionetta followed his directions, returning to their headquarters until he returned with his report.

“As expected of a king, you act on your decisions so quickly,” a naked woman whispered into the King’s right ear while he lie on his back inside his bedroom.

“As expected of a king, people always follow those orders,” a naked man whispered into the King’s left ear.

The King was staring vacantly up at the ceiling while begging the two around him.

“I did what you told me to. So please, forgive me from anymore squeezing……..”

His two bedmates replied with a smile.

“What are you talking about my King? There’s still so much more to go before we reach our goal.”

“What are you talking about my King? There’s still so many ways I can serve you.”

Joe J Skycastle the VIII shut his empty eyes. And so once again he was attacked from his left and his right, his consciousness overcome with a feeling of pleasure coming from a skill you’d never believe belonged to a human.

Reeve’s group arrived at Skycastle a step ahead of the others. The girls arrived under the darkness of the night, the Storm and Chaos dragons staying in their respective cute and fancy forms while they searched for the captured Mebett. They refrained from calling Mebett themselves in case she was with her captors, hoping for her to be able to call them instead. Instead it was Ellis’s voice that came out of Claire’s doll.

“We’ll be there soon. Everything will be fine, so don’t go rushing in.”

Reeve with a little more irritated than she had thought when she replied back.

“You say that, but she could be killed if we wait!”

“It’s fine. She has one of Claire’s dolls, so if anything happens, she’ll definitely be able to buy herself some time. Claire, tell Reeve about your dolls until we arrive.”

“Understood Ellis. We’ll find out where they’re holding her while we wait as well.”

After giving Ellis the roger, Claire explained to Reeve what they were talking about with these dolls, all while carefully pinpointing Mebett’s signal.