Chapter 26 - At the Royal Castle of Abalonia
This one is a bit short.
"I understand that the Black Silver party has disbanded, but where has the leader, Aldo, gone?"
The Kingdom of Abalonia, located far to the west of Nordende where Aldo lived.
In an audience chamber decorated with luxury that demonstrated the dignity of a great power, the King of Abalonia let his solemn voice ring out.
"...The thing is, his whereabouts are unknown."
A man answered with difficulty while breaking into a cold sweat at the King's voice. The Guildmaster.
This man was the highest authority of the Adventurer's Guild in the kingdom, Barrock.
He wore formal attire consisting of a high-quality tunic, long trousers, and a long cloak, but his bulging muscles pushed against them, making him a figure ill-suited for the lavish audience chamber.
He looked much more natural dressed in adventurer gear while subjugating monsters.
Hearing Barrock's words, the King spoke while wrinkling his brow.
"Elliot has married into the Elfiore house, and Kurune is teaching at the Magic Academy. And I hear Keel is still in the kingdom, so why is it that only Aldo's whereabouts are unknown?"
Barrock almost made a bitter face at the King's sarcastic words, but he managed to endure it.
What came to mind was Keel, who had come to the guild with a radiant smile to announce his retirement.
"He mentioned that he wanted to rest for a while after the fierce battle with the Dragon Slayer."
The sudden retirement of an A-rank party that had achieved a Dragon Slaying.
Barrock had been busy settling the commotion and hearing detailed stories from Keel and the others, so he hadn't had the leeway to worry about Aldred, who was supposed to be recuperating.
Aldred had been so depressed he seemed like a different person, but Barrock had thought he would recover eventually.
"It is true that Aldred seemed as if a possession had been lifted after he achieved the Dragon Slaying. I understand taking a period to heal his heart. However, it is a problem that his location is unknown. My plans will be ruined at this rate."
Barrock understood what the King wanted to say and what he was thinking.
The kingdom's top A-rank adventurer party that had achieved a Dragon Slaying, defeating the strongest among monsters. A dragon that boasted a massive length, was covered in hard scales, and soared through the sky.
Dragons, which fly through the sky on a whim and attack people and animals from the sky on a whim, are objects of dread for people.
A despair that one never knows when it might strike.
Even if a sword is thrust at them, it is blocked by hard scales, and one is incinerated by scorching breath.
They are beings that cause irrational disasters with overwhelming power.
Aldred and his companions, who defeated such a dragon, were truly hope and heroes to the people.
The King, as an individual, must have wanted to bring them into the service of the country by all means.
He likely intended to raise him to the nobility and have him marry his daughter, the princess, or the daughter of a noble with deep ties.
With him present, he could show that the kingdom was secure, and the citizens would become even more spirited.
When powerful monsters or dragons appeared in other countries, having the hand of dispatching Aldred and his party would give them a diplomatic advantage over other nations.
However, the whereabouts of the leader of the party that achieved the Dragon Slaying were unknown.
And that was while he was still within his own country.
"Do none of his other companions know his whereabouts?"
"...They all say they do not know. They suspect he may have left the country."
At Barrock's words, the King snorted in displeasure.
The one who wanted to get angry was Barrock. Keel had dragged out the explanation for the party's disbandment. Just when he thought they had made an appointment, the date was changed due to urgent business.
And when he heard Aldred was recuperating and went to check on him after a while, there was no one at the inn where he was supposed to be.
It was now clear that Aldred was no longer in this country. Even if the other companions knew his location, they likely had no intention of telling.
Barrock, who had suffered unnecessary hardship by being fed false information, had decided to punch Keel as a small way to vent his frustration, but Keel had disappeared as if he had noticed.