I Was Caught up in a Hero Summoning, but That World Is at Peace - Chapter 2437: Spreading Aftermath ㉙
Alice’s sudden appearance shocked everyone, but only for a moment. Chris realized first, Eris right after, that this meant something serious. For Alice to come in person could only mean the matter was monumental beyond words……
And for her to arrive at this exact timing implied that Chris and Eris also needed to hear it…… in other words, the subject likely had major implications for the country itself.
[……Alice-sama, the fact that you’ve come all the way here…… may we interpret that to mean you intend to provide us with information we have not yet learned?]
[Correct. You’ve been more flexible lately, very impressive, Chris-san. At this rate, I could give you an appraisal worth three white gold coins. Well, dragging this out would be pointless, so let’s get straight to the main topic…… Everyone, are your stomachs prepared to be punctured?]
None of them wanted to have that kind of resolve, but it was already certain the topic was disastrous. Even the inexperienced Baron Ritch and Marie, though late to catch on, sensed the severity of the situation and looked ready to faint at any moment.
But this would almost certainly be a matter deeply tied to Baron Ritch and Marie. They couldn’t afford not to listen, so they forced themselves to stay conscious and paid close attention to Alice’s words.
[First of all, it’s not that Marie-san did anything wrong. Really, the only way to describe it is…… she had terrible luck. Anyway, about the issue, Marie-san, you talked about golden ripples with Kaito-san in the café, right?]
[……Eh? Ah, yes.]
[……Golden ripples?]
Marie nodded at Alice’s words, but the others, everyone but Marie and Baron Ritch, wore puzzled expressions, unable to recall what golden ripples referred to.
Seeing this, Baron Ritch began a simple explanation.
[The golden ripple is a kind of legend from my territory…… or rather, a story a former lord tried to spread to help sell ripples, but as you can tell by the fact none of you know it, it never became widespread. It only survives as a tale occasionally brought up in part of the territory.]
[……Ah, I see. I’ve heard that kind of story before. Something promoted as part of a marketing strategy that fails, gets forgotten by most people, and then much later someone recalls it as “I don’t remember where I heard this, but……”, and eventually it becomes a sort of local legend.]
Hearing Baron Ritch’s explanation, Chris nodded in understanding. There had been several such cases in the past, where someone tried to spread that sort of thing but failed, and only the story itself ran off on its own, eventually turning into something like an urban legend.
[Yes, exactly. It was really nothing but a silly story, and Marie explained that properly to Kaito-san too. It’s not like he misunderstood anything. It should have been harmless small talk…… but the problem is, someone was eavesdropping on that conversation…… and she got interested in those golden ripples…… Someone up in the Sanctuary.]
[ [ [ [ [ …………………. ] ] ] ] ]
In that instant, the room fell into a silence so deep it felt as though time had stopped. Chris, Eris, Marie, Marquis Hamilton, and Baron Ritch…… not a single one of them could even react. They only stared wide-eyed.
And of course they did, Alice had said “in the Sanctuary”…… Anyone living in this world could immediately imagine who that referred to.
All color drained from their faces, and they began to tremble. Even so, Chris somehow managed to force out his voice.
[……A- Alice-sama…… t- that means……]
[……Yeah, I’m talking about Shallow Vernal-sama. And if it had ended there, things would’ve still been simple, but apparently, Shallow Vernal-sama handed all matters regarding the golden ripple over to Life-san. Heck, even added “I’m looking forward to it” when she passed the command…… So now Life-san is fired up to an absolutely terrifying degree.]
No words came out. Their minds were unnaturally clear, so clear it only emphasized how impossible it was to process what Alice was saying.
The five of them, Chris included, felt as if the words were just circling around inside their hollowed-out heads.
[……And so, with that being the situation, I expect that within the next few days, a “golden ripple tree created by the full combined power of the Gods” will be delivered to the Ritch Barony…… or rather, directly to Marie-san. And it’ll probably come with instructions like “Present the first golden ripple to Shallow Vernal-sama”…… So please brace yourselves.]
Those words, as merciless as a death sentence, made Marie and Baron Ritch instantly pass out, eyes rolled back and foam bubbling from their mouths.
……And a few seconds later, Alice revived them without the slightest mercy using a Resuscitation Magic.
<Afterword>
Serious-senpai : [I see, so they’re not just gonna receive it huh…… She also has to offer a golden ripple they’ve grown on Shiro…… Marie’s stomach is done for……]
