It would take two days by carriage to get from the labyrinth city to the royal capital, and would always be interspersed with an encampment at least once. So Tsutomu, who was rocked in the carriage from early morning until evening, stretched out to relax his body while watching the setting sun.

　Hanna, who was so excited to be in the carriage that she got tired of looking at the scenery, was in the carriage, but as expected with eleven people, the conversation didn't break up too much, so she didn't get bored. Especially since Xeno was talking the whole time, and Daryl, who was next to him, had a face like his life had been sucked out of him.

　The preparation of the encampment was mainly done by the knights, but the heavy lifting was done by Garum and Daryl. Oli and Corina were the main ones helping with the detailed work. Basically, the knights of the King's Capital also dived into the divine dungeon at least once in order to receive status and skill endowments. However, because they are working for the King's Capital, their level is not that high compared to the searchers living in the Labyrinth City.

　So the knights watched with a bit of awe as Garum and Daryl, who have high status, performed more and more hard work. And the cooks on another carriage also came out and made a simple cooking area from a huge magic bag.

　Oli was helping to set up the cooking area, but he didn't particularly touch the food, and he seemed to take a long look at the scene of the work and admire it. Corina also liked to cook in addition to eating, so she was amazed at the skills of the cooks the Kanchelsia family had sent to her.

　More and more food was prepared by the deft cooks and laid out on the table that was deliberately brought out of the magic bag. After all, since they are the knights of the Kanchelsia family, they seem to be equipped with a variety of equipment and personnel so that they can eat hot meals outside as well.

　And as the Infinite Circle and the knights and servants of the Kanchelsia family were eating a bit apart, Xeno suddenly stood up with a bowl of soup.


''Chef!　Where is the chef who made this dish!
Yeah.
Chef!　Didn't you once have a shop in the north of King's Landing?　This clear broth has a nostalgic taste to it!
Five years ago, the shop was open in the north.
'I knew it!　I took care of that place when I was at school!　Because it was affordable and we had a lot of good food to eat!
'I know you, too. You're the one who abandoned the path to knights and officers and flew to the labyrinth city. I've heard a lot of talk about it.


　Starting with such an exchange between the cook and Zeno, the infinite circle and the knights began to converse with each other, albeit lightly. Garum and Daryl were spoken to mainly by the knights from the work they had just done, while Oli and Corina were talking to the servants about various things.

　In the midst of such a lively dinner, Tsutomu was also approached by a tall man who was the captain of the knights.


''Are you the one who was honored by the Babenberg family at the last stampede?''
In a manner of speaking, yes.
I see.


　Rumors of Tsutomu seemed to have reached the royal capital, but when the knight captain saw his origins, he looked down at him with suspicion. It is true that Tsutomu's physical appearance is slimmer than that of his servant Oli, and his level is not that high. Even if such Tsutomu was said to have contributed the most to the defense of the Stampede, he would not be a knight.

　Tsutomu finished his dinner early and returned to the tent while dodging the gazes of such knights, and found Diniel reading a book by the light of the hanging fire magic lamp. She had already finished preparing for bed by wiping her body with a towel wet with hot water, and she had already untied her hair elastic and let her golden hair down.


'Flash, barrier,'


　It's a good thing that you're able to get a good idea of what you're looking for. Originally, the flash is a skill that emits an intense flash of light that dazzles the eyes, but if the mental power it contains is at its weakest, it can be made to be just the right brightness that is easy on the eyes.

　And Tsutomu, who wrapped the light-emitting sphere in a barrier, hung it next to the fire magic lamp. Then the letters were definitely easier to read than before, so Diniel silently gave a thumbs up.


''I'll put it on that tent over there, so it's time to move on.
I can't help it.


　After setting up a flush in the women's tent as well and parting with Diniel, Tsutomu grabbed a folded towel to wipe himself down as well. Not being able to take a bath was a moderately unpleasant thing, but it couldn't be helped.

　Tsutomu had brought with him a bath that can be assembled, but assembling it is a hassle and the hot water takes time to prepare. So I was going to put up with it for a day or so, but it was unexpectedly uncomfortable, so I didn't know if I should assemble it now.

　However, I was afraid that the knights of the Kanchelsia family would find me assembling it, so Tsutomu cried out and gave up setting up the bath. Tsutomu went outside to get the hot water that Oli had prepared for him and lightly wiped himself a little further away.

　Then, after finishing cleaning up dinner and lightly discussing the future with the knights, Tsutomu went into the men's tent. The knights were going to take care of the night watch, so he would be able to sleep soundly today.


''.......................Apparently it's true that the monsters have disappeared from the southern dungeon. It's impossible for there to be no monster attacks, given the time of year.
'From what I've heard from the knights, they really can't find one in the dungeon either. Hmmm, I wonder what that means.


　While Garum and Xeno were speculating based on the information they had obtained from talking to the knights, Tsutomu was tired from a lot of things, so he decided to go to bed first. When he went to the bunk assigned to the infinite circle, he found Daryl sleeping easily ahead of him. Apparently, he was tired, probably because he had been keeping up with Xeno's stories that went on and on during the afternoon.

　After watching Daryl, who was moving his black tail while occasionally making a sleepy upper rubbing sound, for a little while, Tsutomu also let out a single absent voice before getting under the covers and falling asleep.


　oo


　The next day, they woke up early in the morning, stowed their tents and other items away in the carriage, ate a light breakfast, and then immediately set off for the royal capital. Diniel and Amy seemed to be in a daze in the carriage, probably because they had been beaten up early in the morning.


''Oh yeah. To the castle in King's Landing...''


　I don't know if Xeno has any concept of waking up from sleep, but he has been talking endlessly since the morning. While conversations were taking place in the carriage with him in the center, they were heading to the royal capital.

　We arrived at the capital without incident at noon. We were led to the checkpoint of the king's capital where there was a long line of people waiting in line, but the carriage was easily passed through just by showing the coat of arms of the Kanchelsia family.


''Whoa!　It's huge!


　Hanna, stuck to the carriage window, flapped her wings excitedly at the sight of the huge royal castle, the most prominent in King's Landing. And the wind from the flapping of her wings had disrupted the pages of the book Diniel was reading, and then Hannah had decided to ironclaw her.

　The noisy carriage proceeded into the heart of the royal city, and a little later they arrived at the house of the Kanchelsia family. Everyone was sent to the guest room and each of them was assigned a room, and then they were free to go about their business.

　Only one representative of the infinite circle was to have an audience with the head of the Kanchelsia family, so Tsutomu separated from the clan members and followed the knight.


The magic bag will be kept here. And I'll let you have a physical examination as well.
Come in.


　As the stone was not allowed to be equipped for an audience with the head of the family, Tsutomu packed his equipment and then handed the magic bag to the knight. Then, after a careful physical examination, Tsutomu was told to wait in a room with a gleaming, eye-hurting interior.


'Heels,'


　After checking to see if he could use the skill just in case, Tsutomu reached for the pastry on his desk because he was bored. Then the door to the room suddenly opened, and he pulled his hand back without a second thought. And the woman who entered the room was a familiar face.


'Tutum?'
... uh, hi. It's been a while.


　Chrystia, the leader of a clan that focuses on the outer dungeons called the Labyrinth Control Squad, is a woman with long, pointed ears that protrude from her silver hair. When Tsutomu instructed the flying heels, she also taught the labyrinth-conquering squad lightly after the Golden Exam and Aldoret Crow.

　She is classified as an elf, the same as Diniel, but she is a dark elf who has no magic power to create potions among her kind. But instead of having no magic power, she has excellent physical abilities, and her skill with the bow is comparable to Diniel's.


''What brings you here, Chrystia-san?''
'I have reported to the head of House Kanchelsia about the dungeon outside. Tsutomu was called to King's Landing by Brooklyn Kanchelsia?
Well, sort of.


　When Tsutomu returns, Chrystia opens her mouth without moving a single facial muscle.


'She's a collector. The Babenbergs have an interest in the Twombs, which they approve of. You'd better be careful.
''........I see. Thank you for the advice.
..........


　Quickly holding her hand over her mouth, Cristia only looked back at Tsutomu with inorganic eyes that couldn't read her emotions. Tsutomu thought when he instructed her about flying heels before, but Chrystia was a woman who didn't know what she was thinking about any more than Diniel did.

　She and I spent a lot of time afterwards asking casual questions about the King's Capital, but it was honestly hard to talk to her because sometimes she wouldn't even phase. Being in the same room with Chrystia, who seemed to have discounted Diniel's wonderment and made it rootless, was moderately awkward.

　And after a while, Tsutomu, who was called by the knight, looked slightly relieved and left the room to have an audience with the head of the Kanchelsia family.