Inheriting the Novel

Chapter 33 : Reunion with the Imperial Princess (1)

Reunion with the Imperial Princess (1)

"How lucky am I! Selling high-quality underwear at clearance like this. The imperial capital really is something else."

Monet, who was unpacking Clay's belongings at the lodging, realized that she was slightly short on the amount of underwear she had brought.

So, after getting her travel permit issued, she headed out to the capital's market.

The streets were quite complicated, but since she had memorized the main routes to and from her lodging, it wasn't much of a problem.

Moreover, Monet had never once gotten lost in her life, making her a lucky one in every sense, so she moved along without hesitation.

'Is there anything else I need to buy?'

After putting the underwear she purchased into her bag, Monet immediately set off to return to her lodging.

However, to get back, she had to cross the busiest street, which was no easy task for Monet, who had a slender divine body.

Pushing against the surging crowd, Monet advanced with some difficulty.

"Ah!"

A sharp scream sounded from somewhere.

Monet instinctively turned her head and saw a small child who had fallen down.

'That child...'

It was a boy she had briefly seen while coming here.

She remembered him clearly because his skin color was different.

'I'm sure he was selling fruit around here.'

The boy, who had been selling various fruits from a small basket, now had his fruit rolling on the ground and could barely move, shoved around by the crowd.

Surprisingly, no one was helping the boy. On the contrary, people hurled insults as if annoyed and walked away.

"Ugh, dirty demihuman."

"Ew, get close and you'll catch something."

Monet was shocked by the voices around her.

'I've heard of the demihuman, but I didn't think the discrimination would be this severe!'

Demihuman.

It was a general term for humanoid races that weren't human but looked similar to humans.

They were rare in the kingdom of Talua, and this was Monet's first time seeing an demihuman.

"Are you okay?"

Monet couldn't just leave the boy on the ground, so she hurriedly approached and helped him up.

"I-I'm fine. Thank you, big sis."

The boy barely managed to lift himself and bowed deeply to Monet in thanks.

'So pitiful.'

Monet reached into her pocket to give the boy a gold coin.

"Please wait. If you give that boy money so carelessly, it'll cause big trouble."

At that moment, a low, mid-range voice came from behind Monet.

She instinctively turned—and was startled.

"G-Goblin?! Oh, no, it's just a mask."

"Haha! Sorry. Since I always meet children, I tend to wear a mask like this."

Monet let out a sigh of relief.

The tall man, laughing heartily, was a gentleman dressed in a black brimmed hat and suit.

What stood out was the comical mask covering his face.

The mask made to look like a caricature of a goblin made the boy next to Monet beam with a wide smile.

"Mister Edward!"

"Yes, I came to help, but there was already a kind young lady here before me."

The man called Edward patted the boy's head kindly as he spoke.

It seemed the boy and man were acquainted.

After greeting the boy, Edward turned to Monet.

"You're from another country, aren't you?"

"Ah, yes."

"Before I explain further, let me introduce myself. I'm a doctor helping children in the slums of Draig."

Slums?

That there were slums in Draig, capital of the Asktalin Empire, was hard to believe.

In such a splendid capital, the existence of a slum was unbelievable.

Moreover...

"A doctor? That's truly admirable."

"You're the first lady to say that to me."

Being a doctor was a rare profession.

Compared to the healing magic priests could use at the temple, its efficacy was much lower.

Thus, only those who lacked the abilities of a priest but wanted to help the poor became doctors.

Having grown up her whole life in the Vanhart count family, Monet was seeing both an demihuman and a doctor for the first time today.

Edward, noticing Monet's respectful gaze, smiled wryly and continued.

"Discrimination against the demihuman is much worse in the empire than you might think, miss. Just now, you tried to give him a gold coin, didn't you?"

"Ah, yes."

"Demihumans can't use gold coins. If they take one out carelessly, it'll either be suspected as stolen or be taken away promptly."

"No way... I was thoughtless."

Monet deeply reflected on her near-mistake.

As Monet brooded, Edward raised his hand to his mask.

Was he about to remove it?

At that moment, the mask instantly changed.

From an ordinary goblin's face to a smiling goblin's mask.

"This is face-changing. I learned it from an Eastern circus troupe that happened to visit the capital. The children love it."

Seeing Monet widen her eyes in surprise, Edward explained kindly.

Only then did Monet realize that this man was trying to cheer her up.

"Thank you."

"No, kind lady. Ah, let me give you a gift."

Edward pulled some beautiful, colorful candies from his pocket.

"Here, both of you, pick one."

Judging by the delighted chattering of the boy beside her, Edward must give out this candy to children often.

"Mister Edward! I want this one!"

"Oh, lucky you. That one should be very tasty."

Watching the heartwarming exchange, Monet reached out and chose a purple candy.

"Then, is it alright if I take this one?"

"Oh..."

Edward gave a small sigh as he watched Monet put the candy in her mouth.

"Oh dear, you're not very lucky."

Not lucky?

That was a phrase Monet had never heard before.

Could there be something wrong with such a delicious sweet?

"Well then, we'll be on our way."

Monet intended to ask for the reason, but Edward had already disappeared into the crowd with the demihuman boy.

Though she felt a mysterious unease, Monet melted the sweet candy in her mouth as she turned away.

She had to hurry back if she wanted to finish her chores.

* * *

[Chapters 84–92, 'The First Calamity.']

The incident where Fabian first became aware of monsters called 'calamities'.

"It's the event that happens in the middle of the Founding Festival episode."

[Does that mean the Founding Festival is canceled?]

"Judging from the contents of other episodes, yes."

For the Imperial Founding Festival to be canceled was no trivial matter.

The Founding Festival was a showcase of the empire's authority and strength.

It would never be canceled except for something extraordinary.

[If it's enough to rock the empire, that means a huge event took place. But you called it the first calamity—was it really that powerful?]

"... I'm not sure."

That was all I could say.

Because the 'First Calamity' carried a kind of strength totally different from that of the 'calamity of the dragon' I had faced before.

==

〈Chapters 84–92, 'The First Calamity'〉

People suddenly began collapsing during the Founding Festival.

At first, it seemed like a simple epidemic, but Fabian realized someone had deliberately spread it.

Astonishingly, it was a disease that not even holy magic or detoxification magic could cure.

The sudden appearance of an impossible disease threw the empire into great confusion.

At the same time, Michelle received a revelation from God. It was about beings that would appear to destroy or dominate the world.

Michelle called them 'calamities'.

And the one who spread the disease over Draig, capital of the Asktalin Empire, was the first calamity known as the 'calamity of disease and demons'.

Afterward, Fabian began to track the calamity of disease and uncovered several facts.

This epidemic had been planned long ago, and the situation was already out of control.

Driven to despair, at that moment—

Fabian discovered a clue to the solution from Monet.

==

[The calamity of disease and demons?]

After I explained the synopsis further, Grancesia looked troubled.

[This is more troublesome than I thought. Which number episode does this come in the synopsis?]

"It's the third episode. The two episodes before this are also tied up with the Founding Festival."

[Then what about the other two?]

"They're episodes about searching for information on and solving the first calamity."

The plot was long but mostly described Fabian's activities.

[Is there any other story?]

"There is, but..."

Fabian learns the true identity of the calamity and is shocked, but after a fierce struggle defeats the first calamity.

"... To sum it up, that's everything."

[At least tell me the identity if he's shocked!]

"Whew, exactly my point."

The most important details were missing, but at least I had gotten several crucial pieces of information.

First, the disease that would spread in Draig could not be cured even by the holy power of priests.

And, the 'calamity of disease and demons' turned out to be an unexpected character who would shock Fabian.

"... Most importantly, Monet is the key to this incident."

[Who would've thought that totem of luck would play such a crucial role.]

Just as Grancesia said, I never expected Monet's name to surface here.

"Grancesia, what exactly is the difference between a priest's healing magic and the healing power of Divine Blood?"

[Hm? Well, simply put, healing magic attacks and removes harmful substances that enter the body. In contrast, Divine Blood makes it as if those harmful substances never existed in the first place. It's closer to restoring a state than traditional healing.]

"I see."

I didn't know the principles of how this disease was created.

But, if Grancesia's explanation was right, then as long as I had Divine Blood, this opponent wouldn't be that difficult for me.

The problem would be if, like in the original story, things got out of control.

Even if I could cure the disease with Divine Blood, treating millions of people with my blood was simply impossible.

'Let me think.'

If the synopsis was to be believed, Fabian ended up solving this incident successfully. In other words, there must be another way besides Divine Blood.

And Monet would play an important role in that...

'What could it be?'

What could Monet possibly do against the calamity of disease and demons?

No matter how hard I thought about it, I couldn't even guess.

[Either way, this is a real problem. If the epidemic spreads, chaos will follow just as the synopsis said.]

"That's certain. Besides, the biggest problem is the transmission..."

Currently, Draig was overflowing with crowds from across the continent for the imperial Founding Festival.

Among them were dignitaries from other countries as well.

If an incurable disease spread in this situation, its aftereffects would reach the entire continent.

It truly deserved to be called a calamity that could destroy the world.

"It'd be good if we could inform the empire beforehand..."

If the spread could be contained before it started, the damage could be minimized.

However...

"That's impossible."

I'd be lucky not to get arrested for spreading rumors and causing panic at such a monumental Founding Festival.

In the Asktalin Empire, I was just a powerless noble. No one would believe my baseless story.

[It's possible, though?]

"What is?"

[If someone high up in the empire helped, couldn't it be done?]

"Well, that would make it possible. But there's no way anyone would believe me..."

I didn't finish my sentence.

At that moment, exactly one person came to mind—

—no, a dragon.

* * *

With a day of free time, I searched the capital for any trace of the calamity of disease and demons.

But I found nothing, and only returned to the lodging late at night.

'Well, calling it a "lodging" is an understatement—this place is bigger than the Vanhart manor.'

It was basically a mansion.

In fact, there were three such mansions, all accommodations for those attending the Founding Festival.

"Monet, while we're staying in Draig, if you come across anything unusual, tell me right away."

"Anything unusual?"

The moment I got back, I said this to Monet. Since she was essentially the key to this incident, it was wise to give her a heads up.

Monet pondered for a moment, then as if remembering something, her eyes widened.

"Come to think of it, I met a strange doctor today."

"A doctor?"

"Yes. He wore a goblin mask, but he was very kind. He seemed to look after children in the slums... and he gave me some candy."

The calamity of disease and demons, the doctor in the goblin mask—

Those keywords, strung together, gave me an uneasy feeling.

I hastily checked Monet's character settings. My eyes couldn't help but widen.

'Wait, this is...'

A change had appeared in Monet's character profile.

A new note marked as a 'special trait' had been added that hadn't been there even this morning.

Thanks to that, I realized how Fabian overcame this crisis.

'Thank you, Monet.'

I grinned at Monet, who was staring at me blankly.

It seemed things were about to become much easier.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

Of course, it's the goblin mask mister...

【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】