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Chapter 241: The Changing Times

“All right! That’s the whole thing gone! …Whoa, you okay, old man?”

“…Brooklyn really is a piece of work.”

The head of House Babenberg, nearly crushed by Brooklyn’s Shields, had been rescued by nearby Explorers. Leon, who had helped break the Shields along with the Attackers from Golden Tune, supported his staggering form. Brooklyn looked disappointed as she glanced toward him while staying close to Orbis.

“Thank you. You saved me.”

“Well, don’t sweat it. I guess we’re even now, eh?.”

“You know, Leon,” one of Leon’s wives interjected. “You didn’t contribute much to breaking the Shields.”

“C’mon, don’t say that…”

“But I still love you!”

“Me too!”

Leon proceeded to spend a second flirting with his wife before calling over the nearly Healers. The head of House Babenberg, watching Leon’s relaxed demeanor, checked his own magical energy level.

In a pure Shield magic duel with Brooklyn, he would have died. However, thanks to Golden Tune and other Explorers, who had rushed to rescue him without waiting for Christia’s orders, he survived. These Explorers had been quick because they felt indebted to House Babenberg for protection during the Devourer Dragon’s attack.

“Thank you,” he repeated.

Then, he began constructing Shields in the distance to impede Orbis and Brooklyn’s escape. Due to the internal injuries from Brooklyn’s attack, his expression remained pained.

“Would you like some more healing, sir?” A female Explorer, seeing his pain, offered.

“…Yes, please,” He accepted after a moment of hesitation.

Usually, his recovery came from personal physicians or dedicated White Mages; this was the first time the head of House Babenberg received healing from a God’s Dungeon Explorer.

“…You’re pretty good,” he muttered, noting that the Explorer’s healing felt no different from those of his usual employees.

“Sir?” The female Explorer, fearing she had offended him, looked anxious.

Affiliated with Ealdred Crow and above level seventy, her healing was powerful. Internal injuries were further aided by skills, and with her level being higher than that of the noble’s White Mages, her healing was in fact slightly more effective.

“I suppose this is another sign of the changing times…”

As the head of House Babenberg observed his rapidly healing body and the distant Brooklyn, he sensed the shift in the era. From his position overseeing Dungeon City, he had an inkling of the evolving circumstances around God’s Dungeon, but facing it head-on left him with a bittersweet realization.

From now on, it would be impossible to survive in this world by remaining within the confines of nobility. At this point, his own well-being was inconsequential. Yet, thinking of his ancestors who had entrusted him with Shield magic, and the children who could no longer live as nobility, filled him with sorrow.

“I’m all right now. Thank you.”

“Oh… yes, sir.”

The head of House Babenberg, thanking the female explorer who had healed him, stood up and hastened the deployment of his Shields. He also began to interfere with Brooklyn’s Shield magic, preventing her from moving freely.

Christia, supported by two members of the Labyrinth Conquerors, continued to give orders despite her broken legs.

“That monster is likely enough to hold off Orbis. As such… Attackers, prepare to strike! We’ll kill Orbis from a distance!”

She had shattered Brooklyn’s Shields with arrows in a surprise attack, but her lower body was left unprotected and crushed.

Ordinarily, the pain would have caused her to faint, but sheer determination kept her conscious. She still had her bow slung over her left shoulder, showing her resolve to continue fighting even against the Stampede.

Inspired by Christia, the ranged Attackers moved swiftly, taking positions and preparing as she directed. Once ready, Christia’s command rang out, and the Explorers fighting near Orbis began to retreat.

“…Hahaha, these monsters sure are strong.”

Orbis tried to pursue the retreating Explorers but found the Winter General, mounted on a horse, unexpectedly formidable. The Winter General’s icy attacks, combined with close-quarters combat, proved challenging for Orbis. Additionally, Rook’s commands and support from high-level Explorers fortified the Winter General’s efforts. Brooklyn, apparently facing high-level Explorers for the first time, struggled against their <<Combat Cry>>.

As the rear guard retreated into the Royal Capital’s Shield perimeter, the ranged Attackers prepared for a volley. The Winter General, understanding its imminent fate under Rook’s orders, focused entirely on delaying Orbis.

Orbis, who might have won in a direct battle, could not break through the Winter General’s relentless defense. As Orbis edged closer to the Royal Capital, Christia raised her hand to signal the attack.

But then, amidst the fierce clash with the battered Winter General, Orbis spoke unexpected words.

“I surrender. Could you please cease your attack?”

“……”

Christia glared at Orbis in silence, while the other Explorers looked puzzled, suspecting a trick.

“Huh…?”

The one most surprised by Orbis’s surrender was Brooklyn.

“It seems this is the end,” Orbis said.

“What? What about that — Magic sac? Don’t you have it with you!?” Brooklyn’s voice trembled with disbelief.

Brooklyn had believed that Orbis possessed a trump card, a magic sac, that had once broken through her most formidable Shield. But Orbis shook his head.

“Creating one takes years, and it requires an immense amount of Magic Stones. It’s a one-time-use trump card.”

“T-then… why didn’t you…”

‘…save it for this final battle?’ Brooklyn couldn’t voice the second half of her frustration. More than anything, she feared the Explorers who were already prepared to attack. She had seen their destructive power twice and knew she had to flee. Without hesitation, she ran.

“What should we do?” asked an Explorer.

“We’ve already secured a source of information. Without a sure way to restrain Orbis, we’ll kill him here. Prepare for a volley,” Christia ordered.

The secured source in question was Meena — and there was no guarantee they could safely hold Orbis, who would be able to break through Shield magic with his strength alone. Christia waited for the hesitant Explorers to calm down, then lowered her hands.

“Fire!”

The Shields in front of the Royal Capital dropped, and the Explorers unleashed their ranged skills simultaneously. The combined attack of fire and wind skills enveloped Orbis, obscuring him from view as he was pinned by the Winter General.

For three minutes, flames roared in front of the Royal Capital, scorching everything in their path. When the inferno subsided, only the charred helmet of the Winter General and the scorched but intact form of Orbis remained.

▽▽

Cautiously, the Tanks approached Orbis, who had miraculously retained his shape in the inferno. Once they confirmed his death, they turned their attention to Brooklyn, who had fled.

She had not managed to escape far enough to lose her pursuers, unable to break through House Babenberg’s Shields. She resisted until she exhausted her magical energy, and finally, she was caught by the Explorers who could destroy her Shields.

And so, the Stampede that threatened the Royal Capital ended. However, the aftermath posed greater challenges for those connected to the Royal Capital.

The monster rampage inside the Royal Capital had caused significant damage and incurred immense defense costs. Additionally, the betrayal by the head of House Kantjelucia, one of the two great noble households, shattered trust in the Shield magic protecting the Royal Capital. The city’s security and noble dynamics were thrown into turmoil, leading to widespread confusion.

▽▽

Tsutomu, listening to the reports of the Royal Capital’s state as if it were someone else’s problem, gazed out the inn’s window with a blank expression.

“What a commotion,” Tsutomu remarked.

“It sure is…” Daryl replied beside him, resting his hands on the window ledge, his face partially peering outside.

Outside the inn, numerous repair works were underway, with people bustling about like worker ants. Despite the unusual appearance of monsters within the Royal Capital, there had been no casualties, unlike the previous Stampede, which had caused fatalities. The atmosphere was not as dire.

Even so, the chaos of the Stampede had led to a surge in thefts and assaults within the Royal Capital. However, the king’s army swiftly dealt with such criminals, maintaining order. The army’s ranks included temporarily hired veteran Explorers of God’s Dungeon, such as Weiss, Rook, Garm, Amy, Xeno, and Leleia, who all helped maintain security.

[…I mean, the Royal Capital is important, but still…]

Among the king’s forces was someone with a Unique Skill, a peer of Camille’s, who had been instrumental in apprehending criminals during the chaos. Tsutomu thought the king’s forces could have allocated this individual to external defense. While Absolute Helix had suffered no fatalities, they had taken significant risks.

[I hope we get to leave the Royal Capital while Ealdred Crow is still here… If we don’t go past the ninetieth layer soon, we won’t be the first to reach the hundredth. Maybe the Royal Capital will recruit their top team.]

The Stampede’s turmoil had already settled in Tsutomu’s mind, and his thoughts were now occupied with conquering God’s Dungeon. As he lay on his bed, pondering whether the Royal Capital might poach Ealdred Crow’s top performers, Daryl’s drooping dog ears twitched, sensing something. A knock echoed through the room.

Recognizing the visitor by the footsteps, Daryl wagged his black tail and approached the door with a light step. Opening it, he revealed a woman with plain brown hair, a perfectly ordinary face, and a typical build.

“Hello, Daryl,” she greeted.

“Miss Ollie! Hello! What brings you here?”

“I have something to report to Mister Tsutomu.”

Ollie, who had been gathering information within the Royal Capital, smiled wryly at Daryl, whose eyes lit up like a puppy’s. Tsutomu shot a weary glance at the energetic Daryl, who hurried closer.

“What is it, Miss Ollie?”

“There are movements indicating that the King plans to invite Explorers to the castle. An invitation will likely arrive for Absolute Helix soon. Therefore, it would be prudent to prepare appropriate attire for the occasion and learn some basic etiquette to avoid any misunderstandings.”

“I see…”

“…Declining the invitation is not an option, I’m afraid. Other Clans have already decided to attend, and Explorers refusing the King’s invitation could lead to unnecessary misunderstandings, especially given the precarious position of the nobility.”

“Yes, yes, I understand. Thank you for the warning,” Tsutomu said, resigning himself to the situation under Ollie’s scrutinizing gaze.

Ollie had ensured her safety even when monsters breached the Royal Capital, leveraging her connections from her days serving the nobility to gather intelligence. Tsutomu appreciated her efforts to convey the current state of the Royal Capital accurately.

After delivering her report, Ollie handed Tsutomu an estimate covering the cost of tailoring clothes and compensating those who would teach them proper etiquette. The estimate, totaling several million Gold, startled Tsutomu, but he quickly approved it and asked Ollie to proceed.

“Okay then…  I’ll go check on Hannah. Daryl, go call Diniel over, will you?”

With that, Tsutomu decided to visit Hannah, who had been hospitalized as a precaution, and took Daryl and Diniel along as his guards.

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