Chapter 172

Treasure Transport Operation
Several days had passed since I returned to Arland via teleportation. It seems that a certain Duke in Ostland is delaying the trial by making some ridiculous claims. However, according to a story I heard through Anon (who heard it from the King), it seems certain that the bald Baron and his illegitimate son, who had been posing as his legitimate heir, will be sent to a monastery.

Monasteries like this are essentially prisons where nobles who have committed crimes are confined, and once sent there, it’s unlikely they’ll ever be released unless a false accusation is revealed. Even then, they probably won't show their face again.

Lady Maria is being protected in the royal palace. It’s probably a precaution to keep the Duke’s side from making any rash moves. By the way, it seems that the village chief has dutifully come to ask for my help in their rescue. What a good person. I’ll give them some reconstruction funds later.

“Is that everything?”

“Yeah, I’ve accumulated too much, even I admit it!”

Helios laughed heartily. We’re currently in my Treasury, sorting through the treasures. In my opinion, the value of what we have is probably equal to the national budget of Arland for about eight years.

“First, the crown of the Edward Kingdom. It was said in the history books that it was destroyed by a flame dragon, but was that you, Helios?”

“Yes, they sought my submission, so I burned their kingdom to the ground. There were shiny things in their castle, so I took them as compensation.”

You wiped out an entire kingdom and took their treasures? On top of that, asking a superior dragon for submission is basically asking to be destroyed (I’m fine, though).

Various treasures from different eras were discovered. Each and every one of them was plundered. Oh, there's also the Goddess-origin staff that the Imperial State is searching for. I think I'll take that. I won't use it, though. I already have the Dragon Staff.

“Your Highness, it’s time for your meal.”

“It’s about time to leave.”

“Indeed, I’m hungry.”

Helios was once again famished, as usual.

We left the Treasury.

“Are you scheming again, trying to keep me out?”

“I haven’t done anything yet.”

I avoided the questioning glare of Alicia, who was squinting at me, and had my meal. Helios was eating so much meat that he was getting a stomach ache. Since he’s my pet (familiar), we ate together. Mr. Coote was also eating steak from a dish on the floor.

Well, I did mutter, “I feel like eating a dragon sometimes,” while looking at Helios, and he seemed to tremble in fear. I really think Mr. Coote is stronger, though.

The next day.

The time had come to carry out the operation. Father had returned triumphantly from the monsters’ domain.

My father is currently liberating the monsters’ domain. This time, he liberated four monster territories, but the army got exhausted and had to return for a replacement.

When my father ordered a retreat, nearly all the knights and soldiers collapsed right on the spot. This was a forced march so grueling that even the strong Arland soldiers were worn out. However, the magic division was still full of energy, happily celebrating their newfound strength, and they continued marching with my father without a replacement.

As a result, there was some impact on the castle’s personnel as well.

The castle’s security was the responsibility of the royal palace guard and the royal guards. The royal guards mostly stayed with the royal family in the palace, while the palace guards ensured the palace’s safety. The palace guards are a higher organization than the city’s security forces.

However, my mother’s guards are often also part of the magic division, and they left with my father on his journey. Big brother’s guards, too, had half of them go with my father under the guise of training, and those left behind were exhausted from the forced march and were now bedridden. In other words, the royal guards’ security was thin. Of course, the security level of the royal castle was greatly enhanced by the magic tools I created, so we could still manage. After all, we have surveillance cameras installed, and everything is carefully watched.

Meanwhile, in my room, Alicia was sitting there knitting, keeping an eye on me. She must have sensed something. As a nuisance, she had two knights stationed outside the room.

“Time for brushing!”

Without waiting for Alicia’s reaction, I jumped onto the lovely equipment swaying in front of me and, following my instincts, started fluffing it up. After about 10 minutes, I managed to knock her out from the overwhelming fluffiness. I then adjusted the room’s clock slightly to create an alibi.

The knights outside the room knew I was a fluff enjoyer, so they didn’t enter. I left one of my clones in the room and used a hidden switch in the wall to move to the neighboring storage room. Since my room used to be a storage room, there’s a matching storage room next to it. Though now, it’s where I keep my trinkets.

I then used a hidden hatch in the floor to descend to the lower level. It’s a room I rarely use, so no one was there now.

“We’re going to make a ruckus.”

“Wooden Box Squad, charge.”

About 10 of my clones, each wearing a wooden box, charged forward.

“What’s going on!”

“Is it the Princess again!”

As a small commotion broke out in the hall, I sneaked through the blind spots of the castle's security magic tools and made my way to the treasure vault. Since I created these magic tools, I could easily find where the blind spots were, and I’ve built several secret passages.

Within minutes, I reached the treasure vault, but there were two knights guarding it.

“It’s noisy. What’s going on?”

“It’s the Princess inside the castle. She’s probably playing some prank.”

“Such a troublesome one.”

They were saying some terrible things about me.

I cupped my hands to my mouth and blew a whistle, a sharp “Fwoosh!” echoed, and I could hear the sound of a rumbling tremor moments later.

“What’s that?”

“It’s the Princess’s beasts. Don’t come over here!!”

““Gyaaaaaa!””

As about 30 beasts ran through the hall, the knights were swept away by the wave of beasts. This kind of disaster occasionally happens in the castle.

I tampered with the surveillance cameras watching the treasure vault, installing a magic device that would loop the footage. This way, the security room wouldn't detect anything unusual, and the treasure vault hadn't yet had its security system set up.

I then retrieved some of the unidentifiable slime-like substance that I used in my own armor, and poured a bit of it into the keyhole. After a while, the lock clicked open.

“Hmmm, this is pathetic.”

As expected, the financial situation in Arland seems dire. There’s much less money than I thought. I’ll fill it up.

I opened the treasure vault’s door and, using the Soldier Golems, started moving the treasures with human-wave tactics. Since there weren’t enough wooden boxes, I just left them on the floor. In no time at all, the castle’s treasure vault was filled to the brim with treasure.

Afterward, I dashed back to my room before it was discovered. Of course, I returned the tampered surveillance cameras to their original state.

I climbed up the ladder to the neighboring room, used the switch to return to my room, and found Alicia still unconscious. My clone was building a Sagrada Familia out of wooden blocks, so I took over.

“Oh? Where am I… Princess!”

After a while, Alicia woke up.

“I’m just here doing some block building.”

“Huh? I thought you were up to something naughty.”

Alicia looked at the clock in the room. Time hadn’t passed at all (the clock was only delayed). In this world, clocks are rare, and many people go by their internal body clocks, checking the time only once and then living by it for hours.

“Brushing your tail is part of our daily routine, right?”

Alicia gave me a suspicious look, but after seeing the clock, she seemed to be convinced.

After a short time, my brother rushed in, flustered.

“Ahh, Alice, you’ve done it again. Where did you get those treasures from?”

So, I’m the first suspect, huh?

“I’ve been in this room the whole time. The knights outside are witnesses.”

“Ah, yes, I don’t think the Princess left the room… though I can’t be certain.”

Well, you should be certain.

“Hm. It seems some wooden box-holding Alice clones caused a ruckus in the hall. Was that your doing?”

“Well, just catch them. I don’t know anything.”

“They’ve all escaped somewhere. They’ve probably met up with other Alices. You know we can’t tell them apart, right?”

Yeah, they all look almost the same.

“Well, there’s no evidence. I was just building blocks in my room.”

That’s the truth. I had been building blocks since returning from the treasure vault.

“Is that so? Then how do you explain the beasts running through the hall?”

“That’s just a coincidence. The beasts just wanted some exercise. I had nothing to do with it.”

I didn’t plan to tell the truth. I didn’t want the politicians pushing me further.

“Maybe our ancestors left behind some hidden treasures, activated by a malfunction in the magic furnace.”

“Those treasures were found by the king five generations ago, and it was all used for public funds.”

So, they did find it. And it disappeared?

“Then it must have been a hidden room that overflowed.”

“That too was found by the king seven generations ago.”

Seems like we’re all thinking the same thing.

“Well, anyway, I don’t know anything. I know nothing!”

Seeing that Alicia’s gaze was getting stricter, I cut off the conversation and dove into my bed. I’ll just sleep this off!

What do you think about this chapter?