Chapter 418 Triumphal Return ②
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”What in the world is going on…?”
”It’s… it’s so many people…”
When the court mage Satsuki and Sister Amelia arrived at the royal capital of Canarias, they could hardly believe their eyes. The familiar streets they had grown up in seemed like an entirely different world.
They had heard rumors that they had become quite popular. On their journey here, they had been thanked in every village and treated like guests of honor in noble estates.
Of course, they had been briefed on this triumphal parade and the “commemoration” by the Holy Figure¹. They were also expecting the Wielope Empire to try and interfere. They had the detailed plans from the previous town memorized, and they were prepared… or so they had hoped.
But they never imagined it would be this intense. As the vanguard passed through the gates, a massive roar erupted from the city. The sound reached them even in the middle of the line, making them instinctively recoil.
The crowd was so thick they seemed ready to overflow past the gates. Nearby, members of the Gendarmerie² were desperately trying to hold the line. In fact, the cheering had been audible even before the gates had swung open.
Granted, Canarias was the largest city in the kingdom, and the streets were always busy. But this was an entirely different scale. People must have surged in from every surrounding village and neighboring town.
”Well, it just goes to show we’ve achieved something truly great,” Kushe said, puffing out her chest.
”I don’t really feel it myself,” Marsetta, Satsuki’s senior, replied as she patted the cloth-wrapped Ddo-Buddy Cannon³. “Amelia aside, the rest of us are only here because of this thing.”
Even the mages were unsettled, their eyes darting around as they tried to process the fervor. Despite the warnings, they never expected the city to be at such a fever pitch.
The procession moved forward inch by inch until they finally passed under the gate. The cheers redoubled, enveloping them in a wall of sound. They winced and covered their ears, but the spectators didn’t miss a beat.
”The popularity is staggering…” Lord Martin Popol muttered. His voice didn’t reach a single soul, instantly drowned out by the roar.
It was only natural. He was stationed behind Amelia, who sat atop a carriage with its top removed, positioned right next to the Ddo-Buddy Cannon. Dressed in her unmistakable nun’s habit, Amelia was clearly one of the day’s primary heroes.
Amelia, Satsuki, and Marsetta looked humbled by the unexpected welcome. Kushe, on the other hand, was basking in the attention she’d never received back home, even going so far as to wave to the masses. Martin remained in the back, wearing a sour scowl as he kept a sharp eye on their surroundings.
The onlookers showered the carriage with unrestrained praise. Some clapped, some whistled, others waved flags or scattered petals. A few even launched magic into the air despite the ban, though they were promptly tackled by the guards.
The girls weren’t the only ones being celebrated. Leading the vanguard were General Oromanso and Mother Marian, the head of the Canarias Convent. Seeing the two of them side-by-side was a calculated display of the alliance between the Kingdom and the Church.
Oromanso, clad in magnificent armor, rode his horse with majestic dignity. Marian, also mounted and wearing her usual habit, radiated an almost bewitching elegance. The pair looked like they had stepped out of a legend, leaving a searing impression on the crowd.
It would likely be the talk of Canarias for years. Every traveler present would surely carry the tale of this sight to every corner of the world.
Following behind were the soldiers of the Royal Army. They marched with disciplined, stoic faces – but inside, they were grinning ear to ear. A quick glance revealed glimpses of their families at the edge of the crowd. Wives, children, and parents wept with relief, calling out their names.
There were neighbors, shopkeepers, and friends from their regular taverns. Some of these men were veterans who had fought across countless battlefields during Queen Cecile’s reign. Yet even for them, it had been a lifetime since they had received such adoration.
Perhaps not since the first victory under Queen Cecile when she was still a girl. Or perhaps even that day hadn’t reached this level of excitement.
Behind them came the court mages, and further back, in the center of the column, were Amelia and her companions. Following them was the Holy Toil Corps⁴ – the unit Marian had organized, essentially a ragtag group rebranded as “Church Elites.”
They were likely the ones most filled with pride. Even within the old-fashioned Church, the Holy Toil Corps was considered antiquated. For these men and women who idealized the “good old days” of the frontier, this was a joy beyond their wildest dreams.
True to their vows of devotion, they marched as solemnly as the soldiers. But internally, they were just as giddy, lost in a dream of receiving praise from the Holy Figure.
More soldiers followed to close out the formation. Once the entire unit had entered the city, the gates were shut, and the crowd began to trail behind them toward the Canarias Cathedral. The atmosphere was infectious; even the Gendarmerie holding the lines looked like they wanted to join in the shouting.
Behind the main thoroughfare, the parallel side streets were equally choked with people. Cheers erupted every time the procession became visible through the narrow alleys. Many wondered if they should have staked out a spot on the road to the Cathedral instead, though rumors said the security there was even tighter.
In the midst of the revelry, however, there were those who were not celebrating. With grim expressions, they ignored the parade and watched the crowd instead. This was Muse’s unit of maids, whose usual trade was the protection of the royal family.
”Lady Muse, no suspicious movement detected so far,” one subordinate reported.
”I should hope not,” Muse replied. “If it were me, I wouldn’t show my hand until the very last second. Stay sharp. If they move, it will happen in a heartbeat.”
”Understood!”
Using Stealth Magic⁵, they moved through the shadows of the crowd. They hovered near the formation, their vigilance at a peak. They were determined not to let so much as a mouse slip through. Fortunately, the Gendarmerie were doing their jobs well. But the real test was only beginning.
The parade was just reaching a bend in the road. From here, the path narrowed, flanked by tall buildings. They had to be ready for an attack from above.
The turn itself increased the area they had to monitor. They held their breath, sinking deeper into their vigilance. If they’re coming, it’ll be here.
Just as the carriage carrying Sister Amelia began its turn, something flew through the air. Muse’s subordinates intercepted the object instantly, before any of the spectators could even notice.
The object they deflected wasn’t a weapon or a spell. It was a person. Someone had actually lunged into the fray while hidden by Stealth Magic. A battle between two users of stealth is a war of sheer mental interference.
By their nature, one shadow cannot merge with another. They must strike at the world outside from within their respective shadows, clashing their attacks against one another. If one can reach into the enemy’s shadow and strip away their concealment, it is a total victory.
For now, there was only one enemy. But that couldn’t be right. An assault this blatant was almost certainly a decoy. Soon, the sensation of combat erupted from the front. A moment later, the killing intent of a coordinated strike washed over the entire unit.
And so, as the spectators reached a new peak of excitement for the ceremony at the Cathedral, the battle in the shadows began.
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Summary:
The heroes return to the capital, Canarias, amidst a massive, ecstatic crowd. While the public celebrates the alliance of the Church and Kingdom, Muse’s secret maid unit monitors the shadows for threats. A hidden assassin strikes at Sister Amelia’s carriage, triggering a secret supernatural battle amidst the festivities.
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Trivia:
- The ‘Ddo-Buddy Cannon’ is an adult good converted into a weapon.
- The Gendarmerie are military police holding back the crowds.
- The ‘Holy Toil Corps’ is a group of Church traditionalists organized by Marian.
- Stealth Magic users fight by interfering with each other’s shadows without actually touching
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Character Insight:
Muse shows her professional competence as a high-level bodyguard, anticipating an attack at the formation’s most vulnerable turning point. Meanwhile, Amelia and Satsuki are overwhelmed by fame, contrasting with Kushe’s eager acceptance of it.
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Behind the Scenes:
The ‘honeymoon period’ between the Church and Kingdom is a political façade designed to project unity following recent conflicts.
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TL Notes:
Notes:
• Satsuki – A talented Court Mage who was forced to analyze the shop’s adult magic tools. Miranda’s granddaughter. Now she’s the new worker at Harvest, a development she finds both humiliating and surprisingly fulfilling due to the rapid progress in her research under Kento’s guidance. Has long black hair, palace mage robe, and staff.
• Amelia – The Sister of the Church of Demon-Subjugating, who usually buys from Kento, has light blue hair.
• Kushe – The Chief Mage of the Coalmine Kingdom. She has dark green hair grown out haphazardly and wears a mage robe loosely over her shoulders. She has a blunt, informal, and somewhat insensitive personality, focused on her ‘thinking experiments.’
• Marsetta – A senior court mage and specialist in magical weaponry. She has disheveled hair tied back, wears glasses, and has deep dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep. She hasn’t eaten in two days and is under heavy pressure to find a countermeasure for the enemy’s weapons.
• Martin – Lily’s non-blood-related younger brother. Considered the strongest candidate to succeed the Popol family due to his lineage and manifested ‘power. He has pink hair.
• Oromanso – A General serving as the assistant to Duke Roost. Bear beastman.
• Marian – A ‘Mother’ and supervisor from the Church of Demon-Subjugation. Her appearance and demeanor defy the Church’s purported ‘chastity,’ instead she has wavy purple long hair, busty, black nun, tear mole under eye, and monroe walk. She has arrived with a clear purpose: to confront Kento about the ‘Devil’s Stick.
• Cecile – A queen in the capital who possesses the authority to regulate business and commerce, particularly concerning moral or public order issues. She is currently investigating Kento’s shop, ‘Harvest.’ Have long golden hair, elegant, and wearing expensive white dress with gold accesories.
• Muse – Cecile’s trusted attendant and chief maid, Muse handles sensitive, discreet tasks like espionage and product acquisition. Have sharp, black eyes, wearing maid uniform, and have expressionless face.
• Slop – Leader of the hound-kin pack; Laika’s father. Has orange hair and fluffy tail.
• Kento – The owner of the magic tool shop ‘Harvest,’ which discretely sells adult goods. He’s a former overworked, ordinary salaryman from modern Japan who was suddenly transported (isekai’d) to this fantasy world. He has dark hair and an unremarkable appearance, typically wearing a plain, slightly suspicious-looking shop owner’s clothes looks like Kazuma Satou from certain series. He has a minimal amount of magic power, enough to craft his specialty items.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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