Sylphia stood before the King's personal quarters. She waited before those large, wooden doors, stroking the ponytail she tied to one side of her head, as she waited for permission to enter.

And soon enough, a muffled voice spoke from inside, "Come in."

She took a deep breath.

The door rattled and creaked as the guards on either side pushed them open.

Inside, she was greeted with a familiar face, flush with fully greyed out hair.

"Ah, and here she is," said the King. Even in the distance authoritative voice came through with immense clarity.

He and two others, both of whom she didn't recognize, sat around the white table placed at the balcony, overlooking the capitol.

With a curtsy, she entered. Her hands clasped below her waist, she maintained a dignified gait. Even as the strong wind brushed her hair against her face, she parted it again with great, if feigned, delicacy and poise.

After taking a sip from his cup, the King said, "We have been discussing some more mundane matters before you arrived, please do not mind."

One of the old men turned to her and gave a little nod. And as he did so, his tall, bulbous cap sagged lightly forward, almost threatening to fall off his head. He then said, "Indeed, I have heard wonderful things about you, Revered Heroine, savior of Ealdton."

His pure white robes extended right down to the floor, revealing its intricately designed hems of red and orange. It reminded her of of a certain religious group in her own world.

In response, she gave but a meek smile, and sat down at the table, assisted by the King's maid, who pulled out her chair for her.

Revered Heroine...? That's the first time someones's called me that...

First, the King turned to the man and said, "As you may already know, Archbishop Knowles, this is the Lord Heroine, Sylphia."

"Indeed, indeed," he replied, "Dear Heroine, please allow me to express how much of an honor it is to be in your presence..."

E-eh...? What, is he a fan of mine or something?

Despite her confusion, she maintained the smile on her lips and, gracefully, "It's an honor to meet you... Archbishop?".

He did say Archbishop, right? Archbishop of what religion? More importantly, why am I meeting someone like him?

The King then turned to the other man. "And of course, you remember the Lord Heroine, Duke Saunders."

Sylphia eyes widened. "Eh!?"

"Hah hah hah!" The man's beard and moustache jiggled as his entire body shook to his laugh. "What, forgot my face already, Miss Heroine?"

The only things she could vaguely recognize was the size of his belly and his sense of style, which she could only describe as gaudy.

No, no, no. More like how the hell did your moustache grow that big since we last met!? Last I remember, I was gone for weeks, not months!

Keeping her real thoughts bottled up, however, she just covered her mouth giggled. "Ah, no. I simply wasn't able to recognize you... with a full goatee..."

"Ah, oh this! Hah hah hah! A few of my friends were surprised too when they first found out! My facial hair grows really fast as you can see. So fast that I have to trim it every other day! Hah hah hah! Well, these past few weeks had been so busy that I just hadn't found the time. You could guess why!"

"I-I see..." She placed her hand on her chest and let out a sigh.

What the hell are you lathering on your face to make that happen?

"We have all been rather busy, haven't we?" said the King, "As I understand it, Miss Heroine, you were out improving your skills through adventuring."

"My, my, adventuring already?" The Archbishop chuckled. "Please do take care, oh Heroine."

"E-eh...?" Sylphia swallowed her breath. "A-ah, yes, I was... and thanks."

"I applaud your initiative. Perhaps Alphonso was right; allowing you to take Miss Carlisle in as knight seems to be yielding results already. I look forward to the fruits of your endeavors."

"Hah hah hah!" Duke Saunders slapped the table. "Well, Londinium is known as the Adventurer's Kingdom, after all! Isn't it appropriate for the Lord Heroine to go adventuring?"

"Huh..." Sylphia cocked her head. "That's the first time I heard of that."

"Indeed," said the King, "it came from a time long past. Once, when the scars of the Demon King's last incursion were still fresh, Adventuring as an organized profession flourished first in Londinium. Or, at least, the Imperial territory that was to become Londinium."

I-Imperial...? Ack, I didn't really listen to Alphonso's lectures about world history... Let's just pretend I know exactly what he's talking about.

And so, while the King continued his short lecture, Sylphia nodded her way through, letting out occasional 'oh's and 'hm's.

"...But let us return to you, Miss Heroine," he then said, "tell us your thoughts about your adventure."

"Um, thoughts...?" She turned her head up and pieced together her past few weeks. "Well..."

"It started out easy. We first fought some giant rats in this long tunnel..."

"Ah... rats, you say? So it's that kind of dungeon..." Duke Saunders deflated upon hearing her story. "Well, it was your first adventure, after all! Hah hah hah! There's nothing wrong with taking it easy!"

"Eheh... I thought the same thing at first... but then things... got out of hand."

"Hm?" The King listened intently.

"What are dungeons, really?"

The three men turned their heads down.

But before long, the King answered, "A dungeon, is, in the simplest definition, a monster's nest..."

Next, the Archbishop added, "The holy texts dictate that they are a challenge from the Gods, to test the spirit of man..."

And finally, Duke Saunders. "It's a mysterious place that holds valuable treasure inside... Usually."

"Why do you ask us, Miss Heroine?" the King then asked, "Are you dissatisfied with the answer you found?"

She shook her head. "That's not it. I was wondering if you'd answer the same way as him."

From her belt, she then pulled out her fan and laid it, spread out, on the table.

"Him?" The King's brows knotted. "What is the meaning of this?"

"This is Sebastian, a living weapon. I met him in the dungeon."

The three men jolted in their seats.

"A living-!" The King shifted anxiously in his seat, his hand confused as to whether it should cover his mouth, or rub his forehead. "Is this true!?"

She looked downwards. "Go ahead, introduce yourself."

A moment passed in awkward silence. And in that time, the atmosphere grew so heavy, that despite the cool breeze blowing in, the stout Duke was sweating beads.

And then, he spoke. His deep voice came seemingly from nowhere, as he said, "Behold! For I am an almighty living-"

She then slapped her hand down on him, saying, with a scowl on her face, "Normally."

And as she lifted her hand back up, it revealed his displeased expression beneath. "Geez, fine. Yo, I'm this little girl's partner. The amazing living weapon, Sebastian!"

The Archbishop was already doing crosses by the time his introduction was finished, and the others didn't seem any less surprised. "Oh Gods, almighty. Thy hallowed names do bless...! Oh Gods, almighty... forgive us, lowly sinners," he chanted.

Oho?

Deep in her heart, Sylphia wore the widest, meanest little smirk she'd ever made, but in person, she maintained a cool composure.

It was that impressive, huh? Hihihi... maybe it was worth bringing him back with me after all!

So long as they don't ask what he can actually do.

"You obtained this in the dungeon, Miss Heroine!?" the King asked. "Splendid..."

"A living weapon-" the Archbishop mumbled under his breath, "such things aren't even legend, but Myth! The only records of their existence are those from long, gone eras! They say they are demons who turned against the Demon King and sealed their souls in weapons of war to defeat him...!"

Eh?

Sylphia bent down and whispered to Sebastian, "That doesn't add up to your story."

"Yeah," he whispered back, "that's because it's bullshit. But don't be a jerk and tell him otherwise, little girl."

"Geez... I know that!"

"Really?" finally, Duke Saunders chimed in, "You found this one-of-a-kind artifact in a mere rat's cave!? That doesn't make sense... the best treasures are always guarded by the most powerful creatures!"

Oh? There's a good observation.

Sylphia was about to reply, when the King stepped in, clearing his throat, "Yes, it is quite a find, but let us leave this topic at that."

Hm?

"Suffice it to say that this is wonderful news, Miss Heroine. Surely, you must have faced immense trails to obtain such an artifact, and I would wish to hear how much it has helped you grow, but I am afraid we must leave it for a later date. There are more pressing issues we need to discuss."

The three men then shifted into more comfortable positions, as if strapping themselves in for a lengthy discussion. This unsettled the easily bored little girl.

"So, let's head on to business."

The King gave a nod to his servants, who all quickly piled out of the room, leaving Sylphia alone with the three old men.

"As the Heroine had just arrived, allow me to repeat why we have gathered here. The next congress of the House of Lords is scheduled for the coming week. We are meeting, of course, to arrange our interests beforehand."

Eh? Sylphia's heart fell. What is this, politics? Tsk. I don't care about that! Why am I even involved-

"This concerns you, Lord Heroine, as you are now a member of that House. And part of the itinerary is to introduce you to the rest of the Royal Peerage."

"Ah." She answered blankly. "Oh…"

"Now, I've come to understand that your abilities lie in commanding people. Managing them, in other words. Alphonso has attested to this from your performance in Ealdton. And now, I wish to put them to the test."

"E-eh?"

God, not again...!

"You are familiar with Dellwick, are you not?"

"Y-yes...?"

"Of course you are; that is the village you visited for your quest, after all. I have considered it with many other Lords, including both men present here."

"Mm." The Duke nodded.

"Yes, yes," said the Archbishop, "and I've already voiced my reservations, so I shall refrain from repeating them here."

"Indeed. Miss Heroine, Baroness Sylphia, I wish to grant you your first land as fief."

"Ah..." At first, she let out a sigh of relief, that she wasn't going to take another one of Alphonso's spells to the face, but then, she made a double take. "Wait, sorry...?"

"A fief is a land that belongs to the crown-"

Her eyes popped wide open.

"-and that I am allowing you to manage."

Eeeeeeh!?

"And in return for your services, you may keep a significant portion of the taxes for your own use."

Holy s-

"Though that also means I am cutting your allowance," he said with a light chuckle.

She flinched. "Ah. Ahaha..."

"It is but a simple village, as you must have noticed. I wish to see what you can do with it, given your powers."

Hold on, he's giving me the village of Dellwick? Why!?

"I-I see...?" She cocked her head. "What do you expect me to do with it?"

"I wonder, myself."

"Eh?"

The King sat back. "This was Alphonso's suggestion. He said it could be a way of harnessing your unique abilities. I admit, I am curious to see what you can do your powers aside from playing soldier with a town's guards. In any case, though I don't know exactly what to expect from your taking over the village, I do say this:

"Do not become an additional burden for the people of Dellwick. I am handing you this fief in hopes that you might bring about prosperity - however vague that may be."

"Prosperity, huh...?" Sylphia scratched her cheek. "Then, what exactly am I allowed to do?"

"Anything within the bounds of common law. You are a Lord and that grants you privilege over your subjects. But that does not mean you are free to despoil your land, nor your citizens. For ultimately, you shall answer to me, the King."

Seemingly noticing the anxiety painted on the young lady's face, the King then relaxed his tone, adding, "But I know that you are a kind girl. If anything, I ought to caution you from being too forgiving. The Lord is the figurehead of his fief, and must be respected as such."

She nodded.

"In short, you are free to do with the village as you see fit. I only expect the regular flow of tax money in return. Of which, you may keep the third coin."

The third... coin...? Ah, he means 1/3 of the tax. Wait, I keep one-third!? Isn't that huge!?

Though cracks were forming in her willpower, she managed to remain calm, and with a nod, muttered, "Uh-huh..."

"Now, then, Miss Heroine. Please make a decision. Will you accept this responsibility, or not?"

Hearing the word 'responsibility' sent a shiver down her spine, but in the end the temptation of a large fraction of a whole village's worth of taxes proved too alluring.

"Umm... Well, sure!" she answered, "Why not?"

"As steward of the village, you will of course be held responsible for it as a whole. If it prospers, then you shall reap the rewards. But if it dwindles..."

"Oh..." She grimaced. Rather than a Lord, I feel like I'm getting stuck in a sort of middle management position...

The Archbishop then placed his wrinkled hand over Sylphia's. It felt cold to the touch, but its soft caress radiated a gentle warmth, like one's grandfather.

"Miss Heroine," he said, "please don't push yourself. Should the responsibility of a fief be too heavy a burden, you are always welcome with us, the Church, to join the missions and spread peace and unity among the land!"

Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

E-eh...!? You're telling me to choose between being a Mayor or a Missionary!? Either one sounds like a lot of bother!

She then turned to the Duke. She wanted to ask him if there was a third choice, but could not quite muster the audacity to do so.

"Hah hah hah! Don't worry yourself too much about it, Miss Heroine! I'll support you whichever path you choose!"

Ugh, that doesn't help either way...

She sighed.

Fine... like hell I'm going to be a Missionary anyway...

She took a deep breath and faced the King. "Your Highness," she said, "please allow me to hold Dellwick in fief."

The King's moustache parted and lips formed a wide smile. "Good. Good! Very good... Then it is decided." Finally, he glanced at the others and said, "So it is as we have discussed."

Eh? Discussed?

"Indeed, your Majesty," said the Archbishop, who nodded in agreement.

The Duke then said, "Surely, this decision will be contested by some... other Lords."

"Of course." The King turned once more to Sylphia. "To convince them that Dellwick ought to belong to you, it might be necessary to finally divulge the nature of your power to the other lords. It will eventually have to be known anyway, so it might as well be used for a purpose. If necessary, these men, your colleagues, will support you, but you must make the case for yourself."

Egh... She whimpered, "D-does that mean... I need to make a speech?"

"That's precisely what it means."

Double egh.. I'm not really very good at that sort of thing...

"Um... what happens if I slip up...?"

The King's gaze darkened. "Then you will bring shame to yourself and these men, who will support you, and you will be unlikely to receive the fief."

She flinched.

"Hahaha, don't worry yourself, lass!"  Duke Saunders reached over and patted her on the shoulder. "The house is easy! Just relax and you won't have to worry about a thing!"

"A-ah... is that so?"

"So long as you keep to the code of conduct," the King interjected.

Eh!? I don't know anything about that!

"Though given how Miss Heroine behaves herself, I'm confident there will not be any problems."

She let out a sigh of relief.

So it's basically a stuffy convention for stuffy people... great.

"Still, this will be your first official appearance as Baroness, so if you have any questions, Miss Heroine, please ask away."

"Hmm..." She rubbed her chin.

That's a lot to take in... first, I get to be mayor of Dellwick, and then I need to say hi to other lords...?

"I… don't think I have one for now…"

"I see, well, then-"

At that moment, a spark of realization hit her.

Wait... Dellwick...?

"Ah, wait, I do have a question, but not about the congress…"

"Oh? It's fine. Ask away."

"What happens with the dungeon?"

"Hm? You mean the one you cleared in Dellwick?"

"Yes."

"Dungeons aren't part of any territory, as a general rule. They're normally avoided, after all, and for good reason. But you subjugated this dungeon. I don't mind if you do what you want with it. We have a treaty with all adventurer guilds, allowing adventurers essentially free reign over anything and everything inside them - provided they have the strength to wrest it from the monsters nesting within."

Oh, so it is true...

"In your case, that living weapon... Sebastian, I believe you called it - though Alphonso might be delighted to give such an artifact a thorough examination, you may do whatever you want with it. As far as I am concerned, they belong to you, even the dungeon itself. Well," He shrugged. "now that you shall be the Lady of Dellwick, then perhaps you may use it as a convenient storage house. Though I must caution you - it is rather difficult to truly cleanse a dungeon of its monster denizens. Should you wish to reenter this dungeon, please, always, exercise utmost care."

"I..." She lowered her head. "I see..."

Did he just say... She swallowed her breath. I owned the dungeon...?

"T-then..." She looked nervously from side to side, conflicted with herself as to whether she should reveal what's on her mind.

"Hm?" The King raised an eyebrow. "What is wrong, Miss Heroine?"

"Um, well..."

"Miss Heroine." The King said in a beckoning tone. His voice lured her face back up, and the next thing she knew, she was staring into his deep blue eyes. "I assure you that you can confide with everyone in this room."

Her shoulders fell. She had been on guard since she arrived, and it was the first time that her defense cracked.

"That's right, lass." The Duke gave her a warm smile as he relaxed into his chair. "We're on your side. You can trust us."

"M-mm..."

The Archbishop chuckled. "Our church may teach us fealty and devotion towards the heroes, but meeting you in person, Miss Heroine, I assure you, my faith now goes beyond that dogma. I trust you. Please do not hesitate to ask anything of me."

Finally, her resistance crumbled. Hanging on to some leftover hesitance, she stuttered, "I-in that case..."

She thus explained the actual situation of the dungeon - the place she christened 'The Mythril Cave'.

She had hardly gone halfway through but the old men already seemed on the verge of a heart-attack.

"You what!?" the King interjected, with a clearly exasperated voice.

"Mm." Sylphia nodded. "I want to recognize them as an independent entity."

Duke Saunders took out a handkerchief from his pocket, wiped the sweat off his brows and asked, "And these are... monsters?"

"Kobolds and Siths, yes," in response, the heroine answered with business-like precision, completely ignoring their dumbfounded expressions.

"How many, did you say?"

"They numbered in the thousands."

Before the war, that is.

All three men fell weakened in their seats by Sylphia's revelation.

The King rubbed his forehead. As though he aged another decade, his voice lost its impact, and with a breathy voice, he said, "Thousands, you say... they're even organized into tribes...? Hah."

The Archbishop added, "It can only be the work of the divines that Dellwick will exists to this day..."

"Indeed..."

"And they have access to Mythril, you say?" The Duke wiped his forehead with a white cloth. "Unbelievable. That material is also something relegated to myth! Just what sort of dungeon did you find yourself in!?"

Meanwhile,  Sylphia did not change her expression nor demeanor. A sharp gaze accentuated her business-like posture, creating a meeting-room persona she had learned from the old world.

"But you said you subjugated the dungeon..." The King's eyes sharpened. "so that was a lie?"

She grabbed the opportunity and kept attacking in their weakened state, continuing, "Of course not. As I said, their loyalty lies with me-"

And a certain scribe…

"-thus, the dungeon is no longer a threat. It is, for all intents and purposes, 'subjugated'." She winked. "Is it not?"

Seemingly realizing that he had been outplayed, the King let out a begrudging snicker. "Hmph. I see. So that's how it is."

"And in return, I want to fulfill my promise to them. They aren't just monsters. They did us no harm when we entered their dungeon. They are capable of farming, architecture, smithing... And in the weeks we spent with them, we ate and worked alongside them I've come to the conclusion..."

All gazes converged on the heroine.

"...that they can live alongside humans."

The King sighed. "How absurd..."

She then lowered her head and muttered, "I'd thought so too..."

But Letty proved me otherwise.

"Yet this much is true-" She raised her voice in defiance. "-the monsters are capable of trading with the people of Dellwick."

Their eyes widened.

"Due to certain... unavoidable circumstances, food has become scarce in the dungeon. That is why we reached out to the merchants in the village and began trading for food."

A thick, awed silence enveloped the room for a solid few seconds.

And then, a snort.

"Pfft!"  Duke Saunders burst out laughing. "Wahaha, Hah Hahaahaaa! This is amazing! Did you hear that? Wahahahaha! I've never heard of anything like it in my entire life!"

Meanwhile the King rubbed his forehead up and down, as though he had developed a migraine. "This is no laughing matter. To begin with, what could monsters possibly trade for that food?"

Sylphia grinned and said, "Mythril!"

"Wha-" The King choked.

"There was that treaty saying we adventurers could keep anything in the dungeon, right? So we traded some away for food."

His expression twisted in disbelief. "Nnnngh... so you knew, beforehand."

"Ehehe." She grinned. "My Master taught me a few things!"

Finally, the aging monarch fell back into his seat, utterly defeated. "I can't believe any of this..."

"Hahah..." The Duke followed. "Me neither. Though I suppose we shouldn't have expected anything less from this lass!"

The Archbishop chuckled. "Truly, the heroine defies all expectation."

Sylphia stood up.

"It's true, you know?" she said, "If you would grant the permission, I could even bring one of them here and you can talk to them yourselves!"

"No." the King quickly answered. "That... is not a good idea."

"Eh?" She brows fell.

"But... I understand."

Once more, he straightened his back, recovering his dignified presence. He then directed a grave expression towards Sylphia, saying, "Miss Heroine. I urge you, do not allow the existence of this dungeon to come to light."

"Ehh...?" Sylphia's shoulders fell. "Th-That means... you won't recognize them...?"

He shook his head. "I cannot. Not right now."

"But-"

"Please." He suddenly raised his voice, making her flinch. "Give us some time to think about this. I understand the gravity of the request you are making. So please understand, in return, that the world may not be ready for a 'peaceful tribe of monsters'."

She hung her head.

Guh... damn. Her frustration collected on her brows, knotting them together. She then bit her lips and thought to herself, Should I use magic to force the issue...? That's unbelievably risky. And if it turns out any of them can see me doing some shenanigans...

"However," the King continued, "if it's true that you hold their loyalty-"

Hearing this, she immediately perked up in her seat.

"-then I see no reason to intervene, for now."

She gasped.

"Miss Heroine. We trust you. Not only because you are a Legendary Hero, but also because you have proven yourself as an ally to us. In Ealdton. In Dellwick."

Duke Saunders and the Archbishop Knowles nodded.

"I understand that you have the best intentions from what you request, but it is too early for me to make a decision either way. I cannot officially recognize the dungeon as an independent entity; it exists on my Kingdom's territory, after all." He then mustered a meek smile behind his moustache. "But for the time being, I am willing to leave it be."

"R-really!?" The excitement almost launched her out of her seat.

"On the condition-" The King lifted his finger. "-again, that its existence is kept hidden."

She whimpered. "But... we are already trading with Dellwick... and without food..."

He crossed his arms. "We just need time. What I fear is panic within the kingdom. Do you even realize what a thousand siths and kobolds mean?"

"S-sort of..."

"Normally,  something like that can be considered a major disaster. We would have to organize an army larger than we can afford to muster! Do you understand, Miss Heroine?"

"Mm. So, the people shouldn't know about it."

"Precisely."

She sighed. "I understand."

"Make sure that you do."

Well, I guess that's good enough. At least he wouldn't do anything against them. In the meantime, I've already made sure only Dante knows about the dungeon, and he's sure to keep it quiet, or else he knows I'm cutting him out of the loop.

"Very well." Finally, the King then looked to both men beside him and said, "Now, our meeting is concluded. Please keep our agreements in mind for the congress in the House of Lords. You too, Miss Heroine. Please remember, 6 o'clock in the evening, the last day of this month. Your knight may attend, but please do not share with her anything we have discussed today."

End of the month, huh... that's still a long way ahead... I'll need to note that down so I don't forget. She sighed. Though I'd rather skip it, to be honest.

"Hah hah!" Duke Saunders grinned. "Don't worry, Miss Heroine, it's just going to be a bunch of old men arguing with each other for a couple of hours, and then-" He rubbed his fingers. "The banquet!"

"Banquet?"

"Ah, yes," the King said, "food shall be served in the House of Lords after the congress. It shall be open to your Knight as well."

"Ah, I see!" She chuckled.

I wonder if Rika's ever eaten at a banquet before? I hope she likes it!

"Well then, that will be all." The King's chair screeched against smooth marble floor as he stood up. "I shall see you all at the House of Lords. And Miss Heroine. Remember."

"A-ah, of course!"

"I trust that you shall keep your word."

"M-mm..." She bashfully lowered her head. "T-thank you, your Highness..."

Soon the servants outside were called back in to attend to their masters. In particular, the maids surrounded the Archbishop and helped him back up to his feet. Parting them a sweet smile, he said, "Bless you, dears. Bless you."

Thus, their meeting ended.

Sylphia would then return to her room with a mix of triumphant excitement for securing the near-term future of the Mythril Cave, and a looming sense of dread for the coming congress.