Confusion, anger, and mockery had coalesced into a dull murmur that filled the hall.
I won't brag, but I'm really good at prostrating myself.
I had no combat ability, and I'd long since stopped accompanying anyone on hunts. The only thing I could do was take responsibility. After all, my childhood friends would never apologize — and even if they did, they'd never feel sorry about it.
This time was no different. Riizu had come along on her own; I hadn't asked her. Even if Luke caused trouble, that was on the Sword Saint who'd assigned an indiscriminate slasher to security. Besides, I wasn't their guardian.
None of that mattered now, of course. All I could do was bow my head over and over until they forgave me.
I'd managed to sweep all sorts of incidents under the rug with a single prostration. Some had even turned into feel-good stories, and I'd even made the other party cry on occasion.
But prostrating myself at a prestigious gathering, right in front of the Emperor... the situation was so absurd it was almost funny.
Cold sweat had plastered my freshly laundered shirt to my skin. It was revolting.
Staring at the plush carpet from a distance close enough that my tongue would touch the floor if I stuck it out, I waited as the murmuring subsided slightly and a calm voice drifted down from above.
"...Even so, I cannot accept such an extreme gesture. We haven't even exchanged greetings yet... Thousand Transformations, raise your head. An explanation should come first."
It was His Majesty the Emperor. It seemed I wouldn't be executed on the spot, at least.
Now then — how could I earn forgiveness? No, having broken the rules, some form of punishment was probably unavoidable at this point.
His Majesty seemed to be a rather tolerant man. I should tell the truth. I raised my head and offered a sincere apology.
"I am deeply sorry, Your Majesty. It appears one of my Party members followed me here without permission. I told her she couldn't come, but she has this habit of trailing behind me wherever I go... It's not malicious — she just loves festive events and... it was an oversight."
Riizu's willfulness really was something else.
This wasn't the first time something like this had happened, but I'd never imagined she'd go so far as to crash the Emperor's own event.
"An oversight...? ...What about the castle security? Surely even at an informal gathering, they wouldn't let someone walk straight through."
His Majesty furrowed his brows and scanned the room.
The faces of the gathered security knights drained of color.
But I wasn't actually trying to pin the blame on them. Riizu was a Thief. It was easy to forget since she was always causing a ruckum, but she didn't just possess fearsome combat abilities — she had outstanding detection skills and was top-class at concealing herself.
I spoke before the knights could open their mouths.
"I believe the security is adequate, Your Majesty. She is a Thief. It's understandable that the castle's guards failed to notice her infiltration and let her slip inside. ...Well, I admit, I too was surprised to find her under the table in a venue that was supposed to be under heavy guard. Ha ha ha ha ha..."
For once, Riizu was quiet. Her eyes were wide and her breathing ragged, but she showed no sign of causing a scene.
Gaark's face was beet red. The ever-smiling Kaina, who must have accompanied him, looked equally grim.
His Majesty narrowed his eyes. His sharp gaze made my body stiffen.
"I see... So what you're saying is... the castle security was so sloppy they let someone waltz in by accident, and that's a bad thing?"
How did he get that from what I said? That's not what I meant at all!
The security wasn't incompetent — as far as I could tell, it was perfectly appropriate for this castle. Our Riizu was just too good.
The knights were staring at me with expressions that could kill. The only reason they hadn't erupted in fury was probably because this was in His Majesty's presence.
This country was an absolute monarchy. His Majesty the Emperor held supreme authority, and his word overrode everything else.
I racked my brains. I was in the wrong here.
But I needed to minimize the damage — as much as possible. At the very least, I needed enough time for all of us to flee the country if things went worst-case.
"N-No, that's not... Ah, well, yes... She most likely wasn't asked to present an invitation."
"!?!"
The entrance and exit to the venue were heavily guarded by knights, and I'd had my invitation checked upon entry. I had no idea how Riizu had gotten in, but now that I thought about it, there was a possibility the security had been... No, no, no — let's stay humble. There was nothing to gain from making enemies.
His Majesty furrowed his brows in silence for a while, then nodded heavily.
"...It seems I'll need to have a word with the Captain of the Guard later."
"Your Majesty! Forgive my presumption, but we should capture them first!"
"However, any number of Zeberdia's representative Hunters should be attending this event. Did truly no one notice?"
His Majesty ignored the advice from the elaborately armored knight and turned slowly to survey the room.
The emotion in his voice wasn't so much anger as exasperation.
And rightfully so. It would have been stranger if no one had noticed. If Riizu had been a hostile agent, everyone here would be dead, wouldn't they? And we'd be complicit.
"Oh my, how utterly incompetent... Since when did Zeberdia start relying on its guests for security?"
From somewhere in the crowd, a voice tinged with weary disbelief rose up. It was a rasping voice.
The speaker was an old woman in a robe the color of flame. Her back was ramrod straight, and she was remarkably tall for a woman. But her face was etched with countless deep wrinkles, and within the crimson twin eyes embedded in that weathered visage burned a fierce, unyielding light.
No one dared interrupt the woman who showed not a shred of respect toward the Emperor, even though everyone was visibly bristling. I instinctively shrank back myself.
She was an outstanding Mage — the prodigy of Crimson Lotus, the only one who had been certified at Level 8 through genuine merit rather than my own methods, one of the帝都's most formidable Mages — Abyssal Flame Annihilation.
She had apparently caused enough destruction to level half the capital just the other day, yet her voice betrayed not the slightest concern about it. This old Mage seemed to hold respect for one thing and one thing only: a worthy opponent to burn. Titles and authority meant nothing to her.
I scuttled backward, hoping not to catch sight of those monstrous eyes.
She was the type who led with her hands before her mouth. I didn't know why such a dangerous person was invited to the Gathering every time, but it was probably because if she wasn't invited, she'd burn the Imperial Palace to the ground.
The Mage, renowned for reducing anything that defied her to cinders, continued unperturbed beneath countless accusatory stares.
"Don't you worry — I have no intention of joining the security detail... But heh heh heh... your life, at least, I'll protect. If the host were to be assassinated at a gathering where I'm present, that would reflect poorly on my reputation, after all."
I was so relieved she wasn't in my Party. Beside her, the young Mage who must have been her attendant — the one who looked familiar — was pressing his forehead in distress.
Honestly, I thought this old woman was far ruder than Riizu.
"Abyssal Flame Annihilation, even if you are a guest, you should moderate your tongue somewhat... I know your temperament, but..."
The first to speak up was Ark, dressed in a white tuxedo. Abyssal Flame Annihilation cast a glance at the interrupter, snorted once, and then broke into a broad smile. Apparently, Ark was nonflammable.
Several attendees visibly relaxed as Ark stepped forward.
The Rodan family had deep ties with the imperial nobility. He was the one person who could satisfy even those aristocrats who disapproved of Hunters making a scene.
"However, Your Majesty. Before capturing them, shouldn't we strengthen security and... conduct an investigation?"
"If a Level 8 Hunter decides to act, then so be it. The boy is particularly skilled at that sort of thing, even if it doesn't suit my nature. You should be grateful they infiltrated peacefully. I wouldn't have bothered with anything so elaborate."
I didn't want to be lumped in with someone who seemed to believe that killing didn't count as long as no bodies were left behind.
Abyssal Flame Annihilation pointed her gnarled index finger at me.
"This is a waste of time. Let me put an end to this nonsense quickly. Boy — tell me the truth. Infiltrating this place was certainly possible. But why would you do something so careless as to get caught?"
"Because I was being an idiot."
"...I don't recall telling you to joke, boy... I'll let that pass once. I'm... not very good at holding back."
Even if she said that... I knew she wasn't good at holding back, but I wasn't joking.
What could I say that would keep me from being turned to charcoal?
One of the knights spoke with a trembling voice.
"Your Majesty — he was passing something to his companion under the table."
So they'd seen everything. If they knew that much, the reason should have been obvious... but perhaps they wanted to humiliate me in front of everyone. Very well. I'd accept it. Even if it cost me my Level, so be it.
I raised both hands in surrender and let out a small sigh.
"My apologies. This is an extremely embarrassing thing to admit, but the truth is, I'm quite weak against poison and medicine. The wine didn't quite agree with me, so—"
"!? Poison and... medicine!?"
His Majesty's eyes went wide. Gaark's expression turned grim, and Abyssal Flame Annihilation narrowed her eyes.
That's right. Pathetic, wasn't it? The pinnacle of what it meant to be a Hunter — a Level 8 — reduced to such an undignified display. But if I couldn't drink it, I couldn't drink it.
"Truly pathetic, I know. Ha ha ha — but please don't misunderstand. Look, Riizu drank all of hers without leaving a drop, didn't she? The poison only affected... me."
The hall fell silent. The knight who had spoken to His Majesty earlier and been ignored now dropped to his knee with considerable force.
"Your Majesty, grant me permission to execute this man! He spouts lies to sow confusion! At a time-honored gathering like this, the suggestion that poison or drugs could be mixed into the food or drink is... utterly impossible! Every dish is monitored throughout preparation, and thoroughly inspected moments before being brought in!"
"Well, yes — for Hunters, this probably doesn't even qualify as poison or medicine. But I'll be the first to admit this sounds strange coming from me: for ordinary people, it's definitely poisonous. And the hosts who set this up should know that well enough."
"Absurd! Set up... set up, you say!? What kind of setup would involve poisoning the food and drink!? There's no such thing!"
That was strange... My words weren't getting through.
The crowd was murmuring. The dignitaries had turned pale.
Was I saying something wrong? Was I talking nonsense?
"I'm sorry for failing to read the room. If 'setup' is the wrong word, then... how about 'tradition'?"
"..."
"There's no need to play dumb. What's the matter? If this isn't a tradition... then the Imperial Palace security is so incompetent it let an intruder waltz into a gathering attended by the Emperor, AND so oblivious it can't detect poison in the wine... which would make things considerably worse, wouldn't it?"
This wasn't a home party, for crying out loud. Surely that was impossible.
My words prompted the pompous knight to rise and counter forcefully.
"Th-That's absurd. Then what? You're telling us you found poisoned cups, didn't report it, and instead served the poisoned wine to your own Party member? Is that what you're saying?"
"Yes."
"That's... impossible! Your Majesty..."
It seemed my prediction had been wrong.
His Majesty closed his eyes briefly, then rendered his judgment immediately.
Standing tall and glaring at those around him, he issued his orders.
"Summon the Mages. Have them examine every piece of food and drink. If his words are true, some trace should be found. Until the inspection is complete, no one is to touch the food or drink. Does anyone object?"
The attendees, upon hearing His Majesty's words, pulled away from their tables in unison.
If nothing turned up now, I had a sinking feeling I'd end up taking all the blame.
§ And so, once the inspection of all food and drinks was complete, the security chief's complexion had gone beyond pale to something that looked like he was about to die on the spot.
"It's... impossible..."
There existed a spell called 'Toxin Detection.' It was a well-known magic for identifying poisons and drugs.
It was a foundational spell, essential for any party attended by important dignitaries or for any Hunter Party.
While it couldn't identify specific types of poison in detail, virtually all existing toxins and drugs would trigger it. It was the kind of spell that was invariably cast whenever someone was poisoned in a mystery novel.
Which meant... when poison was planted in food, it was common practice to use substances that wouldn't trigger this particular spell.
And yet, right now, one of the dishes was showing a clear reaction to the 'Toxin Detection' spell cast by a Mage summoned on the Emperor's orders.
Gone was the chief's earlier swagger. He now looked to me as though seeking a lifeline, his voice shaking.
"'Toxin Detection' is the most basic of basics. I absolutely... cast it. And that's just the beginning — every detection spell at our disposal was deployed. There were no gaps... absolutely none."
"Yet a reaction has clearly emerged... I suppose we should be grateful no one has been harmed."
Even in this situation, His Majesty maintained his composure. Perhaps as Emperor, he had built up a complete resistance to poisons.
No, any noble would surely have taken precautions against poisoning.
"It appears that... while this is entirely without precedent, the 'White Sword Gathering' will have to be called to an early close."
His Majesty's words sent a fresh ripple through the crowd.
Something was off... Something was wrong.
My 'Crown of True Silver' had only reacted to the wine. At the very least, it hadn't reacted to any of the food.
The 'Crown of True Silver' and 'Toxin Detection' had slightly different effects, but there was no way the Crown of True Silver would miss a toxin that Toxin Detection picked up. And I had covered nearly every type of dish available.
One of the Mages raised his voice. In his hand was the glass Riizu had been using.
"Y-Your Majesty. Look — the glass shows... no reaction."
"...Investigate the type of poison in detail. Determine how it was planted. Daring to cast a shadow over the Gathering... Listen — you will find the culprit. You absolutely will!"
His voice, laden with unfathomable emotion, sent the Mages trembling and the subordinate knights and retainer nobles scattering.
My 'Crown of True Silver' had only reacted to the wine.
But conversely, the 'Toxin Detection' had only reacted to the food — and only one dish.
Here's what was strange: even setting aside the wine, hardly anyone had touched the food. If the poison was planted in the dishes, it was obvious that no one would fall victim to it.
This couldn't have been aimed at me. Any ordinary high-level Hunter would have countermeasures against poison, and some could even cast detoxification magic. It would clearly just create pointless chaos.
'Toxin Detection' was cast on everyone in sequence.
The spell cast on me was especially thorough, but I had no poison to bring in, so that was fine. I was a bit worried about Citry, but she seemed to have gotten through safely.
The discovery of poison at the 'White Sword Gathering'... For Zeberdia, this was the worst possible outcome.
Well, I had been hoping for the Gathering to be cut short anyway. With the poison discovery, Riizu's intrusion would probably get swept under the rug. Was this someone's conspiracy? I had no idea who or how, but investigating it wasn't my job.
Abyssal Flame Annihilation, who had passed the inspection just the same, twisted her lips and let out an unsettling chuckle, as if she found something amusing.
"Heh heh heh... You're remarkably calm. Something tells me there's more to this..."
And so the 'White Sword Gathering,' which was supposed to be a prestigious event, came to a close with an atmosphere thick with unease, leaving only bad blood between myself and Zeberdia.
Incidentally, it turned out that Citry had been the one to plant the poison in the food.
Worried that I'd be in real trouble if nothing turned up, she had secretly done it before the Emperor could order everyone away from the dishes. I wanted to cry.