When I was working as a civil servant, I was found out to be a muscle-brained knight by the princess knight and got sent to the front lines - Episode 113

Episode 113

At the Self-Defense Forces Ichigaya Garrison, Jez and René were effectively under house arrest. They immediately heightened their alertness upon seeing the man who entered the conference room.

The quality of the magical aura he exuded, his presence of authority, and his flawless movements. The trust he commanded from those around him. It was clear that he was in a different league from any local forces Jez and René had encountered before. In terms of the Tashman Kingdom, he was at least a brigade commander. If he had any special weapon or Conceptual Armament, he might even rank among the top brigade commanders.

This man had such an aura. Moreover, the expressionless woman who entered behind him also emitted a strong sense of discomfort. She was formidable as well. Her presence felt more like that of a monster than a human. The strange air around her was something even Tashman Kingdom had never experienced.

Despite the tense atmosphere, the man introduced himself with a slight smile and a friendly demeanor.

“I am Misaki Kō from the Dungeon Technology Research Institute. I understand you two have come from another world.”

The man, dressed in casual clothes under a white lab coat, was recognized by René immediately. Upon hearing his name, René responded with a small exclamation:

“Oh.”

Realizing something, René looked a bit embarrassed and explained to Jez, who looked puzzled.

“Ah, sorry. I thought I had seen that face somewhere before, but the name confirmed it. You are the famous super-deep explorer and streamer, Mr. Misaki, aren’t you?”

Seeing René’s reaction, which was like meeting a celebrity by chance, Jez was taken aback. He had never expected René to have such a side. He had noticed that René had been watching videos intensely during their downtime since arriving here. It seemed René had found a favorite dungeon streamer. Jez remembered how René used to excitedly talk about this streamer during their dinners.

While Jez was surprised by René’s unexpected side, the conversation between René and Misaki continued lively. The combination was quite surprising. The man in the white lab coat was one of the five super-deep explorers in the world. He was Japan’s strongest, known for his dual role as both an explorer and a researcher at the Dungeon Technology Research Institute.

Misaki had gained worldwide fame for his role in suppressing simultaneous stampedes in Japanese dungeons, known as “The Day the Stars Flowed in the Dungeon.” His expertise as both an explorer and a top-tier researcher made him an ideal candidate for dealing with such situations.

Jez remembered having seen Misaki in highlight videos and felt a bit mixed about the overwhelming number of attributes this man seemed to possess.

“I apologize for my master being so excited.” 

The woman who identified herself as Misaki’s secretary said to Jez with a slightly apologetic tone despite her emotionless expression.

“It seems the Wist couple’s arrival from another world has him quite thrilled. I’m sorry.”

Jez was momentarily puzzled by the mention of the “Wist couple,” but seeing Alpha’s confused look made him realize that she was referring to them. Jez had completely forgotten about the “Wist couple” setting created by Vikpo. Meanwhile, René, who was talking to Misaki, blushed slightly and had a pleased expression upon hearing the term “Wist couple,”. Although Jez didn’t notice her reaction.

In any case, Jez recognized the woman who claimed to be a secretary from the video. He remembered that she was not human. This realization helped him understand the strange magical aura she emitted. She was likely an elemental spirit manifested through Conceptual Armament, as understood in the Tashman Kingdom.

The five super-deep explorers in the world used what were known as unique magic spells. While the exact principles of these spells were unclear, they were similar to Conceptual Armament. Misaki’s unique magic, which allowed the manifestation of the Alpha series combat support AI, was evident in the videos Jez had seen.

So here were René and Misaki, and Jez and Alpha.

At first glance, the conference room seemed to have a very calm atmosphere. However, both sides were carefully probing each other’s abilities.

“By the way, your Japanese is quite good for someone from another world.” 

Misaki said with a continued look of curiosity. Given the situation, Jez and René were unsure how much information to disclose.

Since the situation was delicate, revealing all information was out of the question. They had already conveyed that they were from the Tashman Kingdom. However, René had not mentioned that she held the rights to the throne of that kingdom.

René had been educated on how to handle such information. The Tashman royal family had specific protocols for behavior in the event of a war or if they were captured by enemy nations. If the enemy knew the royal identity, it was unavoidable to act accordingly. However, if the enemy did not recognize the royal status, it was crucial to keep it concealed. While pretending to be a common soldier was impractical, it was acceptable to acknowledge a high noble status.

With this in mind, Jez was deliberating on how much to reveal about their abilities. He was unsure how to respond to Misaki’s comment about their Japanese proficiency, but René gave a nod.

“We’re using magical tools, similar to automatic translators.” 

Jez, at any rate, had an easier time speaking Japanese thanks to a Conceptual Armament that allowed him to adapt to the local language. This Armament, known as When in Rome, Do as the Romans Do – Economic Animal was limited to operation on his smartphone. It enabled the language of conversation to adjust automatically, proving to be a very convenient Conceptual Armament.

The conversation, where they were probing each other’s intentions, continued for a while. Then, seemingly casually, Alpha asked Jez and René.

“By the way, do you know ‘The Alchemist in a Cocoon’?”

“…Huh? Who is that?”

“He’s an incredibly skilled hacker. He managed to breach the barrier I constructed and even shook off the pursuit. It seems beyond human capability.”

・　・　・

“Feckshoi!!!!!! …Someone’s talking about me!”

“…Hey, quiet down.”

“…Hey, did you know that the ground is quite cold? It’s pretty chilly to be rolled around on the ground while bound up. This is a new discovery for me.”

“Just be quiet.”

In a human-unexplored area further from the Tashman Kingdom’s eastern front, the alchemist remained bound and rolled around on the ground as usual.