I Have Tamed a Spider Monster - Chapter 211, Chapter 212, Chapter 213

Alizée’s Well-Being
We left the park and headed straight for the Trade Guild.
Along the way, some of the buildings were visibly damaged, and it was painful to see.
Was the attack really that severe?

"Plum, umm..."

"Are you talking about the Inquisitors?"

"Yes. Are Inquisitors typically involved in such large-scale acts of sabotage?"

"Normally, no. Their missions are usually assassination and kidnapping. The destruction of a town is merely a diversion for those purposes. But if they’ve gone this far, it could be either a warning or perhaps..."

"Perhaps?"

"... Perhaps the Gaiza Theocracy is preparing to take over this country."

"Take over!?"

"Indeed, the king has practically been a puppet of the Gaiza Theocracy. This might be their way of preparing to conquer the nation in earnest."

"That's a major crisis!"

"Exactly. That's why they likely assassinated the king, the crown prince, who was the heir, and the second prince, who might have gained more influence. Leaving the others alive is probably part of a plan to spark a power struggle within the royal family, causing the country to split and weaken."

"That really is a major crisis!"

"But there’s not much we can do about it right now. Ideally, they should quickly decide who will succeed the throne and have the others show their willingness to follow that decision, but..."

"That doesn’t seem likely, does it?"

"Indeed. If it comes to that, the nobles will likely start their factional battles. Truly, this is no time for internal disputes."

Hmm, this conversation is getting complicated.
We should discuss this further with Rumaja and Marquis Vardmoi.
Right now, the priority is to check on Alizée at the Trade Guild.

After running for a while, we reached the Trade Guild, and upon entering, we found it crowded with people.
It turns out that merchants who arrived in the capital from yesterday to today have been unable to conduct business or find lodging, so they’ve taken refuge in the Trade Guild.
Even the guild was affected by the situation.
When I gave my name at the reception to check if Alizée was there, I found out she’s been at the guild since yesterday.
Since the reception area was too crowded and all the private rooms were filled with refugees, we decided to meet in the nap room Alizée had rented.
After being guided to the room, we found Alizée already there.
Thank goodness, she was safe.

"Lady Lily, I’m glad to see you’re unharmed."

"I’m glad you’re safe too, Alizée. You didn’t get hurt, did you?"

"No, I’ve been working inside the Trade Guild since yesterday, so I didn’t do anything as reckless as you did, Lady Lily."

"Huh?"

"I heard you and Grandmaster Rumaja stormed into the noble district yesterday. After that, explosions occurred all over the palace and the city, leading to the current situation, so I was worried."

"Ah, well, it was something we had to do given the circumstances."

"I’m aware. It’s related to the king dispatching the knights after Grandmaster Rumaja, right?"

"Yeah, you know a lot, Alizée."

"I am, after all, part of the Trade Guild. So, what will you do now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Lady Lily, you’re not a resident of the royal capital. Given the situation, you should leave the capital as soon as possible."

Ah, that’s right.
I don’t have any reason to stay in the capital.
But I can’t just leave without saying anything.
I guess I should return and consult with Marquis Vardmoi.

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Future Developments
After a brief discussion with Alizée, we returned to the Lumite Grand Wing, only to find that the transportation of relief supplies had already been completed.
Although the distribution was still ongoing, it seemed we could leave without any issues.
I checked in with a soldier just to be sure, then boarded the Lumite Grand Wing and headed back to Marquis Vardmoi's mansion.
It appears that Princess Rodenlight had already returned to the Marquis' estate.
She had delivered a speech and then talked for a bit before departing by carriage.
Given the ongoing threat of assassination, it’s understandable.

When we arrived at Marquis Vardmoi's mansion, there were more guests than before.
Rumaja and Lord Sazaby had arrived as well.
There was also an unfamiliar older man present.
According to Princess Rodenlight, this man was the head of one of the duchies in the country, Duke McFarlane.
Apparently, he had come to check on the safety of Princess Rodenlight and Princess Annette.
Around noon today, the siege by the Darshe Principality’s army was lifted, and upon visiting the royal palace, he found the king and others murdered, while the third prince and the king’s younger brothers were arguing over the throne.
When he inquired about Princess Rodenlight and Princess Annette's whereabouts, he learned that they had come to Marquis Vardmoi's mansion, so he followed.
Rumaja and Lord Sazaby also accompanied him, and it seems they were discussing future plans when we walked in, interrupting their conversation.

"Lily, you're back. The person from the Trade Guild... seems to be safe."

"Thank you for your concern, Marquis Vardmoi."

"Good. So, what do you plan to do next?"

"With your permission, I would like to leave the capital as soon as possible and return to Vardmoi. Staying in this city is inconvenient for various reasons."

"Indeed. I, too, no longer have the luxury to entertain you as guests. I'm not pushing you out, but it would be helpful if you returned to Vardmoi."

"Understood. I’m ready to depart, so it’s just a matter of whether Lady Lily and her party are prepared. Are you all set, Lady Lily?"

As for my preparations...
Well, most of my belongings are packed in my backpack, so I don’t think I’ve forgotten anything.
I should be fine.

"I'm ready as well. What about everyone from the Wildcat Claws?"

"We’re good too. Our luggage is packed, so we just need to grab it, and we’re ready to leave."

"Alright. Then, before you head to Vardmoi, please listen to what I have to say. I will send letters to both the Adventurers' Guild and the Trade Guild in Vardmoi."

"Understood. What is it you wish to discuss?"

"Yes. It is unlikely that the third prince’s faction and the king’s brother will reconcile in the future. We have decided to maintain a neutral stance in this matter."

Maintain a neutral stance?
Does that mean not siding with either faction?
Marquis Vardmoi continued to explain.

"The McFarlane Duchy, the Vardmoi Marquisate, and several other marquisates have reached the same conclusion and are planning to act accordingly. While it's unclear how the minor nobles will react, such a significant faction remaining neutral will be a severe blow to both sides."

"Will the royal family allow that?"

"I’ll take it from here."

Rumaja interjected.
It seems she had something to add as well.

"The Adventurers' Guild has decided to withdraw from any involvement with this country and will act independently, forming ties with individual noble families. The reason is the dissolution of our agreement due to the non-payment of cooperation fees."

"Ah, you mentioned that before."

"Yes. The deadline for payment was this spring, marking the fifth year. Given the current state of the country, there’s no way they can pay. That will be our official reason for severing ties with the nation and forging new relationships with individual nobles. They will be responsible for paying the cooperation fees, but we've already assessed the tax revenues of each region. So, we’ll be lenient."

Whoa, Rumaja had a rather mischievous expression.
I wonder how the Adventurers' Guild managed to investigate the nobles' tax revenues.
Maybe it's best not to ask.
Yes, I’ll leave it alone.

"As for the Darshe Principality, while they will withdraw from the noble district and the royal palace, they will remain in the civilian areas for some time to support reconstruction. Of course, Lord Sazaby and his people will be returning home."

"That’s the situation. Plum, what about you?"

"Me? I plan to stay as Lily's guard for a while."

Huh, Plum isn’t returning home?
And acting as my guard?

----------

Plum’s Participation as Guard
"Having received help, simply saying goodbye wouldn't be enough to repay the favor. It's only right that I stay on as a guard for a while.”

Plum as a bodyguard, huh~
I wonder how strong she is.
She mentioned being Rumaja's mentor and having military experience. N
oticing the doubtful expression on my face, Plum added more to her explanation.

"I'm strong, you know? I can go toe-to-toe with a dragon, barehanded, and win. I'm also skilled in covert operations. So, how about it, will you hire me?"

"But if I hire you, how much would I have to pay?"

"Just provide me with food, clothing, and shelter. That's all I need. I won't complain about a humble room. In fact, I feel more at ease in a modest space than in a luxurious one."

It seems like Plum is determined to accompany me no matter what.
But is this really okay?
As I pondered, I looked over at Lord Sazaby, who nodded back at me and offered his own thoughts.

"Plum is right. As someone who owes you her life, it’s only natural she should serve as your guard. Moreover, you are now likely to be targeted by the Gaize Theocracy. Against the Inquisitors, no offense, but the adventurers in your party may not be enough to protect you."

"Are the Inquisitors really that strong?"

"They are formidable individuals. But even more frightening is that you never know where they might be. It’s possible that someone who has lived for generations in a village might secretly belong to a family of Inquisitors. In the future, you’ll need someone with the ability to detect such threats."

Am I really in that much danger?
Even when I asked Keuko and the others, it seems that they admitted they might be out of their depth in this situation.
They also recommended that Plum accompany me.
It looks like I'll indeed need to prepare a place for Plum to stay.
Let's see... there is one room available in my house.

"By the way, while it's fine to have Plum serve as your guard, I'll also be sending some of her guards and servants with her. Can you prepare rooms for them as well?"

Oh no, more rooms for Plum’s entourage...

I don’t have enough space.
After explaining this, everyone from the Wildcat Claws offered to share a room, freeing up space for Plum’s associates.
Although I’ll need to get new furniture, this seems to be the quickest solution.
Alizée also suggested expanding the attic, as my house doesn’t currently have one.
Given the number of people coming, I decided to proceed with the renovations once we return home.
It seems the more space I can provide, the more people they plan to send, so I'll definitely need to get that attic built.
Preparing for their arrival is going to be quite the task.

For now, Plum will continue using the whip I lent her.
It feels like it has become her personal weapon, and since I don’t really fight with a whip, it’s better for it to be put to good use.

After everything was settled, we prepared to leave the capital.
I quickly got the Lumite Grand Wing ready for departure.
I have all our food packed in my backpack, so there’s no issue there.
Although we’ll have to camp out overnight before reaching Vardomoi, both Alizée and Plum agreed it would be safer than staying in the capital at this time.
I decided to trust their judgment.

Looking back, a lot has happened since we arrived in the capital.
It’s been a whirlwind of events, and I didn’t get to do any sightseeing at all.
But given the current state of the capital, that’s not surprising.
I’ll have to come back once things are safer and visit any tourist spots then.
Hopefully, war can be avoided.