Otherworld Adventure

Back at Abyssal Lake, the new name that Cecil had christened onto it after he learned that abyssal had the same translation as the monster language's Ugvindta.

While the lake's name was Abyssal, Cecil had decided to name the city Skyfall, after his technique which had subdued the monster which was standing in the way of their occupation of the land around the lake.

After Cecil had done some cleaning up of the nearby monsters inside of the lake, he quickly returned back to their campsite. Back at the campsite, Cecil looked around and noticed that the number of their personnel had decreased to some degree. This was because Lucia had sent back most of the Little Kings to Silvaria City who then returned back to their kingdom via the teleportation gate.

Only Velicia, Lucius, and a few other members from Little Kings stayed behind. Since news of their accomplishments had been brought back to the Silvaria kingdom and their kingdom, Eli had received the proposal for the cohabitation of both humans and beastkin from Kaiser in the newfound territory. She thought it was a rather great idea so she immediately returned to her kingdom with Ainz to inform her father.

Eli left behind of few of her people because she was expecting her father to send some people over. They had to stay there and receive them once they arrive.

With Kaiser's initiative to send over people to trade technology, knowledge, and goods with their kingdom, Eli knew that her father would return the gesture in kind and this was the perfect time to do it.

After Cecil looked around the campsite and scanned the areas around the place, he decided that it was time for him to go back home as well. Monster hunting was good and all, but he still had to deal with his possible issue with the Goldenia family.

He had just received information from Quinn that the Goldenias had a hand in the attack on his family. Though there was no accurate information, but Quinn did hear a few of their members slip up with their words during his spying and after piecing a few things together, he deduced that the Goldenias did do something.

At the moment, he was still trying to figure out what that was. However, Quinn still sent a report to his master since even this slightest bit of uncertain news should have made him a bit wary.

And that it did. Cecil had already called for Silver to keep a close watch on their territory and any persons who were coming and going from their valley who weren't their kingdom's citizens.

Since Kaiser had announced their now amiable relationship with the Goldenias, he had opened up their kingdom to trade and commerce with them. Their people were free to enter all of the cities within their kingdom as long as they had a permit or a recommendation from the Goldenia family.

Kaiser still wasn't ready to open up the kingdom to just about everyone. He was still rather skeptical about them and the last time people snuck into the kingdom to attack them, it would have resulted in horrible consequences if not for his son upgrading the defenses of their family's estate.

As for the ones without permits or identifications, they were escorted out of the territories posthaste or directly imprisoned if they made a scene.

******

Cecil arrived home a few days later since he didn't have Lucia to teleport him back. His wife after returning was held up by his mother-in-law due to some important family business. It wasn't anything too serious. All Anna wanted was for Lucia to finally learn the last skills and techniques from their family's heirloom cultivation method.

Cecil had noticed this, but it would seem that his mother-in-law was in-tune with every element of mana found in Alterna. It turns out that this was due to their family's unique cultivation method and since Lucia now had 7 tails on her, it was about time she finally finished learning the rest.

He was naturally happy for his wife since it would mean that she would grow stronger. Cecil only felt that it was a pity since they'd have to be separated for a period of time. He had wanted to spend more time together with her.

"Darling, welcome home~"

"I'm home, Seri," Cecil replied after Serilla greeted him right after he entered his house. "Where's Lulu?"

"I think she's still being held up by her mother," Serilla replied.

"Hm, figures. Well anyway, was there anything that happened while I was gone?"

As he said this, Cecil immediately scooped up Serilla into his arms. This caused his wife to giggle happily. She wrapped her arms around his neck and lightly kissed him before saying, "Hmmm, let me think...Oh yeah, father-in-law just announced to the populace about your achievements at Abyssal Lake! He also opened up recruitment for volunteers to move over to the place and develop it."

"Oh...that happened?"

"Yup! He also gave Eli a proposal for beastkin and humans to cohabitate and develop the place together."

"I heard that from Eli herself. She told me about it before she went home."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, is there anything else?" Cecil continued to ask. He carried Serilla up to the second floor and quickly went towards their room.

They passed by the second floor's lounge but because they were a little engrossed in their conversation, they both failed to see Anastasia and Celia sitting their together enjoying afternoon tea. The two mothers stared at the couple until they disappeared from the doorway.

"Haaah... My little Cel doesn't even greet me anymore when he returns home... he becomes so preoccupied with his wives and work once he returns..."

"You have it lucky, Anastasia. That little wench of mine directly ignores me once your son shows up..."

"Hmmm... looks like we both have it rough..."

Celia shrugged before she resumed sipping on her tea. While her husband had returned to the kingdom, she decided to stay and take a temporary leave from her position because she was concerned about her daughter.

The king felt a little reluctant, but this was their kingdom's Sword Saintess' grandchild. He wasn't such a cold man that he'd directly refuse to let Celia take a few weeks or months off to take care of her daughter.

Sure, her position was really important, but lately, troubles in their continent have toned down by quite a lot. All of the beastfolk kingdoms were getting along and other than the problems about the Neftersea Oceanic Empire, everything was relatively peaceful now.

Back to Cecil and Serilla, the couple quickly arrived back in their room. Cecil took a quick shower before he came back to accompany his wife.

"Continuing my last question, is there anything else that's happened?"

"Hn, not really, I did here something about the Faustus Archduchy from Katya when she came home a few days ago. Oh yeah! I almost forgot, but apparently, she was called back home immediately after she came back. Pretty weird, right?"

"...Hmmm, right when Quinn got something and I was going to ask her about it, she goes home... coincidence or—"

"Cel, what're you talking about?"

"...I'll tell you once I've actually confirmed things, okay, Seri?"

"..." Serilla scrunched her brows when she saw that Cecil refused to tell her.

When he saw this, Cecil immediately replied, "Don't worry Seri, I will tell you once I've confirmed my suspicions. I don't want to say anything now because I don't want you to worry about anything."

"Fine, but you will tell me after you've confirmed whatever it is you need confirming."

"Don't worry, I promise you. I'll talk to both you and Lucia about it once Quinn finishes his investigations."

"Alright..."

******

Over at the Goldenia family's territory, Quinn was looking around the port of the large city that housed the Goldenia family's main branch. He had been investigating the family's previous and recent activities at the behest of his master.

His master, Cecil, had wanted for him to gather up information and investigate whether or not the Goldenia family had a hand in the previous attack on the Silvaria family. He's been on this mission ever since Elder Kuran's death.

Up until now, Quinn was only been able to find a few things that connected the Goldenia family to the attack. While he was spying on them, some of Katya's siblings had been a little too noisy and had inadvertently said something about the girl being lucky and all.

He heard something that went along the lines of the Silvaria family not knowing the full details behind the attack and Katya being lucky to have caught the Silvaria heir's eye even though it was supposed to be a failed ploy from the family head after Cecil defeated her in battle and was totally uninterested in her from the start. They were laughing and mocking the current head for being a hypocrite. Quinn overheard them saying that the current head had deceived and cheated his way for peace between their two families. They were being spiteful but this led to Quinn getting some good information.

He wanted to know what exactly it was that the Goldenia family's head had done to deceive his Master's family.

After he snooped around a bit more Quinn learned that the Faustus Archduchy already had some men stationed in the vicinity on a nearby island not too far from the coast. He was able to find the exact coordinates and was now looking to see if he could buy a boat so that he could sail to that island and infiltrate their outpost.

Quinn wasn't stupid. The people who had attacked his master's family back then were from the Faustus Archduchy. It was a little farfetched to believe that the Archduchy was able to get information about their family and the ongoing of their country's current state of affairs given the circ.u.mstances.

They were too far away so after Quinn learned that they weren't as far away as everyone thought they'd be, then the only reason the enemy was able to attack on a day that was pretty opportune if not for the fact that they had come back earlier was that they were informed by a person within the city.

Everyone already knew the culprit was Elder Kuran since he confessed it himself, but there had to be a middleman that connected these two parties together. Elder Kuran was under tight surveillance from the main family at that time so there was no way that he was able to contact anyone from the Faustus Archduchy. However, there was something that their spies had acquired and that was the fact that Elder Kuran was in frequent contact with the people from the Goldenia family.

Quinn understood now why this was the case. He had no doubt in his mind that the Goldenia family was the middleman even though they were supposed to be at odds with the Faustus Archduchy.

He deduced that since Augustus wanted to propose peace and make amends with Kaiser and the Silvaria family then cooperation was needed on something and what better way to do that if there was a common enemy that they could rally against.

The Faustus Archduchy that wanted to invade their lands was the perfect scapegoat for his ploy. As for how to turn the Silvaria family hostile against the Faustus Archduchy, he left that problem to Kuran.

This was only circ.u.mstantial evidence so Quinn didn't quite like it. He wanted to find something more substantial that'll directly point out that the Goldenias had indeed have a hand on the attack.

Once he got this information, his Master and his father, the King, would have concrete evidence and a substantial reason to attack the Goldenias if they were to make a move against them.

To him, he did all of this for his master, but there was a slight tinge of selfishness behind this as well. Quinn had been feeling a little bit irked by the Goldenia girl who was constantly approaching his Master.

He didn't see any ulterior motives whenever the girl approached his master and asked him about magic related things, but there were times when Quinn felt that Katya had approached his master with some hidden reason, like she was waiting and expecting for something.

Quinn's eyes turned cold when he remembered this.

"Hmph, anyone that hurts my master and his family... are unneeded trash that should be disposed of immediately..."