The Kingdom of Sevilla was nothing more than a small, minor nation even among the countries of the continent.
Its population was small, its resources were scarce, and since it belonged to the northern continent, the environment was quite harsh as well.
Even so, the reason this country could endure among the great powers was because its people were tough by nature and had an outstanding zeal for education.
In particular, its magical investigative agency was so exceptionally capable that when related incidents occurred, even other nations would request help from the Kingdom of Sevilla.
Aside from that, there was no reason for people to come to the Kingdom of Sevilla.
It was far too lacking for things like tourism or diplomacy.
But lately, the number of foreigners visiting the Kingdom of Sevilla had increased significantly.
The harbor, which would normally have been filled only with fishermen, was now crowded with people who had brought all kinds of tools with them.
From mages to explorers, archaeologists, merchants, and even the mercenaries they employed.
People working in different fields gathered for one purpose and one purpose only.
Hyperborea.
A northern new continent where ancient civilizations, artifacts, and relics existed.
A legendary place that the great mage Lexuror had chosen as his final destination.
Everyone was trying to go there.
“An absolutely filthy number of ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) people are swarming in. Because of that, my older sister’s got headaches in every possible way right now.”
“It seems she must be quite busy.”
“Incidents and accidents never stop. Even ordinary people, when they gather like this, they end up throwing punches. If stronger people gather, isn’t it obvious what happens?”
Casey stared at the packed crowd with a thoroughly sickened look.
Just from that expression alone, it was easy enough to imagine how badly she had been dragged around.
‘She must’ve been summoned here and there while helping her sister’s work.’
And in the middle of that, she received his call and had even brought the family’s ship herself.
He had made the call thinking she had plenty of time, but who would have thought there was something like this behind it.
‘Somehow, I’m starting to feel guilty.’
Whatever the case, Casey had accepted the request and brought the ship.
In size, it was smaller than other passenger ships, but looking at its neat exterior, there was nothing to complain about.
A ship used like this by a famous magitech family could not possibly be ordinary.
Even if it looked like that on the outside, its pure performance would be on par with a warship.
Compared to a giant passenger ship, it was only relatively small; for carrying a small number of people, it was more than enough and then some.
And just looking at its graceful, sleek figure, it looked like it could cut across the sea faster than any other ship.
“Still, it’s unexpected. I never thought you’d move for the sake of finding Hyperborea. Wasn’t teaching suited to you?”
“Teaching is my main job. This is just a side job.”
“I get it since you’re someone who used to roam all over the world, but you weren’t the type to chase after things like this.”
“I’m not without curiosity about the new continent. But I didn’t come this far for simple curiosity either. I’m here to eliminate, in advance, any potentially dangerous thing that might be there.”
“Hm. Is that so? From the looks of it, it seems the Emperor personally issued an imperial command.”
As expected, with her outstanding powers of observation and reasoning, Casey figured out who had given Ludger the order.
Still, since she didn’t point it out any further, it seemed she, too, had a similar thought in the back of her mind.
“People are moving with their eyes flipped over. Rumors always get inflated, sure, but it’s not like those rumors would spread with absolutely no basis at all.”
“Right. At the very least, we estimate there’s a relic. And that there are dangerous bastards aiming for it, too.”
“Ah, so it is like that. Actually, we’ve been keeping an eye on some similar bastards lately as well.”
Casey shook her head as if troubled.
“Recently, way too many foreigners have flooded into the Kingdom of Sevilla. Of course, among them, there are people with criminal records overseas. My older sister’s been running around like crazy trying to catch those guys, but no matter what, we’re short on manpower.”
It couldn’t be helped.
In the past three days alone, more people had poured in than would normally visit the Kingdom of Sevilla in an entire year.
And they weren’t ordinary tourists, either, but people working in dangerous lines of work.
To keep track of all of them, it would still be insufficient even if the Kingdom of Sevilla deployed every last coastal guard it had.
“And on top of that, these guys are doing anything they can to cross the sea—trying to buy up fishermen’s boats, pulling every trick in the book. It’s a real headache.”
Most of them tried to board ships by paying huge sums to hire fishermen, but those people weren’t even half.
‘The rest is obvious. Threaten them with force and seize the boats.’
The commotion breaking out all over the place, and the coastal guards patrolling with their eyes blazing, were proof of that.
Even so, with the manpower shortage, it seemed problems kept happening.
“Boss.”
Hans called to Ludger cautiously from behind. When he turned around, he could feel the gazes of some people directed this way.
Most of those gazes were sizing them up to figure out who they were, and some of them even revealed their greed.
It couldn’t be helped. A ship far more proper than some half-baked fishing boat that merely went out to catch fish near the shore had appeared.
And on top of that, for the size of the ship, the people boarding were only Ludger and Hans—just the two of them.
They would be thinking they could board together, or conversely, negotiate and push this side out to take the ship.
Sure enough, as if they didn’t want to miss the chance, there were people who moved immediately.
“Hey, you there.”
It was a massive man with a vicious-looking face.
He bared his muscles, as if to show off the tattoos engraved on his body.
It was an intimidating sight, but since to Ludger and Hans it wasn’t even enough to be cute for a rat, there was no particular reaction.
Whether or not, he strode closer as if to threaten them and thrust his face right in.
“Hey. Looks like you got yourself a pretty good ship, but for just the two of you, there’s a lot of empty space, doesn’t it?”
A rancid stench wafted over. He looked like the type who ate and didn’t brush his teeth.
Ludger briefly considered how to handle this.
If the opponent were sturdy, he could subdue him at a reasonable level, but with a fragile(?) bastard like this, if he touched him wrong, the man would die.
At that moment, someone else naturally slipped in between them.
“Mm. Sir, forgive me, but please call it three rather than two.”
“Huh? And who the hell are you?”
The vicious giant glared at the person who had interrupted him.
It was a strong, intense voice, but high and thin.
A woman with a strikingly androgynous charm. Rather than beautiful, it would be more accurate to say she was handsome.
Her hair, gathered and tied back into a ponytail, was pitch-black, but the uniform she wore was, in contrast, as white as snow.
In that sharp contrast, she—Veronica de Ville—spoke with a smile like a wolf.
“It’s been a while.”
“Ah, Lord Ludger. It’s been a while. I’m a bit late, aren’t I?”
“You arrived right on time.”
This time, it wasn’t only Ludger and Hans who were moving.
Naturally, the Empire had also decided to send someone. If a half-baked person came, they would only get in the way, so they sent someone with sufficient skill.
That helper was Veronica de Ville.
The deputy commander of the Cold Steel Order that roamed the frigid northern mountain ranges, and a powerhouse who had reached a considerable realm even as a knight.
Veronica spoke to the giant man.
“I’m sorry, but we have important duties, so it seems we cannot take on any other passengers. Would you step back now?”
“What? Is this bitch out of her mind!”
As if enraged by Veronica’s sudden interference, he shouted.
He must have thought that if he barked like this, the other party would be frightened and back off.
‘You picked the wrong person.’
Ludger shook his head.
He could already see the scene that would follow.
“Hmm. So you’re the type who can’t understand with words?”
Veronica kept her smiling face as it was and placed her hand on the giant’s shoulder.
“What the hell are you doing— Kyaaaaaagh!”
The giant screamed, veins bulging out at his neck.
When Veronica pressed down on his shoulder, he bent forward, and his eye level naturally dropped below hers.
To the giant, forced to kneel in front of everyone, Veronica said in a cold voice.
“Shall we end it here. Or are you truly intending to see the end.”
“Gghhh! S-stop! Stop, please! I was wrong!”
Faced with a terrifying grip that didn’t match her appearance, the giant finally realized Veronica was a knight and begged pitifully.
When Veronica removed her hand, the giant clutched his aching shoulder and hurriedly fled.
People presumed to be his companions had been watching this side, but when Veronica looked at them, they flinched and quickly averted their eyes.
“Hoo. Honestly. I showed you something rough the moment I arrived.”
“No. If Deputy Commander Veronica hadn’t stepped in, I would have stepped in instead.”
“Hahaha. Is that so? Ah, my introduction was late. I am Veronica de Ville, of the Cold Steel Order of the Exilion Empire.”
Veronica greeted Casey.
“It’s nice to meet the deputy commander of that famous order. I’m Casey Selmore.”
“To meet the most famous detective in the world, and the most famous novelist of recent times as well... This is making my heart race from the very start.”
After finishing their introductions suitably, the group went straight into the main point.
“Are we departing for Hyperborea right away?”
“Yes. There’s no downside to being late. Rather, in a complicated situation like this, leaving the harbor even a moment sooner would be the best option.”
After Veronica had shown her ability once, there were no people who approached recklessly, but there were still those who kept their eyes on this ship.
To give up and back off, the bait called Hyperborea was simply too tempting.
Still, they wouldn’t cross the line yet—so this was exactly when he thought they should move quickly.
From within the crowd gathered to secure ships, a loud murmur rose up.
It was as if some kind of shock, like a bomb going off, swept through everyone present in an instant.
“What is it?”
Casey sharply noticed the change in the crowd’s reaction and frowned.
Something had shifted in the atmosphere.
They were already anxious people, but now she couldn’t shake the feeling they had become even more desperate than before.
Just then, a crow flew down and landed on Hans’s shoulder.
Caw. Caw.
When the crow cried out as if saying something, Hans’s expression hardened.
“Everyone. It seems something has happened.”
“Hans, did you find something out?”
“Right now, it seems they have discovered traces of ruins from an ancient civilization on the continent of Hyperborea.”
Up until now, it had been nothing more than exploration based on possibility, but if they had found traces, the story changed.
Not possibility, but certainty.
That alone was more than enough to set fire to the hearts of the people gathered here.
An organization that had sent an advance party to Hyperborea beforehand received the news from across the sea.
And people who shared information from them found out, and the news spread quickly like that.
‘This is... going to be troublesome.’
Now, only one kind of thought existed in the hearts of the people gathered here.
If they didn’t go to Hyperborea quickly, they would lose the initiative.
And if that happened, they wouldn’t obtain the artifacts or relics they wanted so badly. They would gain nothing—spending money only to come up empty-handed.
“A ship! Get a ship right now!”
“I don’t care how much it costs, we need to move first! Faster than everyone else!”
That was why they became even more desperate and frenzied.
And naturally, among the ships that could be obtained at the harbor right now, the sturdiest and most luxurious ship was...
“Ah, seriously.”
Casey frowned.
At the gazes that had become more blatant than before, she realized the disaster she’d been worried about had finally arrived.
She could see the guys who had only been watching exchange looks with each other.
In this moment, they would probably join hands and plan to seize this ship.
“Do these bastards think the Selmore Family is a joke?”
Casey muttered as if deliberately displeased.
How dare they plot to steal it with the Selmore Family’s mark engraved on the ship right in front of them?
She was just about to consider pulling in the nearby seawater and washing all of them away at once—
When Ludger placed a hand on Casey’s shoulder and stopped her.
“You can’t expect rational judgment from those blinded by desire. That said, there’s no need to use grand power against such bastards.”
“You...”
“Since we’re the ones borrowing the ship, I’ll handle things here. It’s rather fortunate—I can pay in place of the fare.”
Ludger naturally drew out his cane and, instead of waiting, walked toward the crowd that was creeping this way.
Veronica’s eyes widened, and she was about to stop Ludger, but Casey stepped forward instead.
“Just watch.”
“Pardon? But...”
“Ah, you don’t know, do you. Then it’s good to confirm it this time. Rather than me stepping in, that man stepping in will be far more effective.”
With a gaze full of anticipation, Casey watched Ludger.
