《Shadowlove (Lite)》Chapter 53: The Roundtable
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The meeting room that the roundtable will be using was once a guest room reserved for the more high-quality guests. It had enough room for many people to be in. Most of the furniture was gone in replace for the infamous round table that her father uses to discuss various things with the nobles of his kingdom.
Entering the room, Yasuline would see all the familiar faces that she has seen throughout her life in the castle. Nobles of the east, south, north, and the very few from the west were present. Each of them mingling with one another about their families and lands.
Once her father entered, all eyes went to him.
"Your majesty. It is good to see you unharmed, as well as the Queen and Princess." One of the nobles stated for the rest of them, the others nod in agreement.
"Aye, it is good indeed. Can't say about the castle, but stones and furniture can't replace lives."
"We can only call it a miracle. The godbeasts have shown us mercy."
"Yes, indeed. And it is nice to see that everyone is here for a change. Most wonderful."
"Well, after all the news the kingdom has been hearing that's been going on in the capital, nobody wanted to miss this exciting meeting."
"Aye, I can agree to that. Even I am getting excited to hear what Caliber has to say for us. Even if I partly experienced it, hearing it would get me pumped up as when I was young." King Suko would say excitedly as he goes to take his seat.
Each of the chairs had engraved emblems for the nobles, all with their own family crest. The royal family, simply uses the Kingdom's emblem as their own.
Everyone begins following his lead and they all take their seats.
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"Now, as we wait for Caliber with his report and such, let's see how the kingdom has been. With what has been going on, I haven't been getting reports."
"Yes, well, we can start with the east."
"Yes, yes, the east. So far nothing much has changed since the last meeting. Farmers still growing crops, dullbeasts in the area still keeping in their areas and not interfering with the steady increase in villages. The only real issue is a very steady increase in bandit activity."
"Bandits huh, Tis a shame that some people would reduce themselves to that kind of life. Have there been issues in the shelters provided in the cities? South Seatown, Fortress City?" King Suko would say shocked to hear bandits in his kingdom.
"No, no. They are all functioning. From the very few that we captured, we confirmed it to be from Finnoe."
"Augh, Finnoe again, always causing trouble for us."
"Well, we knew better than to not doubt the dark lands would give us trouble but to think that bandits from Finnoe have been migrating to ours. What has Fortress City been doing?"
"As far as I can tell, nothing, and for good reason. No reports of bandits coming through the city have been passed to me. Even sent in an agent of mine to check in on things and everything checks out.
"And what about South Seatown?"
"Well, I didn't send in an agent to see what they have been doing, but there have been no reports of bandits at South Seatown either."
"So am I to believe that these bandits just appeared out of nowhere?"
"We just don't have enough information about them, they refuse to speak of where they came from."
"How many cases of bandits attacking our people have been brought up?"
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"We counted them all before you got here, we have about 7 of them."
"Huh, fairly scarce. We could just send a small bad of knights out to patrol the kingdom. One for each side of the kingdom."
"That would be wise, your majesty."
"Right, anything else?"
"More like a concern than something to report. Adventure Guilds have been reporting missing adventurers."
"Really!?" Both Suko and Yasuline say, slightly leaning into their seats after hearing such a thing.
"Yes, But from the numbers that given out, it doesn't seem to be the case, but it was still something that the guilds have been concerned enough to get me to bring it up."
"Hmm, we should launch a full investigation on this manner, those are my brother in arms after all."
"Your majesty, that might be too extreme as of now. We don't even know where to look."
"Well, isn't that what the investigation is for?"
The nobles talk among themselves about the decision. The only ones that seem to be on board with investigating the missing adventurers were both the King and Yasuline herself.
As the talking continued, the doors to the meeting room opens, and Caliber, wearing his typical shining armor enters the room. His white cape flowing behind him, giving him a good impression among the nobles. As she recalls they are all attempting to bring him into their family by getting him to marry one of their daughters.
"Ah, Captain Caliber. Fashionably late as always, I see."
"Ah yes, sorry. I had to make some changes to my report with some eyewitnesses that I discovered from the guards who were scouting in the capital."
"Oh, so we should be expecting a complete story here?"
"Yes, I have the most confidence in that my report is the full story that had happened the night when the castle was attacked."
"Well, don't keep us in suspense here, Caliber, inform us!." Suko would say as like always, he had forgotten about the situation with the adventurers.
"I plan to, but I should first inform the nobles here what has happened well before the attack."
"Yes, please do, we have only gained what little knowledge we have from rumors along."
"Well then, I should begin."
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