This time I was taken care of.
There was no damage to me, but the Shirone Republic -- in the future it should have produced an important person for Orsted.
That is, it's kind of like we've had one of our stronger pieces taken.
Thinking about it, my return might have been premature.
If I had stayed in that country a while, could I have possibly pushed it towards becoming a republic...
No, if it was just about the republic Orsted would not have said, 'Reinforce Pax'.
Anyway, I should just honestly tell him what has happened.
Then, if there is something we can do, I'll do it.
"Then Roxy, I want to stop at the office. I need to store the Magic Armor."
"...okay. Be safe. I'll go to the family and let them know we've returned early."
I bid farewell to Roxy at the entrance to the city and headed toward the office.
Zanoba came with me for some reason.
"Something wrong Zanoba?"
"No, I was protected by this armor. I need to give Orsted my thanks, and an apology for letting it be destroyed."
"I see."
It seems unusual for Zanoba to thank Orsted.
Because of his curse, I would have thought such feelings would be impossible.
Could this be the results of Cliff's research?
Once you are close enough to look into Orsted's eyes, you should be struck hard by it, but if he controls his impulses maybe it will be fine.
Convinced of that, I went back to the office along with Zanoba.
There I stowed the Magic Armor in the armory.
After locking it I moved towards the main building.
We went past the unattended lobby towards the president's office.
"Suuuu...."
Before entering, I take a deep breath.
It's time to report my failure.
Until now, there has been several failures, but...
It's a large failure this time.
I may be subjected to some rebuke.
Perhaps he's absent.
No, it's still better to prepare an early report.
Okay.
First, let's knock.
A knock so a man can compose his heart.
It's a polite knock.
Lightly rapping with just the finger, tap-tap.
"Rudeus?"
Ah, he's not absent.
However, all of the details of the report need to be put in order.
Let's just go with sincerity.
"Excuse me! Rudeus Greyrat reporting, I have just arrived with news from the Shirone kingdom!"
I open the door with a bang, enter inside, and bend my waist into a bow.
Then I raised my face towards him.
"FuAaah!?"
Orsted was wearing a solid black face mask, I was startled.
This, could it be?
Cliff has produced a new revision of the mask... so it's a magic tool.
"It looks like you came back safely."
"...Y-yes."
I was unnerved at the start, but my heart is still in this.
I need to report in all sincerity that I failed.
That I did not achieve any results.
No, is that it?
"Reporting -- "
I reported straight forwardly this time.
What I was careful about, what I discovered.
So it'll be alright if there are any retorts later, one by one, calmly, carefully, I explain everything.
One at a time I went over: what I thought, my conclusions, who I consulted with, the actions that we took.
Then finally, I gave the results.
I told him about our conjecture about Hitogami's predictions, and what we thought the correct interpretation was.
Everything thereabout was reported at once.
"I am very sorry. I let Prince Pax die and was unable to accomplish my orders."
Finally, I bowed.
No matter how you gloss it over, failure is failure.
If there is a punishment, I'm resigned to my fate.