"What on earth is that thing?"

  "I don't know...

  Chiono— no, Reinbardt. When was it first observed?"

  While Celeste stood there in confusion, Daharat was trying to establish the sequence of events.

  "We were unable to confirm the exact time of appearance.

  However, when I went to fetch Mengen house's valet two hours before sunrise in preparation for your return, nothing of that nature was observable."

  "That sounds... almost like it was waiting for us to come back, doesn't it?"

  Celeste said uneasily—Daharat dismissed it.

  "You're overthinking it.

  In any case, I'm going to the royal castle.

  Oh-teru, you—"

  "Let's go together.

  It's faster to go directly from here in my automobile than to return to your estate and prepare a carriage.

  Mengen house valet—sorry. I'm borrowing your lord.

  Let's go, Daharat."

  Saying that and heading toward the garage, Daharat followed while leaving instructions to his own valet.

  "Indeed, that would be faster.

  Nadern, return to the estate and wait."

  "Yes, my lord!"

  When Daharat reached the garage following Celeste, Celeste had already gotten into the automobile with the engine running, giving instructions to Letes.

  "Listen—once I leave the estate, evacuate everyone to the underground space below.

  It's solidly built, so if that thing falls, staying there gives the best chance of survival.

  Daharat—would you have your household evacuate here as well?"

  "I appreciate the thought, but my estate has things worth protecting.

  I'll accept the sentiment."

  "Understood. Then get in quickly."

  Three days ago—or yesterday by Tusita's measure—the memory of the wild driving was still fresh, but there was no time to hesitate now. Daharat steeled himself and got into the passenger seat.

  "Seatbelt—good, it's fastened.

  Let's go!"

  Pulling out of the garage toward the estate's main gate, someone who appeared to be a royal messenger was just arriving.

  The moment the gate guards opened the main gate, Celeste threw open the automobile door and shouted to the messenger.

  "Regis Celeste here! That summons is for Marc Mengen, yes?"

  "Sir, yes sir!"

  "Understood! Marc Mengen will proceed to the royal castle with me in this automobile!

  Follow behind us!"

  "U-understood!"

  Celeste pulled out of the main gate almost passing the messenger, pressing the accelerator to pick up speed. Of all times for this to happen, while the two of them were on Earth together... the timing felt too convenient to ignore.

  Fortunately, being a noble district, few people were out on the road at this early hour, allowing them to drive fast. Anyone awake at this hour would be servants working inside estates.

  Either that, or they'd sensed the anomaly overhead and were hiding indoors.

  "Oh-teru."

  "What?"

  "Looking up from below, I couldn't quite grasp it, but...

  that thing is floating quite high up, isn't it."

  "Yes...

  If it were to fall..."

  In a certain American superhero film, there was a villain who tried to wipe out all of Earth's humanity by floating an entire city and then dropping it—this was nowhere near that scale, but it seemed about the size of a small town. If it fell as-is...

  "Worst case, the capital would be destroyed..."

  "You can tell?"

  "Not in precise detail."

  What came to mind again was G*ndam's colony drop.

  Of course this object was incomparably smaller, and it wasn't falling from space so the kinetic energy would be far lower—but it wasn't hard to imagine the collision energy and vibrations blowing everything within a radius of several dozen kilometers.

  "Could that thing possibly be... Humanita's attack method, something like that?"

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  "No... they don't have the means to control something of that scale.

  ...I think."

  In the end, that possibility couldn't be completely ruled out.

  While having that conversation, they arrived at the royal castle.

  "I am Regis Celeste! Accompanied by Marc Mengen—"

  "We've been expecting you! Please proceed directly to the palace!"

  At the castle gate, Guard Captain Eks Garunder had come out to receive them.

  "Out at this hour—thank you, and I'm grateful!"

  No time to recall noble phrasing like 'well done thy faithful servant'—they passed through the castle gate and ran to the palace, where a waiting chamberlain guided the two who stepped out of the stopped automobile directly toward the conference room.

  "The other ministers?"

  The chamberlain answered Daharat's question.

  "The Foreign Minister who was on duty is already in the conference room. Messengers have been sent to the others, but you two arrived first."

  "Understood."

  Celeste deliberated briefly whether to follow after Daharat, who left only a short answer and hurried toward the conference room, or wait here—and ultimately resolved to follow.

  "Daharat, it's alright if I come along?"

  "What are you saying at this point.

  I believe His Majesty is expecting you as well."

  "Is that so."

  Saying that, they arrived at the conference room and announced themselves to the chamberlain.

  "Your Majesty, Regis Celeste and Marc Mengen, arrived."

  "Send them in."

  Entering the conference room, they found King Rashion still in his nightclothes, and the Foreign Minister—apparently having been napping—with fur that was slightly disheveled at the table.

  "Skip the pleasantries. This is hardly the time for asking after one's health.

  Lord Royal Father—good of you both to come together."

  "Yes, Your Majesty.

  Fortunately, or perhaps—I had received Your Majesty's messenger at my estate while together."

  "At this hour?

  I knew Lord Royal Father had invited the Military Affairs Minister to your estate yesterday, but—"

  The Foreign Minister said this as if surprised.

  "Yes, there were some circumstances—the Military Affairs Minister had been staying at my 'home,' Foreign Minister."

  "Oh? Does that mean the two of you have made up?"

  The king said this with apparent interest.

  "There was nothing to make up from—we were never on bad terms to begin with.

  Isn't that right, Lord Military Affairs Minister?"

  '...''Isn't that right''?'

  At Celeste's manner—familiar, or rather completely at ease—the king and Foreign Minister were watching with puzzled expressions, when Daharat looked at Celeste with an exasperated face.

  "Lord Royal Father... I'd appreciate some awareness of where we are."

  'No, your reaction is what's making the situation even more complicated!?'

  The Foreign Minister was making that retort in his head—when the other ministers, the Prime Minister, and the Court Mage filed into the conference room one after another.

  "All ministers present? Then, Foreign Minister—your situation report."

  "Yes. According to soldiers on overnight watch at the royal castle, at around 4:30 in the morning, an object was confirmed appearing at an estimated location approximately 2,000 Ashe(about two kilometers) south of the royal castle.

  Over the following hour and a half it approached the castle, reaching the airspace above the noble district at around 5:40, where it has remained hovering since.

  As it was nighttime, confirmation of whether it appeared earlier is difficult, and we are awaiting reports from the southern regions."

  "Something like that... 'flew here'?

  Any other movements?"

  The Prime Minister's question—the Foreign Minister continued.

  "As I mentioned, since it was nighttime, information regarding what movements it showed before the castle watch discovered it has not yet come in.

  Within the observed range as well, it showed no notable movements other than having flown from the south."

  "Judging from its current position, it doesn't seem to be directly south of the royal castle—slightly east-facing?

  Of course given that size, I imagine it doesn't particularly matter, but—"

  The Commerce Minister's question—the Foreign Minister answered.

  "Yes. It appeared to be flying straight from the south, but reportedly the course changed to the southeast—from the object's perspective, northeast—upon approaching the castle."

  "Southeast..."

  At the Interior Minister's murmur, everyone in the conference room turned their gaze to Daharat and Celeste.

  "Hm? Everyone? What is it?"

  "Lord Royal Father..."

  "The southeast of the royal castle—that would be your estate, would it not."

  "Well, Daha— oh, Marc Mengen's estate is next door as well?"

  "That is so, but we're talking about Regis Celeste.

  Have you any idea why?"

  At the Court Mage's question, even Celeste looked exasperated and pushed back.

  "That would be if I were in Tusita at that time.

  Unfortunately for your theory, I was on Earth until six in the morning.

  The estate servants and the Military Affairs Minister are my witnesses."

  "...Hm? Why the Military Affairs Minister?"

  "Because we were on Earth together, of course."

  "...Pardon?"

  The moment the ministers were about to say something at this outlandish statement—the king spoke.

  "Your 'home'... that would be the Earth estate, then.

  Very well. I don't know what passed between the two of you, but since it hasn't hindered our response to this situation, I'll let it go unquestioned.

  However, the timing aligned with your return to this world, appearing above both your estates...

  One can hardly say it's entirely unrelated to the two of you, can one?"

  "Even so, I have absolutely no idea.

  What about you, Lord Military Affairs Minister?"

  Daharat answered, eyes saying 'you fool!':

  "Nor do I."

  As the two were subjected to suspicious stares from everyone in the room, King Rashion thought this was becoming interesting—but decided now was not the time for such thoughts and changed the subject.

  "Where it came from, why it appeared—still unknown...

  It arrived at its current position and has shown no movement since.

  What its purpose is—or indeed whether it has a purpose at all—that's what's in question."

  "The fact that there are no reports from the watching guard means it's still showing no movement.

  Right now it's only hovering overhead, but if it were to descend..."

  At the Prime Minister's words, the Court Mage added:

  "It would be fortunate if it descends gradually, but if it were to simply fall...

  That would be a great calamity."

  Celeste could predict it would be far beyond a great calamity—a cataclysm of natural disaster proportions—but decided against voicing it, as causing unnecessary panic would prevent even a response strategy meeting.

  At that point, the Foreign Minister spoke up.

  "Could there be any possibility that this was sent from outside as a means of attack?"

  "If you're suspecting Humanita—the possibility is low at this stage.

  They don't have that level of technology. On the magical side as well... Comis Nairan?"

  "I've instructed all currently available court mages to begin analysis, but I don't expect significant results. To float something of that scale would require invoking magic equivalent to a grand thaumaturgy, but any such traces..."

  Listening to her speak, Daharat looked as if he'd cast aside some hesitation and made up his mind.

  "No point hiding it any further...

  Lord Royal Father—that flying vehicle you showed me when we went to Earth. Could it be an aircraft?"

  Despite the situation, Nairan's eyes lit up at the words 'flying vehicle'—ignoring that, Celeste responded.

  "Well... Earth certainly has aircraft, but those are strictly in the category of 'vehicles.'

  Something like that—defying common sense to that degree—is still a distant dream even by Earth's technology."

  Even in those American films he'd been thinking of when he saw the flying island—cities being floated or aerial carriers appearing—those were firmly in the realm of science fiction.

  "If we can't identify it, we don't know how to deal with it.

  At the very least, should we begin evacuating residents in case of emergency?"

  "No, issuing an evacuation order now would only cause confusion and make things worse.

  If something like that falls, it would affect the entire royal castle and noble district..."

  The Interior Minister proposed issuing an evacuation advisory, but the Prime Minister expressed reluctance.

  "I believe the Prime Minister is correct.

  And if that thing doesn't 'descend' but simply 'falls'..."

  "If it does?"

  "At minimum, the capital would simply cease to exist.

  Evacuating would be meaningless."

  At Celeste's answer, everyone in the conference room felt a chill as if the air itself had frozen.