Chapter 715

〈Chapter 715〉 Part 2, Chapter 5, Scene 09

<Buckingham Palace, Office of the British Royal Family>

Despite the sudden monster chaos, Britain handled the situation without much trouble.

Queen Aruel, an S-Rank Hero, personally stepped in to resolve the issue, putting the citizens at ease. She was the pride of Britain, its queen, and idol.

– Thank heavens for the royal family!

Following the democratic revolution, many countries abolished their monarchies. Though some royal bloodlines persisted, most nations saw their royal families either fade away or get executed during the revolution.

Oddly enough, countries that retained their royal families had an unusually high ratio of superhumans among them.

Especially, every royal member awakened with at least B-Rank powers. Among them, Aruel stood out as an S-Rank superhuman renowned for her earth manipulation skills.

In this Stonehenge operation, her abilities were utilized to their fullest potential—more than 100%—allowing the preservation of Stonehenge while defeating the monsters.

Using her powers, she coated Stonehenge with cement to create a protective barrier.

It was a deceptively simple yet intricate task demanding overwhelming magical power—a feat only Aruel could accomplish.

“How does someone know me so well?”

Aruel couldn’t help but ponder deeply about the entity giving such precise instructions.

“You seem to know more about me than I do.”

While specifics about Aruel herself might be unknown, as Queen <Aruel>, she felt she was understood better than anyone else. This didn’t bother her much.

Technical details of S-Rank heroes’ powers are already public knowledge on the Hero Wiki. Many heroes have their techniques and habits meticulously documented, making information on superhumans akin to public property.

Any commander working closely with the Round Table for humanity’s peace would naturally know about Aruel.

“…Still, you shouldn’t know this.”

Tensely awaiting new intel, Aruel fidgeted with the chess pieces on the table, faintly smiling. Clutching the Queen piece beside the King, she mused:

The Queen can move in all directions, whereas the King can only move one square.

But if the King falls, the game is over.

Monsters and villains alike, including the Dark Legion, swarm like waves to eliminate knights and clerics guarding the King.

The Commander must be protected for humanity’s sake.

“I wish it could be for the good of Britain…”

BEEP!

Her Magical Gear alarm went off. With regal composure, Aruel tapped the device to answer.

“What is it, Sir Penward?”

“U-Uh, Your Majesty, I have two reports.”

Sir Penward appeared quite anxious.

“One is from the Astronomical Observatory predicting the ‘Zephyr Gate’ will open in two days. Estimated time: 4 AM to 4:30 AM.”

“That’s consistent.”

“Yes… The problem is the location…”

Pale-faced, Penward continued.

“Not Manchester, but London.”

“…Impossible.”

Unknowingly, Aruel snapped her feather pen.

“Why would it suddenly shift to London?”

“It’s unclear. However, magical energy seems to be converging near London. Perhaps related to the Commander or Dark Legion leaders…”

“What’s your opinion?”

“…”

Penward lowered his eyes, appearing cowed before the absolute authority of a 21st-century queen.

“I-I don’t know…”

“…Sir Penward, has the Commander’s location been confirmed?”

“A-Ah! Yes! They’re in London… Wait! Could they be targeting the Commander…!”

“Perhaps. Issue evacuation orders to London citizens. Just in case, leave some heroes in Manchester too.”

Adjusting quickly to the changed circumstances, Aruel gave orders efficiently despite being a ceremonial figurehead.

“…Is that all? Is the report finished?”

“No, Your Majesty. I apologize for bringing this up amidst the gate crisis, but you insisted on complete reporting…”

“What is it?”

“Thief Judge.”

Instantly, Aruel crushed the broken feather pen completely.

“Why that criminal?”

“…An announcement arrived at the British Museum. Thief Judge plans to steal the ‘Rosetta Stone’… Around the same time the gate opens.”

“What the hell…?”

Aruel swore under her breath, glaring at the announcement transmitted onto the screen.

“…”

Judge, the thief who uses the English word for “judge” as her alias, is a villain estimated to be S+ Rank, or rather SS Rank.

She’s infamous for breaking through S+ hero defenses to successfully steal announced targets.

If she merely stole artifacts, she wouldn’t be called a “thief.” If she only stole cultural relics, she’d be hailed as a “Robin Hood.”

Who exactly is Thief Judge, whose identity, nationality, and gender remain completely unknown?

“Queen of England, Aruel.”

“Meow.”

Fenris clapped her hands together with shining eyes.

“The Queen is Thief Judge?”

“Exactly. Quite an unexpected revelation.”

A queen becoming a thief is rare enough.

No, it’s unprecedented.

Why does this paradoxical woman, who’s both a queen and a thief, steal cultural relics? Because she’s a heroine.

“Did you know? The British Museum hardly holds any British cultural artifacts.”

“Why the British Museum?”

“Because it contains cultural relics plundered from colonies during imperialism.”

“Ah, so Her Majesty feels guilty!”

Fenris accurately gauged Aruel’s mindset.

“As an Englishwoman, or as Aruel who takes responsibility for her ancestors’ actions?”

“So she steals back the plundered relics and returns them?”

“Something like that.”

Though her methods may be wrong, her intentions are understandable.

Heroines labeled as “villainesses” are extremely rare. Jeeulpung aside, Cheon Gaeul is a victim of the “heroine-villainess” trope, leaving Cheongnyeon as the sole questionable heroine.

As Thief Judge, Aruel mainly targeted the British Museum, occasionally raiding Western European museums via underground routes.

Her primary targets were the British Museum and the Louvre.

“We’ll recruit her as our ally.”

“Even the queen? Truly worthy of a Commander!”

“Considering we recruit Dark Legion leaders, why not? Maybe even a goddess someday.”

“Hmph, looking forward to it. How do you plan to recruit her?”

Fenris pointed at the heated online discussion about Thief Judge’s announcement.

“This wasn’t done by her, right?”

“Correct. Someone who likes mint chocolate secretly placed it.”

I mimicked Thief Judge’s announcement, declaring my intent to steal the Rosetta Stone.

<The Rosetta Stone>.

An Egyptian artifact excavated by France and housed in the British Museum.

Egypt would’ve protested its return, but humanity’s immediate concern is surviving monsters and villains, not cultural heritage.

“What should we do? Everyone’s suspicious.”

“Suspicious?”

“They think it’s fake because Thief Judge doesn’t just steal things.”

Online debates rage about the authenticity of the announcement.

-Thief Judge always returns artifacts to their rightful owners, not keeps them!

The method resembles the real Thief Judge, but lacks her “philosophy,” leading to our announcement being dismissed as fake.

-Thief Judge wouldn’t say that!

“Fanatical devotion.”

“Maybe just a wording error?”

“No, it’s deliberate. We need them to know it’s a forgery.”

I demonstrated punching through a brick wall.

“We’re going to destroy the Rosetta Stone. Completely shatter it.”

“…”

“Fenris, since we’ve come this far, let me offer you something.”

I proposed something Fenris couldn’t refuse.

“A secret orb that grants unlimited mint chocolate wishes. How does that sound?”

“Commander…”

Fenris covered her face with her hands, tears welling up.

“I’m a monster, yet I just thought about having your baby…”

Indeed.

Inside the Rosetta Stone lies an interdimensional god’s Cube, which I’ll render useless by turning it into a wish-granting device.

A magic-powered infinite Mint-flavored ice cream generator.

‘One Cube Cut.’

Interdimensional God Core (1/27) replaced with Mint Chocolate.