The Calamity was defeated. But now, how should I handle the aftermath? If the fact that I defeated the Calamity gets out to the kingdom or something, it's bound to cause a lot of trouble. I’d probably have no choice but to meet the king or some high-ranking nobles.

The traces of the Grand Magic I unleashed are still clearly visible here. The plants and trees in the area where the Calamity stood remain intact, but the shape of the Calamity is distinctly outlined in the charred black circle.

Yeah, it looks just like a crop circle. With this, anyone could figure out that the Calamity was eliminated. If that’s the case, it’s best to retreat quickly. I’ve had enough trouble for one day.

Well, at least now Sara and her people won’t have to move, and the royal capital won’t need to be relocated. Sara’s household has helped me out a lot, and I’ve also managed to protect the markets and shops that supply the Tachihara family’s meals.

For today, I’ll just head home. Casting the Grand Magic has left me feeling a little drained.

It’s unlikely that another mutated creature like this one will show up again anytime soon, but it might be a good idea to practice other types of Grand Magic. When I have time, I’ll find an empty place and train a bit with Grand Magic.

The next day, I returned to the royal capital to check on the state of the city after the Calamity was defeated.

Yesterday, there were a lot of people trying to leave Luxeria, the royal capital, carrying large bundles or riding carriages. But today, there’s hardly anyone doing that.

“Yesterday, there were a lot of people trying to leave the city, but there aren’t many today, huh?”

“Ah, apparently the Calamity disappeared somewhere yesterday. I don’t know if someone defeated it or if it suddenly changed direction, but at the very least, it’s no longer around here. There was even an official announcement from the king about it.”

Wow, they managed to announce that to the entire city in just a day. Well, with a giant creature like that suddenly disappearing, it’d be obvious to everyone.

“I see. Thank you.”

After thanking the gatekeeper, I headed to Sara’s mansion. It still seemed like there were slightly fewer gatekeepers than usual.

“Ah, Mr. Darga, do you have a moment?”

As always, I was let into Sara’s mansion by a familiar gatekeeper and found Darga inside.

“Oh, Lord Masayoshi! The princess has just returned from the castle. We were about to discuss the Calamity with her, so please join us.”

“Ah, yes. Thank you.”

“It seems there’s no doubt that the Calamity has disappeared.”

We were in the dining room where we usually ate. Sara, Darga, and Gina were discussing the matter with me.

“To think someone was capable of defeating a Calamity that had gone undefeated for over 300 years…”

“Honestly, I still can’t believe it! Even though the Grand Mage himself couldn’t defeat it, no matter how unfavorable the matchup was!”

“What Gina says is reasonable, but there are many eyewitnesses.”

“Eyewitnesses?”

I couldn’t help but interject. I had checked with my Presence Detection skill to ensure no one was nearby when I defeated the Calamity.

“Yes, nearly ten adventurers and knights witnessed it, some of whom were high-ranking adventurers, so the account seems credible. However, it seems none of them saw it directly.

Apparently, a suspicious man wearing a black mask suddenly appeared and unleashed a series of high-level spells. When he used Grand Magic, the magic circle appeared in the sky. There are only a handful of people in the world capable of using Grand Magic.”

…So, even people in this kingdom think the black mask looks suspicious. I chose it because it seemed to have the best defense and would hide my face.

Honestly, the Grand Mage could have designed it with a little more consideration for appearance. But I was the one who chose it, and I won’t deny I thought it looked kind of cool. It’s fine; I prioritize performance over looks when it comes to equipment!

“Then, they said a massive pillar of fire engulfed the Calamity. At that point, it was still moving, but shortly after, there was a loud explosion, and the Calamity stopped moving and vanished completely!”

That must’ve been when the Grand Magic failed, and I detonated the bombs. Then, I used Storage Magic to store the dead Calamity, making it look like it disappeared in an instant.

“Afterward, adventurers cautiously approached the scene and found the burnt wasteland with clear traces of the Calamity. In front of it were what appeared to be its blood and flesh.

Based on the situation, they concluded that the suspicious masked man had defeated the Calamity. The surrounding area was investigated to confirm the Calamity’s absence, and this morning, the announcement was made that the threat was gone.

Oh, and when the story about the suspicious masked man came up, for some reason, both of your brothers seemed quite shaken. Perhaps they had some idea of who he might be.”

Come to think of it, I did warn the first and second princes while wearing the mask. Well, after displaying such power, it’s safe to assume there’s now less chance of anyone targeting Sara again.