75 - CHAPTER XVIII "At a Meeting with the Queen"

"It has been a long time, Her Majesty Queen Leifa Lim-Lattwood."

The meeting began with these words.

The place was the parlor of a small castle located in the center of the capital of Rattestwood. Helian from Archimyra had come to visit the castle to celebrate the victory in the war.

In front of him is Leifa, dressed in white and green, with several members of her entourage behind her. Behind her, a servant of the First Corps was standing quietly. The number of participants was minimal, as they were busy with postwar processing and could not afford to hold a fancy meeting.

"First of all, I would like to congratulate you on your victory. We have already heard of the successes of your warriors. I cannot help but admire their achievements after only a month or so of training.

Thank you for your kind words. I am sure all of the warriors will be pleased to receive such compliments from none other than Herian.

Leifa bowed her head and thanked him calmly.

They exchanged compliments and replies in a formal manner for a while, and then the topic of conversation turned to more substantive matters. It is a roundabout exchange, but necessary in this situation where both sides are being watched by their followers.

"I heard through the grapevine that Helian-sama was not feeling well ....... How are you feeling?"

"I got into a little trouble on the road, but as you can see, I'm in good hands. I'm in perfect health.

However, at this very moment," he added.

In fact, I was dying from this one incident.

But it was not because I was involved in a battle or anything like that. He was secretly standing by with a force of rear-echelon troops in case of emergency, but in the end, the battle ended without any chance to go out to battle. Therefore, it was the night before the war started that Helian thought he was going to die, when he invoked the secret technique in the large box.

That day, Helian activated the secret "Awaken the Legacy of Dyne (Dyne's Slave)" over Levee's objection. She revealed the last part of Fafnir, the magic sword, but before she could see the result, she fainted.

I heard later that Levee, who was accompanying him, was pale at this point. As soon as she caught Helian's collapsed body, she used her authority as the commander of the army to take control of the personnel on the scene and transported him urgently to the bedroom in the royal castle. The next morning, after a brief medical checkup, she finally regained consciousness and arrived at the scene just before the war broke out.

(It's a pity that he almost died even though he didn't fight. ......)

To be honest, I had a sense of danger to the extent that "it might be bad. Since I had not fully recovered from the debilitating state caused by the continuous activation of the secret, I was prepared for a stronger feedback than usual. However, it is also true that I did not expect that I would lose consciousness after only one activation of the secret.

Since there was no way to verify this, I had made a prediction based on my knowledge of Tactics Chronicle, but it seems that my body was weaker than I had imagined.

However, if it is asked whether the activation of the secret was a rash act or not, it is a negative answer. This is because I had promised Leifa in advance that I would do so. When supernatural forces, which should not be used in war, were deployed, Alkimaira would take care of it, because they had made a definite promise. That is why there was no choice but not to use the secret of the war in that situation.

I always keep my promises.

If you cannot even do that, who will recognize you as a king?

"How are you feeling better than I am?　I hear that not only did you take the lead in this battle, but you also played a key role in the great magic ......."

"Thank you for your concern. But I am in good health.

Leifa smiles and replies.

Considering her stout character, it is difficult to take her words at face value. I don't know how much of a burden the group chanting would be, but even without that, she was in command of the front line. Considering the fact that she was busy with her work as the queen until the beginning of the war, I think that she is not in perfect physical condition now.

However, it would be meaningless to pursue the matter in this situation with the eyes of others. I will try to avoid unnecessary talk and move on to practical matters.

"Well, now. Regarding the various results obtained from this case, ...... we are aware that things are generally progressing as expected. Are there any particular problems on your side that need to be mentioned?

Nothing in particular. The capital city escaped unscathed, and the cleanup is proceeding without a hitch.

I'm glad to hear that. We have also received reports that the adventurers staying in the settlement have been dealt with without problems. This is one of the results of your warrior force.

The Noblewood, a powerful Elven nation, was destroyed. And the demise of Noblewood involved the weak nation of Llatestwood. It would not be surprising if one or two people, even ordinary people who have no interest in the affairs of the Great Sea of Trees, would have doubts. At the very least, it must have lacked persuasive power if the RATESTWOOD side remained weak.

However, the LATESTWOOD warriors have gained some strength. They had acquired weapons made of Abyssal Forest material through a who came from nowhere, and had created an elite force, albeit small in number.

In fact, it is due to their own abilities, but as I confirmed with the adventurers of the border city, <> is an easy-to-understand explanatory material. It is extremely difficult to make people believe that white is black, but the difficulty level is much lower if we can make them recognize gray as white. There is no doubt that the work of Camilla and her team has been made easier by the fact that the Warriors have shown themselves to be powerful.

Besides...

"No one loses out on this one. Not only the adventurers who originally came to the Abyssal Forest, but also the merchants with a sharp nose will be interested in LATESTWOOD. The fact that the Noblewood is a radical elf-supremacist will work in the right direction for once, I suppose.

The Abyssal Forest is a very attractive resource area, if we disregard the danger level.

With the disappearance of the Noble Elf extremists from the Sea of Trees, the fact that there are skilled craftsmen in the Abyssal Wood who can work with Abyssal materials is a welcome development for adventurers, especially Seekers, and for the surrounding nations.

And as the term "confirmation bias" in social psychology suggests, human beings are inclined to believe information if it is favorable to them. If there is no benefit in doubting, and if there is a benefit in believing, then there is no desire to doubt in the first place.

Moreover, in this case, the Sixth Army led by Camilla, which specializes in information warfare, has been mobilized. There is no way that they would make a mistake on a stage where the groundwork has been laid so well. Of course, it would take a long way for LATESTWOOD to be accepted by the international community, but this was a good start.

Anyway,

"I am sure that in a short while there will be an increase in the number of people coming and going. With that, I'm sure that Latticewood will be forced to make changes as well. ......"

"I am prepared for that. Eliminating the threat of Noblewood has always been an unavoidable problem for our country. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your help.

"...... We have provided our forces only for the countermeasure of fairy dragons. There is no doubt that your country has won this victory by its own strength. I see no reason to accept your thanks."

Alkimaira is trying to use the Ratestwood as a cover. Considering this, this battle was fought for Alkimaira's convenience, and they would not be in a position to receive pure gratitude by mistake.

Unable to bear the straight emotions directed at her by Leifa, Helian turns her gaze away from the green eyes.

However, when she returns her gaze, she finds that Leifa, who is sitting opposite her, has a troubled smile on her face for some reason. A wry smile, perhaps? It was a somewhat mysterious expression.

After a coughing sound, he continued his words.

"By the way. By the way, I have received various reports from the people I have dispatched to your country, apart from this case. I would like to have a frank exchange of views on this matter. ...... would you mind?"

He glanced at the servants standing behind Leifa.

Then Leifua gave an affirmation and whispered instructions to his attendants. Helian also shakes his right hand lightly, as if to remove it, and sends an "order" to the guards behind him through the "compressed key" (macro) linked to that action.

The followers on Alkimaira's side immediately took action, and the followers on Rattestwood's side also left with a slight hesitation. After the exorcism was completed, only two people were left in the room: Leifa and Helian.

"Thank you for your concern. --Now then, let's get down to business.

After a pause, I felt Leifer's back tense up.

"The topic of discussion is nothing else. We are going to discuss the problems that we have discovered in our activities so far concerning the exchange between our countries and yours. It is a rare opportunity for me to have a face-to-face discussion with Mr. Leifer, so I have taken the time to meet with him."

When told of the problem, Leifer's eyebrows twitched. She must have been thinking in her brilliant mind.

Helian wet his lips with the tip of his tongue before continuing.

"For my part, I am eager to continue our friendly relations with your country. And as we look to the future, I believe that we cannot avoid the problem that has been brought to light once again: ...... the great discrepancy between the common sense of our country and that of your country and, by extension, of mankind."

At present, there are no reports of any major problems.

However, this is only a facade of calm due to the careful selection of personnel in contact with LATESTWOOD. Had they not been given several strict orders not to use violence, even if the other party is at fault, they would have caused some friction.

First of all, I can say with certainty that this is so because--

"As you know, all of our people are demons. And because of their nature, when there is a conflict of opinions or minor friction, they tend to want to talk to each other in as a means of resolution."

"Physical language is ...... so-called, that ......"

"Without any embellishment, I would say that fistfights and by extension combat ...... are . However, if this explanation is to be taken literally, it is a misnomer. For lack of a better word, we can only describe it as a physical language.

And this term "body language" is a prime example of the difference in culture and common sense between the two countries.

For Alkimaira, this single word is sufficient for mutual understanding. This is because physical language is recognized as a method of dialogue, not violence, and the inhabitants take it for granted.

Since it is common knowledge, they do not even question whether or not it is the right thing to do, and it is recognized as a < that should be shared by everyone.

On the other hand, for RATESTWOOD, this is nothing more than . For them, to use force when there is a conflict of opinions is a criminal act such as threats, intimidation, or assault.

There may be a culture of dueling, but it is a last resort to be adopted when even discussion or mediation by a third party cannot solve the problem, and it should never be the first choice of action.

"Of course, we do not intend to impose our culture and common sense unilaterally. In the first place, this culture of , if applied to your country, could be just an armed invasion.

"I am afraid you are right. If my people are challenged by your people to a contest of strength, I am afraid there will only be a disastrous result.

"I completely agree. No one, including the parties concerned, will benefit and the result will be unfortunate for both parties. This is why we need to be very careful in our interactions with each other. ......I am sorry to disgrace my people, but many of our people, the demons of Alkimaira, are not familiar with the subtleties of the situation."

To tell the truth, there are too many brainwashed people who think that if things get too much trouble, they can just go in for a fistfight. Even Rieve was talking with his fists against the 8th Legion's dragon species, so there's no need to talk about low-ranking demons.

"However, the current situation is not an environment in which the people of your country can express their honest opinions. I am sure that there have been differences of opinion and clashes of cultures in the exchanges with the delegation, but all of them have been settled in the form of concessions made by your people. This may be understandable considering the history of our relationship, but it is not a healthy relationship.

"I have heard about that, too. However, in light of the many kindnesses you have given us for reconstruction assistance and medical activities, I think it is only natural that we should step aside in the slightest ......."

"Up until now, that might have been fine. But with this one incident, your country has shown its strength. You have shown that you want to be a good neighbor, not a slave. Then our future relations with you should also be in accordance with that. --So..."

After a pause, Leifer's eyes sharpened.

So far, this is just a preface. He understood correctly that this was the core of what he was going to say, without any preliminaries.

Helian, his stomach tightening so as not to be overpowered, opens his mouth.

"I would like to set up a contact point to receive petitions, complaints ...... and frank opinions about our country, which I have not been able to say so far and should say from now on."

"...... window."

"Yes. We would like to assign a person in charge of the project to listen to your opinions and deliver them through that person. And all the opinions that reach him will be sent to ......, and in all of them, even if they criticize, insult, or deny our country's ideals or my own, I will not blame them. I also promise that I will not harbor any harmful or malicious feelings toward your country or the opinions of those who express them. --In the name of Helian-Eddah-Elsinok."

"--......, no, wait a minute, Master Helian. I, we at LATESTWOOD, have nothing to include either you or your country. We would never ...... begrudge you a favor like this!"

He holds out his hand to Leifa, who is about to rush to argue with him, to stop her.

......It may be bad manners for heads of state to meet with each other, but I couldn't help but raise my hand in response to Leifa's desperate expression.

I made a mental note to research and learn more about this kind of civility in this world later, and took a breath to slow down Leifa's momentum before opening my mouth.

"No, it is not. It is not like that, Mr. Leifer.

He observes Leifer's expression and decides that it will take a little more time for him to calm down. He shakes his head gently to buy some time.

After taking two more breaths and seeing that a kind of calmness has returned to her eyes, Hélien starts to speak again.

"I'm sorry to say this, Leifa, but I'm really in trouble. Therefore, this is not a proposal but ...... more like a request.

"...... sorry. I do not understand your intentions, Mr. Helian. What do you mean when you say that our statement is your country's request?"

Her confusion is understandable. She is being asked to raise a request to do this and that.

Of course, if you are willing to protect them unilaterally, that is a different story. Like a parent who tolerates his child's selfishness and buys him all kinds of things, such a request may be possible if Alkimaira is so pleased with Ratestwood.

But Helian has just a few moments ago expressed his desire to be a good neighbor. That is not the same thing. It is as if there is no consistency. The relationship between protector and protected is far from being a good neighbor. This is probably where Leiffer's confusion stems from.

"Hmmm......... I may have rushed things a bit. But you know what, Leifa? There is no implication in my previous words. I sincerely hope that your country will send its opinion to us. The reason for this is the divergence of common sense that I have just mentioned, and the long-range discussion that we have to have in anticipation of future exchanges among nations."

I am aware that I am daring to speak in a complicated manner.

I, too, wonder why politicians I see on TV use such roundabout and euphemistic phrases. And I have always wondered why they take so long to express their final requests and opinions. But now that I am in this position, I think I understand a part of it, if only a little.

It is a milestone, and it fills the outer moat.

They are doing everything possible to pass the final request or opinion that can be said in just a few seconds.

It is similar to a battle of chess or chess game. They are trying to break the enemy's position slowly and steadily, conquer the enemy's position with their own pieces, and try to win the real prize (king). They, and now I, are desperately trying to win by manipulating words, not pieces.

"As I have said before, the common sense of us Alkimaira is different from that of mankind. Fortunately, your country has shown consideration for ours, and we have been able to maintain good relations with you so far.

But," Helian punctuated his statement with a single denial,

"The other powers with which Alkimaira will come into contact will not be as friendly as your country from the start. Even if they were neutral, not even hostile, there would still be problems. --The current state of Alkymyra, which somehow manages to maintain friendly relations by asking the other side to take them into consideration," he said.

Leifa's expression changed.

There is a glint of understanding in her green-green eyes.

"...... that's what I'm talking about. That's why our country wants to learn how to deal with them now and in the future. From the point of view of national strategy, our country, which has no choice but to operate without national presence, would like to educate its people through the one and only friendly country, LATESTWOOD. Please understand that this request is not a proposal, but a request."

He spouts off the lines he had prepared in advance.

There is still some distance left to go before we reach the main goal, but we must break through first. For the time being, the process up to this point has gone as expected. Although there were some differences, I can say that it was within the range that I could clear by my ability to improvise.

However, I do not know where to go from here. If I can get through this point, I will be able to see the goal, but I am not sure how far my words have reached.

"----"

Leifer was in a contemplative posture for a while, but we were like defendants waiting for the verdict. I feel like I have thought about the same thing before. And I felt discouraged at my lack of progress.

I should be used to the pressure by now, but this feeling of being kept waiting seems to be the only thing I still have a hard time with.

"......I would like to reiterate that I am greatly indebted to your country. The people in the delegation are gentlemen, and I consider the problems that have occurred so far to be trivial compared to what you have given me. I swear on the name of the divine tree, it is true.

"I don't doubt your words now. I understand that you are speaking from your heart. But that's not the same thing.

"Yes. Yes, I understand your intentions, Mr. Helian.

For the first time, positive words were spoken. The fact that the words "yes" and "affirmation" came out of her mouth gave me a sense of anticipation.

"Now that we have come to this point, it would be merely complacency for us to continue to refuse your proposal. I do not know how many opinions will be gathered, but I would like to make it known to the people that in case of ...... culture clashes or friction, they should bring their honest opinions to Ogi."

"-- then?"

We appreciate your suggestion. We thank you very much for providing a point of contact for our petition.

For the first time since the negotiations had begun - and it might be too subtle to be called a negotiation - Leifua gave me a soft smile.

Helian, realizing that he had overcome a major hurdle, tried his best to hold back a sigh of relief and nodded his head, meeting her eye to eye.

"It is we who should be thanking you. This is not a proposal, but a request to your country.

"No, no. No. You have given us a point of contact, and we thank you even more for that. ......"

"We should be clear about what we owe and what we owe. I think this is a common understanding, regardless of the world or species. Am I wrong?"

When I asked him about it, Leifa smiled again with a lowered eyebrow.

I am not sure how to take this, but at least he did not deny it explicitly. So I can assume that he has accepted me on this occasion.

"......Now. I have spoken at length, but I promise once again that I do not consider petitions and opinions, no matter how insulting they may be, to be a problem. What we want is true and honest opinions, so we would rather have the harshest possible opinions."

When I mentioned this again, Leifer made an initial move to say something as if she remembered.

However, I could not let her say it. We have already focused the discussion on <. There should be no room for discussion on the point that . This is the premise of the conversation, and we should proceed at once as if we had already reached an agreement.

Helian spins his words one after the other.

"Also, I have taken the liberty of deciding who will be in charge of the contact person. We have considered selecting the contact person after listening to your opinions, but we have decided that we do not have enough mutual understanding to do so. I hope you understand that it is not unreasonable when we do not even fully understand the personalities of each other's executives."

"That is, yes. Of course. ......"

"Thank you. I would also like to provide you with the magical tools to fulfill this condition, so that ."

The topic is forcibly switched to the next topic by covering the words that Leifa tries to argue.

I am aware that I am negotiating a little too aggressively, but I think I am just barely in the safe range. At least a minimum level of civility should be maintained. I believe so.

Besides, the new topic of offering magical tools must be of interest to Leiffer as well. I quickly and suddenly put my hand in my pocket, and I could see her eyes follow my movement.

Seeing that her attention is captured, Helian takes out a silver bracelet and puts it on the table.

"This is our offer, but we would like you to consider it as a prerequisite for the establishment of the window. Naturally, this does not include lending and borrowing.

He tapped the silver bracelet with his fingertips and said, "Kon, Kon.

"This is a magical device that disguises the wearer's true identity. No matter how much we forgive rudeness, it would be harsh to read out criticisms and complaints in front of people from other countries. If you meet the person outside of the window, it may be a problem for your healthy friendship with him or her. This is a necessary measure to prevent this from happening."

"Disguise ...... your true identity, that is,"

"This means that our contact person will not be able to recognize who in Latticewood has come to represent us. You can think of it as being a different person to other people's eyes. There is no limit to the number of times it can be used, so feel free to use it."

Leifua's eyes widened lightly. It was because the words that Helian had spoken seemed to be talking about some kind of hidden treasure. At least, she had never heard of such a magical tool being bought and sold in the market.

And as a matter of fact, even in Alkimaira, it is a magical tool of a higher < than the others. Aside from the usage limit - which I omitted as a transformation ability in my explanation to Leifa - this bracelet is equipped with a recognition blocking technique, and in some cases it can even be used for reconnaissance missions by the Sixth Legion. The reason is that it is a level that can withstand the test of time.

It is not as good as the robe of ashes, which is the equipment only for the king (player), but if we only look at the type of effect it has, it is almost the same as the robe of ashes.

"Hmm. It's about time ......."

He mutters to himself as he looks at the pocket watch he has taken out of his pocket.

He pretends to be checking the time, but it is just a pose. He just cut the card he had prepared as a way to end the conversation.

After apologizing for his rudeness and showing the courtesy to leave the room, Herian solemnly put his hand on the doorknob of the door. Normally, she should have waited for her followers to open the door, but they had already been escorted out. Under the circumstances, it would be safe for him to open the door by himself.

Just before leaving, Helian looks back at Leifer as if he had just remembered. Herian's eyes meet Leifa's green eyes.

"Yes, that's right. I haven't introduced you to the contact person yet. My apologies.

Inhale, catch your breath. Your heart beats a little loudly, but it's tolerable.

Helian swallows his spit so that Leifa does not see it, and finally arrives at the line, albeit in a seemingly roundabout way.

"The name of the person in charge is . I will send you more information as soon as I have it, but you can assume that he is almost human in appearance.

A twitch.

Slightly. Just a little. Leifua's bamboo ears jumped, a small change that she would not have noticed if she had not been watching carefully.

--Grimnir.

<, met at the bar of the beginning.

Helian felt a sense of relief that she remembered his name, and continued.

"He is not a man of exceptional ability, but he is one of the few in our country who possesses values close to those of . According to him, he is already acquainted with people of your country. I have appointed him based on his sensitivity and achievements.

Leifa's expression did not change. She acts as a leader and is flawless in every way. At least, with my own level of insight, I couldn't have guessed what Leifa was thinking.

But when she mentioned the name of Grimnir, I felt a soft light in her eyes. It was too selfish, but I would like to think that it was not my imagination.

"He wanted to be in charge of the LATESTWOOD side, but since our country has decided on its own ......, of course we have no intention of intervening in your country's selection of the person in charge. You may select the person in charge at your discretion."

Let the free will of the Ratestwoods take its course. We respect the will of our allies. --Under the cover of such words, he secretly slipped Grimnir's wishes into the conversation.

All that remains is to hope that will be chosen to be in charge of the Ratestwood side. As long as the identity of Helian (Grimnir) cannot be revealed, this is as close as we can get.

"Yes, sir. I will do my best to select the best person for the job.

He exchanges glances with Leifer, who answers in a calm and collected voice.

Regardless of the success or failure of the outcome, I have now said all the words I had prepared in advance. This is the end of our clever negotiations.

So, in closing, Helian spins a few words of sincerity to her and the others who have made the proud choice not to be merely protected, to be conveyed here and now.

"--This victory was truly magnificent. I salute you, your band of warriors, and the proud people of your country who supported them.

This time I will tell you everything I have to tell you and turn away.

With a quiet step, Helian leaves the place, being seen off by the queen, who is the noblest of all.

+ + +

"-We have been expecting you, Miss Helian."

Levee was waiting for him outside the castle as he left the room and was escorted away by the ladies-in-waiting.

It seems that she has already finished her work at Rattlestwood, and there are people waiting around her to return home.

How did the meeting go?

"We had a fruitful conversation. And that we had a very productive time."

I'm glad to hear that. Now let us return home.

The words are unusually forceful for Levee. However, considering her state of mind, I think it is understandable.

This is the third time she has collapsed in front of Rieve's eyes. The one when she healed the people of Lattestwood, the battle with the blue knight, and yesterday's act at the large box - all of them were necessary procedures, but it was unbearable for her temperament to see her master fall repeatedly in front of her eyes. I guess.

"We heard from the delegation during the meeting. I understand that there is no urgent business in the city at this time. I would like to leave the rest to myself and the local personnel, and I would appreciate it if Mr. Helian could take a rest in his bedroom.

As he is arguing, Levee's face is as clear as usual, but a sense of desperation is evident. He does not want to let Helian work any longer, not even for a second. There was a strong will in the eyes of Rieve, who had given up attending the meeting and was taking care of urgent tasks in the meantime.

If possible, he would have liked to finish the discussion with Robin and Camilla, but ...... with all that he was owed, it would be difficult to jump off this advice.

"......Okay, I'll do as you say. I'm going to rest until my activity time recovers to a certain level."

When I told him this, Rieve looked overtly relieved.

Her facial expression remained as clear as ever, but her ears, tail, and the air she exuded spoke eloquently of her feelings.

Although I don't think there is any need to be so obviously relieved...

(Come to think of it, ......, I'm not sure I've ever dismissed all of these kinds of advances before.)

For her, it may be a situation where her stubborn master finally listens to her. If you think of it that way, Rieve's reaction makes sense.

...... I feel terribly sorry.

(I guess I'll have to rest in the castle for the time being. ......)

It appears that I will have to accept house arrest, at least until I feel better. To be honest, I'm worried that I won't be able to work in the field, but since Rieve is taking such a strong stand, I guess I'll have to give up and try to recuperate.

Besides, it is true that he has been working a lot. The Noblewood project was pushed through because of the deadline, but the parallel project to establish a base in the border city is going well. It is not a bad idea to take a break and not try to rush things.

"...... hmm?"

Just as I was about to move to the location where I had set up the teleportal, someone descended from the sky.

Spreading its black wings, similar to a raven, it swiftly descended.

"Camilla?"

"It seems so. ...... what in the world are you doing here at a time like this?"

The latter part of the speech sounded like a soliloquy, but it came out unintentionally, and it contained a repulsive sound. The anger that seeped out was unintentionally overwhelming. Don't touch it, it's dangerous.

"My Lord. I'm sorry to interrupt over your head..."

"Camilla, Mr. Helian is very tired. I'll take care of the report. Not now."

Camilla came down and was interrupted by Levee, who spoke up.

Camilla, who had been frustrated at the start, looked at Lieve with a miffed expression for a moment, but as soon as she saw Hellián's condition through her eyes, her red eyes showed her understanding. On the other hand, she did not close her mouth.

"If I could, I would, but this is a matter of urgency. I need to confirm this with you right here and now. Do not interfere."

Camilla makes it clear that even if it is the word of the Commander-in-Chief, she will not listen to it.

Camilla's strong stance made Rieve - quite unusually - frown and keep his mouth shut. She then looks at Helian and asks him about the pros and cons.

Naturally, Helian questioned her.

"What happened, Camilla?"

"My Lord. I am very sorry that you are not feeling well. ......"

"It doesn't matter. Were there any lingering problems with Noblewood?　Or is there something fatal wrong with Fafnir?"

When Helian asks her a question with a pale face, Camilla shakes her head. Camilla shakes her head. However, there is a definite tinge of melancholy in her good looks.

"No, it's not like that. It's not like that, but ...... actually, just a few minutes ago, I received a breaking news from the Boundary Cities. ......"

Breaking news?　Helian frowns.

He had left Gardi and Ceres there to set up a base for a full-scale information gathering operation. ...... What could have gone wrong?

The possible reasons are that a troublesome customer came to the store and they failed to deal with him, or that Gardi had a fight with some ruffians in town and caused a commotion, or that Ceres had an explosion in the development of a medicine she was working on.

......Any of these are quite plausible. Aside from the last pattern, there is still an urgent need to educate the public about the common sense of mankind. At the very least, the personnel dispatched to the border cities should complete their education at an early date.

"By the way, I have heard that there is a fortress to the south of the ...... border city to prevent invasion from the demon territory, is that correct?

"......That's abrupt. It is true that they have built several forts as defensive positions in the area - the border region. According to the frontier count, the attack from the demon territory has already subsided.

Camilla's mouth twitched as she answered.

I was surprised that this was the first time I had ever seen such an emotional expression from Camilla. The unladylike expression on her face made me feel a bad premonition.

Is it possible that there has been another attack from the demon realm? If so, it is a very troublesome story. All the hard work we had put in to stabilize the situation at the site would be lost. Additional instructions will be needed from Gardi and Ceres.

While Helian was thinking about this, Camilla, whose expression was clouded, opened her mouth fearfully and said, "According to the reports from the field..."

"It is said that the Gulags have attacked a fort in the Borderland Territory. ...... Is this part of your plan?"

+ + +

The time is September 10, 150th year of the Holy Demon Calendar.

Local time equivalent, December 14, 1997.

In a corner of the Sea of Trees, where peace had returned to the world, a young man's heartrending cry was heard.

- End of Chapter 3