Chapter 83

Proposal to Cooperate

「…So you’re saying to ruin Georgis’s credibility while the guild’s understanding about the inferior job class is still shaken and unstable.」

「Yes. Your efforts will play a part in the plan to bring down Georgis as well. Just leave the politics to us and you keep doing your job as an adventurer.」

「And if you fail… you want us to flee the kingdom?」

「Yes. Unfortunately, this plan has a low success rate. Thirty percent, at best. It might even be better to just go now.」

It looks like he has a good grasp of the current situation. Though I’m pretty sure the success rate is lower than thirty percent. That, and Count Meigis seems to be under a misconception.

「There’s no guarantee that it’s safe outside the kingdom, you know?」

「…Is that so? Currently I haven’t heard of the Garden of Despair being deeply involved in other countries.」

「If the Garden of Despair can seize a whole kingdom, you can bet they can destroy the world easily as well. Fleeing will only delay our demise.」

Count Meigis looked surprised. He knew that they were a dangerous bunch, but he didn’t expect them to have that much power. But if what I know about the Garden of Despair from BBO is right, they’re a lot more dangerous than the Count had imagined. Now he looked baffled.

「H-How do you know them that well?」

「I just heard about them back when I was still undergoing combat training. So far based on what I’ve seen, everything I’ve heard about them was right.」

「I find that hard to believe. But I can’t really say you’re outright wrong either, considering your exploits. Hmm, may I test you?」

「Go ahead.」

He was probably stumped that a fifteen-year-old kid was saying such things. I’m just glad he’s taking me seriously.

「There was once a guild staff who proposed the annihilation of the Garden of Despair. He died of a mysterious illness. Do you know how he died? Incidentally, only a few people know about this.」

I see.

He’s trying to test my knowledge about the Garden of Despair.

「There’s too little to go on. I can think of plenty of causes for his death. Any more info you can give? Like for example, if there was something strange found on his body.」

「A small, red gem was found in his heart. Is that enough?」

I have an idea thanks to BBO. It’s an illness that manifested in an event during the early days of the game.

「Yeah. The body gradually turns gray until they can’t move anymore. Only the eyes turn red. It’s caused by a spell called Magic Petrification.」

Count Meigis gasped. It seems like I got it right.

「You got the symptoms down perfectly. You even know the name of the spell.」

「Now you believe me?」

「I do. But what do you mean they can destroy the world? Is that even possible?」

「Yeah. Let’s take the Demon Poison that they used to make the monsters go on a rampage. If ignored, its area of effect would keep on expanding. The monsters’ habitats would be in chaos and there would be more casualties. If that spell is left alone, it can destroy the world.」

At first, the Demon Poison only makes monsters stronger. That’s why there wasn’t that much of an impact this time. But as time goes by, monsters that are greatly affected will turn violent and wander farther from its usual area which means places that were once safe will become dangerous. The reason why casualties increased near Elias was probably because the symptoms were actually starting.

「I-Is that so? We’ve had plenty of casualties until now.」

「Even then, we were still fortunate. The situation was progressing slowly, and it stops when the Boss is killed. What would’ve been worse is they used a spell in which every human within the barrier is sacrificed, their souls turned to magical energy and detonate them in an instant to cause a magical disaster. You’d need some grand preparations for it so it’s not something that can be done quietly. But if they have control of the kingdom, they’re free to use it as much as they like. As I said, they can destroy the world in an instant.」

「S-Such a spell exists…?」he asked gingerly.

His face said he couldn’t believe it. No, he didn’t want to believe it.

「Unfortunately, it does. I don’t have any reason to lie.」

「Yes, you’re right. Then all the more reason we can’t afford to fail. We have to stop the Garden of Despair at all costs.」he said, with determination on his face.

However, Count Meigis sacrificing himself won’t increase the chances of success. Spirit alone won’t cut it against the Garden of Despair.

「Don’t you think thirty percent is too low when the fate of the world is on the line?」

「B-But we don’t have any other options. If you have ideas, then please tell me.」he said as if asking me for help.

If a famous noble becomes a victim, people will know how dangerous Cardinal Georgis is. Then the rest will be up to the anti-Georgis nobles left in the kingdom. It’s not a bad plan, but not really good either. I have a better idea, though.

「If it’s an idea you want, I have one; a plan to crush the Cardinal directly.」

「We won’t be having trouble if there was such a thing! Cardinal Georgis is working with the Garden of Despair! You know just how powerful he is, don’t you?!」

「I do know. That’s why stirring things up by gathering ordinary nobles won’t work.」

For a moment, I stopped talking. After verifying the strategy once more, I told Count Meigis:

「How about we work together, Count Meigis? We can destroy Count Georgis for certain without you needing to die.」