119 The next move is...

"As of today, I am relieved of my duties as Lord Ratzel's bodyguard.

He and Ilias were summoned to Marito, where they got down to business, and Ilias' escort duties came to an end immediately.

The Iliad is ...... frozen in place.

I'm sure you've heard of it.

And then he turns around and opens his mouth with a straight face.

"I need an explanation.

"Tell that to Marito. That's your boss I'm talking to.

I need an explanation.

He is trying to be rather calm, but apparently he is full of it.

Marito winked at me as if to ask me to explain, so I did.

I don't think there's any explanation. I've joined forces with the Demon Lord, who has declared that he will not harm humans, to form the third camp. I don't think there's anything to explain. It's strange that Taze would be guarding an important person in the third camp, isn't it?

That's ...... true. But I'm supposed to be protecting you.

But if I quit being a knight of the TARDIS, then what's the point?

The reason why Ilias wants to protect me is because he wants to live as an honorable knight.

I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do it.

"......

I'm not sure what to say. I'm sure you'll find a lot of people who are interested in this topic.

Is that so?

Isn't that right?

Thanks for the explanation. I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do this, but I'm sure I'll be able to do it.

"......

Don't look at me like that, my friend, you're smirking.

"Oh, come on, don't tell on me. Of course, Marith doesn't want to do anything to lower the morale of the Iliad. He doesn't see Ilias as the main force behind the TARDIS, so there's no need for him to stick to it.

That's what's bugging me. ......

I'm sure that the Tarzan Order is not an organization that is concerned with individual performance. You can't go anywhere else, of course, but if you stick to guarding your friends, I won't complain. So I'm going to give you a new mission.

A new mission: ......?

"Yes, Lord Ratzel will be working for a key figure in the faction that calls itself the Third Camp. Needless to say, it's a friend. And his official role is that of auditor.

"Auditor: ......

"Yes, Tarz can't afford to underestimate the third camp, which has two Demon Lords in its midst. In the event you're not sure what you're looking for, there are a few things you can do.

It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

I'm not sure what to do, but I'm not sure what to do.

"And if we accept an auditor from the Medis in the same way, they'll still be wary, but they won't have the impression that we're a dangerous organization that needs to be dealt with immediately.

"In that case, the auditor from Mejis would be Lakra, though. In that case, the auditor from Mejis will be Lakra, but Taze will also appoint Sir Ratzel as the resident auditor, and there are also plans to assign several knights as auditors.

"...... I see.

Ilias nodded with a straight face, but this face was a sign that he didn't really understand.

It's like an excuse for Ilias, Mikus and Lakra to be around us. Don't worry about it, it's business as usual.

"Oh, it's just an excuse. Why do you have to go through all that trouble?

Yes, because there are people out there who will take advantage of you if you don't explain to them that you're keeping a clear face.

For now, the TARDIS will send Lord Ratzel and the rest will send Mikus. I'll get the paperwork ready later.

Oh, I'm going to go talk to Pope Eupharo later.

Are you sure you're okay without me?

No problem. I'm good at this kind of negotiation.

He then left Marith and met up with Ecdysius.

Ilias took care of his report to Raggedy-doo and we parted ways.

Then we headed for the Dog Bone.

There I had a dinner with Pope Eupharo and Archbishop Uca.

Normally, I would not recommend this lively tavern-cum-diner, but according to the information I gathered, Pope Eupharo liked the food here very much.

He liked it because the ingredients were simple and the taste was very good, although they used salt, a luxury item.

Godz and Sila had told me that he had been visiting this restaurant whenever he could during his stay in Taiz.

I see, I thought the food here was different, but I guess you were involved. The diet of the planet Juglar is quite interesting.

The Pope likes to keep things simple, and salt is a luxury item in this world, so I was a little concerned about that.

I was a little concerned about that because salt is a luxury item in this world. There's no sin in being delicious.

That might be a good idea. One moment, please.

Then I went to Godz and asked him to serve me the prototype he had been secretly making.

Then I put it on the table with Pope Eupharo.

"These are ...... vegetables, right?

Yes, it's a standard dish in my country.

It just looks like a vegetable cut into rounds. ...... It's also a little wilted.

Well, well, well, Archbishop Ucka, take a bite and be fooled.

Pope Eupalo took a mouthful of it with a curious look on his face, and Archbishop Ucka took a mouthful with a dubious look on his face.

However, when he took it in his mouth, he nodded his head at the pleasantly salty taste of the vegetables and the crunchy texture.

This is vegetables marinated in salt, but not only that.

"There's a little vinegar in it.

Yes, it is a pickle.

If possible, I would like to use the vinegar that is popular in Japan, but unfortunately there is none, so I use balsamic vinegar, which is made in the same process as wine production.

If I had kombu (seaweed), I could offer asazuke and nukazuke.

It's like an unadorned dish ......, yet the taste is profound. ......

I'll give you the recipe. I'll give you the recipe so you can try it yourself if you like.

I'll give you the recipe and you can pickle them yourself if you like." "Oh, so it's easy to make ...... and eat the vegetables that you ripened with your own hands in secret.

I'm sure you'll be very happy with the results.

If I could make miso, I'm sure I'd be hooked.

Perhaps it's not a bad idea to study it as a diplomatic measure.

After enjoying the meal, I tell Taze that I have decided to accept the position of auditor.

"Well, that means we can send someone from the Mejis side. I'll take care of Lakra, but being able to send someone else will be effective in persuading the others.

The calmer the better, I think.

"Archbishop Serraes didn't seem to like it. I could see that you were looking away from him the whole time.

It's nice to be stared at like that. ......

What's a guy who claims to be in the third camp doing being scared? You talk to me, the man on top of you, without a care in the world.

I'm not frightened. I'm not frightened. I'm just reacting to the ...... hostility.

"Well, you are a mirror image, aren't you?

It's a habit of mine to instinctively turn on Archbishop Serraes when he's being hostile, but I can't show my hostility in a situation like this.

I had no other choice but to avert my gaze.

"Yugraism will be shaken for the time being. My intention is to proceed peacefully, but... We must be on our guard, even when it comes to our own people.

The scale of the numbers is different.

Archbishop Serraes is probably the most dangerous person on the human side at the moment.

Even though the Pope Eupharo is waiting above him, his personal power is also immense.

There is a good chance that he will create a new faction within the shaking Yugra Sect and make a move in the dark.

"I will not do anything to harm you in the open. I won't do anything to harm you in the open. It's not good for the world to create unintentional conflicts. Of course, you have your own concerns.

That's reassuring.

Kim and Murasaki are my friends, but I don't have complete control over them.

You can't accidentally die.

It is impossible for her to die accidentally. I don't want to die by accident, but...

So, do you have any idea what the Demon Lord is doing?

I'm not sure what to make of it. I'm sure he's gotten the Scarlet Witch King involved. I'm sure there will be a move in the not too distant future.

I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm sure it's a good idea. So what's your opinion?

When the Scarlet Witch King moves, the other Witch Kings will move too, probably the Blue Witch King in Kuama.

I've already sent a messenger to Quama, ......, but there's no response pending. The Quama branch is under the jurisdiction of Archbishop Serraes, who should be able to vouch for its authenticity.

I'd like to visit Quama once, but hearing such a story makes me feel a little uneasy.

If you want to go there, you should probably plan a day trip, since there is an Exdoik Taxi.

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I'm not expecting much in the way of that. I'm sure you'll be able to find something that works for you. By the way, Ecdysium. You say you're Lakra's brother.

What does it matter?

This is the first time he's opened his mouth at this dinner. He's been eating quietly, but he reacts a little when Rakhla is mentioned.

I wonder if this information came through Maja.

No, I just thought it would be a strange fate. I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that the demon that Lakra defeated when he made his most notable achievement was a great demon, one that had kidnapped his own brother and taught him demonic techniques.

It's a rare thing, if you ask me. It's a small thing compared to the fact that the inhabitants of the same other world as the brave man appeared for the first time in hundreds of years.

I'm sure that's true, but in terms of the cases that have happened, I'd say that Exdoik is more rare.

"Ucka, how do you see yourself as Rakhula's teacher?

"It's true I taught him some tricks, but he was a genius. There's not much I could teach him.

Lakra's reputation was low in Yugoslavia. Did Archbishop Ucka still think highly of him?

"Of course not, his work as a priest has been disappointing, but as the one who taught him how to fight, he must have been aware of his talent. I am only sorry that I could have eased your suffering if I had been a little more supportive of Lakra.

The great demon Beguragud, who had been defeated by Lakra, had been known to the humans, but the fact that he had been defeated had only recently been discovered.

The person who defeated him did not realize that he was a great demon.

Ecdysius, who was raised by Beguragud, was shocked at the low regard in which Lakra was held.

He could not understand how he felt when he found out that the person who defeated his father, whom he thought was great, was a disappointment.

Don't worry about it. Don't worry about it. It's not only a bad thing if you think I was inspired because Lakra wasn't appreciated.

I've heard a lot about your abilities. I've heard a lot about your abilities, and it seems that you and your sister have a great talent for manipulating magic, without saying a word about each other.

I don't want you to think I'm just a talent, but I've been working hard. I don't want you to dismiss me as a talent.

"I apologize if I offended you. I apologize if I offended you, but when it comes to combat skills, Lakra has put in an extraordinary amount of effort. No, I couldn't find anything else to do with it.

Lakra is fatally bad at handling multiple actions.

That's why he was never entrusted with important work because he could not perform well in daily labor involving multiple processes.

That's why he immersed himself in combat training, which he could devote himself to quietly and alone.

It goes without saying that if a talented person concentrates on one thing, he will grow.

Even Ilias had said that he was not as good as Lakra when it came to combat sense.

He said that he hated physical training, and that his physical specs were far different from Ilias'.

That's right. Lakra's magic building speed is so fast that it's scary. I'd say that's a new level.

If you can understand that, then you're more than capable.

What exactly is the training you taught Lakra?

Oh, you're interested?　It's all right, it's a little hard to drink, but sometimes dry food is good for you.

Exequip and Archbishop Ucka began to talk about Lakra's training without us.

I felt a little sad, but Pope Eupharo asked me a lot of questions about pickles, so I didn't get bored.

I wonder what Lakra is doing at the moment, is he goofing off with a few drinks at home?

Or is it ......, I don't know.

I'm not sure.

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The demons that appear in the Quama demon world have no ego.

They have no wisdom, and they invade quietly in the direction of the living.

That is why this barrier is so effective.

Bow shots, stone throws, and magical attacks can all be done unilaterally from the top of the wall.

Demons try to climb the barrier, but the resident Quama army safely disposes of them each time.

The soldiers do not feel threatened by this simple task, which they have been doing since they were born, and are chatting with their comrades as they dispose of the demons.

"Well, we've got this side of the border all taken care of.

"I heard that the people to the north have already started drinking.

The number of demons has been decreasing lately, and since they can't have children, it's probably time for them to hit the bottom.

What, you don't know that demons are born by themselves?

I do know that, but with the numbers decreasing like this, I'm wondering if there's a reason for it.

It is a fact that the number of demons flowing into the barrier has been decreasing for more than ten years, and this is well known to the soldiers belonging to the Quama army.

The number of demons flowing into the barrier has been decreasing for more than a decade now.

As one of the soldiers begins to clean up, he suddenly turns his gaze toward the Quama demon world.

He could see plants and trees in the Quama land right behind him, but he could not see a single plant or tree in the Quama world beyond the barrier.

It's just a dead land, a world worthy of the undead.

If Quama could just do a little more work to clean up the demon world, they'd have plenty of land.

We can't move this wall. If we can't secure more safety, the people who work in the fields won't like it either.

Quama's wall has kept out demons from the demon world for years.

That's why no one has wavered in their faith in this wall.

The only people who go there are adventurers who hunt for rare materials obtained from demons.

There are some curious people out there, I thought, and then I felt something strange in my vision.

What the hell is ...... that?

The Quama Realm was familiar to me, but a strange thick line filled the horizon.

The soldier, who had some knowledge of magic, used a teleportation spell.

This spell is perfect for seeing things in the distance, though it makes short distances completely invisible, and there is a rather severe penalty for using it for peeping.

You will be able to see farther and stare at the strange lines you find.

...... Are you kidding me?

"What's wrong with you?

You see that ...... line just beyond the horizon of the Quama Realm?

Hmm?　...... Oh, yeah, I see it.

Look at it with your teleportation magic.

What the hell ...... is that?

The two soldiers saw it.

The line that fills the horizon is actually the countless undead that fill the horizon and advance towards the barrier.