CH 81

Audience with the Lord

***---***

In the audience chamber, a luxuriously decorated chair is placed on the upper level of the stairs of about five steps, which are designed to be a separator from the audience on the lower level.

The knights of Resenburg are lined up in the lower level.

Rondal is in the front, Levic is behind diagonally to the right, and the remaining four are side by side behind them.

"Fortified City Volzard's Lord, Klaus Volzard, entering!"

A soldier standing by the door on the upper right hand side declared, and the knights of Resenburg knelt all at once and lowered their heads.

The first to enter the room was two garrison soldiers with swords, who entered and stood diagonally in front of the chair.

Then Klaus-san entered the room with a stern look and sat down on the chair.

From behind Klaus-san, two more soldiers with swords followed and stood as an escort behind the chair.

"You did well to come all this way, raise your heads."

It was a heavy voice that I couldn't imagine from the usual Klaus-san.

"I think you may have already heard about it, but Volzard has just overcome the danger of a maximum outbreak. Soldiers and people in the city are feeling different from normal times, and although you may have been treated in a way that you cannot stomach, forgive them because it is an emergency."

"Yes!"

Huh? Even though they said they would vent their dissatisfaction to the Lord directly, they can't help but be convinced now that they're up against Klaus-san himself.

"I've heard the reason why you came to Volzard at such a time while braving the danger is to deliver a letter ...?"

"Yes! I'm Rondal Daleman, a member of the Fourth Chivalric Order of the Knights of Resenburg. This is the letter from Camilla Resenburg, the Third Princess of the Kingdom of Resenburg. Please accept it."

Rondal stepped forwards, climbed the stairs, knelt down at Klaus-san's feet, and presented him with a letter on a square silver tray.

The escort soldier received it, checked the envelope, and handed it to Klaus-san.

"Yes, I have definitely received it, the reply ...?"

"Yes! I was told to receive it verbally."

"Okay, wait for a while ..."

Klaus-san opened the seal with a Paper Knife presented by an escort soldier and began reading the letter.

Then, Klaus-san, who started reading the letter, immediately wore a suspicious expression on his face.

"Hmm ... the content is ridiculous. About 150 people with the qualities to be a 'Maou' summoned by an evil magician escaped ..."

Rondal is sweating cold sweat, and staring at Klaus-san.

"In the first place, does summoning magic actually exist? Where did the evil magician learn summoning magic? What are the qualities of a 'Maou'?"

"Hmm ... well, summoning magic is a secret of the Resenburg royal family, but there is a suspicion that someone stole it."

"Well ... then, does the Resenburg royal family admit that the summoning magic that appears in the legend of the Hero and the 'Maou' actually exists?"

"No, no ... it's just asking you to answer in that way, and it's unclear if it really exists."

Rondal is sweating and desperately coming up with a reply.

It seems like I'm looking at myself of when I was practicing negotiations, and I feel a little pity.

"Unknown? You don't know if the magic itself exists, but why can you say that they were summoned?"

"Th, that's because ... th ... they had black hair and black eyes."

"Hmm ... black hair, black eyes, it's certainly something you don't see around here, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist in this world?"

"Th, that may be ... it may be true ... th, there were traces where they were summoned ..."

"Well ... where is that?"

"Yes, it's a wasteland between Lastock and the Devil's Forest, across the river."

"Looking at the traces, who decided that the summoning was done? What made you decide that the summoning was done?"

"Th, that's ... Camilla-sama confirmed the traces ..."

"That means, Camilla-dono had a basis to determine that it was due to summoning ... in other words, the Resenburg royal family acknowledged the existence of summoning?"

"Th, that's ... I haven't asked how Camilla-sama judged it ... so I can't answer."

"Hmm ... well, good ..."

"Yes, I'm sorry ... Fuu ..."

Perhaps he felt he had completed his task, Rondal exhaled a big breath.

Levic and the others who are watching them do not seem to care.

"It seems that there is a summoning magic, but what are the qualities of a 'Maou'? This letter says that you want me to kill them as soon as I find them, but are they so dangerous?"

Klaus-san's words surprised me, who was watching over them in the shadows.

I thought he would be required to return us, but I never thought they would ask Volzard to kill us.

[ What does this mean? Reinhardt. ]

[ Well, I have no idea, but she might have predicted that even if she requested the return as a slave, it would be refused, and then she thought she would try to get rid of you before you became a harmful existence. ]

[ But do you think Volzard will accept it? ]

[ Well, I don't understand. The reason for the disposition is that you have the qualities of a 'Maou' ... It's also puzzling. ]

Rondal answers Klaus-san's question, sweating again.

"Th, they have higher magical powers than the average person ... they are savage people who are a little unethical ... that's right, it seems dangerous to leave them alone."

"Isn't it Resenburg that left them unchecked? Are you telling us to clean up your mess?"

"N, no ... that's not right ..."

"When did this happen?"

"Huh ...?"

"Tell me when they escaped!"

"Y, yes! It's earth day of last week."

After hearing Rondal's reply, Klaus-san made a thoughtful gesture, then nodded vigorously and then opened his mouth.

"Judging by that, they aren't in Volzard. Rather, if they were heading for Volzard, they would be in the belly of the goblins by now."

"Ah ... is that because of the maximum outbreak?"

"That's right, if they were heading for Volzard at that time ... they probably wouldn't have lived. This story isn't unrelated to you, either. Listen carefully."

"Yes!"

Klaus-san turned his gaze to the knights behind Rondal before he started talking.

"The goblins started to show up around the evening on wind day. It started with just one or two goblins appearing from the forest. However, that was just the front of the horde that reached Volzard, and the forest should have already been flooded with goblins."

Klaus-san seems to be manipulating the numbers for his advantage for the first day when the maximum outbreak reached Volzard.

"The next morning, the walls were filled with goblins. I couldn't figure out the exact number, but it wasn't just tens of thousands, there should have been hundreds of thousands to millions of goblins."

"Hey, a million ... how did you subdue that number of goblins?"

"Nothing too difficult. You can wipe them out from the top of the wall. Their purpose is only to fill their belly."

"In other words, cannibalism ...?"

"Yes, that's right. They're nasty, they eat whatever they can eat, even if it's the corpses of their kind. If you aim appropriately from the top of the wall and kill or half-kill them, they will cannibalize and reduce their number."

"I see ..."

"But it wasn't an easy battle. The pressure from the Devil's Forest was so great that the goblins used their fellow corpses as a foothold and rushed to the top of the wall."

When Rondal heard Klaus-san's explanation, he swallowed harshly and seemed to quiver.

"There are walls in Volzard, but is Lastock okay? The riection of the winds will change soon. Furthermore, the amount of water in the river may be decreasing due to the dry season?"

"W, we are preparing, but when I'm told what actually happened, I wonder if it's going to be all right ..."

"Before the outbreak of goblins, there were a large number of orcs and rock ogres. If you don't anticipate a large-scale situation, the damage will be great."

Rondal was breathtaken at Klaus-san's words, and Levic and the others were involuntarily looking at each other.

"I will have the captain of the garrison tell you more about the maximum outbreak after this. Also, I will have them prepare replacement horses for your return. If you are worried about preparation, it would be good if you let them know as soon as possible and get ready."

"Yes! Thank you for your consideration."

"Good, Kartz, give the people of Resenburg the details of the maximum outbreak. And choose good horses and get them ready to leave."

"Yes, I understand."

Klaus-san gave instructions to Kartz-san who was attached to the escort, and left the audience chamber.

After seeing that, Kartz-san called out to the knights of Resenburg.

"Now, let's go, I'll give you a little more information."

"Thank you."

I asked Basten to watch over the knights who were readying for departure, and I went to see Klaus-san who returned to the study.

"Thank you for your hard work, Klaus-san."

"Oh, Kent, well, I can't say I'm exhausted from that degree of an audience, but formal clothes shouldn't be so tight."

Klaus-san took off his jacket with a bitter smile and loosened his tie.

"Will the knights of Resenburg return soon?"

"Maybe they'll head back in a hurry tomorrow morning."

"Is that because Kartz-san will give them a warning?"

"That's right. In fact, that maximum outbreak was beyond my expectations. If Resenburg's preparations were those of the traditional scale, they will definitely be broken and take great damage. Of course, it takes time. If ..."

"They have to hurry back, right?"

Klaus-san nodded confidently and then tightened his expression a little.

"Kent, the messengers can almost certainly be gotten rid of, but the contents of this letter are a little worrisome."

"May I see it?"

I took out the letter from the envelope that was presented to me and read it.

The contents of the letter began with Camilla's greeting, stating that antisocial forces, not slaves, had fled, and the request to Volzard was to kill them as soon as they were found.

And what was worrisome was that those who fled, that is, me and my classmates, were supposed to have the qualities of a 'Maou'.

"What do you think, Kent?"

"Hmm ... to be honest, I'm not sure. Does the 'Maou' exist in the first place?"

"If it's the 'Maou' ... Isn't there one in front of me ..."

"Guha ... I don't mean that ..."

"I know. 'Maou' ... It is said to have existed long ago."

"Eh ... did it really exist?"

"Ah ... but it's not the king of demons, it's like the masterpiece of a criminal organization that manipulates powerful magic."(TN:Refresher, 'Maou' = Demon King)

It seems that there is a fairy tale in this world where a hero summoned from another world subdues the 'Maou', but this story is based on the historical facts of what actually happened.

The boss of a group that devastated the world with powerful magic is the 'Maou'.

The ally of justice who subdued the 'Maou' is the model of the Hero.

"It's a story that doesn't even tell the exact age, so I don't know how far it's true or where it's a fairy tale, but it's certain that there was a villainous criminal called the 'Maou'."

"Everyone in this world, whether they know the fairy tale of the 'Maou' is based on historical facts ... Do you know?"

"Yeah, although they know, it's an old story, so the boundaries are pretty vague."

It seems that there is a considerable difference in recognition between those who strongly believe they exist, and those who do not believe and think they're just fairy tales, things like the 'Maou', Heroes, and summoning techniques.

"But for that vague reason, does Camilla really think that Volzard consents to murder?"

"The story of the 'Maou' and the Hero, it is said that the royal family has a book that describes the exact history."

"Does that mean what Resenburg says is true?"

"Whether it is true or not, it makes me feel that it may be true, and I think it is a request that takes that into consideration."

"If it's the story of the Resenburg royal family, who is said to know the correct history, you might think it might be true ... does that mean you think it might be true?"

"I don't know! But, well, that's how it is, but if you ask me if I will decide to kill immediately after seeing this, the answer is no."

So to speak, is it a diversion by Camilla?

"For Camilla Resenburg, it's obvious that the request to return the slaves will be rejected. But since she doesn't want those who escaped to join hands with me ... She tries to stress how having the qualities of a 'Maou' would be distressing."

Perhaps Camilla is a bit Chuunibyou ... I thought, but I didn't say it.

"But even in fairy tales, it's the hero who is summoned, not the 'Maou', right?"

"Oh, that's true, it would be a problem if the 'Maou' was summoned."

"That's right ... When it comes to that, it's becoming more and more ridiculous of a reason ..."

"Well, such a thing, can be checked during negotiations with Camilla."

He can deal with the messenger of Resenburg, but we have to negotiate with Camilla on our own.

"From the contents of this letter, can we think that we, who are free, are in Camilla's way?"

"Well, that's right. If she thinks it necessary, she'll ask for your return, but once you're released from the slave bracelets, she'll find it difficult to control."

"If so, if we say that we won't harm Resenburg and will just quietly return to our original world, it's possible that we'll be repatriated, right?"

"Normally that would be so ... but from your story, she's not a straightforward person, is she?"

"Yes, I feel like we should be prepared for her usual behavior."

"If so, make sure you have a good enough plan before you start negotiations. You should wait so that you won't show any weaknesses over there. To break that wall, you shouldn't miss a small gap. You need to be prepared to keep your claims. If you're like that messenger of Resenburg today, you will have already dropped the ball."

"That's certainly true ..."

Rondal, who was facing Klaus-san, was a little pitiful even from a hostile standpoint.

Well, I'm not proud of it, but if I negotiate with Camilla, I'm confident that I'll expose a worse ugliness than that.

"Kent, you can keep that letter. Show it to Shuuji and Ritsuko."

"Yes, thank you."

I thanked Klaus-san and decided to report to Oda-sensei after seeing the state of the messengers of Resenburg.

In the remote drawing room where the knights of Resenburg are staying, Kartz-san was explaining the process of the maximum outbreak while showing sketches and the like.

That being said, much of the explanation is a myth.

He can't reveal the existence of myself or my genus to Resenburg.

"A high-ranking goblin species, a coordinated movement ... it's awkward."

"In Volzard, they just aimed at places where corpses piled up and the height of the walls was jeopardized. In Lastock, they will probably aim at places where the corpses make the river shallower."

Listening to Kartz-san, the complexions of the knights of Resenburg darkened.

"Damn, if they can cross the river, Lastock is flat and has no walls. We have to be ready for a siege."

"Can we secure preserved foods for all residents?"

"Water, food is important, but first it's water. We'll need to order and distribute camp paper."

"If we don't return to Lastock as soon as possible and start taking measures, we may not be in time."

"Kartz-dono, umm ... horse arrangements ..."

Kartz-san nodded confidently to Rondal, who asked with anxiety.

"I have already ordered my subordinates to prepare twelve good horses."

"No, we have just six people ..."

"You can choose six horses from them, or you can bring them as spare horses. It is a heavy burden to run while carrying people as opposed to being riderless. There will definitely be monster attacks, and the horses may be injured. By all means, please head for Lastock while being at ease."

"Umm ... how can I thank you for this ..."

"We are knights, whether Volzard or Lastock, our job is to protect the people, even though we live in different places. Please protect the inhabitants of Lastock."

"I'm indebted! I'll definitely report your kindness to Camilla-sama and visit again to thank you."

"Then, it's necessary for you to have a meeting to make preparatory arrangements, so I'll take my leave here. Also, when you leave, it will be the same as when you came. We will drive you to the gate. Horses will be ready for you at the station near the gate."

Kartz-san shook hands firmly with each of the knights of Resenburg and left the room.

After seeing him off, Gert was the first to open his mouth.

"Rondal, let's leave tomorrow morning. If we don't hurry, we can't take measures in time."

"I'm going to do that even without being told. Is it permissible if I can't protect Lastock with the cooperation of Volzard so far?"

Everyone nodded strongly at Rondal's words.

"Now, we can't waste time. Let's put together a draft of the measures here so that we can take immediate action as soon as we return to Lastock."

At the words from Levic, the knights of Resenburg began to put together a plan for the maximal outbreak.

[ Basten, can I ask you to keep an eye on them? ]

[ Of course, Kent-sama. ]

[ Okay, then I'm going to report and consult with Oda-sensei in the garrison's dormitory. Let me know if anything happens. ]

[ I got it. ]

The contents of the letter were revealed, and a little bit of Camilla's speculation was revealed.

The challenge for the future is how to utilize this in the negotations.

Anyway, let's head to the temporary dormitory of the garrison.