CH 98

Three loyal retainers of Resenburg

***---***

After I finished recording the message to my Father, I beckoned Takayama to the corner of the dining room.

"What do you want?"

I wonder if he's thinking that I'm going to do something again, and it's really annoying to see his expression like that.

Shall I give up on passing Celia's message?

"It's not something you need to do. Isn't there only one reason for me to summon Takayama?"

"Are you talking about Celia? What's wrong, when can you bring her?"

"Haa ... I just told you, it's not that easy. Do you only have the memory of a chicken?"

"Ugh, I'm sorry ..."

In fact, I was able to contact Celia, but I don't even know where her mother is.

"I met with Celia this morning and talked with her."

"Really? How has she been? Is there something wrong with her ..."

"Wait, wait, I'm going to talk now, so don't panic!"

"Sorry ..."

"So, Takayama, haven't you become an idiot since you came here? Are you okay? Why don't you act as the head of the family?"

"I, I'm sorry ... so, what about Celia?"

It doesn't look like he's reflecting on it at all, but it doesn't seem to be effective even if I tease him, so I'll talk about it.

"Celia-san was imprisoned in a small room in the garrison, and she thought that Takayama was dead."

"Eh ... why ..."

"Because the knights reported to Camilla that all those who went out to fight had died. Don't you think it would be foolish to report that you escaped?"

"No ... then Celia ..."

"I'm looking forward to the day we meet again ... I love you forever ... She said."

Takayama's eyes opened wide, and in the next moment, he burst into tears.

Eeeh ... That Takayama is crying.

Well, I'm not really allowed to say anything about other people, but I was a little surprised and drew back.

"Hou, is that true, is that really true?"

"Is there anything I can gain by telling a lie?"

"Ahhh ... Celia ..."

"For the time being, I was able to obtain Celia-san's consent, but I haven't been able to contact her mother yet. I think Camilla will be able to approve the release of the two, but I don't know what the Queens will say, so I won't allow any prejudice at all ... but anyway, I delivered the message."

"Ah, thank you Kokubu, thank you very much. If possible, send a message from me to Celia ...

"Wouldn't that be after you're ready to welcome her to Volzard?"

"Uh, yeah ... that's right ..."

To be honest, I have no intention of becoming a messenger for Takayama, I have a lot of other things to do.

"It seems that you went to the ramparts construction yesterday, but did you go there today as well?"

"Ah, I'm not very dexterous. I can't think of any other jobs that I can do now."

"Isn't it fine then? Do what you can ... be a role model for everyone else."

"Saying such a thing, on the other hand, isn't it your intention to use me as an example?"

"You understand very well. That being said, even though you were granted amnesty, you still haven't been forgiven by Marcel-san, the shoemaker."

"I know, I'm going to work hard on the rampart construction for a while, just to get his forgiveness."

"Yeah, do it. I'll let you know if there's any progress."

"Please. I'm sorry for asking Kokubu for everything, I'm counting on you."

"I will do my best to release Celia-san as soon as possible."

I heard that Furudate-sensei will keep the video camera and other filming equipment, so I decided to come and pick them up later, and headed to Lastock.

[ This morning, you left the boarding house and went to the guild, then moved to Lastock, then stopped by the Japanese investigation headquarters, the summoning location, watched the sunset in the royal capital Ardaros, returned to Volzard, and moved to Lastock again ... Kent-sama, aren't you overworked? ]

[ That's right ... I thought that a bit too. Well, this is my last job today, so I'll do my best. ]

I'm going to Lastock to question Camilla about the noble's situation, but if I say it's okay to wait until tomorrow, it's fine, but I feel like I'll have more work to do if I put it off, so I'm going to clean up the work that can be done.

Besides, I have something important to do on rest day tomorrow.

At the Lastock garrison, Camilla stayed alone tonight to continue her work.

Well, maybe it's because I instructed her to summarize the correlations of the nobles today, but when I see her working overtime every day by herself, isn't it a poor distribution of work? Such a question arises.

Watching from the shadows, she sometimes finds herself leaning forward while writing documents.

From the looks of it, she seems to be overworked, but her subordinates probably can't even reprimand her.

Like last time, I stepped out of the shadows and sat down on the sofa while Camilla was concentrating on her paperwork.

Incidentally, I summon Mart and the others, and spread them around while enjoying their mofumofu.

In any case, I feel like I've been on the move since morning, and my eyelids grow heavy when I sit down on the comfortable sofa.

I was a little worried about whether the story of the nobles would enter my brain ... Then, when I was worrying, the nice scent of tea drifted in the air.

My eyes met with Camilla's who also noticed the scent and raised her face.

"Maou ... sama, when did you arrive?"

"Hmm ... just a moment ago, also, thank you, Fred ..."

It smelled like tea because it was prepared by Fred who was very helpful.

Fred placed cups in front and across from me and I urged Camilla to take a seat.

Camilla grabbed a stack of papers from her desk drawer and sat down facing me.

"Here's my report, regarding the relationship between the nobles of Resenburg ..."

"Wait, let's drink some tea before it cools down."

Otherwise, I might fall asleep in the middle of the conversation, just like when I was in Japan.

"Maou-sama, you look tired, but ..."

"Haa? Do you know who's to blame for that?"

"I, I'm sorry. Everything is due to my immorality. I'm sorry ..."

"Yeah, noisy! Let me drink tea quietly."

"I, I'm sorry."

The tea leaves that Fred brewed must have been prepared for Camilla.

The taste is different from the tea that Donovan-san brews, but it also has a gorgeous aroma and a refreshing aftertaste, and I feel that the fog in my head is clearing up.

When I was in Japan, the only drinks I thought about were soft drinks, but savoring this kind of properly brewed tea makes me feel like I've grown up.

"By the way, are the measures against the maximum outbreak progressing?"

"Yes, thank you for providing so many materials. Thanks to you, the shortage of materials has been resolved, but the shortage of human resources is a serious situation, and the progress rate is only about 30%."

"Wait, show me your plan."

"But, Maou-sama told me to protect everyone with my own power ..."

"In the evening, I was watching the sunset from the tower of the royal castle, and a strong west wind was blowing."

"The tower of the royal castle, to such a place ... is it true?"

"Isn't the direction of the wind that matters more than the location? If you proceed with the countermeasures at the current pace, will you be able to make it in time?"

"That ... I don't know. However, support has not yet arrived from the royal capital, and human resources are limited ..."

Certainly, in a situation where support from the royal capital cannot be expected, they are doing everything they can.

However, there are still facts that Camilla doesn't know.

"The reason Volzard was able to avoid the goblin maximum outbreak was because of my genus."

"Eh ... wasn't it because of the ramparts?"

"Of course, the ramparts had a great effect, but the corpses of the goblins piled up and they were almost able to overcome the wall. Reinahardt and Basten destroyed the corpses, and that's why Volzard was able to survive the maximum outbreak."

I talked about the behind-the-scenes look at Volzard surviving the maximum outbreak, which was not revealed to the Resenburg messengers, but Camilla had a dubious expression on her face.

"What's wrong? Can't believe it?"

"No, when you say Reinhardt and Basten, do you mean the skeletons that Maou-sama has following him?"

"Yes, but what is it?"

"Could it be the Grand Arm Reinhardt and the Burning Fire Basten, who risked their lives to protect the Wise King Arthur?"

It's true that Reinhardt and Basten were called by those second names, but I remember hearing that they were wandering around because of the chagrin of not being able to protect their master.

When I turned my gaze to Reinhardt, his eyes widened in surprise. It's just bone though ...

"How is it, Reinhardt."

[ Surely, we were serving Arthur-sama, but ... ]

"Didn't you say that you couldn't protect Arthur-sama?"

[ At that time, we were attacked by an ambush force, and these us remained to stop the enemy, and lost our lives. ]

Reinhardt's desire to know the fate of the master he served is strongly conveyed.

"It's true that Reinhardt and the others are the knights called 'Grand Arm', 'Burning Fire', and 'Instant Slash'."

"What, you have all Three Loyal Retainers of Resenburg under your command?"

"Three Loyal Retainers of Resenburg?"

According to Camilla, Arthur Resenburg, who was the First Prince at the time, was able to overcome the danger of absolute death thanks to the efforts of Reinhardt and the others, and was enthroned with the overwhelming support of the people.

It is said that he is revered as the founder of the revitalization of the Kingdom of Resenburg, by spreading the good government and promoting the development of new farmland.

It is said that the work of the three main men, Reinhardt, Basten, and Fred, who protected Arthur, was handed down among the royal family as the Three Loyal Retainers of Resenburg.

[ Arthur-sama ... was that so, our efforts were rewarded? ]

[ Branch leader ... I can't put it into words ... ]

The thoughts of Reinhardt and the others, who continued to wander the Devil's Forest without knowing anything, were certainly rewarded, and it seems that they have become the foundation of Resenburg today.

They're bones now, and there shouldn't be any tears to shed, but there was certainly something shining in their eyes.

Hot thoughts flowed from the two of them, and I couldn't hold back my tears either.

"Good ... Reinhardt, that's really good. Fred, let Basten know too."

[ Understood ... He's coming ... ]

Fred, with bouncy steps, dove into the shadows.

[ At that time, Arthur-sama had just come of age, and was about the same age as Kent-sama now. He was clever, modest, tolerant, thoughtful of his people, and possessed qualities that made you feel that he would become a great ruler in the future. That's why I didn't think it was a bit of a shame to bet my life on him. However, I regret that I had no way of confirming whether Arthur-sama was safe. ]

"Well then, there's nothing left to regret."

[ No, that's not it. These us have a new role to watch over Kent-sama's future. If it's Kent-sama, you should be able to rebuild Resenburg, which is about to collapse. ]

"Hey ... I'm not going to be the King of Resenburg."

[ No, even if you don't take the throne, a new Demon King legend should be born in Resenburg. ]

"It depends more on Reinhardt-tachi's work than on my own work, doesn't it?"

[ Of course, I have no intention of sparing my bones. Let's make Kent-sama's wishes come true. ]

I was a little worried that they would lose their attachment to this world and perhaps ascend, but it seems that my worries were unfounded.

Basten, who received the news from Fred, hurried from the royal capital and exchanged a warm embrace with Reinhardt.

[ Branch leader ... Branch leader ... ]

[ Ah, we did it. These us protected him properly. ]

[ Arthur-sama, you became a splendid King. ]

[ That's right, our eyes weren't wrong. ]

[ Yes, I am overwhelmed with emotion. ]

At first glance, the sight of skeletons embracing each other while clacking their bones is a very surreal sight, but I saw it as a very beautiful sight.

Tears were overflowing again, but Camilla leaked some words that caught my attention.

"Even the Maou sheds tears."

"You know ... If I hadn't been summoned, I would have just been a normal child. In the first place, isn't it the summoner's responsibility for turning the summoned one into a Maou? If you're summoned from a world where magic doesn't exist, suddenly are endowed with great power, and get yelled at by those around you, you're bound to grow."

"That's why, we use the bracelet of slavery ..."

"Are you stupid? I wonder why you can only think in such an extreme way ... we were deceived and treated like slaves, and we were treated horribly ... so I don't feel comfortable cooperating. In fact, I've earned quite a bit of resentment from my classmates."

"That's ... I'm prepared. Everything is for Resenburg ..."

"That's not true. Not only Camilla Resenburg herself, but 200 people also have a terrible grudge against the Kingdom of Resenburg ... No, if you add the people who were victims in our country, Japan, and their bereaved families, you're getting more people's grudges. Is that also for Resenburg's sake?"

"That ... I'm not sure."

Camilla must have had confidence in her plan, and she seemed to have made up her mind in case of an emergency, but from the perspective of those of us who were victims, her thinking was too naive.

"I've always wondered, but the way enemies and allies are treated is too different, isn't it? Then, won't enemies remain enemies no matter how long it takes? You've blocked yourself from the path to reconciliation."

"However, if you show mercy to your enemies, you will only be looked down upon."

"Then, once you identify them as an enemy, do you want to keep fighting until they surrender? It's fine if the opponent is weak, but if they are equal in strength, you will just exhause each other. If so, won't you fall together?"

"That may be so, but depending on the situation ..."

"You haven't been able to handle it. Didn't you surrender to me?"

"Kuh ... That's just me."

In form, she pledged allegiance, but the way Camilla looks at me is mixed with humiliation, resentment, with a whole bunch of different opposive emotions mixed in.

Well, it's better than Diethelm's pink gaze.

"Give me the plan to construct the river wall ..."

I tapped my fingers on the table and instructed her, and Camilla reluctantly fetched the plan.

I didn't look at the bundle of plans I received from Camilla, and threw them to Reinhardt as they were.

"Reinhardt, take command of Zae-tachi and the kobold squad, and proceed in the middle of the night."

[ Are you sure? ]

"I don't forgive the sins of the Resenburg Kingdom, but I want to avoid making sacrifices of the people who don't know anything. If anyone gets in your way, tie them up and get them out of the way."

[ Understood. ]

Reinhardt glanced over the plan, handed it back to Camilla, and went into the shadows.

Camilla watched him leave and asked.

"Why? Why are you lending me so much power?"

"If left unchecked, many people may become victims. I have the power to save them. Then there's no reason not to use my power."

"However, I treated Maou-sama and his peers cruelly ..."

"So, that has nothing to do with the people of Lastock. Of course, I will demand a reward for my cooperation. I want you to work hard. Now, tell me the situation of the Resenburg nobility."

"Oh, as you wish ..."

I feel like the way Camilla looks at me has changed a bit.

Basten remained as my escort instead of Reinhardt, and Fred began preparing a new pot of tea.

"Well then, let me explain. There are thirty-seven major noble families in Resenburg. Among them, twenty-three families belong to the First Prince faction, and fourteen families belong to the Second Prince faction, but please think that about half of them are hardliners."

On the paper Camilla brought out, the thirty-seven families were divided into the First Prince faction and the Second Prince faction.

Among them, a line is drawn under the names of three families for the First Prince faction, and two families for the Second Prince faction.

"The five families listed here are the families that play a central role in their respective factions."

Duke Dravis.

Count Langhain.

Count Saruel.

Count Gleisner.

Margrave Calvine.(TN:Idk if I translated them all right, meh.)

Each house has a long history and a large territory, and it seems that they have a big voice in the kingdom.

Among them, Count Gleisner and Margrave Calvine, who are in the Second Prince's faction, are quite peculiar.

Count Gleissner owns a vast breadbasket in the eastern part of the kingdom, and has benefited the most from teh rise in grain prices due to the effects of desertification in the western part, and he seems to have considerable financial strength.

Margrave Calvine, as the name suggests, has a territory in the frontier of the mountainous region in the northeast, and it seems that there is a high-quality mine in his territory.

It seems that it is not an exaggeration to say that he single-handedly controls the metal materials in the kingdom.

On the other hand, the main three families of the First Prince faction, although they have large territories, are said to be in regions heavily affected by desertification, and their cash flow has been in jeopardy for the past few years.

"It seems that Count Gleisner supports the Second Prince faction with funds and Margrave Calvine with human resources. Due to the nature of the mines, there are many rough-tempered and strong-willed people, and it seems that the best of them are sent to Bernst-nii."

The Second and Third Princes, along with those who participated in the orgy, may be the same.

The two families, who have a voice and are in a favorable financial situation, should not want the First Prince to ascend to the throne.

"Aren't the heads of the nobility on the table?"

"Even though there are differences between being positive and passive, all the nobles belong to one or the other, but on the surface, the country is supposed to be united as one, and the heads of the noble families will never openly support one or the other."

"In other words, even if the string is pulled from the back, it won't come out. Or, even if it comes out, will they really come out?"

"That's right. The treatment of the nobles will change depending on who is enthroned, Alphonse-nii or Bernst-nii. Please think of those who are currently sucking sweet juice and those who are in a cornered situation as hardliners."

As Klaus-san said, those who have no choice but to participate in gambling for the rest of their lives are hardliners.

But just hearing about the owner of the mine doesn't seem like it will be easy.

"Are they in a competitive state in terms of combat strength?"

"If you simply compare their forces, Alphonse-nii's faction is superior, but in terms of funds, Bernst-nii's faction has the upper hand. In other words, if the fight ends in a short period of time, Alphonse-nii will have the advantage, and if it becomes a protracted battle, Bernst-nii will have the advantage."

"In other words, the First Prince's faction has soldiers, but they don't have enough money to maintain the front line, right?"

"That's how it is, but regarding the flow of money, it seems that the trends of first-generation nobles will have a big impact."

In the Kingdom of Resenburg, there are more than 100 families besides the thirty-seven families that can call themselves nobles, and most of them are first-generation nobles.

Lifetime aristocrats are people who bought a peerage with money, and it seems that they can receive the same treatment as a noble while the person who bought it is alive.

"First-generation aristocrats have titles but don't own territories. However, if the taxes and systems related to business change drastically, there is a possibility that they will hit an avalanche and run to one of the factions."

"The fact that they bought their title with money means that they are of course people who still have money left over ... With a promise like that, if the First Prince gains popularity among a generation of aristocrats, wouldn't the lack of funds for the First Prince faction be resolved?"

"If that promise is feasable, it might be possible to gain the support of a generation of aristocrats, but since most of them are people who have made a fortune through business, it is just an idea and lacks practicality. If you bring it up, there is a risk of losing support."

"I see ... They're not naive enough to be deceived by a mere promise."

Count Gleisner, Margrave Calvine, and the movements of the first-generation aristocrats seem to be the key to crushing the Second Prince faction.

"Then, based on this information, I will conduct my own investigation and decide on a plan. Camilla, you should continue to take measures against the maximum outbreak."

"Understood."

"Also, rest for tonight."

"Huh? But I still need to adjust the process ..."

"You know the work of my vassals in regards to the timber issue, don't you? Without confirming what Reinhardt and the others have done, there is no point in using the progress made in the evening as a basis."

"Ah ..."

"When you can rest, take a good rest, okay?"

"Yes, as you wish ..."

With the materials that Camilla had compiled in hand, while pretending to be calm, I put out a shield of darkness and dived into the world of shadows.

[ As expected of Kent-sama ... exquisite carrots and sticks ... ]

[ No, no, Camilla still has utility value, so it would be a problem if she collapsed. ]

[ But Camilla ... is on the verge of surrendering to you ... ]

[ No, that won't happen, because the chairman will get angry, so that won't happen. ]

If I stay in Lastock, there will be many temptations, so let's quickly return to Volzard.

Or rather, I'm a little worried that Reinhardt happily went out to work on the river wall, but well, let's think about it when it gets to be too much.