CH 174

Chapter 174 – Confusing Meeting Room

“Now then… I hope to see you soon. Are you expecting it?”

“Yeah, I’m sure it will happen. I’m looking forward to meeting Ellen too.”

“…I forgive you because you don’t seem to be lying. I, too, am looking forward to it. Well then… see you.”

“Yeah, see you.”

I tell this to Ellen, who seems reluctant to leave. Then, operate the Golem communicator to cut off the communication――.

“Don’t cut it off!”

“Wait a minute, don’t cut it off just yet, okay?”

“We want to talk to you, too, you know?”

“Oh, yeah, sorry.”

I heard the voices of Lime and the others over the Golem communicator, and I hurriedly stopped my hand to operate the Golem communicator. Yes, I remember Lime saying something like that to Sylphy first.

“Kosuke is surprisingly heartless, isn’t he?”

“You were so caught up with the saint that you just let us slip out of your mind. It’s just like Kosuke.”

“I’m sorry.”

I apologize sincerely. I had no excuse.

“Well, I’ve heard all your stories, and I have no questions about the developments.”

“The private conversation with the saint is also confidential.”

“It’s hot; it’s hot?”

“Oh… good grief.”

Well, that’s no surprise since we were talking through Lime! I was totally unaware we were having this conversation! Well, I’m not that embarrassed to be asked, am I?

“We’re looking forward to meeting Kosuke, too.”

“T-that’s right. Well, it’s going to be fun, isn’t it? When you come over here, you’re staying with us, right?”

“I think it’s problematic for you to stay with the saint since you are not an official emissary from the Liberation Army, don’t you?”

Indeed, to this point, the Holy Kingdom has not officially recognized us, the Liberation Army, as an “enemy nation.” This means that the Holy Kingdom still regards the actions of the Liberation Army as a local rebellion, and the neighboring countries also see it that way for the time being. It means that we are not recognized as a nation.

If Ellen were to treat us as official negotiating partners on her own initiative, the position of Ellen and the nostalgist would suddenly deteriorate within the Holy Kingdom, and it would not be very good for us to do so. It would probably be treason or something if it were done badly.

“Yeah, I think I will stay with Lime and the others. There is a possibility that Ellen will make some arrangements and have me stay at her place, so I can’t say for sure.”

“I see… I’m looking forward to it.”

“R-right. Well, you’re welcome here, okay?”

“Beth is not being honest. I’m all for it.”

Talking like this reminds me of that sewer life. I think that was quite a comfortable life. I don’t have very good memories of strolling through the sewers, building things with limited materials… and getting beaten up in combat training by Lime and the others.

“When Kosuke comes over here, I’ll see how strong you are.”

“No, I shall pass. I’m not the one in a direct fighting role, okay?”

“But it’s good to be strong in case something happens, you know?”

“I can see the logic, though.”

“So every time Kosuke loses one, I squeeze you once, okay?”

“What? That scares me more than being beaten to a pulp!”

Because you three, and I’m not kidding, are worse than all of Harpy-san and the others combined! They will dry up and die!

“A-anyway, I’m sure I’ll be coming over there soon, so do me a favor then, will you?”

“Leave it to me?”

“I’ll take care of it.”

“I’m expecting a souvenir.”

Poizo, you’re so cheeky. But you guys are so short on material goods, aren’t you? What should I bring….? Well, let’s bring a variety of ingredients as appropriate. Lime and the others have a strong appetite, after all.

“All right, I’ll get something for everyone. See you later?”

“Yes.”

“We’ll be waiting for you.”

“See you soon.”

After hearing Lime and the others’ replies, this time, I operated the Golem communicator and disconnected the communication. I let out a sigh, then opened the thick door of the communications room and walked out. I greeted the people in the communications room and returned to the conference room, where Sylphy, Isla, Pirna, Melty, Danan, and Ms. Zamir were also in attendance, discussing something.

A map of the Merinard Kingdom was spread out on the table around which everyone was gathered. I guess they were trying to find a way to get the package to Merinesburg quickly without using Grande and me.

“How are we progressing?”

“I don’t know what you mean, but it kind of makes me uncomfortable, so don’t.”

“Yes. So seriously, whether or not Grande is willing or not, is there any other option for delivering it as quickly as possible without using me?”

Everyone fell silent at my statement. Perhaps they were considering things while I was talking with Ellen, Lime, and the others. However, from the looks of everyone, no good ideas seemed to have come out of it.

“At least let me accompany you.”

Ms. Zamir offered to do so, but Isla shook her head at the offer.

“Impossible. They will know at a glance. Melty-ane might be able to cover it up by removing her horns and wearing a hood, but it’s better not to do it again. She won’t survive the next time.”

It’s true that no matter how Ms. Zamir dresses, people will know she’s subhuman. Isla is out if they see her face, Sylphy is out if she doesn’t cut off her ears, it is nonsense for the leader of the Liberation Army to go there in the first place, and Melty has a track record of breaking in by cutting off her horns, but it is risky because cutting off horns is in itself life-threateningly dangerous. Or rather, I would stop such a thing.

It is 10,000 times better for me to be in danger than for Melty to take such a risk.

“It would be most efficient and less dangerous for me to have Grande carry me there alone.”

“That’s…but!”

Sylphy raises his voice.

“As a matter of fact, as long as I don’t die instantly, I’ll be fine. Not many people can keep me in custody with all the tools and materials I have.”

To put it bluntly, ropes, handcuffs, and other restraints are meaningless when it comes to me. Unless I’m knocked out fast and blindfolded, as I was the other day, I can handle anything. In fact, after that, I even managed to get a measure against blindfolds. All I had to do was force open my eyes and store the blindfold in front of me in my inventory. The only thing left to do now would be to physically blind me. Magic doesn’t work on me.

“If anyone tried to restrain me, it would be impossible without the constant surveillance of someone like Sylphy, Melty, Danan, or Sir Leonard, who has a fighting ability I can’t even match. Above all, this is the moment of truth, isn’t it?”

If we abandon the nostalgist faction here, we will have no choice but to engage the Holy Kingdom in an all-out, blood-drenched war. There will be heavy damage on both sides. I think we can win the war, but if we win too much, it’s going to be a lot of trouble… I still think that eventually, we will need to make peace somewhere with the Holy Kingdom, and in that case, we want to secure the pipe that connects the Holy Kingdom and the Adol religion, which is the nostalgist faction. There is no way we can abandon the nostalgist after all.

“We have no choice, Sylphy-ane. Even if we stop him, Kosuke is still going to go.”

“Mmm…”

“I guess we don’t have a choice… Sylphy, in that case, we’ll do the next best thing on our own, shall we? In the meantime, if there is military activity in the Holy Kingdom’s mainland, we need to take action.”

After being persuaded not only by Isla but also by Melty, Sylphy let out a small sigh. I’m glad she’s worried about me, but I don’t think we have a choice this time, you know.

“There are plenty of things to do: procuring supplies, securing weapons and arrowheads, coordinating personnel, formulating battlefields, reconnaissance… intelligence. Danan.”

“Yes!”

“Work with Melty on recruiting and training. The basic tactic will be interceptive combat. In addition to training crossbowmen, you will also train engineers.”

“Understood.”

The deployment of crossbows, which are powerful projectile weapons, and hand grenades, which boast powerful destructive power, and the presence of Harpies, which conduct aerial bombardment, have led to a rapid evolution of tactics on the part of the Liberation Army.

According to what I have heard briefly, the Liberation Army is using positional defenses to stop enemy rushes while striking enemy forces with powerful crossbows and golem-style ballistas, bombing enemy concentrations with Harpies, and using bolt-action rifles and snipers with magic guns to counter the destruction of positions by enemy mage units.

Well, it is not likely that melee combat using swords and other melee weapons will not occur at all, so the crossbowmen are also expected to have a certain level of melee combat ability. Although their ideal situation would be to destroy the crossbowmen before they can take over the position, however, it is not so easy in this world.

In fact, I think it would be a good idea to build a minefield in front of the encampment, but the… anti-personnel mines I built are still in my inventory, unused. I’ll have to use it somewhere.

Huh? Inhumane weapons? I don’t care because there is no treaty in this world that prohibits the use, production, or possession of anti-personnel mines!

“I’ll have you fly in tomorrow at the earliest. Kosuke, talk to Grande.”

“Roger that. I’ll see you soon.”

Sylphy told me so, and I decided to go negotiate with Grande to have her fly me out. I’ve been relying on Grande for a while now… so I guess I’ll have to make it up to her soon. I wonder what she’s going to ask for.

Whatever she’s going to ask for, I’m going to have to be sincere. I’m using Grande for good, and I have to pay her handsomely for it.

Whatever it is, I can’t do anything about it until I find Grande. She is either buried in the cushions in the living room of the lord’s mansion, or she is outside in her own bed since she hasn’t been back here in a while… I’ll do my best to find her.