Chapter 305: Duty
My friends and I returned to the base where we had stayed for about a year to attack the S-class dungeon.
I quickly put the luggage I was taking with me into <Inventory>, and my friends packed up.
We weren't going to be back for a while.
Originally, Prince Zew Beast and the Ten Heroic Beasts were planning to stay in the palace for a few days after their audience with Emperor Pupun III before returning to the Albahar Beast Kingdom.
So they had no need to return to the S-class dungeon.
Helmios' servant said that he would stay there and take care of the place.
I liked our base so I wanted to return there when we eventually would.
So I asked the servant to keep the contract renewed for the base, which was about to be a year old.
<Kingship> was still sealed.
I hadn't finished my rounds of defeating Gordino, the Dungeon Boss, nor my challenge to Dungeon Master Digragni.
I had a lot of unfinished business in the S-class dungeon, but I had prioritized what needed to be done.
Soon, Helmios' party, Prince Zew's party, me and my friends were ready to go. I teleported everyone to Helmios' residence in the Imperial Capital of the Giamut Empire.
It was where we said goodbye to Helmios and his party.
"Well, I'll be back later with the Elven Elixir and, yes. I think I can also send over about ten summons, but don't expect much."
I had 80 slots in my Holder.
Though we were in a critical situation, I thought that I could at least send 10 summons to help the Giamut Empire in the war.
"No, ten of those summons would be very helpful. And take care."
Even in last year's war against the Demon King's army, I had sent my summons to the northern part of the Giamut Empire to support them.
Last time it was B-rank summons, and this time it was A-rank summons.
There were enough [Blessing of Heaven], but I gave Helmios 1,000 more just in case.
I gave more [Blessing of Heaven] to the Giamut Empire because unlike the Bakius Imperial Army who fought in their sturdy Golems, the Giamut Empire's soldiers fought with their own bodies, increasing their fatality rate.
I also gave Helmios 100 Gold and Silver beans each so that the soldiers could be saved even if the Fortress fell.
With them, Giamut Empire could create a safe zone that would keep the B-rank and A-rank magical beasts that made up the Demon King's army at bay.
I was also planning to send an A-rank Bird with Helmios and build a Nest in the Fortress.
(I'd like to think that if I do all this, we'll be fine, but you never know what might happen.)
We didn't know for sure which continent and to what extent the Demon King's army would invade, as we had only received a single report at the moment.
From that report, the Demon King's army didn't seem to have the overwhelming 10 million troops like last year, but we couldn't let our guard down.
Prince Zew and I said our farewell to Helmios and teleported further.
Our next destination was Rosenheim.
"Your Majesty. I do beg your pardon for coming on such short notice."
We teleported to Fortenia, the capital of Rosenheim.
The invasion of the Demon King's army at the beginning of last year and the subsequent decisive battle with the Demon General Razel had largely destroyed Fortenia.
In preparation for the invasion of the new Demon King's army, reconstruction was rushed around the Fortress, but there were also quite a few refugees who lost their home towns.
The number of refugees was in the millions, and in order to create a place to return to, Rosenheim had been rebuilding the capital, Fortenia, and other large cities.
Fortenia began taking in refugees at the start of the year, with the return of the Elven Queen.
Not only Marshal Sigur, but the Queen thanked me with a choked voice.
It was my idea to bring the Ten Heroic Beasts to the Bakius Empire and conquer the S-class dungeon with their help.
However, in order to fulfill it, I had the Queen write a letter.
The Queen willingly stressed the relation between Albahar Beast Kingdom and Rosenheim on my request.
Nonetheless, the Royalty of the Albahar Beast Kingdom and the Ten Heroic Beasts, the strongest fighting force, were participating in the war to defend Rosenheim.
During the invasion of the Demon King's army last year, many sacrifices were made.
It meant that many Talented soldiers who fought on the front lines died.
With the need for Talents to fight against the Demon King's army, even the human race could not easily recover the number of soldiers.
Elves had fewer children and took 30 years to reach adulthood, twice as long as humans.
It would take at least fifty years to get the number of soldiers back to what they were before the invasion of the Demon King's army last year.
That's 50 years if there was no invasion from the Demon King's army in the future.
In this war, even with the help of my summons, [Blessing of Heaven]s, and Gold and Silver Beans, there was still a pressing issue and we could lose.
No Fortresses in Rosenheim had been completely rebuilt.
In such a situation, help in the form of the strongest force of the Beast Kingdom was very much appreciated.
The buffs of Lepe the Musician would bolster the Elven army in a big way.
Astrologer Temi's buffs would save many lives in the Elven army.
And Prince Zew's second Extra Skill could explosively strengthen the Ten Heroic Beasts and himself.
Stumped for words, the Elven Queen bowed her head and thanked Prince Zew profusely.
"It was the original promise we made. I promise to fight with all my might."
Prince Zew showed his attitude with words that there was no need to be more grateful than necessary.
(Is he upright and righteous? Looks like Prince Zew is going to cement the beastman image.)
It has not been decided whether or not Prince Zew would become the Beast King in the future.
However, the fact that he didn't show any ingratitude to Rosenheim this time would not be a negative for the Albahar Beast Kingdom.
He was trying to clean up the bad image of the beastmen who had only provided supplies and had never shown up on the front lines against the Demon King's army until then.
It would go down in history that the Prince of the Albahar Beast Kingdom respected the agreement he had made with Rosenheim and went to the frontlines himself.
"Then please come this way so we can talk about the future."
"Mm."
Marshal Sigur led Prince Zew and the Ten Heroic Beasts to another room for a military discussion.
We still had some time, so it was better to take it slow than to move quickly.
Prince Zew and the Ten Heroic Beasts were in an unknown place and needed some time to adapt as well.
They had to share how many troops they had and the terrain of the battlefield and many other things.
If it was the same as before, the war with the Demon King's army would begin after 10 days at the northernmost Fortress of Rosenheim.
I spoke up as the Elven Generals and Ten Heroic Beasts followed Marshal Sigur.
"You may join the war council, Dogora."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"You can stay here and fight in Rosenheim. The rest of us are going to the Holy Land."
"What? What do you mean!"
Dogora's voice echoed loudly in the room.