CH 85.1

Chapter 85 – The Curse

“…sales pitch?”

“That’s what I said. Don’t make me say it over and over again.“

King Light looked at her with a dumbfounded expression.

“He wanted to buy weapons and food for money. In the end, the deal fell through. He didn’t show up.”

“…Hildegard-sama, I’ve never heard of that before.”

Sasha and Cain, who had not been told of such an important meeting until just now, were also surprised by the news.

“Don’t interrupt.”

Hildegard stared up at Sasha, wondering why she had to say that, and forcibly stopped her from speaking further,

“Okay, Hildegard-sama.“

“Did the Black Demon King really want money?”

“That’s just what he said. Don’t take it seriously. It is obviously an excuse. What kind of idiot would call himself the Demon King and come directly to me to sell his wares?“

She glared back at Alto sharply, warning him not to ask questions he didn’t need to ask.

“Money can be taken from anywhere. You don’t have to follow the ‘rules’. He must have some other purpose.“

By the words of Hildegard, who actually met him face to face, King Light could sense that she recognized him as a powerful person.

“I see. About what the Demon King wants… Hildegard, do you know…?”

“I don’t know.”

The Light King, who stroked his beard while thinking, said in a troubled tone, to which Hildegard immediately gave a curt reply.

But everyone was convinced.

“Anyway, it’s none of your business. Just get on with what you intended to originally. The time you’ve bought with all that money is ticking down even now, isn’t it?”

Her breasts were so firm that they seemed like they were about to pop out of her dress, and they looked even more powerful with her arms folded beneath them.

The people around her reflexively blush and swallowed their saliva.

However, the King and Alto were not concerned at all with her appearance.

Come to think of it, there was no way that the evil demon king who was after Celestia would not have his eyes on Hildegard.

Celestia mustn’t be taken away.

She is a symbol of the country and a relic holder.

But there was a reason why Hildegard could not be lost as well.

“Hildegard, let me get to the point. I have called you here tonight for a request… please follow me to the Kingdom of Light.”

“A plea. What a pleasant sight. Have you no shame as a king?”

The Light King did not bow down, but he sincerely begged.

Hildegard, too, seemed to have expected this proposal.

She looked at King Light, who proposed while pleading genuinely, with a fearless, devilishly charming smile.

“….[Black Demon King] and Kujaro. As long as we are dealing with them, we will not be able to last without the Scarlett Chamber of Commerce. No, it will become an even more extremely difficult situation if you were to side with Kujaro.“

There are things that should take precedence over temporary humiliation.

The Scarlett Chamber of Commerce was reaching out to Kujaro.

It was obvious that Kujaro, threatened with war with the Kingdom of Light, a major powerhouse, would try to bring the Scarlet Chamber of Commerce onto their side.

“So? What does this country offer me? Great wealth? Power over you?”

“Of course, I have prepared some privileges for you. But perhaps the greatest advantage you will have is the inviolable power you will wield.“

“…“

Hildegard’s sharp eyes narrowed even more.

Cain and Sasha, who stood behind her, were quick to detect Hildegard’s obvious displeasure.

“With Celestia’s outstandingly beautiful appearance, she is surely a target for the [Black Demon King]. She will never be conquered by Kujaro, and hopefully she will eliminate the [Black Demon King] as well.”

“…The ‘relic’ of the rumor.”

The king nodded his head and spoke with sincerity.

“From what I’ve heard about the use of relics in the past, its power must be tremendous. If it really exists, I can understand your confidence.“

“…but…”

With a sigh of dismay, Hildegard continues.

“Kujaro aside, what about the Black Demon King?”

“That is a minor worry. Even if it is the Black Demon King, he will disappear without a trace.“

“Then why don’t you use it?”

The king is silenced by Hildegard’s cold question.

“It may be useful against… invading nations. But… most likely, the owner of the prized ‘relic’ herself would have to recognize the target to activate it or something, right?”

“That’s classified. I can’t talk about it.”

“You don’t have to talk about it. It’s obvious. If you could use it against the Demon Lord, you would have done so by now.”

At first, she thought that King Light did not use it because it was owned by his daughter Celestia.

However, according to the data in books and records of the past, it seemed possible to use the relic bypassing the owner, Celestia.

In other words, there was another reason why it could not be used.

Hildegard theorized that the relic could not be used without, for example, visual recognition of the target.

Therefore, she found it comedic that he was planning to use it against the Black Demon King.

“I don’t care what you guess and think. But I can not divulge information about the relic, even if it means you’ll end up working with Kujaro.“

“Well, I don’t mind. I’m not really interested.”

One of King Light’s eyebrows arched up at Hildegard’s sincere words.

“I’ve listened to your request. Because I have received your money, I will give you a formal reply. Send me the documents about the privileges I will receive as soon as they’re ready. But it will take me some time to come to a conclusion.“

“Well, of course I will wait. Thank you for your sincerity.“

The meeting between King Light and Hildegard ended, and before Hildegard could bid farewell… a soldier approached Alto.

The soldier said that although he had been given strict orders to not let anyone near them, he had to talk to Alto.

Alto, realizing that something was wrong, nodded lightly and listened to the soldier who was using eye signals to ask for his permission.

“…got it. I’m on my way. Call Hakuto.”

“Yes!”

The soldier bowed to the king and the prince and left.

“……What happened?”

“I don’t feel well. Excuse me.”

Alto, looking more hurried than ever, stood up and left the hall with those words.

“…Hmm, then.”

It was clear that some kind of problem has arisen, but Hildegard showed no interest and left the king.

King Light called for a nearby soldier and inquired about what was going on as Sasha and Cain rushed after Hildegard.

“…Increase security immediately. Don’t let the people in the hall realize what’s going on.”

King Light ordered with a sigh, his head aching due to the emergency situation exceeding his expectations.

“Yes, sir!”

♢♢♢♢

At the same time…

While the sound of raindrops bouncing on the ground could be heard like it was part of an orchestra, I turned my eyes to the darkness outside…

“……What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing. I just thought it was starting to rain harder. So… tell me where else I might find money besides the… Scarlett Chamber Of Commerce.”

The Blameless man of Habarkele.

I found myself in the tavern where an old informant was once again.

This will be the third time I met with him, though.

“Don’t tell me… you really broke into the Scarlett Chamber Of Commerce…?” I asked, with fear seeped into my voice.

“Should I also include that information in the fee?”

He whispered at the bar counter, sipping his glass of distilled spirit.

“…forget it.”

I sipped my drink daintily, to match the atmosphere.

“…She was a very pretty young lady. Within minutes she grew enough hate for me that she tried to kill me by blowing up the whole room, almost like I had killed her parents and she was here to take revenge.”

“I wouldn’t call her ‘pretty’ or a ‘lady’ if I were you. If anything, I’d call her a dragon.“ I chided.

Hildegard was not going to help me in any manner.

I tried to kill her. She hates me to the core.

I had to figure out my next plan for money.

How did I get into such a situation?

…I wonder myself.