Chapter 7: Signs of More Trouble
Cheers echoed across the capital. However, far in the skies above...
I went as far as using the Hero Killer Draugul, yet their numbers haven’t been reduced at all. An unsatisfactory result indeed...
Reiss watched on as Gouki and the others descended to the ground on Ariel’s back.
Celia Claire... I knew she wasn’t an average sorcerer, but to think she could use celestial magic... So the descendants of the divine sorcerers created by the Seven Wise Gods became the Claire family. She must have inherited a large amount of that talent. Considering her youthful appearance, it might be a case of atavism.
Reiss was especially focused on Celia.
In her present state, she’s unable to cast the magic without the incantation, and she didn’t have the strength to manage Draugul on her own. But there’s no telling how much she’ll grow from here... She must be removed with highest priority after the Black Knight and the humanoid spirit girl.
The large number of revenants he sent had been subjugated, the mercenaries had the tables turned on them, and the secret Hero Killer had been defeated.
I am unable to summon Draugul successively at present. I have no cards left up my sleeve either.
In a rare show of frustration, Reiss resigned himself to giving up.
That aside, the descendant of a divine sorcerer and three talented girls, most likely demi-humans, each with a mid-class contract spirit. Then there’s the formidable man and woman who probably came from the Yagumo region, and the Galarc Kingdom’s hero, though still unawakened. Leading them all is the Black Knight, who’s strong enough to rival a divine beast controlled by an awakened hero, and his powerful humanoid spirit. In terms of combat power, he’s as much of a threat as that awakened saint. Although she’ll probably be the bigger problem with her active hostility.
Now that he had failed to secure a hostage against the Black Knight and reduce the fighting strength at his side, Reiss was unsure how to proceed.
It won’t be enough to just have the Hero Killer and Evil Black Wyvern as my primary forces when I execute the plan. If the Black Knight learns of the saint’s survival, his attention might be able to be directed at her. For the time being, it’d be best to have the two of them fight it out while I secure new forces. All that’s left is...
If his opponent’s forces were greater than he had expected, he had no choice but to replenish his own. Doing so was no easy task, but Reiss had no choice but to work out a solution.
It’s about time Duke Arbor took action against Rodania.
He contemplated the other plan he had brewing behind closed doors.
Oh, it seems they succeeded in retrieving Lucci and Lucius’s enchanted sword.
Reiss spotted Arein’s small squad that had infiltrated the castle and smirked. The operation this time had been a failure, but they had managed the bare minimum of a recovery at the very last moment.
And finally, to silence the survivors...
Reiss took out a small pouch filled with small, gemlike crystals and crushed them in his fist. He emptied the powdered fragments from the bag, watching them fall.
It’s time for me to retreat as well.
He then flew away from the Galarc Castle.
◇ ◇ ◇
Some time after Ariel brought Celia and the others back to the ground, King Francois received a visitor in the rooftop garden, where he was leading the cleanup efforts.
“Your Majesty!”
It was Clement Gregory, the head of a duke family on par with Duke Cretia.
“What is it, Clement?” Francois replied in an annoyed tone.
“I heard that the enemy’s target was Sir Amakawa’s mansion.”
The duke cut to the chase. Anyone observing the commotion would have noticed that the fighting was focused around Rio’s mansion. The aerial knights could still be seen circling the skies from their current position in the garden. Ground forces were running to and from the mansion with Francois’s instructions, so Duke Gregory may have heard the news from someone along the chain.
“News sure travels fast. That is the most likely assumption for this situation, but there’s no way of telling whether it’s true.”
“At any rate, Sir Amakawa must be questioned immediately.”
“Unfortunately, that won’t be possible. Haruto is not in the capital right now,” Francois said with an annoyed shrug.
“What? At a time like this? Wait, I recall something about a message transmitted from Baudrier’s territory not too long ago...” Duke Gregory muttered, searching through his memories.
During his pursuit of the saint, Rio had used a magic transmission artifact from Margrave Baudrier’s territory to send a report to Francois. Messages sent from transmission artifacts could be viewed by anyone within the transmission range, so it wasn’t too strange for Duke Gregory to know about it.
“You sure hear things fast, don’t you?” Francois sighed in half disgust, half awe.
“First Cretia’s daughter, now this. The young ones these days have no respect for their position. The way they wander around rashly without settling down just shows how little awareness they have of themselves as nobility.” Duke Gregory shook his head in disapproval.
“Haruto is currently moving on my orders, though,” Francois said with a challenging look.
“Ah, is that so? Do forgive me. I am curious as to why he’s moving at the direct order of Your Majesty, though...” Duke Gregory’s eyes glinted with curiosity as he searched Francois’s expression. Only a select few people knew of Rio’s mission to rescue Liselotte—not even Duke Gregory was aware.
If he viewed the message from the transmission artifact, he should have guessed that Haruto is moving on my orders already... This old fox never changes.
Duke Gregory was probably using this chance to investigate what he had guessed. There was no need to come probing the moment the enemies had withdrawn, but his intentions were evident—he couldn’t pass up this opportunity to fulfill it.
This was because for generations, the two great noble families of the Galarc Kingdom were Duke Cretia’s and Duke Gregory’s respective families, but the rise of Liselotte’s Ricca Guild had caused the Cretia house’s power to increase dramatically.
With the recent appearance of Haruto Amakawa, a new noble with many achievements to his name, Duke Cretia’s connections were only growing stronger.
At this rate, the gap between Duke Gregory’s and Duke Cretia’s families would widen greatly in Clement’s generation.
Thus, Clement Gregory wanted to find whatever faults he could. If there was anything he could bring Duke Cretia down for, he would take the opportunity to do so just to make his presence felt. He had been vigilantly watching for such opportunities, so this situation where he could pick faults with the newcomer noble Haruto Amakawa—who was on friendly terms with Liselotte—was the perfect chance.
“I plan on releasing the information in regards to what Haruto is doing once he returns. Wait until then.”
“Understood.” Clement bowed his head respectfully. “However, the residents of the mansion should be questioned about this incident. I know that Your Majesty is extremely busy, so if you delegate the task to me, I can commence the questioning immediately...”
He immediately changed his approach by offering to investigate those around Rio.
“No need. I’ve left the mansion in Charlotte’s hands.” Francois dismissed the matter by bringing up Charlotte’s name.
“Oh, is that so? Of course, that makes sense. I understand.” Clement backed down surprisingly easily.
“However... I’ve heard many curious witness accounts on my way here. As a newcomer to these parts, Sir Amakawa is surrounded in mystery already. I understand the need to be careful, what with the hero being on familiar terms with him, but there are a great number of people who wish to know what caused the attack...” Clement said while staring at Francois’s face, hinting at his desire to have the details of the attack released publicly.
I see, so his goal was to have me pledge a commitment here...
In other words, it was a roundabout way of exercising control.
A lot of the information regarding Rio and the people around him was kept confidential at Francois’s order. This in itself was common knowledge, and not even the great nobles like Clement could easily object to the direct order of the king.
However, it was a different matter when they had a justified reason.
For example, in this situation where Rio’s mansion had clearly been the target of the attack, if the matter of the castle and its personnel being harmed was emphasized, Francois would have a difficult time refusing to release the information.
“Of course, the essential details of the attack will be shared. On a later date, that is.”
Francois nodded in agreement, adding a clause for only the essential details. With that, the matter became easier for Clement to bring up in the future.
“I am relieved to hear that. In that case, I shall take my leave now.” Clement bowed deeply and left with a spring in his step.
Depending on the goal and circumstances of the mercenaries, things could get rather troublesome. Goodness...
Francois sighed heavily to expel his exhaustion, looking over at Rio’s mansion as though to see the troubles looming in the future.
◇ ◇ ◇
The day after Gouki and the others repelled the Hero Killer, in the Holy Democratic Republic of Erica. A unanimous vote had just been passed by the congress.
“Then it’s decided,” Erica, the first head of state, announced solemnly.
“...”
The congress hall was filled with members representing the people, but it was oddly silent for having just passed a vote.
Everyone was holding their breath for Erica’s declaration of the vote.
“Our nation will now invade the Galarc Kingdom.”
It was a declaration of war.
“Oooooh!”
The congress hall burst into cheer. Everyone in the room was crazed for war. A tiny nation at the outskirts of Strahl was challenging one of the leading powers of the continent.
It wasn’t a sane decision by any means, yet everyone believed.
They believed in their victory.
And they believed that Saint Erica would lead them to that victory.
“Saint Erica!”
“Saint Erica!”
“Saint Erica!”
“Saint Erica!”
“Saint Erica!”
“Saint Erica!”
“Saint Erica!”
The congress members yelled her name with all their heart and soul.
Watching them, Erica smirked softly. “Hehe.”
Her lips twisted, and the corners of her mouth tugged upwards.
As though she were a saint.
As though she were a witch.
Not a single person in the room knew of the future she envisioned, but they believed in her.
They believed that she would lead them to victory.
But the day they would learn of the future that awaited them was much closer than they thought.
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