She Professed Herself The Pupil Of The Wiseman (LN) - Volume 6 - Chapter 10

Chapter 10

THE MOST IMPORTANT FIGURES in the Isuzu Alliance sat surrounding the low table in their imperial palace, ready to hear the news.

Beyond Kagura—referred to as “Uzume” once more—were the captain and staff officer of Isuzu’s main fighting force, the captain of the Multicolor Platoon, an administrative representative, and two members of the elite Hidden.

As for Mira, she was currently waiting in another room. Though Kagura trusted her, and she was there on the orders of King Solomon himself, Kagura would need time to explain a few things to her executives before Mira made her grand entrance.

While she waited, Mira took a few moments to savor the Japanese stylings around her. She was bewildered by the prospect of navigating a Japanese-style toilet in a skirt, enjoyed Japanese sweets for the first time in a long time, and more.

She also got another chance to chat with Acadori. It was then that she heard Meowmaru’s mage was someone who had received Kagura’s instruction personally. It turned out that the name Meowmaru was the price of that mentorship. Acadori had fallen victim to this, too—the Great-Phoenix Zhuque shikigami that she had come to meet Mira on had been given the unfortunate name of Cheepcheep.

“She is a majestic beast, but…” Acadori muttered, staring off into the distance.

Mira found no words to console her. All she could do was sympathize.

***

Before long, a man called Mira into the meeting room.

The room was similar to the one she had met Kagura in, the only difference being that the low table in the center of the room was a square instead of a long rectangle. The executives surrounding it were quite imposing, and their eyes all fell on Mira as she entered.

While Mira fought the urge to turn and run, Kagura beckoned. “Come here.”

The eyes followed her as she went. At Kagura’s urging, she sat next to “Uzume,” grand master of the Isuzu Alliance.

“This young lady is the envoy from the Kingdom of Alcait who brought the information you’ve just heard,” Kagura—now Uzume—told the group. “She is also the one who captured a member of Chimera Clausen. You should know her name.”

Mira spoke up. “I’m Mira.”

The attendees murmured, impressed. The news about the Chimera capture had spread through the organization quickly, and everyone had extolled her work. They owed her for their recent successes, after all. Everyone present was deeply curious about the power her tiny form harbored.

Uzume took this opportunity to boast further. “Mira is also the pupil of Danblf, one of the Nine Wise Men.”

The room fell silent at once, though only for an instant. The one executive who knew Uzume’s true identity immediately took her words to be true.

“I have heard rumors of fakes…but if Lady Uzume says she is genuine, I will believe it. That would also explain how she outfoxed Chimera.” The middle-aged man sitting closest to Uzume spoke up to vouch for her. Mira was deeply envious of his luxurious beard, which shook majestically as he spoke.

His words swayed the other executives. They all praised Mira, and used the opportunity to introduce themselves.

“I’m Mizar, and I lead the Bellerophon Platoon. Good to meet ya,” said a tall, rugged-looking man. He wore simple leather armor and looked slightly over forty years old, his face lined lightly with wrinkles. 

“And I am the staff officer of the same Bellerophon unit. Call me Alioth.” He was the one who backed up Mira’s claim to be Danblf’s pupil. He wore an undecorated robe, and his graying bangs were combed back from his face.

“I’ve heard about you. You helped Silver’s troop, right? I’m Diamond, captain-commander of the Multicolors. Honored to meet you.” With eyes perhaps a touch too small for his face, the man smiled pleasantly at Mira. He was a model Galidian, with his dark skin and large stature. His white hair was cut short and well-maintained, and the stubble that covered half of his face looked like specks of snow.

“I’m Coffin. Guess you could call me supervisor of the supervisors.” He waved a little in greeting. Coffin wore common street clothes—a shirt and pants—with a happi coat on top. He looked to be the youngest of everyone present…barring Mira, of course. But as he had the trademark pointed ears of an elf, his age could not be judged from appearance alone.

“I’m Snake, of the Hidden.”

“Likewise, I am Scorpion.”

The two members of the Hidden were dressed like any adventurers walking through the city. Snake wore a long black robe, while Scorpion wore a breastplate made from beetle carapace. They were both women, though there the resemblance ended. Snake had long black hair and sharp eyes, while Scorpion was a miao with short pink hair and a sweet smile.

“I’d say introductions have been made,” Uzume said. “Let’s get back to business.”

When everyone had settled back down, she continued the meeting. Though the adorable Mira’s presence had lightened the atmosphere, Uzume’s voice brought the tension back to the room. The group refocused their minds on the problem of Chimera Clausen.

“Regarding the three dungeons we discussed, we’ll send our elites to investigate them.” It seemed she had already briefed the executives on the situation, and Mira had been summoned for the actual planning.

“Agreed,” Mizar said. “This is precious information. If we can capture their leaders, the situation will change enormously. Still, shouldn’t we investigate these claims a little further? Their supposed attack on the Spirit King could be just a hypothesis. Or it may be a trap meant to force our hand.”

He wasn’t wrong, as proven by the collective thoughtful sigh of the group. The exotically dressed people sitting on cushions around the low table all fell silent at once. The presumption that Chimera Clausen was after the Spirit King was deduced from their actions, but perhaps they were clever enough to ensnare the Isuzu Alliance by leading them to a conclusion they planned.

But it was Alioth who made his own hypothesis. “It’s possible, yes…but I believe the information we’ve gained on our end also points to Chimera’s plan to attack the Spirit King.”

Alioth was staff officer of the Bellerophon troop and the brains of the Isuzu Alliance. He was also one of very few people who knew Uzume’s true identity. The members of Isuzu trusted him implicitly. When he spoke, they listened. Mira watched him with keen interest, as well.

“Let’s hear it, Alioth,” Uzume urged.

“Very well…” Alioth took a folded sheet of paper from his pocket and spread it atop the table. It was a large map of the continent, covered with countless notations. “As you know, we are currently attacking Chimera’s many bases and harvesting their assets and information. The marks on this map are locations where their bases once were. We’ve already found fifty, and we expect to find many more. It comes as no surprise that Chimera is quick to run. Consequently, despite their many bases, we’ve captured very few of their personnel. However, our captures are still directly chipping away at their fighting ability. I would say it’s just a matter of time at this point.”

Diamond, captain-commander of the Multicolors, chuckled and grinned confidently. “Yeah. They’re all grunts, but we’re still reducing the harm done to spirits. Our soldiers complain every day that we’re not even giving them time to sleep between bashing Chimera heads in.”

Attacks on Chimera Clausen bases were primarily carried out by the Multicolors, while transport personnel would follow and meet up with them along the way. The work seemed never-ending, but Diamond always motivated them with laughter and tough love.

“Now, I’ll get to the point,” Alioth continued. “As we can all see from the current situation, we have a tailwind and they face a headwind. But remember that this is Chimera. I can hardly imagine that things will end like this. It seems that the adventurers supporting them are a recent development. As recent as our attacks on their bases, in fact. Perhaps an act of desperation by Chimera. But if they gain the power of the Spirit King, the war will be turned on its head. We’ve always had the upper hand in military might, so they must be scheming to overcome that. Their plan is undoubtedly already in play.”

Uzume nodded through his explanation. When he was done, she spoke first. “Right. We hold an advantage like none before. But they’re not going to sit by idly and let us win.”

Chimera Clausen always prioritized escape when they were at a disadvantage. But now that they were cornered, fighting was the only option.

“If we think it may be true, then we should not risk letting them succeed,” Mizar said, expression taut.

The dungeons listed in Mira’s letter were all advanced dungeons. Their difficulty was too great for even some expert adventurers to clear. The people Chimera Clausen sent would be heavyweights. This job was vital to them—it would be no surprise to see some of their top people at the front. Isuzu’s strategy would take advantage of that.

If Isuzu succeeded, it was possible that they would finally learn the whereabouts of Chimera Clausen’s headquarters. As Mizar said, it would be critical to try, even given the danger involved.

Alioth could not deny that it might be a trap, but everybody present agreed on the next course of action. The conversation proceeded to the question of who could handle a mission with so many possible dangers.

“We may not be able to fight them off if we don’t send enough firepower, and their numbers are unknown. These three locations are some distance from each other, as well. We could go personally, but we can’t leave this place unguarded.” Coffin glanced at each individual around the table and then turned his eyes to Uzume. “You say send elites…but who, exactly?”

If they wanted to guarantee the enemy’s capture, then they would need twice the enemy’s fighting ability. This would be Isuzu’s biggest mission yet—they would require the best of the best.

The others looked to Uzume. She wetted her lips, allowed the silence to linger for a moment, and finally spoke. “We shall gather all the Hidden, form them into teams, and send them to the dungeons.”

At those words, the tension on the executives’ faces eased visibly.

“They are perfect for the job,” said Alioth.

“We can leave it to them,” agreed Mizar.

The other four quickly expressed their support.

“Right?!” Uzume smiled broadly like a child who’d just gotten perfect marks on a big test.

The executives had been inwardly nervous that Uzume would go herself. She was notorious for using any excuse to leave, so their shared job was to prevent that. They were prepared for that this time as well…but they were relieved to see that she had in fact chosen the least problematic personnel for the job.

“Where are the Hidden now?” Uzume asked.

Alioth was informed of their movements and promptly drew a few lines on the map atop the low table.

“According to reports as recent as yesterday, they should be dispersed in these areas,” he said.

He made ten marks in total. Including the two here, that meant there were twelve Hidden. As Uzume stared at the map, Alioth added three more marks.

 “These are the positions of the Citadel of Scales, the Garrison’s Vault, and the Illusory Corridor. As far as we’ve seen, there are no issues at the Vault or Corridor…yet. Given a day or two, they can all arrive at the dungeons nearest to them. All that remains is getting permits. As for the Citadel…”

The symbols marking the Hidden from before were not too far from the newly added marks. But as with all dungeons, they would require permits from the Guild Union. With his eyes still on the map, Alioth paused to untangle some problem in his mind, then offered his conclusion.

“Fortunately, we have several people with A-Rank certifications or above scattered about. If we have them get the permits, the Vault and Corridor should be no problem. But the Citadel is too far. With our current positioning in mind, if we want to get there quickly, we must send personnel from headquarters.”

“Right. Snake and Scorpion… I worry about sending you two alone,” Uzume said.

The other two locations could be handled by five people each, but that left only these two for the Citadel of Scales. The pair were strong, and confident in their abilities, but this was a vital mission. As long as enemy numbers were unknown, two was an iffy number.

“You two stopped at C-Rank, didn’t you? We’ll have to secure an A-rank escort,” Alioth added. Snake and Scorpion nodded silently.

A-Rank adventurers were truly capable adventurers like Heinrich, who Mira had met on her way to the Celestial Ruins. They weren’t exactly easy to find just hanging around, but the Isuzu Alliance headquarters had many adventurers on staff. Uzume decided to simply pick someone suitable from among those. She then turned to Mira.

 “You said you came to the Forest of Seasons by air. How did you do that, exactly?”

Mira took her eyes off the continental map, repeated the question in her mind, then answered with a smug grin. “I boarded a wagon and had my summon Garuda bring me here.”

“Thought so. Sounds like you have a big, flying helper, huh? I’m jealous.”

Uzume fantasized about boarding a fairy-tale pumpkin carriage and flying through the skies. Mediums could use laborer magic as well, but they had nothing as powerful as Garuda. All they could do was cling to their flying servants. Uzume longed for a comfortable, princess-like mode of travel.

“Sooo…how many people can fit in your wagon?” Uzume asked.

“Hrmm, good question… Three, perhaps?” Mira answered, picturing the inside of it. She imagined herself sitting and two others positioned standing in the space. Any more people would probably make it too cramped.

“Three, huh? Are you registered with the Guild Union?”

“Indeed I am.” Mira knew where this was going, adding, “But I’m only C-Rank, so I won’t be able to get a permit.”

Uzume whispered in response, “Oh, c’mon! It’d be easy for you, Gramps. Just take the certification!” She looked to the two Hidden. “I’ve decided, then. Snake, you’ll be staying home. We’ll have Mira go with Scorpion and an A-Rank to get the permit. You’ll take the shortest distance possible by flying wagon. Everyone satisfied?”

Uzume looked to Mira and Snake for confirmation.

“I don’t mind,” Mira answered reluctantly.

“…Understood,” Snake toyed with her long, black hair, but the look on her face was dissatisfied. She would be the one member of the Hidden left out of an operation that would determine the future of their organization…all because of a simple limitation on how many people could ride in a wagon. She respected Uzume deeply, but it was a bitter pill to swallow.

Unable to bear the sight of the crestfallen agent, Diamond chose his next words carefully. “Er, well, y’know… Chimera is gonna expect us to send some strong folks. A-Rank dungeons mean strong monsters, too. I could see it if this were any other investigation, but just three people is kinda slim margins, right?”

Snake quickly looked up and nodded her agreement. “This mission is vital. Success is vital. I beg you, let me come.” She struggled to add gravity to her words, but she sounded younger than her looks implied. At the end of each sentence, she thumped her hand against the table emphatically.

Conflict was brewing at the planning table. Uzume knew Mira was her strongest piece by far—this mission would bring along one of the Nine Wise Men and all the strength that entailed. But the executives saw her as just a Wise Man’s pupil. She might be strong, but she was still an unknown quantity. 

“I must agree,” Alioth chimed in. “This will be our biggest operation yet, and we must have victory by any means necessary. I am already reluctant to have an envoy handle our work, but…if Miss Mira has agreed to it, then I presume there is some arrangement I don’t know about. Even so, I’m uncertain about leaving such important work to an outsider.”

It was clear from Uzume’s attitude that she had total confidence in Mira. But trust still needed to be built with the Isuzu Alliance if they were to work hand-in-hand with the Kingdom of Alcait. Alioth understood that Kagura came from Alcait originally, and that Mira was the pupil of one of her former comrades. Perhaps there was room for compromise.

He glanced at the letter from Solomon that remained on the table. Making a quick guess at what was written therein, he turned his eyes searchingly to Mira. When he did, he accidentally made eye contact with the girl, who seemed to be sizing him up at the same time.

How strong was she? Alioth tried to feel for her strength from appearance alone, but he wondered if that did her justice. What if Mira was so strong that she was the one who would judge whether they were worthy?

“That won’t be an issue,” Uzume replied. She knew how powerful her executives were and how capable they were. She continued, “I can vouch for her character and her strength. If she decided to make trouble here, she and I would probably be the only ones left standing ten minutes from now.”

Alioth, Mizar, and Diamond, who knew Uzume’s true identity, looked at Mira in disbelief. The others seemed confused. How could they know that she was a pupil in name only?

Meanwhile, Mira had been staring at Alioth. She was still enchanted by his ideal old-man appearance, and wondered if she’d ever return to normal again. Feeling the discomfort of having all eyes on her snapped her out of her daydream.

She smiled grimly. “Hrmm, you may be exaggerating. Still, I won’t lag behind these young people just yet. Now, the Fortress of Scales, yes? We won’t have to worry about the monsters in there. The real problem will be just how elite Chimera’s elites are.”

Snake frowned slightly, and Uzume smirked as if she’d accomplished something. The other executives caught a glimpse of Mira’s confidence in that casual statement. One person reacted to her final statement.

“I know the answer to that.” Scorpion raised her hand to answer. “I’ve bumped heads with a Chimera elite once. I don’t know where exactly they fell in the organization, but they were clearly unlike Chimera’s pawns. I’d say they were about as strong as me. I’d definitely have won if they didn’t run away!” Scorpion’s pride bubbled to the surface.

Unfortunately, Mira had no basis for comparison since she didn’t know how strong Scorpion was. Scorpion seemed just as keen to test Mira—especially given Uzume’s claims—and made a proposal.

“Of course I trust Uzume, but why don’t we see a demonstration from Mira?” she suggested. “I can be your opponent. Then, everyone can feel safer entrusting the mission to you. Snake will feel better, too.”

 “Perhaps that would be best,” Alioth promptly agreed. “Let us take every precaution.”

Uzume understood how her subordinates felt, but she knew the outcome very well already. “Very well. Mira, would you mind indulging them?” Uzume asked Mira, secretly praying that she wouldn’t totally shatter Scorpion’s pride.

“Sure. I don’t see why not.” Mira welcomed the opportunity to size up Izusu’s people, and Chimera’s elites by extension. The meeting came to a recess, and the party headed for the courtyard at the center of the palace.