Chapter 321
(Kyle Calendar Year 514: Age 21)
Invitation to the Demon Territory
Translator : PolterGlast
When our party arrived in Aegis, we dashed across the
top of the city walls towards Teigoon and entered the Demon Territory
from around the exit of the narrow path.
This is a secret, but this area is a place where mopping-up
operations have been completed to some extent, and the temporary dangerous
state has been overcome. Naturally, I have absolutely no intention of guiding
them to the most dangerous places.
Also, during their stay so far, His Highness Grat, Sieghart,
and the ten close attendants accompanying them have already received a test
from the Commander to gauge their combat power, and a lecture on the taboos of
the Demon Territory and how to deal with the main monsters that appear.
Similarly, His Majesty Krieger, who is accustomed to
the Demon Territory, Marquis Flame, their ten attendants, and Her
Highness Clarice have also received lectures on how to deal with
monsters. Because as far as I know, the Demon Territory of the Fearalt
Principality has different types of monsters living in it, and the methods
to deal with them are also different.
「Is everyone ready? I will state this
anew to everyone, but confronting monsters means putting your life on the line.
No matter how skilled a person may be, if they do not know the established
methods to deal with them, there is a possibility they will lose their life.
Even I, who learned those methods, suffered serious injuries requiring the
treatment of a Holy Mage many times when I first came here. Please never
forget this fact.」
Everyone had a solemn expression... no, only Sieghart
had a face that looked unbearably happy. What was surprising was that he too
was quite skilled with a sword.
Not just him. His Highness Grat was even better, and
I heard from the Commander that he was equivalent to a 'Sword Demon'. Sieghart
is also in the 'Master Swordsman' class...
Could it be, what if I, who am speaking so self-importantly,
am the weakest... Thinking so, I almost backed down for a moment.
And finally, the actual combat began.
First was dealing with a Black Wolf; these two were
bewildered for just a moment by movements different from humans, but quickly
adapted and dealt with it.
「As expected, the movements of those
with abundant actual combat experience are completely different.」
The Commander was watching with relief to that extent. Well,
just in case, I had Carleen and Lilia positioned in a shooting
stance, ready to provide cover fire at any time.
On the other hand... His Majesty Krieger and Her
Highness Clarice were truly unrivaled.
「My, my, they are unstoppable. His
Majesty is probably in the 'Sword God' class, which has already become a
legend in the Kingdom, and Her Highness is in the 'Sword Saint'
class like Kaula, but they might grow even further from here.」
I mean, this muscle-brained couple is viciously strong...
They're too much of a cheat.
「I thought it couldn't be true,
but... the stories about Her Highness Clarice were
true, huh.」
His Highness Grat was also watching their unrivaled
performance with marvel. That being said, a veteran of many battles, while
saying so, did not neglect his vigilance of the surroundings...
「You Imperial soldier there, get
down!」
Despite
being at the very front, an Imperial soldier attendant was carelessly staring
in a daze at their unrivaled performance, and , Carleen's scream echoed out to him.
At the same time, arrows from the Estol Bows were released by Carleen
and Lilia.
Something sharp sliced through the air around the neck area
of the Imperial soldier who crouched down a moment late—where his neck would
have been if he were standing. Simultaneously, at the destination where the
arrows were released, raising an ear-splitting shriek, a giant mantis-like
monster, a Great Mantis, rampaged after taking the two arrows and
undoing its camouflage.
At the same time, Carla charged in, severed both its
scythes with a speed invisible to the eye, and finally cut off its head.
The Imperial soldier who had crouched reflexively just
slumped down there, trembling.
「You, you were dead. Be careful. You
were taught not to carelessly approach bushes, weren't you? Originally, that
head rolling there would have been yours.」
Pointing at the head of the Great Mantis that Carla
had cut off, rolling right in front of the Imperial soldier's eyes, Carleen
admonished the Imperial soldier with flat words.
Since spending time with me, Carleen has grown
remarkably. In a mentally tough direction...
Yes, this is not a place for gentle admonishments. Because
if you let your guard down, you lose your life. Just like he did now...
「Fufufu, so these are Lord Takuhir's
soldiers... Even the women are all terrifyingly strong. I
can understand why they are said to be the strongest in the Kingdom. Also you, don't underestimate
the Demon Territory. And don't forget to thank the one who saved your
life.」
Sieghart
admonished the soldier saying so.
「Indeed. If they undergo life-threatening
training in such a place every day, it is understandable that elites would be
born. And the materials... as expected, I want them.」
Seeing figures immediately setting up lookouts and some
people stripping materials, the Third Prince also muttered a few words.
After that, we confronted the standard Demon Wolves, Demon Bears, Calydonian
Boars, Hellhounds, and such, and finally called it a day when Her
Highness Clarice took down a rare Cassowary.
In the end, His Majesty Krieger and Her Highness Clarice
were unscathed, but this was merely because His Majesty was constantly backing
up Her Highness. If she were alone, Her Highness, who swung her sword so far in
front, would likely have sustained multiple injuries.
His Highness Grat and Sieghart had sustained
some bruises. This was because they took the trees blown away by a Demon Bear head-on
to protect the Imperial soldiers who had fallen behind them.
They rather moved cautiously and precisely.
Incidentally, the Imperial soldiers accompanying the two
were injured raggedly, and everyone was taken care of by Marianne many
times.
And on the return journey heading to Teigoon...
「Well, we obtained very much this time, and it was meaningful. I
sincerely thank the Archduke.」
Saying so, the Third Prince bowed his head deeply to me. Then,
looking keenly at the narrow path leading to the Abyss, he muttered.
「Both Glorious and Bradley
are fools. To willingly try to enter such a death trap...」
「What would Your Highness do?」
Saying so, Sieghart smiled. As if testing his lord...
「Hmph! Do you intend it to be a test?
I am not like them. The very act of leading a large army to invade such a place
is a mistake. From the defender's perspective, isn't it a perfect location to
annihilate a large army with a small force? Traps must be set everywhere; if it
were me, I would promptly retreat and look for another avenue of attack.」
「I'm glad. That my lord is not an
idiot.」
「As you can see. This guy is always
like this. He's gauging my caliber like this. It's a wonder he served Glorious
well with this.」
「I have no intention of having served
him, though. I merely joined the camp out of obligation to my uncle. That
person, unlike Your Highness, lacks the caliber to accept my proposals...」
「Hahaha, Your Highness, excuse me,
but I think you are a good lord and vassal.」
I couldn't help but say so and laughed. And His Majesty Krieger
also followed.
「Just as my friend says, everyone
gathered here is an eccentric, all whimsical people who stepped out of troublesome
customs. That is exactly why it is comfortable.」
「It seems everyone is like that.」
「Her Highness Clarice saying
it as if it's someone else's business, Your Highness yourself is the prime
example of that. I think it would be better if you were self-aware once in a
while.」
At that, everyone laughed. I couldn't help but retort at her, who was acting aloof as if she herself was an
exception.
「Lord Takuhir, feeling it anew
this time, I ask by all means for the revival of the Demon Territory in
the Empire territory as well. If we too can receive the blessings of
the Demon Territory...」
Yeah, I know what you want to say. I know it all too well,
but that's quite a tall order.
「There is just one thing I must
convey to Your Highness. What the Demon Territory brings is not only
blessings. There are also disasters.」
「Lord Takuhir, are you
speaking of the great monster floods mentioned in history books?」
「Well... Lord Sieghart's point
is also one of them. No, you could call it the precursor. Floods can be dealt
with by human hands. But what it brings is a disaster that could not be dealt
with by human hands.」
「You mean epidemics? An agonizing
problem that occurs once every few decades in our country as well.」
「That is?」
「A massive outbreak of monsters can
also become the source of a terrifying epidemic called Monster Disease. Until
now, because the Kingdom was also powerless against that epidemic, many
people lost their lives.」
「But that is a story of the past,
right? I heard the Archduke's achievement was discovering the countermeasure
for that...」
「As Her Highness Clarice says,
certainly that is true in the southern frontier of the Kingdom. But...
When we secretly investigated the plants that serve as the medicinal herbs
necessary for that countermeasure, they were not in the Demon Territory
on the eastern side of the Kingdom. In other words, there is a
possibility they are not in the Fearalt Principality either.」
「That is?」
「His Majesty Krieger, do you
remember entering the Demon Territory together with Her Highness and the
others after the previous civil war ended? At that time, I requested the Holy
Mage (Rosa) to investigate the vegetation and medicinal herbs within
the Demon Territory. Although it couldn't be called a sufficient
investigation, it did not lead to a discovery until the end. If so, our
reliance is only on this Demon Territory and the small number of
medicinal herbs the church is growing while keeping them secret...」
「I see... the church, huh... A
troublesome bunch.」
「They probably won't easily sell the
vested interests they hold. Also, it's obvious they will ask for an exorbitant
price.」
「But we cannot replace our belly with our back (we must do whatever it
takes).」
「The only bright topic is that we are
independent from the Kingdom, so to speak, a land of extraterritoriality
from the church's perspective. After this, if we win over the church within the
Demon Territory Dukedom...」
「I see! Then I would like to request
preparations for that. Of course, we will pay a sufficient price.」
「The Empire
also, when the revival of the Demon Territory is accomplished, wants to
pay the price including that point. We would definitely like to be added to
that circle.」
「Understood. Let's lay the groundwork
in advance so we can handle it that way.」
Right, should I win over Bishop Grace? And making the
land where we newly attempt the revival of the Demon Territory in the
new territory into a major cultivation area for those medicinal herbs is also a
valid move.
Fortunately, there are churches in both the Fearalt
Principality and the former Roland Kingdom territory of the Empire.
Should I win over those areas too? But picking a fight with the Central Church... somehow feels
troublesome in various ways.
While there were elements of anxiety, generally speaking, my mind was made up.
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