Gathering Allies – Outside
“How was it, spending the whole day with her?”
“It was more popular than I expected, or rather, she seems to be quite well-liked.”
“Hard to believe from her rough demeanor, right? Even she has wondered about it—why is it that people like her so much?”
“Well, we’ve only known each other for two days, but I can imagine.”
“Heh, I thought you might.”
On a terrace under the night sky, where the moon and stars twinkled above, Fana and Stella sat together, sipping tea and chatting amiably like old friends. The topic of their conversation was Ferno, their shared leader. Fana, who had known him for a long time, was asking Stella for her impressions after spending the entire day with him for the first time.
Meanwhile, the subject of their discussion, Ferno, was not in House Faritia but rather staying at a clinic in the town below the castle. He wasn’t hospitalized due to an injury; instead, he had noticed a gaze directed at him while returning from making a reservation at the underground slave market. Curious, he sought out the source of that gaze and found a frail beastkin girl. He took her to the clinic and decided to care for her.
“By the way, is he always like that?”
“Which part? I didn’t see how he acted while shopping, but if you’re talking about how he took care of the girl at the clinic, then yes. When he has the time, he treats anyone who isn’t an enemy with that kind of kindness.”
“I see… Is it out of kindness, then?”
“From an outsider’s perspective, it seems that way, but he once said that it’s not quite like that for him.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah. I think he called it pride? He believes that human endeavors are precious and that living positively for the future is the most beautiful thing. That’s why he extends a helping hand to ensure that way of life continues. He also mentioned that watching innocent lives being lost right in front of him would leave him with a bad conscience, so he puts his life on the line.”
“Wow… that sounds wonderful.”
“I thought so too. But he seems to think of it as something natural, so he doesn’t view it as a good thing. In fact, he said it feels cruel, as if he’s imposing happiness or a forward-looking attitude on others.”
“Ah, I see. I can understand that.”
“You do? That’s impressive. I couldn’t quite grasp it, so I decided to just think your perspective was lovely and ended the conversation there.”
“Well, I suppose that’s understandable.”
Though both women were adults, their cheerful banter over tea resembled that of young girls staying up late, filled with a heartwarming innocence. In truth, their lives had been anything but ordinary. Fana had trained to become a knight out of admiration and had fought fiercely against the Demon Lord’s Army. Stella had become a knight to survive after being cast out of her home, purging the evils that plagued the kingdom.
Having not lived typical lives as ordinary girls, the two genuinely enjoyed their late-night conversations with their new friend and ally.
“Ah, speaking of which, we need to decide on a name for our group.”
“Huh? Oh, I see, like a party name?”
“Yes. Ferno doesn’t seem to care much about such things, so we should come up with something nice.”
“Heh, so he seems perfect but is actually not?”
“Exactly. Ferno has his moments of forgetfulness, and if it’s not urgent, he’ll forget entirely. I’ve caused him my fair share of trouble too, so it’s just how it is. That’s why I support him gathering allies.”
“Now that you mention it, you haven’t expressed any doubts or dissatisfaction about it, have you?”
“Not at all.”
With a dreamy expression, Fana continued to weave her words.
“Ferno has started to see others for his own sake. Since we were the first, he’s beginning to trust others, which is incredibly heartwarming for me.”
Having lived together for five years, Fana’s words flowed from her heart, and Stella found her beautiful. Just as she was about to speak, she noticed Fana’s cheeks had turned a light shade of pink, making her even more endearing. Stella brought her teacup to her lips, suppressing a smile.
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“So, how is the hero moving?”
“Yes. It seems he’s trying to recruit the former captain of the Thirteen Knights Corps and secure additional personnel from the underground market.”
“Hmm… So he’s trying to gather allies. Is there anything else?”
“It appears he has rescued a frail beastkin girl. She was dirty, and there was a chance of being noticed, so I couldn’t ascertain her species.”
“…I see. We can’t stop him from doing that. Instead, we may need to support him quietly from the shadows. Can we send personnel to the underground market?”
“Arrangements have already been made.”
“Then ensure that the slaves he intends to purchase are acquired. Also, I have a bad feeling about that beastkin girl, so investigate any recent kidnappings in the area and find out what’s happening in the beastkin settlements.”
“Understood.”
In the Kingdom of Alstovar, a knight in a special golden uniform knelt before the king, who was seated on his bed. They were discussing the surveillance reports from the king’s attendant knights and the king’s reflections on them. Since the current king ascended to the throne, the reports have increasingly focused on the movements of the Demon Lord’s Army, particularly Ferno and the executives of the Demon Lord’s Army.
“So, what’s the situation with the Demon Lord’s Army?”
“The Succubus continues to charm and increase her followers without changing locations, so we’re regularly culling them. The Dullahan is gathering demons and monsters in the eastern plains and making them fight each other. As for the Lich and Merman, we confirmed they were expanding their forces, but then they vanished without a trace.”
“Hmm… The Merman has likely retreated to the seabed, but I’m a bit worried about the Lich. I don’t quite understand what the Dullahan is trying to achieve, but the Succubus is a bit frightening.”
“Should we increase our numbers?”
“Yes. As for the Lich, let’s expand our search area. For the Succubus, gather married or betrothed female knights.”
“Understood.”
“Continue monitoring the Merman from the land; they excel in combat at sea, so we shouldn’t recklessly pursue them.”
“Understood.”
“Now go. Move swiftly and calmly.”
“Yes, my lord.”
After receiving the report, the king issued directives for the next course of action and encouraged the knight to leave the room. The knight stood up quietly, opened the door to the king’s chamber, and stepped outside. In his place, a middle-aged man with dark circles under his eyes entered, carrying a stack of documents.
The man knelt and began to speak while handing the documents to the king.
“I have come to report.”
“Is he sleeping?”
“He can sleep since tomorrow is a holiday.”
“I see… And what about this? Is it regarding the monsters?”
“Yes, we have gathered verified information. Upon reviewing the contents, I deemed it necessary to report to Your Majesty promptly.”
“Oh? …Is it true?”
“It is true. The Great Fire Serpent dwelling in the volcano, the Tree-Devouring Beetle, and the Abyss-Creating Lizard… Some were illusions or mirages, but everything I’ve handed over exists.”
“Even amidst the busy activities of the Demon Lord’s Army, these creatures too?”
“Regarding that, I have additional reports on some of them.”
“…Bad news, I presume? What is it?”
“There’s a possibility that the Demon Lord’s Army is involved in their emergence. Remnants of demons were scattered around the area where they were discovered, and we found living demons.”
“…Troublesome creatures.”
“Yes, very troublesome. I sent some knights to exterminate them, but they were completely wiped out.”
“…I see.”
The report brought by the man concerned powerful monsters that had gained strength. Such occurrences were not rare, appearing several times a year like disasters, but this report was different due to the sheer number and widespread locations.
Seventeen in total, across the entire kingdom, the diverse environments of the vast land posed a significant threat to the kingdom.
Each individual was on par with the highest-ranking demons, and if left unchecked, they could grow indefinitely, with some potentially reaching the level of the executives of the Demon Lord’s Army. Thus, swift action was necessary, but the ongoing threat of the Demon Lord’s Army made rapid response impossible.
Understanding this, the king placed the stack of papers on the bed and let out a deep sigh, staring at the ceiling.
Then, the king stood up.
“We need to devise a countermeasure. I’m afraid I’ll need you to work a bit longer.”
“Of course.”
“Good. I will now check the personnel available from the knight corps. If that suffices, we’ll proceed with that; if not, we’ll have to request assistance from the hero. Have any sightings been confirmed in the territories of other races?”
“We have confirmed sightings among the Dwarves, Elves, and Mermaids. As for the others, we are currently investigating, so I cannot guarantee anything, but there have been reports of damage.”
“Hmm… Then I’ll draft a document to send a vanguard. We need to hold an emergency meeting; summon the sleeping chancellor and the knight commander to the office.”
“Yes. What about the hero?”
“There’s no need to call him yet, as we haven’t decided which matter to address. Instead, summon the finance minister and the military minister or their secretaries. We’ll decide the order of tasks for the hero while gathering their opinions.”
“Understood.”
As the man who had come to report changed from his sleeping attire into formal wear, the king continued issuing instructions. The hero, the kingdom’s greatest asset, could not be wasted on trivial matters. Thus, the king roused his body and mind from the brink of sleep. While the urgency of the situation was not immediate, a misjudgment could lead the kingdom to ruin, plunging it into chaos.
For the sake of the kingdom, the king would expend his very life.