Disaster Designation Subjugation Request ①
“Is this the right place?”
“Yeah, I had originally planned to meet in His Majesty’s office. However, there are various pieces of sensitive information scattered around there, including state secrets. I can’t let someone like you, who isn’t affiliated with the state, enter. So, I’ll go fetch His Majesty and the Prime Minister.”
“Understood.”
It had been seven days since I had wiped out the Demon Race lurking in the black market and recruited Rio and the others. After taking care of various matters like equipping ourselves and purchasing a house, I was summoned by the Knight Commander, so I headed to the Royal Castle alone.
The reason for the summons was likely a request directed at me, probably concerning the Disaster-Designated Monsters. They must have decided on the course of action regarding which monsters they want me to subjugate immediately, which ones the country can handle, and which ones should be encouraged to self-destruct.
However, I need to make sure to discuss the reward first. Although I’ve been fitted with a collar, I have no intention of becoming a mere pet. If necessary, I could always refuse the request or even leave this country. Whether I actually follow through with that is another matter entirely.
“…Now, what should I do?”
If there’s a problem, it’s that I currently don’t have any particular desires. Even if I were to receive money, I would only use it to equip myself; and while I could accept food, we don’t have anyone who eats excessively, so I wouldn’t be able to request a large amount.
…For now, I suppose money will do. It might be troublesome if I have too much, but having a reasonable amount should be fine, and someone will surely find a use for it. I’ll ask for the reward as instructed.
“Apologies for the wait.”
“No, it’s quite alright.”
I responded to the King’s words as he entered while standing up, then I lightly bowed my head in greeting to the two who followed behind him.
“Now then, I wish to cherish this time we have to speak freely, but unfortunately, we don’t have the luxury to linger.”
“Yes, I understand.”
We were in a small, simple room prepared solely for conversation. I sat facing the King as he placed a sheet of paper on the table for me to read while he began to speak.
As for the others, the Knight Commander stood behind me, and the Prime Minister, whom I barely remembered, along with the First Prince, who should be the Crown Prince, stood behind the King.
The fact that not everyone was seated indicated that they didn’t intend to engage in a lengthy discussion, which was fine by me. However, the dark circles under the Prime Minister’s eyes, who should be older than the King, were somewhat alarming, making me worry about the stability of the country’s upper echelons.
“This is the current information we have on the whereabouts of the Disaster-Designated Monsters and the types of monsters they originated from.”
“I see… So, when you say ‘current information,’ does that mean there are others not listed here?”
“Indeed. Some reports are still in the rumor stage, and there have been cases where we found them only to discover they had self-destructed upon our return for confirmation. Therefore, what is written here are those whose existence has been confirmed and show no signs of self-destruction.”
“I understand. I’ll take a look.”
I picked up the paper from the table to grasp the locations and types of the monsters listed. There were six in total, scattered across various locations.
The first was a Dead Eater, located near the area where a Beastman village was said to exist on the plains. This was likely the target of Rio’s request.
The second was a Raging Bull, found within the crater of a highland swirling with thunderstorms. It seems to be absorbing lightning instead of grass or soil as its sustenance.
The third was a Wyvern, located in the depths of a canyon west of the Royal Castle. It is estimated to be unable to fly due to having lost one of its wings.
The fourth was a Night Beetle, residing in the center of a great forest in the southern region, where it appears to be devouring the great tree itself rather than merely sipping its sap.
The fifth was an Orc Ogre, located near a ruined fortress close to the eastern sea. It seems to be dominating the surrounding monsters, demanding their bodies or prey as tribute.
The sixth was a Blaze Boar, found deep within the caldera of a volcano. Due to the location, the exact position is unclear, but it is confirmed to be inside the volcano.
This gives me a good overview. Among them, the most troublesome locations are the Wyvern, Night Beetle, and Blaze Boar, as visibility is poor and the combat areas are unstable. Moreover, these three are likely in territories inhabited by different races, so I must tread carefully.
On the other hand, the Raging Bull and Orc Ogre seem relatively easy. Both are in manageable locations, and since the Raging Bull is a solitary creature, it should be easy to deal with. The Orc Ogre can likely be dispatched with a single swing, posing little threat.
Well, the first one I’ll go after is the Dead Eater. While it is indeed part of Rio’s request, the greater concern is the danger of leaving a creature like the Dead Eater unchecked. What kind of monster is it, you ask? It’s an Undead version of a Roper, capable of consuming the living and transforming them into Undead under its control.
If it were a smaller or average-sized creature, I could afford to ignore it; there are limits to how large it can grow, and even if it were to control a large number of them, they would merely be small Undead. The real issue is its massive size. Considering it has been devouring an entire Beastman village, the number and scale of the Undead it commands would be on a completely different level.
“…I see. Is that all of them?”
“Indeed.”
“I see, I see… Have there been any contacts with the different races living in the canyon, the great forest, or the volcano?”
“We have made contact with the winged beings of the canyon and the Elves of the great forest. They are aware of the Disaster Designation and recognize it as a threat, but according to them, they cannot resist as it would only lead to meaningless casualties.”
“I see…”
…While they say they cannot resist, they don’t mention being cornered. This suggests that there isn’t an immediate need for swift action to prevent a fate like that of the Beastman village. I do feel a bit uneasy about the volcano, but since I don’t have any acquaintances there, I won’t rush into a panic. The different races living near the volcano would likely be prepared for minor volcanic activity, and considering they haven’t shown any clear signs of trouble, it probably won’t become a significant issue.
“Are there any members of the Knight Order who can respond to this?”
“I wish I could say yes. We have to deal with the Demon King’s Army and the monsters that are on the verge of being designated as disasters. While I can spare some personnel, I cannot allocate enough to carry out a subjugation.”
“I see… Understood.”
Well, that can’t be helped. I’ve relied on them for dealing with the Demon King’s Army, so I share some of the responsibility.
However… the existence of those on the verge of designation raises a red flag. Disaster Designations don’t simply come into existence or grow easily; it’s unusual for so many to appear, including those that have already self-destructed. The fact that even those on the verge of designation are surfacing suggests the possibility that they are being artificially created by someone.
…No, I should refrain from such reckless speculation.
While idealistic thoughts rarely come to fruition, the worst-case scenarios tend to manifest more frequently. Moreover, even if there is a possibility, it’s better for my mental stability to avoid dwelling on the worst outcomes.
“So, will you take on this request?”
“Yes, of course. However, it will be difficult to continue fighting as I did in the past, especially since I now have new companions to walk this path with.”
“Indeed. I am fully aware of that.”
“That’s a relief. And one more thing, there are aspects where I cannot live like I did in the past.”
“…What do you mean?”
I exhaled, shedding the pretense of reverence for the King, and began to mimic the demeanor of an arrogant and insolent man I had seen somewhere before.
After a brief pause, I finally spoke.
“I need a reward. Without it, I won’t carry out the subjugation.”