Disaster Designation Subjugation Request ①
“Is this the right place?”
“Yeah, originally we were supposed to meet in His Majesty’s office. However, there are various state secrets and information scattered around in there. I can’t let you in, especially since you don’t belong to the kingdom. 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 getting my gear sorted and buying 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 a Disaster-designated Monster. They must have decided on a course of action, whether it be to eliminate it immediately, handle it at the national level, or encourage it to self-destruct.
However, I needed to make sure to discuss the reward first. Although I had been collared, I had no intention of becoming a mere pet. If necessary, I could always refuse the request or even leave the kingdom. Whether I would actually follow through with that was another matter.
“…Now, what should I do?”
The main issue was that there was nothing in particular I wanted at the moment. Even if I received money, I would only use it to upgrade my gear, and I wasn’t such a glutton that I could take in a large amount of food.
…For now, I suppose money would suffice. Having too much could be a problem, but a reasonable amount would be manageable, and someone would surely find a use for it. I would request the reward as instructed.
“Apologies for the wait.”
“No, it’s fine.”
I replied to the words of the king as he entered while standing up, then lightly bowed my head in greeting to the two who followed behind him.
“Now, 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. Sitting across from the king, he placed a sheet of paper on the desk for me to read while he began to speak. Behind him stood the Knight Commander and, if I remembered correctly, the First Prince, who was the Crown Prince.
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 deep shadows under the Prime Minister’s eyes, who should have been older than the king, were somewhat alarming, making me worry about the stability of the kingdom’s upper echelons.
“This is the current information we have on the locations of the Disaster-designated Monsters and the types of monsters they originated from.”
“I see… So, the fact that this is current information means 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, the ones listed here are those whose survival has been confirmed and show no signs of self-destruction.”
“I understand. I’ll take a look.”
I picked up the paper from the desk to grasp the locations and types of the monsters. There were six listed, each in different locations.
The first was a Dead Eater, located near a former Beast-folk settlement on the plains. This was likely the target of Rio’s request.
The second was a Raging Bull, found within a crater on a plateau swirling with thunderstorms. It seemed to be feeding on lightning rather than grass or soil.
The third was a Wyvern, located in a canyon west of the royal castle. It was estimated to be missing one wing, rendering it unable to fly.
The fourth was a Night Beetle, residing in the center of a great forest in the south, where it was 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 appeared to dominate the surrounding monsters, demanding their flesh 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 was unclear, but it was confirmed to be inside the volcano.
This was the situation. Among them, the most troublesome locations were the Wyvern, Night Beetle, and Blaze Boar. The visibility would be poor, the combat areas unstable, and more importantly, those three were likely in territories inhabited by other races, making reckless actions dangerous.
On the other hand, the Raging Bull and Orc Ogre seemed relatively easy. Both locations were manageable, and since the Raging Bull was a solitary creature, it would be easier to deal with. The Orc Ogre could likely be dispatched with a single swing, posing little threat.
Well, the first one I would go after would be the Dead Eater. While it was indeed Rio’s request, the greater concern was the danger of leaving a creature like the Dead Eater unchecked. What kind of monster was it, you ask? It was an undead version of a Roper, consuming the living and transforming them into undead to bring under its control.
If it were a smaller or average-sized creature, it could be ignored; there were limits to how many it could consume, and even if it controlled a large number, they would only be small undead. The real issue was its massive size. Considering it could devour an entire Beast-folk settlement, the number and scale of the undead under its control would be staggering.
“…I see. So these are all of them?”
“Yes.”
“I understand, I understand… Have we made contact with the other races living in the canyon, the great forest, and the volcano?”
“We have made contact with the winged folk in the canyon and the elves in the great forest. They are aware of the Disaster-designated Monsters and recognize them as a threat, but they say they cannot resist, as it would only lead to meaningless casualties.”
“I see…”
…While they say they cannot resist, they don’t claim to be cornered. This suggests that there may not be an urgent need for swift action, unlike the Beast-folk settlement, which could be destroyed. I felt a bit uneasy about the volcano, but since I didn’t know anyone there, I wouldn’t need to rush. The other races living in the volcano would likely be prepared for minor volcanic activity, and considering they had not shown any clear signs of trouble, it probably wouldn’t become a significant issue.
“Are there any knights available to handle this?”
“I wish I could say yes. We need to deal with the Demon Lord’s Army, and we also have to address the monsters that are on the verge of becoming Disaster-designated. I can spare a few personnel, but I can’t deploy enough for a full subjugation.”
“I see… Understood.”
Well, that can’t be helped. I had relied on them for dealing with the Demon Lord’s Army, so I had some responsibility in this matter.
However… the fact that there are monsters on the verge of becoming Disaster-designated is concerning. Disaster-designated Monsters don’t simply come into existence or grow easily; the emergence of multiple such entities, including those that have already self-destructed, raises alarms. The fact that even those on the verge of designation are appearing suggests the possibility of them being artificially created by some means?
…No, I should stop with the wild speculation.
Good, idealistic thoughts rarely come to fruition, but the worst-case scenarios often do. Keeping the worst possibilities in mind is more mentally stabilizing than ignoring them.
“So, will you take on this request?”
“Yes, of course. However, it will be difficult to fight continuously like in the past, as I now have new companions to walk this path with.”
“Indeed. I fully understand that.”
“That’s a relief. And there’s one more thing; there are aspects where I cannot live as 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 man I had seen somewhere before.
After a brief pause, I spoke my words.
“I need a reward; without it, I won’t undertake the subjugation.”