Episode 84: The Day of the Ceasefire Talks
◇◇◇◇
A Certain Place
Beneath a bizarre starry sky where a streak of burning crimson light cut across, in a wilderness dotted with rugged, distinctive rock formations, stood a group of human figures silhouetted in black.
Upon a throne seemingly carved from the rock face, sat a figure shrouded in a pitch-black mist, holding a Shakujo.
“Everyone has gathered, it seems…”
Aside from the speaker, ten pitch-black figures were assembled in this place.
All ten stood looking up at the throne.
“The Guide-sama, it seems Aquila has not yet arrived?”
A young male figure, standing in a particularly low position, spoke.
His absence meant he was either occupied, or perhaps…
“…Serpens, share the information with everyone.”
“Yes.”
The shadowy figure with the Shakujo ignored the young man and prompted a large male figure to speak.
The large male figure, called Serpens, stood in the fourth highest position.
“…First, regarding Aquila, he is likely already dead.”
“Huh? That’s absurd, who could have possibly done it?!”
The young male figure from before raised his voice in agitation.
“Don’t you dare interrupt, you low-ranking fool, or I’ll kill you?”
“Guh…”
The young male figure was glared at by Serpens and fell silent.
A clear hierarchy existed among those present.
The young man was the lowest of the low, and if glared at by someone of higher rank, he could truly be erased.
“Aww, Lynx-chan is dead too?”
A petite female figure spoke to Serpens in a languid tone.
She sat perched on a rock face in the fifth highest position, a massive scythe resting on her shoulder.
“Verpecula, if you start talking, we’ll never get anywhere. Be quiet.”
“How mean~. But it’s truly a shame, I was just starting to get along with Lynx-chan.”
The petite female figure, called Verpecula, said listlessly.
“Nonsense. Those kinds of people can be replaced as many times as needed. Did you really make The Guide-sama use ‘Door Crossing’ just to report that, Serpens?”
The voice of reprimand came from a male figure sitting in a meditative pose in the third highest position.
Even Serpens, who had been so arrogant until now, held this man in high regard.
“The mission assigned to Aquila and Lynx was to investigate the ‘Prophecy Misfire’ incident that occurred in Ortenos. Lynx, who specialized in infiltration, and Aquila, an assassination expert, both disappeared at the same time, despite neither of them being Heroes who would appear in public. Don’t you find that strange?”
Serpens asked everyone.
“Could you get to the point already? I don’t have time to sit through your tedious stories,”
A shadowy figure of a noblewoman, her mouth hidden behind a fan, spoke to Serpens with an imperious attitude.
For a Hero, her noble bearing was quite natural.
This female figure was also in a higher position than Serpens, so he did not argue.
“The two of them may have been eliminated without a chance to escape. The one who did it was likely—the newly born Demonbane Warrior in Ortenos.”
Serpens said in one breath.
With the exception of a few, a wave of unease spread through the group.
“Ehh, a newly born Demonbane Warrior, really~? Who, who~? I’m super interested~”
“Tch, the most likely candidate is Sharka de Ortenos. It pains me to recall, but he’s the young noble who interfered with my plans and even occupied Bangwall Fort.”
Serpens clicked his tongue at Verpecula’s monotonous, drowsy tone.
Then, recalling how his plans had been thwarted, he grew even more irritated, speaking with a hateful tone.
“Forgive me for speaking out of turn, but I don’t believe Sharka is a Demonbane Warrior, kukuku.”
Then another male figure offered his opinion to Serpens.
The man was in the ninth position from the top.
Although a lower-ranking presence, he was valued by Serpens.
“Lupus, why do you say that? He’s a noble who killed Barbat and occupied Bangwall in a short amount of time, isn’t he? It wouldn’t be strange to consider him a Demonbane Warrior.”
“Sharka is a mere twelve-year-old boy. If he became a Demonbane Warrior, he would have been only six years old at the time. Do you think that’s possible?”
“Hmm, now that you mention it, that might be true. But Sharka’s existence is still concerning.”
Lupus was impressed by Serpens, who was not bound by conventional perspectives.
The idea of a six-year-old boy defeating a Demon Beast was simply too far-fetched.
Although Serpens verbally expressed some denial, he seemed to harbor something akin to conviction that Sharka was a Demonbane Warrior.
“Sharka… I’ve never heard of that noble. I thought the only young noble who could stir my womb was the Albrough family’s Righteous Eliminator, but if there’s such an interesting child, I’d love to devour him…” slurp
The noblewoman’s shadowy figure slurped up the saliva that had overflowed.
This noblewoman was also considering the possibility that Sharka was a Demonbane Warrior.
(Kukuku, he’s strong after all.)
Lupus decided to honestly acknowledge the keen intuition of those in higher positions.
“Naia and Ortenos have begun to move towards a ceasefire. If this succeeds, the operation we have been advancing will run aground, and the overall progress could be affected. Therefore, it is necessary to crush these ceasefire talks.”
Serpens spoke in a way that stirred a sense of crisis.
“Serpens, please leave that task to us.”
“Leoriel and Corvus, very well.”
The voices came from the seventh and eighth men from the top.
Simple powerhouses even among the lower-ranking Stella-Classes.
“However, it would be disadvantageous for just the two of us to face a Demonbane Warrior. Therefore, there is something we would like you to prepare.”
Leoriel said with a nonchalant air.
His expression could not be read in the shadows, but he exuded an atmosphere of confidence.
“What is it?”
“A Floating Dragon and a Jewel Box.”
Leoriel grinned fearlessly.
◇◇◇◇
The day of the ceasefire talks.
We were now heading to the venue for the ceasefire talks in several carriages.
—Eastern Star Church Ruins
Located on the eastern side of the Elhoro River, a relay point between Bangwall Fort and Leiran City.
The venue, as seen from the carriage window, was simply a ruined church.
About two hundred and fifty years ago, an Eastern Star Church expulsion movement occurred mainly in the western part of the continent, and the earliest nobles raised their voices and expanded their power to the eastern part of the continent.
The reason it was not completely removed was probably to serve as a warning to the church and as a cultural heritage symbolizing the nobles’ destruction of the church.
This ceasefire talk, in name, is the realization of peace between House Hoshiros and House Ortenos.
The Naia Royal Family is merely acting as an arbitrator.
Originally, we were supposed to have discussions with the Naia Royal Family, but Hoshiros’ meddling has led to this strange situation.
Luna seems to be drawing up a scenario in which the ceasefire with Hoshiros will also lead to a ceasefire with the Naia Royal Family through broad interpretation, but it feels forced and I’m honestly worried.
“Brother, why are the ceasefire talks being held in a place like this?”
Roa asked with a refreshed expression.
At the dinner party two days ago, Roa had burst into tears and left the table, but I visited his room that night and refreshed him, so he has now fully recovered.
“Talks between opposing Stella-Classes are basically not held indoors. After a large-scale terrorist incident in the past, the format of the talks was reviewed, and places with good visibility like this were chosen.”
“Certainly, there aren’t many obstructions here, and it seems possible to prevent an attack by a third party.”
Stella-Classes possess enormous Magical Power, so utmost care must be taken in gatherings such as ceasefire talks.
Even the slightest movement to refine Magical Power would be regarded as an attack.
“Yeah, rest assured, as long as I’m here, I won’t allow any surprise attacks.”
“As expected of you, Brother.”
Roa looked at me with sparkling eyes.
Detection Magic is useful in times like these.
With a single sonar, Stella-Classes within a maximum radius of one hundred kilometers can be located.
However, doing so puts a strain on the brain’s processing power, so I usually limit it to about ten to twenty kilometers.
“Sharka, this is already Naia territory. Don’t neglect your search.”
“Yes. As of now, I am still detecting four Stella-Classes ahead.”
“Hmm, they still haven’t shown their tails, huh?”
I have been emitting sonar every few minutes since leaving Bangwall.
By the way, as of yesterday, I confirmed that there were four Stella-Classes in Leiran City, and so far, no suspicious Stella-Class presence has been found.
“In the end, Grandfather didn’t show up, did he?”
“I don’t think anything has happened to Father, but there’s no point in thinking about it any further. The three of us will participate in the discussions, but if we sense even the slightest danger, we’ll withdraw immediately. Understood?”
“Yes.”
Soon, the carriage came to a halt.
“Master, Lord Sharka, Lord Roa, we have arrived.”
Nicoletta opened the carriage door and announced our arrival.
Without using Detection Magic, I confirmed the presence of multiple Stella-Class individuals nearby with Magical Power Detection, and our expressions tightened.
Father, followed by me and Roa, alighted from the carriage.
Around us, Satella-Class individuals from Naia stood at equal intervals, maintaining vigilance.
I see, they’ve made it so that they can immediately detect if an enemy approaches.
We are VIPs to Naia, and are basically on the receiving end of hospitality.
Naia had provided us with a schedule in advance, with detailed plans for meals and breaks.
We wouldn’t have to be in a tense space, face-to-face with the enemy, the whole time.
As I was thinking about this, a figure emerged from the tent, approaching with the sound of footsteps.
“We have been waiting for you, esteemed members of House Ortenos.”
Greeting us was a girl with a beautiful, bell-like voice.
She had semi-long, golden thread-like hair, as beautiful and lustrous as silk, and wore black rabbit-ear-like hair accessories.
Her white blouse, resembling a shrine maiden’s outfit, was open at the shoulders and chest, revealing bare skin and a glimpse of her shapely upper curves.
The way she stood there, smiling faintly, seemed to know all about her own sexual appeal, and appeared somewhat bewitching.
From between her knee-high white socks and red skirt, her plump thighs, characteristic of her growth spurt, made a strong statement, and my gaze couldn’t help but be drawn there.
(This is bad…)
“I am Luna von Naia, First Princess of the Kingdom of Naia. I will be your guide today.”
I thought I caught her eyes for a moment.
Perhaps she recognized me, as she gave me a sweet smile.
(Adorable…)
I reflexively slipped my right hand into my pocket, rubbing a Gold Coin.
About that time the girl I had been corresponding with turned out to be an unbelievable beauty…