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// On :Wednesday, May 30, 2018
Neia and Gustavo returned to the Sorcerer King’s room together. Its door was little more than a piece of cloth, but a paladin still stood in front of it. Was he there to look out for people who might harm the guest within, or watch over the guest himself?
After being ordered to stand down by Gustavo, the paladin left.
Neia mentally furrowed her brow.
Since he had sent away the guard, coming here definitely meant he had something else in mind besides telling him about the plan. It was hard to imagine that they would want to assassinate him. However, should that really come to pass, then she would need to wield her weapon as the Sorcerer King’s shield.
“Your Majesty, this one is Gustavo Montanjes; I and Squire Neia Baraja seek your permission to enter.”
After it was granted, Gustavo took a step into the room.
When one recalled the inns they had seen in the Kingdom and the Sorcerous Kingdom, this place seemed terribly austere. This was no place for a nation’s king to rest.
There was nothing to be done about the fact that the cave walls were bare rock, but even the furniture was in in a sad state.
While paladins learned to sew during their squire days, it was not enough for them to make furniture.
However, the bed where the Sorcerer King sat was extremely beautiful. It gleamed with black radiance, like it was made of onyx. In addition, there were pure white sheets upon it.
Anyone else would have been scared senseless by the sight of this beautiful bed which had been produced from places unknown. However, to Neia, she had long since come to think that such matters were nothing to to be hung up about when it came to the Sorcerer King. Besides, it was possible that he had simply teleported home and came back with a bed.
Still, it was a different matter for Gustavo, who did not know the Sorcerer King like Neia did.
“Your, Your Majesty. What, what is that?”
“Oh, this?” The Sorcerer King indicated his bed. “I made it with magic. As for this blanket, well, I also made it with magic. That said, I have no idea where this one hundred percent wool came from, but it feels good to lie down on. I’m sure you could have a comfortable rest on it.”
Even after receiving that answer, all Gustavo could do was stiffly reply, Ah, ahh. However, Neia did not have an intention to criticize him for it. After all, she too was looking into the distance and thinking, Magic really can do anything~
“Now then, I understand why Miss Baraja has returned. But why have you come as well, Vice-Captain-dono?”
“Ah, ah, yes! While I have no intention of slighting Squire Baraja, I felt that it would be more appropriate, as the Vice-Captain, to conduct the upcoming briefing myself; hence my presence here.”
“Hm… if that is what you all think, then I as an outsider have no room to disapprove. However, I would like to say something.”
Just then, something black seemed to blend with the crimson points of light which served as the Sorcerer King’s eyes.
“I gave her those orders because I felt she could carry them out. Interfering in the matter by weight of your position as a superior is comparable to slighting my judgement. I trust you understand how that would displease me, no?”
Until now, no matter how he had looked at her, no matter how he had treated her, the Sorcerer King had never once shown Neia his unhappiness. However, for the first time, he was showing his anger before Neia. This anger was born from his trust in Neia, and it caused a current of heat to course through her chest. He was the only one who held that opinion of her.
“I sincerely apologize!”
“That apology should be directed at her. Still, well, nevermind. Go ahead and brief me.”
Gustavo briefly summarized the details of what had been said, but his only answer was a vague Hmm.
“I see. Then — what do you expect me to do? Or are you saying you have truly come just to inform me of this?”
“Of course not; I wished to ask if Your Majesty had any opinions about this operation.”
So that was it.
He wanted to borrow the intellect of the Sorcerer King. That was what had worried Neia about his insistence on coming along. Ordering that paladin away was also for that reason. If he overheard what Gustavo said, if he learned that the Vice-Captain had bowed his head to the king of another country, who was also one of the undead, things would go very badly indeed.
At this point, what’s the use of covering things up...
It was plain to see that they were helpless without the might of the Sorcerer King. That being the case, news of this would certainly circulate throughout the people. It was only a matter of whether it took place sooner or later.
What the people of the Holy Kingdom should have done was to spread the word of the Sorcerer King’s mercy and compassion throughout the land, and then treated him with gratitude.
While I understand they’re wary of him because he’s one of the undead, I don’t think the Sorcerer King’s that kind of man...
Still, even if Neia told everyone, it was likely that no-one would believe her. They might even think she was the subject of a 「Charm」 spell or similar magic.
What can I do to make everyone trust the Sorcerer King? In the end, it seems I’ll need to do something to change the first impression of him. However, I can’t possibly say something rude like, “Please let more people accompany you…”
While Neia pondered the matter, the Sorcerer King was still speaking to Gustavo.
“...No, I’ve already said this. I will not comment on your battle plans.”
“I pray you will furnish us with a solution on this point, because we have nowhere left to go. We would like to avoid the possibility of failure, however slight.”
“And that is the reason why I will not. If you heed my suggestions and the operation ends in a failure, what shall be done? I do not intend to shoulder that responsibility, you know?”
“Yes. Therefore, I feel that what we discuss here should remain with my heart, that of Your Majesty’s, and Squire Baraja’s.”
“Miss Baraja too? Would it not be better not to let her hear this?”
“No, for various reasons, it would be better if there was a third party other than ourselves present. Also, with someone of her skills around, we might be able to come up with more ideas.”
“...Hm, then we may briefly discuss the matter. Miss Baraja, I trust you are fine with this?”
“Ah! Yes, I don’t mind.”
“In that case… there were several points in the operation you suggested just now which bothered me. The first is the question of rations. I agree that there might be food stocks in the prison camps, but I do not feel there will be much there. When you think about it, do you think they would feed their captives properly? If it were up to me, I would decrease their daily food intake and weaken them so they would have no chance to revolt. Also, there is the matter of pressing them into service as soldiers after rescuing them. What about their weapons? Have you transported them to this cave?”
“No, we have not. I would like to think we could obtain those from the camps.”
“Your plan of wagering everything on these camps is very dangerous. You do understand this, right?”
“Yes. However, saving the people suffering in there is very important.”
“On that point I concur. The more time passes, the less they will love this country. However, it would be best to do something about the food situation. In truth, I feel that seeking the aid of the south is the best choice in many ways. What can be done to accomplish that more easily?”
“The royal family will help. While the Holy Queen-sama has already passed away, I do not think all the royals have been wiped out. We could aid the members of the royal family supported by the southern nobles, and then have them ask the southern nobles to cooperate with us. If we did that, we would also have a safe refuge… speaking of which, Your Majesty. The Holy Queen is dead, but perhaps Your Majesty could do something about it?”
“What do you want me to do about it?”
“Resurrection.”
“I see. That is not impossible.”
He said so in such a casual tone that Neia doubted her ears for a moment. Resurrection magic could be considered the ultimate secret of divine magic. Very few humans could use it. How many people in this world could speak those words so easily?
“Naturally, I will expect some form of compensation for this. Then where is the body? In what state is it?”
“The body’s location is currently unknown, as is its status. On the subject of compensation, we will gladly pay as much money as Your Majesty desires.”
The Sorcerer King waved his hand before his face.
“The lack of a body will make things very difficult. Even with one, damage to the body might complicate matters. Without an intact corpse, there is a chance that if I used resurrection magic, it might become one of the undead.”
“That, that would be very problematic for us.”
The Holy Queen becoming an undead being would not just be problematic, it might plunge the entire Holy Kingdom into war.
“Are there no magic casters in the Holy Kingdom which can use resurrection magic of the fifth tier?”
“I apologize, but I have not heard of any.”
“Hoh… and what about the remaining members of the royal family?”
“They are probably in one of the internment camps. After so long, I doubt any of them are still hidden within the cities.”
“Ho, prisoners, then? ...Do you have any information on where they might be?”
“None at all,” Gustavo replied with a shake of his head. The Sorcerer King looked at the ceiling.
“Umu. You really are making this up as you go along, aren’t you?”
“Indeed, it is so. Nobody among the paladins is skilled at collecting information…”
“Is that so…” The Sorcerer King hmmed to himself. “As I thought, a solid organization to allow every subordinate to deal with all kinds of situations is essential. In addition, one needs multiple intelligence-gathering apparatuses.”
“There-therefore, we were hoping to draw on Your Majesty’s might. May I know if you could help us with your magic?”
“Well, magic is not that omnipotent… for starters, we need detailed information on the prison camps. I trust you have a detailed map for me to peruse?”
“My sincerest apologies—”
“I do not think there is one here; shall I fetch one?” Neia interrupted halfway.
Maps were the treasure of a kingdom. The more accurate they were, the more useful they were in battle. Allowing a possible enemy nation to know so much about one’s geography did far more harm than good. Therefore, Gustavo must have been planning to refuse him.
However.
Neia could not concede on this point.
She could not tolerate their one-sided usage of the Sorcerer King.
If they wanted to draw on his wisdom, they would have to pay that price.
Although Gustavo stared daggers at her, Neia pretended that she had not noticed.
“Ah, in that case, let me take a look at it afterwards. Also, I apologize, but do tell me everything you know about the terrain, Miss Baraja.”
“Understood!”
After the two of them spoke to each other, Gustavo pulled aside the curtain and left. Once the sounds of his footsteps faded away, the Sorcerer King muttered:
“You don’t have to worry about it. I came here for my own gain, That’s how valuable Jaldabaoth’s demon maids are.”
“Yes.”
He must have been talking about the maps.
Neia’s chest burned. Truly, it was a joyful thing to have everything you did validated by others.
“Still, this really is pushing it. I’m surprised an organization that splinters so easily has held out for so long.”
“—My deepest apologies.”
“No, there’s no need to apologize to me… however, it’s quite troublesome when an organization isn’t united. Do you not use majority vote when a difference of opinion occurs? And of course, a rule to not hold grudges whatever the outcome.”
“How wonderful it would be if we could unite the group in that way. It sounds like a dream organization.”
“Mm… wonderful, you say?”
The Sorcerer King suddenly looked at the ceiling, but his eyes seemed to be gazing at something further away.
“Yes, that truly was the organization of my dreams.”
“Could it be that Your Majesty’s nation is organized along those lines?”
“Ah, ahhh. No, not like that. Unfortunately, my country is not such a group. Still… kuku.”
The Sorcerer King went quiet, and then he laughed warmly,
“It would be interesting if it was.”
“Interesting, you say?”
“—Now then, can you tell me about the surrounding area?”
