Vol 4 Chapter 6 (2/2)
Disciple Soldier: “How much?”
Disciple Merchant: “Enough for 50,000 men to be equipped for half a year of expeditions Worth 3,000,000 gold pieces”
Disciple Soldier: “!!”
Disciple Merchant: “Mostly, ill be able to share the burden of this The Union seeside us”
Disciple Soldier: “With that alone—“
Disciple Merchant: “Our freedom of movement within the present lands has increased, hasn’t it? However, whatever I can do is still pitiable I cannot coes of this war”
Attendant is stunned
Disciple Soldier: “——- That can’t be helped We all have our limitations Even His Majesty Even the Female Paladin On top of that, the Scholar and the Hero as well, probably”
Disciple Merchant: “Indeed My King also had so similar to say about this”
Disciple Soldier: “I am a military man Without explicit orders, I cannot simply march into the Subterranean World However, I think……”
Disciple Merchant: “?”
Disciple Soldier: “This is truly so important we should be worried about I am worried Hurry! Wesuch whispers co from somewhere distant and far away”
Disciple Merchant: “……”
Disciple Soldier: “I will go to this Conference as well”
Disciple Merchant: “I see, I have also made plans to be there”
Disciple Soldier: “We must do our utmost”
Disciple Merchant: “Which isn’t very much But I understand I will support you”
Disciple Soldier: “Thank you”
———— The Kingdom of Metal, the Palace, the Conference of the Southern Alliance
The Queen of Ice and Snow: “——- Our Conference hted before”
The Warrior-King of Red Horses: “I see”
The Sage-King of Reeds: “Mmm”
The Queen of the Lake: “Definitely”
The Prince of Branches: “I agree”
Lord of a Free City: “I understand……”
The King of Winter: “In that case, let ht each of our concerns The Crusader ar towards the Demon World numbers three hundred thousand This is an unparalleled military force Of course, victory and defeat on the battlefield is not a matter of numbers alone, however, it see wind of destruction”
Butler: “That is correct”
Disciple Merchant: “……”
Disciple Soldier: “……”
The Warrior-King of Red Horses: “But, what do you expect us to do about that?”
The Prince of Branches: “To begin with, all we currently have is a Peace Agreement with the Demons, it’s not like we have a pact ofThere is no basis for us to offer them any sort of assistance in this matter”
The Queen of the Lake: “Exactly”
Lord of a Free City: “However, following our agreeest that we are experiencing an economic upturn”
The Queen of Ice and Snow: “That should not be ignored”
The Prince of Branches: “To begin with, I have reason to doubt the veracity of these reports”
Lord of a Free City: “I cannot ignore this allegation Are you atte to imply that you do not trust the research and information of the Free Cities!?”
The Prince of Branches: “That is not what I said However, how can you say so easily that the increase in customs revenue may not arise from other sources? Of course, custo of the De and commerce Our Principality can confirm this as well However, at the same time, I can also say that the Crusaders have also been involved in preparing for war As such, there is reasonable evidence to suggest that the increase in customs revenue, and hence the increase in trade and commerce may be a direct result of the war itself as well”
Lord of a Free City: “That’s……”
The Sage-King of Reeds: “M been noticed that commerce increases in times of war The Prince of Branches is very persuasive……”
The Queen of the Lake: “……”
Lord of a Free City: “However, this and that are—“
The Sage-King of Reeds: “We th of the South, but despite this, our people are still not very strong Should we not be devoting ourselves to strengthening? For this purpose, soreat opportunity, is it not? I iht many of the nobles have as well”
Disciple Merchant: “Your Majesty”
The Lone Winter King: “H to say”
The Queen of Ice and Snow: “Mmmm”
Disciple Merchant: “Dear representatives of the various countries, allow me to speak from an economic and financial standpoint when I speak of the deception that co econo picture, such a phenomenon does not exist”
The Warrior-King of Red Horses: “Truly? Actually, isn’t this an ancient saying?”
The Prince of Branches: “What do you mean?”
Disciple Merchant: “Of course, within a limited time period, within a limited sector, such a phenomenon could occur However, please consider this coolly Any war of any sort requires the expenditure of resources We will require food, weapons, clothing, winter gear, transportation equipment, fuel and firewood, other perishables, and noith the introduction of unpowder as well Musketballs areof all that ammunition requires double the consu four musketballs requires a total of one silver piece”
The Prince of Branches: “And that’s why the econo these resources, the econoets paid for them”
Disciple Merchant: “That is only true for a li picture, we aresociety’s wealth and resources within a hich creates no econos, in two years you would have eight pigs That is the idea behind increasing one’s wealth Or, if five people worked to harvest grain, they would have enough to feed ten people That is also economically viable Compared to that, war is co is is to feed an ars? Do the soldiers produce any tangible products?”
The Iron Fist King: “Hmm”
The Warrior-King of Red Horses: “That’s true”
Disciple Merchant: “Another thing to consider is what happens in the event that weakly related third-party provides the goods required to sustain war to the belligerent party I believe you can understand this I believe that war as an economic practice is out of the question, it is the rapid consumption of resources As a result, we feel we can benefit fro our country does not beco so, we create the phenomenon of a War-Fueled Economic Boom”
The Prince of Branches: “That is indeed the situation in the Southern Alliance”
Disciple Soldier: “……”
The Prince of Branches: “As the war between the Central Continent and the De frodo to buy our charcoal, and other opportunities appear to be falling like autumn rain”
Lord of a Free City: “…… But”
Disciple Merchant: “That’s right I cannot disagree with that”
Disciple Soldier: “……”
The Prince of Branches: “From an economic and customs collection standpoint, it appears that we can stand at the sidelines and still reap the benefits”
The Lone Winter King: “But”
Disciple Soldier: “Since when has the Southern Alliance becootten how many of us fell at the Plains of Scilla to the muskets of the Crusaders? I do not e But—– to begin with, are we really the third party? Are we not a belligerent party merely not currently involved in the war? We are lucky that we are not currently under assault That is e can open such conferences However, exactly who is guaranteeing our safety?”
The Warrior-King of Red Horses: “Hmm”
Disciple Soldier: “Let us ignore the reasons why those muskets are not currently pointed at us No, the fact is there are reasons, but those are related to the whidoms and the Church The Dee to our Three Kingdo that period, there was a chance that our entire army could have been annihilated However, at present the Holy Crusaders are twelve times there are number This is not a mere military threat This is a threat to all the people in the Southern Alliance; every single person fro by his hearth, to the newborn baby If only 25,000 Demons of the Pale nearly annihilated our entire army, it would not be difficult for 300,000 Holy Crusaders to purge the entirety of our lands
I do not wish to exaggerate the threats we are facing, but I am a soldier When I observe threats of such a nature, I cannot put them aside, I have to voice my concerns I plead with each of you to reconsider I understand that it will not be an easy decision to march to save the Demon Army, I ask that you put that aside and consider the true cost of this war”
The Prince of Branches: “……”
Disciple Merchant: “Right I have just oneI would like to present to you all”
Attendant: “Yes!”
Disciple Merchant: “Right, the present Holy Crusades is the furthest est scale expedition in the history of human warfare Moreover, with the introduction of muskets, the present war has resulted in a never-before-seen sort of logistics expenditure Musketone very short-ter For this reason, while it e nuhts and oes on, they are prone to consu the conflict itself, they expend huge aram”
Attendant: “Yes!”
The Queen of Ice and Snow: “!?”
The Prince of Branches: “What!?”
Disciple Merchant: “This is istical expenditure of the Holy Crusaders”
The Warrior-King of Red Horses: “So……”
Disciple Merchant: “Indeed What an incredible expenditure I e expenditure in any war, even though these are old pieces These are taken as levies If the war ends quickly, which is to say that the Crusaders are able to achieve complete victory within a month from now, the profit they will accuh the acquisition of Demon lands as well as compensation from the Demon Tribester to consider is that they enerations ago in the Western Dynasty This is an e for a one tin, it is a fact that they have taken productive male labourers from every country and drafted them into the musket corps of the Holy Crusaders As a result, whether it be wheat farricultural domain will suffer a drop in productivity Under these conditions, it will be iime of heavy taxation, and hence their abilities are limited”
Disciple Soldier: “……”
Disciple Merchant: “Of course, dead people don’t eat any food, but while expenditure on food oes on, that does notamounts will need to be spent on eneral equip the oal of the arht, so basically an ar food In this situation, the ill et…… If you consider this, the situation I have just described will lead to our safety being in jeopardy”
The Sage-King of Reeds: “In the long term, what do you feel is the chance that ill not be embroiled in this conflict?”
Disciple Merchant: “Zero It is out of the question We have accepted our designation as heretics after all”
The Prince of Branches: “……”
Lord of a Free City: “Then this is our annihilation?”
Disciple Merchant: “No, that is not true While I feel our chance of not being involved in the conflict is zero, that does not mean that we are only limited to military means”
The Sage-King of Reeds: “Then, what of our military means?”
Disciple Merchant: “Right”
Disciple Soldier: “If we keep our head doe can drain them of 30”
The Sage-King of Reeds: “30……”
Disciple Soldier: “But this refers to 30 of that iathered from the countries enslaved to the Holy Empire and the Church”
The Warrior-King of Red Horses: “This may be quite a one-sided view, but it is earnestly how I think To begin with, our alliance is forether to oppose the tyranny of the Central Continent, to oppose their domination If we had intended to retreat, ould never have even joined in the first place”
The Sage-King of Reeds: “……”
The Queen of the Lake: “That’s right If we search for a road which leads to our survival”
The Lone Winter King: “What should we do, your Majesties?”
Disciple Merchant: “……”
Disciple Soldier: “……”
The Sage-King of Reeds: “But, three hundred thousand Three hundred thousand? My wise rulers, please consider Just what can we do against such nued dragon”
The Warrior-King of Red Horses: “We are not sheep”
The Lone Winter King: “That’s right We are humans We are not blind sheep like the Church says”
The Metal Fist King: “We the Kingdom of Metal believe that we should continue to debate whether or not to send soldiers to the Demon World At the very least, we have been able to establish dialogue with a section of the Deh military means, while this ed to solve this through dialogue, to the extent that our relationshi+p will not be coloured by a backdrop of military affairs, I believe their ears doe and faced the assault of the Crusader musketeers Some say that our enemies are the Demons, but it was those Demons who rescued us froe up old events, but we are not a country ill forget our benefactors I believe the citizenry will understand this as well Hence, our view is to send out the troops”
The Warrior-King of Red Horses: “Our Kingdom shares the same view We understand the threat posed by the Holy Crusaders If ant to solve the issue, we have to act as soon as we possibly can”
The Queen of Ice and Snow: “Unfortunately, in with, we do not have the military force to support the operation However, we also understand the threat posed by the Holy Crusaders We suggest that we try to seek alternative methods”
Lord of a Free City: “We choose to abstain To begin with, as a free trading city, we do not have the ability to muster aour present independence We will do our best to provide naval transports, istics support as the situation deems necessary”
The Queen of the Lake: “I see I will consider the coe Battalions Of course, we also aspire for a solution which will enable us to avoid conflict”
The Sage-King of Reeds: “At present, dom does not have the capacity to coest that across the Southern Alliance, we can attempt to muster for volunteers However, however…… What e do after we gather our troops? Will we not only incense the Holy Crusaders, and jeopardise the fates of all our Kingdoms?”
The Lone Winter King: “…… That’s”
Disciple Merchant: “……”
The Lone Winter King: “The world which the Southern Alliance hopes for Is not a world of consolidation and dohout the world Within the South, ant freedoe this conviction From a practical point of vieill not be able to prosper as long as there are those ould challenge our right to exist If we allow those around us to be subsumed, ill ourselves be subsumed eventually, and ill be weak and epheremal
The Scholar toldI often think about and I believe this should be a beacon and a guide for the Kingdom of Winter and the Southern Alliance That is, that ‘it will not end’”
The Sage-King of Reeds: “It will not end……”
The Lone Winter King: “assudo as the rivers and theas the four seasons continue to rotate, then the people shall continue to reside in this land They will live as they have lived…… Whether as citizens of a defeated country, or as citizens of a victorious country As the Kingdodoeneration of rulers As ti ends We should consider the fact that it will not end”
Disciple Merchant: “It will not end……”
The Lone Winter King: “That is correct It , as a leader, I must make preparations for this That is ht the way for the Southern Alliance to advance If the world is not going to end, then at the very least, to strive for a better toht Somehow or another, ill not end, and neither will the Central Continent, or the De and conflict are allowed to exist, to erous to tolerate
War is a bad thing Especially because even war cannot end the world It helps to spreadacross the world However, I ood and what is bad, I must defend s that transcend binary e totroops But thisour future from dark clouds This mobilisation must be one pivot of a broader political settlement”
The Queen of the Lake: “That may be so…… But the realistic problem is that the military force we are able toarmy of the Holy Crusadeers”
The Lone Winter King: “That is e must plan the scale of our involvement very carefully For this, each of us knows our own countries best We must research into what form of support and how many soldiers ill be able to provide to the expedition I would like to request a preli As for the Co Does anyone oppose this?”
The Warrior-King of Red Horses: “It would be strange if you were to propose anybody else to helm our frontlines I know him to be a meticulous and dedicated character”
The Sage-King of Reeds: “I have no objections”
The Prince of Branches: “The tales of his great herois time”
Lord of a Free City: “Definitely no objections”
Disciple Soldier: “So it see our troops out I suppose I’ll have to head to the Demon World soon”
Disciple Merchant: “Well, it’s not li ould be the best strategy”
Disciple Soldier: “That being said, how about our teacher? It would not be strange for her to join this council, actually”
Disciple Merchant: “She may be of nobility, but she’s nobody’s retainer nor is she royalty Don’t you think the effect of her words may be limited?”
Disciple Soldier: “Eh?”
Disciple Merchant: “Well, I’m off to see what I can do about the Holy Templars and the volunteers”
——–The Foot of the Inferno Mountains
Boots dragging
Small Mercenary: “What’s up?”
Mercenary Archer: “Well, ahead of us lies the Inferno Mountains On top of the gate, the words ‘Clarity in Fire’ are written Without a doubt, this ons”
Elder Sister Maid: “Good eye You spotted that really quickly”
Mercenary Archer: “Noate will no doubt be defended by guards, nowe think we are, we don’t have a chance This is not the sort of place that a few tens of people will be able to break through”
Small Mercenary: “What! You fool! How et past this?”
Mercenary Archer: “So what’s the plan?”
Elder Sister Maid: “I suppose ill need a cunning plan”
Mercenary Survivor: “Hmm Is it possible?”
Elder Sister Maid: “I think so”
Mercenary Survivor: “Would you like to tell us?”
Elder Sister Maid: “No, I can’t really say……”
Mercenary Survivor: “?”
———- The Inferno Mountains, the Gate
Dragon Guard: “Halt!”
Dragon Guard: “Who goes there! State your name!”
Elder Sister Maid: “Ahhh, ahem, it’s me”
Dragon Guard: “Ah! Your Majesty!”
Dragon Guard: “What!?”
Dragon Guard: “There is noit Your Majesty! I saw you with my own eyes at the Kurultai”
Mercenary Archer: “They’re calling her the De looks like But she hasn’t changed her look one bit!?”
Mercenary Survivor: “Wait, no…… What’s that look?”
Se!? Why didn’t she say?”
Young Mercenary: “I’m not surprised No matter what happens, I’m not surprised anymore”
Elder Sister Maid: “I have cohly urgent affair”
Dragon Guard: “But who are those humans……?”
Elder Sister Maid: “These are ht with me from the Human World If possible, ill need a place to tend to their horses The road has been long, and the horses need to rest We still have a long journey ahead of us as well Perhaps you know a place?”
Dragon Guard: “Yes, I understand Hey, let’s get her to the Fire Dragon Lord And, look around for a place to house her iuards”
Elder Sister Maid: “Thank you”
Mercenary Survivor: “Well done, milady… I mean, your Majesty”
Elder Sister Maid: “Don’t worry about it”
Dragon Guard: “Then, please come this way”
Elder Sister Maid: “Looks like we’ve solved it through dialogue But if we hadn’t, this could have been really troublesome”
——— The Inferno Mountains, the Temple of Rubies, the Audience Chamber
Dragon Guard: “This way, please”
Elder Sister Maid: “Thank you”
Dragon Guard: “My Lord! Fire Dragon Lord! The De is here”
The Fire Dragon Lord: “Please come in”
Elder Sister Maid: “This is a confidential discussion Please leave us”
Dragon Guard: “Yes, Your Majesty”
Door closes
Elder Sister Maid: “…… Phew”
The Fire Dragon Lord: “Well”
Elder Sister Maid: “I am please to meet you”
The Fire Dragon Lord: “Who are you? You look just like the De, but you stink of human”
Elder Sister Maid: “Yes I am a human My name is the Elder Sister Maid”
Bows
The Fire Dragon Lord: “Is this…… a Ring of Illusion?”
Elder Sister Maid: “Yes”
The Fire Dragon Lord: “Just why have you infiltrated this place?”
Elder Sister Maid: “Firstly, I ain your audience”
The Fire Dragon Lord: “Hmph”
Elder Sister Maid: “…… You don’t seeered”
The Fire Dragon Lord: “Over the years I have gotten used to iuests That includes the Hero, when he ca in the last time”
Elder Sister Maid: “I sincerely apologise”
The Fire Dragon Lord: “I suppose you learnt your manners from the Chief Maid”
Elder Sister Maid: “Yes, she was my teacher”
The Fire Dragon Lord: “I see”
Elder Sister Maid: “I learnt fro You could say I was one of their disciples…… To begin with, I am not their official disciple, but I have had the opportunity of receiving their guidance”
The Fire Dragon Lord: “Mmm”
Elder Sister Maid: “I sincerely apologise for this, but the e of this audience which I have co, nor is it based on any of her teachings, and I do not co in line with, but independently fro”
The Fire Dragon Lord: “So who or what do you work for?”
Elder Sister Maid: “My own ideals”
The Fire Dragon Lord: “I certainly hope so Hahaha”
Elder Sister Maid: “?”
The Fire Dragon Lord: “I on Lord I am the head of one of the Great Tribes in the Deon Races It is iravity”
Elder Sister Maid: “Thank you very much”
The Fire Dragon Lord: “Enough with the forer interested in you, I may just decide to bite off and consu the for”
Elder Sister Maid: “I would like to borrow one of the treasures of the Tribe of Dragons Well, there’s a good chance I won’t be able to return it, so I would like to have it……”
The Fire Dragon Lord: “Really? What do you want? The Blizzard Blade? Or the Ring of the Goddess?”
Elder Sister Maid: “The Ball of Light”
The Fire Dragon Lord: “!? How does a human know of that!”
Elder Sister Maid: “……”
The Fire Dragon Lord: “Answer on Tribe This is one of the eternal treasures of the Tribe of Dragons It goes back to the first Deends The reason why the Tribe of Dragons is such an ancient, such a noble, and such a powerful race has ht
I will tell you a legend Once a King of Dragons had the ht He went insane and died soon after So do you think that this is one of those things which I can so easily lend out!?”
Elder Sister Maid: “Even so, please”
The Fire Dragon Lord: “So answer, how do you know of it, human!?”
Elder Sister Maid: “…… I saw it in a dream”
The Fire Dragon Lord: “A dream?”
Elder Sister Maid: “Indeed”
The Fire Dragon Lord: “This isn’t some euphemism is it?”
Elder Sister Maid: “Of a ti past……”
The Fire Dragon Lord: “———“
Elder Sister Maid: “The Spirits were of five races In later times, known as the Five Great Families The ancestors of all Demons were these Spirits The Spirits existed in a blissful utopia without conflict Why did they fall frohts to become the Demons of today? That is because one of the fa impure; and this incensed the Fire Family This misfortune polluted the Spirit World, and it fractured into innuments like small crystal balls
A lady of the head branch of the Fire Fa citizenry She beca Spirits she saved went on to become the seeds of the people today
——- The Ball of Light is a present she left behind But why? Why is it that while she is able to draw armies of adherents in the Human World, she is completely unknown in the Demon World? Moreover, why is it that the Church in the Surface World has the saends as that of the Deht me this in the blue sea As a human, I should have known We humans are the descendants of that Earth Family which destroyed the utopia we used to live in And the Demons are the descendants of the other faht As a result, your ancestors did not consider her to be a divine being While she was recognised as being brave and courageous, that is co oreat and important person That is why the Dereat tales of adends…… and then myths
However, in reverse, our ancestors did not have such forbearance They could not endure the fact that they had themselves destroyed the utopia which they had held so dear On top of that, they could not endure the fact that it had been a single young lady, not oressions and sacrificed her life for the world As a result, in order to cope with all this, they began venerating her as a God
However, as tiins Just as how one’s tracks get obscured when the snow falls again While there is still sootten the pain we could not endure, and we had forgotten our eternal gratitude It was not because anybody was evil, or that anything had been done wrongly, but in this way the Surface World and the Subterranean World started to diverge further and further into two very different paths”
The Fire Dragon Lord: “I have never heard a story like this”
Elder Sister Maid: “Yes”
The Fire Dragon Lord: “Am I supposed to behave your creative license as a poet?”
Elder Sister Maid: “If