Chapter 42 (1/2)
The Grand Strategy
Ria visited Vargas’ house in the high-end residential area of Jaeburg in the afternoon.
She was told by his wife that he was still somehow or another waking up and eating.
Ria firmly refused the wife’s invitation to come in, instead waiting in the foyer.
Meanwhile, s.h.i.+zuna, who was asleep well into the afternoon, met her face to face. She was cute even when she was waking up. The person herself was quite frightened, though.
Her two younger brothers had come to see the Great Woman Hero that defeated their sister, but were surprised and charmed by her unexpected beauty.
The meal was finished before long and she took out the slightly troubled Vargas.
They chose a place where they could talk quietly. In this town, that could only be the park.
“Well?”
Sitting down on the bench, Vargas urged her to hurry.
“Surely you aren’t going to say we’re going back into the labyrinth so soon?”
Though it was improbable, Ria did things that were improbable. Vargas already understood that.
Of course, although Ria did unreasonable things, she wasn’t unreasonable. That was his impression at least.
“What kind of person do you think I am?”
“The representative of unreasonableness, recklessness, and thoughtlessness.”
Striking words. She deserved them though.
“Well, we’re not going back into the labyrinth. It’s fine to rest for a bit longer.”
Ria said so. It was an appeal called common sense.
“Since next time we’re going to be conquering the Dark Labyrinth.”
However, she spoiled it with her following words.
Vargas reluctantly nodded with an amazed faze.
“It’s not impossible. We can definitely make it there without anyone dying.”
“Of course. No-one will die.”
Comrades were important. To say nothing of Vargas, who had lost comrades many times in his youth, Ria also felt as though she has important people to protect.
“Is that what you wanted to talk about?”
“No, I wanted to ask your opinion on something.”
Ria hesitated, a little lost on how to start. It was probably best to start from the beginning.
“First, have you heard about the Imperial Capital’s disappearance?”
“Ah, it’s still a rumor. Though it’s a fairly credible one.”
“The fact that the Imperial Capital disappeared, for this Millennium, there’s a possibility that the human race may be ruined.”
Vargas’ body trembled faintly.
Jaeburg was close to demon tribe territory. If there would be an invasion at the start of the Millennium, it would probably be swallowed up quickly. [1]
With that, the human race would lose the majority of its population for this Millennium. In the battle three thousand years ago, apart from the southeastern island area and the Imperial Capital, you could say that human civilization ceased to exist.
“My family should take shelter…”
Vargas muttered. The further south you went, the less danger there should be.
“It would be good going to Casalia. I’ve even written a letter of introduction. The Royal Capital has powerful defenses.”
Ria could do something to that extent.
“Then here it is. To prevent humanity’s extinction, we need the Dark Dragon’s power.”
“So conquer the labyrinth? Although Dark Dragon Valis is a friend to humanity, that doesn’t mean he would actively fight against the demon tribe.” [2]
He was bound as a friend to Militant Emperor Ryuke Riana two thousand years ago, and was Founder Leyte Anaia’s spouse one thousand years ago. He exercised tremendous power at the fringes.
“Then that settles it. I just have to be like my ancestors.”
Vargas caught her eyes and stared at her.
“I haven’t said it yet, but my real name is Ryuke Riana Crystal Casalia. Though I’m an illegitimate child, I am Casalia’s princess.”
“Ah, I knew.”
“… That so?”
She wasn’t surprised he knew. Not having said it up to now, he probably just feigned ignorance.
She had grandly introduced herself as a princess in Labyrinth City after all. With information spreading here, it was easy to tie that ident.i.ty to Ria, considering her capabilities.
Ria was impressed. Vargas still gave her advice.
“Labyrinth City’s mayor said that the Millennium would happen within ten years.”
Even with that, the information wasn’t obvious. Its range was too huge.
“Between ten years and a single year, it’s a different thing entirely.”
“Yeah, that’s why I already don’t think there’s any time to waste.”
They had lost the Imperial City, and perhaps even the Golden Dragon.
“Back up a little, were the spirits clamoring over that?”
“That’s… I see, at that time, that was when the Imperial Capital disappeared.”
All the way from the Imperial Capital to here, separated by thousands of kilometers, the mages detected vast amounts of magical power.
If that much magical power was used, it wouldn’t be strange for even a G.o.d Dragon, this world’s guardians, to disappear.
“I’ve been thinking about it. Without the Imperial Capital, how will we stop the demon tribe’s invasion?” [3]
Ria used a stick to make a rough sketch of the continent on the ground.
“From the far east, the Giant Swamp, the Istria Kingdom, the Oomori Woods, Holy City, the Sacred Mountain Cyrus and Magic City, the Mountain Range of Death, Casalia, groups of small to medium cities, the Dark Labyrinth, and the Large Inland Sea.”
Touching all of this was the layer of permafrost, the demon tribe’s territory on the other side.
“The Giant Swamp will be no problem since the Water Dragon is there. Oomori woods has the great war potential of the elves. If Holy City and Magic City cooperates, they might have enough war potential. Casalia is stable. The Dark Labyrinth is the Dark Dragon’s domain.”
Though Vargas wasn’t too detailed on the continent’s situation, he didn’t interrupt. There was no mistaking what Ria was trying to say.
“To begin with, the Mountain Range of Death is a protective barrier by itself. Same with the Large Inland Sea, throughout history the demon tribe has never invaded by crossing its waters, so it’s probably fine to disregard it.”
Then there were two places remaining.
“The problem is with the Istria Kingdom, there are small and medium sized cities around it.”
“Yeah. Istra’s known for civil wars… it’s far too useless. When the time comes there’s nothing that can be done but leave it to leave it to Oomori Woods’ elves. What we should work on now is definitely this area. The scattered city-states don’t have a collected war potential. They do however have considerable personal strengths.”
Ria struck down on the crude map.
The beastkin villages, the ogre villages, the dwarf villages, Labyrinth City, Jaeburg. There were even other areas.
“The Manesh Kingdom kills Dragons.”
“Tentatively, though there are only five kingdoms officially… well it’s fine. What’s necessary is to bring the scattered people together.”
“The Cordova Kingdom?”
Right, although Ria abh.o.r.ed the Cordova Kingdom, it was probably the strongest faction on the northwest edge of the continent.