64 Episode 64 "Since it is troublesome to capture the base, I secretly tried my best.".txt (1/2)

A few days after the dungeon attack, Iris came to my house.

'I've come to visit,'

Iris came with twenty men in tow. They took the box of fish and cooking wine they had brought as a souvenir in the living room and quickly stepped back. They left the minimum number of maids and went back to their neighbors.

After watching them, Iris sat back in her chair with a tired look on her face.

Quickly, with a flowing motion, Aine offered her a cup of tea.

Aine looks at the box of goodies and says, ”As a sign of gratitude, you can have lunch,” and goes back into the kitchen. I can smell bread baking from the other side. Good job Raphilia.

...... haha.

Iris glanced at me and then sighed, ”Glancing at me.

I'm so tired.

Did something else happen with the festival coming up the day after tomorrow (the day after tomorrow)?

''Cecil.''

Yes. Mr. Nagi.

Come here.

I beckoned to Cecil, who was standing in the hallway in his apron.

And, as he came over, Cecil stood behind me.

If you want to talk about rituals and magic, you'd better ask Cecil about it.

Rita can be found at .......

Whisper, flicker.

Whispers, whispers, whispers.

She's pacing back and forth in the corridor with a mop in hand, looking at me.

When I beckon to her, she scurries away. Ever since we made our soul promise, she's so embarrassed that she won't come near me. Well, knowing Rita, she'll turn back to normal in time.

'We have located the location of the Marquise Eterina-Harsburg.

After sipping her honeyed tea, Iris began to speak.

'I have some undisclosed information, but we've been fighting regular soldiers since yesterday.

But ...... it's business as usual in town, right?

Because we're fighting in a way that people don't know about.

Are you occupying a fort or something?

What makes you think that?

I've been in a fight since yesterday.

I don't know the specs of Eterina-Harsburg, but I don't think they can do individual battles for a full day against a group of regular soldiers. That means the 'Knights of Divine Life' should be with them. And the Ilgafa Lord Family's army is more than 100 men. If they collided with each other head-on, they should be able to settle the matter quickly.

But if they're still in battle, that means they're not in a head-on battle. They're either running away or holed up somewhere else.

And if they've been fighting a chase battle all day, they should at least be able to get the word out about the town.

So I thought they might be holed up in a distant fort, doing some sort of siege battle.

Brilliant deduction.

Iris took her teacup and nodded lightly.

'Eterina-Harsburg and her gang have taken over the pavilion on the isle and are engaged in a siege against the regular soldiers.

The House of Kojima?

This is a separate residence of the House of the Lord of Irgafa. It is a stone building built on a rocky islet, and it even has a rampart to house the mansion. It is said to have been used by the lords to hide out with their soldiers in times of emergency and to think to themselves.

I see.

Well, for the last decade or so, your grandfather used to use it to hide his mistress.

'I didn't want to get that blunt, but how did such a place end up in the hands of a marquise?

Her brother told her where it was and gave her a key. As a means of escape in case of an emergency.

...... aha!

'Sohma-sama always has the perfect words for Iris' feelings. Yes, ...... Iris is in the mood for an 'a-ha' too.

That's why me, Iris, and Cecil all held our foreheads together, 'Aha!

I'm not going to bother Souma and the others with this matter. No, of course not.

They won't be able to hurt us in a siege.

That's part of it, but the captain of the regulars is on fire, saying, 'We will fight our way through with everything we have to restore our honor.'

You're that flippant horned beetle guy?

'Yes, sir. Thanks to him, the regular soldiers are getting excited. ''We will show you our power, awakened by the sea dragon's mask! And.

You're awake?

Come on. I just heard that the mask supplier has made a record profit.

Apparently our bluffing has had a positive impact on the Irgafa economy.

But ...... I see. So the Marquise and the 'Divine Order' are holed up in Kojima's mansion?

'My parents were so shocked by the series of events that they fell ill with a fever. So it was decided that Iris would take action.

That's a tough one. ...... Illis. It's tiny.

The only thing left to do is to capture Kojima's mansion. It's also possible to take out a bunch of wizards and attack them all at once. ......

'I'd like to get a lot of information out of the Marquise, so I'd like to take her alive if possible.

Yes. But Kojima's building is robust enough to be used in an emergency.

If you go easy on them, it will take longer and there's a greater chance that the enemy will escape. If you attack by force, you'll kill all of your enemies, and there might be some casualties on our side. It's a difficult place for Iris to be, isn't it?

...... That's Iris's 'soul (tamashii) brother'

Iris rolls her eyes and looks at me. She looks impressed.

And why are you so proud of your 'ehem', Cecil?

'To your master, Iris's mind is a mere mortal coil: ......

Iris looked at Cecil, who was standing behind me, and smiled gently.

'Yes. Nagi-sama always sees through everything about me and brings out a new me that I never knew existed.

He said something inappropriate to me.

''Come to think of it, it was the first time I've had a calm conversation with you. Nagi-sama's slave, ...... Cecil-sama.

I don't need a 'sama'. I belong to you, Nagi.

'...... 'Sohma-sama's' ......?'

Iris stared at Cecil with eyes that seemed to search for something.

From the top of her head to her toes. The chest and the gaze back and forth as if to check the position of the head.

'Does Cecil ...... belong to Souma-sama?

'Yes. I belong to you in body, mind and soul, Nagi.

I see.” ...... I see. So people like you are the kind of person Sohma likes ....... That's wonderful.

Iris tapped the chest of her dress with a plop, and then laughed with a huff.

'As expected of Souma-sama, she is the one Iris expected. And Cecil-sama is also worthy of being his partner. Someone like Cecil-sama would be a perfect fit for Souma-sama's left and right (...) sides.

Nagi-sama, I was praised!

Cecil's eyes sparkled and he shook my hand.

I didn't know that Iris has no prejudice against demi-humans.

''Yes, someone like Cecil-san is a very good match for Souma-sama. It's just the right size. The fact that the Souma is favored by a person like Cecil is a source of hope for Iris as well.

............ Onii. Me and Nagi-sama are at ......

I won't let you get any more dangerous than you already are, Master Souma.

Oh, I'm up to something.

In our short time together, I've started to read Iris' expressions.

She's kind of like me, isn't she, Iris? In character, that is.

So I thought you'd be able to help me out.

I knew it.

Iris clapped her hands and called the attendant who was waiting in the hallway.

A woman in a maid's uniform with a sea dragon emblem comes over with a map. Iris spread it out on the table.

It was a map of a small island in the middle of the sea.

This is the map of the house where the marquise is holed up.

All of these numbers and units are from this world.

When translated to the scale of my world...

The island is about 100 meters wide. There are 5 meter high walls on all sides of the mansion. There is a landing place on the north side. The rest of the island is sheer cliffs.

It was once used as an anti-piracy base, so it has a lookout tower.

It's not much of a place for a bunch of marquise to hide, is it?

'It looks like they were forced to flee as we held the street. Will they have reinforcements from other port towns, or are they trying to escape through an opening, or do they have a way out in depth? ......

I can't read that far.

I'm sure Iris would like to finish up before the Festival of the Sea Dragon.

As for me, I want to have the Marquise in a hurry to catch her and find out if she's a visitor or not. And who is behind it.

I'm sure we're all working on the same thing.

I've been reading up on that kind of tactics and stuff when I was trying to make a simulation game before, either an isolated island strategy or ....... It's hard to do.

I guess I'll have to use a cheat move to get ...... done quickly.

'You know, Iris,'

”Yes, my dear. Dear Souma.

'Brother ...... does Neuer-Hafeumea still have a crush on the Marquise?'