Balance
Zalmbald's requests are always important.
But this time, he assured me that it would never be a big deal.
It's definitely a big deal
It's not what it seems on the surface, but it's important.
"Zalmbald, you should be careful walking around at night..."
"Please don't say anything scary. It was you who got me into this mess in the first place."
"You're right, Lucette. No, it's probably because of me."
Damn it
I can't kick out Olasha now, so I had no choice from the beginning.
"I'll talk to King Boldoi, Olasha. You don't say anything, okay?"
"Is that okay?"
"I remember all the information about the Empire that I heard from you. There's no problem."
Zalmbald leads us to the King's Hall.
We walked straight through.
And then we arrive at a small door.
"Did you just say it was a secret meeting?"
"Yes, of course, but please don't tell anyone what we're talking about here. I don't think you'll do it, but..."
"Don't worry. I have no intention of doing anything troublesome."
Unless, of course, Boldoi set it up.
Zalmbald knocks on the door
Knock*, knock*.
We got a response from inside
"Excuse me"
Olasha and I enter the room following Zalmbald.
A clanking sound comes from behind
It was the sound of the guard next to the door slamming the bolt.
Now, it's a critical moment.
If I make a mistake, I'll die.
"Now then…"
A man wearing a crown moved.
"…Which one of you is the snake dragon slayer?"
"It is the man next to me. His name is Olasha."
"Who are you?"
"I'm Lucette. I'm this person's older brother and the leader of the mercenary group."
"Are they brothers? They don't look alike, do they?"
"Because it's my duty."
"Hmm? Well, tell me, what can you tell us about the power of the Empire?"
"Ha! First, let's talk about the location of the empire..."
The information Olasha gave me about the empire was unbelievable.
The causes of the world's collapse.
The existence of heroes who dealt with it
The existence of a god who found the heroes
The existence of flying ships in the distant past
The Empire analyzed it and mass-produced it.
"Wait!"
King Boldoi frowned.
"Are you saying this in your right mind?"
"I'm saying this in my right mind."
There's more I can say
There are weapons that can easily kill chimeras.
A weapon that requires no special talent... but only training.
"Enough..."
King Boldoi was the first to give up.
Okay, I don't know why, but I won.
"……You said, you're Lucette, right?"
"Ha!"
"Do you know what this is?"
King Boldoi said as he spread out a cloth.
It's quite old and yellowish.
"A map?"
It's a pretty old map
The location of the Dead Desert is depicted in green.
......I saw some writing in the center of the green, and I reacted a little.
"I knew you could read it."
"…What do you mean?"
"Don't fool around. The pattern in the center of the dead desert, you must have been able to read it as letters. And you immediately looked away, didn't you? That's all there is to it."
"Is there some kind of misunderstanding?"
"Still pretending, Marguerite?"
"! I-I'm just an adventurer who is a commoner, you know?"
"You must be of King Marguerite's bloodline. You look like him."
"……Did you know from the beginning?"
"I thought it might be possible even after hearing it from Zalmbald. Then, after meeting you like this, I became convinced."
"What do you plan on doing to us?"
King Boldoi raises his hand
In response to that hand, the soldiers draw their swords.
"Lucette!"
"Olasha, do not draw your sword."
Even if it is Olasha, this small room has many people
The only exit is also tightly bolted.
There's no chance of winning
"I wonder what the Empire would think?"
"What?"
"Wouldn't it be unpleasant to have information leaked like that, unintentionally and without their knowledge?"
"Isn’t that a good thing for you guys?"
"That's right. And don't you think that if you expose someone who leaks such information to the Empire, you can gain their trust?"
You bastard!
"Well? I didn't even think of that."
King Boldoi lowers his hands and the soldiers also sheath their swords.
"It's just a joke. Please forgive me."
"I doubt it."
"Isn't that what you say?"
"Haa... Let's continue talking."
"No, that's all for now. I have a request for you guys."
He says that and throws us the old map.
"The request is to investigate the ruins of the Dead Desert in the center of the map."
"We, the mercenary group?"
"That's right, the inside of the ruins will probably be in ruins anyway, that's for sure. So all you have to do is investigate and report, and do whatever you want with the junk inside. It's probably broken."
When King Boldoi said that, we were forced out by the soldiers.
-------------
"King, what did you mean by that?"
"I meant what I told them. Anyway, it's definitely going to be broken. No matter what they take with them, it's worthless junk, that's for sure."
"Do you know what's in there?"
"Zalmbald, you are too honest."
"I am sorry"
"There's a ship in those ruins."
"A ship? I don’t think there were any rivers in that area even before it turned into a desert?"
"Don't you think there are ships that swim in the wind instead of water?"
"Do you think flying ships actually exist?"
"Well, I wonder?"
"I see."
"That's why you're being too honest, Zalmbald."
"Wouldn't it be a great power if we got our hands on it?"
"Maybe so, maybe not. In that case, a king is the one who makes a sure choice."
"Are you sure?"
"Why does he know about the existence of the Empire?"
"Is it because he was born in the Empire?"
"Yes, that's why I'm still pulling them in for now."
"So if the Empire asks to hand it over, you'll do it immediately?"
"That's right, we don't know the strength of the Empire. That's why now is the time to stay centered and lean in either direction."
"It doesn't seem to have anything to do with this request, does it?"
"It's not unrelated. I owe a debt to the Marguerite royal family, so I'm just paying it back."
"...I understand. King, please give me permission to work with them as well."
"Very well. I will send troops to you regularly, and you will report back to me with all the details."
"Ha!"
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