C403. The Proclamation Ceremony? (2)
"Are those words... true?"
The voice of Torimavia, the Queen of Laksas, trembled.
At her question, the Duke of Golban nodded with a solemn expression.
"According to the information obtained, the giant that rescued Caliban knelt before the Marquis and showed him respect."
"...My God."
Torimavia exhaled a sigh filled with dread as she recalled the divine creature she had seen last time, even if it was from very far away.
That strangely shaped being, the size of an entire kingdom and with the appearance of an insect, was something impossible to stop with the forces of Laksas.
Not even when Radan, a pirate ally of Laksas who had already transcended humanity, joined the battle.
The feeling of hope and despair she had felt then returned with force.
The magnificence Radan showed had not been small; the blue cracks that opened across the whole sky and the weapons that rained down from them completely overwhelmed her.
But even under Radan's full assault, the Divine Blood didn't suffer even a scratch.
She felt despair.
Because if that inhuman offensive couldn't even damage it, there was no hope for Laksas.
But just at that moment, she saw it.
Something immense emerging from the bottom of the sea.
That thing, which seemed capable of crushing all of Laksas with a single one of its tentacle legs, took the insect suspended in the air and dragged it into the depths.
With that, it all ended.
That enormous Divine Blood, which she believed would erase Laksas without a trace, disappeared without a trace at the hands of another Divine Blood.
'But someone who is above even those Divine Bloods... is Marquis Palatio?'
Torimavia was so shocked that she lost her composure and opened her mouth. But she never thought it was a lie.
And it was because it concerned Marquis Palatio.
Torimavia knew who Marquis Palatio was.
And she also knew of his steps until now.
Superhuman actions that were suspicious for a mere human being.
And the way he resolved any incident as if he already knew it would happen... made it, in fact, strange to consider him a common human.
But if Marquis Palatio...
Were actually a Divine Blood in disguise—
Everything fits...!
Realizing that everything had a clear coherence, Torimavia suddenly remembered a piece of information she had heard.
"Duke."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Last time you said that when that giant-shaped Divine Blood appeared in Caliban, a rumor circulated that it had been sent by Marquis Palatio, didn't it?"
"Yes. It was information for which the Information Guild asked a very high price. Of course, I suppose all countries will have obtained it by now..."
"...It seems it was true that Marquis Palatio can handle Divine Bloods."
"That is correct."
While she listened to the answer, Torimavia diverted her gaze.
There stood the statue Marquis Palatio had sent as a gift.
Visually somewhat... overwhelming.
...A statue difficult to accept for various reasons, even when Radan, Laksas's ally, was with them and Torimavia seriously considered destroying it.
But when certain secret information began to circulate... everyone started to desire it desperately.
"...So. When did you say Marquis Palatio's proclamation ceremony will be?"
"It is approximately one month away."
"...In a month?"
Torimavia frowned while mediating.
"And Marquis Palatio still doesn't have a partner, right?"
"That is correct."
"Then... that he has no partner is..."
As if she had made a decision.
"How convenient..."
"Is Your Highness referring to...?"
"A king who rules the heavens always lacks someone to support him from below, that which he cannot see."
She nodded firmly.
Shortly after, when Alon and the others were about to arrive at the Marquis's mansion...
"Yeah, it's not working."
"Really?"
"What is failing...?"
Alon and Penia were talking about magic.
"Well, this... is a bit difficult. It's not something that can be done simply through a formula."
"I thought so. Or is it simply not possible?"
"Actually... it might be."
Penia hesitated a little and continued:
"After all, the Marquis's magic always requires some kind of 'medium'."
"So yes..."
They had been investigating that medium for months.
After converting the reciting of phrases into magic through a technique, they managed to change the "medium" and accelerate his spells.
But that was just an intermediate process.
What they wanted to achieve went much further.
Reciting the phrases without pronouncing them.
That is, reciting them only with thought.
But unfortunately...
After a whole month of effort, they barely made progress.
"Hmm... should we give up and explore another avenue?"
"I think we should put one more intermediate bridge. We don't know if this is even possible, and continuing to waste time like this... doesn't seem very efficient."
"I suppose so."
When Alon sighed, Evan intervened.
"My Lord Marquis."
"What is it? Are we almost there?"
"Well, not yet, but soon."
"Good. And what's happening then?"
"You see... lately I heard certain rumors and it made me think."
"Think what?"
"It's nothing extremely important but..."
Evan hesitated and then blurted out:
"I just wonder how the Allied United Kingdoms wasn't absorbed by the Empire."
"Didn't they join in an alliance precisely to avoid that?"
"Yes, but being honest... it's hard to believe the Alliance can stand up to the Empire."
"Why's that?"
"Think about it. Since the Divine Blood appeared, the Alliance has no way to defend itself, while the Empire holds out quite well."
"The Alliance holds out too, doesn't it?"
"...That only seems so because you saved them, my Lord."
Alon reflected.
He couldn't deny that, seen that way, it made sense.
"Besides, the Empire has many more Divine Bloods than here. If one thinks about it... it's strange that such a strong Empire hasn't conquered the Alliance yet."
While Alon meditated, Penia intervened with a sigh.
"Please, is that a question?"
"What? It could be curious, couldn't it?"
"With just a little thought, the answer comes out."
"Really?"
Penia thought about where to start the explanation and finally said:
"There are many reasons why the Empire leaves the Alliance alone. For better and for worse."
"Like for example..."
"Let's see, suppose the Empire decides to attack the Alliance. Who would give the order?"
"The Emperor?"
"No. The Emperor would never give that order."
"Why?"
"Because the Emperor needs the Alliance to continue existing."
"...What? Why?"
Evan's bewilderment made Alon answer slowly:
"Because he needs an external enemy?"
"Exactly."
Penia continued:
"For the Emperor, the Alliance is good 'narrative coherence'. It serves as an excuse to control nobles and citizens. Just like the small border countries of the Empire."
"Ah, I've heard of that."
"The Empire doesn't maintain those countries for nothing. They don't represent a danger, but they are useful as a political tool."
In short, the Empire doesn't touch the kingdom because it doesn't suit them.
"So those who want to attack the Alliance are only those who need military merits: princes and princesses."
"...To become the next Emperor?"
"Yes. But even for them, it's difficult. Their forces are limited, the risk of failure is high, and if they fail, they lose the right to succession."
"I see."
"And conquering one or two border kingdoms doesn't serve to obtain merits; the Emperor wouldn't even congratulate them."
"Ah..."
Evan nodded.
Alon understood it too.
When one or two kingdoms fell, then the Empire entered... that was why.
While Alon remembered the game, Penia continued:
"And also, although today it barely matters, I think it is due to an ancient promise."
"A promise?"
"Yes. It is said that centuries ago, the Empire and the Alliance signed the 'Promise of Salvation'."
"What is that?"
"I don't know well. I read it years ago in an old book out of curiosity."
"'Promise of Salvation'..."
Alon murmured, feeling a familiarity.
And after thinking a bit—
Right... that appeared in the game. When the Empire invades and a bad ending pops up, it said the Empire broke the Pact of Salvation.
It wasn't that Alon was very interested in the subject; he only remembered it because he had seen many bad endings.
While he was thinking—
"Ah, we're almost there..."
Evan, who remained attentive to the chat, murmured.
"—Eh?"
He didn't finish the sentence.
Alon was bewildered.
"What's wrong?"
Penia also turned toward the window.
And immediately—
"...Eh?"
She let out a sound just as astonished as Evan's.
Alon, worried, stuck his head out the window.
"?"
He didn't see anything strange. The sky remained clear.
He lowered his gaze. Behind the wall, the statue of himself posing as "Ruler of the North" continued to be embarrassing to look at.
He looked down even further.
And he saw people.
So many people.
An absurd amount.
"Hmm...?"
And then he saw something else.
A shantytown.
Covering all the hills where the blue meadow should extend outside the wall.
Alon slowly withdrew his head.
"Evan."
"Yes, my Lord."
"...That... what is it?"
It was the only thing he could say.
And Evan, looking at the countless makeshift huts, replied:
"Ah..."
Then Alon remembered Silly's words that Evan had conveyed to him: that he shouldn't worry about citizens or believers, that she would handle it.
Right... now there is no worry...
But—
Didn't she go a bit too far...?
What the hell did you do, Silly...?
