Episode 19. Operation to exterminate the knapul (2)
“Oh… It’s so wicked…… !”
I think I heard that from someone.
“Thank you for the compliment.”
Luke became even more indignant when he responded deftly. But he didn’t seem to have enough reason to forget that he didn’t have a choice.
“So which one?”
I asked Luke, who calmed down and sat down again.
“… ….”
He must be feeling repulsive about kicking out the nobles who followed him.
Even though he was swayed by demons, it wouldn’t be an easy decision to defeat someone who had been loyal to the kingdom overnight.
But once more he will have to make up his mind. This time, the foundation will be shaken a lot.
“…… To find and subdue the gangsters…… Does that mean you at least know that information?”
“Yes.”
“Who are you?”
“I can’t tell you here.”
I looked around and said.
Even if I point out a noble based on information that only I know, there’s no way the king would readily believe it. So, first of all, it was necessary to refrain from exposing information until the nobles and the demons were exchanging secret conversations with surveillance magic.
In addition, just inducing them to think of the possibility that they may be singled out can make the other person nervous.
“Go to the private room. I’ll tell you there—”
“Your Highness!!”
Someone walks out of the ranks where the nobles were standing. He was someone I knew.
“They are not to be trusted! I’m still causing friction with the empire over resources, but I’m getting help from the empire! It could be an intentional ploy to create a weakness by destroying trust between nobles.”
He was a brown-haired man with a manly look. There was a scar on one side of his face that looked like something had cut him.
He was Marquis Lecter, the man who wanted the extinction of Count Forna more than anyone else.
His full name is Reinlector, and he was the first to reveal that the Count of Forna was a cheater, so he rose to the status of a Marquis, and is now the real power of the Aium Kingdom.
Recently, he was newly recognized for his ability by creating a large trading company and contributing to greatly revitalizing the economy.
But how would the king feel when he found out that it was all ‘fabricated’? The feeling of being betrayed is indescribable.
“I don’t use such petty methods. Like ‘who’.”
“… ….”
The gaze directed at me is sharp. Both I and he had a clear understanding of each other through brief eye contact.
However, if you judge the credibility of a marquis family who devoted himself to the kingdom and a member of an envoy who suddenly appeared abroad, of course it is the former.
Are you just exposing everything here?
After thinking about it for a while, I shook my head.
If exposed, only this guy will be caught and finished. Even if they were caught, there would be no point in pursuing them unless there was evidence.
Because he must have written all his plans in advance in case he was caught.
So you have to catch the guy manipulating him from behind. Otherwise, he will continue cutting his tail and running away. Only then did the vicious cycle repeat itself.
“Chizol? Did you just say something to me? On the subject of commoners?!”
He points at me and raises his voice.
Should I just shoot to live?
No matter how wild aristocrats were, they were ordinary people. He didn’t have special powers like the demons, only his status was high. I didn’t have time to mess around with those guys. Even at this moment, the demons would continue to move.
As I was about to open my mouth, the representative of the delegation tapped me on the chest. It meant not going out.
“I will tell you about that part.”
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He calmly lowers his head and says.
“Currently, the Empire is seeking reconciliation with the Kingdom. His Majesty, Emperor Lufen, has a common enemy, the Demons, and judges that humans can never win if they fight each other. I think it’s too much speculation to think that we’re going to create a rift between the nobility.”
“You are saying that all resources should be handed over to the Empire, and you are asking for unity?”
At Luke’s questioning, the representative of the delegation was silent for a moment. He knew that his mission depended on every word he said. Unlike me.
“In order to make a deal successful, you have to give the other person what they want. We believe that there is nothing more important than dealing with demons in the Aium Kingdom.”
“Trade… ….”
The representative of the delegation continued as he watched the king chant tremblingly.
“…… Currently, the Aium Kingdom is not directly threatened by demons, but there is nothing strange about being attacked at any time. We want to help you get out of that situation.”
“And the reward of the transaction is a monopoly of resources?”
The representative of the delegation bowed his head even more silently and offered an unspoken affirmation.
After tapping the arm rest of the throne for a while, Luke makes a decision.
“Good. Accept the deal But before that, I want you to see with my own eyes whether those people are really capable of killing demons.”
“What is that…….”
Luke’s finger points at us.
“Prove that the rumors are not exaggerated. Hey Prause. I want to see it with my own eyes.”
The representative of the delegation is looking at me. His eyes seemed to beg for a shot at living here. If that’s the case, it would be natural to answer him.
“To prove that the rumors are not exaggerated?”
[Activates the skill 「Living」.]
I open my eyes wide and stare at them.
I captured the familiar expressions of those looking at me along with the familiar hologram that came to mind at that moment.
A vague fear.
The fear of not being able to judge the opponent.
The two emotions revealed on their faces hardened their bodies. She glanced at them convulsively, then fixed her gaze on the king for the last time.
“What is this…… !”
He tries to stop the shaking by holding on to the armrest, but his body is already out of control.
“Uh, what do you think? Ki, knight commander.”
“Great… ! Uh, that’s a lot of mana. It’s a level that can’t even be compared to the Empire’s S-class…… ! It makes me wonder how they are doing it.”
“Is that so… …. Hey, that’s it! Stop!”
Following the urgent words of the king, he killed a living being. Then the sound of breathing was heard from all directions.
“Yes… …. It seems you have the potential.”
“Ph, Mr. Prause. It was enough just to show the gold plate proving S rank…….”
Oh, is that so?
I belatedly recalled the golden adventurer card I had received from Iris.
Still, this was more efficient than showing the hand. If you show it in front of so many people, no one will be able to deny it.
Furthermore, if you show it like this, there is a possibility that the gangsters here will get scared and act rashly.
“Hu, good. I will accept that offer.”
In the end, Luke accepted the offer. Only then did the delegation’s expression brighten.
“With the exception of the envoys from the Empire, everyone retreat.”
At his edict, knights and nobles, except for the captain of the knights, begin to leave. With distorted faces, they were wary, afraid, and displeased with me.
Finally, as Marquis Rector of Line went outside, there were only Luke Aium, the knight commander, and us.
“Yes. Who is the leader of the demons?”
“I wrote down the list. Check this out.”
I took a folded piece of paper out of his pocket and showed him. Luke stared at the paper with his eyes narrowed.
“That means you know all the information about our nobles?”
“…… Well.”
I don’t know information about nobles, but only information about demons related to nobles. I don’t even know who is who. I only knew the name. There were no illustrations, and there was almost no weight in the work.
“Is that information power the power of the empire?”
“That can’t be. This is purely my information power. It’s not worth borrowing the power of an empire that has less intelligence than me.”
“Mr. Prause! That’s an insult to the empire, and it’s like cursing the emperor, the face of the empire!”
“Huh.”
He can be cursed at. He’s a nobleman who committed massacre for self-interest. I’m suffering so much because of him. Before I really die, I will definitely hit that man with one punch.
“Then why are you here? Even though you have that power and intelligence, why is the empire moving as you wish?”
I know I do it because I want to.
It’s because it’s easier to fight when the empire is stabilized until the Manma War.
“I don’t have any obligation to disclose the circumstances here.”
“…… Is it. Then recite the list.”
I handed over the paper to the representative of the delegation. He accepts the paper even though he looks at me disapprovingly.
As he unfolded it, he began to recite the names written on it.
“———Marquis Rhein Lecter.”
When the name Reinlector was mentioned at the end, the King and the Knight Commander reacted for the first time.
“The Marquis Lecter…… ?”
I ask back in disbelief. It was a spectacle to see him startled.
“…… It must be painful to have your feet cut by the ax you believe in.”
“Can I trust that information?”
“There are no lies in my information. But if you don’t believe it, do the verification of the information yourself. Or wait for me to produce results.”
It was impossible to build trust because we were not familiar with each other right now. But if I produce results, they will have no choice but to trust me.
“Your tone is so precious.”
“Anyway, as long as I accept the offer, I will move as I please. In the meantime, there is only one thing for you to do. Whatever you do, do not disturb us.”
First of all, I’ll have to stop by ‘Men’s Store’, which Marquis Lecter used to revitalize the economy. Obviously, if ‘the demon’ is behind it, there must be a ‘mediator’ used in the brainwashing process.
Finding it was the first thing.
“Hey! What are you to His Highness?!”
The article, who could not stand my words, shouted and pointed out. I snorted at him and said confidently.
“I say you to the emperor.”
Regardless of my will, everyone was equal in front of my muzzle.
“… ….”
When I said it proudly, both the king and the military corps looked at me in amazement. The warriors shouted, “As expected, Master!” I was very concerned about being proud, but I ignored it.
There was silence in the audience room for a long time, and I, unable to bear the awkward atmosphere, spoke first.
“If you protect that, I will find and bring you the gangsters in the kingdom, and deal with the demons who were manipulating the gangsters.”
“…… Don’t do that.”
“Good.”
As soon as I heard the king’s answer, I turned around. As I move, my companions follow. That’s how we left the audience room behind, leaving the delegation behind.