159.Timebomb
自分に向かって走ってきた部下の兵士が目の前で一刀のもとに両断され、バシムは狼狽えた。
「なんだこれは? なんだというのだ!」
「敵襲だよ。総大将なら、そんなに怯えるなよ」
青い馬とは珍しいな、と刀を提げた一二三が、ゆらゆらと近付いていく。
必死で逃げていた魔人族の兵は、二人揃って上半身と下半身が泣き別れになり、助けを求めるようにバシムに手を伸ばし、死んだ。
「人間......だと?」
「良いことを教えてやろう。お前の部下は、何人か死んだぞ」
馬上から一二三を見下ろすバシムは、汗を流しながら奥歯を噛みしめた。
「人間、貴様が殺したのか?」
「俺がやったのは片手で足る程度だな。あとは、ヴィシー......この国な。名前くらいは調べて攻めてるだろ? ヴィシーの中で、内乱......というか、一部の暴走だな。それに巻き込まれて死んだみたいだな」
「それを信じろというのか」
「別に。好きにすればいい」
話している間に、一二三の周りを魔人族の兵たちが囲んでいく。
四方をぐるりと囲まれても、平然と話し続ける一二三を見て、バシムは狂人の類かと考えた。
「でもな、情報をちゃんと集めるのがウェパルの指示じゃないのか?」
王の名を出されて、バシムは押し包んで殺す指示を出すことを一旦やめた。
「人数が少なすぎるもんな。本気で国一つ落とそうと思ったら、攻めるだけじゃなくて統治するための人員がいる。皆殺しなら別だけどな。それくらい、ウェパルはわかるはずだ」
「......我々は強い。監視など、町に一人二人いれば充分だ」
「一人か二人? うふ、あっはっは!」
腹いっぱい高笑いを堪能した一二三は、バシムへ心底ガッカリした、と呟いた。
「誤魔化すならもっとうまくやれ。すぐばれる嘘をつくと、お前の底まで見えるぞ」
バシムが一喝すると、その眼前に大剣の刀身が中空から生み出され、同時に弾丸のように撃ち出された。
彼我の距離は十メートルも無い。
敵の腹に刃が突き立つ様子を想像し、すぐに再現したと考えたバシムの表情が歪むのに、時間はかからなかった。
「そんな遠くから、刃が届くわけないだろ」
バシムが飛ばした剣は、腰にぶち込んでいる鞘を握った一二三の、斜め後ろで地面に突き立っている。
「な、ど、どうやったのだ......」
「腹を狙ったろ? だから、こうやって弾いただけだ」
鞘の鯉口を左右に振る。
「そんな馬鹿なことがあるか!」
二度目の剣は、柄頭で叩き落とされた
「目の前で、正面から、まっすぐ飛ばすとか、防いでくださいと言っているようなもんだろうが......ったく、ベンニーアやらフェゴールやらは、もっと色々やってたぞ?」
知っている名前と比べられて、バシムはまた奥歯を噛みしめる。
「王の補佐であったフェゴールならまだしも、小隊程度しか統率していなかったベンニーアよりも吾輩が下だと言うのか!」
激高するバシムに、一二三はヘラヘラと嗤って答えた。
「ちょっと違うな。剣を飛ばす程度しかできないなら“かなり下”だ」
怒りが頂点に達したのか、意味の分からない咆哮をあげたバシムは、すぐに右手を振りかぶり、兵士たちに大音声で命令を下した。
「全員、一斉に魔法で攻撃せよ! 属性は問わぬ! 傲慢な人間を、チリ一つ残さず消し去れ!」
命令が届くと同時に、一二三を取り囲んでいた兵士たちから、炎や氷、岩や水など、バラバラな属性の攻撃が飛んでくる。
水蒸気と砂が舞い踊り、一二三が立っていた場所には白と茶色が入り混じった煙が踊る。
誰かが魔法で水を撒くと、そこにはえぐり取られた地面だけが残っていた。
「......ふん。所詮は人間か。脆い存在だ」
「当たればな」
呟いたバシムの背後から、独り言に返事が聞こえた。
「貴様......」
冷たい感触が首筋に当たっているのを知って、バシムは視線だけを向けたが、一二三の顔までは見えない。冷や汗を流す自分の顔を映す、冷たい刀身だけが視界に入った。
「敵が見えなくなるような攻撃はやめておけ。相手が何をやったかわからないのは、不利だぞ?」
「吾輩を殺したところで、ここにはまだ二十名の兵がおる。逃げられると思うなよ......」
「腹が立つだろう? それでいい」
一二三が首に刀をぴたりと当てたまま、バシムの左腕を掴み、ねじ上げた。
馬の上だというのに、一二三は少しもバランスを崩すことはない。逆に、バシムの方がバランスを崩し、
周囲にいる魔人族たちも、バシムへの誤射を恐れて遠巻きに見ているしかない。
その彼らに向かって、一二三は声を発した。
「今、お前たちが攻めているヴィシー。その隣にオーソングランデという国がある。俺はそこにいる。もっと人数を集めて来い。そうしたらまともに相手してやるよ」
刀がバシムの首から離れたが、手首を決められたバシムは動けない。
「自分たちが強い。人間は弱いと思っていた結果がこれだ。ムカつくだろう? ちょっと馬鹿なら、理不尽だと思ってる奴もいるかもな。で、俺は荒野のように広い心を持っている領主様だから、復讐の機会を作ってやろうと思ったわけだ」
する、と絹が擦れるような音がする。
誰もが気付かないうちに、一二三が持つ刀が、下から上へと振り抜かれた。
左腕を肩口から切断され、バシムはとうとう落馬してしまった。
左手で掴んだままの腕を掲げ、一二三は周囲を睥睨する。
「俺の前まで来れたら、この腕は返してやるよ」
唖然とする魔人族たちの前で、闇魔法の収納へ腕を放り込み、幾重にも重ねた懐紙で刀を拭う。
撒き散らされた懐紙が舞い落ちる中、悶絶するバシムの声を背中に聞きながら、一二三は悠々と帰っていく。
その前を塞ごうとする者は、今この場には存在しなかった。
一二三たちに遅れること三日。アリッサは疲れ切った兵士たちを連れてフォカロルへと帰ってきた。
「ただいま~......」
「おかえりなさいませ」
部隊を解散させ、兵士たちに休暇とその後の配置についての説明を済ませたアリッサは、自身もすっかり疲れ果てた顔をしていた。
領主館に帰ってきたアリッサは、報告のために一二三を探していたのだが、ヴィシーへとちょっかいを出してあっさり帰ってきて、またどこかへぶらりと出かけてしまったらしく、会うことができなかった。
代わりに、カイムとブロクラが出迎える。
「お疲れ様でした、長官」
会議室の椅子に座り、ブロクラが入れてくれた冷たいお茶を一気に飲み干すと、アリッサはテーブルにぐったりともたれかかった。
「結局、大した訓練にもなんなかった。オーソングランデとホーラントが仲良くなっておしまい」
「今回の件で、ホーラントに対してオーソングランデは優位な立場を得られるでしょう。それに、各領地で加勢をしたのはフォカロルとミュンスターだけです。前回のホーラントでの騒動もあって、国内における発言力は二つの伯爵家が非常に強くなりました」
まるで教師のような口ぶりで説明するカイムに違和感を覚えつつ、ブロクラからお代わりを受け取ったアリッサは嘆息した。
「一二三さんの発言力、というか、影響が強いのは、今に始まったことじゃないんじゃない? 今回の件でも、お姫様......じゃなかった、女王様もあっちの王様も振り回されてたし」
自分がその行動に参加したことは忘れたかのように喋るアリッサに、カイムは眉ひとつ動かさずに「左様ですか」と答えた。
一二三と共に帰還した兵士たちから聞き取りを終えているので、顛末は全て頭に入っているカイムにとって、アリッサの感想は聞き流しても問題無いらしい。
座っているアリッサの目の前に、カイムが分厚い書類の束を置いた。
「領主様の影響。ではなく、この領地及びトオノ伯爵家の影響を把握していただく必要があります。幸い、現在の領主様が源流となりますので、覚えなければならない歴史は少なくて済みますが、国内外の情勢については、基礎的なところからやらねばなりません」
アリッサが恐る恐る手を伸ばし、一枚目の紙に目を通すと、『オーソングランデの始まりと歴史』と題し、時折絵図を交えた長い長い論文が書かれていた。
「お、おお......?」
どう反応していいかわからずにいるアリッサに、今度はブロクラが近づく。
手にはドレスを持って。
「歴史や政治のお勉強も大事ですけれど、淑女としては礼儀作法とかダンスのお稽古も必要ですよね。長官の年齢だと、まだまだ綺麗より可愛いデザインの方が似合うと思うんですけれど、こういうのはどうですか?」
「ブロクラさんが何を言っているのかわからない」
目を点にして、ドレスをひらひらと見せてくるブロクラに、横からカイムが無表情に良く似合う平坦な声で待ったをかけた。
「中身の無い淑女というのは問題でしょう。まずはしっかりと勉強をしてからが効率が良いかと」
「カイムさんと違って、一日文字を追いかけて平気な女の子なんていませんよ。楽しめる内容も織り交ぜないと、長官が可哀そうでしょう?」
「しっかりとした政治的感覚が無いままでは困ります。外交と社交は比較できません」
「比較できないから、バランスを考えるのよ」
「ちょ、ちょっと待って」
何やら教育談義を始めた二人を、アリッサが両手を伸ばして止めた。
「話についていけないんだけど。なんで僕がその......歴史とか政治とか、ダンス? とか勉強しないといけないの?」
「あれ?」
ブロクラがキョトン、とした表情でアリッサを見つめる。
「......なるほど、どうやら話が伝わっていなかったようですね」
「あー......そういうことかぁ」
ブロクラが額を押えて天井を仰ぐと、不意に会議室のドアが開いた。
素早くカイムが頭を下げ、ブロクラも倣う。
「帰ってきたのか。お疲れ......なんだこりゃ?」
入ってきた一二三が書類を摘み上げて目を通す。
「急に勉強の話をされて、訳わかんなくて......」
「あー」
ぺち、と一二三は右手で自分の頬を叩いた。
「言うのを忘れてた。アリッサ。お前、俺の娘になってくれ」
「養子になってくれって話。フォカロルとか諸々、領地をやるから」
何秒固まっていたのかアリッサには自覚できなかったが、たっぷり時間をおいて、悲鳴にも似た声を上げた。
「......最近、良く気絶しているような気がします」
ベッドから起き上がり、侍女が用意したオートミールを掬いながらイメラリアは呟いた。
「その、陛下のせいではなく、色々とご身辺が騒がしいせいかと......」
泣きそうな顔をしているイメラリアを慰めようと、必死で言葉を探しているのは、ホーラントの戦闘にもついて来た侍女だった。
彼女は帰国した直後、城の前の広場でさらし首になっている変わり果てたバールゼフォンの生首を見てイメラリアが卒倒したところにも立ち会っている。彼女も一瞬気が遠くなったが、なんとかイメラリアを支えることに成功した。
一晩でなんとか回復したところで、フォカロルから送られてきた養子の申告書類だ。
本調子ではなかったところに、一二三が養子をとるという書面での連絡を受けて、再び気が遠くなったイメラリアは、夕方になってようやく起き上がることができた。
「これも王の勤めと言われたら、それまででしょうけれど......あの方をこの世界に呼んだのは、確かにわたくしですけれど......もう!」
皿の半分ほどを食べたイメラリアは、改めてフォカロルから送られてきた養子についての書類を見つめる。
貴族が家督を継がせる養子を取るのに、特に王の許可は必要ない。当主なり遺族なりが納得して申請すればよいという事になっている。
一二三本人の字ではないと思われる、判で押したように整った字に、これまたそのままお手本になりそうな文面で綴られた書面だったが、サインだけはしっかり一二三の文字と思しき妙に下手な文字が並んでいる。
アリッサが領地を継ぐことそのものに対して、イメラリアとしては特に反対するつもりは無かった。一方的なものかもしれないが、共に戦ったことで生まれた親しみも多少はある。
できれば、数少ない女領主として、男社会である上流社会で存在感を表してもらえたら、女性を侮る男たちに対して良い牽制にもなるだろうとも思う。
「失礼します。お加減はいかがでしょうか」
イメラリアが目覚めたという報告を受けたのだろう、ノックをして入ってきたサブナクに、イメラリアはフォカロルからの書類を無言で手渡した。
「?......これは......」
「狙いはなんだと思われますか?」
おそらく一二三の事を城内で最も知っているのはサブナクだろう。感覚も近くなりつつあるのがイメラリアには気になるが、相談役としては適当だと判断した。
「あー......なんというか......」
「何か言いにくい内容なのですか?」
「これはぼくの想像でしかない、ということを前提でお話しさせていただければ」
オートミールの皿を脇にずらし、指をからめた両手をテーブルに置いたイメラリアは、一呼吸置いた。
「かまいません。聞かせてください」
「今でも自由に動き回っているではありませんか」
「ぼくには、何か大きなことの準備を始めるために、役割をアリッサに押し付けたように見えるのですが......」
サブナクの言葉に、イメラリアは焦りを覚えた。
「......直接、本人から話を聞かねばなりませんね」
立ち上がり、サブナクから書類を受け取ったイメラリアは、眉間にしわを寄せて命じた。
「トオノ伯爵へ召喚状を送ってください。......名目は、ヴィシーの戦乱に関して、としておきましょう」
だが、そんな事は当然ついでの用に過ぎない。
イメラリアが本当に聞きたいのは、一つだった。
「わたくしたちの世界を、どうしようというおつもりですか......」
何が起きるにしても、一つの国を背負った者として、呼び出した責任を負う者として、復讐心を脇に置いてでも、やらねばならない事がある。
死ぬかもしれないが、それは確かに自分の役割だ、とイメラリアは決意した。
Chapter 159: Timebomb
Having his own subordinate soldiers, who came running towards him, being bisected in a single stroke made Bashim flustered.
"What the hell is this? Someone tell me what's this about!" (Bashim)
"It's an enemy attack, Don't be so frightened if you are the supreme commander here." (Hifumi)
"A blue horse is unusual", carrying the katana in his hand, Hifumi approaches with a slow swaying.
The demon soldiers, who desperately ran away, had been altogether split into upper and lower body halves and died while stretching their hands towards Bashim as if asking for help.
"A human... it is?" (Bashim)
"Let me tell you something nice. Some of your subordinates died." (Hifumi)
Bashim, who looks down at Hifumi from atop his mount, bit his back teeth while sweating.
"Human, did you bastard kill them?" (Hifumi)
"The ones I finished off were at a level that I could deal with them with one hand. The others were killed by Vichy... this country. If you are going to attack a place, you should at least know its name, don't you think so? Within Vichy there's a civil war... or rather it's a partial rampage. It looks like your soldiers died after getting dragged into that." (Hifumi)
"Are you telling me to believe that?" (Bashim)
"Not really. Do as you like." (Hifumi)
While talking, Hifumi's vicinity gets surrounded by demon soldiers.
Seeing Hifumi calmly continuing to talk even while being encircled from all sides, Bashim wondered whether Hifumi is some kind of lunatic.
"But you know, to properly gather information is Vepar's order, isn't it?" (Hifumi)
With the name of the sovereign mentioned, Bashim temporarily refrained from giving the order to wrap things once and for all up by killing Hifumi.
"Your numbers are too lacking. If one really considered taking down a country, there would be personnel in order to reign it and not just soldiers to attack it. Though it's different if it's plain annihilation, I guess. Vepar should know at least this much." (Hifumi)
"... We are strong. If we observe one or two cities, that will be plenty." (Bashim)
"One or two? Ufu, ahahahaha!" (Hifumi)
Hifumi, who had his fill of a bellyful loud laughter, muttered "What an utter let down" towards Bashim.
"You have to do much better if you are going to deceive someone. If you tell a lie and it's immediately exposed, one will be able to see your true nature." (Hifumi)
Once he roared, the blade of a longsword was created by Bashim from thin air in front of his eyes and at the same time it was shot like a bullet.
There isn't even 10 meters distance between the two.
Bashim imagined the sight of the blade piercing the enemy's belly, and thinking how that would be reproduced in reality right away, his expression warped, but it never came to pass.
"There's no way for the blade to reach from this far away, is there?" (Hifumi)
The sword, which Bashim released, is piercing the ground diagonally behind Hifumi who was grasping the scabbard he is wearing at his waist.
"W-Wh-What happened...?" (Bashim)
"You aimed at my belly, right? That's why I repelled it like this." (Hifumi)
He swings the mouth of the scabbard left and right.
"As if such foolishness is possible!?" (Bashim)
The second sword was knocked down with the pommel.
"Something like firing it directly at me from ahead in front of my eyes is like telling me "Please defend against it", right...? Good grief, Bennia and Phelgor were capable of doing a lot more different things." (Hifumi)
Being compared to names he knows, Bashim tightly bites his back teeth once again.
"Putting aside Phegol who was the king's aide, you are telling me that I'm worse than Bennia who didn't command anything above a platoon?" (Bashim)
Hifumi replied to the enraged Bashim by laughing frivolously.
"It's slightly different. If you can't do anything but sending swords flying, it should be corrected to
Did he reach the peak of his rage? Raising a roar with unknown meaning, Bashim held up his right hand immediately and ordered the soldiers with a very loud voice,
"Everyone, attack him with magic all at once! The attribute doesn't matter! Erase the insolent human so that not even a speck of dust remains of him!" (Bashim)
At the same time as the order reaches them, a variety of magic attacks, such as ice, flames, rocks and water, comes flying from the soldiers who were surrounding Hifumi.
Steam and sand swirls about, and a smoke, mixed with the colours of white and light brown, rises up at the place where Hifumi stood.
Once someone extinguished it with a water spell, only the hollowed-out ground was left there.
"... Humph. He was a human after all, huh? A fragile being." (Bashim)
"If they hit, that is." (Hifumi)
A sole answer was audible from behind the muttering Bashim.
"You bastard..." (Bashim)
Knowing the cold sensation at the nape of his neck, Bashim only turned his eyes, but his field of vision didn't reach Hifumi's face. Only the cold blade, which reflected his face wet with cold sweat, entered his sight.
"Cut it out with the attacks where you lose sight of your enemy. Not knowing what you opponent did is disadvantageous, right?" (Hifumi)
"Even if you kill me, there are still 20 soldiers here. Don't believe that you will be able to get away..." (Bashim)
"You are furious, aren't you? That's good." (Hifumi)
While keeping the katana closely at his neck, Hifumi grabbed the left arm of Bashim and twisted it.
Despite being on top of a horse, Hifumi doesn't lose his balance at all. On the other hand, Bashim's balance crumbles and he is a situation where he supports his stance somehow with the stirrup.
Even the surrounding demon soldiers have no other choice but to watch from a distance out of fear that they would accidentally shoot Bashim if they attacked.
Hifumi spoke up towards them.
"Currently you are attacking Vichy. Next to it, there's a country called Orsongrande. I'm staying there. Come after gathering bigger numbers. If you do that, I will face you directly." (Hifumi)
He removed the katana from Bashim's neck, but Bashim can't move due to his wrist being immobilized.
"The thinking that you are strong and the humans are weak resulted in this. You feel offended, don't you? There might also be some fellows who are considering it as unreasonable, if they are a slightly stupid. So, since I'm a feudal lord-sama who possesses a heart as wide as the wastelands, I thought that I will give you an opportunity for revenge." (Hifumi)
He makes a sound as if rubbing silk.
Without anyone noticing, the katana, held by Hifumi, was swung up from below.
Having his left arm severed from the tip of the shoulder, Bashim finally ended up falling off his horse.
Holding up the arm while grabbing it with his left hand, Hifumi glares at the surroundings.
"I will return this arm if you come in front of me." (Hifumi)
In front of the dumbfounded demon soldiers, he tosses the arm into his darkness storage and wipes his katana with repeatedly stacked papers.
While hearing the voice of Bashim, who has fainted in agony, from behind as the discarded papers flutter down, Hifumi leisurely goes home.
A person, who would try to stop him, currently didn't exist in this place.
Three days later than Hifumi's party, Alyssa returned to Fokalore while leading the exhausted soldiers.
"I'm home~..." (Alyssa)
"Welcome back."
Alyssa, who finished the explanation about their holidays and their assignments afterwards, had the unit disperse while having a completely exhausted expression herself as well.
Returning to the feudal lord's mansion, Alyssa searched for Hifumi in order to give her report, but as he apparently left to meddle with Vichy right after returning and had departed casually to some place once again, she wasn't able to meet him.
In exchange, she's greeted by Caim and Brokra.
"Thanks for your hard work, director."
Once she gulps down the cold tea, Brokra poured in her cup, in one go while sitting in a chair of the conference room, Alyssa prostrated limply on the table.
"In the end it didn't become much of a training. Orsongrande and Horant became friends, and that was it." (Alyssa)
"In this time's matter Orsongrande has probably acquired a superior position in regards to Horant. And in addition, it's only Fokalore and Munster who supported the royal army at all places. Together with the previous uproar in Horant, the two Earl households have become extremely powerful and influential voices within the country." (Caim)
While feeling a sense of discomfort towards Caim who explains it with a tone completely like that of a teacher, Alyssa received another cup of tea from Brokra and sighed.
"Hifumi-san's influential voice, or rather, his powerful influence isn't something that started just now, is it? Even in the matter this time, he manipulated the princess... err, queen-sama and the king over there." (Alyssa)
Due to Alyssa chatting as if she had forgotten that she participated in that expedition as well, Caim answered [Is that so?]  without moving even one eyebrow.
Since he has finished listening to the reports from the soldiers who returned together with Hifumi, for Caim, who had all the fact stored in his head, it's apparently no problem to ignore Alyssa's impressions.
Caim placed a thick bundle of documents in front of the sitting Alyssa.
"It's Lord-sama's influence. And not only that. it's necessary for you to grasp the influence of the Earl Tohno household and this territory. Since the current Lord-sama is fortunately the source of it all, there is little history that you have to remember, but regarding the circumstances inside and outside the country, you have to do it down to the basics." (Caim)
Alyssa timidly extends a hand and looks at one paper titled {History and the Beginning of Orsongrande} . A long, long essay with illustrations put in-between sometimes was written there.
"Y-Yeeaa...?" (Alyssa)
Next Brokra approaches Alyssa who doesn't know how she should react.
She holds a dress in her hands.
"The study of history and politics is important, but for a lady it's also necessary to practise dancing and etiquette, right? If it's your age, director, I believe that a cute design still suits you much more than a beautiful one, but what do you think about this one?" (Brokra)magic
"I don't understand what you are saying, Brokra-san." (Caim)
Caim retorted from the side with a flat voice, that suited his expressionless face well, towards Brokra, who presents a frilly dress, making her eyes change into dots.
"It's very likely a problem to be called a lady with an unsubstantial character. If she studies properly first, her performance will be great, right?"
"Different from you, Caim-san, there are no cool girls burying their noses in books all day long. If you don't weave in some enjoyable content, the director will be pitiable, won't she?" (Brokra)
"It will be embarassing as long as she doesn't possess a proper political sense. You can't compare social life with diplomacy." (Caim)
"Since you can't compare them, you have to consider their balance." (Brokra)
"W-Wait a bit." (Alyssa)
Alyssa stopped the two, who started a discussion about her training for some reason, by stretching out both hands.
"I can't follow your discussion. But, why do I have, umm... to learn history, politics or dance? Or do I have to study such things?" (Alyssa)
"Huh?"
Brokra looks at Alyssa with a startled expression.
"... I see, it seems she didn't hear about it." (Caim)
"Ah... so that's how it is?" (Brokra)
When Brokra was looking at the ceiling while curbing her eyebrows, the door of the conference room suddenly opened.
Caim swiftly lowers his head and Brokra follows up on him as well.
"Did you return? Good wor-... what's going on here?"
Hifumi, who entered the room, picks up a document, lifts it up and scans over it.
"Being suddenly told to study, I'm totally lost..." (Alyssa)
"Ah." (Hifumi)
Hifumi slaps his own cheek with his right hand.
"I forgot to tell you. Alyssa, please become my daughter." (Hifumi)
"I'm asking you to become my adopted daughter, is what I mean. Since I will give you the territory such as Fokalore and various other." (Hifumi)
Alyssa wasn't aware herself for how many seconds she froze, but after plenty of time, she raised a voice that resembled a scream.
"... Recently I feel like I'm fainting often." (Imeraria)
Imeraria muttered while getting up from the bed and scooping up the oatmeal prepared by her maid.
"Umm, that's not because of Your Majesty. It's because you are troubled over various matters regarding a certain person..."
It was the maid who accompanied her to the battle with Horant that is frantically searching for words to comfort Imeraria who has an expression that seems to be on the verge of crying.
Directly after returning to the capital , She was also present at the place where Imeraria fainted due to seeing the severed head of the completely changed Balzephon put on display at the plaza right in front of the castle. The maid lost conciousness for an instant as well, but somehow managed to support Imeraria.
When she recovered more or less after a good night's sleep, there was a document sent by Fokalore notifying her about an adopted child.
Due to not being in a normal condition, Imeraria fainted once again after she read the message of Hifumi taking an adopted child in the document. After that she was finally able to get up once it became evening.
"If I'm told that this is also the duty of a ruler, it will probably end with this, but... the one who summoned that gentleman into this world is defintely me... geez." (Imeraria)
Imeraria, who ate around half of the dish, once again picks up and examines the document regarding the adopted child which was sent from Fokalore.
A noble taking an adopted child so that they can have the child succeed the family headship doesn't really need the king's permission. It's been arranged that it will be fine as long as they at least request consent if it's a current family head or a bereaved family.
This was once again a document composed with a content that might serve as role model due to its regular and well-ordered characters which can be considered to not be Hifumi's own writing, only the signature lines up strangely poor characters which appear to really be Hifumi's.
Imeraria didn't particularly intend to object about the matter of Alyssa succeeding the territory. It might be something one-sided, but Imeraria feels some intimacy toward her born from the fact that they fought together.
If I can have her show presence in the upper class, which is a male society, as one of the few female feudal lords, it might become a good restraint towards the men who make light of a queen
"Excuse me. How's your condition?" (Sabnak)
Imeraria silently handed over the document she received from Fokalore to Sabnak who entered after knocking as he probably received a report that Imeraria had woken up.
"?... This is..." (Sabnak)
"What do you think is his aim?" (Imeraria)
The one who probably knows the most about Hifumi inside the castle is Sabnak. Imeraria felt uneasy about him being too close feeling-wise to Hifumi's side, but she judged that he's appropriate as advisor.
"Ah... how to say it...?" (Sabnak)
"Is it something difficult to say?" (Imeraria)
"Not as long as I can state it with the premise that it's nothing but my own guess." (Sabnak)
Shifting the plate with the oatmeal to the side, Imeraria placed both her hands, with the fingers entangled, on the table and made a short pause.
"I don't mind. Please let me hear it." (Imeraria)
"Hasn't he been moving around freely until now?" (Imeraria)
"To me it looks like he's pushing his duties on Alyssa in order to begin preparing something big, but..." (Sabnak)
Imeraria felt impatient due to Sabnak words.
"... I guess I have to directly hear about it from the person himself." (Imeraria)
Imeraria, who accepted the document from Sabnak after standing up, ordered while furrowing her eyebrows,
"Please send a summons to Earl Tohno. ... Let's use the war in Vichy as pretext." (Imeraria)
However, that matter is naturally no more than a side business.
What Imeraria wanted to hear was just one thing.
"What do you intend to do to our world...?" (Imeraria)
Even if something happens, as person responsible for a country, as person bearing the responsibility of having summoned him and even after putting her desire for revenge aside, there's something she has to do.
I might die, but it's definitely my duty
Summoned Slaughterer
呼び出された殺戮者
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/summoned-slaughterer/
Action Adventure Fantasy Martial Arts Mature Psychological Romance Shounen
Adapted to Manga Aristocracy Arrogant Characters Average-looking Protagonist Beastkin Beautiful Female Lead Betrayal Calm Protagonist Clever Protagonist Cunning Protagonist Dark Demi-Humans Demons Determined Protagonist Different Social Status Dwarfs Elemental Magic Elves Enemies Become Allies Enemies Become Lovers Evil Protagonist Fantasy Creatures Fantasy World Fearless Protagonist God-human Relationship Gods Kingdom Building Kingdoms Knights Love Interest Falls in Love First Magic Beasts Magical Space Male Protagonist Marriage Monsters Nobles Obsessive Love Overpowered Protagonist Politics Power Struggle Protagonist Strong from the Start R-15 Royalty Ruthless Protagonist Samurai Schemes And Conspiracies S*aves Strong Love Interests Strong to Stronger Summoning Magic Sword And Magic Sword Wielder Transported to Another World Underestimated Protagonist Unique Weapon User Unique Weapons Wars Yandere
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4399ci/
井戸正善／ido