Chapter 161: Intermission – A long night in the fortress city
“What do you think you’re doing? If you’re joking, you’re going to have to laugh”
Alex Buster’s voice is a bit confounded. Considering the situation, the margin itself is insane. In spite of trying to hide his nervous expression, the middle-aged skinny man called Count Shane Pond slams his elbow against the throne.
“Which country has a aristocrat who sits on the throne in a joke? I’m serious, hold back, Alex Buster. The magic you’re good at doesn’t work for me”
“I see, the Count is good on the throne. Are you imitating King Ruth of Trot? No, it is a little too poor even if you imitate him. That King Ruth went to take the throne against that Ulysses III. A good old middle-aged father who desperately was checkmate by his 17-year old daughter, as there is a limit to what he can do even if it is pitiful”
“It’s the flow of the times, Devil. Wouldn’t it be better to let a 17-year-old girl who can’t do anything like that hold the throne without thinking”
“The only one who doesn’t think about anything is you. The idiot that attacks Renfangas royal family from the back during the nation’s critical invasion of the monsters isn’t domestic or foreign. What you’re doing is the worst betrayal that even put the Valerie union into a crisis”
“What, it depends on the Gauntlet Knights of you? Follow this new king and protect your country as you have always been, yes, as ever. ……It’s not about saving you, you just have to protect”
“Well Well, sitting on a chair, you’re kind of a king. That’s why I said, there’s no reason why dragons are involved in these little things.”
Alex mutters and scratches his head. Count Pound lifts his eyes and points at Alex.
“I told you to hold it down, Gold Arm. The Queen……no, the former Queen wants to take responsibility for your verbal slip?”
Next to Count Pound is Flare Lilac Rinvar, whose arms were captured by several soldiers and spearheads are pointed towards her head. This is the current figure of the 17-year-old Queen of Renfangas Kingdom.
Count Pond has absolute advantage as long as she is taken hostage. And the excess ornaments of Count Pond, such as rings, necklaces, earrings and crown have many jewels that shine in the same way. It was a stone called 「Magic Power Solidification Stone」 that was specially found in some labyrinths. Magic power is disturbed around this stone and doesn’t work properly. Not to mention illusions. If it becomes an original spell which deals with a precise and advanced art method, it becomes meaningless only by a little collapse. Alex, the continent’s best magic warrior, specializes in magic tactics, has no point in dealing with Count Pound. If you wear such a large amount of magic power solidification stones, the effect on the surrounding air is terrible. If you have any background in magic, you will always be intoxicated by approaching it and you will be quite disgusted especially elves and some beastmen who are sensitive to the flow of energy……does it have nothing to do with him who has no background at all?
“That’s why it’s an accessory, Pound. So if you’re going to be a monarch, in ten years, you’ll make a name for yourself in history as a representative called foolish ruler”
Pound was instantly stunned, but laughed strongly.
Well, then, in order to atone for the disrespect of Devil Buster, let’s sacrifice one eye of this innocent former Queen!”
“…………”
“Good, Alex Buster! Apologize and kneel down without delay”
“It’s exactly the line of a small fry. If you want to play king, why not do it a little bit?”
“Shut up!”
Pound stands up.
“Your strength is what you’re going to see in your foolish figure! Let’s undo the previous words, nothing changes even if you don’t have a gauntlet! Rengfangas will not collapse, yes, neither the Valerie Union nor the Southern Great Plains will allow us to collapse! Only warriors will be gathered and supported without you! As long as Renfangas remains! That!”
“……Haa, indeed. After all, you′re a foolish ruler, Pound. Are you afraid that Renfangas will go to the next era? Is it regrettable that we are in a position to be forgiven just because it is Renfangas?”
“I can’t keep up with the meaningless self-confidence of a brute strength idiot! I will protect Renfangas, that’s it!”
“Crude tactics of a politician who put on airs”
Alex muttered such words as if spitting them out. And.
“Let’s go”
He swayed his jaw towards Queen Flare. Shortly after, a soldier who was pointing the spear against the Queen suddenly waved his spear at the soldier who was restricting the Queen.
“!?”
“Wh, What are you doing?”
The soldier who stagger has his shoulder and chest cut. Queen Flare rushes to Alex by that chance.
“Wha……I’m here, I have such a magic stone……you can’t use magic!”
Pound is startled. Immediately afterwards, the soldier peels off his armor gauntlet and throws it away. Below that is a blue gauntlet.
“Im sorry. It’s a very difficult situation, just magic and strength”
Alex laughs. The soldier was one of the Blue Arm and special duty officer who had sneaked into Count Pound′s faction.
“……I didn’t expect it to work at this time, but……hey, earn me some time. Five minutes is fine”
“If I tamper with the castle, I can earn 30 minutes”
“Moderately”
Leaving the Blue Arm man to earn time, Alex takes Queen Flare and escapes into a hidden passage. A few minutes later, the audience collapsed with a roar.
—————————
The basement of Rennesto Castle leads directly to Rennesto’s urban citadel, turning it into a maze in the middle. Even those who are working in the castle have hardly grasped the whole picture.
“……My Queen. I’m sorry, but can I ask you for directions?”
“If you don’t know, don’t walk so confidently……that way is going out of town”
Alex didn’t even know. It’s no use going out of town. Now, in the midst of a major invasion, no matter how powerful Alex, the strongest magic warrior is, he couldn’t escape to another city by moving through a flock of monsters, while protecting the Queen for days. However, even if you go into the city, you have to go carefully.
“Count Pound occupied the castle so confidently. It is better to think that there were a considerable number of hands in Rennesto beforehand. It’s a good idea not to come into contact with the soldiers carelessly”
“Is the aristocratic residential area a good place? ……Therefore, if we come in contact with Celesta and Trot”
“It’s better. Foreigners are now more trustworthy than the poor Rengfangas people. ……But Celesta′s group, the dragon and War God Dianne are in Catalina. And Trot′s Sword Saints were sent to Ghibli fortress. If I know such a thing happens, I wouldn’t have send them there”
“……What does Count Pound dislike so much about us?”
In the dim underpass, Flare shows a dark face towards Alex’s dim magic light.
“I’m certainly immature and I can’t say I’m doing well as a Queen compared to the people of Valerie and King Ruth of Trot. Nevertheless, that’s how it is while it may be true that……”
“It’s not Your Majesty′s fault. ……To put it bluntly, it’s the Hero Neia”
“Neia……? Neia should have nothing to do with it”
“No. The search project starting from Neia and the demon territory settlement ahead of her…… they’re scared”
“Isn’t the demon territory subjugation a long-cherished desire of Renfangas for 300 years……?”
“The expectation is that Count Pound wont end the three hundred years old wish. It is said that he was waiting and looked at the situation in his territory in the southwest, where the demons were less active.
“?”
“Okay, let’s say that our vision is to restore the Qi flow of the demon territory and that there will be no monsters in Renfangas and that a safe and vast land will be created in the north. ……Do you think the Valerie countries, St. Gardo or Goth Kingdom, will keep silent?”
“That is……immigration will begin”
“I hope that’s fine, but there’s no longer any reason to keep the gold worm, Renfangas, in the Valerie Union. Without the military funding provided by them, the Gauntlet Knights would have to disband, the general army, which has no military body, will have to be sharply reduced in comparison and in the worst case, the Valerie countries and our country may enter the Warring States period in the name of collecting loans to Renfangas. Without a reliable army, we will be repeatedly overrun by other countries”
“…………”
“It’s best if you have the backing of Celesta or Trot, but the poor transportation will make them find it meaningful to maintain a relationship with Renfangas. ……Either way, we will pay for the three hundred years and if we survive without paying, we will pay at that time”
“……That……”
“Count Pound is trying to put it off. If Renfangas is the key point of the moment, no war can take place. No nation can afford to lose Renfangas”
“……But people can’t cultivate this land with relief……”
“Of course, this Alex is the Queen’s will. As we once dreamed of, we would like to aim for Renfangas, where the people can live happily ever after. ……I have to get rid of the diplomatic issues that may not end while I′m still alive and continue for about three hundred years……”
“……Isn’t that a dream that is too much for you? Alex, we′re……”
“There is no dream left over to the Queen. Not only Alex, Annette, Lister or Felios. The world’s strongest golden four-fingered Gold Arms and plenty of Black and Red Arm Gauntlet Knights support the queen. But not costless happiness is not easy”
“…………”
“And first, we have to turn the situation upside down. If we have at least four tusks, Count Pound is nothing special……”
“What is Felios doing?”
“I don’t know. In any case, if he doesn’t even know what’s going on, he won’t be able to move”
“…………”
Even though it’s an underground passage, Alex has a lot of restrictions on not going too far than his voice or light. So now that the magic power solidification stone is far away, it is not so easy to find them. However, Alex is the only one who can reach the closed capital of this raging country. The uneasiness shakes the Queen.
“What shall we do now?”
“……For now, let’s just go and ask the dragon group for help, we have nothing to lose. If we go to a place with a mirror, I can use communication magic……yes, let’s go to Celesta′s mansion”
“What about Annette and Lister……?”
“In today’s situation, voice alone is not enough to reach them. If we can reach the dragon group with communication magic, we can send them to Ghibli Fortress to get reinforcement. On the contrary, there is a danger that the movement will be identified and we will be followed. Although there are Blue Arms in various places……only Tetes is available now”
“……Okay, let’s go to the aristocratic residential area. I’ll leave it up to you to make sure they don’t find us”
“Ha”
The two start walking slowly.
“In the old days”
“……Ha”
“When I was taught this underpass, I was very excited. One day, I’ll pass through this underpass like a fairy tale and be rescued dramatically by a hero. And I had fantasies that I would be happy”
“……I’m sorry. As I′m Your Majesty′s foster parent, I′m showing no sign of love”
“No. No, Alex. I’m glad you are here. Really”
“……I’m feeling grateful”
“I say so now, Alex, I’ve been around you all the time……”
“Oh, but you can’t fight blood”
“?”
“I’ve heard that you’ve actually had the same fantasies as your predecessors”
“……Th, That’s, well, my mother would have thought the same thing if she knew about this underpass……”
“It’s difficult for Renfangas to get help from a 『Prince Charming』. No, if its Felios, he wouldn’t be a prince”
“I as the Queen of Renfangas don’t want to meet someone who doesn’t love me, so I think its good when no prince appear. Even now, I like a elegant and strong gentleman”
“That’s good”
“If possible, he should also be tolerant, composed and kind, I also don’t care about his hair, as long as there’s a man who doesn’t want to stay away from me and Renfangas for a long time”
“Uooogh. ……By the way, is there still an exit coming?”
“Muu……Alex is cruel……”
“It’s a national danger, isn’t it?”
———————————-
Alex and Queen Flare sneak into Celesta’s mansion and prepares communication magic by looking through Commander Dianne’s room. Communication magic is a technology that Alex has put into practical use and it is a magic that prepares a strong signal that does not easily deteriorate in the flow of 「Qi」. Following the headwaters, it is a hint that a characteristic residual signal remained in 「Qi」 for a long time during the old rain beggar ritual. By combining this with the reception of the specially developed divination magic, communication over a long distance is realized. It has the same principle as wolf smoke. In recent years, Alex has further promoted development and succeeded in setting a dedicated wavelength for each individual Blue Arm, which is a investigation unit under his control. If the communication partner has a high level of sophistication and the real-time state is high, such as regular contact, the plain text written together will be caught in scrying, so a richer expression can be made.
“It’s okay……if they notice……”
“I heard that Tetes was fired as Blue Arm. She doesn’t have any communication obligations anymore”
“I’m worried about that”
Alex is just leaving his luck to heaven now. Then, in the mansion before dawn, without a light, silence. Considering the possibility of being chased by the enemy, it cannot be said that Queen Flare can sleep. However, there is no way to entertain her. A little awkward silence.
“……Alex, if you’re as strong as you are, you can beat Count Pound alone without me, right?”
Alex bitterly laughed at Flare who came up with such a thought.
“Well, it would be easy for me alone to beat Pound, but it would give you a chance to stick to other disturbing elements.”
“……?”
“Someone wants to say that I’m trying to make a name for myself with the Queen. ……I can see that direction, coming from Duke Echo, the neighbour of Count Pounds”
“That……”
“If we completely cut off the flow of Pound, we have no choice but to take proper steps to condemn it. If I do it alone, you will be assassinated no matter how you look at it. Nobles and some of the former Black Arms should have been in their hands. I think it will be a bit of a struggle from now on”
Alex is confident that he can beat everyone one-on-one if it’s a one-on-one match. It depends on the opponent, but he is not confident that he will be able to handle 3-4 Black Arms at once. There was no point in forcing it. At that time, he feels a sign from the first floor.
“Queen hide under the bed”
“Eh”
“It might be the enemy. Worst…… I have to be a 『Stepping Stone』 before it becomes bad”
“Don’t overdo it”
After confirming that the Queen has hidden herself, Alex hides behind the door and seeks out the sign of the enemy. When he waited, thinking that it would be awkward if he was careful, he suddenly heard a banging sound.
“!?”
Surprised, Alex tries to see what happened. When he gently looks out from behind the door, he sees a man who is looking in the same pose from the other side of the door.
“!? ……『Becoming a Stepping Stone』!”
“I waited for you!?”
Alex tries to activate his magic reflexively, but the man disappears from sight in an instant. Only a cry remains.
“……You dodged!?”
Despite the darkness before dawn, dodging Alex is a considerable exercise. Alex was afraid of the danger that the Queen is targeted. Alex’s whole body jumps into full combat at once……before, a man’s voice is heard over his head.
“Stop, stop! I’m not an enemy!”
“……What?”
Looking up, there was a weird man who thrust his limbs against the wall near the ceiling of the corridor. Tall and slightly droopy. Is he about 40 years old?
“By the way, why is Alex Buster in a place like this at this time!?”
“Who are you?”
Alex himself is well known. But the man is not an ordinary person. Alex who didn’t know what to do, was still alerted.
“Emm……I, I’m kind of like an Ace Knight sent by Celesta”
“……What’s your name?”
For some reason, Alex asks again, feeling strange to say something strangely vague. The man jumped lightly to the ground and exhaled upwards.
“I′m Geese Howard”
The man called himself so in a dignified manner.