Chapter 194
Chapter 194
Chapter 194
Preparations for War (2)
Kapuras was not the only place that received contact about the Continental Nations Conference.
All countries existing on the continent—Biora Kingdom, Ruzelia Maritime Kingdom, Seta Duchy, and so on...
Invitations were even sent to the Roar Tribal Alliance, a barbarian nation bordering the northern Ergon Kingdom.
Naturally, this conference being conducted in such urgent haste caused rebellion from many nations.
"...No matter how much of an empire it is, this cannot be! For His Grace the Grand Duke to personally appear in Nevan within just 3 weeks?"
"Even if we were to attend, all 3 weeks would be consumed just in preparation!"
It goes without saying that for such international events, coordination must be done at least 6 months in advance, usually a year beforehand.
"Especially our Seta Duchy would have to cross other nations' borders to reach Morian...!"
Countries that border Morian might be one thing, but places like Seta Duchy or Kapuras that must transit through other nations face serious problems.
Moreover, since it's the king himself moving, not just anyone, an escort of at least several thousand is needed, and no country would welcome such military force into their territory with an "Please come in!"
The ruler of Seta Duchy, Grand Duke Delphus, tapped a corner of the letter with his finger.
"Hmm, it seems there's no need to bring escort troops along."
"Your Grace? What do you mean...?"
"The exact wording of this content isn't telling us to come to Nevan within 3 weeks, but rather to handle the nation's major affairs within 3 weeks so that attending the conference won't interfere with national matters."
"What? Then how do we match the timing...?"
"They said they'll send a magician capable of spatial movement."
"Sp-spatial movement?"
The retainers' faces were colored with bewilderment.
Spatial movement is definitely the domain of 9th Class.
While the difficulty drops significantly when using installed magic circles, the maximum distance the duchy's court magician can travel using installed magic circles is 500 kilometers at most.
But the distance between Nevan, the capital of the Morian Empire, and here in Seta Duchy is at least 10,000 kilometers.
It would be impossible unless they truly sent a legendary 9th Class Great Magician.
"Even Sonya Bluephil, said to be the continent's greatest magician, couldn't do that. What is the empire thinking...?"
"I don't know either. But prepare anyway."
Grand Duke Delphus rubbed his tired eyes and continued.
"This matter isn't some simple boasting or event to show the people. It's truly gathering us to decide something important."
"......"
The retainers' mouths naturally closed.
Naturally, having experienced this incident themselves, they knew well enough that the Grand Duke's words had credibility.
"If the magician written in the letter doesn't come, then the empire folks will be the ones embarrassed..."
The retainers bowed deeply, accepting the Grand Duke's will.
And from then on, all nations on the continent desperately burned the midnight oil preparing for this conference.
***
When the promised 3 weeks passed, a young man appeared in the middle of the grand ducal castle where knight orders were gathered.
"Greetings, Your Grace."
"Who are you?"
The Grand Duke asked, looking at the brown-haired young man who had suddenly appeared before him.
"I am Count Rudian Belstad of the Morian Empire."
"Oho, so you are?"
Grand Duke Delphus's eyes lit up.
A young new power holder who appeared like a comet, riding on the backs of Delphione and Bellatrix.
This was Rudian's image known to the outside world.
"Interesting, truly in many ways."
If the young man before his eyes was truly a 9th Class Great Magician, he couldn't be judged by his apparent age.
At that moment, Grand Duke Delphus became certain of one assumption in his mind.
"Are you, or the organization you belong to, the ones who led this conference?"
A light of surprise flashed in Rudian's eyes.
"...May I ask why you think that?"
"Naturally, the empire wouldn't proceed so urgently while sending out a card like you to the outside."
9th Class Great Magicians 'officially' don't exist on the continent.
As such, such beings are a nation's strongest military power and greatest secret, and showcasing them externally like this is a blunder among blunders.
"Thinking that way, it's more likely that the empire was pushed by you people. Isn't that right?"
"...Remarkable. Truly the insight befitting one who bears responsibility for a nation."
Rudian smiled slightly.
"If that speculation is true, does Your Grace intend not to participate in this conference?"
"Nonsense! Rather, I must go no matter what happens."
Grand Duke Delphus firmly waved his hand.
"When even the Morian Empire is being moved by such people who have surfaced, not confirming that would disqualify me as a ruler."
Rudian's smile deepened.
"That's fortunate. Unlike the north, there won't be any need to forcibly escort you..."
"...The north?"
"Yes, we had a bit of trouble escorting those people."
The Grand Duke, pondering Rudian's meaning, reached a conclusion.
"Not Ergon... those barbarians then."
"Yes, that's correct."
"But that's surprising. Those fellows wouldn't obediently listen? They'd rather die than..."
The barbarian tribe adapted to the north's harsh environment are people who have seizures at other nations' intervention or interference.
They were famous enough to be known even in Seta Duchy, which is far from the north.
But Rudian replied matter-of-factly.
"Since they follow the law of the strong, it was rather easy to persuade them."
"Easy to persuade? Ah... HAHAHA! I see, that would be it!"
Though he thought there might have been some difficulty in persuasion since they're people who call magic trickery and look down on it...
'Anyway, if it's a 9th Class Great Magician, there would be various methods. No, more than that, what those words imply is...'
This was no different from saying that the northern barbarian tribe had submitted to Rudian, or the Morian Empire.
'The continent's power structure will change greatly from now on.'
As the Grand Duke was thinking such thoughts, Rudian looked around and continued.
"Are these people your entire party?"
"Yes, we don't need many people anyway."
"Then, I'll move us immediately."
Grand Duke Delphus assembled his party with about thirty people, combining escort knights with attendants and ladies-in-waiting.
A much more modest appearance than most nobles, and feeling small goodwill toward this, Rudian chanted the incantation.
"Teleport."
***
Rudian and Grand Duke Delphus's party leaped over a distance of more than 10,000 kilometers and arrived in Nevan, the capital of the Morian Empire.
"Welcome."
When they arrived at the designated location, Duke Bellatrix and Sonya Bluephil greeted Rudian.
"Yes, here are the people from Seta Duchy."
Grand Duke Delphus and the escort knights felt slight dizziness from the side effects of spatial movement, but soon regained their senses and looked around.
And then... they were shocked.
"My, Mysterious Ladies!"
The spectacular sight of everyone wearing identical maid uniforms lined up on both sides.
But more surprising than that was the fact that their identities were the 'Mysterious Ladies' who had recently been newly selected as one of the world's seven great mysteries.
Among those Mysterious Ladies, a certain maid wearing particularly short insignia clothing bowed politely toward Rudian.
"Welcome, Master."
Rudian frowned and scolded that maid.
"...Elli, I told you to just call me Master, didn't I?"
"You said this would have more impact."
"Who did?"
"Lady Luciella did."
"......"
Those who were blankly watching the conversation between Rudian and Elli suddenly turned their heads at a scream heard from nearby.
"Huh, HUEK!"
A knight who had been guarding Grand Duke Delphus's side discovered something in the distance and fell on his bottom.
"Hey..."
Just as Grand Duke Delphus was frowning at that serious rudeness.
"...HUK!"
Grand Duke Delphus also witnessed the same scene as that knight and stopped still in his tracks.
The identity of that scene was none other than...
"Dr, Dragon!"
Far away, at the top of what appeared to be the imperial palace building, they felt a giant Red Dragon coiled up and looking in their direction.
'Mo, moreover...!'
The problem was that this one wasn't the end.
Looking up at the sky, red, blue, green, black, and so on...
Various dragons were flying around with spread wings, and each time they did, sounds that seemed like citizens' cheers from outside echoed endlessly.
Grand Duke Delphus gulped.
'Co, could what was written in the letter really be true?'
The list of mediators written at the end of the letter sent by Emperor Rausa of the empire.
When he saw the names of Dragon Lords who had become legends, he thought there might be some metaphor he didn't understand.
But that wasn't metaphor—it was literal meaning.
"Dragons... you say."
Toward the dazed Grand Duke, Rudian asked with puzzlement.
"Wasn't it written in the letter? I don't think it's something to be so surprised about."
"Common sense hasn't gone bad enough to understand that immediately."
Grand Duke Delphus headed toward the guest palace with a dejected appearance, following Rudian's guidance.
'What on earth has happened behind the scenes of the world while we were unaware?'
Thinking such thoughts, he arrived at the guest palace, where many foreign dignitaries had already arrived and were staying.
"...The Grand Duke has come too."
"It's been a long time, Your Majesty Magellan."
The one who welcomed Grand Duke Delphus was King Magellan I of Kapuras.
"I never dreamed we'd meet again in this way..."
"...I feel the same."
Kapuras and Seta bordered each other, but historically belonged to the fairly good relationship category.
Since they bordered a thug nation named Rohans that could even stand up to the Morian Empire, it was natural in a way.
Moreover, both were young leaders who had just entered their thirties.
There was no way they wouldn't get along.
Magellan I smiled with self-mockery.
"...Did you see it too? No, there's no way you couldn't have."
"Yes, I never dreamed the Morian Empire had hidden this level of military power."
"Whether they had hidden it or whether they too were dominated, I don't know..."
"Whatever the cause, it's certain that the balance of power that has been maintained until now has begun to tilt."
Grand Duke Delphus sat across from Magellan I.
Even though it was broad daylight, Magellan I was unusually tilting a wine cup.
The Grand Duke also received a wine cup from a lady-in-waiting and filled it full of wine.
"It seems this conference will be their unilateral notification."
"Since they forced us to gather like this, such an outcome is fully understandable."
Magellan I frowned and sighed.
"But the bigger problem is that this conference isn't about whether they'll act tyrannically or not."
"......"
"I hope no problem emerges that would cast a giant dark cloud over the entire continent... to the extent that the recent incident would seem like child's play."
Grand Duke Delphus agreed with those words intensely.
"It's certainly unsettling. It seems this conference... isn't just for 'humans' to participate."
That was exactly right.
Here in the Morian Empire's imperial palace, they could see many non-humans that couldn't normally be seen, and in an ominous way at that.
Not just dwarves and elves, but orcs, werewolves, lizardmen, nymphs, and so on... even sub-human species that would normally be treated as monsters were showing themselves.
"There must be. The one who bound them all together..."
At that moment, Count Rudian Belstad, who had brought him here, suddenly caught Grand Duke Delphus's eye again.
Near him were two beauties with impressive blazing red hair, and for some reason, one of the women was angry at Rudian about something.
"No matter how much it's a preference, you should consider time and place when dressing someone like this! It was just the day before yesterday that Count Matheus collapsed from shock after seeing Maria following Elli's outfit exactly! And yet you couldn't resist doing the same thing to Rebecca so soon after...!"
"No, no... Princess Luciella... no, Luciella! That wasn't something I asked her to wear, Maria suddenly...!"
"Ex.cu.ses. are. enough!"
"Ugh, this is unfair!"
Looking closely, one of the two women was wearing a maid outfit with short insignia, and the other woman was taking issue with it.
From the circumstances, it seemed to be the doing of that magician called Rudian...
No matter what, such scandalous clothing in the imperial palace is definitely not right.
'Surely... that fellow isn't the mastermind, is he?'