Chapter 346: Libra (2)
Chapter 346: Libra (2)
Why is it that ominous premonitions never miss the mark?
“…Crassius refused the request for reinforcements?”
“Yes. They claim the damage inflicted by Ugly Prosperity was significant, and they are currently occupied dealing with the forces of Noble Reign.”
“What kind of nonsense is that…?”
Even if they were surprised by the elemental match-up against Ugly Prosperity, they shouldn't have taken major damage. I had made them prepare for it, even going so far as to use the name of the Levantine Empire.
In fact, didn't Ugly Prosperity test their defenses, decide it wasn't worth the effort, and pivot toward Alfheim instead?
And as for the forces of Noble Reign…
Sure, they’re formidable. They bestow powers strong enough to justify the sin of Pride upon their followers.
But perhaps because they want to live up to the name of Pride, they don't just accept anyone. Unlike other Evil Gods who only care about how desperate a person is, this one is quite picky.
Noble blood, profound knowledge, genius talent, and so on.
Whatever it is, you must possess something that allows you to look down on others before you can receive their baptism.
Because of this, the average follower of Noble Reign is several levels above other cultists.
On the flip side, their numbers are less than half. You could call them a sort of small, elite force.
In any case, they aren't a threat that should be giving Crassius this much trouble in a large-scale battle like this.
Milone nodded, looking impressed by my explanation.
“I didn't expect you to know their initiation requirements. Duke Lindelheit, your assumption is likely correct. According to the intelligence we’ve gathered, it’s true that the forces of Noble Reign are confronting Crassius, but it’s nothing more than a containment maneuver. They’re likely just maintaining the front temporarily until another cult can fill the void left by Ugly Prosperity.”
“Hmm…”
“…This time, we’ve prepared thoroughly so as not to fall victim to the Authority of Boiling Silence. We’ve organized two-man cells where one person carries a divine object of the Lord of Cyclic Life. Even if the Authority interferes with their minds, the time difference between the two will create a sense of dissonance, so we should be fine.”
“Ah, I wasn't questioning the reliability of your information. You’re not the type to make the same mistake twice once you’re aware of it. I trust you on that front.”
“That is a compliment I’m grateful for, yet it feels a bit strange. We’ve only known each other for a few days.”
Milone stared at me intently with eyes framed by deep dark circles. I shrugged and replied.
“If you didn't have at least that much competence, you wouldn't have been able to shoulder all of Alfheim’s affairs alone for over a hundred years. The country would have collapsed long ago, you would have been kicked out of the Chancellor’s seat, or you would have been forced to work with someone else’s help, wouldn't you?”
“…It’s not like I want to handle everything alone. There’s just such a lack of people I can actually entrust things to… No, that’s not what’s important right now. We need to secure enough troops to win a short-term decisive battle even without Crassius’s support.”
“Is there no way to make Crassius send reinforcements? If it’s a matter of financial compensation, I can chip in.”
“I’d like to do that too, but it would take too long, and I doubt they’d budge for anything ordinary.”
Milone continued with a bitter expression.
“Those warriors, who were so confident at first, couldn't even put up a proper fight. If it weren't for the support they received in advance, half of Crassius would have been devoured by now. Knowing that is exactly why they’re afraid. As a leader of a nation myself, I understand the sentiment. …Though, of course, my resentment toward them is greater.”
“Just for a reason like that… No, wait. Thinking about it, I suppose it makes sense.”
Normally, cultists slowly reveal their presence over several years, then appear all at once starting with the Evil God shattering their seal.
At least, that’s how it went in the future shown in H&A.
But now, because I’ve been blocking their plans left and right, they’ve raised their armies in a hurry as if they can’t afford to delay any longer.
Since the world hasn't had a chance to truly feel the threat of the cultists yet, it’s not impossible to understand why they’re overly startled or why they’re only thinking of their own country in this situation.
Well… Beastkin are fundamentally a bellicose race, so they’ll likely jump into the fray before long.
The problem is that they aren't doing so now.
“Whether it’s a formal protest or a show of force, we’ll have to give them a warning one way or another.”
“Provided that you or I, Duke Lindelheit, are still alive by then.”
“It’s too early to start whining. We have to do everything we can. …I need to see the Lord of Cyclic Life again.”
“Nariel… Ahem. I will contact the Queen. Only a High Elf connected to the World Tree can speak directly to the Lord of Cyclic Life.”
“In the meantime, I’ll go show my face to the Azure Silver Knight Order. I can’t exactly sit still when I’m the one who called for reinforcements from the Levantine Empire.”
“Then I will contact you through the communication orb I gave you once preparations are complete.”
The conversation proceeded smoothly.
I hung the communication orb from my waist, having pulled it out of my inventory so I could notice a call immediately, and left the office with my party.
*
With the help of Eda, the scribe, I exchanged brief greetings with the commander of the Azure Silver Knight Order at their quarters.
The commander was a better person than I expected. He had a good personality, was well-disposed toward me—perhaps because of something he’d heard before departing—and was full of fighting spirit.
In particular, I was impressed that he didn't get complacent just because he was an Aura Expert and had prepared thoroughly for the Authority of Ugly Prosperity.
Yes. This is what a knight should be. If the enemy is bizarre, you prepare and fight. You don't hide and wait to see how things turn out.
While I was grumbling about Crassius internally during our conversation, a call came from Milone just as we were wrapping up.
When I arrived at the upper layer of the World Tree, Milone and Nariel were already waiting. This time, I headed to the Sanctuary of Cyclic Life with both of them.
After discussing various options together, we decided to receive support from the Church of Righteous Light instead of Crassius.
It would take more time due to the distance… but they were the elite of the elite, unmatched when it came to fighting the forces of an Evil God.
Beyond that, we spent several days—utilizing time distortion—discussing ways to conserve spirit power as much as possible and how to defend Yggdrasil through the World Tree. Only after hammering out a plan for the current situation did we leave the sanctuary.
Now, we had done everything we could. All that remained was to rest as much as possible to maintain our strength until the army of Ugly Prosperity arrived. For that reason, I decided to sleep deeply for the first time in a long while, without a single thought in my head.
My body had been restored by potions and divine arts, but perhaps the mental fatigue had accumulated. I ended up losing an entire day to sleep… but I felt refreshed, so I suppose it was worth it.
“Hwaaaa-am.”
“Oh? Are you awake, dear?”
“Ah… yeah…”
As I sat up groggily at the sound of Elisha’s voice, I saw Iris and Helena sprawled out nearby.
Helena, surprisingly, was sleeping in a perfect posture with her hands folded neatly, even in her sleep. In contrast, Iris had not only kicked off her blankets but was sleeping in a bizarre position with her waist slightly twisted.
She’s not a child, so what in the world…
I straightened out Iris’s waist and her clothes, which had gotten bunched up, and covered her with the blanket.
“Hehe. Do you know something, dear? Master will return to that state in just ten minutes anyway.”
“Come on. Surely it’ll take at least an hour.”
“Uu, mmm…”
No sooner had I spoken than Iris began to mumble. I looked back, wondering if it could be true, only to see her frowning as if uncomfortable, her limbs already twitching.
Good grief. She really kicks the covers and turns into a yoga pose in less than ten minutes?
As I watched in disbelief, Elisha closed the book she was reading with a sharp thud and giggled.
“See? What did I tell you? I’ve tried everything myself and gave up, so I just leave her be now.”
“I don't think she was like this usually…”
“It’s a habit that only comes out when she’s truly exhausted. I suppose she hasn't had to work that hard while she was with you.”
“What.”
I stood up, thinking that next time, I could push Iris a little harder on the bed.
“Where are the others?”
“Carla and Professor Iona are in the training room, and Miss Fay is in the workshop making consumables for us to use.”
“What about you, Elisha? What were you doing?”
“I was just watching you.”
“Hmm. I am pretty handsome. You never get tired of looking, do you?”
“Well, since I might actually die this time, I have to get my fill so I won’t feel cheated if I become a widow.”
“…….”
Her voice was calm, but the content was not something I could easily brush off.
“How many days has it been since I fell asleep?”
“It’s only been two days, so don’t worry.”
I guess I didn't wake up to find the place on the verge of falling. I slept a day longer than it felt like, though.
“So, did anything happen while I was asleep?”
“…A lot happened.”
Elisha let out a long sigh and handed me the book she had closed. Upon taking it, I realized it wasn't a book, but a booklet made of various documents bound together.
Let’s see. What on earth happened to make Elisha react like this?
Flip.
The moment I read the first page, I understood Elisha’s attitude completely.
That was because the stack of papers, thick enough to be mistaken for a book, was entirely composed of damage reports from Alfheim.
“…….”
No, seriously, what the hell happened while I was asleep?