Two in One (1)
The lower reaches of Peiren Bay, where the river calmly merged into the sea.
The unchanging scenery failed to evoke any particular emotion.
I accepted that I had no choice but to face the uncomfortable silence once again.
The grand conference hall of Arselion.
Immediately after recovering my battered body, I had attended this meeting at the Prophet's urgent summons. Yet, the Prophet who had called us here was nowhere to be seen. Consequently, I was left with no choice but to watch the chaotic dispute unfolding between Gyal and the Chancellor.
Even if the Prophet had been present, it didn't seem like the situation would have been resolved.
Gyal sat with his arms crossed, glaring at the Chancellor as if venting his frustration against the world at large.
Unbothered, Louise, the Chancellor, simply refilled her empty teacup and met his gaze head-on, waiting for the tea to cool to the perfect temperature.
Just as I began to wonder if this was a bet where the first one to leave loses,
the Chamberlain, unable to bear the sight any longer, finally managed to speak.
"Lady Louise, may I speak?"
"You may," Louise replied with a prompt nod.
A collective sigh of relief swept through the room, not just from the Chamberlain.
"A great deal of time has already passed. Perhaps we should dismiss those who are waiting and reschedule for another day..."
"That is not for you to ask of me, Chamberlain."
The Chamberlain's eyes widened at the Chancellor's response.
The others in the conference hall also looked at the Chancellor with slight bewilderment.
"May I ask why?" Gyal asked back, his expression openly disgruntled.
"Certainly. His Majesty the King has delegated full authority over this matter to me. And I have determined that, in accordance with due process, this proposal must undergo an internal review. The only reason we are gathered here is at their request. The Prophet has designated all of them as her representatives, and I am more than willing to yield my time until a proper conclusion is reached."
"I only hope that 'proper conclusion' starts to align with your tastes soon."
Seeing this, the Chamberlain cleared his throat in warning, but Gyal merely spoke with a look of utter exasperation.
"As I have said, the proposal you submitted is already undergoing internal review."
"While not all affairs of state are decided in this manner, Velastia is currently in the midst of a great crisis. Every minister, including myself, deeply cares for the safety of our people, so it is an issue well worth sharing our wisdom on. Wouldn't you agree?"
"You seem to forget that even at this very moment, another village is being wiped off the map."
"It is a tragedy, Gyal. If all conflicts could be resolved through mere dialogue without any casualties, nothing would be better."
Rising from her seat, the Chancellor pushed open the windows of the conference hall.
Acrid smoke drifted in, mingling with the sea breeze.
The entertainment district had been completely burned down. Displaced fishermen and dancers dragged their exhausted bodies through the rubble, searching for whatever remained.
"But I have seen it with my own eyes. I know how ruthless and violent the creatures you call beasts are. I could not find even a shred of hope that the knights we dispatched would return in one piece."
The Chancellor smiled bitterly and closed the window once more.
"Therefore, I cannot let you leave like this. We cannot simply hand over a precious force capable of fighting the beasts so easily."
Just when it seemed the conversation was making progress, we were right back where we started.
In any case, I was merely a citizen of Velastia, and flatly refusing their demands was a delicate matter.
Gyal spoke up.
"I hope you do not forget that we are already making significant concessions. It is precisely because we understand your situation that we are sitting here, attempting to negotiate."
"Dialogue can indeed be stronger than the sword. Mostly because it grants us ample time to think before taking the next step."
One was politely demanding to be let go while they were still being nice, and the other was elegantly telling them not to rush.
From where I sat, there were only two ways this conversation could end.
Either Gyal's patience would run out, or the Chancellor would reach a decision before that happened.
Unfortunately, neither scenario seemed likely to occur today.
Gyal's patience was deeper than expected, and the reason behind the Chancellor's stubbornness remained entirely elusive.
"I am quite certain the King of Velastia granted us permission to return to our homeland."
"And surely you are also aware that the Council of Nobles sent a formal letter of protest upon hearing that news."
"Even though we already hold an official document bearing the King's royal seal?"
Gyal pulled the official document from his breast pocket.
"The only reason we have not forced our departure, despite having every justification to do so, is out of respect for you as our ally. Yet you go back on your word and try to hold us back. I see no reason to continue showing such consideration."
"A valid point," the Chancellor conceded, nodding her head surprisingly easily.
"The reason the Council of Nobles is delaying this is clear. Let me reiterate: they do not wish to prevent your departure."
"Then what is it?"
"Kamil's custody is merely one of the solutions they desire. More fundamentally, it is a demand regarding how we should cope with the catastrophe we all face."
"A demand..." Gyal repeated the word, as if tasting its implications.
"It seems you have misconstrued our refusal to transfer his affiliation. To clarify, we have no intention of completely blocking your journey to Tyrancia."
"So you are not saying we cannot take Kamil."
"Indeed. Instead, I intend to appoint him as the temporary ambassador of Velastia."
"...Me?"
I blurted out in sheer surprise.
Fortunately, no one in the room pointed out my lapse in decorum.
Or rather, it would be more accurate to say I simply hadn't drawn their attention.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on the Chancellor.
"Yes. There has never been a precedent for a commoner, let alone a minor, to be appointed to an ambassadorial post. That is the sole reason for the administrative delay. I ask for your understanding on this matter."
We could only stare in silence as the Chancellor bowed her head with nonchalant grace.
Even Gyal was frowning, clearly caught off guard.
The Chamberlain's expression was particularly priceless. Judging by his utterly shocked reaction, it was obvious the Chancellor had acted entirely on her own initiative.
"What exactly am I supposed to do there?"
"The Prophet of Tyrancia mentioned that the Magic Tower is currently investigating why the beasts suddenly appeared on this land. Your task will be to ascertain their findings and request appropriate support from Tyrancia."
"...Me?"
She spoke as if she were sending me on a quick errand to the local market. I almost nodded along without thinking.
The Chancellor kindly answered my question with utmost sincerity.
"Yes. Of course, since I proposed this without your prior consent, you are entirely free to decline the appointment if you wish."
"Why... why are you entrusting such a heavy responsibility to me?"
"The reason is simple. I understand the emergence of the beasts is not unique to Tyrancia. While the kingdom could dispatch a formal delegation, reaching the Magic Tower in the far north safely would require a substantial military escort. Most of our knight orders would have to cross the border. That would present two major problems."
The Chancellor waved away an attendant who stepped forward to refill her empty cup, and continued her explanation.
"First, there is the diplomatic issue. If we include such a large military force in our delegation, Tyrancia might misinterpret our intentions. No matter how much the Prophet of the Magic Tower tries to smooth things over, their kingdom would have no choice but to prepare for a potential threat. In the process, they are highly likely to perceive our request for aid as a form of coercion."
That was a very real possibility.
If uninvited guests showed up at your doorstep leading an army, their intentions would seem obvious.
Even a three-year-old child wouldn't believe such a visit was peaceful.
"Second, and quite obviously, it would leave a massive void in Velastia's defenses. To fill the gap left by the dispatched troops, we would have to pull back our border guards. If we do that, our hostile neighbor, Caldaros, would immediately sail their fleet straight to our shores. Therefore, I concluded that you—a citizen of Velastia who already possesses the martial prowess to slay beasts—are the perfect fit for this task."
It made sense.
Since I had to travel with them anyway, adding the task of negotiation to the journey wouldn't change my circumstances all that much.
"Will I be able to persuade them?"
"You may request an assistant to aid you in that regard. However, there are conditions. The assistant must belong to the kingdom and be of noble or royal birth. Naturally, His Majesty the King and myself are excluded, as our absence would directly impact the chain of command."
Perhaps because the Chancellor was so openly laying bare the kingdom's internal affairs right there on the spot,
the Chamberlain, who had been silently panicking beside her, finally took a sip from his teacup with a slightly relieved expression.
He must have been incredibly parched, for the cup, which had been filled to the brim, was emptied in an instant.
In any case, this was a relief.
I couldn't possibly enter negotiations without knowing how the kingdom's internal politics operated.
That was the nature of any large organization.
No matter how friendly an allied nation might be, it wouldn't be filled solely with altruistic people eager to help.
For someone like me, who had never dipped a toe into politics in either of my lives, going in alone would be akin to a plucked chicken sticking its head straight into a serpent's maw.
Then who should I take with me?
Count Halstein? Or Count Dornen?
One was a frail old man with nothing but bones left, and the other was a raging alcoholic.
No suitable candidate came to mind.
"May I recommend a suitable candidate?"
Just then, a lifeline was lowered from the heavens.
"Please do."
At least in this situation, I could trust the Chancellor.
Given how candidly she spoke in front of Gyal and Rosia—who were from Tyrancia—and considering she was the architect of this plan, relying on her recommendation would be far better than trying to choose someone myself.
Besides, this was a proposal, not an order.
If I didn't like the candidate, I could easily refuse.
"I recommend Sir Lucas, a decurion serving in the Fifth Guard Unit of the Royal Army."
That was a familiar unit.
Since it was the unit led by the injured Centurion Calian Bardo, the news was highly welcome.
"A noble is serving as a decurion?"
"Yes. Sir Lucas was demoted to a common soldier due to a certain incident, but he was recently promoted to decurion after distinguishing himself in the rebel suppression campaign. If possible, I might even consider promoting him to centurion under my authority, but..."
"Your Grace!"
The Chamberlain hurriedly cut the Chancellor off.
He looked deeply troubled, as if there were circumstances that simply could not be spoken of any further.
"Do not worry so. Now, since it would be rude to discuss this further in the absence of the party concerned..."
The Chancellor smiled faintly and gestured to the Chamberlain.