Spouting Excuses (5)

Young Lord Leon of Ednium suddenly realized the meeting was about to begin.

Yet he did not dwell on it for long. As a mere young lord, he had little reason to concern himself with a council of full city lords.

Of course, some might have dragged along their young lords or aides for the occasion… but in his case, attending would only bring loss. Most would tacitly push for sacrifice, after all. That much was obvious.

Better to spend the time productively on the tasks postponed by meeting preparations than to suffer that particular stress.

With that judgment, he set to work. Fortunately, the most urgent matter was already waiting for him.

True, reports had come that the beast calamity in Camborer had ceased—but who could say how long the calm would last?

Things had already piled up and delayed far enough. To believe Biryuho would continue looking the other way forever was pure folly. He hurried to draft the document that would publicly announce the dissolution of the engagement.

“Young Lord, are you certain those vines have nothing to do with Lady Biryuho’s wrath?”

“Not in the least. They are nothing more than the power the Hero and his companions expended to shield us from the remnant of a Great Demon.”

“The citizens grow more anxious by the day. Rumors swirl that Lady Biryuho is furious, that once she departs the city will be left defenseless.”

“Groundless nonsense. And even if Lady Biryuho were to leave, how could this land simply perish? The entire western region lost its Sea Dragon and yet suffered no such fate.”

Yet even as his heart was already tangled enough, fresh stones kept being flung into it.

He chewed his lip as he watched the new rumors spread and the people thrash about in their grip.

At least the sordid triangle between himself, the young lord of Camborer, and Biryuho had not come to light—that much was fortunate. But the current state of affairs was scarcely better.

Biryuho was the root of every evil, yet these rumors were now painting her as a protector.

He hated that most of all, so he kept diverting credit elsewhere and feeding talk of the Great Demon’s subjugation to keep public attention fixed there… yet the current itself was already flowing the wrong way.

The vines that had sprouted overnight had frightened the people, and long-dormant piety had stirred back to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠life.

If things continued like this, even if Biryuho—who had devoured a demon’s corpse—became a demon herself, they would find it exceedingly difficult to hunt her down. Not until every last one of them had suffered, the way the west had.

“This is driving me mad…….”

He vowed once more to bury every trace of Biryuho’s existence and finished the main text. A document in which even the first letter of her name never appeared gradually took shape.

A black breath, a chill that somehow carried warmth, settled over his back. The stench of rotting meat brushed his nostrils—the same reek that always clung to spoiled flesh.

The weight pressing on his shoulders made cold sweat bead on his skin. Even so, determined to fulfill the duty he had accepted, he carefully turned his head.

He was obligated to assess Biryuho’s condition.

Yet the soft pink eyes that had once been as lovely as cherry blossoms were gone; only a turbid red remained, staring back at him.

A massive hand clamped over his mouth and lifted his body.

Dev had, in the end, insisted on following me and the others. He had argued his usefulness—he could give testimony—and declared that he found the temple unbearably uncomfortable; that combination of reasons had settled the matter.

“I feel like I can finally breathe again.”

“Is the temple that unpleasant for you?”

“It really is. I’m not sure how to explain it…….”

After some thought Dev produced phrases like “maggot den” and “corpse den.” I didn’t agree completely, but I understood the feeling he was trying to convey.

Roughly the same level of revulsion an ordinary person would feel upon seeing something like that, I supposed.

“Because of demon energy, maybe……?”

“Didn’t any of the demon-worshippers you captured ever feel this way?”

“The moment we catch them they go straight into the torture chamber. You think any of them get the chance to offer aesthetic commentary?”

“…Glad I never ended up in a torture chamber, then.”

“Don’t worry. So long as you don’t actually betray us, you won’t.”

At the Inquisitor’s answer Dev made a thoroughly disgusted face and shook his head.

That was about when the Archmage turned his gaze toward me.

“What about you? Are you all right?”

Me? Well… a temple is hardly a comfortable place for me either, is it?

At some point I had begun to feel as though a thousand needles were pricking my ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠body and eyeballs were floating all around me, watching. Sometimes it also felt like swarms of tiny insects were crawling over my skin.

But if it was for the concept, I would not flinch. Therefore I decided not to flinch either.

Even without the concept I probably wouldn’t have tried to avoid it.

In any case, instead of voicing any of that, I simply quickened my pace and cut off further questions before they could form. Because of that I failed to notice the Archmage beginning to brood behind me.

Soon we reached the castle, and a guide appeared to lead me and my companions inside.

Apparently deciding the reception room was too small, they settled on what looked like a banquet hall as our final destination.

“Spacious.”

“There are many participants, after all.”

I lingered a moment at the entrance while listening to their exchange.

Inside I was praying that my concept would not make a bad impression on the city lords, and that no apocalyptic war would break out in the middle of the proceedings.

“Demon Knight, aren’t you coming in?”

“…….”

Having come this far, there was no backing out. I hid the prayer in my heart and stepped inside.

“So how exactly does a meeting work in a place like this?”

“Magic scans each participant’s appearance, then projects that information as an illusion above this space. Likewise, the scene here will be transmitted to them in the same fashion.”

Just inside the entrance the Archmage was giving Dev a brief lecture. His finger pointed at the floor.

“From this inner line onward, the surrounding view will be transmitted. So if you need to speak, stand inside it. The same goes for you, Inquisitor.”

“Understood.”

“Then I should wait until later……?”

“I would hardly impose different rules on you. Still, in my judgment… it would be better if you stepped forward a little later.”

“Then I’ll come out when you give the signal.”

“My thanks.”

Once again I was struck by how little difference there really was between science and magic. It reminded me of a hologram video conference.

“Is everyone here?”

Someone entered at that moment. Now that the young lord was handling everything on this side, the actual Lord of Ednium—whom we had never needed to meet before—had arrived.

“The Lord of Munmunt has declared he will not attend. He says a demon horde has chosen this exact moment to attack, and that he will abide by whatever conclusion the meeting reaches. All the others have confirmed their attendance.”

“I see. Understood.”

It was clear why the work had been left to the young lord; the city lord looked thoroughly unwell. He could barely walk on his own, and even for a member of the Shagi race his body was emaciated to the bone.

This was no illness of a day or two.

“Ah, Hero. And the Sage and his companions as well. Forgive me for the late greeting.”

Yet though his body was frail, his mind showed no sign of weakness.

His shirt hung loose on a frame so thin, yet his back remained straight; his fur had lost its luster and grown sparse, yet both eyes still burned with clear intelligence.

“Not at all. It seems the meeting is about to begin—perhaps we can leave the formalities for later.”

“Your consideration is appreciated.”

While the Archmage and the city lord exchanged brief greetings, images of people began to project around the enormous table prepared in the banquet hall.

“Since it appears we are all gathered, I shall open the meeting. The Lord of Munmunt has been forced to be absent for unavoidable reasons.”

Standing in the seat of honor as host, the Lord of Ednium began to lead the council.

“Let me state this clearly in advance: regarding the present crisis, Ednium is prepared to make any sacrifice whatsoever.”

—When you say “any sacrifice”……?

“Exactly what it sounds like.”

—Does that mean you intend to fight Biryuho?

“If that is the consensus of all present, then so it shall be. If it is not, then it shall not.”

—In other words…….

“If a father is expected to speak of his own son’s sacrifice, then by all means say so. Stop wasting time with roundabout talk.”

—Ahem.

Yet the overall flow of the meeting went exactly as expected.

—Is this conversation even necessary? It is unfortunate for the Lord of Ednium, but if we simply send the young lord, I doubt Lady Biryuho will make any great issue of it.

—Eating a demon… was that not simply because she did not wish to leave a demon in this land? What sort of being is Lady Biryuho that she would cause problems over devouring a single demon?

—So I believe we can simply leave it at that. There is no guarantee of side effects, whereas if we turn against Biryuho we have no idea what dangers we might face. Why stir up trouble needlessly?

—Exactly. No reason to go looking for a fight.

Most of the city lords wanted to gloss over the entire affair.

—You all seem to take the sacrifice of Young Lord Leon of Ednium far too much for granted. Is that truly acceptable?

—I am sorry to the Lord of Ednium, but… we cannot allow every other city to suffer for the sake of one young lord of Ednium.

—If the Lord of Ednium chooses to act in order to save his son, I can understand that decision. Understanding, however, is not the same as agreement; Bemyurhen will not support it.

—The Bemyurhen Magic Tower branch is of the same mind. Even now the sea is full of demons; we have no desire to make an enemy of the master of this entire region as well.

Young Lord Leon’s sacrifice? It was not even treated as a matter of debate.

If one person’s sacrifice could placate Biryuho, then that was that. Such was the atmosphere.

I knew that the sacrifice of the few for the many was common enough in the world, yet the way they treated it as a settled fact left a faintly nauseating taste.

Especially since both the father about to lose his son and the young lord of Camborer about to have his beloved taken completely were present in the same room.

—The damage to Camborer… was honestly not that severe, was it? The city was never truly on the brink of ruin.

—Have you finished talking? Damage not severe? Would you like to say that to the faces of the citizens who are currently protesting in our streets?

—Ahem… Young Lord of Camborer, your words are a little…….

—You should speak like a human first if you want me to answer like a human.

Of course neither of them let that truth show. They remained so composed that those who knew the circumstances grew even more uncomfortable.

One city lord, watching the young lord of Camborer tear into people without restraint, muttered under his breath, “As expected of a knight’s daughter…….”

“Um…….”

Clack.

Just as the Archmage was about to raise his hand and join the discussion—

The door of the banquet hall opened. The sound was not loud, so the city lords gave no sign of noticing. The area beyond the projection field was not transmitted to them in any case, so they could not have seen it.

“My lord.”

A man who looked like a knight approached the city lord with a rigid face.

“The young lord…….”

He lowered his voice in an attempt at a whisper… unfortunately I heard every word. It seemed Biryuho had already caused trouble.

“The young lord has been abducted……!”

“Archmage!”

The Inquisitor, who had been fidgeting with the urge to interrupt for some time, whirled toward the Archmage. The Archmage himself seemed not to have anticipated this development; his expression tightened slightly.

—What is the matter, Lord of Ednium?

—Is it something that can be shared with us as well?

Having just received word that his son had vanished, the Lord of Ednium blinked slowly.

“They say Lady Biryuho has taken my son.”

Perhaps it was only my imagination, but the middle-aged man’s voice seemed heavier than before.

—Is that a problem? We were going to offer him anyway…….

—If the knowledge in one’s head is light, at least one’s mouth should be heavy, Lord of Deorfumain.

—Young Lord of Camborer! Such insolence!

—To the Lord of Ednium your intellect is also an insolence.

The young lord of Camborer was somewhat shaken ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠as well. For someone shaken, however, his tongue still worked far too well.

“This is a disaster… I never expected Biryuho to act this way.”

Meanwhile the Archmage muttered quietly. No doubt he was worried for the young lord’s safety, but he was also thinking of all the complications that would arise from the young lord’s disappearance.

It would be nice if someone of the Archmage’s caliber could simply worry about people, but he had to consider the aftermath as well.

“This is tyranny!”

“So we go tiger-hunting? Berserk is good at catching tigers.”

“It’s still too early—please don’t get excited…….”

And I was just as worried myself.

She supposedly loved the human, so I doubted she would simply abduct him and kill him… but the mere fact that a life was still attached to a body did not automatically make everything fine.

Moreover… to put it coldly, without the young lord we had no peaceful way to learn Biryuho’s current condition.

Any other human who tried to question her would be risking their life, but the young lord was different.

He himself had known that, and had promised that if we summoned Biryuho he would quietly look into her state for us.

Not only any side effects she might have gained from devouring a demon, but also the origin of those remarks she had made—about demons and the like.

“With things like this… hmm. Matters will become difficult. The cards we hold make persuasion hard.”

If events continued down this path, the likelihood that we would simply leave Biryuho alone without knowing her condition was high.

I glanced at the Archmage, who had been muttering. He seemed to have reached the same conclusion; his face dark, he stepped forward.

—And you are……?

“An old man who is, however inadequately, traveling with the Hero.”

—Ah, the Great Sage. I have heard much of you.

The city lords had narrowed their eyes at the sudden interruption, but the moment the Archmage revealed his identity they hastily corrected their postures.

“It is nothing major. I merely heard a few things that you gentlemen might find useful as reference. Rather than reach a hasty decision, I wonder if you might first listen to this account.”

Without further preamble he poured out the information Dev had provided: that the Great Demon might still be alive, and that the Great Demon and Biryuho appeared to have formed a pact.

Those two points.

—I distinctly heard that the Great Demon was slain.

—Did some mistake occur?

“Who can say. After plunging a blade into the demon’s brow from several thousand meters in the air and then crashing all the way to this ground, who would imagine survival? Still… the Great Demons are beings who have lived upon this earth since ages long past. It would not be strange if they handled mysteries unknown to humans.”

—That may be so, but is the Great Demon’s survival certain?

“We captured one who had contracted with Envy. The testimony came from him; I do not believe it can simply be ignored.”

—How do we know this is not a trap laid to destroy our east?

—Indeed! The words of those vile creatures cannot be trusted!

Yet the Archmage had not kept silent until now for no reason. The people, unwilling to fight Biryuho, seized on every possible excuse.

I understood, but honestly it was a bit…….

If I just killed them all it would be so much cleaner.

Yes. It was quite thoroughly frustrating.

Getting themselves into deep trouble like this was such a classic cliché.

“……? That is…….”

“What’s wrong, young hunter?”

“Some problem, you slippery little weasel?”

“…It’s nothing. And please stop calling me that.”

At that moment Dev’s ears twitched. He approached the doorway with a complicated expression, then changed direction and came toward me.

After a long moment of fidgeting, his lips finally managed to produce words that sounded thoroughly awkward.

“When exactly did you place a request with the information guild?”

The whispered question felt rather out of nowhere. But before I could fully think What?, something clicked.

Dev was also a member of the information guild.

“…Well, as a guild member I can also serve as a delivery medium. That’s how I found out, so… please don’t be suspicious.”

Judging by the fact that he was telling me now, he must have only just received it himself.

How had it been delivered inside this sealed room? I wondered about that point even as I glanced at him. Still uncomfortable dealing with me, Dev’s body gave a small shudder.

“I didn’t even look at the contents.”

Even so, he did force himself to hand something over. It was a scroll that felt rather short on civilization—made of leaves, which said everything.

“…That.”

Yet this might become the key point.

I hurriedly unrolled the scroll. Unrecognizable characters emerged, accompanied by a translation.

“What on earth are you two talking about?”

“Is there a problem?”

And when Berserk and the Inquisitor, sensing something odd, also approached me—

I rolled the scroll and its translation back up again.

This would do. Probably.

“Demon Knight?”

“Y-Young master…….”

I strode forward and took my place beside the Archmage, who had been about to say something further.

The thought that this might be interference, or that I might make a bad impression on the city lords, crossed my mind for a moment—but the judgment that it probably would not was stronger.

I decided to trust myself and go for it.

“Biryuho must die.”

After all, the iron rule is that a mouthful of dry potato must be followed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠by a gulp of cider.

“You……?”

“Oh.”

—And who are you to suddenly…….

“If you do not wish the land to wither year after year, then that is what must be done.”

So, if only to bring this choking meeting to an end, let me throw them a reason why Biryuho absolutely must be killed.

The conclusion this council was heading toward was, after all, little more than an excuse they had spouted because they refused to suffer any loss without gaining something in return.