142. The Plan (2) (Map)
142. The Plan (2) (Map)
"Tell me in detail."
Nodding at my words, Kamaya and Echidna soon began sketching out what their subordinates had seen onto the map that Sonia spread across the round table.
Following the tips of their fingers, the military movements the two queens had personally confirmed were marked on the map one by one.
The meaning could be read at a single glance.
"It is a territorial war."
"As expected of your sagacity, Master."
Kamaya replied as she planted two flags atop 'Damamolron' and 'Mathepit'.
Both were territories west of the 'Eisenlight' mountain range where my dungeon was located.
Damamolron belonged to the Zenota United Kingdom, and Mathepit was a county of the Arilit Duchy.
Centered around those territories, several blue and red flags were planted here and there.
They were markers indicating the mustering of each local army.
"What was the reported cause?"
"They say a girl was killed."
It was Echidna who answered.
A cynical smile, a mix of composure and indifference, hung at the corner of her mouth.
This was likely because, while this war was unrelated to us, it would also serve as a golden opportunity.
How great an opportunity it would become depended on what we did from now on, however.
"A girl?"
"Yes. Master. From what I investigated, she was said to be the daughter of an ordinary commoner."
The dead girl had been a resident of Mathepit County in the Arilit Duchy, and it seemed she had also lived in the village closest to the border.
She had been missing for some time, and the place where her corpse was discovered was on the land of the neighboring Damamolron County...
And, it seemed, the body was covered in traces so gruesome they were unspeakable.
Naturally, 'merely' the death of a single commoner could not possibly lead to war on its own.
A deeper cause, one that could be guessed immediately, came to mind.
"It seems the Damamolron side ignored Count Mathepit's request for an investigation."
"Just as you say. You are excellent, Master."
Damamolron and Mathepit.
Both counties sat on the border between the Zenota United Kingdom and the Arilit Duchy, and the two nations traditionally had rather poor relations.
Much like the relationship between Hysen, my own nation, and the southeastern Norn Empire.
'It cannot be helped.'
The Arilit Duchy was territory enfeoffed to a Grand Duke of the eastern Norn Empire.
This Grand Duke was a man who had married an Imperial Princess.
The relationship between the United Kingdom and the expansionist Empire could not possibly be good, so it was only natural that their relations with the Empire's duchy, Arilit, were also bad.
'It's even worse because Arilit holds part of a trade route.'
The Foile River, which served as the trade route of the central Eastern Continent stretching from Hysen to Arilit, was an immense economic advantage for the land it belonged to.
Because of this alone, the United Kingdom was in a position where it could not even raise its voice recklessly against a hostile nation.
After all, if they failed to maintain support from the continent, they would be put at a disadvantage in the fight against the demon realm.
How great must that stress have been?
They were already bordering a Demon Realm Grand Duke, and yet they had to worry about their rear as well.
"Tell me the current status of the two counties."
"Yes. First, Count Lub of Mathepit is a man who matured through the battlefield, but he is not belligerent. At the same time, he is famed as a lord who cherishes his people."
"Count Eisaf of Damamolron appears to be known as a highly wise individual. His territory is rather barren, but it is said he accumulated wealth by skillfully discovering mines."
I examined the map once more.
According to what the two of them had investigated, this incident was strictly going to end at the level of an ordinary territorial war.
"It will not spread into a major incident."
"Will it? Humans are greedy. If they try to use this chance to swallow each other's territory..."
"For that, the justification is indeed lacking. Echidna."
Even the fact that this incident had escalated into war in the first place was due to the longstanding tensions between the two nations and peoples.
The commoner's death was merely a spark that had landed on this oil.
If both counts were truly wise and taciturn figures, then as Kamaya had said, it would not blaze up all that greatly.
They themselves would serve as fire retardant, cutting off the oxygen from the flames.
"...Unless someone lays a hand on it, that is."
At my words, everyone's eyes turned toward me.
Among them, I pointed to Nirvana.
"Nirvana, do you have a child who can reach as far as this place?"
"Nepenthes and Jade Vine can move along the mountain ridges."
"Those two in the dungeon, then. What are their levels?"
"Both are among those I consider as candidates to succeed me. I can also send a few more ordinary children."
That was satisfactory.
As I nodded at this, Nirvana drew a bewitching smile tinged with insidiousness at the corner of her lips.
"You intend to intensify this war, I take it?"
"That is correct."
As she said, I intended to properly turn this war into my opportunity.
For that, it would be troublesome if this incident ended as a 'normal territorial war.'
"I shall send them imbued with my magical power. They will become a bit more powerful."
"I entrust it to you."
The charming power of the Alraune was potent.
Especially an heir to the queen — enough to manipulate not only ordinary humans but even adventurers or knights.
As for the target of that...
I shifted my gaze to the Harpy Queen.
"Kamaya, investigate the family tree of Count Eisaf of Damamolron. Take Eleanor's mother from among my dungeon slaves to confirm it."
"Understood."
Eleanor, who had become a slave of my dungeon, and her family were of a long-standing noble bloodline.
Even if the family had fallen, the knowledge accumulated in that bloodline did not simply go away.
If it was Eleanor's mother, Josephine, she would have memorized the family relationships of the counties near the Haisen Kingdom.
After I transformed her into a monster and freed her from the dementia she had originally suffered from, her loyalty to me was so high there was no need to worry.
"Sonia. Will that be alright?"
"Of course. Master."
Eleanor and her family, who were working in my dungeon, were nominally all organized directly under Sonia.
Though I was her teacher, it was only proper to seek her opinion as a formality.
"Master. The forces of the United Kingdom include many mercenary bands. We can give them what they like the most."
This time, the suggestion came from Evangeline.
"You are correct."
I nodded.
The military strength of the two nations was slightly inferior on the Zenota Kingdom's side, and their force compositions were quite different.
While the Arilit Duchy and the Empire side were strong in knight orders and regular armies, the United Kingdom had a higher number of active mercenary bands.
This was because the United Kingdom bordered the demon realm and was allied with the small nations to the west as a result.
At the same time, the Empire had potential enemy nations on all sides, so it could not secure the reliability of its military through mercenaries alone.
It was excellent, blood-red material that would thicken the intensity of this conflict a little further.
"I won't need many. Bribe just one or two and have them plunder the Mathepit side. That alone should suffice."
The assessment of the Damamolron lord as 'wise' was interconnected with the assessment of him as 'insidious' among the neighboring lords.
If mercenaries plundered Mathepit, this would be regarded as the act of Count Eisaf, the lord of Damamolron.
"Understood. Master."
Evangeline, having bowed her head deeply once, stepped back again.
This time, I turned my gaze to the other of the two investigators.
"Echidna."
"Yes. Master."
"You may now take your eyes off this place."
"Master?"
The Lamia Queen showed little change in expression and was thus hard to read, but a hint of disappointment flickered across her face for an instant.
Even though Echidna had not shown it outwardly all this time, it seemed she had been quite interested in achievements she could present to me.
Or perhaps it was simply that her psychological barrier toward me had lessened.
As I opened my mouth again, her subtly brightening face proved that.
"Return to the east and investigate the riverside cities of the Arilit Duchy. What kind of people the lords and castellans there are."
"What should I prioritize?"
"The greedy ones would be best. My plan is to use them appropriately and then discard or replace them."
"Understood."
A cold smile hung at the corner of Echidna's mouth.
She was someone who, while having great interest in human culture, kept humans at a distance and avoided them.
Because she knew the dark nature of humans well, she would be able to detect the greedier ones among them.
"And..."
After briefly thinking while looking at the map, I recalled one more task to entrust to her subordinate.
"Send the Lizardman chieftain, Zaraks, to me."
"You speak of Zaraks?"
"Yes. I wish to entrust him with harassing the humans to the west."
Echidna's face brightened, and at the same time, she bowed.
"My gratitude for the Master's grace. He will accept it joyfully."
My gaze fell on the relatively large river that split the center of Damamolron County.
In any case, their supplies absolutely had to pass through either this river or the gorge on the mountain side.
'The important thing is not to completely block the supply route, but to stop at the level of simply harassing it.'
After all, mercenaries suffering from hunger would come to crave war and plunder even more.
The loyal Zaraks would set aside his personal desires and faithfully carry out the order.
On top of that, it would serve as a good opportunity to release the resentment pent up in his heart.
Echidna's thanks were gratitude toward her master who had looked after her subordinate's hardship on his behalf.
'And... there is also the other side.'
"Nirvana."
"Yes, Master."
I turned my gaze back to Nirvana.
"Release some of the Greenskins you have dominated."
"Would it be fine to use them to disrupt the east?"
At her cleverness, a satisfied smile spread across my lips.
"Excellent. There is a possibility they may have requested heavy equipment materials from the Imperial mainland or the Duchy, so find and destroy that."
War was about preparing for all possibilities and minimizing mistakes.
If the Count was truly that experienced, he would have already attempted to airlift siege equipment from the mainland.
After all, they might actually end up fighting a siege battle.
'The mercenaries greedily. And the army disorderly.'
If I fanned the flames of turmoil in the southwest like this, I would likely be able to seize a portion of the human trade routes using that chaos as a stepping stone in the meantime.
That would become a great long-term asset for me.
'Have I picked out everything that can be done right now...?'
As I continued thinking that, Ran stepped forward and spoke.
It was to point out something I had not yet thought of.
"My lord husband. What do you intend to do regarding Elena?"
"Ah, right. Ran. Contact her. Tell her there is merit to be gained."
"I understand."
If this incident were to go beyond a simple territorial dispute, the Ironfield Margraviate in the north might swallow up a few territories of the United Kingdom.
If the timing of that advance was coordinated with Elena, the majority of the credit would naturally fall to her.
Of course, this matter would worsen relations between Haisen Kingdom and the United Kingdom, but that was none of my concern.
'Come to think of it, there was Agares too.'
Once Ran had pointed my thoughts in one direction, my thinking also turned to another side.
At minimum one, at most two more people could benefit from this war.
The Archduke Eligos of the eastern 'Violence' and the Archduke Agares of the southern 'Corruption' were separated from me by large nations, so if the human nations between them were thrown into chaos, the situation could become mutually beneficial.
It was something I had to think about.
Finally, I turned my gaze to Orea.
"Orea. Just as the other queens are paying attention to the southwest, you must maintain good vigilance over the northern border."
"Understood. Master."
Orea, who had been watching my mood, brightened in complexion.
Loyal as she was, she must have been worrying that she had no role. My words must have scratched that very spot.
"Pay special attention to the movements of Count Guileus's territory in the northeast. If a gap appears, an opportunity to seize that place may also come. Since you also handle mercenary work, it would be good to dispatch Etna as well."
"Huh? But I am..."
"That's right. I will follow the Master's words."
Orea was loyal and reliable but lacked in agility. Instead, Etna, her younger sister, was quite clever.
Though she had rarely concerned herself with military matters...
"You can accomplish it sufficiently. Etna. Give it a try. Even if you fail, there will be no major problem as long as you hide your tracks well."
"... Understood. I will not disappoint you."
"I believe in you."
When I said that, she nodded with a hardened face.
She, too, was a Myrmekian. The type who steels their resolve to respond once an order is given.
"For now, this should suffice. Everyone, do your best."
""Yes!!""
After that, it was decided that for a while, reports would be gathered and received directly through my close aides, ignoring the regular reporting system.
Because everyone was about to become busy.
Originally, I had planned to target County Guileus first, but now a new opportunity had arrived.
To properly seize this opportunity, this war had to cause great turmoil, enough to draw the attention of at least two, at most three nations.
"I smell blood."
"Yes. Quite a lot of blood will flow."
It did not matter if this war grew into a greater conflict because of this.
After all, if even Haisen Kingdom became entangled, it could become an even greater opportunity for me.
When countless corpses piled up like that, and blood flowed like a river...
"And if the chaos grows beyond all control."
The ordinary populace would come to think that it did not matter who it was, as long as they could protect them.
"Even if they were monsters."
At my words, the eyes of my subordinates gleamed.
It was the look of those who would share in schemes and conquest together.