75. Council of Races (1)
75. Council of Races (1)
Tisha stood before Yuma and spoke.
"We can just think of it as traveling for now."
Last night, among the stories Yuma and Cloné shared while walking along the night sea, there had also been talk of Tisha. He said she was a mage scholar he got along with quite well, and that she was fun to be around.
So, first thing in the morning, Yuma had asked.
If she was okay with it, whether she had any intention of traveling together as a party for the time being.
It wasn't a bad proposition from Tisha's standpoint either.
Opportunities for a Mulren tribesman to sightsee the outside world were never abundant.
'And.'
Because she was quite fond of Cloné too, that newly-made friend of hers.
In truth, the most important reason was that they had needed at least one bridge connecting Yuma's side and the Mulren Tribe from the very beginning.
A network that could move without suspicion if either side was ever in danger.
It was said that the Mulren Tribe, who faced the same <Great Sea>, could send emergency signals across any distance through the whales, who were friends of the Mulren Tribe. Probably possible through Silvilia too.
Tisha planned to have Viscount Amon's household stay starting from December, when the Demon Realm Legion was scheduled to appear.
Yuma sat before Yerkur, the king of the Mulren Tribe, once again.
Since they had been in the middle of returning as a group, he had fudged his words telling them to prepare for dark clouds; now that the two were in private, he felt the need to be precise.
"The dark clouds that will arrive on the continent in four months are likely the army of the Demon Realm."
Yerkur's eyes widened.
"The Demon Realm's army, I see...."
Yuma was inwardly taken aback by Yerkur's reaction—the man agreed without even questioning his statement.
"You don't ask for the source of the information or anything?"
"I trust you, who have become the only human I believe in. For you saved the Great Sea."
Yerkur paused a moment before continuing.
"And the cycle of the Demon Realm's invasion, which recurred on an 800-year cycle, happens to more or less align with the time you mentioned."
"An 800-year cycle?"
Yuma only then truly realized.
That the race before his eyes, the Fishmen Tribe, were a long-lived tribe possessing records of history far deeper and vaster than those of humans.
Yerkur slowly shook his head.
"It's something I wouldn't have even recalled if you hadn't mentioned it. Because there was no invasion 800 years ago. The last one was 1,600 years ago, and those bastards have been quiet ever since. The cycle became meaningless. It might have effectively ended from the Demon Realm... Every race on the continent was likely resting easy thinking that."
After taking a drink of water, he continued.
"Don't worry. No matter what happens, I will more than repay the debt of having rescued us from this crisis, my friend."
Yuma nodded firmly at Yerkur's words.
Before he knew it, three days had flown by.
"Yeah! I'll get a little stronger and come back!"
Bell was going around bidding farewell to the Mulren tribesmen who had sparred with her in martial arts.
"Tisha, is it true? That you're going traveling for several months."
Tisha's mother, who possessed the same sky-blue skin as Tisha, looked at Tisha with a worried expression.
"What, since when did you worry about your daughter so much."
Tisha snorted and tightly tied back her ultramarine hair with a ribbon.
"I'm coming back in four months anyway."
"Four months is a long time, daughter."
Tisha's mother, Seine, looked at Cloné who stood behind Tisha.
"Please take good care of my daughter, Cloné."
Seine spoke while looking at Cloné.
Cloné grinned brightly and answered her words.
"Yes, don't worry. Mother."
***
Yuma's party, including the White Night Clan, all stood before the pier.
Yerkur, the king of the Mulren Tribe, saw Yuma's party off.
"Take good care of my daughter, God of War."
Tisha's lips twisted.
"It sounds a little weird when you say it like that, Father."
"Keke, it's a joke."
Father and daughter thus exchanged a farewell that was quite affectionate.
"Have a safe return!"
The Mulren tribesmen, young and old, came out to see Yuma's party off.
Chwaaaa...
The anchored ship of Viscount Amon's household slowly moved out onto the Great Sea.
And so, another 10-day journey began.
Tisha, the sky-blue-skinned Mulren tribesman, rode Silvilia alongside the Amon household ship, keeping pace right next to it.
Silvilia's speed did not lag behind the ship's speed at all.
Far from lagging, it was more like Silvilia was the one matching the ship's pace.
Unlike at departure, they were now returning with the addition of the White Night Clan and the being called Tisha.
And after spending one night at Viscount Amon's household, they immediately returned to the Astean Imperial Household.
Tisha's clear, blue eyes grew round.
She had been plenty surprised when they arrived at the capital Barnak, but the scenery of the Imperial Palace had impressed her even beyond that.
The golden walls, heavy with a quiet dignity.
The neatly arranged marble.
And the gardens composed of countless flowers.
It possessed a different kind of beauty from the Mulren Kingdom deep under that sea.
Entering Yuma's eyes was Empress Brigitte, who had come out before the palace gates to greet them.
Thirty imperial guards lined up on both sides of Brigitte dropped to one knee in unison.
"We greet His Excellency the Grand Duke Yuma."
Yuma scanned them over and nodded his head slowly.
And Brigitte was standing in their center.
"Wouldn't it look bad to the subjects if the Empress came out this far, being so undignified."
Brigitte smirked.
"Since when did I ever start minding my subjects' eyes."
"Let's go in."
Tisha was dumbfounded by the fact that the being she was encountering just three days after entering the empire was the emperor of that empire.
The annex on the left side of the main palace—it was the place where Yuma's party would be temporarily staying.
With the exception of five men, the 30 elite members of the White Night Clan began their return to the land of the White Night, carrying Yuma's words concerning the Demon Realm Legion.
The orders had already been given to bring all combat-capable personnel around the 3rd month mark, so they would be seeing them again soon.
The five who did not go back—one Sword Master and four Expert Advanced swordsmen—decided to remain as personnel of the Empire.
First, Yuma spoke privately with Brigitte, just the two of them.
Brigitte's and Yuma's blue eyes met each other.
Yuma recounted to Brigitte the conversation he had held with Yerkur.
Brigitte widened her eyes at what Yerkur had said and nodded repeatedly.
"Is that so... the cycle of the Demon Realm's invasion. I see. A long-lived race like the Fishmen Tribe would certainly possess deeper expertise on such records. However, that evil God Inkrinu definitely said it would be the mightiest invasion in history."
"Right, he did."
Which was why Yuma was trying to form as many alliances as possible.
To minimize the damage that would fall upon this continent.
"There seem to be other races on land worth forming alliances with."
Lion Tribe, Cat Tribe, Lycanthrope.
Quite a number of other races flashed through Yuma's mind.
Brigitte whittled some of those down for him.
"The Lion Tribe is hostile to humans. And the Cat Tribe was a favorable race, but they are far too scattered among their own tribes now, so gathering them won't be easy... Perhaps the Lycanthropes or Beastmen Tribe might be open to negotiations."
"Are there no other races?"
At Yuma's words, Brigitte pondered for a moment before opening her mouth again.
"The Elves do not consider humans equal beings. And the Dwarves follow the lead of those Elves. They probably won't step forward until the Elves proactively take the reins."
It meant the Elves would take the lead themselves if they were going to lead, but would not answer a human summons.
"Then, after a brief preparation period, we'll have to go meet the Lycanthropes or the Beastmen Tribe."
It was a situation where no one knew how many Demon Realm demons and demonic beasts would come pouring down.
'And there's a possibility that other races possess information or power we haven't even imagined.'
He had felt this even more while facing the Mulren Tribe this time.
His body was already itching to act, but that didn't mean they could depart right away.
It had been a long journey. They needed to rest at least three weeks and take a slow preparation period.
Tisha quickly adapted to life in the Imperial Palace.
Out of consideration for Tisha, fish-based dishes could no longer be found on the Imperial Palace's dining table.
High-quality meat, vegetables, and fruit.
Thanks to this, Tisha awoke to the taste of meat.
Tisha, the sky-blue-skinned Fishmen tribesman, put a juicy steak into her mouth.
"This flavor... it's delicious."
Yuma's party, including Brigitte, all stared keenly at the scene of a Mulren Tribe person heartily chewing and tearing into meat.
"Right, delicious, right!"
A pair of scarlet cat ears twitched.
Hestia, the Cat Tribe swordswoman who was crazy about fish, had approached keenly upon confirming that the Mulren Tribe person she had thought would never mesh with her was a gourmet of no ordinary kind.
"Here, this! Eat it all together with these veggies and this sauce in one bite!"
And she began selling the secret to eating it deliciously.
Tisha savored it just as Hestia recommended.
"Mmm... The taste seems to have gotten deeper, Hestia."
"Right! Right!"
Hestia, having succeeded tremendously at her sales pitch, puffed up both cheeks as if proud.
And there was Cloné, watching that sight with a faint smile as if finding it amusing.
The training ground.
Before Yuma stood none other than Bell.
Yuma held out a fairly thick book.
"Is it the third swordsmanship?"
Bell lifted the corners of her mouth as she skimmed down the book.
It was the sword manual <Meteor Sword>, written down as fast as possible with the help of Balmung.
The swordsmanship of Arachne, the ascetic who had been Balmung's 6th sword master.
-When it came to the sheer intensity of slashes, none could surpass Lady Arachne.
It was a sword manual that was like the essence of all ranged attacks expressible through Sword Aura—beginning with a slash, ending with a slash.
"Can you understand it?"
"Yeah, Yuma. The level of completion is really high."
Bell, looking very fascinated, quickly delved into reading the book.
In that short time, Bell thus steadily mastered yet another swordsmanship to completion.
It was the day that marked a full month since Yuma's party had completely returned to the Empire.
"Yuma."
Brigitte spoke with Yuma privately in his quarters.
"Right now, an Elf is here in the reception room."
"An Elf?"
At Yuma's echoing question, Brigitte slowly nodded her head.
"A species council. They say the Elves are promoting a species council."
"Did you meet them personally?"
"No, not yet."
"Then let's go together."
At Yuma's words, Brigitte smiled and nodded.
Yuma's presence had put Brigitte's heart at ease.
Yuma and Brigitte slowly walked to the reception room.