"Lake? Is that a joke or something?"
"No, it's true. The person who brought this information is the one who has sent us a lot of information, and it's never wrong."

　In the words of the old man, the man who brought the report asserts so.
　In fact, the information I've got so far has been correct, but the biggest one is the huge flame I saw yesterday.

"As Mr. Veen knows, a huge flame suddenly appeared outside the guillem yesterday, apparently related to the lake, and it was Ray's work in crimson."

　The old man, called Veen, frowns uncomfortably at the report.
　The crimson Ray is a name that has rapidly gained prominence in recent years.
　I know he's a powerful adventurer, but I have the impression that he's a lowly upstart to an old man.
　At least, it's incomparable to his own family, one of the nobles in the royal faction.
　It's hard to understand that such a person has a big face, but it's hard to understand that Veen has the ability to do so, even though he's upstarted. ... It's only unpleasant.

"That flame... what the hell happened in the lake? Anyway, what happened to that information?"

　The man who brought the report to Veen, who suddenly changes the subject, immediately realizes what he is talking about.

"There is no doubt that the hands of the royals touched Dusker, but there is no further information yet."
"...quickly find out whose hand it is."

　All the royal families belong to the royal faction.
　This is only natural in the name of the royal faction.
　In addition to the king, the royal faction naturally included queens and children as well as mistresses.
　Who in the royal family came into contact with Dusker as soon as possible for many of the royal nobles.
　They are lumped together with the royals, but their positions differ from one royal to another.
　Those who fully agree with the king, those who agree with him but are not so strong, those who feel nothing special about the king because they can benefit from being in the royal faction, those who see opportunities to peel their tusks from the king...and so on.
　What complicates this problem is that the king has many children, both male and female. 　
　There are more than twenty children, including those born by queens and mistresses.
　Each had a guardian, who acted in their own interest in the royal faction.
　Veen has also been on friendly terms with one of the royals, but has not received any reports from them that they have sent anyone other than themselves.
　That being the case, it's hard to find out who was in contact with Dusker.

"Who do you think it is?"
"If I were to come into contact with Dusker at this moment, would it be about Mr. Lamlena?"
"...is there a good chance?"

　Ramlena is the prince of the Seventh Throne.
　It can be said that among the children of more than twenty, the right to succeed to the throne is the highest, but it is inevitably inferior to that of the third successor, who is said to be the favorite.
　But Ramlena is quick to move, perhaps not just because of it.
　We have benefited greatly from the rapidity of the movement many times.

"Yes, there are some other candidates, but I think that's a good possibility."

　Veen breathes bitterly at the remark.
　In this case, there is a place to do with the great interest of Gilm.
　When you think about it, you can't do whatever you want, if not what you want.

"Anyway, gather as much information as you can about the lake. ... Why did the lake suddenly spread?"
"Isn't it related to greens and lizards?"
"Well, I hope we can pull in the greens somehow. It's very interesting to see that it promotes plant growth."

　His subordinates nod to his words.
　As for the Greens, it's very widespread among the royalists in Gilm.
　Naturally, the ability to promote plant growth is widespread, and many people are looking at it.
　As Dusker thinks, the ability to grow spices in his territory will explode.
　Depending on the spice, some are traded at the same price as gold dust of the same weight, and many are more expensive.
　Most such spices, however, can only grow in a limited climate.
　It would be the most delicious case to be able to ignore it.
　That's why everyone is trying to get the greens... and Dusker, of course, knew the area, so he kept it pretty tight.
　Those who actually try to sneak into the lord's residence have all failed and been captured.
　I don't know what happened to those caught. I don't know, but it was clear that Dusker would not give it up.

(I wish I could get a green man, just by myself.)

　I know from information that green people have the ability to grow plants, but I don't know exactly how good they are.
　Then, in this situation, I was honest that I wanted to keep a green person on my hands, just by myself.

"Mr. Veen?"

　Thoughtful, Veen comes back to himself with the voice of his men.
　If it's nothing, shake your head and stroke your beard.
　A subordinate who knows that this is a habit that Veen shows when he doesn't want to get involved anymore has nothing more to say and changes the subject.

"Now that you mention it, there are quite a few members of the royal faction who are meeting with General Princess. What will Mr. Veen do?"
"I know it's all right to meet a little girl, but to go out of my way to see a little girl like that."

　Elena's official name is Elena Kelebel.
　She is the only daughter of the Duke of Kelebel, the highest peerage of the nobility.
　Elena herself had the nickname of General Princess, and there was no doubt that Elena would be the next duke if she kept going.
　By comparison, Veen's house is the Earl's.
　It's not the case that Veen is the head of the Earl's family, but his relatives.
　Generally speaking, Elena is definitely superior.
　Still, Vienna didn't want to pretend to go to greet Elena herself.
　Due to Veen's personality, I can't help but wonder why I'm already old and going out of my way to ask that little girl.
　His men ask if they know it.

"But there is no doubt that you should go and greet Mr. Elena. So why don't you send someone to greet you, not Mr. Veen? Of course, as long as Mr. Veen is in Gilm, you may think there is a problem, but Mr. Veen gets a little sick there..."

　The proposal is not interesting for Vienna. It's not interesting, but it also makes sense that it's beneficial for me.

"Well, I can't help it, then, and I hope you will proceed with the investigation of the lake as much as you can, but be very careful not to let us know that we are behind you."
"I'm going to use a slum,"
"If my background is not known to them, that's fine."

　When his men say so, Veen replies.
　Even if you find someone looking into the lake, if they can't connect to you, there's no problem at all.
　No, even if such a thing is found dead, you should be happy to die if it helps you.
　Veen thought so from the bottom of his heart.
　a person who lives in a slum and a noble self
　It was obvious without thinking which life was more precious.
　When his men bowed and saw him out of the room, Veen thought again about what he had to do.





"Well, ... that lake is suspicious after all."

　Marina nods convincingly when she hears Dusker's story at the lord's residence.
　If you ask why there is a marina here, it's right that you're concerned about the lake.
　They also worry about Ray, who didn't come home last night.Marina already has a strong impression that Ray should go home.
　In fact, I've been having dinner at Marina's every day for a while, and I've even stayed there since the lizard man and the greens started.
　Even at the dusk Wheat-tei, where Ray is staying, I still have a room, but I haven't even left lately.
　That's why Ray's absence from Marina's home yesterday was quite unexpected to Marina herself, but it was damaging in its own way.
　That is why he came to the lord's house where Dusker was.
　...and those who served Dusker were supposed to stop Marina from going to see him.
　But for those of you who see the busyness of Dusker these days, you don't have to try to stop her, hoping to have a conversation with Marina to change her mood.
　As a result, Marina came to her office without anyone stopping her.

(Who's the one who went this far through the marina!)

　Dusker, afterwards, gets his men straight, and then he opens his mouth, thinking so.

"Oh, it's the first time I've ever heard of a monster without a magic stone. What about Marina? Don't you know of such a monster?"
"I don't know, you know. Monsters have magical stones in the first place, right? Then, is it possible that they aren't monsters?"
"As long as Ray says he's a monster, I think he's a monster."
"Well,"

　Marina casts a stunned glance at Dasker.
　When asked if she believed Ray, Marina would say she believed him.
　Belief and blind faith, however, are very different.
　Ray is also a human being, so he can make mistakes.

(I don't know if I can call Ray a man, though)

　Marina is one of the few who knows the secret of where Ray came from.
　Of course, we know that Ray's present body is not Ray's, but was made by the Zepyle family.
　It's a delicate question whether Ray's body should be called a human being today.
　However, there are no negative factors there.
　In the first place, Marina is a dark elf, not a human being, Elena inherits the magical stone of the Ensent Dragon, and Vihela merges with a monster called Ambris...or absorbs it.
　Of Marina's companions, two would be Arra and Bune in a pure sense.
　That's why Marina doesn't care about whether she's that pure or not.
　...or if Ray is concerned about whether he is human or not, Marina may have been a little concerned about that, but in Ray's case, she has a solid ego of herself and is not worried about it.
　That's why Marina didn't care that much about whether Ray was a person or not.

"Everything Ray says isn't right, is it? I'm sure Dusker knows, but Ray's rather stupid?"

　That's cute, too.
　Marina smiles as if she were saying so, and Dasker is at a loss what to say.
　If you say something here, you'll probably fall in love with it.

"Anyway, Ray is to submit the body of a monster to the guild later, and if you look into it at that time you'll find out something. ... I don't know exactly what it is."
"Dasker is not the one to look into such things, so that's all right, isn't it?"

　If you're a scholar of any kind, you'll need to be serious about investigating monsters you've never seen, and if you don't have any more magical stones.
　However, Dusker remains the lord of the land and is in a position to give instructions to such scholars.

(Come to think of it, some scholars who sent them to the lake... have they arrived yet arrived?)

　As soon as he heard from Dusker, he continued his conversation with Marina, recalling several scholars who had gone to the lake.