337-Episode 330 Team Keel (5) Banquet Meeting (2)




 Kiel wants to check on the situation here and now in the Kingdom of Karbarna and the Republic of Karronea.

"What situation do you want to check?"

 Captain Muhan asks.

"Yes, sir. We're actually part of S-rank adventurer Allen's party.

 Kiel then explains how they came to this fortress.

 We are part of Allen's party, and the three of us came here together.
 That we came to this continent based on the distress signal sent out by the Elmar Nation.
 Since we were able to deal with the Elmar cult to a certain extent, we were investigating the cause of these evildoers and found out that similar situations were occurring in several places on the continent.
 And here is the story of how I came to the Pillar of Light.
 To solve the problem, I politely ask him to tell me what happened in the Kingdom of Karbarna and the Republic of Karronea.

"I didn't know that. So it wasn't just here."

 Captain Muhan was fascinated by Kiel's words that the problems in Elmar were almost solved, as he was in charge of the soldiers.

 He also wonders how many people are capable of leading two such men.
 I think I overheard the Adventurer's Guild announcing that an S-rank adventurer had been born.

"So, how long has this pillar of light been around?

"Well... It's been up in the sky for about ten days now.

 I will explain the situation of what happened here.

 Ten days ago, a pillar of light stretched from the Republic of Carronea in the south across the royal capital of the Kingdom of Carvarna.
 The kingdom was in an uproar, and it is said that Mitpoi, the capital of the Republic of Karlinea, was contacted.
 They asked what the pillar of light was and so on, but there was no reply.

 One or two days have passed, but no reply.
 The royal family of the Kingdom of Karbarna decided not to wait any longer and sent a diplomat to the Republic of Karronea.

 Two days' travel from this fortress is the fortress city of Krumei, which is home to over 100,000 people.
 This is just a fortress with a garrison of a few thousand soldiers, but the actual base of operations and defense is said to be the fortress city of Kurmay in the north.
 The fortress city of Kurmay is where the trading and diplomatic officials are stationed.
 It was five days ago that a diplomat from the fortress passed through the fortress on the orders of the royal family.
 Since it would take more than five days to reach the capital city of Mitpoi by carriage, they decided to wait while sending a message from the fortress city to Mitpoi, the capital of the Republic of Carronea.

 As Kiel listened to the story, he wished he could break it down a bit more and just get to the point.
 As he looked at Crenna, who was eating like a demon, he reflected on his words when he asked her to explain in detail.
 I think it is difficult to ask only the important information.

"So what happened?"

"Two days ago, the diplomat came back in a panic, saying that the city was overrun with monsters.

 Apparently, he couldn't even get to the capital, Mitpoi, because it was overrun with monsters.
 He and his diplomats have crossed the fortress and are now asking the general who was waiting for them in the fortress city of Kulmay to organize an army.

"General"? Isn't Captain Mukhan in charge here?

"I'm just a regimental commander.

 It seems that they have stationed their supreme commander in the fortress city of Kulmay, about two days away from here.



「だから、先ほど本軍が揃っていなかったと言っていたのですね」

 本軍も揃っていなければ、全軍の指揮官である将軍もいないという.

「そうなる. まさか、このようなことになるとは……」

 そして最高指揮官もいないなか、隊長たちだけで、本日の邪教徒との一戦を迎えたという.

 ここには万を超える兵が入りそうだ.
 しかし、それだけの兵を常駐させる意味はないのか.

「ちなみにカルロネア共和国と仲が悪いと聞いたのですが、戦争はなかったということですか?」

「昔はあったが最近では小競り合い程度だ. 戦争をしているならここにはもっと多くの兵がいたぞ」

 この時、何かをミュハン隊長が思い出した.

「ん? どうしたのですか?」

「いや、まさか……」

「申し訳ありません. 何がきっかけか情報なのか分かりませんが、もし気になっていることがあれば教えてほしい」

「実は数年前、カルロネア共和国が兵の削減を訴え、要塞から兵を減らすように2国間の協定を結ぼうと言ってきたのだ」

 10年ほど前、カルバルナ王国から、共和制にしようと国家の南半分が独立をしたという.
 お互いの国境線に要塞を作り防備を固めたが、数年前にカルロネア共和国が、休戦とまでは言わないが、お互いの要塞における兵の数の削減を求めてきたという.

 当時1万を超える兵を置いていたが、何の経済活動もしていないこの要塞に兵を置いているだけで王家としても出費がかさむ.

 そこで、お互いにこの要塞に配置できる才能のある者の数を制限し、将軍級の指揮官も後方に配置しようという協定であった.

 クルメイ要塞都市に兵を下げることは金銭的に助かると判断した王家が協定に同意をしたという.

 キールから聞いたエルマール教国の惨状や、この要塞もキールたちが来なければ1日も持ちそうになかったこと.
 そして、要塞が落ちた後、後手に回ったクルメイ要塞都市の兵だけでこれだけの魔獣たちに対応できたかどうか分からない.
 もしかして、今日キールたちが来なければ、カルバルナ王国は10日と待たずに滅んでいたことも考えられる.
 ミュハン隊長は事態の深刻さを改めて理解した.

「ぬおおおお! 何だこの力は!!」

「むん!!」

「クレナさん流石っすよ!!」
「おお! 片手で持ち上げているぞ!!」

 クレナが二回りも大きな兵の背中を手のひらで持ち上げている.
 大男はなすすべもなく手足をバタバタさせている.

「お、おいクレナ……」

 キールは絶句する.

「何だよ. 部隊長全然敵わないじゃないか」

「む、無理を言うな! ぬおおおおおお!!」

 神妙な話をしていると、広間の中央で兵たちが我慢できなかったのか組手を依頼したようだ.
 There was alcohol in the air, food was being moved around, and entertainment was taking place in the center of the feast.
 Crenna, hungry and ready for a challenge, lifted a large man with one hand and fussed over him.

 It seems that many people want to challenge her, and she says, "Sure! I'm ready!

"By the way, can I ask you how the Republic of Carronea got its independence?"

 Kiel gently turned his gaze back to Captain Muhan.

 The Republic of Carronea is ostensibly a pact, but in reality it has been doing clever things such as reducing the number of troops stationed at the fortress of Carvarna.
 I'm convinced that the Demon King's army is behind this.

"I'm sure you've heard of it, but I've never heard of it.

 Then, he tells the story of how the Republic of Karrnera became independent.
 He said that a large city in the south, Mitopai, now the capital of the Republic of Karronean, had started to make noise.

 It is true that there was some favoritism in the area around the capital.
 However, a priest who claimed to be a follower of the holy religion of Gushala began to preach equality and demanded independence.

 The movement became so large that it led to the independence of the southern half of the Kingdom of Karbarna.
 At that time, a lot of blood was spilled in the kingdom, and 10 years before the completion of the independence, the kingless Republic of Karlinea was born.

"So, it was the pagans who were involved.

"It seems so.

 Captain Muhan also realized that this was all a set-up as he spoke.
 This time, Kiel and his men came to help, but many of them died.

"We have a potion that will keep you from becoming an infidel. "We have a potion that will not turn you into an infidel, and we have a demon fruit that will repel the infidels from your city and fortress. We will distribute them to you and we need your help tomorrow."

 I need your help in distributing and planting gold and silver beans at equal intervals.
 I can also provide you with heavenly blessings that will restore your strength and magic.

"Really? I would love to help you with that."

 Kiel remembered Allen's words.
 There is something that neither the summoner nor his friends can do.
 That is the cooperation of the locals, and to get their cooperation, you need their trust.

 I think it was Kiel's conversation and Crenna's naivety that won the cooperation.

"So, actually, I want the map. There are still people in the Republic of Carronea who need help. There may be lives that can be saved now."

"Ah, the ...... map."

 At that moment, Captain Muhan looked at me with some difficulty.

"Difficult?"

 It's a map of major cities, a mass of information about the enemy.
 The situation of the cities and bridges alone is valuable, but in fact, this map also contains information on the major industries and people of the Republic of Carronea.
 There is valuable information about the enemy nation that I have collected over the past 10 years.
 That's what Kiel is asking you to give him.

"You've done so much for me. I promise you I can get it to you. But the general should be arriving at the fortress in a few days. Can you wait until then?"



 Since you've done all this, the general will decide to give it to you, but he says he doesn't have the authority to do so.

"I'm sorry, sir. I'd like to leave in the morning. Can't you just show me, for example?"

"It's .......

 It would be a violation of military regulations to just show it to him.
 But Kiel can't wait two or three days to see such a mess.

"I'm sure you'll be able to figure out how to do it.

"Yeah, sure. Mm-hmm.

 Since I brought a parchment as a memo, I consider a few compromises, such as having him write down only the necessary information.
 Would that work for Captain Muhan?
 Captain Muhan was considering this and that, wondering if it would be a bad idea.

 That's when it happened.
 The hall was abuzz.

"What's all the noise? Kiel, Krenna, you're here. Did you get any information out of them? I mean, what's Klena doing here?

"What?" 」」」」

 Merus finally finished defending the area around the fortress and came to where Kiel and the others were.
 He sighs at Crenna, who is making a lot of noise in the middle of the feast.
 Then, he slowly walks over to Kiel, who is talking with what seems to be the captain in the back.

 The thoughts of the soldiers here dissipate.
 I've been told not to drink too much because there might be another battle tomorrow, but I've had a lot to drink and it's sobering up.

 A young man with white feathers on his back and a ring on his head, whom I have seen in hundreds of portraits, walks in front of me.

"Why, why is the First Angel, Merus, here? What? Huh?"

 One of the soldiers has made it quite a distance into the hall, and squeezes out a few words.
 You notice that your tone is strange even to yourself.
 The common sense in my head doesn't match the reality in front of me.

 However, the soldier's words seemed to be the switch.
 All at once, everyone bowed their heads to the ground.

 He is a messenger of the creator god, Elmea, and is far more noble than a king who conveys the word of God to the people.
 In the silence, the soldiers watched closely, listening only to the sound of Merus' footsteps.

'So, did you get the map? We're going to the Republic of Carronea tomorrow, aren't we?

"'We're working on it. I told you the map was a little tight."

 Now we hear a conversation between Kiel and Merus.


 With sober heads, the soldiers understood the reason for the miracle that the fortress had not fallen this time.
 It was all God's will.

"What?

"No, I told you the map was too valuable to give away.

"What? Kiel. You're not giving me a map?

"Huh?

 Captain Muhan obviously realizes that he's talking about himself.

 As the partner of the team he had just been playing with fell to his knees, Crenna joined the conversation.

"Yes. He wants us to wait a few days until the general who has the authority to give us everything arrives."

"Who?

"Hmm?"

 Kiel replies with a question.

"Who says we can't give them the map? I'll talk to them.

 Merus will negotiate with them.
 Kiel looks at Captain Muhan, who is flat on his back, shaking his head and telling him not to mention his name.
 I feel sorry for him.

"We'll be leaving tomorrow, so I'm sure we'll be able to prepare a map with information on as many cities as possible.

 Captain Meehan affirmed, moving his head up and down as fast as he could.

'I see. If so, that's fine.

 Somehow, I think I understand why Merus doesn't want to go out in public.
 And that Allen was the first to make him the team leader with Merus as the second.

"Well, Crenna. You've eaten enough. Let's get some rest."

 We have to leave the next morning.
 We have to leave the next morning. We're going to be busy tomorrow, so I suggest we get some rest.

"Yes!"

"Good grief.

 And so ended the turbulent day of Kiel and his men, defending the fortress and gathering information.
 The sobered-up soldiers became very cooperative and listened to Kiel's orders.