19 - 19th "Audience II"






 For a while after that.

 Helian was thinking about his speech, twisting and turning his head, trying to come up with the right answer.



 Referring to the speeches made by great historical figures and creative people, and remembering the speech techniques he had learned in college, he tried to construct a text in his own words that would strongly appeal to the hearts of the demons, who were in essence the followers of power.



 To say the least, it is not difficult.

 Even just giving a speech is too much for a student like Helian, but the audience is not a human but a demon. It is unlikely that he can move them with his opportunistic speeches, and it is not his wish to incite them to war.



 I have managed to get a draft of the speech, but I am not sure if it will get the desired response or if it will unite the people of Alkimaira. Further improvement will be necessary.



 In the meantime, the scheduled five hours had passed, and time was up.



 I have no choice but to stop thinking about the text of my speech and switch my mind to the audience. From now on, Helian has to inform the corps commanders about the policy of the country. This is not a task that can be done while thinking about other things.



"-Gathering of the heads of the eight legions!



 Audience room.

 Eight demons bow their heads to Herian, who is sitting in a luxurious chair.







 The Commander of the First Legion.

 The head of the small elite force, known as the Guard of Honor, whose main duty is to assist the king in various fields.

 Liewe of Managarum, the moon wolf, is appointed as the king's close aide and the commander of the general army.



 Commander of the Second Legion.

 He is the head of the Order of the Beast, which possesses land forces centering on beastmen and knights.

 Baran of the lion-headed knight [Sverrebe], who wears full plate armor of pure white.



 Commander of the Third Army.

 He is the head of the so-called "Order of the Sacred Spirits", a group of specialists in recovery and support.

 Eltina of the Ancient Elves, whose golden hair reaches down to her waist.



 Commander of the Fourth Legion.

 He is the leader of the [Legion of Magi], a.k.a. the [Legion of Magi], which is made up of pure rear guard type demons who excel in the field of magic.

 Celes the [Heretic Elf], with her dark skin and strong-willed, slanted eyes.



 Commander of the Fifth Legion.

 He is the leader of the [Chouheigun-dan], a.k.a. the [Chouheigun-dan], a group of purely vanguard-type demons and giants who boast overwhelming striking power.

 Gardi of [Aulgermil], a muscular and sturdy man so large that he can look up at you.



 Commander of the Sixth Legion.

 He is the head of the demon-centered army, known as the [Demon Legion], which is solely responsible for espionage and sabotage.

 Camilla of the Nightmare Queen, whose deep eyes and bewitching appearance attract the eye.



 Commander of the Seventh Legion.

 She is the head of the so-called [Kikoukou Sensoudan], which has many craftsmen who specialize in the field of manufacturing.

 Robin of the [Mixed], who has a body so small that he could be mistaken for a child, but is also a trump card in a decisive battle.



 Commander of the 8th Legion.

 He is the leader of the largest and most powerful air force composed entirely of dragons, known as the [Tian Long Legion].

 Nogard, the young man who hides his sharp eyes behind his fiery red hair.







 The top of Alkimaira's army, its octagon, has gathered.

 I have already told you that the leader of the army, who is not available on site, is not required to come, but is it really a good thing that all eight of them are here?



 I had expected that the 2nd Corps Commander "Balan", the 5th Corps Commander "Gardi", and the 4th Corps Commander (Ceres), who is in charge of deploying the capital warding, would remain at the site, but is it safe to say that the situation has settled down to a level where the site can operate without them?



 I would be troubled if they are forcing themselves to leave the site just because they were called by the king. ......It's too late for that now. Rather than pursue the matter here and now, let's end the audience quickly.



Thank you. Raise your face."



 Like a king," he said, repeating the incantation in his head.

 With the king's permission, the eight commanders of the corps raised their heads and caught Hellian's gaze.



 Thinking back on it, he had never received such an enthusiastic gaze even during his speech practice at the university. The quantity, but the quality and the heat were incomparable. The tension is almost suffocating me.



"I asked you to come here because of one thing. We are here to talk about the current situation and our future plans.



 First, let's look at where we are right now.

 I'd like to talk about some of the things we've learned in our search outside the country.



"First of all, this is not a continent we know. You have heard from Lieve that we have made contact with elves and half-elves of other nations during our explorations outside the country. We got some history from them and some information about the surrounding situation, all of which I did not know.

 I also checked the various to be sure, but again there was no relevant information. Furthermore, the fact that I could not find any familiar lands on my made it clear that this is a different place from our continent."



 It is very likely that the world, not just the continent, is different, but I dare not mention it. There is no need to make the problem look big and confusing. It is enough to convey the message that we are in a solitary situation and that careful action is required.



 However, the corps commanders looked somewhat puzzled. The relatively restless Commander of the 7th Corps, for example, was constantly looking at the faces of the other corps commanders.



 I wonder if I have said something funny .......



What's the matter? What is it you want to ask me? Now is the time to share information, so if you have any questions, just ask. No hesitation."



 The legionnaires, who are allowed to address the king, kneel down and look at each other.

 After a few moments, Liewe opened his mouth as the representative.



"With all due respect, sir," he said, "I am afraid to speak on behalf of the king. What are and ?



 It was an unexpected question.

 Although Helian mentioned it as a matter of course, I wondered if they did not have the concept of a or .



"A is like a ...... well, screen that only I can see. When you make a speech, you use an image projection ball (screen) to display images in the air, don't you? Using a projected "screen" like that, I can perform various functions.




 A is one of the information that can be accessed through a , and is a "special map". The map is constantly updated based on the information you have collected. You can then know the geographical information, the location of your enemies and allies, and your current location with accuracy.



 Oh ......! A murmur echoed through the audience hall.

 Perhaps it was because of the heat in the gazes of the corps commanders as they looked at Hellian.



 I don't like such eyes on me since ...... is a basic ability of a player.



 I wonder how they interpreted the fact that I knew the position of the enemy during the search.

 Did they think that I had a sense organ as good as Rieve's sense of smell or Ertina's sense of hearing? Such an imitation is absolutely impossible for a human Helian.



"...... and anyway. When I checked the , I could not get any geographical information except for the capital city. The , which until the other day had provided me with detailed geographic information for the entire continent, instantly became a blank sheet of paper. If we were anywhere on the continent we were on, we would not be in this situation. This is the proof of the fact that we have been transferred to somewhere completely different.

I see. I understand. I knew you had some powers, but I am ...... honored that you are willing to share some of your secrets with us."

"...... Mm."



 What do you mean?

 Is it not only and , but also the king's (player's) ability that is supposed to be explained to no one? At least he should have known about the status enhancement and . .......



(No, maybe you don't know about ...... king 's abilities because none of them have ever been explained to you?)



 It may be that status enhancement and affect demons directly, and they could know their existence through experience, but they do not know about the abilities that do not affect demons.



 In the game era, I never explained to the demons about basic functions such as virtual windows, logout, chat, etc. in [Tactics Chronicle]. Or rather, there was no way to explain them. So it makes sense that was an unknown ability that they had never heard of.



 In the first place, it is too lonely to play alone, taking the trouble to explain the king's (player's) ability to NPC (Non-Player Character) in detail. If there were such lonely players, I would tell them to interact with people (players) properly since this is an online game.



 After all, it seems that now, for the first time, the undiscovered abilities of the king have been revealed to the corps commanders. Their surprise is due to this background. Apparently, the Helian figure among the eight legionnaires has a secretive side.



"Well, that's all right. First of all, I think you understand that this is not the land we know. Next, let's talk about the information we got from the land of the half-elves, ......, RATESTWOOD."



 Noblewood is home to many of the most puritanical of the elves.

 The small nation of Rathestwood is made up of a small group of weaker races, mainly half-elves, who are discriminated against.



 These two countries are at war, and the surprise attack of Noblewood without a declaration of war puts Rattestwood at an overwhelming disadvantage.



 Also, although the elves belonging to Noblewood attacked them, they only drove them away, so they are not in a decisive hostile relationship.

 He has made the acquaintance of Leifa, the leader of the LATESTWOOD.

 We have succeeded in establishing a good relationship with RATESTWOOD, but since we were separated from them after the outbreak of the rebellion, there is a possibility that they may have some suspicions about us.



"We have obtained a lot of information from them. But it is not enough. Above all, we don't have enough information to know if there are forces around us that could resist us."



 As for Rattestwood, Alkimaira's existing forces are expected to be able to handle it, but as for Noblewood, we have no idea how much strength it possesses.



 As for the existence of other forces, we know that there are other Elven nations and human cities, but we have not been able to make contact with them, and their size and even their locations are unknown.



"This is a serious situation. It is clear that we need more information in order to determine our position and long-term policy.



 As he explains the situation, he observes the reactions of the group leaders.

 I tried to be dramatic as I practiced my speech, but so far, the reactions of the heads of the eight major corps have not been bad. I can only say that they are not looking at me quizzically, but I think I am speaking well so far. I would like to think so.



Now, let's talk about the short-term policy for the future. What we are going to do, however, is almost the same as the other day. We will continue to fortify our country's defenses and gather information without letting the surrounding forces know of our presence. Is that clear so far?"



 No words of denial were returned.

 The heads of the eight major corps nodded their heads in silence.



"Good. Then, let's talk about the operation of the corps commanders and their respective corps. ......

"Ha!"

"What's the situation regarding security? I've heard reports that things are calm so far, but I'd like to hear your opinion."

"Ha. Although there was a temporary disruption due to the recent rebellion, things have now been calmed down after the news of the suppression of the rebellion and the subsequent events. In fact, perhaps because the end of the rebels served as a good example, skirmishes have ceased to exist since the suppression of the rebellion. Moreover, since the Lord has opened the castle's storehouse, there are no food problems and our immediate livelihood is assured, so the people will not cause any problems right now.



 An is a magic tool (magic item) with subspace storage capability, similar to a . In the of the castle, there is enough food for one year of siege. A part of it has been opened to the people.



 . It is more than a little bit more than that.

 The castle's bag was made with the best of Alkimaira's technology, and is naturally equipped with a preservation technique. Therefore, for the time being, there is no need to worry about the contents spoiling.

 The stockpile of food that had been prepared in case of emergency came in handy.



"On the other hand, however, I am a little concerned about the stress on the people and the military. From what I have seen of the men in my corps, it seems that the stress is caused by the fact that they are in a situation where they have a serious problem that they cannot solve by themselves.

 The crises that our country has faced in the past have been those that we should have been able to solve by ourselves. In that respect, this transition problem is different.

"...... I see."



 The essence of a demon is a follower of power.

 Even though they are citizens of Alkimaira, that does not change.

 However, on top of this essence, there are the rules of Alkimyra, and as a result, a morality has been created that is distinct from the principle of the weak and the strong.



 This was confirmed in the conversation with Levee earlier, but the fact that they are in a situation beyond their control must be more or less stressful for them as demons.



 If there was a clear path to solve the problem, the result would be different, but if the government has not come up with a clear policy to solve the situation, it is understandable.



 I have heard that a similar situation happened in the past when Japan suffered from a major disaster.

 When people are exposed to situations beyond their control for a long period of time with no solution in sight, stress increases at an accelerated rate.



 The problem is not likely to be solved right now, but the longer it takes to solve the problem, the more serious it will become.



"The rest of the time, we will have ...... housing problems. Aside from the citizens who have always lived in the capital, those who came to the capital for the national celebration have no place to live.



 The 6th Legion, which is in charge of intelligence, reported the same thing.

 The general lodging houses are already fully booked, and the amount of space available in the original military quarters is far in excess of what is allowed.



"Those who do not have a place to stay have been assigned to night patrols in shifts to take naps, but this has also caused some stress.

 Of course, we Alkimaila demons can stay in the field for months if we want to, but in light of the many other stressful issues, I think we need to do something about it. ......

"Hmm. What else?"

There is no such thing. That is all I have to say.



 We can do something about the campsite problem.




 I agree with Baran that we should remove other stressors as much as possible, as long as we cannot immediately solve the problem of the transition itself.

 Building a temporary camp would be a stopgap measure, but who knows: .......



"Gardi"

"......hack"



 Galdi, commander of the Fifth Corps, hangs his head and replies.

 His voice lacked vigor and he seemed depressed.



"Thank you for your hard work in putting down the rebellion the other day.



 First of all, we send words of thanks.

 It may be a small thing, but it seems to be important for smooth communication between superiors and subordinates. A professor who likes to draw upon his vast knowledge said so.



"...... is outrageous. I rather let the general die unnecessarily. There's no room for excuses. I'm prepared to be severely punished.

"I see. Then I will punish you."



 Dare to maintain an indifferent attitude.

 After wetting his lips lightly with his tongue, he announced in a single breath



"The Commander of the 5th Corps and the 5th Corps, under the command of the Commander of the 7th Corps, are to begin construction of temporary lodging facilities. In the event of security problems, they will be temporarily placed under the command of the II Corps and will follow the instructions of the Commander of the II Corps (Baran). You may have something to say about being under the command of another corps commander, even if only temporarily, but I order you to do so as punishment. Is that clear?"

"なっなっ......"



 Gardi's face jumped up in surprise.



 ...... Oh no. The punishment was too severe.



 I'm not saying that the incident was out of control, but I understand that it is a very difficult problem to deal with.

 However, I dared to order the punishment because I thought it was necessary for a king to have the attitude of "no stone left unturned". On the other hand, I have tried to keep the punishment relatively light so that it would not be unreasonable.



 But what is this reaction of Gerty's?

 He looks as if he has been slapped with a word he did not expect.

 Perhaps it is too humiliating for the pride of the demons to be asked to join the command of a corps leader other than the king's aide Levee, despite the fact that he is the corps leader.



 I was tempted to retract my previous statement, but once I had given notice, I had no choice but to push through. He could not spit in the mouth. No matter how much more frightening Gardi's face is than that of a mafia boss, I can't let him see that I'm scared.

 He has to act like a king, yes, like a king. .......



"-What's the matter, you didn't answer me? Are you trying to tell me you're not happy about it?"



 ...... No, it's not.



 No, it's not.

 I was obviously too overbearing.

 I tried to be kingly, but this was a threat.

 Sweat begins to form on my back.



(......Please shut up and obey me for now and I'll follow up with something later, I promise!)



 As Helian began to pray, Galdi opened his mouth with a look of astonishment on his face.



"No, I'm not complaining ......, but are you sure that's what you want?"

"--That's what you mean?"



 Helian squints and listens back.

 So you mean to say that the punishment was not as bad as you had expected, but rather a measure of compassion.

 It seems that I was mistaken in thinking that he was displeased.



 ......Good.



 I almost patted my chest, but then I remembered the fact that the corps commander was watching me.

 However, I wondered how he had received Hellian's reply, and Galdi began to perspire profusely on his stern face.



 ......What now?



"No, no, I misspoke! Sorry General, I take back what I said! I'm not making light of the problem of the camp!"



 With a flustered look on his face, Galdi hung his head again.

 I have a feeling I'm being misunderstood, but if you'll go around building camps as ...... punishment, I'm fine with that now.



"......If you understand, that's fine. Now then, Lieve, Eltina."



 The two female corps leaders, as they are called, raise their heads.

 Their faces were stern.

 It seems that they have already prepared for their punishment.



"The Red Ogre's unique skills were unpredictable. I recognize that it was the exception of the exception. But it is also true that you were assigned to escort a guard and that the target of the escort died. Under the current circumstances, we cannot give you any punishment, such as house arrest, but we will ...... give you a decision on the matter at a later date. Until then, do your duty to the best of your ability.

""Ha.""



 The two men return their assurances in a stern tone of voice.



 I had ordered Gardi to be punished as well, since he had a good job lined up, but I could not think of any specific punishment for these two.



 Punishments for corps commanders include deprivation of command, house arrest, demotion, and even death, but none of these punishments could be applied under the current circumstances.

 Since the loss of two corps commanders in the midst of this crisis is unacceptable, we will have no choice but to postpone this issue.



"Next. Are there any major changes or problems in other corps?



 The heads of the eight major corps are silent.

 We wait for a while, but no one seems to speak.

 Then next.




 We need to move quickly before we get into trouble.



Now, I will tell you about the roles of the heads of the eight major corps from now on. However, except for the 6th corps commander, everything is basically the same as before. I am heading back to Rattestwood, so Liewe and Ertina will continue to escort me."

"......Mr. Helian. With all due respect, sir, that's..."

"Listen. Right now, the Ratestwood is the single most important source of information for our country. And since I was the sole contact in the guise of a traveler and the sole negotiator, it is imperative that I be present if you ever visit RATESTWOOD again. Am I right?"



 Liewe and Ertina looked down in frustration.

 I know what you mean. A lame king with no fighting skills should stay on his throne.



 But it is impossible for him to sit idly on his throne and wait for reports from the corps leaders. He has not yet had the courage to entrust the role of negotiator, which could determine the fate of the country, to someone other than himself. Besides, I did not lie when I said that my presence is indispensable if I am to go to RATESTWOOD as a traveler. It is an undeniable fact.



 I am also concerned about the ...... raifa and lilifa and the others.



"And--Camilla."

"Ha."



 Camilla, the leader of the Nightmare Queen's Sixth Legion, stared at me with crimson eyes.



You will come with me to Rattlestwood. We will be companions who have been separated during our journey, but I will explain the details later. And as for your role, ...... you need not focus on escorting me."

"......, you say?"

"You are to gather all the information you can on the settlement of Ratestwood. You will gather information mainly through the residents.

"I see. In other words, she's the mistress of the house.



 With a lustrous smile on her face, Camilla gives her consent.



"Please. You are Alkimaira's ears, if you will. No one can be relied on more than you when it comes to gathering information. I hope that you will be able to fully demonstrate your abilities and fulfill your role as the ears of our nation.



 When I told her, Camilla's body trembled and a look of utter confusion came over her face.

 Then, hanging her head solemnly, she said, "I will certainly meet your expectations.



 As Helian nodded his head in satisfaction, the other commanders of the corps looked at him with eager eyes.



 What is ......?



 That look as if expecting something.

 All seven of the others looked at me, and I was slightly overwhelmed.



"Hmph!"



 Camilla looked at the other corps leaders and sniffed her nose as if she was showing off. Then the heat in the gazes of the other corps leaders increased.



 I had thought that I could just say a few words and call it a night, but that was not going to be the case with seven pairs of eyes staring me in the face.

 I often wondered what was expected of me ......, and then I thought to myself, "What if...?



"......Lieve. As a member of the king's entourage, you have shared the same time with me, you are the eyes of my country. You have seen the same things as I have, and I believe that you understand my thoughts the best. I hope that you will continue to be the eyes of Alkimaira and see it all with me."



 When I told him, the number of heated gazes decreased to six.

 Apparently, this was the right thing to do.

 Inwardly flustered, I racked my brain for appropriate metaphors for each corps leader.



Baran. You are the claws of the Alkimaira, mastering all kinds of weapons and slaughtering numerous enemies. You do not know what may happen in the future. In case of emergency, I expect you to use your claws to their fullest.



 Eltina. You are the mane of the Alkimyra, not only for healing and support, but also for playing a central role in domestic affairs and making your prestige known to the other nations. Your mane of beauty will be on full display in your future negotiations with other nations.



 Ceres. You are the tongue of Alkimaira, who has pursued the truth with an insatiable spirit of inquiry, and at the end has mastered the art of magic. You are the best in the eradication of a wide area. I also rely heavily on you in intellectual fields such as research and analysis.



 Searching for metaphors as he speaks.

 From the deeply moved look on the corps commanders' faces, I understood that neither stuttering nor poor metaphors were allowed.



 They were trying their best to think.

 So far he had used his ears, eyes, claws, mane, and tongue.



 It was a spur of the moment thing, but I'm surprised I came up with the mane.

 I thought about using her arms for protection, but I couldn't use them for her, since there are other legionnaires who are more suitable for that purpose.

 And it is Ertina, who is in charge of foreign affairs as well as the core of domestic affairs, who does the most work to show the prestige of the country. In this sense, the mane suits her well.



 There are three left. The remaining parts can be found at .......



"Galdi. You are the arm of the Alkymyra, the one with the most unmatched strength and bulk. I believe that the strength of your legions will be indispensable in the construction of encampments and large-scale settlements, and that no fortress, no matter how strong, will be crushed in the face of your mighty arm.



 Robin. You are the legs of the Alkimaira, supporting the massive frame of our superpower with your numerous tools. The weapons you have created with unrivaled state-of-the-art technology give our army even more strength. And I know better than anyone that without you, our people would not be able to enjoy the riches of life.



 Nogard. You are the wings of the Alkimyra, who unite the mighty dragons and rule the battlefield of the skies. No matter what foe you face, your combat power to annihilate them all is nothing short of immense. Continue to display your power without regret as the greatest firepower of our nation."



 He managed to say it all without hesitation.

 In order of corps number: eyes, claws, mane, tongue, arms, ears, legs, wings.

 If I had to add, I would say that the people are the body and I am the head.

 Although I have compared them to a single beast, I could have associated them with the parts that corresponded to the roles of their respective legions.



 I would like to believe that the lack of the hot stare is due to the fact that each one of us has been properly convinced of the other's position.

 Anyway, now we have shared the information on the current situation and allocated the future plans and the immediate tasks of each corps. That is enough. This concludes the audience. I want to end this. Please let me finish.



Then begin to act. Our country is still in the midst of a crisis. I expect each of you to do your part with that in mind. That's all.

"--Ha!"



 Eight voices echoed in chorus.

 With the sound of the chant in the background, Helian leaves the audience hall, conscious of his solemn steps.



 ...... As an aside, Camilla, the Commander of the Sixth Legion, gave off a slightly dejected air.