"Ackie's not looking too good.

　Filhana received such a magical communication (telepath).

It's a good thing that you're not the only one. The core is unstable, and the poison has been spread throughout the core. If it weren't for me, you'd probably be dead.

　The report of Ei Hino's recent condition is not a very encouraging one. Having evolved from a simple will-o-wisp to a divine flame, Ei releases a poison from his flame to the people around him. He should be able to control the amount of poison he releases by his own will, but with his mental instability, this is becoming more and more difficult, according to the words of Melodious Killer, the "Underworld Hero" who works with him.
　Ei Hino's poison undermines the cells of living things. It destroys the genetic information that should be there. That poison is toxic to living things. It is said to leave its mark not only on a single generation, but also on its children and grandchildren. Merodias is an artificial human being who uses the underworld miasma to move his own body, so to speak, and it is barely fortuitous that he is not affected by the poison.

　In addition, Melodious said that he would not be able to expect any assistance from the kingdom when operating in the Kingdom of Verneus.
　At this point in time, it was extremely difficult to locate these incarnate monsters within Vernetus. Merodias honestly asked for support.

''As for support, we're going to have a meeting in the future, so it will depend on the outcome of that meeting.
"Oh. Oh, yeah. Can I count on you?
'Rambalt is a good talker, you know. I'm sure he can handle it.
"All right!　Well, I'm going to look for those girls, just so I don't irritate Ackie too much.

　The magical communication (telepath) ends there. Filhana raised her head and looked at the faces in the dimly lit room.

　This is the headquarters of the Dial Knights, which exists "somewhere" in the Central Imperial City. It is a place where the twelve guardians, each bearing a number on the board, at most, meet and talk about their policies.
　As a matter of fact, it's almost impossible for all twelve of them to meet at the same time. When summoned, they are all reluctant to comply, but even so, in most cases, the strategy they are currently engaged in takes precedence.

　And ahead, the Imperial Clockwork Alliance is not monolithic.

　It strikes at those that are enemies of the state faster than the state's decisions. That is the Imperial Clockwork Alliance. But in the process, it is not uncommon for ideas to cause clashes.

'I thank you, gentlemen, for coming together at this time.

　At the sixth o'clock seat, Rambald Gaudin, the "Sword Violent Number", first showed his regular acknowledgement in a cheerful voice.

　Currently, there are six shadows that have arrived at this table.

　At the first seat, Anthroku the Silver Wolf Dragon.
　Third seat, "Giant Heaven" Okeanus.
　Seat at 4:00, Philhana Granbana, "Saint of the Iron Fist".
　Fifth Throne, Dialogue Blaster, the Bone-Crushing God.
　6th: Rambald Gaudin, "Sword Brutalist".
　Seat 7, Lee Shenfu, "God of the Spear".

　Ansloch and Okeanus are the oldest members of the Imperial Clockworkers' League. They have sat at the Round Table since the foundation of the Empire. Anslok is a dragon wise man with silver scales and a wolf's coat of hair, and Okeanus is a tall woman with a sea-colored god. They are giants in their own right, holding a mountain, but they are usually a bit large for a human.
　Not to mention Filhana and Rambalt. Dialogue is a middle-aged man with a fearless face, wrapped in mechanical armor from the neck down. It was this man who made Ei's driven armor at Lambarth's request. Essentially, he was a person on Lambart's side.
　Li Shenfu is an old man of few words. His well-trained body is so youthful that one would think he was in his twenties, but his face is marked with wrinkles and gray hair as an age mark. He is a centripetal personality and not very assertive.

　Rambaldo had probably made this call to embrace Anthroch and O'Keanus.
　If they are outspoken and agree with our policy, it will make it easier for them to sway the Senate, the House of Lords, and eventually the Imperial Army.

''Six o'clock Lord, there's no need to show gratitude as if it's a cliché.

　The Silver Wolf Dragon's jaw opens heavily.

''As for your brother's arbitrary behavior, we have some questions to ask you.
"Law.

　Rambalt narrowed his eyes slightly.

'Is that a case of the Southern Kingdom of Pirica? Or,'
None of them.

　Okeanus speaks quietly, interrupting his words.

''The one that put down the coup in the Southern Kingdom, that itself was a brilliant move. There have been criticisms in the Senate and the House of Lords that his methods were too forceful. I'm told that since the execution of the popular Third Prince, the people's unrest has increased and they are having a hard time governing.
"I've decided that we need to act quickly. Besides, not executing the war criminals will only serve to embolden the reformers.
Is that really all you have to say?
What do you want to say, old Ansloch?

　The silver wolf dragon Anthroku's vertically slit pupils moved in a gyrating manner.

''We've heard about your brother's obsession with demons. We suspect that this is why you have been so forceful and messy in your handling of the matter.
Hmm....

　Rambalt runs a hand over his thin chin, a thoughtful gesture.

'I can't deny that I haven't had those thoughts.
Law. It depends on the Crown Prince's trial.
"If this is the will of the League of the Imperial Clockworkers, we will comply. But I ask you to listen first.

　Saying this, Rambaldo turns his gaze to Filhana and Dialogue; the two nodded, rose from their seats, and raised their right arms quickly into the air.
　Their arms took on a vague glow and eventually projected their visions into the air. Li Shenfu, who had folded his arms and remained meditating, opened one eye. The visions they projected into the air were nothing; they were just presentation material in themselves.

　I'll explain the information we have to Anselok and Okeanus first. It's best.

　Rambaldo is also working for the Central Empire as a member of the Imperial Clockwork Alliance, and both the control of the Southern Kingdom and the capture of the reincarnated body monsters are in accordance with that. To explain this, the newly discovered threat of the Red Moon Bloods must be reexplained.

"You know of old Ansloch and Lord Okeanus. "You may know of the existence of the king's gods who fled the world with their followers during the Mythical War.
"The King of Blood."
''It was a bit of a unique position among the king's gods.

　The King of Dragons, the King of Swords, the King of Seas, the King of Beasts, the King of Life, the King of Death, the King of Demons, and the King of Blood.
　All of them were called king gods, who once ruled this central continent. But it survived by perishing in an ancient mythical war, or by swearing subordination to the gods.

　The Dragon King perished and disappeared, leaving his corpse behind. The king's pieces are in the hands of the empire.
　The Sword King is the only one who has survived without being subordinate to the Heavenly God, and has a territory in a corner of the continent called the Castle of the Sword King.
　The Sea King also perished and his wreckage disappeared into the sea. The king piece is still in the hands of the empire.
　At the end of the battle, the King of Beasts pledged his subservience to Heavenly God and thus to the Empire. Although his body was destroyed, the piece was passed down from generation to generation to those who could qualify, following the Empire as the Beast King.
　The King of Life refused to be subordinate to the empire and transformed his body into a giant tree while the piece was still intact. He no longer has the consciousness of a kingly deity.

　The King of Death was destroyed, but the whereabouts of the king's piece are unknown.
　The Demon King was also destroyed, and the whereabouts of the king's piece have been unknown for a long time, but now it has been brought back to the empire by Ranwald.

　And the Blood King. The Blood King's piece was taken away by the Heavenly Goddess, and that piece is still kept in the Imperial City, but the Blood King himself has fled to the outside world. And for a long time, he had been forgotten in this world.

　Recently, however, a group calling itself the Red Moon Bloodline has been discovered to be a member of the Blood King's family around the Empire. This is the information that Filhana has obtained.
　The Blood King has returned to our world. It is clear that they are planning to revive the Blood King in earnest, i.e., to seize the king's piece. And as a means to do so, they are trying to take the demons that Rambaldo calls 'incarnate body monsters' into their hands as a force for battle.

　As Okeanus told us, compared to the other king gods, the position of the Blood King is unique.
　The Blood King does not have his own created subordinates, but subordinates other subordinates by hammering their own factors into them. It seemed to be a symbol of sickness rather than blood. But anyway, a being with the Blood King's Factor embedded in it would not disobey the king's command, no matter what it was.
　As such an aptitude for becoming a family member, the Blood King brought from the other world as a reincarnated body monster.

''Hmm........''

　Rambaldo tells us the information he has obtained so far. I'm sure you'll be able to find out what I've learned so far," he said, stroking his lower chin.

"It's hard to believe they're planning to resurrect the king, but...
"They had the Demon Kingpiece in their possession. In addition, there is no doubt that they are after the Blood King piece.

　Filhana emphasized. Anslok closed his eyes.

'If that is the case, then your story of a vicious situation is understandable.

　"If the Blood King were to return, he would simply be a threat.
　The replacement Beast King is not as powerful as the original Beast King, and the Sword King, the only one left in the world, is not subordinate to the Empire. After the departure of the gods, there is no one on earth who can put a stop to the power of the gods.

But is there really a need to be so obsessed with demons?　You're a demon after all, aren't you?
Some individuals can grow to rival our own, so how can we declare them 'nothing more than a monster'?

　Rambalt is referring to Ei Hino, of course.
　We have some information about the Blood Clan from his mouth. Subjugating them by giving them blood and giving them even more power is the final step in the Blood Clan's plan. Despite possessing such a destructive power, Ei is still only in the second stage.
　It wasn't just Ei. Some of the other demons Rambaldo had captured had also expressed special abilities that were not seen in normal individuals. And the Soraki Kyousuke and the others that Filhana met in the New Continent are also the same.

　They are human in origin, and through a special gate, they have been transformed into demons, and can grow into much more powerful individuals than normal demons. And what further strengthens them and makes them subordinate is the blood of the blood race.
　There were nearly 40 demons in total. If all of them developed the same strength and turned into blood clans in the same way, even the full strength of the Imperial Clockwork Alliance might not be able to meet them.

　If we want to nip this danger in the bud, it's now.

''What do you think, Lord Seventh Seat?''
.........

　When water was suddenly pointed at him, "God's Spear Gifted" Li Shenfu was silent.
　But after a while, he opened his mouth like this, "At least it makes sense.

''At least it makes sense.

　It's rare for Lee Shenfu to express his own opinion. They stood still and waited for his next words.

''No matter how credible the words of the sword tyrant are.......there is no way to leave a dangerous demon unattended.''
...a dangerous monster.

　It was Filhana who said it out loud without thinking. Everyone's gaze turned to her at once.

''.......What is it?''
'Oh, no.... I don't have an opinion.

　Filhana has been supportive of the capture of these incarnate monsters because she fears that their fighting ability will be used by the blood.
　Of course, this doesn't change the fact that he considers them to be "dangerous demons". I don't think that extra compassion is necessary. They should all be placed under the protection of the Empire, at least until the heat of the moment has died down.

　And an extension of this idea includes the idea that the incarnate monsters that have already been captured by the blood race should be eliminated without a care in the world.

　However, Filhana had a kind of feeling that she couldn't help but divide. At least they are equipped with enough emotion to overlook the injured adventurers. The fact that their objective is 'to return to the world where they all belong safely' should also be true as far as Ei can tell. It's uncomfortable to dismiss them as "dangerous demons".

　Leaving Philhana's bewilderment unaddressed, the agenda proceeded.

''---Melodias, who is engaged in capturing incarnate monsters within Verneus, has called for backup.
I'll go myself.

　With his arms crossed, a meditating Li Shenfu muttered.

''Shall I go with you, I don't trust all of Lord Six O'Clock's words, but I must assess the situation.''
'Oh, then I'll have to...'

　Next, the silver wolf dragon Anthrock nodded. Filhana also raised her hand and tried to run for office.

''No, Philhana. I have another matter to ask of you.
Me?

　Rambalt said, and Filhana nodded her head.

'Aye. 'Yes, I want you to work with me on the supply run. We can talk about the details later.
Okay.

　Feeling something inexplicable, Filhana nodded.
　After that, several agenda items were discussed, but after all, the bewilderment in her mind did not disappear.




　The captured incarnate monsters were sent to the headquarters of the Imperial Rare Creatures Book Squad on the outskirts of the Imperial City.
　The reason for this was that this facility, which was surrounded by whitewashed walls, had a number of breeding cages for large monsters. Thus, they would become the subject of the Rare Creature Booker Squad's research, but Filhana and Ei had given strict orders to treat them with respect for their dignity, with the authority of the Imperial Clockwork Alliance.
　Nevertheless, they were in a cage. No matter how politely they were treated, as long as their freedom was not guaranteed, their dignity was also disrespected. That phrase about treating them like human beings was in itself, or perhaps it was a deception.

　Filhana had visited the headquarters of this squad of calligraphers after the meeting.

　Showing her a pocket watch that was proof of the Imperial Clockboard Alliance (Dial Knights), she could easily enter inside the heavily guarded walls. Just in the large garden within the walls, a monstrous bird was about to swoop down, spreading its wings covered in blue-white thunderclap.

　Thunderbird.
　A great monster bird that lives only in the Senbon Yari Range and the Thunderbird Range, its ecology is mostly shrouded in mystery. It would be a coveted sample from the calligraphic corps. That Thunderbird was actively cooperating against the Calligraphers' Corps. His name was Kaminari Totoha.
　Kannari wasn't the only one offering cooperation to the calligraphers' squadron. The black shadow that landed on the ground from behind them, tearing up the wind, was Karasumaru Yoshitsune, the Raven Tengu. That one, Filhana knew well.

　Whether it was Kannari or Karasumaru, with their ability to fly, it should have been easy for them to jump over the wall and escape if they wanted to. But they did not do so.

''.........''

　After a brief hesitation, Filhana walked across the courtyard towards them.

'Oh, it's Mr. Filhana,'

　Karasuma said as he dipped his beak into the water offered by the calligraphers.

'Oh, hi. Thanks for your help.''

　You can find a lot of people who have been in the market for a long time.

　The figure of Kannari, who flicks the air with an electric current that gushes through his body, is solemn. The color of its wings is also very beautiful with blue, yellow and orange mixed in with the white base color. I've heard that this Thunderbird is the only one who has consistently shown a positive attitude after being captured.
　He must have a strong core of mind, Filhana thought.

'Hey, Mr. Filhana. Isn't it about time you got us out of here?

　Karasumaru would make light-hearted suggestions that couldn't possibly be made. His flippant attitude eased the kind of guilt that Filhana had for them. At least it was a lot easier than being blocked in and being beaten up with a lot of resentment.

'Unfortunately, we cannot move them from our shelter for the time being.

　Filhana replied with a small smile.
　She then asked the members of the calligraphic squad who were adding data to the information memory crystals with the tablet at hand, ''What about the other demons?

''........What about the other demons?''
'There are a lot of individuals who are blocked up and haven't recovered. Especially.....

　Saying that, the squad member secretly shows me the data in a whisper. The visions that emerged contained information about each of the demons at the time of their capture.

''In particular, this individual.''

　What was pointed out was the data of the Spiritual Beast Ket Shi. I was able to confirm that it was a female individual, up to the point where its name was Nekomiya Miya.
　Other individuals, such as centaurs and kikimora, seem to have recovered to the extent that they can communicate with each other over time, and the centaurs say that they are willing to cooperate with the research, as are the kennari (Thunderbird) and Karasuteng (Karasuteng). The same goes for the adzuki wash, Mitarai Azuki.

　But among them, this Ket Shih is the only one that shows no signs of recovery. She is not responding to our calls. It seems to be eating, but we can confirm that it is getting weaker and weaker every day.

'We are only experts in biology. However, in this case, it seems to be more of a matter of human spirit, so...
I understand. Thank you.

　Filhana bows her head. As I understand it, there's nothing she can do about it.

'(After all, she's no different from a human...)

　Their mentality is. That fact makes Filhana feel lost.
　Just as Ei is shaken by the prospect of reuniting with his friend, this Ket Shi is traumatized for some reason and has no way to heal it. Or perhaps Kannari and Karasumaru are actively trying to interact with the Shoshi Corps in order to find a way to face it.

'So, Filhana-san, what are you doing here today...?'

　Kannari pointed his beak at us and asked that.

''Oh, no, I don't have any particular reason.''

　He hurriedly mended the situation before he could be distracted from his true intentions. At the same time, Filhana remembered again what Rambalt had told her after the meeting. She hadn't forgotten. Filhana had originally come here for the purpose of telling him that.
　But that was too hasty. It was still something that even she couldn't agree with. That's why she didn't say it out loud yet.

　''There's a possibility that the blood relatives will be targeted, so I'm escorting them to a safe zone.''

　Unable to grasp the truth, Filhana questioned him, but in the end, Rambaldo rounded him off well. I can't grasp his true intentions. A doubt bubbled up inside her mind, and it was still not going to go away for the time being.



Seven days left until the core meltdown