<Lieselotte Ornick POV>
For I, Lieselotte Ornick, the busy days have begun.
The first thing needed to do is to dispatch messengers, towards the forces of the Goddess that are said to be heading here.
We have to tell them that we hold no hostile intentions.
[Should Nyaki just open and close the door when the messenger-san comes and goes nya?]
[Yes, that’s your job. Do that well and we’ll acknowledge that as your job.]
[Yes nya, Nyaki understands nya.]
There are only a limited number of keys to the door.
However, we now have this Divine Beast.
With her, we can open and close the door without using the key.
The Divine Beast was brought here by that fly.
That’s the only thing I can appreciate about that guy.
The day the Fly King’s Squadron left.
I had started working the day before that.
Mobilizing the entire Ornick Tribe, I had them search for a way to negotiate with the outside world.
I also had to discuss the “re-education” of the Four Warlights.
Their belligerent tendencies must be corrected.
Especially Gio and Qir.
Good grief, there are lots of things I need to do.
And I’ll do everything I can.
I, Lieselotte Ornick, have to do it.
Failure is not an option.
We will be going to the negotiation table many times in the future.
I’m aware of the food problem of our country.
I’m also quite aware of the deterioration of the ancient magic tools we have.
The Ornick Tribe plays a central role in internal affairs……
Us, Arachnes are also responsible for the management of the important magic tools.
Thus, I, naturally, am aware of both issues.
Yes, we have to do something about those problems.
And the only way to solve these problems is to open this country to the outside world.
That’s something that is quite obvious in my eyes.
If we open up our country, our negotiating partners will not be limited to the Goddess’ forces.
Since there are other countries, we will have to negotiate with many of them.
At that time, I can convince the humans that we are not dangerous.
I can do it.
No matter what kind of people they are.
I can solve this problem without spilling a drop of blood.
If it’s me, I can do it.
[……………………….]
I can’t forgive him.
That outsider who tried to make us bleed.
That fly that tried to use us.
For the past three days, I sent messengers outside the door.
Waiting for their report, I poured all my energy into working for the future negotiations.
Currently, there are several messengers who have yet to return.
There are still no reports of anything resembling a human army.
Which means……
There is a high possibility that the Goddess’ forces are still far away.
In that case————– We still have time.
We can still prepare some more.
There’s still a lot of work to be done.
Even if I cut down on meals and sleep, I kept moving, for the bright future of our country.
▽
[Liese-sama!]
A lone Arachne burst into the room, gasping for air.
Her name is Idatha Ornick.
[What’s the matter, Idatha? Unnnn…… I’m sorry, but I’m a bit tired…… I’m just about to get some rest———–]
[They’re gone.]
[You know…… If you just say it like that, I wouldn’t know what you’re talking about. What’s gone?]
[Gio Shadowblade, Qir Meiru———-]
Before Idatha could finish, I had already unconsciously climbed out of my seat.
[The Leopard Light Army and the Horse Light Army!]
[What do you mean!?]
[They must have moved undetected in the night hours!]
Don’t tell me————- they’re going against the government’s decision?
Are they planning to leave the country?
All because they didn’t get their argument across……
[Ah.]
My eyes opening wide, a dumbfounded voice came out, upon realising something.
[This is bad.]
[Liese-sama, what do we——–]
[Idatha!]
[Y- Yes.]
[Hurry up and gather the Dragon Light Army and the Serpentine Light Army! Ah, but don’t allow them to carry weapons! This is a must! Understand!? Also, go to Roa and have her gather the giant wolves!]
[I———– I understand! Rather, gathering the armies…… Are they going to go after Gio and the others?]
[Obviously!]
[If we’re looking for them, ummm…… I suggest talking with Gratora and asking for the assistance of the Harpies……]
[! Y- You’re right…… Request that Gratora send out her harpy soldiers as well! However, make sure that the Harpies———-]
[——are unarmed!]
[Alright, so you do understand! Go, hurry up! Before it’s too late!]
Idatha hurriedly ran out of the room.
I also left the room.
(This is bad———– This is bad, this is bad, this is bad, this is bad!)
Gio and the others are probably going to fight.
They would go attack the forces of the Goddess, before I could even start negotiating with them.
They must have been preparing in the shadows for the past few days.
Me and the other Arachnes had been extremely busy during that time.
It was hard for me to keep an eye on them.
(Neither Gio nor Qir accepted the result of the majority vote……! No, that’s not it!)
Perhaps, it may be inevitable that I didn’t think that a situation like this could occur.
After all, everyone has always followed the result decided by the majority vote until now.
Even if they don’t like the result.
Everyone in this country would follow the policy decided by the votes of the Seven Lights.
That is absolute———- That is law.
Otherwise, stable governance would just be a pipe dream.
That’s why everyone has followed it.
All the Seven Lights do.
Including Gio and Qir.
They have always followed———-
Until now.
(Why!? What changes these people that much———–, ……………..)
[……………….]
It’s obvious.
It’s that fly.
It’s that d*mned fly.
It’s unfortunate that they knew Anuel.
We should have kicked them out before they could have such a change of heart.
Having such thoughts within my mind, Liese is still running around the castle.
Pfui!
I spat out a thread from the back of my stomach.
I seldom use these threads of mine, but with them, I skillfully used them to move faster than running.
Attaching the string to a pillar, I flew through the air in an arc.
This also makes it ascend and descend stairs in a flash.
It’s faster than running.
————-I have to hurry.
I exit the castle gate.
Not long after, the giant wolves gathered.
With their mobility, it would be easy to catch up.
▽
As we moved, we met up with the others and arrived at the silver door.
[The condition of this ground…… and the freshness and number of these footprints……]
They are already outside.
[Hey, Idatha, did you check our keys?]
[W- We did.]
[Does the numbers match?]
[Other than the key given to Belzegia the other day, there hasn’t been a single one missing since.]
Hearing her words, Liese looks around.
[There’s no sign of the Divine Beast…… She’s supposed to be around here on standby today.]
Did that Divine Beast also planned to betray right from the start……?
No, I still can’t assume such a thing at this point.
It is possible that Gio or Qir threatened her.
However———– that doesn’t change the fact that the Divine Beast isn’t here.
[……Anyway.]
What’s important to keep in mind now is to go after Gio and the others.
The giant wolves are faster than the centaur.
We might still be able to catch up with them.
No, that’s not it.
We will catch up with them.
I looked at the gigantic, three-headed hound beside me———— The Cerberus.
She is the one who unites the giant wolves under her pack, Roa.
[Roa, let me on board.]
[We’re going after them, right?]
Not only can Roa talk to the giant wolves, she can also understand our language.
Incidentally, only her middle head can speak.
[The worst case scenario is just us two being able to catch up with them! You understand, Roa!? Follow the footprints and the scent of Gio and the others.]
[I understand.]
I jump on Roa’s back.
I then coiled my body with Roa’s torso using a string, making sure that I won’t be shaken off by her speed.
However, noticing something, I narrowed my eyes and made sure that it really was what I was seeing.
And knowing that I really had seen right, I clicked my tongue.
[————-Armia! You’re hiding a dagger behind your shield!?]
[I was told not to carry a weapon but…… I think it might be dangerous without at least, possessing a weapon from here on out.]
[No! A shield is enough! You don’t need an offensive weapon! Do you seriously want a Lamia, a mother to her hatchlings, to kill!? Now, leave that here! That’s also the same case for the other Lamia knights!]
I instructed Armia to discard the dagger she hid behind her shield.
Armia follows my instructions, throwing the dagger away, making a clanging sound upon reaching the ground.
Thinking that she had hidden a knife under her shield, I inspected Armia even more closely.
[? Armia, what is that!?]
When I pointed at the small bag hanging on her leather belt, Armia opened and showed me its contents.
[It’s just a sound ball.]
A sound ball is some kind of magic tool.
When a certain amount of magic power is poured into it, just as its name suggests, it emits sound.
[There’s a chance that the group may be separate with each other. The outside world was a vast place after all…… This would be necessary to send signals even when we’re separated. Rather, doesn’t Liese-dono have this on your body too? ……Are you alright? You look a little nervous?]
[……That might be so. I’m sorry, Armia.]
When she pointed this out to me, I wiped my forehead, feeling sweat on my hand.
Is it due to the lack of sleep or the accumulated fatigue from the previous days?
I certainly can’t say that I’m acting normally right now.
(I need to get my mind straight.)
Taking a deep breath, I voiced out my order.
[Lamias and Dragonewts, ride the giant wolves as far as they can! Harpies, search from the skies! If you find Gio and the others or the people who looked like the Goddess’ forces, report to me immediately! Idatha…… Open the door!]
[Y- Yes!]
When Idatha fitted the key into the hollow area, the door opened.
After she opened the door, I received the key from her.
As soon as I got the key, the Cerberus I’m riding on flew out like an arrow.
The giant wolves and harpies followed suit.
I’ll stop them.
I’m going to stop them.
Or perhaps———-
I’ll find the humans first, and explain to them!
That we are not their enemies.
That I’ll definitely persuade Gio and the others to not raise their blades.
However, even when I think about such things, one question kept on swirling within my mind.
Gio.
Qir.
Why?
How come?
Why are you doing this!?
How did a situation like this happen!?
(Even though everything would have been fine if I could just negotiate with them————-)
Everything would have been alright!
<Author’s Notes>
We have received one more review since the last update. Thank you very much.
The next update will be on May 12 (Wednesday) or May 14 (Friday), around 9:00 pm. (For the time being, I’m aiming to post it on the 12th. The rest would depend…… on how long the revision would take.)
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