On the go
***---***
The Calvine Territory was beginning to be in trouble.
The entire town was buried in an avalanche due to a trap using explosives set off by the managers, but relief efforts were carried out by reinforcements such as the knights and the town was brought under control.
With the help of myself, my genus, Yuika and Manon, we were able to complete rescue operations and treat the critically injured patients.
When the reinforcement knights were sent back, support supplies and civilian officials were also sent, and the Territory began to be ruled as a Territory under direct control, but it seemed that addition support was not enough.
Although we built a warehouse in the Calvine Territory to transport supplies from the Royal Capital, we had been distracted by the commotion in the Irosun Great Forest and had not been able to carry out any practical operations.
Another thing was that in the Calvine Territory, they had stored a large amount of food and other supplies in the 7th mine, as if they were barricading themselves in the Territory against the Royal Family.
If they had been able to use those supplies, they wouldn't have been in such trouble, but in front of the mine shaft, a deep moat had been dug, and the drawbridge for access was still up.
The managers' henchmen who were managing the drawbridge were buried in the avalanche and wiped out.
It seemed that even though they knew that supplies were stockpiled, they were unable to go and get them.
After receiving the news from Hart who was with Camilla, I headed to Aldaros, the Royal Capital of Resenburg.
Camilla was not in her own room, but in the King's Office, struggling with papers.
"Camilla, I heard that there is a shortage of supplies in the Calvine Territory."
"Maou-sama, I'm really sorry. When I asked Hart to be a messenger, Magdalos had asked for help."
"Yup, I was also busy with other matters and neglected the transportation issue. For now, we should be fine as long as we use the supplies we brought in from here and the supplies we had accumulated in the Calvine Territory."
"Yes, I would appreciate it if you could do that."
First, I let Camilla guide me to the person in charge on the Royal Capital side.
Let's create a transportation system by introducing the genus who would be transporting the items to the person in charge.
"Fred, Basten, could you please go ahead and lower the drawbridge of the 7th mine?"
[ Please leave it to us, Kent-sama. ]
[ An easy task ... ]
As long as the drawbridge was lowered, the knights and locals should be able to carry out the work in the 7th mine.
Camilla guided me to the knights' supply department.
As Hart and I, who was wearing casual clothes, were walking next to Camilla, the people we passed in the hallway all had shocked expressions on their faces, then lowered their heads in a panic.
"Is Aegir there!"
"Ha!! Did you call, Camilla-sama."
When Camilla stepped into the building adjacent to the knights' warehouse and called out loudly, a man who appeared to be in his late thirties who was sitting in the back stood up as if on a spring.
"Aegir, Maou-sama will be transporting you to the Calvine Territory."
"Thank you very much. My name is Aegir Seifried, my best regards."
"H, hello ... I'm Kent Kokubu. Also,k this is my genus Hart."
"Wau, I'm Hart. I'm usually near Camilla."
"Ha!, my best regards."
Aegir-san bent his body at 90 degrees and bowed his head to Hart, giving him the appearance of an honest office worker, but his physique was sturdy.
Even the office staff must have received training as knights.
"Hart will basically be in charge of contacting Aegir-san, but other Kobolds may show up, so please don't be surprised."
"Yes, I will make sure to convey this to the people in the department."
"So, what should we transport to the Calvine Territory?"
"Yes, I will guide you."
The warehouse we were shown to had medical supplies and food items such as vegetables that could not be preserved.
Wheat and other grains could be used if they got them from the 7th mine, and it seemed that for meat they would go into the mountains for hunting.
"This, should I give it to Magdalos?"
"Yes, it doesn't matter if it's Commander Magdalos, even the person named Basilio Ahrens who is in charge of supplies would be fine."
"Understood. Then, I'll story it for you."
"Maou-sama, thank you very much."
I deployed a shield of darkness next to the piled up supplies and had the Kobold Corps bring them in.
Camilla and Aegir, who were kneeling and bowing their heads, saw me off as I hid in the shadows and moved all at once to the Calvine Territory.
[ Kent-sama, we have finished lowering the drawbridge leading to the 7th mine. ]
[ Snow in front of mine shaft, too ... Snow was removed ... ]
"Thank you, that was helpful."
In the town of the Calvine Territory that I visited for the first time in four days, reconstruction work had begun in some parts.
The evacuation shelter for disaster victims was built using a section that was originally a road, and now it had been modified and used as communal housing, and a new road had been created where the building used to be.
The buildings in the town had been crushed by the weight of the snow from the avalanche, so the only option was to dismantle and remove them.
However, even after the avalanche, snow seemed to be falling frequently, and snow needed to be shoveled in order for construction to proceed.
It appeared that all the men from the town were working to remove the collapsed buildings.
"It looks like they're making good progress towards the reconstruction work while shoveling snow, but ..."
[ Perhaps the miners who were previously tied to the mine are lending a hand in the rebuilding work. ]
"I see. They're good at heavy lifting like digging and moving."
Up until now, the residents of the Calvine Territory had been thoroughly controlled and exploited by the five managers, with Havre at the top.
Now that those six people had been eliminated and the area was under direct control, mining work had been suspended and labor was likely being poured into rebuilding the town.
The expressions on the faces of the people working on site were uniformly bright and full of motivation.
The warehouse built for transportation to and from the Royal Capital, located close to the town reconstruction site, was built with a 'Gara~n'.
We must have brought in about two truckloads of goods from the Royal Castle, but it probably wasn't enough to feed the entire population of the town.
Besides, they couldn't do any heavy lifting if they didn't eat.
"Greetings ..."
"Who is it! Ma!, Maou-sama ... Please excuse me!"
When I went out of the shield of darkness and called out to the person checking the goods in the warehouse, I was yelled at with a sharp voice, and then they hurriedly saluted.
"I brought supplies from the Royal Capital. Is Basilio-san here?"
"Yes, I'm Basilio Ahrens. Can I ask for some supplies?"
"Understood. Ahh, we've made it possible to enter the 7th mine where the managers were stockpiling supplies, so please make use of that as well."
"Are you serious, thank you very much. We haven't run out yet, but we're running low on food reserves, so that will be helpful."
I also introduced the Kobold Corps, led by Hart, to Basilio-san, and set up a transportation system with the Royal Capital.
Basilio-san and all of his subordinates looked wide-eyed at the Kobold Corps, who were easily carrying large wooden boxes.
"Speaking of which, what happened the the aforementioned five?"
"Those people are imprisoned in Havre's castle. To prevent them from speaking to each other, they are locked in a place where their voices cannot reach each other, and they are being interrogated separately."
"Did you manage to secure any materials related to Havre's plans or the operation of the mine."
"Many of the individual materials were lost because the former managers' mansions were blown up. However, all the mines were supervised by Havre, so the materials such as drilling plans and production volumes remain. It's just, it seems that most of Havre's plans were only in Havre's head, so it will be difficult to unravel them."
Even when Havre was staying in the Calvine Territory, it seemed that only Nestor, his closest aide, had his plans leaked to him.
It was said that Nestor was captured during the attempted coup d'état at the Chamber of Proceedings and was even subjected to severe torture, but like Havre, he remained stubbornly silent and was executed.
"Hegel, the housekeeper who was captured with the managers, doesn't seem to have as much grit as Nestor, but it is highly likely that Havre has not told him the detailed plans."
After Havre was captured, he managed the Calvine Territory in some way, but he probably wasn't relied on in terms of the trust of those around him.
"Will the managers and Hegel be executed once the investigation is complete?"
"Yes, Commander Magdalos, who was entrusted with the disposal by Camilla-sama, will continue to imprison them until the town is restored, and it seems that he plans to execute them after showing off the restored town."
"The restored Calvine Territory, are they going to use it as a symbol of rebirth?"
"It is as you say. Until now, the inhabitants of this land have continued to be exploited. Even after Havre left, as long as the five managers remained, the residents would have no freedom. However, to put it the other way around, once the five of them are gone and their subordinates are also disposed of, the dark clouds that were covering their heads will part, and light will shine in."
For Basilio, who spoke passionately, the light that clears the clouds and illuminates the residents is probably Camilla Resenburg.
While we were talking, the knight who confirmed that the 7th mine was open came to call Basilio-san.
"Then, I'll withdraw."
"Yes, thank you for your cooperation. Maou-sama, please come and visit us once the town is restored. It is only with the help of Maou-sama that the residents of the Calvine Territory were liberated."
"I look forward to that day."
I wondered if Basilio-san was inspired by Camilla, because it's embarrassing to have a grown man bow down to me on his knees.
When I tried to dive in the shadows and return to Volzard, Hirt, who was attached to Seraphima, appeared.
"Wafuu, Goshujin-sama, Sera has arrived at the border."
"The border, you say, is it Chowsk?"
"Wau, that's right."
I've been distracted by the incident in the Irosun Great Forest, so I haven't seen Seraphima for a while.
[ Kent-sama, if they cross the desert, they'll reach Resenburg. There is also a matter of the 100 knights as bodyguards, so it would be best for you to discuss this with them. ]
"That's right. It would be a big problem if there was a conflict with Resenburg."
Resenburg and Barshania have had a long-standing rivalry.
Thanks to the vast desert between them, it was rare for armed conflicts to develop, but there was no way out of the situation of mutual distrust.
Even during the coup attempt by Havre Calvine, Barshania was behind the scenes.
Although this may be considered a natural action if they were thinking about their own country's interests, from Resenburg's point of view it was a completely hostile action, and it would not be easy to accept.
The Princess of Barshania was being sent to Volzard in the Republic of Landshelt, another neighboring country of Resenburg.
In reality, she was marrying me, who lived in Volzard, and had no intention of being hostile, but not all the residents of Resenburg understood that.
Even for those who understood it to a certain extent, it must be humiliating to see a hundred armed Barshanian knights passing by as if they owned the place.
What's more, the hateful Barshania ... For those who had such feelings, this may be an unbearable situation.
"I see, you were planning to improve the roads that would be passed through so that the residents of Resenburg would be satisfied with it."
[ That's right. If the passage of the Princess of Barshania's procession is fruitful for the residents, the probability of unexplained situations occurring should decrease. ]
"If we don't know the road that Seraphima's group will take, we won't be able to build the roads in time."
[ Seraphima-jou's party is heading to the Royal Capital, so they should head north from Lauf in the Drevis Duchy, pass through the Makirigu Pass, and head for the Royal Capital Aldaros via the Taragowa Highway."
"Naturally, the story should have been heard by the Lord of the land they're passing through, right?"
[ That's right. Since Camilla-jou has taken over the helm, I'm sure the communication of orders has improved ... Kent-sama, is something the matter? ]
While we were talking and thinking about the procedure for road maintenance, Reinhardt asked me a question.
"Wouldn't it be bad if we just did the road maintenance?"
[ Without permission from the Lord who rules the land ... Do you mean that? Fumu, I can't really recommend it. ]
"I think so, but to inform them at this point, make a plan, and gather the workers ... If we do that, I don't know how long it will take."
[ I see, it's true that with the official procedures, there is a high possibility that we won't be able to make it in time for Seraphima-jou's bridal procession. ]
Or rather, it was a hassle to meet with the Feudal Lord and get permission.
In addition, Duke William Drevis, a former member of the First Prince's faction, did not go to Lastock after Alphonse's death, but instead returned to prepare for Barshania's invasion.
So, they only knew about the subjugation of monsters in Lastock and the attempted coup d'état in the Royal Castle Chamber of Proceedings through rumors, and had never seen my activities directly.
I'm sure they think I'm making a huge contribution to the stability of Resenburg, but it's also possible that they're being fed false information by someone who is jealous of my success.
[ I see, it is true that as Kent-sama's accomplishments increase, the number of people who engage in bad schemes like Graciela increases. Well then, I guess we'll proceed on our own. ]
"Yup, but, in moderation ... okay."
[ Buhahaha, it shall be as you wish. In moderation ... it is. ]
Yup, this is definitely a pattern where they overdo it.
I visited Seraphima in Chowsk with some trepidation.
Chowsk was the gateway to the desert between Barshania and Resenburg.
On the other side of the Glenano River, there was only a state-led settlement by Barshania, and beyond that lay a desolate wasteland.
The sun was setting in Volzard, but the sky in Chowsk was dyed a madder red.
Chowsk, which was also a border town, was said to be crowded with people even after sunset.
Before going to the palace where Seraphima was, I looked at the city from the shadows and noticed that there seem to be some commotion going on.
There were many soldiers around the city, listening to stories from travelers and merchants.
Travelers also gathered around street corners and seemed to be exchanging information frequently.
"How many are there?"
"I don't know the exact number, but it's somewhere between thirty and fifty."
"Fifty! Are there that many?"
"That's the story. I haven't actually seen it either."
"Will the country take action to subjugate them?"
"Who knows ... It would probably work if it were the Mizuushi Oasis, but it would be a little tricky if it's Gouken."
"The desert, cross with your own strength and talent ... is it."
Judging from the fact that the country was handling the subjugation, and that 50 was considered a lot, it looked like bandits or some tough monsters had appeared.
I thought about gathering a little more information, but in this case I think it would be faster to ask Seraphima.
"Fred, could you please gather some information just in case?"
[ Roger ... Leave it to me ... ]
When I moved with Hirt as my guide, Seraphima was in the middle of a discussion with a man who looked like a military officer and a man who looked like a civil official.
"Hirt, who are those two?"
"Wafuu, that person is the guard big-wig, that one is a town's big-wig, Sera wants to go as soon as possible."
It seemed that the two of them were admonishing Seraphima for being impatient.
While petting Hirt, I asked it to tell me the story of the three of them.
"I don't think we'll lose if all of our escort knights stand together, but that's only if the information we've gathered so far is correct."
"Much of the information we have gathered is still hearsay. If we do not confirm accurate information, we will not be able to respond to unforeseen circumstances, which may result in many casualties. Please somehow postpone departure until the scouts return."
"Understood. Departure will be postponed."
Although they did not hide their dissatisfied expressions, the two of them looked relieved after hearing the words of Seraphima, who had accepted their persuasion.
"However, I don't intend to waste time forever. It's not just me, but everyone who travels wants the road to reopen. If the merchant caravans continue to be stranded, it will have a negative impact on Barshania's economy. Please investigate immediately and plan your subjugation strategy."
"Ha!, as you wish."
The two men bowed deeply before leaving the room.
When Seraphima saw them off, she let out a sigh of relief and relaxed her shoulders.
"Hirt, Hirt come out."
"Are you troubled, Princess-sama?"
"K, Kent-sama ... so you came."
"I only just arrived, so I haven't been able to fully grasp the situation, what happened?"
"Yes, it seems that one of the oases is occupied by Lizardmen."
"Ehh, there are Lizardmen in the desert? Don't they live in the water?"
"That is, those are a race called Water Lizardman. The ones here are a race called Sand Lizardman."
It seemed that there were two main types of Lizardmen, one type that preferred the waterside and the other type that lived on land such as deserts.
My genus, Zae and the others, were considered Water Lizardmen.
"It is said that Lizardmen do not form groups, but on rare occasions they do act in groups. This seems to be the situation in this case."
It was said that there were several oases scattered in the Davira Desert that separated Barshania and Resenburg.
People traveling through the desert followed the oases, but it seemed that the second oasis from Barshania had been occupied by a group of Lizardmen, making it difficult for them to pass.
"In a situation like this, wouldn't you cooperate with Resenburg to subdue them?"
"The Davira Desert is not Barshania territory, nor is it Resenburg territory. When such situations occur, those who travel have basically dealt with them. However, this time, the size of the herd seems to be a bit large, and it seems that the escorts of the merchant caravan alone are not enough to deal with it."
I thought for a moment about telling Seraphima about the commotion happening in the Irosun Great Forest, but I reconsidered it.
If there was a cave in the Davira Desert that led to the southern continent ... That would probably make Seraphima even more worried.
"Sera, should I go and subdue those Lizardmen in the oasis?"
"Thank you very much. However, it seems that the subjugation of the Lizardmen is like a medal for those who serve as guards in the desert, and those who accomplish this alone are recognized as warriors by those around them. Also, Lizardmen's fangs, claws, leather, etc., are prized as talismans for safe travels and are traded at high prices."
"Alright, then it's better if I don't take over."
"I apologize for seeming to waste Kent-sama's consideration."
"Nope, you don't have to worry about that. We're going to become family."
"Kent-sama ... Yes, that's right."
Seraphima opened her eyes wide for a moment, then smiled softly and rested her head on my shoulder.
"But, if you have any trouble, please feel free to ask for help. You can rely on me as much as you want."
"Yes ... Danna-sama."(TN:In this case Danna-sama means Husband ... It sounds a bit odd to actually translate it, so I'll leave it.)
Seraphima tightened her grip on our entwined arms, and a pleasant flower-like scent wafted through the air.
On the go
***---***
The Calvine Territory was beginning to be in trouble.
The entire town was buried in an avalanche due to a trap using explosives set off by the managers, but relief efforts were carried out by reinforcements such as the knights and the town was brought under control.
With the help of myself, my genus, Yuika and Manon, we were able to complete rescue operations and treat the critically injured patients.
When the reinforcement knights were sent back, support supplies and civilian officials were also sent, and the Territory began to be ruled as a Territory under direct control, but it seemed that addition support was not enough.
Although we built a warehouse in the Calvine Territory to transport supplies from the Royal Capital, we had been distracted by the commotion in the Irosun Great Forest and had not been able to carry out any practical operations.
Another thing was that in the Calvine Territory, they had stored a large amount of food and other supplies in the 7th mine, as if they were barricading themselves in the Territory against the Royal Family.
If they had been able to use those supplies, they wouldn't have been in such trouble, but in front of the mine shaft, a deep moat had been dug, and the drawbridge for access was still up.
The managers' henchmen who were managing the drawbridge were buried in the avalanche and wiped out.
It seemed that even though they knew that supplies were stockpiled, they were unable to go and get them.
After receiving the news from Hart who was with Camilla, I headed to Aldaros, the Royal Capital of Resenburg.
Camilla was not in her own room, but in the King's Office, struggling with papers.
"Camilla, I heard that there is a shortage of supplies in the Calvine Territory."
"Maou-sama, I'm really sorry. When I asked Hart to be a messenger, Magdalos had asked for help."
"Yup, I was also busy with other matters and neglected the transportation issue. For now, we should be fine as long as we use the supplies we brought in from here and the supplies we had accumulated in the Calvine Territory."
"Yes, I would appreciate it if you could do that."
First, I let Camilla guide me to the person in charge on the Royal Capital side.
Let's create a transportation system by introducing the genus who would be transporting the items to the person in charge.
"Fred, Basten, could you please go ahead and lower the drawbridge of the 7th mine?"
[ Please leave it to us, Kent-sama. ]
[ An easy task ... ]
As long as the drawbridge was lowered, the knights and locals should be able to carry out the work in the 7th mine.
Camilla guided me to the knights' supply department.
As Hart and I, who was wearing casual clothes, were walking next to Camilla, the people we passed in the hallway all had shocked expressions on their faces, then lowered their heads in a panic.
"Is Aegir there!"
"Ha!! Did you call, Camilla-sama."
When Camilla stepped into the building adjacent to the knights' warehouse and called out loudly, a man who appeared to be in his late thirties who was sitting in the back stood up as if on a spring.
"Aegir, Maou-sama will be transporting you to the Calvine Territory."
"Thank you very much. My name is Aegir Seifried, my best regards."
"H, hello ... I'm Kent Kokubu. Also,k this is my genus Hart."
"Wau, I'm Hart. I'm usually near Camilla."
"Ha!, my best regards."
Aegir-san bent his body at 90 degrees and bowed his head to Hart, giving him the appearance of an honest office worker, but his physique was sturdy.
Even the office staff must have received training as knights.
"Hart will basically be in charge of contacting Aegir-san, but other Kobolds may show up, so please don't be surprised."
"Yes, I will make sure to convey this to the people in the department."
"So, what should we transport to the Calvine Territory?"
"Yes, I will guide you."
The warehouse we were shown to had medical supplies and food items such as vegetables that could not be preserved.
Wheat and other grains could be used if they got them from the 7th mine, and it seemed that for meat they would go into the mountains for hunting.
"This, should I give it to Magdalos?"
"Yes, it doesn't matter if it's Commander Magdalos, even the person named Basilio Ahrens who is in charge of supplies would be fine."
"Understood. Then, I'll story it for you."
"Maou-sama, thank you very much."
I deployed a shield of darkness next to the piled up supplies and had the Kobold Corps bring them in.
Camilla and Aegir, who were kneeling and bowing their heads, saw me off as I hid in the shadows and moved all at once to the Calvine Territory.
[ Kent-sama, we have finished lowering the drawbridge leading to the 7th mine. ]
[ Snow in front of mine shaft, too ... Snow was removed ... ]
"Thank you, that was helpful."
In the town of the Calvine Territory that I visited for the first time in four days, reconstruction work had begun in some parts.
The evacuation shelter for disaster victims was built using a section that was originally a road, and now it had been modified and used as communal housing, and a new road had been created where the building used to be.
The buildings in the town had been crushed by the weight of the snow from the avalanche, so the only option was to dismantle and remove them.
However, even after the avalanche, snow seemed to be falling frequently, and snow needed to be shoveled in order for construction to proceed.
It appeared that all the men from the town were working to remove the collapsed buildings.
"It looks like they're making good progress towards the reconstruction work while shoveling snow, but ..."
[ Perhaps the miners who were previously tied to the mine are lending a hand in the rebuilding work. ]
"I see. They're good at heavy lifting like digging and moving."
Up until now, the residents of the Calvine Territory had been thoroughly controlled and exploited by the five managers, with Havre at the top.
Now that those six people had been eliminated and the area was under direct control, mining work had been suspended and labor was likely being poured into rebuilding the town.
The expressions on the faces of the people working on site were uniformly bright and full of motivation.
The warehouse built for transportation to and from the Royal Capital, located close to the town reconstruction site, was built with a 'Gara~n'.
We must have brought in about two truckloads of goods from the Royal Castle, but it probably wasn't enough to feed the entire population of the town.
Besides, they couldn't do any heavy lifting if they didn't eat.
"Greetings ..."
"Who is it! Ma!, Maou-sama ... Please excuse me!"
When I went out of the shield of darkness and called out to the person checking the goods in the warehouse, I was yelled at with a sharp voice, and then they hurriedly saluted.
"I brought supplies from the Royal Capital. Is Basilio-san here?"
"Yes, I'm Basilio Ahrens. Can I ask for some supplies?"
"Understood. Ahh, we've made it possible to enter the 7th mine where the managers were stockpiling supplies, so please make use of that as well."
"Are you serious, thank you very much. We haven't run out yet, but we're running low on food reserves, so that will be helpful."
I also introduced the Kobold Corps, led by Hart, to Basilio-san, and set up a transportation system with the Royal Capital.
Basilio-san and all of his subordinates looked wide-eyed at the Kobold Corps, who were easily carrying large wooden boxes.
"Speaking of which, what happened the the aforementioned five?"
"Those people are imprisoned in Havre's castle. To prevent them from speaking to each other, they are locked in a place where their voices cannot reach each other, and they are being interrogated separately."
"Did you manage to secure any materials related to Havre's plans or the operation of the mine."
"Many of the individual materials were lost because the former managers' mansions were blown up. However, all the mines were supervised by Havre, so the materials such as drilling plans and production volumes remain. It's just, it seems that most of Havre's plans were only in Havre's head, so it will be difficult to unravel them."
Even when Havre was staying in the Calvine Territory, it seemed that only Nestor, his closest aide, had his plans leaked to him.
It was said that Nestor was captured during the attempted coup d'état at the Chamber of Proceedings and was even subjected to severe torture, but like Havre, he remained stubbornly silent and was executed.
"Hegel, the housekeeper who was captured with the managers, doesn't seem to have as much grit as Nestor, but it is highly likely that Havre has not told him the detailed plans."
After Havre was captured, he managed the Calvine Territory in some way, but he probably wasn't relied on in terms of the trust of those around him.
"Will the managers and Hegel be executed once the investigation is complete?"
"Yes, Commander Magdalos, who was entrusted with the disposal by Camilla-sama, will continue to imprison them until the town is restored, and it seems that he plans to execute them after showing off the restored town."
"The restored Calvine Territory, are they going to use it as a symbol of rebirth?"
"It is as you say. Until now, the inhabitants of this land have continued to be exploited. Even after Havre left, as long as the five managers remained, the residents would have no freedom. However, to put it the other way around, once the five of them are gone and their subordinates are also disposed of, the dark clouds that were covering their heads will part, and light will shine in."
For Basilio, who spoke passionately, the light that clears the clouds and illuminates the residents is probably Camilla Resenburg.
While we were talking, the knight who confirmed that the 7th mine was open came to call Basilio-san.
"Then, I'll withdraw."
"Yes, thank you for your cooperation. Maou-sama, please come and visit us once the town is restored. It is only with the help of Maou-sama that the residents of the Calvine Territory were liberated."
"I look forward to that day."
I wondered if Basilio-san was inspired by Camilla, because it's embarrassing to have a grown man bow down to me on his knees.
When I tried to dive in the shadows and return to Volzard, Hirt, who was attached to Seraphima, appeared.
"Wafuu, Goshujin-sama, Sera has arrived at the border."
"The border, you say, is it Chowsk?"
"Wau, that's right."
I've been distracted by the incident in the Irosun Great Forest, so I haven't seen Seraphima for a while.
[ Kent-sama, if they cross the desert, they'll reach Resenburg. There is also a matter of the 100 knights as bodyguards, so it would be best for you to discuss this with them. ]
"That's right. It would be a big problem if there was a conflict with Resenburg."
Resenburg and Barshania have had a long-standing rivalry.
Thanks to the vast desert between them, it was rare for armed conflicts to develop, but there was no way out of the situation of mutual distrust.
Even during the coup attempt by Havre Calvine, Barshania was behind the scenes.
Although this may be considered a natural action if they were thinking about their own country's interests, from Resenburg's point of view it was a completely hostile action, and it would not be easy to accept.
The Princess of Barshania was being sent to Volzard in the Republic of Landshelt, another neighboring country of Resenburg.
In reality, she was marrying me, who lived in Volzard, and had no intention of being hostile, but not all the residents of Resenburg understood that.
Even for those who understood it to a certain extent, it must be humiliating to see a hundred armed Barshanian knights passing by as if they owned the place.
What's more, the hateful Barshania ... For those who had such feelings, this may be an unbearable situation.
"I see, you were planning to improve the roads that would be passed through so that the residents of Resenburg would be satisfied with it."
[ That's right. If the passage of the Princess of Barshania's procession is fruitful for the residents, the probability of unexplained situations occurring should decrease. ]
"If we don't know the road that Seraphima's group will take, we won't be able to build the roads in time."
[ Seraphima-jou's party is heading to the Royal Capital, so they should head north from Lauf in the Drevis Duchy, pass through the Makirigu Pass, and head for the Royal Capital Aldaros via the Taragowa Highway."
"Naturally, the story should have been heard by the Lord of the land they're passing through, right?"
[ That's right. Since Camilla-jou has taken over the helm, I'm sure the communication of orders has improved ... Kent-sama, is something the matter? ]
While we were talking and thinking about the procedure for road maintenance, Reinhardt asked me a question.
"Wouldn't it be bad if we just did the road maintenance?"
[ Without permission from the Lord who rules the land ... Do you mean that? Fumu, I can't really recommend it. ]
"I think so, but to inform them at this point, make a plan, and gather the workers ... If we do that, I don't know how long it will take."
[ I see, it's true that with the official procedures, there is a high possibility that we won't be able to make it in time for Seraphima-jou's bridal procession. ]
Or rather, it was a hassle to meet with the Feudal Lord and get permission.
In addition, Duke William Drevis, a former member of the First Prince's faction, did not go to Lastock after Alphonse's death, but instead returned to prepare for Barshania's invasion.
So, they only knew about the subjugation of monsters in Lastock and the attempted coup d'état in the Royal Castle Chamber of Proceedings through rumors, and had never seen my activities directly.
I'm sure they think I'm making a huge contribution to the stability of Resenburg, but it's also possible that they're being fed false information by someone who is jealous of my success.
[ I see, it is true that as Kent-sama's accomplishments increase, the number of people who engage in bad schemes like Graciela increases. Well then, I guess we'll proceed on our own. ]
"Yup, but, in moderation ... okay."
[ Buhahaha, it shall be as you wish. In moderation ... it is. ]
Yup, this is definitely a pattern where they overdo it.
I visited Seraphima in Chowsk with some trepidation.
Chowsk was the gateway to the desert between Barshania and Resenburg.
On the other side of the Glenano River, there was only a state-led settlement by Barshania, and beyond that lay a desolate wasteland.
The sun was setting in Volzard, but the sky in Chowsk was dyed a madder red.
Chowsk, which was also a border town, was said to be crowded with people even after sunset.
Before going to the palace where Seraphima was, I looked at the city from the shadows and noticed that there seem to be some commotion going on.
There were many soldiers around the city, listening to stories from travelers and merchants.
Travelers also gathered around street corners and seemed to be exchanging information frequently.
"How many are there?"
"I don't know the exact number, but it's somewhere between thirty and fifty."
"Fifty! Are there that many?"
"That's the story. I haven't actually seen it either."
"Will the country take action to subjugate them?"
"Who knows ... It would probably work if it were the Mizuushi Oasis, but it would be a little tricky if it's Gouken."
"The desert, cross with your own strength and talent ... is it."
Judging from the fact that the country was handling the subjugation, and that 50 was considered a lot, it looked like bandits or some tough monsters had appeared.
I thought about gathering a little more information, but in this case I think it would be faster to ask Seraphima.
"Fred, could you please gather some information just in case?"
[ Roger ... Leave it to me ... ]
When I moved with Hirt as my guide, Seraphima was in the middle of a discussion with a man who looked like a military officer and a man who looked like a civil official.
"Hirt, who are those two?"
"Wafuu, that person is the guard big-wig, that one is a town's big-wig, Sera wants to go as soon as possible."
It seemed that the two of them were admonishing Seraphima for being impatient.
While petting Hirt, I asked it to tell me the story of the three of them.
"I don't think we'll lose if all of our escort knights stand together, but that's only if the information we've gathered so far is correct."
"Much of the information we have gathered is still hearsay. If we do not confirm accurate information, we will not be able to respond to unforeseen circumstances, which may result in many casualties. Please somehow postpone departure until the scouts return."
"Understood. Departure will be postponed."
Although they did not hide their dissatisfied expressions, the two of them looked relieved after hearing the words of Seraphima, who had accepted their persuasion.
"However, I don't intend to waste time forever. It's not just me, but everyone who travels wants the road to reopen. If the merchant caravans continue to be stranded, it will have a negative impact on Barshania's economy. Please investigate immediately and plan your subjugation strategy."
"Ha!, as you wish."
The two men bowed deeply before leaving the room.
When Seraphima saw them off, she let out a sigh of relief and relaxed her shoulders.
"Hirt, Hirt come out."
"Are you troubled, Princess-sama?"
"K, Kent-sama ... so you came."
"I only just arrived, so I haven't been able to fully grasp the situation, what happened?"
"Yes, it seems that one of the oases is occupied by Lizardmen."
"Ehh, there are Lizardmen in the desert? Don't they live in the water?"
"That is, those are a race called Water Lizardman. The ones here are a race called Sand Lizardman."
It seemed that there were two main types of Lizardmen, one type that preferred the waterside and the other type that lived on land such as deserts.
My genus, Zae and the others, were considered Water Lizardmen.
"It is said that Lizardmen do not form groups, but on rare occasions they do act in groups. This seems to be the situation in this case."
It was said that there were several oases scattered in the Davira Desert that separated Barshania and Resenburg.
People traveling through the desert followed the oases, but it seemed that the second oasis from Barshania had been occupied by a group of Lizardmen, making it difficult for them to pass.
"In a situation like this, wouldn't you cooperate with Resenburg to subdue them?"
"The Davira Desert is not Barshania territory, nor is it Resenburg territory. When such situations occur, those who travel have basically dealt with them. However, this time, the size of the herd seems to be a bit large, and it seems that the escorts of the merchant caravan alone are not enough to deal with it."
I thought for a moment about telling Seraphima about the commotion happening in the Irosun Great Forest, but I reconsidered it.
If there was a cave in the Davira Desert that led to the southern continent ... That would probably make Seraphima even more worried.
"Sera, should I go and subdue those Lizardmen in the oasis?"
"Thank you very much. However, it seems that the subjugation of the Lizardmen is like a medal for those who serve as guards in the desert, and those who accomplish this alone are recognized as warriors by those around them. Also, Lizardmen's fangs, claws, leather, etc., are prized as talismans for safe travels and are traded at high prices."
"Alright, then it's better if I don't take over."
"I apologize for seeming to waste Kent-sama's consideration."
"Nope, you don't have to worry about that. We're going to become family."
"Kent-sama ... Yes, that's right."
Seraphima opened her eyes wide for a moment, then smiled softly and rested her head on my shoulder.
"But, if you have any trouble, please feel free to ask for help. You can rely on me as much as you want."
"Yes ... Danna-sama."(TN:In this case Danna-sama means Husband ... It sounds a bit odd to actually translate it, so I'll leave it.)
Seraphima tightened her grip on our entwined arms, and a pleasant flower-like scent wafted through the air.
