Marburg Household
***---***
Before returning to Volzard from Chowsk, I scouted the oasis occupied by the Sand Lizardmen.
Using star attribute magic, I confirmed Gouken's location and headed there with Fred, who had finished gathering information at Chowsk.
Gouken was said to be an oasis created in the crevices of a rocky mountain.
Rainwater running down the rocks eroded, forming a natural water basin deep inside the rocky area.
It seemed that what was originally used as a watering hole by wild animals had come to be used by humans as an oasis.
There were magic tools in this world, and if you used camp paper, you could get clean water anywhere.
However, it seemed that the performance of magic tools and camp paper was affected by the surrounding environment, and their efficiency dropped dramatically in a parched desert with no water.
When traveling in the desert, it was also necessary to provide water to the animals that carried the load, and it was inefficient to provide large amounts of water with only magic tools and camp paper.
The oasis was said to be an indispensable part of a journey through the Davira Desert, as magical tools and camp paper were able to perform to their full potential if water was nearby.
Also, near the Gouken Oasis there were rugged rocks that were difficult to pass except through the oasis.
If you took a detour, you would have to take a big detour and aim for the oasis two places ahead.
It seemed like travelers would like to avoid this if possible, as it was a waste of time and money to use magic tools and camp paper.
The Gouken Oasis was silent under the moonlight.
There were several horse-drawn carriages near the oasis, some of which were lying on their sides.
The insides of the carriages were also ransacked, and the cargo was scattered around.
"Have all the people in the caravan been wiped out?"
[ Maybe ... There's blood stains ... ]
Where Fred was pointing, there was blood all over the hood of the carriage.
When I looked closely, I saw a trail of something being dragged towards the rocky area.
"Guwaa ..."
"Guuu ..."
As I approached the rocky area, I heard a low-pitched sound like a frog's cry.
[ Kent-sama ... There are two at the entrance ... ]
"Ehh, where ... Uuh, did they burrow."
Only the eyes could be seen peeking out from the ground at the entrance of a crack in the rock that seemed to lead to the oasis' water hole.
They were like a crocodile with only its eyes sticking out of the water, and they were probably burrowing into the ground, leaving only their eyes visible.
I don't think I would have noticed them at all if Fred hadn't told me about it.
When I sneaked into the crack in the rock while staying hidden in the shadows, I found Sand Lizardmen all over the passage, and they all seemed to be wary of the entrance to the passage.
They were smaller than Zae-tachi, and the surface of their bodies was covered with rugged scales.
Perhaps because they were active on the ground, their limbs appeared to be short and muscular.
They had thick, sharp claws at the tips of their hands and feet, which they probably used to dig into the ground.
In the middle of the passage, there was a group of them digging a hole in the wall.
However, just when I thought they were making a room, it seemed like they were digging deeper and deeper and were making a way out.
It may be used to launch a surprise attack from the outside when the enemy attacks from the front.
"For some reason, it seems like there are quite a lot of them ..."
[ In Chowsk, they expected at most 50 of them ... I think there are definitely more than that ... ]
There were two Sand Lizardmen at the entrance, about ten after entering the passage from there, and another ten to fifteen digging holes in the side, and the passage seemed to go on for quite a while, so there were likely to be many more Sand Lizardmen.
By the time I reached the hall with the water hole, about 20 more were sitting on the walkway.
And, at first glance, it looked like there were about 100 of them huddled together around the water hole.
"About 150 of them?"
[ There are about that many ... I think it would be better to report it ... ]
"That's right. However, they won't be starting the subjugation tonight right away, so I'll investigate the situation a little more and then let Sera know."
When I observed the Sand Lizardmen around the water hole while hiding in the shadows, I noticed that they were fast asleep.
And, only a few of them at the entrance of the hall with the water hole were keeping en eye out in the direction of the passage.
[ The whole group ... is exhausted ... ]
"That's what it seems like."
Several of them were wary of the direction of the passage, but their eyelids would occasionally close and their heads would droop.
"The battle with the merchant caravan escorts was intense, so maybe that's why they're tired?"
[ Probably not ... If that was the case, there would definitely be more injured individuals ... ]
"I see, I certainly don't see anyone with injuries."
[ There's something strange ... It doesn't feel right ... ]
As Fred said, if the Lizardmen were exhausted after fighting with the escort adventurers, there should have been more injured Lizardmen.
On the other hand, if the battle with the escorts had ended easily, I don't think there would be any need to be so wary of the passage.
[ Maybe ... They might be running away from something ... ]
"I see, they were attacked by a monster stronger than the Sand Lizardman and they ran away."
[ That's a possibility ... But, what kind of monster is it ... ]
According to Fred, Sand Lizardmen were one of the most powerful monsters that lived in the desert.
When it came to monsters that the Sand Lizardmen ran away from, it was probably at least on the level of a Storm Cat or Salamander.
[ Storm cats don't live in the desert ... There aren't many Salamanders either ... ]
"Are there any other powerful monsters that seem to live in the desert?"
[ Desert Scorpio ... venomous and hard-shelled ... Sand Viper ... giant sand snake ... ]
"Hmm ... I'll try scouting the surrounding area with star magic."
The Desert Scorpio was a scorpion with a total length of more than 3 meters, and if you included its stinging tail, it could be more than 5 meters long, and the Sand Viper was a large snake that could exceed 10 meters in length.
Once again, I left my body in the shadow space and sent only my consciousness into the sky as I looked around the area, but I couldn't find the shadow of any such thing.
"Okay, let's go back to Chowsk for now."
[ I will do some reconnaissance ... I want to determine the numbers, the leader, etc. ... ]
"Okay, I'll leave here to you."
I left Fred in charge of scouting the Sand Lizardmen and returned to Seraphima in Chowsk.
Seraphima was having a meeting with her female knight escort.
"Sera, may I come in?"
"Kent-sama, of course. What can I do for you?"
"Yup, I've been checking on the Sand Lizardmen, and from what I can tell, there are about 150 of them."
"Ehh, that is ... Kacheri, please let them know right away ..."
"Aahh, wait a minute. That's not all."
Sera and the female knight's expressions darkened when I told them that the Sand Lizardmen were holed up deep inside the oasis and seemed to be wary of something.
"Kacheri, please convey the information from Kent-sama and tell them to reconsider their strategy."
"As you wish. I'll make sure to convey this to the people in the caravan."
The female knight called Kacheri bowed her head to me and Seraphima, and ran out of the room with brisk movements.
"Kent-sama, thank you for letting us know."
"We're good at reconnaissance because we can hide in the shadows. Having information is a big difference from not having it."
"Yes, if they had gone to subjugate them with the intention of killing 50 of them, at worst they would have been wiped out."
"Anyway, what kind of monster is more dangerous than a Sand Lizardman ... That thing is more troublesome."
"Yes, it seems like it will be a big threat to those traveling in the desert."
"If other oases were to be occupied, it would become even more difficult to travel to and from Resenburg."
"Maybe ... I don't think there is a need to worry about that."
Desert Scorpio and Sand Viper were both monsters that lived in the desert, so they tended to dislike moisture.
It seemed that if you used water-based magic to keep them in check around the oasis, they wouldn't come near you even if you couldn't subjugate them.
"I see, that's why the Sand Lizardmen are taking refuge in the oasis."
"Yes, I think that is highly likely."
I thought the Sand Lizardman was an earth attribute monster, but it turned out to be a wind attribute monster.
It was said that they fought in areas with a lot of sand by using wind magic to dazzle the vision of their enemies and prey.
It seemed that their weakness was water-based magic, and if magic that could cause a sandstorm was blocked using water, the only tactic remaining was hand-to-hand combat.
Their scales were hard and strong, but their agility was inferior, so it seemed that the danger of subjugating them near water holes was not high.
"Then, I guess being barricaded in an oasis is an advantageous situation for us."
"That's right. THe people in that caravan were probably caught by surprise and couldn't resist."
"Still, with 150 of them barricaded, wouldn't it be easy to subjugate them?"
"Yes, but once the roundabout mentioned in Kent-sama's information is completed, subjugation will become even more difficult."
"Hmm ... Or rather, wouldn't it be better to wait for the roundabout to be completed and let them run away if you attack head-on?"
"I don't know much about that either, but the problem is that the oasis cannot be used for a long period of time, and it's definitely better for the attacking side to have less damage ..."
"Maa, wouldn't it be better to leave that decision to veteran knights and adventurers?"
"That's right. Since we know the situation on the other side, they should be able to come up with an appropriate strategy."
"I will continue to scout and let you know if the situation changes."
"Thank you very much. Kent-sama. My best regards."
I patted Hirt and gave Seraphima a tight hug before heading back to Volzard.
The next day, I showed up at Klaus-san's office in the Guild and was asked to deliver a letter to Marburg.
It seemed to be news of a meeting between the Landshelt Lords regarding the disturbance in the Irosun Great Forest.
"Please deliver this letter to the Marburg Family. I don't care if you don't get a reply."
"Is it okay to just deliver it to them?"
"That's right, but just to be safe, please hand it to the butler instead of the gate guard."
"Understood."
"Maa, if they don't want to read it, I don't mind if they don't force themselves to read it. I'll just show up in three days and leave them there unless they're ready to leave."
"But, wouldn't it be troubling if the Lord of Marburg wasn't there?"
"The only people who would be troubled are the guys from Marburg ..."
If the Lord of Marburg didn't participate in the meeting, he probably had the ulterior motive of trying to make a profit by using the iron and copper that I brought with me.
Klaus-san was grinning happily as he leaned his body against the backrest.
"The Irosun Great Forest, what kind of response do you think will be taken?"
"That's right ... Basically, it will be construction work to improve the safety of the road, but whether it's building a fence or digging a moat, the first step is to clear the trees around the road."
"Before it's too late, my genus ..."
"No, if it's such a large-scale construction project, there's a possibility that the location of the road itself will change, so don't do anything about it yet."
According to Klaus-san, if the forest were to be cleared on a large scale, the route would have to be changed to make the currently winding road straight.
Not only would it be safe from monsters, but it also seemed it would have a deterrent effect against thieves, as they often attacked in places where visibility was poor.
"Will the meeting be held in Bakkenheim?"
"No, it's Breichberg. In three days, you will first send me to Marburg, and then you will send me to Breichberg with Norbert-jii."
The person named Norbert was the current Lord of Marburg, and he seemed to have inherited dwarf blood.
"However, it seems that the only thing he has inherited is their stubbornness, and has completely lost their craftsmanship. That shitty old man must have gone crazy."
It was natural for Klaus-san to be angry since he stopped the export of ore to Volzard due to his own sons' marriage dispute.
I was also curious about the state of the Gouken Oasis, so I'd like to quickly deliver the letter.
After hugging Beatriche, I hid in the shadows and headed for Marburg.
Before heading to the Marburg Household, I took a peek at the square in front of the cathedral.
The last time I visited, it was just before the export of ore to Volzard was stopped and traffic through the Irosun Great Forest was closed, and there were few people around and it was sparse and dismal with a desolate wind blowing through.
This time, I thought the situation would be even worse, but there were many people gathered in the square.
However, instead of being as lively as the previous festivals, there was a tense and disturbing atmosphere.
The places where people were crowding seemed to be the Marburg Guild and the mine managers, including the Robere Company.
The demands of the people gathered could be broadly divided into three.
The first was the disclosure of information regarding access to the Irosun Great Forest, and the only answer that could be given was that the Guild was currently gathering information on this and there was no prospect of reopening.
However, the people who had gathered were not convinced and did not seem to back down when asked to show them what measures would be taken and a prediction of when the road would reopen.
The second was to resume exporting ore to Volzard.
It seemed that the reason why exports were being stopped had not been disclosed to the public, and they were demanding that they show the reason why exports were being stopped and a plan for resuming exports.
Maa, it was because the offer of marriage to Ange-oneechan was rejected ... such a reason could not be said.
The third was the resumption of mine operations.
Since the export of ore to Volzard was prohibited, the mine's operations had been significantly reduced, and it seemed that operations had ceased since the Irosun Great Forest was closed to traffic.
If operations stopped, those working in the mines would lose their income and face difficulties in their daily lives.
"Reinhardt, if the situation doesn't get resolved, I feel like it's going to turn into a riot ..."
[ If the scale continues to grow like this, even the slightest chance could turn into a bloody situation. ]
As Reinhardt feared, in places where the Guild and company staff were responding, more and more people were raising their voices even while I watched, and the atmosphere was becoming more and more brutal.
[ Kent-sama, it would be better if you delivered the letter. ]
Indeed, if this crowd stormed the Lord's Mansion, it would be difficult to deliver the letter.
With Reinhardt's guidance, I headed for the Lord's Mansion.
The Marburg Mansion was located on a small hill overlooking the city.
I stepped out from the shadows in the woods on the side of the road leading to the mansion, and then I walked to the main gate, I saw four guards standing there.
At the left gatepost were two guards wearing navy blue knight uniforms, and on the other side were two guards wearing dark red knight uniforms.
I had a very bad feeling about this.
"Umm ... Is this the Lord's Mansion?"
"Right." "What's your business."
When I called out, the navy blue and dark red guards walked up to me one by one.
"Yes, I received a letter from Lord Klaus, Lord of Volzard, addressed to this Lord."
"Ooh, it's addressed to Ars-sama."
"No, no, it's probably addressed to Zalua-sama."
"Nope, it's a letter to Norbert-sama ..."
"Then, I'll take care of it."
"What are you saying, I'll take care of it."
My bad premonition turned out to be true, and the other two people joined in and they started debating who would be in charge of the letter.
[ Reinhardt, this means that the twin heirs are having trouble, right? ]
[ Probably, I suppose so. ]
Even Reinhardt, who I called out to using telepathy, seemed stunned.
"Umm ... It wouldn't be fair for the contents to be conveyed to only one of them, so why don't they open it and read it in a place where the two of them are together?"
"Muu, I see, that's right ..."
"Umu, then I have no objection."
And so, I was guided to the mansion, accompanied by one navy blue guard and one dark red guard.
"Before that, let me check your ID."
"Ahh, yes ... I'm an adventurer from Volzard, my name is Kent."
"S-rank is it ... are you kidding me."
"No, are you the adventurer who is called the 'Monster User'?"
"Yes, I think that's what they call me."
The navy blue guard didn't seem to know about me, but the dark red guard seemed to know about the rumors about the 'Monster User'.
Rather, you could tell just by the extent of the triumphant look floating on his face.
When I was guided by the two to the entrance of the mansion, again, I was greeted by a group of two butlers.
"I am serving as Ars-sama's butler. My name is Trazzini."
"My name is Malfo, Zalua-sama's butler."
"H, hello ... my name is Kent."
When I explained the situation at the entrance of the mansion, the two butlers led me to the reception room.
Somehow, I felt like I was playing the role of someone involved in a skit.
It would have been a complete comedy if two maids came out and served me two cups of tea, but as expected, the Maid-san was alone and there was only one cup of tea.
Even though my job was supposed to be just delivering a letter, I felt really tired.
The tea that was brewed had a wonderful aroma and taste, as one would expect from a Feudal Lord's mansion.
I enjoyed the moderate astringency when I put it in my mouth, the sweetness that followed, and the mellow aroma that passed through my nostrils.
I guess it's Donovan-san's influence that I'm starting to look like a tea fanatic.
When I had finished about half of my tea, I heard voices coming from the other side of the door.
I just noticed that on the opposite wall, there were similar doors on either side of the fireplace.
From the other side of the door, I heard a 'Ko~n ko~n' sound that sounded like a wooden board being hit with a mallet, and then the left and right doors opened at the same time and two men who looked very similar to each other came in.
Yup, it looks like a complete comedy after all.
"I am Ars." "I am Zalua."
"I, I'm an adventurer from Volzard, my name is Kent."
"Umu, you can sit down." "It's fine to sit down."
At the same time, they asked me to sit down, which made me wonder if they were really on good terms.
Because of the timing, I couldn't tell which was which.
The person who came in through the door on the left was a tall, slender man with bluish hair, and the other was a man with a short and stout build and brown hair.
"At once, however ..." "Klaus ..."
"Umm ... if it's like this ... shall I cut the seal?"
Every time they spoke a word, the timing and words overlapped, and the two of them looked irritated. When I suggested it to them, they both nodded at the same timing.
In front of them, I opened the letter and spread it out on the table so they could read it together.
Yup, it seems like the timing to continue reading is the same.
The letter stated that it had been decided that a meeting would be held by the Lords of Landshelt regarding the matter of the Irosun Great Forest, and that Klaus-san would come to pick them up in three days.
"Is this all?" "Is this all?"
"I was only asked to deliver the letter, so I don't know the contents."
Perhaps they thought this was a response to the marriage proposal, and the two of them looked clearly displeased, and curtly declared.
"Good work." "It's fine to return."
"Then, please excuse me."
When I got up from my seat and bowed my head, they both stood up at the same time and left the room without making eye contact.
This was the end of my role, but it would be inept to go back like this.
As I was about to leave the reception room, the Maid-san who had made the tea came to guide me.
"Umm ... I'm sorry. I forgot to ask the two of them, is Norbert-sama absent?"
"Danna-sama is resting because he is not feeling well."(TN:Danna here is the 'Master' version not the 'Husband' version.)
"Is that so, about the meeting in three days ..."
The Maid-san lowered her eyes for a moment and shook her head slightly.
"Please take care of yourself, would you please tell him that?"
"I certainly shall."
After being seen off by the Maid-san, I went out the front door, bowed to the four guards at the gate, and headed down the street towards the town.
[ Kent-sama, are you returning straight to Volzard? ]
[ Nope, of course I'll go home after doing some scouting. Could you please see if there's anyone following me? ]
[ Roger that. As expected of Kent-sama, there is no oversight. ]
[ I've trained a lot since I came here. ]
While Reinhardt checked to see if anyone was watching, I veered off the road into the forest, hid in the shadows, and returned to the Lord's Mansion.
Marburg Household
***---***
Before returning to Volzard from Chowsk, I scouted the oasis occupied by the Sand Lizardmen.
Using star attribute magic, I confirmed Gouken's location and headed there with Fred, who had finished gathering information at Chowsk.
Gouken was said to be an oasis created in the crevices of a rocky mountain.
Rainwater running down the rocks eroded, forming a natural water basin deep inside the rocky area.
It seemed that what was originally used as a watering hole by wild animals had come to be used by humans as an oasis.
There were magic tools in this world, and if you used camp paper, you could get clean water anywhere.
However, it seemed that the performance of magic tools and camp paper was affected by the surrounding environment, and their efficiency dropped dramatically in a parched desert with no water.
When traveling in the desert, it was also necessary to provide water to the animals that carried the load, and it was inefficient to provide large amounts of water with only magic tools and camp paper.
The oasis was said to be an indispensable part of a journey through the Davira Desert, as magical tools and camp paper were able to perform to their full potential if water was nearby.
Also, near the Gouken Oasis there were rugged rocks that were difficult to pass except through the oasis.
If you took a detour, you would have to take a big detour and aim for the oasis two places ahead.
It seemed like travelers would like to avoid this if possible, as it was a waste of time and money to use magic tools and camp paper.
The Gouken Oasis was silent under the moonlight.
There were several horse-drawn carriages near the oasis, some of which were lying on their sides.
The insides of the carriages were also ransacked, and the cargo was scattered around.
"Have all the people in the caravan been wiped out?"
[ Maybe ... There's blood stains ... ]
Where Fred was pointing, there was blood all over the hood of the carriage.
When I looked closely, I saw a trail of something being dragged towards the rocky area.
"Guwaa ..."
"Guuu ..."
As I approached the rocky area, I heard a low-pitched sound like a frog's cry.
[ Kent-sama ... There are two at the entrance ... ]
"Ehh, where ... Uuh, did they burrow."
Only the eyes could be seen peeking out from the ground at the entrance of a crack in the rock that seemed to lead to the oasis' water hole.
They were like a crocodile with only its eyes sticking out of the water, and they were probably burrowing into the ground, leaving only their eyes visible.
I don't think I would have noticed them at all if Fred hadn't told me about it.
When I sneaked into the crack in the rock while staying hidden in the shadows, I found Sand Lizardmen all over the passage, and they all seemed to be wary of the entrance to the passage.
They were smaller than Zae-tachi, and the surface of their bodies was covered with rugged scales.
Perhaps because they were active on the ground, their limbs appeared to be short and muscular.
They had thick, sharp claws at the tips of their hands and feet, which they probably used to dig into the ground.
In the middle of the passage, there was a group of them digging a hole in the wall.
However, just when I thought they were making a room, it seemed like they were digging deeper and deeper and were making a way out.
It may be used to launch a surprise attack from the outside when the enemy attacks from the front.
"For some reason, it seems like there are quite a lot of them ..."
[ In Chowsk, they expected at most 50 of them ... I think there are definitely more than that ... ]
There were two Sand Lizardmen at the entrance, about ten after entering the passage from there, and another ten to fifteen digging holes in the side, and the passage seemed to go on for quite a while, so there were likely to be many more Sand Lizardmen.
By the time I reached the hall with the water hole, about 20 more were sitting on the walkway.
And, at first glance, it looked like there were about 100 of them huddled together around the water hole.
"About 150 of them?"
[ There are about that many ... I think it would be better to report it ... ]
"That's right. However, they won't be starting the subjugation tonight right away, so I'll investigate the situation a little more and then let Sera know."
When I observed the Sand Lizardmen around the water hole while hiding in the shadows, I noticed that they were fast asleep.
And, only a few of them at the entrance of the hall with the water hole were keeping en eye out in the direction of the passage.
[ The whole group ... is exhausted ... ]
"That's what it seems like."
Several of them were wary of the direction of the passage, but their eyelids would occasionally close and their heads would droop.
"The battle with the merchant caravan escorts was intense, so maybe that's why they're tired?"
[ Probably not ... If that was the case, there would definitely be more injured individuals ... ]
"I see, I certainly don't see anyone with injuries."
[ There's something strange ... It doesn't feel right ... ]
As Fred said, if the Lizardmen were exhausted after fighting with the escort adventurers, there should have been more injured Lizardmen.
On the other hand, if the battle with the escorts had ended easily, I don't think there would be any need to be so wary of the passage.
[ Maybe ... They might be running away from something ... ]
"I see, they were attacked by a monster stronger than the Sand Lizardman and they ran away."
[ That's a possibility ... But, what kind of monster is it ... ]
According to Fred, Sand Lizardmen were one of the most powerful monsters that lived in the desert.
When it came to monsters that the Sand Lizardmen ran away from, it was probably at least on the level of a Storm Cat or Salamander.
[ Storm cats don't live in the desert ... There aren't many Salamanders either ... ]
"Are there any other powerful monsters that seem to live in the desert?"
[ Desert Scorpio ... venomous and hard-shelled ... Sand Viper ... giant sand snake ... ]
"Hmm ... I'll try scouting the surrounding area with star magic."
The Desert Scorpio was a scorpion with a total length of more than 3 meters, and if you included its stinging tail, it could be more than 5 meters long, and the Sand Viper was a large snake that could exceed 10 meters in length.
Once again, I left my body in the shadow space and sent only my consciousness into the sky as I looked around the area, but I couldn't find the shadow of any such thing.
"Okay, let's go back to Chowsk for now."
[ I will do some reconnaissance ... I want to determine the numbers, the leader, etc. ... ]
"Okay, I'll leave here to you."
I left Fred in charge of scouting the Sand Lizardmen and returned to Seraphima in Chowsk.
Seraphima was having a meeting with her female knight escort.
"Sera, may I come in?"
"Kent-sama, of course. What can I do for you?"
"Yup, I've been checking on the Sand Lizardmen, and from what I can tell, there are about 150 of them."
"Ehh, that is ... Kacheri, please let them know right away ..."
"Aahh, wait a minute. That's not all."
Sera and the female knight's expressions darkened when I told them that the Sand Lizardmen were holed up deep inside the oasis and seemed to be wary of something.
"Kacheri, please convey the information from Kent-sama and tell them to reconsider their strategy."
"As you wish. I'll make sure to convey this to the people in the caravan."
The female knight called Kacheri bowed her head to me and Seraphima, and ran out of the room with brisk movements.
"Kent-sama, thank you for letting us know."
"We're good at reconnaissance because we can hide in the shadows. Having information is a big difference from not having it."
"Yes, if they had gone to subjugate them with the intention of killing 50 of them, at worst they would have been wiped out."
"Anyway, what kind of monster is more dangerous than a Sand Lizardman ... That thing is more troublesome."
"Yes, it seems like it will be a big threat to those traveling in the desert."
"If other oases were to be occupied, it would become even more difficult to travel to and from Resenburg."
"Maybe ... I don't think there is a need to worry about that."
Desert Scorpio and Sand Viper were both monsters that lived in the desert, so they tended to dislike moisture.
It seemed that if you used water-based magic to keep them in check around the oasis, they wouldn't come near you even if you couldn't subjugate them.
"I see, that's why the Sand Lizardmen are taking refuge in the oasis."
"Yes, I think that is highly likely."
I thought the Sand Lizardman was an earth attribute monster, but it turned out to be a wind attribute monster.
It was said that they fought in areas with a lot of sand by using wind magic to dazzle the vision of their enemies and prey.
It seemed that their weakness was water-based magic, and if magic that could cause a sandstorm was blocked using water, the only tactic remaining was hand-to-hand combat.
Their scales were hard and strong, but their agility was inferior, so it seemed that the danger of subjugating them near water holes was not high.
"Then, I guess being barricaded in an oasis is an advantageous situation for us."
"That's right. THe people in that caravan were probably caught by surprise and couldn't resist."
"Still, with 150 of them barricaded, wouldn't it be easy to subjugate them?"
"Yes, but once the roundabout mentioned in Kent-sama's information is completed, subjugation will become even more difficult."
"Hmm ... Or rather, wouldn't it be better to wait for the roundabout to be completed and let them run away if you attack head-on?"
"I don't know much about that either, but the problem is that the oasis cannot be used for a long period of time, and it's definitely better for the attacking side to have less damage ..."
"Maa, wouldn't it be better to leave that decision to veteran knights and adventurers?"
"That's right. Since we know the situation on the other side, they should be able to come up with an appropriate strategy."
"I will continue to scout and let you know if the situation changes."
"Thank you very much. Kent-sama. My best regards."
I patted Hirt and gave Seraphima a tight hug before heading back to Volzard.
The next day, I showed up at Klaus-san's office in the Guild and was asked to deliver a letter to Marburg.
It seemed to be news of a meeting between the Landshelt Lords regarding the disturbance in the Irosun Great Forest.
"Please deliver this letter to the Marburg Family. I don't care if you don't get a reply."
"Is it okay to just deliver it to them?"
"That's right, but just to be safe, please hand it to the butler instead of the gate guard."
"Understood."
"Maa, if they don't want to read it, I don't mind if they don't force themselves to read it. I'll just show up in three days and leave them there unless they're ready to leave."
"But, wouldn't it be troubling if the Lord of Marburg wasn't there?"
"The only people who would be troubled are the guys from Marburg ..."
If the Lord of Marburg didn't participate in the meeting, he probably had the ulterior motive of trying to make a profit by using the iron and copper that I brought with me.
Klaus-san was grinning happily as he leaned his body against the backrest.
"The Irosun Great Forest, what kind of response do you think will be taken?"
"That's right ... Basically, it will be construction work to improve the safety of the road, but whether it's building a fence or digging a moat, the first step is to clear the trees around the road."
"Before it's too late, my genus ..."
"No, if it's such a large-scale construction project, there's a possibility that the location of the road itself will change, so don't do anything about it yet."
According to Klaus-san, if the forest were to be cleared on a large scale, the route would have to be changed to make the currently winding road straight.
Not only would it be safe from monsters, but it also seemed it would have a deterrent effect against thieves, as they often attacked in places where visibility was poor.
"Will the meeting be held in Bakkenheim?"
"No, it's Breichberg. In three days, you will first send me to Marburg, and then you will send me to Breichberg with Norbert-jii."
The person named Norbert was the current Lord of Marburg, and he seemed to have inherited dwarf blood.
"However, it seems that the only thing he has inherited is their stubbornness, and has completely lost their craftsmanship. That shitty old man must have gone crazy."
It was natural for Klaus-san to be angry since he stopped the export of ore to Volzard due to his own sons' marriage dispute.
I was also curious about the state of the Gouken Oasis, so I'd like to quickly deliver the letter.
After hugging Beatriche, I hid in the shadows and headed for Marburg.
Before heading to the Marburg Household, I took a peek at the square in front of the cathedral.
The last time I visited, it was just before the export of ore to Volzard was stopped and traffic through the Irosun Great Forest was closed, and there were few people around and it was sparse and dismal with a desolate wind blowing through.
This time, I thought the situation would be even worse, but there were many people gathered in the square.
However, instead of being as lively as the previous festivals, there was a tense and disturbing atmosphere.
The places where people were crowding seemed to be the Marburg Guild and the mine managers, including the Robere Company.
The demands of the people gathered could be broadly divided into three.
The first was the disclosure of information regarding access to the Irosun Great Forest, and the only answer that could be given was that the Guild was currently gathering information on this and there was no prospect of reopening.
However, the people who had gathered were not convinced and did not seem to back down when asked to show them what measures would be taken and a prediction of when the road would reopen.
The second was to resume exporting ore to Volzard.
It seemed that the reason why exports were being stopped had not been disclosed to the public, and they were demanding that they show the reason why exports were being stopped and a plan for resuming exports.
Maa, it was because the offer of marriage to Ange-oneechan was rejected ... such a reason could not be said.
The third was the resumption of mine operations.
Since the export of ore to Volzard was prohibited, the mine's operations had been significantly reduced, and it seemed that operations had ceased since the Irosun Great Forest was closed to traffic.
If operations stopped, those working in the mines would lose their income and face difficulties in their daily lives.
"Reinhardt, if the situation doesn't get resolved, I feel like it's going to turn into a riot ..."
[ If the scale continues to grow like this, even the slightest chance could turn into a bloody situation. ]
As Reinhardt feared, in places where the Guild and company staff were responding, more and more people were raising their voices even while I watched, and the atmosphere was becoming more and more brutal.
[ Kent-sama, it would be better if you delivered the letter. ]
Indeed, if this crowd stormed the Lord's Mansion, it would be difficult to deliver the letter.
With Reinhardt's guidance, I headed for the Lord's Mansion.
The Marburg Mansion was located on a small hill overlooking the city.
I stepped out from the shadows in the woods on the side of the road leading to the mansion, and then I walked to the main gate, I saw four guards standing there.
At the left gatepost were two guards wearing navy blue knight uniforms, and on the other side were two guards wearing dark red knight uniforms.
I had a very bad feeling about this.
"Umm ... Is this the Lord's Mansion?"
"Right." "What's your business."
When I called out, the navy blue and dark red guards walked up to me one by one.
"Yes, I received a letter from Lord Klaus, Lord of Volzard, addressed to this Lord."
"Ooh, it's addressed to Ars-sama."
"No, no, it's probably addressed to Zalua-sama."
"Nope, it's a letter to Norbert-sama ..."
"Then, I'll take care of it."
"What are you saying, I'll take care of it."
My bad premonition turned out to be true, and the other two people joined in and they started debating who would be in charge of the letter.
[ Reinhardt, this means that the twin heirs are having trouble, right? ]
[ Probably, I suppose so. ]
Even Reinhardt, who I called out to using telepathy, seemed stunned.
"Umm ... It wouldn't be fair for the contents to be conveyed to only one of them, so why don't they open it and read it in a place where the two of them are together?"
"Muu, I see, that's right ..."
"Umu, then I have no objection."
And so, I was guided to the mansion, accompanied by one navy blue guard and one dark red guard.
"Before that, let me check your ID."
"Ahh, yes ... I'm an adventurer from Volzard, my name is Kent."
"S-rank is it ... are you kidding me."
"No, are you the adventurer who is called the 'Monster User'?"
"Yes, I think that's what they call me."
The navy blue guard didn't seem to know about me, but the dark red guard seemed to know about the rumors about the 'Monster User'.
Rather, you could tell just by the extent of the triumphant look floating on his face.
When I was guided by the two to the entrance of the mansion, again, I was greeted by a group of two butlers.
"I am serving as Ars-sama's butler. My name is Trazzini."
"My name is Malfo, Zalua-sama's butler."
"H, hello ... my name is Kent."
When I explained the situation at the entrance of the mansion, the two butlers led me to the reception room.
Somehow, I felt like I was playing the role of someone involved in a skit.
It would have been a complete comedy if two maids came out and served me two cups of tea, but as expected, the Maid-san was alone and there was only one cup of tea.
Even though my job was supposed to be just delivering a letter, I felt really tired.
The tea that was brewed had a wonderful aroma and taste, as one would expect from a Feudal Lord's mansion.
I enjoyed the moderate astringency when I put it in my mouth, the sweetness that followed, and the mellow aroma that passed through my nostrils.
I guess it's Donovan-san's influence that I'm starting to look like a tea fanatic.
When I had finished about half of my tea, I heard voices coming from the other side of the door.
I just noticed that on the opposite wall, there were similar doors on either side of the fireplace.
From the other side of the door, I heard a 'Ko~n ko~n' sound that sounded like a wooden board being hit with a mallet, and then the left and right doors opened at the same time and two men who looked very similar to each other came in.
Yup, it looks like a complete comedy after all.
"I am Ars." "I am Zalua."
"I, I'm an adventurer from Volzard, my name is Kent."
"Umu, you can sit down." "It's fine to sit down."
At the same time, they asked me to sit down, which made me wonder if they were really on good terms.
Because of the timing, I couldn't tell which was which.
The person who came in through the door on the left was a tall, slender man with bluish hair, and the other was a man with a short and stout build and brown hair.
"At once, however ..." "Klaus ..."
"Umm ... if it's like this ... shall I cut the seal?"
Every time they spoke a word, the timing and words overlapped, and the two of them looked irritated. When I suggested it to them, they both nodded at the same timing.
In front of them, I opened the letter and spread it out on the table so they could read it together.
Yup, it seems like the timing to continue reading is the same.
The letter stated that it had been decided that a meeting would be held by the Lords of Landshelt regarding the matter of the Irosun Great Forest, and that Klaus-san would come to pick them up in three days.
"Is this all?" "Is this all?"
"I was only asked to deliver the letter, so I don't know the contents."
Perhaps they thought this was a response to the marriage proposal, and the two of them looked clearly displeased, and curtly declared.
"Good work." "It's fine to return."
"Then, please excuse me."
When I got up from my seat and bowed my head, they both stood up at the same time and left the room without making eye contact.
This was the end of my role, but it would be inept to go back like this.
As I was about to leave the reception room, the Maid-san who had made the tea came to guide me.
"Umm ... I'm sorry. I forgot to ask the two of them, is Norbert-sama absent?"
"Danna-sama is resting because he is not feeling well."(TN:Danna here is the 'Master' version not the 'Husband' version.)
"Is that so, about the meeting in three days ..."
The Maid-san lowered her eyes for a moment and shook her head slightly.
"Please take care of yourself, would you please tell him that?"
"I certainly shall."
After being seen off by the Maid-san, I went out the front door, bowed to the four guards at the gate, and headed down the street towards the town.
[ Kent-sama, are you returning straight to Volzard? ]
[ Nope, of course I'll go home after doing some scouting. Could you please see if there's anyone following me? ]
[ Roger that. As expected of Kent-sama, there is no oversight. ]
[ I've trained a lot since I came here. ]
While Reinhardt checked to see if anyone was watching, I veered off the road into the forest, hid in the shadows, and returned to the Lord's Mansion.
