Episode 87
From early morning, guests arrived at Nahun’s office.
“Nahun-sama!”
“You’re back.”
It was Dein and Eri. They entered the office with what appeared to be very shocked expressions. Seeing their faces, Nahun vaguely realized what the two had seen.
Nahun slightly raised the corners of his mouth and spoke.
“Well, I guess things went well.”
“W-What was that!? People were… in such a strange way….”
The moment they saw that strange monster, Dein quickly took Eri and fled the building, leaving without looking back, returning to the Demon World.
If it weren’t for Dein’s agility, Eri might have become mere meat at that moment. Even Dein barely managed to pull her out in time.
After contemplating Eri’s question for a moment, Nahun brought up a topic.
“Eri, you asked what was in the artifact back then.”
“…Huh?”
“I’ll tell you.”
Nahun picked something up from the floor and placed it on the desk in the office. It was a mouse trapped in a small container. Without hesitation, Nahun flowed his magic power into the container holding the mouse.
Then something astonishing happened. The form of the mouse gradually distorted, and it transformed into a small monster with flesh grotesquely swelling. It looked just like… the monster that Dein and Eri had seen.
“This is the source of the unease you felt, Eri. When my magic power is too close to humans or ordinary animals, they cannot bear that power and grotesquely change in appearance. Naturally, they cannot maintain their sanity.”
“S-So this happened because of Nahun-sama’s power?”
“Yes.”
“Why would you bring something like that to the human realm…!?”
As Eri insisted, Dein stepped in to block her. Eri startled and looked at Dein, who spoke on her behalf.
“Eri was just curious, Nahun-sama.”
“…Dein.”
“Yes.”
“It’s fine to step back. I have no intention of scolding you today. Instead, I want to praise you for doing well.”
Nahun spoke generously.
“So, Eri, feel free to ask. If you have doubts, raise them. Even if there are grievances, you can speak them out. However…”
Golden eyes locked onto Eri. Instinctively, Eri felt fear and flinched.
“There will be no change in my policy. I always act for the Demon World… specifically, for the Debata forces. Using humans is nothing. You should have known that by now.”
They knew. Up until recently, Nahun had been capturing invading humans and distributing them as slaves. Eri, despite knowing this, had studied and worked under Nahun.
To ask now why such actions were taken against humans… would be nothing but hypocrisy.
“Then ask, Eri. What are you curious about?”
“…What does Nahun-sama hope to gain from this?”
“That might be a reasonable question. I’ll answer you.”
Nahun answered briefly.
“War in the human realm.”
“…What?”
Eri’s response was one of confusion. When Nahun had previously crossed over to the human realm with Seere, he had tried to quell the chaos. But now he intended to stir up a war, creating confusion.
When she asked about this, Nahun explained that the situation had changed.
“It has now become more advantageous to have chaos in the human realm, hence this approach.”
“But… what does the strange transformation of those humans have to do with the war?”
“Do you know where I sent you two to investigate?”
“Huh?”
“The Holy Kingdom.”
Nahun set the artifacts that he had passed to Eri and Dein back on the desk.
“I informed the Pope of the Holy Kingdom about the artifact. How do you think the Pope will act upon hearing this?”
“…….”
Eri and even Dein, who was listening, could not hide their shock. This was the first time they heard that Nahun had gone to the Holy Kingdom.
Before being a nation, the Holy Kingdom was a vast organization serving the Celestial Church. It ostracized anything related to magic, and thus the only recognized organization of magicians, the ‘Magic Association,’ did not exist in the Holy Kingdom. While there were magicians who acted individually like Eri five years ago, such a situation remained.
This Holy Kingdom discovers that Demon World items are circulating within the Bismarck Empire. Naturally, they wouldn’t let it slide easily.
“In the human realm… the two largest forces will clash once again.”
“Yes. The human realm will certainly plunge into chaos.”
Nahun leaned back in his chair and squinted his eyes slightly, questioning.
“Has your curiosity been satisfied?”
“…Yes.”
“But unexpectedly so. Eri, didn’t you let go of your infatuation with humans?”
Eri glanced at Nahun. He seemed to signal that it was fine for her to speak honestly, nodding slightly.
“I have no lingering feelings for humans. It’s just…”
Eri hesitated before continuing.
“The forced breakdown of the body and the collapse of the mind feels… unsettling….”
“…Get used to it.”
“…What?”
“If you intend to continue living under me, you need to get used to it. Otherwise, you too will crumble.”
Nahun simply advised and then turned to Dein.
“Dein, take Eri and let her rest. She looks quite exhausted.”
“…Yes, Nahun-sama.”
Dein gently nudged Eri to follow him, and without hesitation, she left the office with him.
Nahun ran his fingers through his hair. Then he muttered to himself.
“What you say is completely true. But…”
It could not be helped. A plan concocted by a lacking mind was limited to this. He knew that this was not ethically right.
And there was a significant reason behind such a decision.
“I feel no guilt.”
He felt not a shred of guilt.
—
Claude von Bismarck.
The emperor of the Bismarck Empire, which had grasped the greatest hegemony on the continent, was currently trembling while reading a letter before him.
“Excommunication!?! They are excommunicating me!!”
“Your Majesty! Please calm down…!”
“Do you think I appear calm? This mad old man from the Holy Kingdom has declared that I am to be excommunicated!!”
As Claude raged, a middle-aged man stepped forward and bowed his head.
“Your Majesty, may I speak?”
“…Marquis Everde.”
Claude pressed his temples and allowed the remark. Marquis Everde expressed gratitude before offering his opinion.
“It is likely due to the aberration that appeared previously in the Magic Association, including the Germania Magic Association.”
“…Yes, that might be the case. But do you know why these guys are declaring excommunication against us, Marquis!?”
Marquis Everde did not know. Naturally, the emperor had not yet disclosed the contents of the letter. Claude struck the armrest of the throne in an outburst of rage.
“They say we have been distributing Demon artifacts!!”
“…What?”
“They claim that the large trading houses based in Germania, including the Erhandt trading company, have been distributing Demon artifacts!!”
“Wait, Your Majesty… Is that true?”
“Would I ask if it were? We sent inspectors to several trading houses, yet we found no traces of contact with demons! The recent items distributed were just well-performing magic artifacts….”
As Claude spoke, he seemed to sense something off, his eyes widening. The same was true for the ministers present with Marquis Everde.
“…Wasn’t the place where that horrific monster appeared all from the Magic Association?”
“Yes, Your Majesty….”
Claude and the ministers were not fools. The recently distributed magic artifacts. Of course, the Magic Association was the one that had bought them in bulk.
And the Magic Association that purchased those artifacts in bulk had seen them come in contact with those terrifying monsters. Coming to this conclusion, Claude barked out an order.
“…Immediately detain the heads of the trading houses!! And find out who supplied the artifacts!”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
Marquis Everde rushed out of the throne room, carrying out the order. Claude pressed his temples with both hands, feeling slightly relieved from the headache.
“Huuh… Do you think the Holy Kingdom was unaware of this?”
“I believe they must have known. Given how our Empire has grown, they surely plan to balance their power by excommunicating you, Your Majesty.”
“So that’s it.”
Claude clenched his jaw tightly. He then declared to the assembled ministers.
“Hasn’t the North Alliance’s situation made it clear what happens when someone dares to touch our Empire? Then I must teach them personally!”
“Your Majesty, that statement….”
“It was something that had to be done eventually! It doesn’t matter if it happens a little earlier!”
As Claude stood up to declare war, someone stepped forward to the central hall.
“You mustn’t.”
“…What did you just say?”
“I said you mustn’t, Father.”
It was a woman with hair the color of the sky, adorned with elaborately embroidered golden decorations. She was the only one aside from Claude von Bismarck to possess the highest and most noble status in the Empire.
“Why do you say we mustn’t, Charlotte?”
Charlotte von Bismarck. She was Claude’s only blood relation and the second in line to the throne. Another blood relation was still much younger than Charlotte, but as a prince, he held the first claim to the crown.
Thus, Charlotte had early on given up her claim to the throne and sought to demonstrate her abilities by gaining a position in the military. Leading numerous battles to victory in the war with the Northern Alliance, she became the head of the military, wielding real power. While ultimate command lay with the emperor, she effectively led the army.
With Charlotte’s leadership, they achieved victory in the war against the Northern Alliance, making it impossible for Claude to ignore her statements.
“The wounds from the war with the Northern Alliance have yet to heal. If we recklessly attack the Holy Kingdom now, the Empire will walk the path to ruin.”
“Have you, as a military leader, stooped to such feeble words?”
“I am speaking realistically, Father. As you’ve pointed out, I am the leader of the military.”
Charlotte looked up at her father with emerald-like shining eyes.
“Thus, I am compelled to speak more objectively.”
“Then tell me this. If we accept the excommunication from the Holy Kingdom, the losses our Empire will suffer will be immense. How do you propose we counter that?”
“…It’s simple, Father.”
“Simple, you say?”
Charlotte nodded. Then she made a shockingly bold statement.
“We accept the excommunication and expel those who are excommunicated. If the Empire is to survive, that’s the only method.”
“…What?”
At that moment, with the exception of a few ministers present in the great hall, all other ministers, guards, and generals of the military drew their swords, beheading those who were unarmed.
“Ahhh!”
“Gah!”
“T-Treason…!”
Even calls of treason could not help any of them. Claude had thought Charlotte had already given up her claim to the throne. He had supported her when she obtained her position in the military.
But it was not so. She had kept a low profile for this moment, hiding her fangs and claws.
Though she appeared delicate, a great lion resided within. The lion of the Empire, with gleaming green eyes, looked at its prey—its father.
“Make sacrifices for the Empire, Father.”
