From the flow of conversation, you can infer that the existence called Irregular is a menace whom he, who controls the entirety of Saga Empire"s Intelligence Bureau, really cannot ignore.
More importantly, heroes--the Chief certainly did say that.
It seems that Saga Empire has summoned not only Hero Meiko but multiple heroes right after Hero Hayato defeated the demon lord in Dejima Island and returned home.
If academicians were to hear this, they would probably rack their brain hard as to where they got the enormous magic power needed to summon heroes and at what cost.
"Gotta be extra careful "bout things related to Irregular."
"Yes, we have taken an extreme caution against the Irregular"s proxy organization, E Firm. We"re concentrating our effort in lowering E Firm"s influence in the continent"s west through amicable means, please don"t worry."
The woman with plain face answered the Chief"s question.
"And, how "bout the plan there?"
"Then, in regards to the Labyrinth Highway Plan"s progress--"
The woman with plain face stood up and answered the Chief"s question.
"--About the Miasma Level at various places, they"re extremely low compared to our expectations."
She displayed a screen using Force Magic in front of the bone throne, and spoke about the detailed information.
According to that display, the miasma in Dejima, Selbiraa and Seryuu are especially low.
"It"s the Irregular"s fault ain"t it."
"There is no shred of doubt."
Tactician Touya affirmed the Chief.
"The channel to Dejima has been completely cut off. We have no choice but to stop the Labyrinth Highway Plan. We have to wait for the next opportunity."
"Yeap, dunno if it"ll take 100 or 200 years, but waitin" for the Irregular"s natural life to end would be the wise choice "ere eh"."
"Umu, in 66 years the Demon Lord Season will come anyway."
"Bein" born as a long-living race "s convenient at a time like this "ey."
It seems the "Opportunity" they speak about is connected to the [Demon Lord Season].
Their objective probably requires the miasma to thicken.
"Then next, we"re just gonna be careful "bout Emperor Rugan-han"s senile demands."
The Chief spoke as if he was persuading--no as if he was guiding someone.
"Babysitting the emperor is your job."
"Touyhan "s always strict ain"t ya."
After exchanging relaxed words, the gems lost its light once the Chief said, [Then, C"ya] and stopped speaking.
◇
"Touysam-will you be visiting the health resort in Buchi Forest?"
"Yes, that"s right."
"T-then, could I come along with you? J-just now, I felt like having a vacation."
"Yes, that"s right."
Tactician Touya answered the nervous woman with plain face as if his mind was somewhere else.
"I-I can?"
Without noticing Tactician Touya"s state, the woman with plain face jumped up in delight.
"I-I must get ready and buy some clothes! Cute clothes and attractive underwear--"
When the woman with plain face was muttering her delusion with her hands on her face and her back turned toward Tactician Touya, the gems on the bone throne suddenly s.h.i.+ned.
"--Looks like he"s gone."
At the bone throne"s words, the woman with plain face twitches.
"Yeah.... It felt like my heart got frozen still."
Touya collapses with his knees and hands on the ground, gasping.
Sweat run on his boy-like face like a waterfall, the light in his eyes is like that of a returned soldier who has seen h.e.l.l.
"It was far more terrifying compared to when I stood before G.o.d Zaikuon, as if my life--no my soul was going to be erased.... "
"Ain"t that rite". Even tho" he shouldn"t know where I was, I still got scared to death "ey."
While Tactician Touya was wiping his sweat with a handkerchief, the woman with plain face is going around restlessly in askance between the bone throne and Tactician Touya.
"U-um?"
"....He was here until a bit ago."
"Who was--could it be?!"
The woman with plain face, who couldn"t follow the Chief"s and Tactician Touya"s conversation, hit on a certain guess.
"Yeap, the Irregular came."
"No way. My s.p.a.ce Perception didn"t--"
The woman with plain face spoke in dismay about how her always-on pa.s.sive s.p.a.ce magic couldn"t detect anything.
"Since mine"s detection skills only sensed something incorrigible, it wasn"t just Mana Camouflage "ey."
"The High Elves and Ancestor King Yamato are on Irregular"s faction too. They must have techniques we aren"t aware of."
The Chief and Tactician Touya continued to exchange words while ignoring the woman with plain face.
"Guess we really hafta" give up the G.o.dbeater girl "fter all."
"Yeah, when were talking about taking her to our faction, his presence shook even only for an instant."
"Don"t poke the bear eh. The risk"s just too high."
Apparently, that was the reason why they went pale and quickly changed the subject.
"That"s right. We have a higher probability of surviving raiding the G.o.d"s Realm with white swords in hand."
"Hahahaha, ain"t that rite". Once Lord-san is restored, we"re goin" into full swing."
The woman with plain face drew her cheeks when she heard the two talking about the final war in the G.o.d"s Realm as if they were going to a pleasant quarrel.
"I didn"t brin" it up before, but "s the Seryuu City"s Labyrinth Highway Gate safe?"
"Yeah, the Labyrinth Highway--the gate to h.e.l.l is safe." Tactician Touya replied the bone throne.
"I was panicking when I heard the report about the Irregular appearing in the 『>』, but he left just like that after confirming Douma Third the 『>』."
"Really, all"s good then "ey."The Douma Third that Tactician Touya mentioned is a cricket monster that became the next [>] succeeding the Black Greater Demon."That"s the labyrinth created from the important 『Dungeon Seed』 we got from Tarou-han "fter all."
"Yes, you"re right.... Either way, without the pa.s.sage beyond the gate, we cannot go to the moon to release the seal."
Tactician Touya"s eyes had a sorrowful look for an instant, but he quickly regained his calm.
""s it impossible for even the elf sage Trazayuya "ey?"
"Don"t call me with that name. The foolish Trazayuya had chosen to erase his self when he turned into a demon lord."
Tactician Touya spoke as if vomiting.
"I discarded my name and sealed the memory of my former life when I reincarnated, that guy--the me of this life was an elf through and through. He even gave up life rather than living as a demon lord...."
This was in a book left by the elf sage Trazayuya.
--We elves have poor attachment to life. When we"re driven into a corner, the struggle we do is surprisingly weak compared to other races.
Apparently, that included him.
"Can"t Touyhan make" a s.p.a.ce Engine by slowly learnin" and drinkin" some good liquor this time?"
"It"s impossible. How far do you think the moon is. Using Jules Verne and this girl"s s.p.a.ce magic have a higher probability of success."
Tactician Touya implied that even the Sub-Dimensional s.h.i.+p Jules Vernee and the woman with plain face"s s.p.a.ce magic can"t be used to go to the moon.
"The Irregular"s Unique Skill could probably do, but that"s not allowed "fter all."
"Yea, that is the only thing we have to prevent no matter what."
The woman with plain face looked at the Tactician Touya like she wanted to know the reason, but he didn"t speak further about that.
◇
"Someone! Anyone come hereeeeee! His Majesty is! His Imperial Majestyyyyyyyy"s!"
The next morning, a Saga Empire"s lady"s maid"s scream tore off the morning quietness.
Guard soldiers and senior servants who sensed the abnormality rush into the Emperor"s bedroom.
The naked bodies of the aged emperor and beautiful young ladies who have come of age are exposed in the large bedroom.
"Eh, Your Majesty."
Yet the gazes of the people who had rushed into the room weren"t directed at the bodies of the beautiful young ladies, but at a huge blue sword hanging on top of the bed.
The huge sword is fixed in the air through either s.p.a.ce magic or force magic, hanging one foot above the pale emperor"s forehead.
The emperor is staring at the huge sword without blinking, his body is trembling like he"s convulsing.
The emperor doesn"t move an inch even though his eyes are tossing about from the tip of the sword.
"Save His Majesty!"
"""OU!"""
"Wait!"
Someone stopped the guards who were going to move as instructed by a senior servant.
"Empress Wilyan-sama? Why did you stop us!"
"His Majesty is paralyzed. Moreover, that big sword is linked with the paralyze magic, it will likely take His Majesty"s life if you untie it carelessly."
Empress Wilyan is the mother of Princess Maryest who served as a Hero Hayato"s follower.
She is an outstanding magician like her daughter.
The royal court magicians whom she called take more than two days trying to release the huge sword aiming at the emperor"s forehead, during that time, the emperor has to s.h.i.+ver in fear without even being able to blink.
Even after the emperor has been rescued, that huge sword continues to stay at that place, any kind of magic is unable to remove it.
And dreadfully enough, it seems even the holy swords brandished by Saga Empire"s heroes couldn"t break that huge sword.
And, despite the gag order, this story is spread among many people.
"Did you hear?"
"Yea, about the Sword of Damocles right?"
Since the huge sword"s creator"s name is Damocles, people call the huge sword made from Adamant.i.te alloy [Huge Sword of Damocles].
However, there is one thing that remains a secret here.
That is the words written on the huge sword.
Which are--[I"ll overlook it this once. There is no next time.]
Those words were conveyed to the next emperor of Saga Empire and the prime minister by the Empress Wilyan, not Rugan Second who abdicated the throne under the pretext of bad health.
"Who wrote that", from a highly reliable guess that would be....
※ Next update [15-43. New World] is planned for 2/5.