War General Kanbelis, as well as the men under his command, left Jiiteias Castle with the War Tribe standard fluttering proudly ahead.
After seeing them off, I returned to the castle together with Head Warrior Leid and the 10 warriors left behind to monitor me.
I first calmed down everyone who looked confused as to what had happened, then apologized earnestly to the dwarves.
The War Tribe warriors insisted on setting up their own camp, so I lent them a portion of the central courtyard.
When everything had somehow settled down somewhat, I gathered my nakama in my own room.
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"I"m sorry for having made you guys worried. Please listen to what I have to say."
I look into Claura"s, Sedam"s, and Leiha"s faces in turn. Unfortunately, it will be quite a while before Irudo gets back.
All of them are looking apprehensive. However, I must tell them the details of the conversation I had with the War Tribe.
As well as what I didn"t tell the War Tribe — the connection between my Door of Wizardry and focal points.
"...... Which is why, in order to ask for the decision of their Council of Elders and Miko, the War Tribe returned to their "Inn.""
I don"t really get the War Tribe"s sense, calling their base an inn. But for now, as it takes about one or two months to make a round trip from Jiietais Castle to their Inn (Kanbelis wouldn"t tell me its exact location when I asked), I"ve earned a bit of a postponement.
"Focal point, and prophecy, huh. Both sound quite troublesome."
"Goodness, such thoroughly unpleasant fellows they were, to the very end."
Of course, I"ve explained that I myself might be a focal point that calls forth Shadow Demons, but Sedam"s and Claura"s first responses are just that. As usual, Leiha refrains from proactively speaking up, but when I look towards her, she says this in a noncommittal tone.
"If you order me to, I can eliminate them any time you want."
Thank you. But that answer"s a bit off, okay?
"I"m very sorry about having kept quiet about the connection between my Door of Wizardry and the Shadow Demon nest. According to the War Tribe, I might possibly be an existence that calls forth a Bleed…… so……"
Those who wishes to leave may leave. Though my Reason insists that I should say that, I shut that part of myself up. For I am the worst of the worst, a selfish person who understands that these people would not leave even if I tell them to leave, and thus intends to take advantage of this goodwill of theirs.
And I am also a terrible coward who, when they get hurt because of this, wishes to hide behind the excuse "well this is what they chose."
The problem of the Shadow Demons has ceased to be a problem of this world, and has become my personal problem.
From here on, instead of me helping them, I"m going to need them to help me.
Which means I need to shoulder the responsibility for whatever it is that is going to happen.
In the end, I have no choice but to be the "Great Wizard."
"...... so I am going to need all of your help to resolve this problem. I leave myself in your capable hands."
"We got it, no problem."
"And that"s the way it should be."
"As Oluri commands, this Shi shall carry out."
Sedam casually winks. Claura throws her chest out in her usual prideful manner. Leiha places one hand on her chest and bows deeply.
It is the way they say things like this as if it"s nothing that makes me love these guys so much.
……
Oh no, I think I briefly teared up again. It"s problematic how tear ducts get looser when the human body ages.
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"But still, that story sounds more and more suspicious each time I think about it again."
When we turned our focus back to this topic, Sedam spoke up first.
"Does it? I was thinking it kind of made some sense……"
I had been unable to spot any inconsistencies even after shooting various questions at Kanbelis, so now I"m just tilting my head in puzzlement.
"You must be quite a religious person then. Do you really think prophecies are real? Those guys have soldiers capable of tailing a dark elf. With that ability to gather information, they are more than capable of finding Shadow Demon nests or Demonists by themselves."
"In other words, the difference is between prophecy and investigation?"
"It sounds like you were quite surprised at your own name coming up, but do you know how widely known your name has become in the Liuus Union within the past two months? It should be no surprise whatsoever for them to know your name."
"It is as Sedam-dono says."
Sedam"s hypothesis was immediately given a stamp of agreement from Leiha the intelligence gathering pro. Hmm, I guess they have a point.
"The thing about having prophesied about the second Bleed also sounds dubious. If they knew about it beforehand, then why couldn"t they have prevented it?"
"......Muu……"
Claura"s point, now that it"s been given voice, also sounds about right. Why didn"t it come to my mind when I was talking with Kanbelis.
Though I can think of a few possible answers, such as the focal point was running all around the place, or if it was too strong.
"Well, it is true that the War Tribe are experts on Shadow Demons. That"s what happens when you fight in someone else"s arena."
"If we also start doubting that Sight Demon item, then there would be no end, but…… at the very least, there is no need to completely swallow their whole story this point in time."
I see. Guess we need to look into the War Tribe"s real intentions or hidden circ.u.mstances. And also about Shadow Demons, and the new keyword "focal point."
But when I said this aloud, Sedam and Claura made difficult faces.
"Looking into the War Tribe would be quite difficult……"
"Since they have almost zero interaction with other people."
Though I"ve researched about Shadow Demons several times by now, I"ve only ever heard the War Tribe"s name, and nothing else about them. At the moment I have Leid, the "War Tribe of War Tribe" right here beside me (down in the courtyard), but I doubt he"d give me information so readily.
But then a thought occurs to me.
"Then what about the "Hero"?"
The War Tribe is descended from the nakama of the Hero, and Kanbelis said that it was the Hero who taught them about the focal point. Though not to the degree of "War Tribe," "Hero" is also a word that does not come up frequently. It might be equally difficult…… is what I had thought.
"Doesn"t the descendent of the Hero hold peerage or something like that in the Kingdom of Shulendal?"
"...... That he does."
Sedam got to display his knowledge again.
Oh wow, so there"s an actual Hero.
When I open my eyes wide in astonishment, Claura comes into my line of sight. For some reason, her eyes are totally swimming all over the place.
"So, how is it? You have relatives in Shulendal, don"t you? Do you know anything about it?"
"...... That"s, um…… yeeesss……"
Claura has a very unusual expression on her face. Upon Sedam"s pursuit, she reluctantly tells us.
"...... elder second cousin."
"Sorry?"
"My great-aunt"s grandson. In other words, my elder cousin is the current generation Hero, Aizel Yuzuki Kamil……"
I had heard previously that Claura has connections to the n.o.bility in Shulendal, but to think that it was straight to the Hero.
Supposedly, she got to meet "Hero Aizel" just once when she was young. Her own memory is apparently quite fuzzy, but it seems that he should still currently be somewhere in Shulendal. It"s generally a problem for the whereabouts of a n.o.ble holding peerage to be unknown, but as the direct descendant of the "Hero" he"s supposedly going around helping people and subjugating Shadow Demons.
I was totally convinced that this world didn"t have such a game-like character……
In the end, as the Hero"s current whereabouts are unknown, Claura is going to send a letter to her great-aunt requesting her cooperation. Her great-aunt is well-known within Shulendal as an intellectual due to her efforts training up scholars and magicians, so we might even receive some helpful advice from her.
Of course, once the Hero has been located, I intend to go to Shulendal in person.
Furthermore, I also decide to put in a request with the Adventurer"s Guild and Magician"s Guild to research about focal points and the War Tribe.
♥♦♣♠
After wrapping up that topic, we even discussed about hiring the dwarves for the construction of the trade route to Senpu Village and about the education of the former magic soldier trainees.
The thing about the focal point is a headache indeed, but for now let"s consolidate our position one thing at a time.
To get started with Disqus head to the Settings panel.
Chapter 62: Correspondence to the North
Volume 2
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