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Chapter 144
Chapter 144 – It seems to be a Bad Story
Since the matter of the Fang King going mad, the treatment Renya and the others received in the beastmen’s royal castle has become extremely pleasant.
As for the Fang King, who lost consciousness after being attacked and thrust into the bathroom, Renya handed him over to the castle’s guards after casually dragging him around with a somewhat fickle feeling.
Renya hasn’t seen the Fang King since then.
Even when Lobelia, who gave off a somehow haughty and wanton impression when they met for the first time, came to apologize while kowtowing, he didn’t accompany her.
Since Lepard along with Kaede acted together with Renya and the others as usual, Renya tried to indirectly ask the two about it, but Lepard only averted his eyes in silence and Kaede answered with the following:
“He has received the proper treatment for his behavior during that incident.” (Kaede)
Without putting any emotions in her voice, the temperature of her tone was close to absolute zero.
Given that the Fang King mentioned peeping all too readily, it means that the act itself seems to not be spited much by the beastmen. Renya worried that they might be too broad-minded, but apparently that wasn’t the case at all.
“…He’s the king, isn’t he?” (Renya)
“Yes, he was…ah, no…yes, he is.” (Kaede)
Due to Kaede deliberately correcting herself, Renya sensed something cold hearted and thus timidly asked,
“Is the next selection battle…possibly close?” (Renya)
Being judged as unsuitable for a high position, a person is treated as having died to illness after a while of confinement; even in Renya’s previous world that’s a story that occasionally takes place.
Ronya wondered whether the Fang King, who incurred Lobelia’s anger, wouldn’t be disposed of in secret, but with those thoughts apparently being completely groundless, Kaede sighs while shaking her head and denies it with,
“As expected, going that far is…something like being treated as having died from illness over peeking at the women’s bath is a story that must not be recorded in our history…though there are many of us who want that to happen.” (Kaede)
Kaede was expected to cleverly feign friendliness on the human continent, but after coming here, her real thoughts sporadically leaked out, especially with that incident where she couldn’t suppress her anger at all.
I wonder what would have happened if even Lepard plunged into that bathroom with the energetic words “Leave it to me!” Renya ponders.
Did Lepard’s instinctive danger senses kick in? When Renya broke through the wall and the light shone through the opened hole, he understood that something risky is going on and immediately left the place, avoiding any troubles with that.
Apart from Lepard, GrĂźn, who has a much better senses, vanished into the darkness before even the hole opened.
“You are Lepard’s lover, aren’t you? That’s a major issue, right? That thing is going to become your father-in-law, you know?” (Renya)
Renya said so with the intention to make fun of her, but Kaede nodded with glazed eyes as these words had apparently very deeply stabbed into her heart for a change.
“That’s…right…yes. My hope right now is that Lepard hasn’t inherited even the slightest trait from that thing. The sole salvation is that because of that’s approval of Lepard’s and mine relationship, that thing ha…the Queen can’t make any movements that are too powerful, I guess.” (Kaede)
“Just now you suddenly broke off mid-sentence…” (Renya)
Renya becomes worried about the future of the beastmen race.
Returning to the topic: Seemingly intending to apologize for the Fang King’s mental derangement, Renya’s party was given even more luxurious and spacious rooms than the guest rooms that had been assigned to them at the beginning and even the meals were the same dishes as those eaten by the royal family.
Originally the highest level of hospitality was apparently to share the table with the royal family, but since the cause for this time’s incident was royalty, and even more so the most important member of the royal family, it would likely be rude towards Renya’s group instead and thus Lobelia never invited them to have a meal together.
Moreover they were even provided with maids to take care of their personal needs, but on top of their numbers getting close to almost twice that of before, it made Renya wrack his brain a lot because, for some reason, only girls of marriageable age, which still had some childish characteristics remaining, had been gathered.
At first Renya wondered whether it might be the beastmen’s concern that those kinds of girls at marriageable age might be better, going by Kurz’ appearance, but he felt that to be a somewhat weak reasoning.
In the first place, since they will be doing a lot of physical work, assigning a task that’s beyond their power to small girls makes no sense.
Also, considering the tastes of my party members, there’s no one that openly prefers little girls.
He considered the suspicion that either Lepard or Grün might be one of those life-forms called Lolicon, but Grün is a serious hero and if you look at Kaede’s figure, who’s going steady with Lepard, it’s absolutely unbelievable for him to have that kind of preference.
Unable to reach a conclusion after thinking about it in various ways, Renya tried asking Kaede about that matter.
“We gathered women at an age that you would most likely forgive in case something went wrong.” (Kaede)
“The reason for your selection of personnel is far too black-hearted,” Renya sat down on the spot.
Certainly Renya often shows a very lenient reaction towards young children.
There’s also the matter of him having continued to receive the protests and the concentrated attacks by the small fists of the childish priestesses silently without any resistance.
Considering the fact that I was at an age where I could very well be called grandpa before I came to this world, this might be the mental state of an old person looking fondly at their willful grandchildren which might have been deeply ingrained into my body, even with my memories having been erased, Renya thinks, but why it’s actually like that, even Renya himself doesn’t quite understand.
However, Renya considers the black-heartedness of Kaede, who does things expressly aiming at that character trait of his, to be far too awful.
Even so, because he somehow calmed down by watching the little maids work with all their might, matters really proceeded in the direction Kaede had aimed for.
“It became a feast for your eyes, didn’t it?” (Kaede)
“If you are going for that direction, then bring maids that are a bit more curvy.” (Renya)
Renya reflexively answered Kaede, who asked him that nonchalantly, but later it caused a situation where he was rushed by female maids, who were not inferior in muscularity to Lepard, in great numbers, wrapping their bodies in a combination of maid skirts for the lower part and bikinis for the upper part with their abs and thick arms shining dazzlingly with oil.
It turned into a situation where Renya quite seriously chased Kaede with a cramped face, believing it to be necessary to have once a proper talk with her due to the personnel selection that made her spite all too obvious, although those maids certainly had bodies possessing plenty of curviness.
Though Kaede, who had the locational advantage in this game of tag, wanted to win by getting away.
One day a message from Lobelia indicating that she wished to talk reached Renya and the others, who had spent several days in the castle like that.
Renya, who felt cold sweat run down his spine upon Lobelia’s invitation, telling them that she wishes to speak with everyone including Kaede and Lepard, as he wondered whether they might be given warnings because of having kicked up too much of a fuss, gathers the other members and visits the room designated by Lobelia.
The room was similar to a conference room with a circular table large enough that it allowed everyone to sit around it.
Lobelia, who waited for them in the room, encourages Renya’s group to sit down and starts to operate some kind of tool when everyone had taken a seat.
Nothing in particular changed or happened, but Renya’s perception was able to pick up some kind of sorcery being at work.
“I don’t believe anyone lurking around to listen in, but…just for caution’s sake.” (Lobelia)
Lobelia says, apparently sensing a need to give an explanation due to Renya’s expression.
From those words, Renya guessed that Lobelia probably applied a soundproof mechanism by using some kind of tool in the room they are currently in.
“Sorry for summoning you. It’s a story that must not be heard by others.” (Lobelia)
It was Lobelia’s usual tone, but her voice was somewhat powerless.
From just that Renya judged that the details he will hear next are likely nothing good.
“No, well…we are in a situation where we are currently allowed to play around in the king’s castle.”
“It’s something else. It’s me who called you to talk.” (Lobelia)
“Your Majesty did? Just what might be your business with us today? Did you possibly make up your mind to soon abdicate?” (Kaede)
Lepard starts trying to reign Kaede in, who began to spew out venom right away, but for some reason Lobelia, who would normally bite back, remains quiet this time.
With her palms placed on top of the table, she only looks at Kaede while smiling bitterly.
Even the agitated Kaede senses that something’s different from usual due to Lobelia’s behavior and watches her.
“If that were to be tolerated…abdication might be the easy way out. Renya, today I prepared three topics: an inconsequential one, a slightly bad one and a very bad one. Which one do you want to start with?” (Lobelia)
“Isn’t there any good story among them…?” (Renya)
Even while feeling dejected, Renya selects the inconsequential story for the time being, thinking that he should probably listen to the stories with the level of severity going up in steps.
“The moron’s punishment has been decided.” (Lobelia)
“Ah, the Fang King’s?” (Renya)
Almost everyone present wondered what to think of it being clear who was being referred to using the single word moron, but neither Lobelia nor Renya looked as if they cared about such a thing.
After the Fang King was utterly defeated by Renya, he hadn’t shown himself once until this very day.
“As expected, execution is impossible. I guess it will end up being some money as consolation payment for the troubles caused. Also we will supply you with your desired products at a low price through the transfer gate, Renya. I wonder, can I have you compromise with just this much?” (Lobelia)
While thinking, I wouldn’t have wished for his execution either way, Renya looks at Shion, Rona and Mayria in turns.
As soon as the three noticed Renya’s eyes pointed at them, they nodded as if telling him, “We leave it to you.”
“Since there are no objections from the victims, it will be alright with that.” (Renya)
“Sorry. I will let the civil officials go through the details at a later time. This is the inconsequential story. Next?” (Lobelia)
While harboring the faint hope, Seeing as the inconsequential story was at such level, won’t the remaining two stories actually be nothing of significance?, Renya chooses the slightly bad story.
Lobelia nodded and started to speak clearly and slowly after taking a single deep breath as if to calm herself down.
“There was a message from the human continent. …It seems the demon king’s descent has been confirmed.” (Lobelia)
For a moment an uproarious atmosphere spread in the room.
While everyone’s faces became stiff in surprise, Renya shrugged his shoulders without any particular change in his expression.
“I see, so that’s the slightly bad story. In the first place, with the summoning of the human hero, it was almost definite for the demon king to appear sooner or later, right?” (Renya)
“That is so. However, this time the interval between the hero summoning and the oracle of the demon king’s descent has been a bit long.” (Lobelia)
Upon Lobelia’s words, Shion, Rona, Mayria, Lepard, Kaede, Croire and Grün nod.
Renya is unable to respond as he doesn’t know how long it usually takes, and Kurz as well as Frau are entirely relaxing their attention on top of their chairs as if it’s a trivial matter.
It was something Renya and the others don’t know, but there was actually a reason for this large interval between the hero summoning and the demon lord announcement.
It’s the drama about the human supervisor change.
Originally there should be almost no pause between the hero summoning and the oracle, but if you limit the talk to this time, the hero Yuuki suddenly started a war and in addition the human supervisor focused on just that matter.
Moreover, afterwards the human supervisor was beaten senseless by Giliel, who invaded the human supervisor’s domain.
And on top of that, Giliel, who took over as human supervisor, caused it to take a very long time from the summoning to the oracle as she didn’t know about its existence.
Giliel, who learned from the information she extracted from the trashed human supervisor that she has to inform the humans of the demon king’s descent in an oracle, hurriedly handed down an oracle to all places across the human continent.
Of course these kind of circumstances are matters concerning the gods, and thus there’s no way for Renya and the others to be aware of them.
“Oh well, the feeling Finally, huh? is strong. Moreover, for some reason no oracle has been handed down to the church officials of the human’s Holy Kingdom. It was apparently sent to the governments of all other nations.” (Lobelia)
“That’s great to hear. The church has certainly completely lost face.”
“That part doesn’t matter at all though. With this all military forces of the continents will enter a state of war against the demons.” (Lobelia)
Even if she mentions the word state of war, it’s not the kind where they will invade the demon continent with all of the continents’ forces.
The forces will converge on one of the four continents and it will become the main goal to create a path to the demon capital said to house the demon king.
The other three continents will commit to a non-aggressive defense with the remaining forces.
It’s a procedure owed to the fact that only the hero is considered capable of facing off against the demon king in the end.
“Soon the heads of all races will gather for a conference to determine the route that will be used to head towards the demon king’s castle.” (Lobelia)
“Either way, it’s an important matter and it’s a war that won’t end in a single day, right?” (Renya)
“That’s certainly true. The area inhabited by the demons is vast and their resistance will be extreme. I can’t predict how long it will take to just secure a route to the demon king’s castle.” (Lobelia)
What a tedious story, Renya shakes his head.
It’s something he can’t tell anyone, but knowing that all these events are only the supervisors’ playing around, he feels even more depressed.
“So, if the slightly bad story is at such level…what kind of story will the extremely bad story be?” (Renya)
“Ah, yea…about that…” (Lobelia)
Lobelia is evasive.
Due to Lobelia having started to ponder about how to talk about it, everyone feels convinced that it must be a considerably bad matter.
They wonder, isn’t it an unimaginably bad story since even that Lobelia, who talked about the demon king’s descent forthrightly, falters to speak up?
Lobelia let her eyes wander for a while, and opened and closed her mouth several times, but before long she apparently resolved herself and said the following a bit rushed,
“Communication with the dragonoid continent has ceased. Even the transfer gates stopped working.” (Lobelia)
The one who grasped the situation first was Renya after all.
While the other members begin to wonder about how this information is worse than the demon king’s descent, he mutters,
“Does that mean that the demon have already started invading?” (Renya)
“I don’t know. Right now we haven’t checked whether it’s a disorder of the transfer gates themselves. But, if this is because of the destruction of the transfer gates on the dragonoid’s side, it’s very likely that the dragonoid continent is already in a state of combat, if you consider it normally.” (Lobelia)
They destroyed them or they were destroyed.
Either way, if it’s not trouble related to the sorcery of the transfer gates, it means that the transfer gates installed on the dragonoid continent’s side have been destroyed.
The destruction of transfer gates, which can’t be set up at a moment’s notice, won’t happen as long as there are no extreme circumstances in the area where they have been installed.
In that case, if you also consider it in combination of the timing for the oracle’s arrival, the possibility of them being invaded is somewhat high.
While thinking so, Renya clicked his tongue quietly.
“Then I guess the communication with the dragonoid’s hero has ceased as well…” (Renya)
“Right now we are seeking information from the human continent and the elven continent. If he managed to run away to either continent before the path was been cut off, he will be fine.” (Lobelia)
Both, Lobelia and Renya, consider that possibility to be unlikely.
Lobelia doesn’t believe that the hero is someone who would abandon his own country, which is under attack, to escape to another country. Renya, who has directly met him, couldn’t think of that hero as the type who would desert under enemy fire.
The probability of him having died is likely low as well, Renya estimates.
At least Renya couldn’t consider that dragonoid hero to be a person who would die so easily either way.
“It’s a matter that’s difficult to judge, but…it’s indeed an extremely bad story.” (Renya)
In order to look away from his comrades, whose faces are turning pale after beginning to understand the heaviness of the situation, Renya looked up to the ceiling and sighed very deeply.
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