by Hyougetsu
The room had two doors, one leading to the outside corridor and another leading to a room further in. The room had a person in it. From the faint sounds and scents I could pick up, there was a single armed man inside. That’s gotta be Belken. Through the door, I heard him speak.
“O shimmering lord who sits in the vast sky, lend me your dazzling guidance and sweep aside this darkness. Bequeath unto me your warmth...”
He was saying a Sonnenlicht prayer. It’s probably better not to disturb him right now. Since all the guards were downstairs, I decided to leisurely wait in the conference room. I debated transforming back into my human form, but since I was sneaking in here uninvited, I figured I should stay as a werewolf up until the viceroy walked in.
From the looks of it, Belken was negotiating in secret with the Rolmund Empire. I needed to sound like I’d already learned everything if I wanted to pressure him into negotiating favorable terms with me. The secret to successful negotiating was coming on strong, then backing down and showing you could be reasoned with.
This was also a good opportunity to find out what Rolmund thought of the Southern Commonwealth. I walked over to the head of the table, sat down in the chair closest to the hearth, and laid the Werewolf Slayer in front of me. Of course, once he finished his prayers, I planned to move to a different seat.
The heat of the fire and the sound of crackling wood felt quite pleasant. Judging by the sound, it was likely chestnut wood that was being used as firewood. I’d heard that chestnut produced the most soothing sounds when burned. I listened quietly as Belken finished his prayers with a solemn hymn. Just as I was starting to get fidgety, the door opened.
“Wha—!?” Belken exclaimed in surprise. He had a solid physique and a stern face. At a glance, I could tell he was a skilled warrior. Crap. I wanted to greet him first, but he opened the door too quickly. As a result, he saw me lounging in the conference room like I owned the place. Moreover, I was still in my werewolf form.
Like many of the veteran viceroys I’d met, Belken quickly got over his surprise. Though he was still nervous, he didn’t try to attack me, or scream for help. Not only did he have a lot of self-control, he was good at assessing the situation. Meanwhile, I was regretting my carelessness. God, I wish I could just crawl into a hole right now. Belken’s dignified reaction just made my rudeness seem worse. Oh well, guess I’ll have to stick to the act.
“Greetings, Sir Viceroy. I am a Councilor of the Meraldian Commonwealth, Veight.”
I know I’m the one who decided to come here, but in retrospect, it really makes no sense for a member of the Southern Commonwealth to be here. Belken must have been thinking the same thing. Cold sweat poured down his forehead and he muttered, “Veight... you mean the Black Werewolf King!? You came here in person!?”
“Indeed. I despise how slow things proceed when I use messengers.”
I already gave off a bad first impression, so I figured I might as well stick with the evil villain act for now. I gestured to the Werewolf Slayer laying on the table.
“Recently, I found this sword on the outskirts of Zaria. I have heard that this Werewolf Slayer is an heirloom of the Defourd family. And so, I have come here to return it to you.”
I’ll apologize for breaking it later. Belken steadied his breathing and replied, “You mean to kill me?”
“If I wished to kill you, I would have sent you to meet your maker while you were still praying. No, your death is not what I desire. I came here to return this sword to you, and to discover what it is you are plotting.”
Warily, Belken stepped into the room.
“That Werewolf Slayer was taken from us by force. We didn’t send a single soldier to help the Senate’s invasion.”
“I am aware. I am also aware that your actions have created a rift between you and the Senate. Which has led you to strengthen your ties with the Rolmund Empire.”
Half of that was just conjecture, but if I was wrong I could just bluff my way out of it. Belken placed his hands on the back of a nearby chair, but it seemed he lacked the courage to sit in my presence.
“I should have expected as much from the Black Werewolf King. So you know everything... But then what is it you’ve come to discuss?”
“Why, it’s simple. I wish to know how your alliance with Rolmund will affect the Commonwealth.”
I really was just curious. The Commonwealth had no intention of expanding into the north, so its affairs weren’t any of our business. As long as their designs didn’t involve invading us, we could strike a mutually beneficial deal. Belken grimaced and replied, “Well... unfortunately, I don’t know the answer to that myself.”
What? Unbelievably, he didn’t seem to be lying either. Just then, I heard footsteps. Whoever was approaching was trying to be stealthy, but I could make out the noises clear as day. I didn’t know who it was, but they were highly trained and armed.
“By the way, Sir Belken. It seems someone is approaching us.”
The moment I said that, the door creaked open.
A young girl wearing a warrior’s garb walked into the room. She seemed to be around the same age as Airia. She had long black hair, pale skin, and a sagacious look in her eyes. Though she was wearing armor, she carried no sword. In fact, she was unarmed. But she was carrying a thick book under her arm. My guess was she was some kind of civil servant. The crest engraved on her breastplate was one I didn’t recognize. I had more or less memorized the crests of the 17 cities, so I knew it didn’t belong to any of them. I guess this is a Rolmund crest? Upon seeing me the girl said, “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Black Werewolf King Veight. I suppose you need an introduction?”
That’s a lot of confidence. I had no clue who she was so I nodded and replied, “If you would be so kind.”
The girl puffed her chest out and declared proudly, “I am the sixth auxiliary imperial princess of the Holy Empire of Rolmund, Eleora Kastoniev Originia Rolmund. It’s a long name to remember, so just call me Eleora.”
Ah, she’s a princess. Would a princess really be visiting foreign countries like this, though? Is she telling the truth? As if reading my thoughts, Eleora smiled and added, “To think a princess of Rolmund and the most important member of the Southern Commonwealth would be meeting here, in a city of the Meraldian Federation. Don’t you find that strange, Lord Veight?”
“Fufu... I guess so.”
She’s taking control of the conversation. I wasn’t very good at dealing with pushy women like her. Probably because they reminded me of someone. I suddenly feel like going home. If Rolmund’s princess was here in person, it’d be hard to get any information on their plans out of Belken. Panicking, the viceroy said, “Princess Eleora, it’s too dangerous for you to be here!”
Eleora grinned sardonically and said, “Is there anywhere it’s safe for a princess? Don’t worry, there’s plenty of replacements for me.”
You’d think princesses would be irreplaceable, but she did say she was the sixth. I guess there’s a lot of them. Unperturbed by my presence, Eleora walked over to the conference table.
“So this is the famed Defourd family heirloom, the Werewolf Slayer.” She looked at Belken, then back at me. “May I examine it?”
That was implicitly asking me whether it was okay to hold a weapon in my presence, and asking Belken whether it was permissible to handle his heirloom. Of course, it no longer posed a threat to werewolves, so I didn’t mind. I nodded, and Belken did as well. Though, I still haven’t apologized for breaking the enchantment. Please don’t find out until I do. Eleora unsheathed the massive sword from its scabbard and looked it over.
“If I could just examine the magic formula imbued into the sword our smiths would be able to replicate this weapon, but...”
Crap. Please don’t look at it. Eleora gave Belken an innocent smile.
“But examining a sworn ally’s heirloom without permission would be quite rude of me.”
I breathed a sigh of relief, and Eleora turned her
scrutinizing gaze onto me.
“I must say, you’re quite brave, Lord Veight. Legends of this blade’s strength have reached even Rolmund, yet you seem wholly unafraid of it.”
Before I’d destroyed its enchantment, the blade had enough magical power to cut through a werewolf like a chainsaw. Even a little girl could deal a fatal blow to a werewolf with it. But now that I’d destroyed the enchantment, it was like a chainsaw with a broken motor. Hardly something to be afraid of. But the flow of the conversation was making it harder and harder to apologize for breaking it. I smiled, and in an attempt to change the subject, said, “Sworn ally, you say?”
“Indeed.”
Eleora resheathed the blade and proffered it to Belken.
“How much do you know about the relationship between Rolmund and the Meraldian Federation, Lord Veight?”
I knew pretty much nothing. There was no benefit to lying, so I answered honestly.
“Unfortunately, I am but a poor country bumpkin. I know nothing of the two nations’ history.”
Eleora grinned.
“I see... so you plan to play the fool until the very end.”
No, seriously, I don’t know a damn thing. Please enlighten me. Eleora stroked the spine of the book she was holding and walked closer to me.
“I never imagined the slaves who fled through the mountains three hundred years ago would be capable of building such a vast nation.”
Slaves, huh? Now I see. The residents of northern Meraldia were descendants of slaves who’d escaped from Rolmund. Meaning even the members of the Senate were descended from slaves. Pretending as though I understood the whole situation, I replied, “I imagine you must have found it rather humorous that they created their own Senate.”
Eleora sneered.
“Most certainly. To think those lowly slaves would try to imitate the government of their betters. When I heard they had a Senate I burst out laughing.”
I see, so Rolmund works under a similar system. However, Eleora added, “Rolmund hasn’t even had a Senate in centuries. As befitting of an empire, we now have a monarchy. No doubt this country’s Senate will share a similar fate to ours.”
This girl’s scary. The things she was saying were scary enough, but on top of that, she was looking for an opening to attack me. I could tell from the smell of her sweat. Though I had no idea what she planned to attack me with, since I couldn’t see any weapons on her. As I was thinking that, Eleora adjusted the thick book in her hands. Between the tops of the pages, I caught a glimpse of something I recognized very well. A gun muzzle. So that’s what your weapon is. The moment she pointed the muzzle at me I got to my feet.
“Don’t. Unless you want to die here and now.”
Eleora’s hand froze and her lips curled up into a grin.
“I can’t believe you saw through my Blast Grimoire. You truly are a monster.”
I knew it was a weapon. Though I smelled no gunpowder from the book, I’d sensed the flow of mana around it change. I guess it’s some kind of mana-powered gun... hidden inside a book. Damn, this girl really is scary. Eleora put her Blast Grimoire down on the table and raised her hands to show she was unarmed.
“I just wanted to see if you knew about this weapon or not. And it seems I have my answer.”
Sure, and if I hadn’t, you would have shot me. Maybe I should put some pressure on her.
“I would not recommend testing me. I’m known for having a short temper.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Despite my threats, Eleora was unfazed. I didn’t want to be in the same room as this woman a minute longer. It was time to go home.
“Sir Belken. I apologize for dropping in uninvited.”
“Oh, I don’t mind. I owe you a great debt for returning the Werewolf Slayer to me.”
He bowed to me, and I suddenly felt very guilty. However, his next words made me a little relieved.
“To be honest, I would have been glad to get even a piece of the hilt back. But thanks to you, I will be able to enshrine the sword in my family mausoleum once more.”
Good. As long as you don’t try to slay any werewolves with it. Because then you’ll discover it’s broken. Alright, time to make my exit.
“I have fulfilled my objective, and so will be taking my leave for the night. Just know that the Commonwealth has no desire to interfere with Rolmund’s policies. In fact, we would like to establish trading relations in the near future.”
Eleora nodded in response.
“Understood. The Rolmund Empire will stay out of the Commonwealth’s affairs.”
I could tell she was lying, but pretending to believe her was the best choice for now.
“That is most reassuring, Princess. Let us meet again at a more fitting venue.”
“Of course.”
Careful not to get shot from behind, I leapt out of the window and into the night. What on earth is with that girl?
* * * *
—Viceroy Belken’s Regrets—
By the time I ran to the window, the werewolf was already running down the mountain slope. In seconds he’d melted away into the dark night. His leg strength was unbelievable. So that’s the legendary werewolf. I turned around and saw Princess Eleora touching her earring and muttering something.
“Have squad two search the city. Someone as powerful as the Black Werewolf King would not have come here alone. I suspect his men are somewhere in the city. Check the inns, the merchant guilds, the Sonnenlicht churches, and any other public locations that might be suspicious. But don’t lay a hand on any of his men if you find them. Have squad three split up and investigate everywhere within a five bowlength radius of the city.”
That earring was also likely a magical invention of Rolmund’s. Noticing my gaze, Eleora looked up at me and smiled.
“So that was the rumored Black Werewolf King. His sense of smell is quite impressive.”
The reports I’d received claimed that Ryunheit’s Black Werewolf King was a peerless warrior and a master strategist. In fact, there were rumors that he was the true Demon Lord. The theory certainly did seem likely. Evidence suggested that he was the one who’d slain Arshes, the man who’d actually been a Hero. Just thinking about what would have happened had he truly felt inclined to fight Eleora sent shivers down my spine.
“Princess Eleora, you are aware of his strength, aren’t you?”
“I know. That was careless of me.”
Surprisingly, Princess Eleora admitted her mistake. She looked down and picked up her magical grimoire. There was a faint metallic clink and the black hole that had been visible through the book’s pages retracted.
“But I can’t believe he knew about even the Blast Grimoire. Now my hands truly are tied.”
“The man is a genius strategist as well as a warrior. When the Senate assassinated Zaria’s viceroy and tried to frame him for the crime, he exposed their plot and convinced Zaria to join him.”
Upon hearing of the Senate’s foolish scheme, Eleora laughed.
“Hah. I suppose that means he knows all about my mage corps as well.”
“Are you referring to your personal bodyguards?”
“I was keeping their existence secret because they’re my biggest trump card, but it appears even they won’t be enough.” Eleora lapsed into thought for a few seconds. “I don’t feel safe with just my bodyguards and your troops, but winter is nearly upon us. How goes progress on the tunnel?”
“My engineers are working as fast as they can. Any faster, and there’s a risk of the tunnel collapsing. There aren’t any other men I can recruit that I would trust to keep this secret, either.”
“Alas. I had hoped to stockpile munitions and men during the winter, but...”
Eleora’s expression grew serious.
“I did prepare for the possibility that the Senate or the Commonwealth would catch wind of our plan before preparations were complete. It’s time we switched to our backup plan. Are negotiations with Draulight going well?”<
br />
“For now they’re willing to cooperate. They’re as close to the mountains as we are, and my wife is from there. I doubt they’ll betray us.”
Draulight, the city of peaks, sat on the northernmost tip of Meraldia. Like us, they were also negotiating with Rolmund. And like us, they were preparing to house Rolmund’s army when it finally arrived. Eleora nodded, but then said, “That is good to hear. But you shouldn’t be so trusting of your relatives. In fact, you should mistrust those closest to you most of all.”
She’s said things like that before, too. I guess Rolmund’s internal situation must be complicated. Of course, I didn’t trust Eleora completely either. But if I remained with the Federation, Krauhen would fall along with the incompetent Senate. If I wanted my city to survive, I had only one option. Ally myself with Rolmund to the north, and destroy the Federation. And eventually, the Commonwealth.
Looking up, I realized that Eleora had been watching me. Her usual sardonic grin was gone, replaced by a look of genuine concern.
“Are you worried, Sir Belken?”
Of course I am. The path I had chosen was a supremely risky one. Even now I wondered if there hadn’t been a better way of protecting my citizens. But no matter how hard I wracked my brains, I could think of no other option, so naturally there was only reply I could give.
“Perish the thought. I have you, a princess of the Holy Rolmund Empire on my side. Feel free to use Krauhen as the vanguard for your invasion.”
I had no choice. Please let this be enough to satisfy you, Princess Eleora. Eleora’s expression grew troubled.
“...Of course.” For just a moment she looked almost remorseful. But that vulnerable expression disappeared an instant later and she declared, “Send messengers to Bahen, Schverm, and Aryoug in my name. Tell them the continent’s strongest empire, Rolmund, will protect them from both the greedy Senate and the demon army. Make sure you sound convincing.”
