Chapter 67
These days, I'm really busy on the weekdays, but for some reason, I feel like I'm translating more than I used to!? Thanks for reading~
The meeting with five tribes, including the star rabbit tribe, finished.
In accordance with the star rabbit tribe's plan, the persecuted tribes have jumped to their feet by using Eve's power as hope.
There's no problem with that itself.
… The problem is, due to the star rabbit tribe that is leaking information to the demon king, the information has been leaked, and there's almost a hundred percent chance it will fail.
I can't just be silent and overlook that.
"It's helpful that the other party thinks we have been deceived." (Kearuga)
If I objected in that situation, there was even a possibility of being killed.
There are no pieces as easy to use as idiots that a.s.sume you have been deceived and dance for you.
Having the information being leaked to the demon king means that any random information can also be sent to the demon king.
For example, by just attacking a few days faster than the plan, we should be able to easily take the enemy by surprise.
Because of the thoughtless information, the enemy will deploy excess fighting power at the informed date and time on the informed invasion route. The places apart from them will be short of hands.
Furthermore, he even believed stuff like we can only attack on 'the night of a crescent moon" and 'they will be saved as long as they have apples'. They're full of weak spots.
However, it's insufficient with just that.
For that reason, I ascertained which ones are not under the control of the star rabbit tribe from the meeting I had just now, and slipped a letter into their hands.
"Well then, let's immediately prepare. Eve and Setsuna, come with me." (Kearuga)
"This makes me nervous." (Eve)
Setsuna and Eve each grip their weapon and follow my back.
"Freya and Ellen will stay on standby here. You know what to do when the time of need arises." (Kearuga)
"Kearuga-niisama, since I will work over a new plan using the information from the meeting you had some time ago, please look forward to it." (Ellen)
While watching over Freya and Ellen who are going to be house-sitting, I go outside from the bas.e.m.e.nt of the residence we are borrowing.
The underground pa.s.sage was not originally there. It's something I made by manipulating the ground with alchemy magic for when it comes to the crunch.
The house we are borrowing is being observed, but since the inside has not been seen, I was comfortably able to prepare things like this.
Even the observations of the star rabbit tribe whose sense of hearing excels can't pick up sound from below ground.
Exiting the bas.e.m.e.nt, we go out to the forest.
As I thought, alchemy magic is convenient. It can be put to practical use in many ways.
"Setsuna, Eve, don't lose focus. The guys we are going to meet from now are probably cautious of us, and… if I make a single mistake, they will turn and become an enemy. By just giving them a letter, let alone not believing me, at the present time, they would believe the star rabbit tribe more." (Kearuga)
"Setsuna will put herself on guard. No matter what happens, Setsuna won't let Kearuga-sama die." (Setsuna)
There's a reason why I only brought these two along.
Freya can play an active role during an exterminating war, but in a situation where there are a small number of people and the opponent's distance is close, it would be hard to partic.i.p.ate, and her self-defense strength is poor. Ellen is out of the question to be fighting power. She will become an impediment.
There's no more personnel to select.
However, just leaving the rear guards Freya and Ellen at the residence leaves me with uneasiness.
Apart from the path to pa.s.s through the forest from the underground pa.s.sage, there is a skillfully hidden forked road. If she leaves from there, she will be safe. WIthout realizing the hidden pa.s.sage, the pursuers would be under the impression that she ran away into the forest.
"You don't have to protect me. I can do whatever for myself. I'm relying on you for Eve." (Kearuga)
"That's the last move. Don't do anything until the last moment. Let's go as peacefully as possible." (Kearuga)
Setsuna has a more belligerent side than me.
For some reason, Eve tilts her head.
"It's not like Kearuga to be peaceful. I thought you would delightfully suggest ma.s.sacring them." (Eve)
"How rude. Except my targets of revenge and the ones who steal something important from me, I deal with them sensibly." (Kearuga)
That's right, I only have the intention to give back if I suffer damage.
To say nothing of being suddenly fought by a guy that might become my ally, I wouldn't get angry over such a trivial thing.
Now, it's almost the designated time that was written on the letter.
Six demons and the several monsters they use.
… Or possibly, they might be quite confident in
The ones that appeared is the iron hog tribe that took the initiative in choosing to protect Eve at the meeting from some time ago and their follower. In addition, the representatives of the wind weasel tribe and blaze horse tribe that I judged as white were there with their follower.
"We have come. Eve from the kokuyoku tribe, and the follower." (Guruga)
The military man-styled iron hog tribe man opens his mouth first and foremost. If I remember correctly, he said his name was Guruga.
It seems he thinks I am Eve's follower. He is misunderstanding, but there's no need to correct him. That way seems easier to operate.
"Thank you for coming. Is it fine for me to think you believed my story?" (Kearuga)
"The story that the star rabbit tribe betrayed huh… there were many things that added up when I thought about it that way. However… it is still not enough for me to believe you. I came here to obtain positive proof. The others are the same." (Guruga)
I see, his appearance is of a military man, but it seems he is not an idiot.
First of all, if there were any idiots who accepted and believed what I said without thinking, they would just hold me back, so I have no need for them as a comrade.
In that situation, I would quickly slip out of this village and defeat the demon king by ourselves.
And I would also give up if they were the type of guys to think I'm making a tell-tale of the star rabbit tribe. If they have a decent brain, saying the star rabbit tribe has betrayed would make them recall one or two occasions.
If they don't have that much consideration, aren't able to gather information or are the type of guys to immediately sell me out, I don't need them since they would just pull me back.
For that point, they have pa.s.sed.
In this case, my story will be understood, and there will be no problems in winning them over as an ally.
"I understand. In that case, I will talk." (Kearuga)
I slowly said the whole story of why I doubt the star rabbit tribe.
After that, I told them the method to ascertain whether the star rabbit tribe are traitors that Ellen drafted.
"… I see, the things you said certainly make sense. It is understandable that you would doubt them. And the method you said can truly ascertain whether they betrayed. Either way, for a while, my iron hog tribe will not circulate information to the star rabbit tribe. And if we ever find out that the star rabbit tribe is black, we will cooperate with you all." (Guruga)
"The wind weasels will also do that. Those rabbits, I thought they were suspicious from before. Carol is especially cunning."
While chewing her nails, the marriageable, harsh beautiful woman tells me she has the same opinion as the iron hog tribe.
"The blaze horses are the same. I will say this just in case, but it doesn't mean I trust you all. However, I will doubt the star rabbit tribe. There is no way you all who crushed the demon king army's greatest fighting power would be the demon king's subordinates. I believe just that… we blaze horses also wish for such power. We can't ignore it."
The young man with a horse lower half and a red mane seems he will take part in my plan for now. That's a good reaction. People that easily believe me here actually can't be trusted.
Not doubting people is the same thing as abandoning thinking.
"Thank you. In that case, please listen to my story for today. I want to talk about how we can use this situation. As long as the star rabbit tribe is leaking information, the success rate of the strategies he drafts are extremely low. However, we should not take this as a crisis, but a chance. We can send as much false information we want. We dance on his palm until midway, and at the very last moment, we can take actions that are different to the plan." (Kearuga)
Everyone nods.
I told them the strategy I talked about with Ellen from start to end.
There were small parts that were pointed out, but they generally agreed.
The three tribes said they would cooperate if they become certain of the star rabbit tribe's misgivings.
"Thank you. I was able to have a productive conversation." (Kearuga)
"Yes. It is a discussion though. Can we talk about this story to the other tribes? Of course, I understand that the tribes other than us who attended the meeting the other day are black. There are reliable people even among the few tribes that were not called to the meeting." (Guruga)
Increasing our allies is desirable.
However…
"No, there is a possibility that they are under the control of the star rabbit tribe. For now, I want to just contain it within the members here." (Kearuga)
Right now, I should take the minimum amount of risks.
We can't let it be lost.
"I see, I understand. You have checked the star rabbit tribe with the method you talked about. If it goes well, our response will come within one week. … That being said, there are a considerable amount of humans with eccentric personalities." (Guruga)
"Yeah, the guys from my country said a human was welcomed as a guest to the demon king's castle behind closed doors. … That human was a human, but it seems they were clad in mana that is greatly darker than a demon's mana." (Guruga)
A human arrived at the demon king's side at this time!? Impossible.
Even the first world's hero party took many years to even arrive at the demon king's castle.
And that human has darker mana than a demon.
There is just one person that comes to mind.
When I looked at the Dioral King with my【Jade Eye】, it said Human (?).
That matter is recalled to my mind.
Perhaps the demon king and the Dioral Kingdom is connected? Even princess Flare and princess Norn didn't know about that kind of information. I searched through their memories with【Recovery Heal】, but there wasn't even a fragment of that information.
However, it's not impossible.
And if that was true, I can a.s.sume a further worst-case scenario.
… In the Dioral kingdom, the hero of【Magic】, the hero of the【Sword】, one of the three heroes,【Hawk Eye】and the strategist princess Norn has already been defeated.
They should painfully understand my strength. If I seriously try to win, it's likely that I can make one of their remaining, greatest fighting power, the hero of the【Gun】, cease being human.
Similarly to the hero of the【Gun】, she is also one of their remaining, greatest fighting power. She is suitable for being their trump card. That is my property (toy). I would be troubled if it's strangely tampered with.
"There are various people even among humans." (Kearuga)
"If you, who has become the follower of a demon princess, is saying so, then it must be true." (Guruga)
Hiding my agitation, I feign calmness.
… I shouldn't think about that for now.
Making allies here is the first priority.
After that, we separate after supplementing our earlier conversation for a while.
If the Dioral Kingdom and the demon king is connected, it will be bad.
Something important that I overlooked in the first world will probably hinder my plan.
I should somehow search for a way to get in contact with Kureha.
While thinking about that, the dedicated backpack for the egg moves greatly.
It's the first time it made such a large movement.
"Are you going to be born soon?" (Kearuga)
There was no response. However, the egg continued moving.
That will surely have some kind of significance.
It's a monster of divinity that received the G.o.d bird's blessing and will be born from my mind and mana.
Be born quickly, I'll use your power plenty.