Chapter 137: 123

「Souya, you've been summoned to the royal castle. Head over there right away」

I was told that by my person-in-charge the moment I arrived at the Guild.

「That came out of nowhere」

With that thought in mind, I headed for the royal castle.

My intuition kicked in.

「Oh, this is a bad one」

My hunch was confirmed by the battered knights I passed by on the way to the royal castle.

They had on dull silver plate armor. Their swords and shields were the same silver color. And they all didn't wear helmets. In other words, they were dressed like knights from Elysium.

Every single one of them seemed exhausted and looked as if they had lost a battle. There were deep claw marks on their shields and armor, and some had to be supported by their shoulders while others were being carried on stretchers by the physicians of the healing temple.

And they were all unfamiliar faces.

If they don't live in this city, then there are only two possibilities.

Elysium has deployed two orders of knights to the right continent.

The first is the Gilster Knight Order, which is garrisoned in the nearby port to the west of Lemuria.

The second is the Vernog Knight Order, which is stationed to the north of Lemuria in the place formerly known as Rossian, one of the three Misuranika countries.

If trouble had broken out at the port, I would have heard about it through the merchant company. The port is the lifeblood of trade, so it would have caused an uproar in Lemuria.

Which leaves only one possibility.

It's the north.

Further north from Rossian is Neomia. Or as some call it, the city of vampires. The capital of death.

Endguard. Lycan. Goddess of the moon of misfortune. Nobles of ice.

I have a bad feeling about this already.

I arrived at the royal castle.

When I made eye contact with a guard I knew, he motioned with his chin, "Go in quickly." Though the place looked as dreary as ever, the inside of the castle was in turmoil.

People were running around frantically.

One of the maids spotted me, beckoned me over, and showed me the way.

I asked her about the unusual state of the castle, but she didn't know the details either.

Along the way, I spotted someone I knew whimpering in the corridor.

It was the Chancellor who had been dispatched to Lemuria by Elysium. He was sweating so much that it seemed like he was melting and looked very pale.

He was being confronted by his male and female subordinates, and was freaking out.

「Good day」

「T, the foreigner. Perfect timing」

「What is it? What's all the fuss about?」

「Margrave! Do you intend to discuss this matter with an outsider?」

「B, but you see, this guy is――」

Yelled at by his male subordinate, the Chancellor staggered unsteadily and then collapsed.

He had passed out.

「Margrave Winito! Hey, someone!」

「It would have been great if he had just dropped dead」

The man called for help.

The woman spewed venomous words.

To think that he would turn to an outsider like me for help. Something tells me that this isn't some trivial matter.

Be well, Margrave.

There is no incompetent diplomat from another country who is more beneficial to this country. Do your best to live a long life.

I parted ways with the maid in front of the audience room and went in to see the king.

There were already a few people I knew there.

As well as the captain of the guard, whom I had seen a couple of times before.

「King Lemuria, I hope to find you in good―――――」

「Souya, save the greetings for later. Everyone, let's change locations」

The king rose from his throne, followed only by the people I knew.

We gathered at the castle's kitchen. A place where people could be dismissed and schemes could be hatched.

There was only one chair.

The king sat down on it and the rest of us stood. The other people present were Otou-san, Barfuru-sama, and the captain of the guard.

The captain of the guard used to be an advanced adventurer, and was a junior to the king during his adventuring days. The fact that he holds the position of Guard Captain despite being a beastkin is probably a sign of his strength and the trust the king has in him.

I would say that he’s in his early thirties, but I'm actually not sure, since beastkin don't show their age as much. In reality, he might be older than that. He’s a dog-like beastkin, and uncommonly small-sized for a beastkin male, who usually have large builds. However, he’s one of the people who taught Lanseal how to fight, and is considered to be one of the most experienced fighters in Lemuria.

The king started speaking.

「In the thirty-odd years since Lemuria was founded, it has experienced many difficulties and predicaments. This is one of them. No, it would be great if that’s how this matter is talked about in the future」

The king covered his face with one hand.

Oh, this is a really bad one.

「The Vernog Knight Order that’s stationed to the north of Lemuria has been decimated. Debra, give them the details」

「Yes, Your Majesty」

The captain of the guard gave us a report.

「Two days ago, I received a request for aid from the Vernog Knight Order and headed for Rossian with ten of my best men. Along the way, we met up with Barfuru-sama and then came into contact with the enemy. Though eight of my men lost their lives, we were able to make it back to Lemuria this morning with the surviving members of the Knight Order」

「Umm, who were the enemies that you encountered?」

The captain of the guard answered my question succinctly.

「Vampires. The Vernog Knight Order lost more lives fighting their own infected people than they did the enemy. Among them was Vernog, the leader of the Knight Order. Those eight of my men who had lost their lives were also killed by my own hand」

I had heard for some time that they were up north, but I never expected them to actually show up.

Barfuru-sama stepped forward.

「There's no doubt. They were vampires. I don't know how, but I think the king of vampires is back. No, this may be a harbinger of his return」

King Lemuria heaved a deep sigh.

「The return of the vampires that the St. Lyridias Order has recognized as evil. The decimation of the knights stationed in the north at their hands. It's obvious that Elysium will decide to send an army. And they aren't going to be playing around with that army. After the vampires are exterminated, that army will effectively take over Lemuria. The false reports sent by the Margrave will also be exposed in detail. People, wealth, knowledge, they'll milk us for everything we've got」

「Then, Your Majesty, shall we take the fight to the Elysium?」

The captain of the guard made a rather aggressive suggestion.

Is it really appropriate for him to say that kind of stuff in front of me, who’s technically an outsider? Or does this person know about my situation as well?

「It's not time for that yet. That's the last resort」

When it comes to anything other than women, King Lemuria is a cautious man. In the same way as he did during his adventuring days, he plans meticulously and then puts it into action boldly.

The adventurer-turned-king turned to the beast-headed man.

「Barfuru-dono, now is the time to fulfill our pact」

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「Yes, indeed」

Barfuru-sama nodded.

The bad feeling I had is pretty much a sure thing now.

「The King of Lemuria commands you, hero of the north, Barfuru Heijin. Eliminate the source of the vampires and restore peace to this land」

「As an Endguard, I shall accept the king's order」

「Is there anything that you need?」

「I would like to borrow one of your adventurers」

「What is that adventurer's name?」

「The foreigner Souya. The user of a bow belonging to us Lycans. The only other Endguard besides me」

「Souya」

The king turned to me.

「It's a tough mission. But you'll undertake it, right?」

「………………」

I can't answer immediately.

To be perfectly honest, I want to refuse. It's far too weighty.

「I'm against it」

Perhaps he had sensed what I was thinking, but Otou-san objected.

「It would be better to gather magicians from among the intermediate and advanced adventurers, form a unit of flame magicians, and then burn Rossian to the ground. No one is going to complain about us burning down an abandoned city」

Barfuru-sama argued back.

「Medimu, that will not solve the root of the problem. The vampires are coming from Neomia. In all likelihood, they're using the great bell tower to get to Rossian」

「Then, are you going to fight your way into Neomia with just the two of you? No, in the first place, Neomia is enclosed within Lord White-Scale's barrier, so no one should be able to get in」

「But the reality is that the vampires have surfaced outside of it. To ascertain the truth, we must go to Neomia」

Going in to check things out is something adventurers do all the time.

The fact that I fear or shrink back from it shows that I'm not quite one yet, I suppose.

「Lemuria, I'll say it again, I'm against it. You're being too hasty. We should be looking for ways to combat the vampires. I'm sure that there will be adventurers who can provide some useful insights」

The king responded to Otou-san's repeated objections.

「Medimu, in the past, I sought the help of Barfuru-dono. At that time, we made a pact that I would leave everything to him should the vampires ever return. As a king, I cannot go back on that pact. I know I'm being hasty, but the fact is that we don't have much time. Debra, what is the Gilster Knight Order to the west up to right now?」

「By order of Margrave Winito, they’re supposed to remain on standby. However, there are some among them who are aware of what happened in the north and are trying to make their own moves. We're also working behind the scenes, but I think we'll only be able to hold them off for at most six days」

「That's how it is. The quickest and surest thing we can do right now is to send Barfuru-dono and Souya. They'll have six days to eliminate the source of the vampires, and then we'll send this message to Elysium, "The Knight Order in the north was decimated by evil vampires, but those vampires have been exterminated by the brave adventurers of Lemuria. There’s no longer any need to keep an eye on the north"」

「That's a dangerous gamble. I'll admit that it is the quickest, but it's far from the surest」

「The gambles that adventurers undertake are always fraught with danger. I believe Souya should be well-aware of that」

「………………」

Otou-san’s protests stopped.

I don't know what I should do.

Many times, I've been ready to risk my life. But I've never fought with so much riding on the line before.

I asked without committing myself.

「Umm, King Lemuria. In other words, you're telling us to fight our way into Neomia and eliminate the source of the vampires within six days. With just the two of us?」

「That’s right」

That’s easier said than done.

Barfuru-sama clapped his hand down on my shoulder.

「Souya, there are many adventurers in Lemuria, but you're the only one besides me who can resist the vampires' curse. That’s a curse from the gods. A whisper in the night that even saints cannot resist. It’s the evil influence of those who crave blood」

「Barfuru-dono, what makes you think Souya can resist it?」

Otou-san asked a very basic question.

I'm also wondering the same thing.

「It's because he’s able to use the Lycan bow with impunity. That bow is drawn using curses. Without a curse more powerful than that of the vampires, it cannot be used. Lycans hunt vampires by fighting poison with poison, you see? I can't even imagine a curse that's more powerful than immortal blood, but this guy has it」

「Souya, is that true?」

I answered Otou-san's question without much confidence.

「I’ve counteracted the curse of death before. Whether I can do that against the vampires' curse is an unknown though」

「I can guarantee it. You can definitely resist the vampires' curse. I didn’t entrust you with Lycan bow for no reason」

Expectations and a great responsibility.

I’ve always known that once I've attained a certain level of status, I will inevitably find myself in a situation like this.

The only problem is how to tell everyone in the party.

「King Lemuria, what will be the reward?」

「Hey, Souya!」

I can understand why Otou-san yelled at me.

The fact that I'm asking about the reward means that I intend to accept the job.

「I'll reward you exceptionally」

The moment the king replied, I held up a feather.

There was a burst of light and an owl alighted on my shoulder.

「Gravius-sama, please forgive me for summoning you so suddenly」

「It's fine. As we're in the presence of the king, I'll forgive your rudeness」

Gravius, the night owl.

She's a god of business whom I'm contracted with. She's a god who attained godhood through a legend of two sisters paying back the enormous debt their father had left them. She’s very particular about promises regarding money and rewards. If the king were to break his promise, it would lead to a lot of trouble. It would also lower the king's stature.

「Today, I would like you to be the witness for my dealings with King Lemuria」

「That's fine by me」

「First――――――」

I casually tried to fleece him for as much as I could.

I thought that King Lemuria would at least hesitate a little, but he didn't even flinch.

I see.

This adventure is much more important than I had thought. Is the future of this country really and truly in the hands of Barfuru-sama and me?

I have a bad feeling about this. I have a really bad feeling about this, but……

「――――――That's all. Is that acceptable?」

「Umu, that's fine」

Having borne witness to the king's promise, Gravius-sama disappeared with a flash of light.

With that, I have one less thing to worry about.

Am I finally going to die this time around, I wonder?

What could go wrong indeed. Well, this plot-line has been hinted at to death so it’s about time it started, I guess. However…whenever someone doesn’t flinch when asked to give an over-large reward…is this just a bad feeling I have? (^_

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