"Hm...... I see. If you say so, I have nothing to say.
It was His Majesty looking at me with his hand on his chin. I was now in the palace of the Heedata Empire. His Majesty was flanked on either side by the Prime Minister and the Duke of Vilas. Next to the Duke is a beautiful woman of great beauty. Diana, the wife of the duke.
I suggested to His Majesty that we make a field survey in order to recapture Durga in the Warlov Empire. We couldn't do it with just a map. I was also curious about the fortress which was built in just one day. Intuitively, I thought it would be better to first take someone I trusted with me to see the site and work out the details of the operation, rather than traveling to Dorga with Agartha's elite soldiers. It is a city and a fortress beyond human knowledge. It's best not to touch them blindly.
His Majesty is nodding his head in agreement. Then he turns to the Prime Minister and the Duke. Both bow reverently as if in agreement.
"King of Agartha!"
A beautiful, dignified voice. This is Diana. Her eyes are so beautiful. I'm drawn to her.
"I'm sorry to be rude, but I have to ask. Which one of you is coming with me?
"First, I will take Knogen, commander-in-chief of the Agartha army. I will also take Matkal, one of my ...... wives."
"Is it just the three of you ......?"
Yes?
I think it would be better if you brought one more person with you.
Shall I tell you why?
With three people, there is a risk that if one of us speaks out against the plan, the other two will push us away. Otherwise, King Agartha and Matkal are a married couple ....... If there are four of them, one of them can intercede or help the other one in the same situation.
"...... I see. Then I will take one more person with me.
"I will tell Freilup that we will send a few military personnel from Agartha with the reinforcements."
"With all due respect, Your Majesty."
Diana was about to continue, but Duke Vyrus stopped her.
"Duke, good. I, too, would like to hear your opinion, Diana. Do you agree, brother-in-law?
His Majesty asks for my approval. I nodded respectfully because I felt the same way.
"Earlier, Your Majesty told the General that you would send military personnel from Agartha, but I think it would be better not to do so.
"Well, what should I say?"
"The General is asking for reinforcements. He thinks his army will come. Therefore, it would be better for morale if he were told that we are sending an army, even if it is only a small one.
"What ...... do you mean to say that the imperial reinforcements are not enough?"
"With all due respect ....... I heard that the General wanted an army of 100,000 men. I hear that only 20,000 will be sent this time. This will inevitably damage the General's morale. To prevent this from happening, it would be better to tell him that the best soldiers of Agartha will come to reinforce him. I am sure that the General is well aware of the fact that 1,000 soldiers who are well-trained in a hundred battles will be more useful than 20,000 poorly-trained soldiers.
She turns her beautiful eyes on me.
"The king of Agartha would do well to bring some soldiers with him. If you do not, there is a possibility that you will suddenly be entrusted with a group and asked to take command of it. There is nothing more difficult for a commander to deal with than an army that does not move as he wishes ......."
"Ha ha ha! Well, you are right. I see. Let's take the best soldiers of Agartha with us.
"I'm sorry, brother-in-law."
No, no, no. Diana, you have a wonderful eye. I've learned a lot from her. ...... Mr. Vilas, you have a wonderful wife. Take good care of her.
The duke bowed his head in confusion at my words.
"It's a very good turn of events for you, isn't it, Your Majesty?"
I ask nastily. His Majesty's face is filled with a strange expression, as if he did not expect that question.
"His Majesty wanted us to send an army to Agartha. But your position must have made it difficult for you to say so. But thanks to Diana, it came true. ....... Am I wrong?"
Upon my return to Agartha, I immediately called Knogen and Matkal to report the exchange with His Majesty.
"I agree to take the soldiers with us. I was just thinking that would be a good idea myself.
"Why don't you just say so, Mat!
"No, it was Rinos's decision once. If you do say it, say it in a public place ......."
"Were you going to say that in bed?"
"Nah...... that's...... no......."
Matkal's face turned red and he turned over. Apparently, he had hit the nail on the head. I was starting to feel embarrassed. Knogen looked at us with a smile.
"Ok, I agree with taking a soldier with us, but who should we take ...... as another commander?"
"Well, in terms of command ability, I'd say Lafayence, but he's already retired."
"That's right. Training soldiers is what he does for a living now.
"And that would be ......."
"Shall we take little Rufana with us?"
Would you like to ...... my wife?"
Knogen rolls her eyes in surprise at my suggestion.
"I saw that she is quite capable of command. It's not often you get a chance to see fortresses and strongholds like this that are built beyond human knowledge. If you are going to continue your military service, it would be a good thing to see them."
"Ha ...... ha ......"
"Besides, it must be lonely for her to have her beloved husband away for so long, and you, Knogen, you can't afford any unwanted suspicion yourself, can you?"
"So ...... that's ......."
"That's also why I'm taking Mato with me."
I wink at Knogen. He smiles and nods.
"Besides, you guys aren't having your honeymoon, are you?"
"Shinkonryoko?"
"Well, what is it? We just got married. It's a good opportunity to make more memories as a couple.
I look at Matocalu as well.
"Mat, you never went anywhere alone with him, did you?"
"I don't ...... have any ......."
"Well, let's take a trip and make some memories."
"u...... u......"
Matkal is lying on the ground with a red face. It is about a week's journey from the capital of Agartha to Dorga. If Sadakichi had a transfer stone, we could be there in a matter of seconds, so there was no need to march by any means, but for my part, if we were going to take an army with us, I wanted to make sure it coincided with Vieille's arrival.
"I will leave the selection of soldiers to Knogen and Mato. We will take the best of the best, but you may also select those who show promise for the future. The size of the group shall be one thousand. Tell the soldiers that they will be sent to ......."
"Secondment? Not "......"?
"Yes. I don't want to fight, just in case.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Linos, but what's the difference between a conscription and a secondment?"
"You go to a place to fight, you go out there to hang out and come back."
"Nah ...... what a ......"
"But it's still an expedition. We must be careful not to make it a mere pleasure trip.
At my words, Knogen and Matkal bowed their heads slowly, puzzled.