The text has been translated and paragraphed as requested.
**Side Rex**
After being transported to a sky island called Alka and taking a moment to rest at a traditional Japanese mansion called Hinomoto Mansion, where Yamato and Mako lived, Rosemary, Muse, and I headed to Phantom Capital Bestia in the Torencia Phantom Kingdom with Yamato, Prim, H.R.H. Manalease, and Mako.
“Greetings to His Majesty Emperor Hildegard. We are A-rank Order Rex Fallheight and two others, dispatched by the command of Emperor Reinhardt of the Amister Kingdom.”
“You are most welcome. We welcome you, Sky Knight Lord Rex Fallheight.”
We paid our respects to Her Majesty Hildegard Minato Torencia in the audience chamber of the White Demon Castle. This was an official visit, but also a precursor to further action.
Including the three of us, the Order numbered 488, and with Duke Argan and three Butlers, the total was 492, falling short of 500. There were about 150 High Class individuals, but it was difficult to divert more forces to Torencia. Therefore, we selected skilled individuals from the Normal Class as well. We had all confirmed the new weapon, Solemnne’s Steam Battleship, with our Floats, but we were unsure of our capabilities against it. Fortunately, Prim and Mako had newly devised the magic Flying and Scaffolding, and we had been conducting proficiency training, so we would not be disgraced by a defeat without being able to do anything.
“We are truly grateful for this reinforcement. The Saber’s Guild is honored to fight alongside the renowned Order’s Guild and the young Sky Knight, and our morale is high.”
“I believe this is excessive praise for a junior like myself, but I will do my utmost to live up to its reputation.”
Originally, Grand Order’s Master Tolman or my father, the Associate Order’s Master, should have been the General Order. However, it seems neither Tolman nor my father intended for me, who had been granted the title of Sky Knight and promoted to A-rank Order due to my contributions to the Alliance, to remain solely as Feel’s Order’s Master. I heard that my deployment to Torencia as General Order was decided on the very day Emperor Reinhardt returned from Torencia. Perhaps the only solace was being allowed to bring my wife, Rosemary, and Muse with me, given that I was newly married.
“Welcome, members of the Wing Crest as well. We have heard that you have organized an Alliance through the renowned raid led by Amister’s Hunters, and we are grateful for your great efforts for our country.”
“We are humbled. This matter will bring not only great damage to Torencia but also to our country. However, due to issues with neighboring countries, we can only dispatch a small reinforcement and offer our apologies for our inadequacy.”
While Yamato was the leader of the Wing Crest, he was unaccustomed to such exchanges, so H.R.H. Manalease answered on his behalf. Normally, it would be considered disrespectful for anyone other than the Raid Leader to speak, but when it came to H.R.H. Manalease, that was a different matter. After all, H.R.H. Manalease was the Second Princess of Amister and was here as Emperor Reinhardt’s proxy; no one could dare to interrupt and call it disrespectful. To do so would be disrespectful to Amister itself.
After a brief exchange, Emperor Hildegard and H.R.H. Manalease decided to move to a different location for detailed discussions. I had assumed it would be a conference room within the White Demon Castle, but to my surprise, we were led to a small island adjacent to the castle, known as the Snow Demon Palace, which was surrounded by a barrier and cliffs, accessible only by crossing a bridge extending from the White Demon Castle. The Snow Demon Palace was the royal residence of the Phantom King’s family, though it was slightly smaller than a noble’s mansion. I heard that only the reigning queen and her consort, along with princes and princesses, could reside here, while the queen’s siblings had rooms prepared within the White Demon Castle. Since banquets and other events were held at the White Demon Castle, the Snow Demon Palace served primarily as the queen’s sleeping quarters. Therefore, very few were invited there, and I never expected to be among them.
“It is a small residence, but please treat it as your own home and relax.”
Immediately after being shown to a room in the Snow Demon Palace, Emperor Hildegard, the mistress of the Snow Demon Palace, said these words, but I could not relax.
“It’s been a while since I was here.”
“Yes, it has. It hasn’t changed at all.”
“The view is good, and the scenery is beautiful.”
However, H.R.H. Manalease, Prim, and Mako were relaxing as if they were at home. While I could understand H.R.H. Manalease and Prim, I wondered if Mako wasn’t perhaps too adaptable.
“Yamato, please, have a seat.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you.”
Yamato was being offered a chair by Emperor Hildegard. No matter what I said, it would likely only worsen things. We hadn’t come here for leisure. I noticed that Grand Saber’s Master Blazer also seemed to be in the same predicament as me, holding his head with his right hand and letting out a deep sigh.
“Your Majesty, I apologize, but kindly reserve your pleasantries until after our discussion.”
“Eh? Ah! M-my apologies! I just… Oof!”
“Whoa!”
Prime Minister Elba, with a vein throbbing on his forehead, spoke to Emperor Hildegard with a pleasant smile. That was quite intimidating.
“I’m sorry. We were just nostalgic…”
“S-sorry…”
Thank you, Prime Minister Elba. And Yamato, what are you doing?
“Yamato-kun? What are you doing?”
“Please calm down, Prim-san. I don’t understand what’s happening either.”
Yamato was sweating profusely, but as Emperor Hildegard clung to him after being reprimanded by Prime Minister Elba, Yamato had pushed her down. It was understandable why Prim would be angry. To be subjected to a smile that wasn’t a smile, along with the pressure of an Ancient Foxy, was a scene that would make me faint.
“Um… Lord Yamato? I don’t mind whenever, but surely, in a place like this…”
“No, Your Majesty, what are you saying?!”
“Oh? Is that so, Yamato?”
“I told you, I don’t know!”
H.R.H. Manalease had joined Prim, but Emperor Hildegard appeared to be in utter confusion. Moreover, since the only men present were myself and Yamato, I felt extremely awkward. To be honest, I wanted to escape this situation, but considering the reason we came to Torencia, that was impossible. Blazer was trying to stifle his laughter, his shoulders shaking, but the vein on Elba’s forehead was larger than before, and it seemed like thunder was about to strike. I saw that Mako also let out a big sigh, her face set with a look of resolve.
“Everyone, could you please remember why you came here?”
“Shall we stop this because we’re not making progress?”
““Y-yes!””
““S-sorry!””
In the face of Elba and Mako’s quiet anger, the two Ancient Classes and two members of the royal family yielded.
**Side Hildegard**
Sigh…
I can’t help but sigh. Despite being confused, what foolish words did I utter…
No, it’s true that I am prepared to accept Yamato, if it were him. However, I must consider the time and place, and this is certainly not the time or place. I must reflect deeply on being reprimanded by my Prime Minister, Elba, and renew my resolve.
“I apologize for my country’s Emperor’s rudeness earlier.”
“We too apologize for the extreme impoliteness of our leader and princesses.”
However, as if mocking my resolve, Elba and Mako kept repeating their apologies.
“Um… Elba?”
“Your Majesty, please remain silent for a moment.”
“Ah, ah, yes.”
It is true that my rudeness was the cause, but must you interrupt me like this?
“Mako-san, please stop now…”
“Do you think you have the right to speak now?”
“You’re right, my apologies!”
Yamato was even made to sit in seiza on the floor, and he immediately bowed his head under Mako’s cold gaze. H.R.H. Manalease, Prim, and I were still allowed to sit in chairs, but even so, I could not help but shudder at Mako’s gaze.
“In any case, Elba-san, how about we pretend today’s incident never happened?”
“I agree.”
It seems that some kind of treaty was concluded between Mako and Elba.
“Still, Mako-sama, you are very intelligent. I would like you to marry my son.”
“I apologize, but I have only just arrived at Helios Orb, and I am struggling to manage my own affairs.”
“I understand. Of course, that is my genuine wish, but to bind our guest would be to go against the last wishes of your father, Kazushi-sama. As Prime Minister responsible for Torencia’s support, I cannot do such a thing.”
It seems Elba and Mako are hitting it off. I find it favorable, but trying to bind our guest, Mako, through marriage would be foolishness, as Elba points out, to go against Kazushi-sama’s dying wish. Unless Mako herself desires it, I cannot approve.
“In any case, Your Majesty, this meeting is to confirm the planned deployment location for the arriving Order’s Guild in Bestia. Kindly save any such behavior for after the meeting. If you do so, I will not stop you from trying to have children with Lord Yamato.”
Oh, so it’s acceptable after the meeting? Then let’s quickly finish… No!
“Elba, are you saying such a thing when I, Yamato’s wife, and Prim are here?”
“Even so, seeing Your Majesty’s behavior, even a demi-human can tell how you feel about Lord Yamato.”
“I won’t deny that, but isn’t that a bit too harsh?”
“For the past few weeks, she has been occasionally gazing at the sky with a silly smile and even muttering Lord Yamato’s name in her sleep. If you can’t understand this, you might as well be dead.”
Wait! How does Elba know what I say in my sleep?!
“The butlers attached to the Snow Demon Palace have been spreading rumors. They say that Your Majesty has finally found someone she admires.”
I couldn’t help but cover my face with both hands. I had heard the expression “my face is burning up,” and this is exactly the situation. My face feels incredibly hot.
“Shall we postpone this conversation? Grand Saber’s Master and General Order look utterly lost for words. General Order, in particular, is a man and likely not accustomed to such discussions.”
“You are correct.”
Indeed, General Order Rex Fallheight has a rather indescribable expression on his face. I heard that his two General Order Assistants are his wives, and as they are also newly married, any careless remark could disrupt their marital bliss. They are likely pretending not to have heard my slip of the tongue, and I sincerely hope they are.
Pulling ourselves together, we all took our seats, and the meeting finally began.
“We regret to inform you that the facilities for the Order will be a section of the Saber’s Guild training grounds. Although it is temporary, we have lodgings capable of accommodating approximately 500 knights, which you may use freely.”
The temporary lodgings were proposed by Yukari-sama, one of Kazushi-sama’s wives and also a co-wife of Eliel-sama, when Torencia was founded. By standardizing the specifications, work efficiency was increased. As a result, all rooms are of the same size and interior, making them unsuitable for noble guests. However, costs are reduced, and since they are merely temporary, they can be quickly erected in emergencies or during disasters. Furthermore, Yukari-sama designed them with disassembly in mind for easy reuse. They can be stored in dedicated storage bags and take up little space. Thus, temporary housing has always been readily available in Torencia as well as Amister. The temporary lodgings prepared this time are designed for the temporary base of the Sabers. We could not prepare private rooms, of course, and commanders like Lord Rex or advisors like Duke Argan will be staying in a room within the White Demon Castle.
“We appreciate your consideration.”
“Then, Sister, are Torencia’s preparations complete?”
“Yes. We apologize that the lodgings will be temporary, but you may come at any time.”
“Then we will take you up on your offer and bring them over tomorrow afternoon.”
“Yes, we will be waiting.”
While the number is just under 500, it is a great help to us. We have heard that there are also about 150 High Order individuals, a number that reaches one-third of the Saber’s Guild. We have also heard that Beast Carriages, which I have ridden in before, have been prepared, making us feel truly secure. After all, in the last invasion, all but one of the Saber’s Guild ships that set sail from the Elect Sea were sunk, and the casualties, including High Sabers, were considerable.
“The planned deployment locations are Bestia, Krater, and Rio.”
The deployment locations for the Order are the Phantom Capital Bestia for public order maintenance, the town of Krater near the Golud Great Glacier for monitoring the Slume Lord, and the town of Rio overlooking the Elect Sea and closest to Solemnne, where they will prepare for Solemnne’s invasion. We are considering deploying two units to Bestia, three units to Krater, and five units to Rio, dividing them among ten Beast Carriages. To be honest, we feel apologetic about the deployment to Krater.
“Regarding Krater, has the Slume Lord been confirmed?”
“No, as usual. We cannot afford to be unguarded, but we will be moving some of the Saber’s Guild members in that area to Rio. Therefore, we apologize, but it seems the Order will have to fill the gaps left by the Saber’s Guild.”
As Elba stated, the Demise Species Slume Lord has not been seen since the battle about 180 years ago. It is said to have sustained near-fatal injuries in that battle, but whether it is alive or dead is unknown. However, even the possibility of its survival means we cannot neglect our vigilance around Seryado Volcano. If the Slume Lord were to appear, the town of Krater would be annihilated in an instant, and at worst, the country of Torencia itself could suffer immense damage.
“That is also as we initially discussed, so we have no objections.”
“Indeed. The fact that we can only dispatch three units makes me feel even more apologetic.”
“No, this is more than sufficient support for us.”
I have heard that the Order dispatched to the town of Krater will consist of a higher proportion of High Class individuals. Of course, we are not neglecting our vigilance against Solemnne, but in a sense, the Slume Lord is a monster that requires more caution than Solemnne. The Order’s Guild likely considered this point in their arrangements.
“And as for the town of Rio, the main engagement is expected to be naval battles with Solemnne. Normally, there would not be such a need for vigilance at this time of year, but with the development of the Steam Battleship, a higher state of alert is necessary than ever before. We are dispatching Sabers from Bestia and other cities to maintain this vigilance.”
The greatest problem that allows this dispatch to be realized is the existence of the Steam Battleship developed by Solemnne. It is winter now, so we are fortunate, but the thought of what would have happened if that fleet had sailed in spring or summer sends a shiver down my spine. The reason for moving the fleet at this time was likely to test how much sea ice could be melted, but had it been spring or summer, Torencia would have been defeated without any means to resist and its territory would have been lost.
“Please rest assured on that matter as well. Our Order’s Guild is well-versed in snow warfare, so we can easily handle any monsters around Rio. While many are inexperienced in fighting on ice, with the new magic that was devised, it should not be too much of a hardship.”
That would be Flying and Scaffolding. Against Solemnne, who cannot use Inn magic, these will undoubtedly be effective. The development of the Steam Battleship is likely partly due to Solemnne’s disadvantage of not being able to use Inn magic, but the fundamental reason Solemnne cannot use Inn magic is that their Emperor dislikes religion, and the citizens followed suit. However, this led to a drastic reduction in the circulation of magic items and domestic chaos, yet the Emperor ruthlessly suppressed any dissent and built a nation that did not rely on magic. In that regard, his skill as a ruler can be considered first-class. Of course, he also engages in plunder when invading other countries and sends spies to carry out sabotage, so I can never approve of his actions. While it is being considered to set sail for Solemnne as soon as the sea ice melts and defeat the Emperor’s family, that timing coincides with the snowmelt in Amister. Therefore, we must further refine how to deal with this matter. I hope there is a good solution…
