A week had passed since I began sensing the omens of war in my everyday life.
Should I say that my intuition was sharp, or that a hunch was whispering that something would happen soon?
Probably because of that, I pushed forward with compiling the dungeon data, even if it meant overextending myself with the dungeon’s operations.
“Hahaha! I never thought I’d end up sitting next to you in this seat.”
“Indeed, life is truly unpredictable.”
Was it a mere coincidence that the compiled data was ready in time as a result of this advancement?
Or was it the arrangement of the gods?
For a time, I was filled with suspicion, wondering if my life was being dictated by fate, given the fact that gods existed in reality.
But in the end, there was nothing I could do by worrying about it, and when I jokingly asked Valse-san about it.
“Those gods can’t possibly meddle with destiny that directly, can they?”
He returned such an answer with a look of exasperation.
Therefore, when I was guided to a special conference room by a messenger from the president the day after the data was completed, I felt that this was the path we had chosen.
“I always thought this day would come. But you said it was a conference room, yet this is…”
It’s amusing that the result has come to this.
“This is a special room that only generals can enter. Look at that over there; it’s a masterpiece that could stand as a mansion on its own.”
“The matters to be discussed are all crucial to the future of the Demon Lord’s Army, so in a sense, it’s not wrong to call it a conference room. What adorns the walls are paintings and sculptures created by master craftsmen. If you were to damage even one, you’d be facing an enormous bill.”
I had never seen a conference room like this.
That was my first impression when I was guided here by a special teleportation magic.
I thought I had seen many conference rooms, but this was undoubtedly the first time in my life I had been led to such a luxurious one.
Should I say it’s like a real-world version of the British Museum, adorned with numerous treasures?
Or should I call it an exhibition hall masquerading as a conference room?
A spacious room occupied by various furnishings.
In the center, a table and chairs are set up where we are supposed to sit, but to ensure we don’t feel out of place, the chairs and table are also of commensurate quality.
Next to this central table is a small table where a clerk stands with a rigid posture, wearing luxurious clothing.
Furthermore, a little further away is a table with cooking utensils, where ten butlers and maids are lined up, preparing light meals and drinks.
And that’s just the staff preparing drinks and snacks; each chair has a dedicated attendant.
Museums are generally no-food and no-drink zones, but is it permissible because it’s protected by magic?
Or is there some other reason?
Well, in any case, I judged that there would be no problem and glanced at the armor placed among the many masterpieces.
I had seen armor displayed in museums, but inside this armor, there were people.
They were armed and holding a spear in one hand.
Knights in blue and silver armor.
The knights guarding this room exuded a presence that made them feel strong.
I recognized them.
They were, if I recall correctly…
“You have a keen eye. They are the Royal Guards.”
“They are directly under the Demon Lord’s command to protect him. Jirou, you’ve seen them before, haven’t you?”
“Ah, that’s right. They were guarding me when I went out.”
I had met them before during the preliminary security arrangements for negotiations with the Japanese Government.
I couldn’t see their faces because of their full-face helmets, but I recognized the magical wavelength of some of them.
The magical wavelength I felt when I sparred with them once to test their strength.
Considering the caliber of the individuals gathered here, their presence here is not surprising, but I believe the person who guided us to this place, calling it a conference room, was mistaken.
In any case, it doesn’t look like a conference room at all.
“It’s rather unsettling, having a meeting with guards present.”
“Well, it can’t be helped. There aren’t many people stronger than us.”
“Nonsense. It’s a distortion of the world for those of high status to always be working too hard. The same applies to the strong. We don’t need to deal with those of lower standing. They have a duty to protect us, and as a secondary effect, they are saving us trouble. That’s all there is to it.”
I felt a sense of unease about being protected during the meeting and had spoken without thinking that it wasn’t a conference room, but it seemed Instructor Kio felt they were complaining about being protected.
Instructor Fushio gently intervened and smoothed things over.
This exchange also felt nostalgic.
As we exchanged these words, my gaze drifted to a raised area at the seat of honor, where a chair that clearly looked like a throne was situated.
It was a chair that exuded the craftsmanship of a skilled artisan.
The chair I would be sitting in was also luxurious, but it was inferior to that one.
The conference rooms I knew of were just caster chairs, costing less than five thousand yen, sold at office supply stores.
After becoming a general, I switched to an expensive leather chair, but even then, it was within a comprehensible range.
However, the chair I was currently sitting on was undoubtedly custom-made.
Are there conference rooms where chairs are decorated with gold?
The table, too, is made of marble.
It’s also intricately carved.
There are sculptures that seem to convey a historical narrative, and on my part, there’s a depiction of a warrior fighting a dragon.
Frankly, I’d had enough with just this, but the chandelier hanging from the ceiling further rejected the notion that this was a conference room.
Even though the guide led me to my seat, I hesitated for a moment before sitting down, and it was understandable.
Since becoming a general, my perception of human relationships and money has begun to warp, but I’m just a former corporate slave, a commoner, so it’s unreasonable to expect me to adjust to this environment suddenly.
If the instructors hadn’t sat down first, I might have stood there waiting for someone to arrive.
“Speaking of which, the others are late. I came here right away.”
“It’s strange that you, who can return from the front lines so quickly, are here. I can imagine the hardships of your subordinates.”
These two arrived before me.
Instructor Fushio had only recently returned, so he should still be busy with rebuilding his territory, yet he’s so quick.
Not as quick as Instructor Kio, who is active on the front lines, but still.
“The Tree King will probably come with the Demon Lord, so he’ll be last. Among the other generals who are out on the front lines, there’s the Machine King.”
“Ah, unlike him who uses sporadic attacks to deceive the opponent, that guy is primarily engaged in information gathering, so he’ll likely be late because of the amount of data he has to compile. In his case, it’s a matter of where, what they attacked, and how much damage they caused. And most of that data is probably compiled by his subordinates, right?”
“Ou!”
“It’s good to have capable subordinates, but you shouldn’t brag about it.”
However, he may have charisma, but his clumsiness is his only flaw.
Overwhelmingly physically oriented.
It’s fortunate that he has subordinates to handle the administrative work.
“He’s always been like this since ancient times, so it’s better not to mind.”
“Is that so?”
“Ou! That’s how it is!!”
Instructor Fushio is accustomed to such conversations.
He’s resigned to the fact that it’s useless to say anything more and has accepted that if there are no military issues, there’s nothing to complain about.
“Only generals are participating, aren’t they? I always thought nobles would participate in these kinds of events, so it’s true that Evia isn’t here like she said.”
“If those cowards were here, they’d just be a nuisance.”
“Indeed. I have no idea why they aren’t here anymore.”
“Thank you for that incredibly obvious lie.”
And indeed, the nobles who would normally be involved in military actions are not present here.
While high-ranking nobles might come here, the Demon Lord’s Army is a bit special.
I had asked Evia about it beforehand, but it’s truly a gathering of only generals.
Technically, nobles have the right to participate here.
But once they participated, they would regret it, so no one came.
I can vaguely understand this from what the instructors are saying.
Since Evia told me beforehand, I understand the instructors’ words and the flow of this meeting.
As a process for mobilizing the army, the matters decided here will be notified to the nobles by the president at a later date, after which negotiations will begin, and then the army will finally be mobilized.
At first, I wondered why such a troublesome process was established.
But after hearing the reason from Evia, I understood.
The reason stems from those gentlemen smiling lecherously.
If, for example, nobles and generals were to sit and discuss matters here, the generals would exert their full magical pressure.
The full pressure from the generals, who are second only to the Demon Lord in strength.
Evia told me in the past that it had become the custom of the Demon Lord’s Army to push through discussions under such circumstances.
As a result, discussions became a thing of the past, as Evia once told me.
To prevent the nobles from becoming dissatisfied, this process was inserted, which in a way serves as a measure to protect the nobles, and also has the benefit of giving the president a pretext to hold meetings openly with his inner circle.
Of course, there seem to be various regulations in place to prevent the nobles from hindering progress.
It is entirely due to the president’s strength and charisma that they have been able to act without problems until now.
This room, created by that president, is a room that holds a central role in military strategy.
Anyone allowed in is special.
Being allowed in is a form of status.
“I’m late.”
“No, the Dragon King and the Giant King haven’t arrived either.”
As we waited in such a room until the appointed time, Amili-san appeared, guided by an attendant.
There was still time before the meeting.
I had expected her to arrive right at the last minute, but even though she said she was late, it was impressive that she arrived before the scheduled time.
Amili-san finished teleporting and walked directly to her seat, which was opposite mine.
She seemed accustomed to coming to this room, as she sat down without hesitation when an attendant pulled out her chair.
“What about the Dragon King and the Giant King?”
“They haven’t arrived yet.”
“The Dragon King will arrive just in the nick of time. The Giant King is also the type to arrive just before the appointed time.”
So, some generals arrive at the last minute too.
I checked my wristwatch and saw that there were still about fifteen minutes left until the appointment.
I had arrived twenty minutes early, and the instructors had arrived even earlier.
So, does that mean the remaining Dragon King and Giant King will arrive about ten minutes later?
“How many seconds before the appointed time do you think the Dragon King will arrive?”
“Want to bet?”
“Interesting. I lost last time, so I won’t lose this time!”
“Challenging me with calculations is foolhardy. The win rate is eighty-seven percent.”
“Heh, you think you can beat my intuition?”
As I was thinking about this, a bet started about predicting when the Dragon King would arrive.
The way the words flowed, it seemed to be a regular occurrence.
As I observed them, each with their own confidence, discussing what they would bet on.
“Jirou, what about you? How many seconds before?”
“The bet is fair.”
“Indeed. You’re not going to back out now, are you, not when you can read the air so well?”
I thought that, but after being pressured by the three and thinking for a few seconds.
“Then, one minute before.”
I had heard the terms of the bet, and the stakes weren’t that heavy, so I answered casually.
Whether this will turn out for the better or for the worse, no one knows.
