Chapter 989

「Balfon-sama! I have brought you the Southern Conquest Duke, Sigrald-sama!」

「Enter.」

「Bohohoh! Long time no see, East Duke.」

「Hehehe! Welcome, South Duke.」

「So? For what purpose did call me all the way here? Is it about the movements of the West Duke?」

「What about him?」

「With Seedran almost completely under his control, the Water Dragon Warships are as good as ours. In other words, we have a practically unassailable grasp over the seas. About time for a meeting to discuss the final touches on our plan, wouldn’t you agree?」

「Hehehe, we can save that for another time. You and I have not quite finished our preparations, no?」

「Then is it about those pesky flies?」

「Flies? Which ones? You mean the red knights?」

「Not them. The strangely powerful old man and his band of half-insectkin mercenaries. They’ve been running all over the place, shouting about freeing their peoples and sometimes even resorting to force.」

「Ah yes, and you say your southern territory has been hit pretty hard, eh? Hehehehe…」

「Hmph, they always appear out of nowhere. That means they have a rat on the inside. We’ll have to drag them out first.」

「You want a little hand from me?」

「Pfft, yeah right. You’ll just send those creepy artificial super soldiers. Is there even a point to creating a army you can’t control?」

「Hehehe! I’ve obtained a wonderful amount of data from the incidents in Kranzel, Seedran, Belioth, and now even Gordicia. The true completion of my research draws near! Besides, I don’t want to hear that coming from you. Those undead of yours are plenty creepy too!」

「Come now, there can be no soldier more useful than an undead one. A mana supply allows them to work forever, without idle talk, complaints, or grumblings. We even retain the funds that would have been set aside to bury them. Buhoho! Truly a win-win!」

「You sound just like the West Duke right now.」

「Hmph! Don’t compare me to that miser!」

「And you say they don’t complain? Can you really say that applies to them?」

「With a contract binding them, they’re no different from the other undead!」

「Nameless, was it? Surely you don’t mean to say you think to bind him with a contract.」

「Bahaha! The formula is new this time. Good thing we had the data from the floating island.」

「Hoh? That sounds rather interesting.」

「Plus, the Holy Mother they worship is in our hands. They can’t disobey us even without a contract.」

「Hehehe. You mean that special undead capable of birthing other rational undead?」

「Indeed, the only undead in the world capable of procreation. Ah yes, I suppose she was also mother to Sibylla of the Red Sword.」

「Sibylla, yes! Hehehe! She’s a good one, the perfect super soldier! I still find it frustrating that our labs were destroyed. Well, I suppose it’s a trivial matter with the data already recorded.」

「Hmph…… They still believe I led the research because it was in my territory, you know?」

「I’m sorry to hear that, but it was a jointly led project. What else was I to do?」

「How would you enjoy being targeted by the red knights? Besides, the Knights of the Red Sword employed many survivors from those labs. You never know what they might try next.」

「The Knights of the Red Sword are definitely one of the backers for those mercenaries. In that case, we may need to be prepared for the long haul.」

「Pfft! They’re all the chancellor’s dogs! Our invasion of Alessa was so close to fruition…… But it appears we have to settle things in our own territory first!」

「Hehehe. Just give the word if you need a hand.」

「I’ll have to crush them quickly for our plan to work. Anyway, hurry up and tell me why you called me here. I don’t have all day.」

「The reason I called you here pertains to the failed divine sword in Gordicia that you asked me about earlier.」

「Progress, finally! My undead have no way to enter the continent, so I thought I’d never be able to get my hands on it. At long last!」

「I’m afraid not.」

「Hmm? We are talking about the same sword, no?」

「It’s certainly regarding that blade, but I don’t mean to say we’ve made progress. No, I suppose it might be progress in a sense.」

「……What happened?」

「First of all, Overgrowth, the Golden Devourer Sword, has been destroyed.」

「W-What the hell! It may not reach the level of the divine swords, but still! And after accumulating all that power over the years! You’re absolutely certain of its destruction? Impossible……!」

「This news is certain. The last owner, an adventurer woman, apparently broke the blade during a battle with a high-class antidemon.」

「Why do you assume some adventurer is telling the truth?」

「The woman’s half-mutated body returned to normal, and all signs of the blade disappeared. There doesn’t seem to be any room for doubt.」

「First Evil-Eater and now Overgrowth…… Does this mean Falldown is the only failed divine sword remaining for us?」

「Indeed, although there’s a problem with that one too.」

「Huh?」

「I’ve lost contact with all the underlings I sent in.」

「What!? So we have no way of locating Falldown?!」

「Hehehe. All of the blame lies with me, so I must apologize. I’m sorry.」

「Sorry isn’t going to cut it! My dreams of the greatest army ever, shattered!」

「Allow me to say that I wanted the data on the failed swords just as much as you. With Evil-Eater gone, Falldown was my only clue to controlling evil energy.」

「Didn’t you have a mutually beneficial relationship with its wielder?」

「We did, yes. Either that little girl realized my true intentions, or perhaps she was simply using me as well……」

「Hmph. Things just aren’t going our way.」

「Hehehehe, you can say that again. Anyway, I’m having my people in Gordicia find out the current situation. We’ll have to wait longer until we can hear back.」

「……I suppose I don’t have much choice. Make it quick.」

「I know. I’ve also gathered some additional info on the divine swords, so I’ll pass that over later as well.」

「Hoh? Sounds exciting. I’ll give you a report on my side of the investigation as well. Let’s start with the king.」

「Huh? You actually did your job for once?」

「Of course. Well, the king is behaving the same as always. He leaves the governing to the chancellor and continues studying every day. Hmph, how envious.」

「He is the king, after all.」

「Obviously. Even I have no intention of murdering my own lord. Still, that chancellor is a thorn in my side, and one that must be removed sooner or later. He’s continuing his work in the shadows, just like he always has.」

「Hehehehe! I have to agree with that sentiment! As if we could play nicely with the other nations after all these years! How much blood does he think our ancestors have split?!」

「Hmph, precisely. And our biggest obstacle may end up being the North Duke, but…… I’ve yet to find anything substantial.」

「No one can predict how the North will react.」

「Indeed, but we can’t afford to make enemies of them.」

「Hehehe! The Northern Knights are certainly the best of the best! Just how in the world did they manage to obtain such a formidable legion of knights……? I’d love to hear the secret.」

「Bwohoho. Haven’t you heard? Spend your whole life slaying magic beasts from morning till night, and anyone will get stronger. According to them, that is.」

「Hehehehehe! They’re even crazier than me!」

「Of course. The relic blade he carries is also incredibly powerful. Defeating him within the northern lands is an impossible task. It would be foolish to even try.」

「Indeed. The Northern Conquest Duke, Sibylla of the Red Sword, Shuzeka of the Scarlet Eye, Weena Rhyn the high elf, Jean the necromancer, and the Demon Knights serving Diabolos. We’re simply surrounded by enemies both inside and outside our borders.」

「The day will come when our almighty army engulfs them all.」

「Such confidence. Did you think up another plan?」

「Buhoho! You’ll see soon enough.」

「Hehehe, I’ll be looking forward to it.」