ebookland #419 - For Alice, I might even be able to defeat the Demon King.
#419 - For Alice, I might even be able to defeat the Demon King.
The next morning.
Kazuma and the others set off again.
Because they were to arrive in the neighboring country today, Darkness was firmly prevented from driving the dragon carriage, and Yunyun helped instead.
Aqua and Megumin seemed extremely excited about arriving in the neighboring country, and Iris was also infected by this enthusiasm. The three of them chattered on and on, not knowing what they were saying, only vaguely hearing things like casinos, delicacies, and fine wine.
Kazuma, taking the opportunity, quietly asked Darkness, who was sitting next to him, "I say, we're only going to see Iris's fiancé, that brat, right? We can go back after a brief meeting, right?"
"How could it really just be a brief meeting?"
Darkness looked at him dumbfounded.
In fact, Kazuma had vaguely sensed it. If it was just a simple meeting, there would be no need to deliberately conceal the trip, let alone make such a special trip at this time when the war between them and the Demon King's army was intensifying.
"This visit, simply put, is to request support from them."
"…What do you mean? Are you going to have them send powerful adventurers and knights over?"
Kazuma was a little strange.
It wasn't that he looked down on the adventurers and knights of other kingdoms, but compared to the super-powered Crimson Demon clan member beside him, other people—even Kyouya Mitsurugi, who ranked third in the kingdom—were no match at all.
Darkness quickly shattered his fantasy.
"No, individual combat power and overall combat power are not the same. Because the kingdom is the only one bordering the Demon King's army, if we are defeated and the Demon King's army breaks through the defense line, the fragile other kingdoms will be ravaged. Therefore, the surrounding kingdoms will regularly send elite combat forces as reinforcements."
Don't look at Kazuma and the others often fighting the Demon King's army and gaining the upper hand, in reality, it's only them.
Apart from that, whether it's other regions or other kingdoms, they are being suppressed by the Demon King's army, and there are even faint signs of being unable to hold on.
Therefore, various countries are strengthening their support.
"However, the kingdom of Elroad, which we are about to visit, is founded on casinos, so its knights are quite weak. Therefore, what we are requesting from that country is not reinforcements, but rather asking them to provide assistance in terms of funds."
Mainly in the name of defense expenses, requesting the Kingdom of Elroad to provide a large amount of funds to maintain the kingdom's expenses.
To put it simply.
The reward money for defeating the Demon King's army executives is not actually paid by the kingdom. Most of it is paid by Elroad, and the kingdom only issues the rewards in its own name.
In addition, you can refer to the work "Maoyuu Maou Yuusha", which contains economics and is similar to the current situation.
"I see."
Kazuma nodded, not knowing if he was deliberately pretending to understand, but on closer thought, it was still a little strange.
"But what does this have to do with this matter?"
"I just said that the recent battles with the Demon King's army are intensifying, right? In fact, this has a lot to do with us defeating too many Demon King's army executives."
"Eh, could it be that we're being resented?"
"No, it's because the Demon King's army is starting to get anxious."
After all, the Demon King's army executives, who had never been defeated until now, have been successively defeated recently, so the kingdom decided not only to consolidate its defenses but also to take the initiative to attack and seize the initiative.
However, at this critical juncture, Elroad stated that its finances were tight, so it could not provide funds for launching a counterattack.
Not only that, but it also planned to stop supplying defense expenses that it had been providing all along.
"Therefore, Iris has no choice but to come to Elroad as an envoy, replacing the King and Prince who are fighting on the front lines."
"In other words, Iris's purpose here is to get money."
"…I see."
After hearing Kazuma's words, Dust nodded as if he understood something.
Darkness keenly noticed something was wrong and said softly, "I say, Kazuma, we're here to seek cooperation. We've had close relations with the Kingdom of Elroad since before, so…"
"Don't worry, don't worry, I won't do anything out of line."
"That's why I'm worried!"
"Look. Whether it's talking nicely or using violence to make them submit, as long as we get the money, it's fine, right? Speaking of which, why don't we just turn them into a vassal state? As long as we use our strength to force them—"
"That's why I said don't be so willful!"
Darkness felt that Kazuma was very strange.
He was fine yesterday, but his thoughts had completely changed in just one night.
Kazuma's eyes shone, and he slowly said, "This is bad. For Iris, I might even be able to defeat the Demon King."
"Don't joke around!"
Darkness couldn't help but shout.
If the kingdom really used force to pressure Elroad, although it would be able to get support funds in the short term, other kingdoms might feel a sense of crisis and withdraw their adventurers, losing this great opportunity for a counterattack.
"In short, even if Elroad's finances are really tight, this visit is still related to the major affairs of the kingdom, and even the fate of the world. Kazuma and Dust, I beg you, please don't mess things up!"
Darkness humbly lowered her head.
It was already surprising that she, as the daughter of a great nobleman, would say such a thing, and it could be seen that she valued this visit very much for the sake of the kingdom.
Dust remained noncommittal.
Kazuma spread his hands and said, "I know, this is for the world, and also for humanity. I'm also an adventurer fighting the Demon King's army, so I won't be willful at this time."
Perhaps Dust, this conservative faction, was a bit radical, which made Kazuma, this radical faction, become stable instead.
However, his saying that made Darkness a little suspicious.
"What, don't you believe me?"
"No, it's just that saying things like 'for the world, for humanity' always makes me feel like something is wrong."
"Okay, I've decided. I'll take off my pants and pee in front of the prince."
"I was wrong, I was wrong! Please don't do that!"
Kazuma's rascality ultimately made Darkness submit.
Speaking of which, Darkness was planning to make Kazuma unconscious until Iris left Elroad. Kazuma, who could read lips, must have known Darkness's plan, right?
And while the two were showing each other malicious smiles—
"Ah, Dust, Dust! Look, look, we're in Elroad!"
"Ahahaha, that's Elroad, right! I've always wanted to go to the casino superpower Elroad for a long time!"
"It's so beautiful, the scenery here is so unique!"
The girls, who were very interested in the neighboring country, cheered constantly, and the entire dragon carriage became noisy.
And Dust nodded after looking at the buildings that were different from the kingdom.
"Well, let's set up a save point."
The anchor point of the teleportation magic was set at the entrance of the town.
After arriving in the royal capital of the neighboring country, Elroad, they were shocked by the prosperity and crowds here.
Dust seemed to understand.
Why the protagonists in novels had to go from the frontier to the center of the world, because even the royal capital of the kingdom holding a lively festival was far inferior to the usual flow of people here.
As expected of a casino superpower, it was extremely lively.
Since they had arrived on the street, the dragon carriage was moving at the walking speed of humans. Aqua, who was excited by the hustle and bustle, shouted loudly, like a country bumpkin, attracting passersby to chuckle constantly.
Yunyun was a little shy, so she accelerated slightly. Under Darkness's command, the dragon carriage slowly stopped in front of a particularly large building. The inn seemed to have been arranged long ago.
After handing the dragon carriage to the staff, Darkness said, "Alright, everyone, go back to your rooms and put down your luggage first. Princess Iris's meeting with the prince is scheduled for tomorrow. Today, let's take a leisurely sightseeing tour to eliminate the fatigue of the journey."
"Yay!"
"Great! It's sightseeing!"
"Let's go eat, drink, and have fun together!"
Aqua, Megumin, and Kazuma, who couldn't wait, were making a lot of noise.
Iris shook her head and said, "I'm sorry, I need to prepare for tomorrow's meeting. Perhaps it's because I'm a little nervous. I want to stay in the inn and rest. Please, everyone, enjoy the sightseeing."
"Princess Iris, aren't you looking forward to this place very much? Let me be your guard…"
"No, you can't! It's rare for everyone to come to this kingdom. If everyone stays in the inn, I won't be able to rest in peace instead."
The princess was very considerate.
She knew that her trip would affect others, and that the meeting with the prince tomorrow was more important than playing, so she said that.
Darkness seemed a little unacceptable.
After all, Iris had enthusiastically talked about many things she wanted to do here before coming, but after arriving here, she couldn't play, and even staying in the inn, she didn't have anyone to talk to.
Such a thing…
"Um, I'll stay."
"…Yunyun!?"
The person who suddenly spoke was Yunyun. The Crimson Demon girl, who also had no friends, slowly raised her hand and said, "Sorry, everyone, I'm probably a little uncomfortable because I've been driving the dragon carriage for days…"
Liar.
She had clearly made detailed plans to have a good time with everyone today, and her room was even filled with various must-see attractions.
"Miss Yunyun, you don't have to…"
"Actually, I seem to have been too excited last night. I'm very tired now, and the strong desire to sleep has already affected me, so…so…"
Yunyun's cheeks flushed.
She was not good at lying in the first place, and doing so was really heartbreaking, and Yunyun staying was not without benefits. It was not reassuring to leave Iris alone in the inn. If Yunyun was also there, she could protect her.
"…I understand. Since Yunyun, you said so."
"Then I'll bring you something delicious when I come back."
"We'll be back soon."
The companions comforted one after another.
"—Okay, please enjoy your sightseeing with peace of mind, don't worry about this side!"
"Then we'll go rest first."
After saying that, Yunyun and Iris returned to the inn.