Click clack click clack……

Liese moved her eight legs and approached me.

Glaring towards me, it’s as if she’s trying to convey that she’s looking down on me, even when she’s shorter than me.

She pointed towards me.

[I heard about it. You were the one who requested this meeting, right? What? Is it so important that you need to gather the entire Seven Lights? Is this something worth taking up my, Lieselotte Ornick’s precious time?]

[Oi, spider brat.]

A low voice interrupted her.

Liese breaks her gaze from me, and with a displeased look on her face, she turns towards Gio.

[What is it, Gio? You got a problem? Also, I’m not a kid. I’ve always been telling you not to treat me like a child, haven’t I? I’ve been alive for over twenty years, nor am I childish.]

Her appearance looked like a “young girl” though.

[Even my breast doesn’t have the size of a child’s breasts, right? They’re bigger than Armia’s, Qir’s, and Kokoroniko’s breasts, right? Geez———— Gio is always irritating me.]

“Shoo shoo!”

Looking really irritated, Liese tried to shoo Gio away.

In response, Gio clicked his tongue.

[I know that this isn’t the first time Prime Minister-dono’s lack of manners…… but I won’t keep quiet if you show too much rudeness to Fly King over there.]

[Oh, look. The barking dog is talking about keeping quiet.]

[This freaking brat———-]

[I think it’s time for you to take your seat, Liese. If you have something to say, go take your seat first.]

The one who intervened was King Zect.

Incidentally, Yerma was clinging to Gio’s waist.

I think she thought that Gio would raise his hand against Liese, so she went in to stop her husband.

[……Hmph. Fine, whatever.]

After being admonished, Liese snorted and went to her seat.

The others followed suit and went to their own respective seats.

AD

Incidentally, Seras———— showed hints of hesitation many times.

Should I say something here?

Should I do something here?

She was hesitating regarding those things.

However, every time she showed signs of hesitation, I would nonchalantly stop her.

So, in the end, Seras remained silent and held herself back.

[Here we go.]

Lightly saying this, Liese sat down on her seat.

Her chair was made with a wider area to sit on.

I guess it’s probably made for Arachnes.

Liese’s seat is right across from mine.

She’s sitting in front of me with a challenging smile on her face.

How should I say this……

It feels like she’s a child who was planning some kind of prank.

But on the other hand———- I can somewhat understand why Qir gave such an advice.

Her eyes won’t stop observing everyone at all.

As if she was trying to determine what was going on, her eyes had always remained sharp even as she first entered the room.

……I see.

Don’t let the way she talks or the way she looks fool you huh.

Seeing that me and the Seven Lights had taken our seats, King Zect broke the ice.

[I’ve asked everyone to gather again to discuss our plan on the Goddess’ army that is about to invade.]

Folding her arms behind her head, Liese set her gaze on the king.

[The majority vote tomorrow will determine our plan…… Isn’t that what we had decided on the meeting earlier? I think we’ve boiled the discussion down enough, don’t you think? If there’s a new factor for that……]

Liese’s eyes turned towards Seras before turning towards me.

[It would be these two…… You’re not going to tell me you’re going to put those two there in the majority vote, are you? Hey, Zect, are these two going to be residents here?]

[No.]

[That means they’re outsiders, right? Then, that doesn’t give them any right to vote. I won’t accept their votes. So…… What exactly are we going to discuss with these two?]

I wanted to meet the Seven Lights in person and get to know them.

Especially this Arachne.

But well, I guess I would need a reason to establish my position huh.

King Zect looked at me as if he wanted a helping hand.

Receiving his plea, I asked.

[May I speak?]

[Umu.]

[Well then, let me briefly introduce myself. My name is Belzegia, the leader of a mercenary group called the Fly King Squadron.]

Everyone’s attention was turned towards me.

[First of all, I thank everyone for gathering here. Now then…… We have gathered here to inform you that we will assist you in the fight against the Goddess’ army which is on their way here…… And we wanted to work together to develop a plan for that.]

Liese eyebrows creased.

She is clearly showing her displeasure with my words.

[What are you talking about?]

I already gave some of the information to the king before the first council meeting.

It is safe to assume that that information has reached Liese’s ears as well.

[As you may know, the Goddess’ army that are attacking here are likely to be very hostile. Moreover, you should think of them as strong and dangerous. Therefore, I believe that we should cooperate with each other in intercepting them.]

Bringing my hand to my chest, I continue.

[I am from the outside world. And I have heard that everyone present here has been holed up in this country for a long time. So…… I hope I can help bridge the information gap that has opened up between your world and the world outside.]

Well, the truth is that Seras knows more about the outside world than I do.

I’ve told her in advance that I would be “counting on her assistance” on this.

She should be able to support my answers and explanations to a reasonable degree.

AD

In response to my words though…

[Seriously———]

Pushing her hands on the table, Liese stood up from her seat.

[What are you talking about?]

[……Is there something bothering you?]

[Isn’t that obvious? After all, even just from the premise, you’ve been wrong. You…… Why are you assuming that we’re going to fight? Are you stupid?]

Liese’s eyes glared at me.

They aren’t just eyes condemning me, they’re eyes filled with disdain.

[There’s no way we’re going to fight.]

[What do you mean?]

[This matter should be resolved through negotiation.]

[Honestly, I don’t see how talking will work with them.]

[Uncivilized barbarians.]

Directly insulting me, Liese leans forward.

[Hey, why did you decide that they’re people that can’t be talked to?]

As if she’s trying to intimidate me, Liese continued.

[Are you making decisions based on your own vague personal intuitions and impression? Talking won’t work with them, you say……? That kind of thing———— Isn’t that something you’ll know unless you try? You barbarians may not know this, but let me tell you something. Bloodshed and fighting isn’t actually the solution to everything. If the only way you know how to solve a problem is through force, then you’re nothing but uncivilized barbarians.]

“You’ll never know unless you try.”

What great words, they are.

These words touch one’s heart.

It isn’t good to give up from the beginning.

It’s better to regret what you have done than what you haven’t.

However————-

Were those always the right answer to everything?

The result of trying.

There is always the possibility that you may end up in a situation that you cannot recover from.

It’s also not impossible that you would end up doing something that couldn’t be undone.

“You’ll never know unless you try.”

They’re great words———– but they’re dangerous words at the same time.

[Alion’s Thirteen Cavalries…… was it? Did you have direct contact with this cavalry that you know what kind of people they are well enough? I’ve heard how they’re filled with thugs and criminals. However, is that information reliable? Ah, don’t lie to me, okay? If I find out later that you lied, I’ll never forgive you…… If I find out that you have lied here, I’ll have the Kurosagas take the blame for it.]

[………………….]

They’ve brought up the Kurosagas huh.

I see.

She knows that I came here for the Kurosagas.

[Well then, I’ll ask you again, okay? What do you know about this cavalry other than the rumors?]

[No, all information we gave you were just rumors.]

[———–You are?]

Liese’s eyes quickly glared towards Seras.

This is something I’ve firmly reminded her after all.

[No, even I…… have never directly met them in person nor did I see what kind of people they are. All the information we have are rumors only. However———–]

Her voice filled with sincerity, Seras spoke.

[I just don’t really think that you could peacefully settle things with them.]

[Don’t misunderstand things here, okay? I don’t care what you think.]

Liese nonchalantly brushed away Seras’ appeal.

[No matter how sincere you try to say it, that’s still just your impression, isn’t it? It doesn’t matter if you’re some elf with some circumstances. You lot aren’t some people we could trust, so everything in our transaction would be based on evidence. If you want to convince me, you’ll have to provide evidence.]

There were no holes in Liese’s logic.

What she’s saying makes sense.

Thinking this, I ask.

[Is our experience not enough of an evidence?]

Probably not.

Especially against a Prime Minister like her.

[It won’t———- It completely won’t.]

Her answer was just as I had expected.

[However, you are aware of the Goddess’ obsession with this country, right?]

[You mean, the Goddess’ obsession with the Kurosagas?]

[——————-]

This Arachne———- even knows about th