Chapter 144

The next day, I was lounging around Larks mansion, still not fully recovered from the fatigue of walking around to thin out the magic beasts .

Mea also went out to help process the magical beasts, so I became completely free of time .

In the morning, Euris came to the mansion to report to Lark, and we had a chat .

Thats when the topic of conversation turned to the processing of magical beasts, and when I blurted out, It would be easier if I could dismantle or process magical beasts too, she said, Mea will remember that! And then she just followed Euris .

She seems to be getting jack of all trades and master of none more and more .

I decided to talk with Lark to make a list of the problems that needed to be resolved anyway, thinking that I should plan for the future until my physical condition returns .

I walked down the hallway to the front of the office, looking at the pictures hanging on the wall, and knocked on the door .

Marias? You can come in .

The sound of the quill moving from behind the door stopped, and Larks voice could be heard .

He seems to mistook it for a servant .

Lark seemed to be strangely friendly with Marias, and Id better get a confirmation before I opened it .

There are some things you may want to show to your servants, but not to your guests .

Its me, Abel .

I hear the sound of Lark hurriedly knocking over a chair, followed by the sound of footsteps approaching .

Lark opens the door from the back .

Oh, it was you! Now, come on in .

No, no, you dont have to be so careful

Id rather have a little more dignity .

I wanted to ask you again about the problems the Fage territory is currently facing right now . After all, this is where I will be living from now on .

Thats true, too, just a moment . Lets see, the copy of the application form from the Alchemy Division and the periodic reports

Lark rifles through the archives and goes to arrange a few files on the shelves .

No, just a quick verbal is fine

Lark listens to my words and puts the file back in its place .

I was free in the meantime, so I was looking around the room when I noticed a small white statue of what looked like a small white statue, about the size of a parents tip, falling at the foot of the desk .

I walked up to it and picked it up .

Its a statue wearing a crown and sitting on a throne .

I thought I couldnt find it, so It fell down there . Thank you for finding it . its a piece we use for a game called the Lyrus board . We move each other one by one and play a kind of mock war with the pieces .

Lark, who has finished putting away the files, approaches me .

The Lyrus board is it like a chess game?

I didnt know they existed in this world too .

It seems that Mariass father, who was a peddler, got it by accident . I was hoping that by spreading the word about it, the dissatisfaction of the people in the area would be alleviated to some extent Is what I thought, but it didnt work out so well .

Is it about the Cost?

Thats part of it, but the rules are pretty complicated too . The only people in this Fage territory who have a complete grasp of the rules are Me and Marias . We can simplify the pieces, but adjusting the rules doesnt work that way .

It would be easy to make a shogi game with just the name of the position carved on the tree .

If the rules are that complicated for the lyrus board, why dont we make it a simple chess game

No, but in that case, you dont have to worry about the lyrus board, there is something simpler and more popular .

Then how about the oracle card?

Oracle card?

Yes, it was popular in my own hometown . I think this is a better way to drown your frustrations because it can be enjoyed by several people in harmony . And since its paper, its cheaper and can be mass-produced .

Not really in my hometown, but its the old world .

Oh, thats great! If you dont mind, can you show me once!

Ill get it in my room .

I wanted to get a list of all the problems from the Larks point of view, but I got sidetracked .

Well, I can ask him later .

As I was about to touch the door, there was a knocking sound at the door .

I moved away from the door and looked in the direction of Larks response .

Youre back, Marias

Im afraid its not that little girl, lord-dono .

A low male voice interrupted the words and the door was opened without waiting for Larks next response .

The man who entered was an older man .

A black, well-defined mustache and beard .

Deeply carved wrinkles and a glaring look in his eyes .

Icarus-dono .

Lark says as if he had bitten down on a bitter worm .

I knew it, this is Icarus .

That pale one over there is the said sorcerer?

Icarus said as he stared at me and moved his face much closer to mine .

His breath stinks . The smell of aging .

I reflexively took a half step back .

I hear you have great magic skills for someone so young . I heard that you defeated Nalgarn and contributed to the operation to thin the magic beasts the other day . Really good, good .

He laughed, his face wrinkled, and clapped his hands deliberately .

Ha, hahaha Tha-, thank you very much

Then he looks towards his lord and sighs one sigh in dismay .

His face turns grim and he shouts out loud .

On the other hand, what an outrage of a private army! Even if you mobilize all of your forces, you cant defeat Nalgarn, and you end up running away crying and screaming! Theyre useless at thinning out the magical beasts, not to mention they live comfortably siphoning off the blood of the people, and now theyre making preparations to return to their home town because the blockade is lifted! Its a rumor among the residents! As a servant of my lord, the sparks are coming to us too! Its time for you to do something about those useless people!

Wha-, whats up with this old man?

The-, they always do their best and fight for us! I wont tolerate such insulting words even if youre Icarus-dono! Besides, in the operation to defeat Nalgarn, the main force of the sorcerers army is reported to have stayed back and not moved until the end! How dare Icarus-dono say such a thing from your mouth!

As expected, Lark seems to have become annoyed, and his face is a little red .

Icarus exhales heavily and slowly shakes his head .

No, no, no, no . You dont understand anything, my lord . The close-quarter unit made up of private army members hadnt been able to properly attract Nalgarns attention in the first place, so we couldnt order our men to move, either . If we had moved them wrongly, the number of wounded would have jumped up . This is not the place for an amateur combatant, like lord-dono, to interfere . Isnt it?

I am asking, lord-dono . I wouldnt know what to do by you remaining silent . If you have a complaint, Ill listen about it?

thats enough . That was an unnecessary thing to say .

When Lark pulls back, Nimari raises the corners of his mouth .

It must be Icaruss way of covering it up with his quips and hiding an inconvenient story .

Oh, if only the close-quarter unit had worked a little harder, our magic would have been enough to finish them off! And to top it all off, I didnt know I was going to have to let this boy clean up my mess! Unless your close-quarter unit is incompetent! After all, adventurers are just a bunch of crowds of people who are supposed to be used up!

Icarus shouted in a theatrical tone .

Just listening to it was irritating .

I dont think he just came here to badmouth me, but if thats the case, whats the point, after all .

Or rather, its almost certainly him whos spreading bad words about Lark and the private army in the territory .

Im busy too, so lets get down to business . What brings you here today, Icarus-dono?

Well, Id like to have Nalgarns head sent all the way back to the Alchemy Division .

. All of Nalgarns head sent to the Alchemy division?

I gave that thing to the Lord originally .

Whats this guy saying at his own convenience?

Noticing my gaze, Icarus hides his mouth and laughs .

I have already heard of the transfer of that Abel-dono to Lord-dono . What a waste of Nalgarns scales as armor for a useless private army! You dont know the value of Nalgarns scales, so you can say that! I can put it to better use and help rebuild this territory!

Was that guy who was bad-mouthing the Private Army earlier as an excuse to recover Nalgarn from the Private Army faults?

If its a bad character and thick skin on the face, wouldnt it surpass Norman (Noswells father) as well?

If you continue to make Nalgarn the armor of those former adventurers, wont the people who know about this matter slander lord-dono again for his incompetence? Why dont you just hand it over to me quietly?

N-, no, um, I gave it to the lord, not you . I gave it to him because I heard that the armor was lacking in resources, so if the use of the armor is going to change, let me reconsider .

I raise my hand and interrupt the conversation .

Lark doesnt seem to be a very strong type of person, and he might be pushed out of the way if he continues .

It has been rumored as a beautiful story in the territory that Abel-dono has transferred the valuable Nalgarn scales for this territory without compensation . Really, what worthy thing to do! But if it was rescinded in the blindness of greed, then the reputation would be completely reversed

So you are putting an appropriate different color to it and change it to a bad reputation .

Considering the fact that Im going to be living in this place, I would avoid it if I could but if the price is going to be paid for it, it will be a shame to let you take all of it .

More than anything else, the thought of it going into this guys hands makes me angry .

Lark moaned as he scratched his hair, but he said as he squeezed out .

I need a week no, three days give me some time

Icarus laughs foolishly .

Lord-dono, I expect a good answer . So long .

With that, he turned on his heel and left the office .

After Icarus left, we were silent for a while .

Im sorry, Im really sorry

It was Larks apology that broke the silence .

You decide what you want to do . It doesnt make much difference if I have more factors to be frowned upon by my fellow citizens now, and not many of them would be foolish enough to choke on you, the hero who defeated Nalgarn, for trivial reasons Besides, Ill do my best to cover for you .

There arent many foolish residents

But there are residents who climb the walls and pour mud water on them or throw fertilized eggs at them .

Do they have that much popularity that they can do whatever they want?

It is frustrating, but they have . In this troubled Fage territory, alchemists are a beacon of hope . And Icarus, the head of that division, has the overwhelming support of the residents, even more so than I do .

Come to think of it, Ringus, the Water Gods missionary, also said .

If there is no hope, there is no choice but to grasp the fiction . Even if it slips through your hands like water .

In a way, the Alchemy Division might be like a religion for the residents .

If they believe that one day they will save the territory, they wont have to lament the present .

But if theyre just talking and havent produced any results, then theyll be able to direct their frustration ah .

I realized after I said it .

Thats right . Icarus is deflecting his frustration and directing it all at me and my private army .

I-, Im always sorry for your loss .

But I think I see the goal . Ive come up with a way to do it without spreading unnecessary rumors and having to give Nalgarn to them .

Hey! Re-, really?!

Well drop Icarus within three days before the appointed day arrives .

If we deprive Icarus of his support, he will not be able to negotiate compulsively with us .

My God, Icarus in three days is that even possible?

We know the foundation on which Icarus is supported .

Hes just taking advantage of the problems of the territory and taking advantage of the worries of the residents .

Then, once all the problems of the territory are solved, there will only be the result of an incompetent alchemist who has done nothing when its over .

Within three days, Ill put an end to each and every one of the large amount of problems that the Fage territory has .

Then Icarus, the biggest nuisance of all, would be automatically sent away, and my peace in this territory would be like a guarantee .