Chapter 94

In the deep of night at the Lastock garrison, the light was still on in Camilla's office.

The door, which had been left wide open during the day, was now closed, and there was no sign of her secretary or the guard knights.

"The knights wanted to provide protection... but Camilla strongly insisted they stop..."

According to Fred, who had been reconnoitering, Camilla told a group of knights in her office that the first person exiled had the qualities of a demon king and was the mastermind behind the escape chaos. She recounted how she was attacked in her office. She then persuaded them that, as negotiations were ongoing, no harm would come to them and instructed them to continue their duties or rest.

Camilla probably thinks that resistance against us is futile.

The effect of making her suspect that we had been turned into familiars and the rapid gathering of timber and materials in one night might have contributed to this.

While Camilla was focused on the documents in front of her, I stepped out of the shadows, sat on the sofa for guests, and casually threw my legs up on the table, adopting a haughty attitude.

I tried to put on a demon king-like appearance, but it's a bit sad that she didn't notice at all.

Camilla's expression was tired, with dark circles under her eyes. She seemed to feel the strain in her eyes and shook her head lightly, finally noticing my presence.

"Wh-What... When did you get there..."

"Is everything going according to plan?"

"O-Of course..."

Her words were bold, but her expression showed confusion and fear.

It would be better to maintain a strong attitude and continue the conversation.

I lowered my feet from the table and gestured for Camilla to sit opposite me.

Camilla, showing a reluctant expression, obediently sat down.

"S-So, what do you want..."

"Forty-eight... no, forty-nine."

I confronted Camilla with the number of people who died due to the collapse of the school building caused by the summoning.

"Damn... As the third princess of the Reisenburg Kingdom, is my body not enough to make amends..."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Are you not demanding forty-nine maidens as a tribute?"

"That's not it. It's the number of people who died due to the summoning you performed."

"But I thought only one person died..."

"While only one person, Hashiyama, died in Reisenburg, forty-eight people died and over a hundred and fifty were injured in the original world. It's all your fault."

"Why the original world..."

"I have obtained the power to return to the original world."

"What... So, are you going back to the original world?"

I didn't miss the sudden look of joy on Camilla's face.

"It seems you have a misunderstanding. Right now, only I can return to the original world. If it becomes possible for others to travel freely, it would be the end of Reisenburg. My country's military has firepower that can easily overwhelm Reisenburg's knights. It's even possible to turn the capital Aldaros into a wasteland in a single day."

"But... such a thing..."

"You can think what you want, but compared to my country's military, Reisenburg's knights are over a hundred years behind. By the way, another country in my world has weapons that can destroy a capital city with a single strike. Camilla Reisenburg, you should understand that the world you've challenged is such a world."

Of course, I can't actually mobilize the Self-Defense Forces or the U.S. military, let alone launch nuclear missiles at the capital, but Camilla's face turned pale when she heard this.

"W-Wait... I didn't mean to..."

"The building we were summoned with was the third floor of a four-story building. You can imagine what would happen if that part was gone. Forty-eight people died and over a hundred and fifty were injured when the building collapsed. This afternoon, I reported the details to the government officials. A formal protest and compensation request will soon be made to Reisenburg. If you refuse, you should expect retaliation."

"I will pay the compensation. I will, but it's not up to me alone..."

"Then, report the situation to the king and seek cooperation."

"But the summoning was done on my own initiative..."

"Can you really think that the actions of a royal, even if done on their own, have nothing to do with the country? You always said everything is for the benefit of Reisenburg... If the country says it's not their responsibility, it has no credibility."

Camilla was at a loss for words and fell silent.

"W-Will my life be enough..."

"That won't solve anything. Even if you take your own life, Reisenburg's responsibility won't be absolved. Besides, do you think other royals can take responsibility? Can the king, the first prince, or the second prince resolve the situation? If you leave it to them, this country will surely fall apart."

"W-What should I do..."

"I don't know. It's your doing, so you should take responsibility. By the way, I have some good news for you. The first prince, Alphonse, plans to take advantage of the chaos caused by the large-scale summoning to raise an army and defeat the second prince."

"What... In a time of national crisis, what are they doing..."

"Ah, by the way, the second prince thinks the large-scale summoning is just an excuse to bring in troops, so he plans to ambush and defeat the first prince's forces."

"What... That would lead to a full-scale civil war."

"Yes, and it will happen while Lastock is being attacked by a large-scale summoning. What will become of Reisenburg..."

Camilla, after being shocked, covered her face with her hands and began to tremble.

"Do you want power?"

"Huh...?"

Camilla, who hastily wiped her eyes and looked up, had an expression of both anxiety and hope.

"Do you want the power to protect the people?"

"Of course, even if it means sacrificing myself, I would be content if the people are protected."

"Then, swear your loyalty to me. If you, Camilla Reisenburg, swear your loyalty to me, Kent Kokubu, I will help you protect the people. Don't you want the power to defeat four salamanders?"

"Four salamanders..."

"Don't you want the power to defeat a horde of over two hundred rock ogres with skeletons?"

"Two hundred rock ogres..."

I snapped my fingers, and Reinhardt, Bastian, and Fred gathered behind me.

"Don't you want the power of the lizardmen and kobold army that eradicated over three hundred orcs to the last one?"

"Of course, I want it!"

I snapped my fingers again, and Zae and Alt appeared, filling the office.

"Ah... This is the power of the demon king..."

"So, what will you do?"

Camilla stood up, walked around the table, and knelt before me, bowing her head.

"I, Camilla Reisenburg, swear my loyalty to the demon king Kent Kokubu. Please lend me your power to protect the people."

"Alright, I will lend you my power. However, it is to protect the people, not to absolve your sins. After the threat of the large-scale summoning has passed and Reisenburg has stabilized, you will have to atone for your sins. Understand?"

"As you command..."

Ugh... It feels so good! That Camilla is kneeling...

"Focus on fortifying Lastock for now. If the first prince, second prince, and even the third prince continue to fight for the throne without considering the people, I will deal with them all."

"Such a thing... No, the demon king can do it."

"By the way, I don't know what the fourth prince is like, but is your brother capable?"

"Dietherm..."

I thought Camilla would definitely say her brother is excellent, but she was vague.

"Dietherm is a kind-hearted brother who cares for the people, like me, but his health is not very strong."

"Does that mean, if he regains his health, he has the potential to be an excellent king?"

"Yes, that's certain... However, his frail constitution cannot be cured even by the royal healers..."

"I see... Understood. If you are imprisoned, prepare for your brother to inherit the throne."

"Will the demon king rule Reisenburg?"

Camilla looked slightly surprised, but I don't want to do the king's job. It's troublesome.

I might have a little bit of a fantasy about being served by beautiful women, but the committee members are scary, so I'll pass.

"I have no intention of doing the troublesome job of being a king. However, I might deal with incompetent kings... to a certain extent."

"Then, will my brother take the throne..."

"What do you plan to do with him once he becomes king?"

"Of course, I plan to have him govern for the people."

"If that's the case, it's fine. But if he pursues personal gain... I might have to eliminate him."

"I understand..."

I sent the familiars back to the shadow world and gave Camilla instructions.

"I have power, but it's not infinite, and I won't necessarily use it all for Reisenburg. You must continue to make efforts to protect your country and city. I will assist, but I won't allow you to rely on me completely. Understand?"

"Yes, I understand."

"Also, at this point, no one else can return to the original world. Disclose all information related to the summoning ritual of the Reisenburg royal family to those who wish to return."

"But the summoning ritual is designed to summon those who meet specific conditions, not to specify a location..."

"I understand. Even if that's the case, if I specify detailed conditions and perform the summoning in the original world, there's a possibility of returning to the original world."

"But the summoning ritual is a secret of the royal family..."

"Is your loyalty only to that extent? If so, I will have to reconsider..."

"Please wait. I will provide all the information related to the summoning ritual."

"Prepare it within three days. Understand?"

"Yes, I understand."

While Camilla bowed again, I slipped back into the shadow world.

When she raised her head and noticed I was gone, she let out a deep sigh.

"Phew... I seem to have summoned a formidable being. I should consider myself lucky that the situation is this manageable..."

Camilla slowly shook her head and returned to her desk to continue organizing the documents.

"Mr. Kent, you have a commanding presence..."

"No, no, I was actually nervous inside..."

"This means Camilla will definitely join the harem..."

"No, no, I'm not thinking about that... Fred, how do you hide your feelings... No, no, it's impossible, I'll definitely be found out..."

"If you create a fait accompli, it will be fine..."

"I see... But no, if I do that, I'll end up in a terrible situation..."

Lately, I feel like Fred is playing with me regarding Camilla.

Maybe Fred needs to let off some steam by doing something physical, like a quick battle or something.

While I was thinking about this, Reinhardt spoke to me.

"Mr. Kent, why did you make Camilla swear loyalty to you?"

"Well... I thought it would be convenient..."

"Once you obtain the information about the summoning ritual, wouldn't Camilla become unnecessary?"

"Well... I think there will be formal protests and compensation requests from Japan, my home country. If I try to proceed through official channels, it will be a huge hassle."

After all, it will be a negotiation between Japan and a foreign country, and the parties involved can't even meet face to face.

The language is also something that doesn't exist on Earth, so I, who was involved in the summoning, will have to act as an interpreter.

Moreover, in the Reisenburg Kingdom, other royals besides Camilla are unaware of the situation.

It's hard to imagine that things will progress smoothly in such a situation.

"I see, you're right."

"That's why I thought I would make Camilla the representative of Reisenburg for the negotiations."

Just like how Morita continues the investigation for adult reasons, other government officials must have their own reasons.

Obtaining the compensation money could be as simple as stealing it.

However, to make it appear as if the Reisenburg royal family paid, I need a royal who will cooperate.

They might be asked to sign peace documents or even appear in videos.

I thought it would be best to formalize the process with Camilla as the representative of