Chapter 87

"Brother! "

While heading to the back of the Veriello Chamber of Commerce, I was suddenly tackled from the side.

"Ughhh!"

Completely caught off guard, I couldn't even take a defensive stance and ended up flipping over.

"Brother! You're alive! I'm so glad!"

The one clinging to me, as if riding on my back while I sat on the floor, was the young girl Narnia from the Whale Inn.

"Ugh... Narnia... you... are heavy..."

"Whoa! Brother! Calling a girl heavy is a big no-no!"

"Well... sorry, but it's not just heavy, it's painful..."

Whether she heard me or not, Narnia showed no signs of letting go.

"I was so worried! They said you were taken to the castle!"

"Yeah, sorry about that. Anyway, I'm back, though I'm not sure if everything's fine."

"Y-Yeah... I'm glad."

She hugged me tightly again. Not really understanding the situation, but since she seemed worried, I ruffled her hair. Then, I led the calmed-down Narnia by the hand into a hidden room at the back. I didn't know such a place existed.

"So, what do we do now?"

I looked at Chelina, who was sitting next to me. The room wasn't very large, so she was leaning against the wall. On the opposite side, Narnia was sitting, and Hagg and Yarrai were glaring at each other from the left and right walls.

Among this group, Chelina is undoubtedly the most dangerous.

Hagg, Yarrai, and I could probably escape the city and manage somehow, but Chelina is different.

"I will contact the Sea Dragon."

"The Sea Dragon? That's the one the smug minister mentioned, right?"

"Yes, in simple terms, it's a resistance organization. I've been invited before."

"Really?"

"Really."

I was surprised. I thought Chelina was the type least likely to be involved in such matters.

"I was invited, but I didn't agree. Well, I did provide some financial support..."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I had to do that much to avoid worrying about my life. Plus, I could somewhat empathize with their ideology."

"Those pigs in the castle, huh..."

As an outsider, I don't have a real sense of it, but the king is probably so bad that the citizens can't stand it.

"Right now, I'm having a contact connect with the Sea Dragon. We should receive a direct message soon."

"Okay, but what do you plan to do with the Sea Dragon?"

"Of course, it's a revolution."

"Whoa!"

That's a bit too casual.

"What do you mean by revolution so easily? It's not that simple."

"It's not as difficult as you think. There are thousands of people who support the Sea Dragon."

"Is that true?"

"It's not entirely false. Our own investigations have confirmed a significant number of supporters."

"Even so..."

"The current population of this country is probably around 30,000, down to nearly half of what it was a few years ago. The military is said to number between 2,000 and 3,000. If the thousands who support the Sea Dragon and the people in the city act together, it's a gamble with a good chance of success."

"That's still too dangerous."

"We're already in a dangerous situation. If we do nothing, the danger will only increase."

"But, Chelina, wouldn't it be better for you to escape?"

At that, Melvin nodded silently several times.

"Doing that won't solve anything. While I might survive, I can never return to this country, and I don't know what will happen to everyone in the chamber of commerce."

"You don't need to worry about us! As long as the head of the house and Chelina are safe...!"

Chelina stopped him with a hand.

"If the revolution succeeds, the king will change. We don't know who will become king, but it won't be worse than now. This is a good opportunity."

"..."

"Chelina, are you serious?"

The dwarf Hagg, who had been silently fiddling with his beard, opened one eye.

"Yes, I'm serious."

"Hmm... A bunch of amateurs won't stand a chance against the military."

"That's not entirely true. Most of the soldiers were forcibly conscripted and are dissatisfied with their treatment. Many soldiers have promised to respond to the Sea Dragon's call."

"...Akira, what about you?"

"Huh? Me?"

"Yes. You and the young lady are close, and if you participate, I'll join you too."

"Joining isn't that simple."

"Let me be clear, if I join, our chances of success will increase significantly. When we broke through earlier, I noticed the soldiers here are poorly trained. Their use of wave techniques was also subpar."

"That's what I noticed too."

The elf Yarrai nodded in agreement with Hagg.

"The answer is simple. There are no real enemies. If you think about why the western wilderness is only made up of city-states, the answer becomes clear."

"Hmm?"

"Ah, I see..."

As Hagg tilted his head, I realized the answer.

"I'm still not familiar with the geography, but isn't this wilderness quite large? And aren't the city-states quite far apart?"

"Indeed, Akira, but that's only 30 points."

"Hmm. Ah, wars aren't fought unless there's something to gain. No one would want to conquer a barren land surrounded by thick walls just to get some food they can't even grow."

"Good, 70 points. The remaining 30 points are that each city-state can barely manage its own internal affairs."

"So, they can't afford wars."

"Exactly. With internal issues and the vast distances, no country can afford to march through the wilderness and attack another country with similar military strength."

"Hmm. I hear Calman and Mercedes are always at war."

"That's on the other side of the Midal Mountains, a particularly wealthy area."

Calman? Mercedes?

Chelina must have sensed my confusion and provided more information.

"The Calman Empire and the Mercedes Kingdom. They are large countries located in the southwest of the Great Midal Continent. The land is fertile, but that's why there are constant territorial disputes. While full-scale wars are rare, skirmishes along the borders and frontiers are common."

"Interesting."

"North of Calman is the Iron Hammer Kingdom of Dwaril, which is likely Hagg's homeland. Most of the population is dwarves, but it's too far for detailed information to reach us."

"Hagg, is that your homeland?"

"...Yes."

Hagg gave a somewhat reluctant answer, which was unusual.

"While we're at it, the small country between the Iron Hammer Kingdom of Dwaril and the Calman Empire is the Almines Kingdom, the headquarters of the Termias Church. It's a small country but has significant influence in the world. Further east is the largest country in the world, the True Radiant Empire of Atlantis. It's the headquarters of the Sun God Helios religion and a country where politics and religion are strongly intertwined. Beyond the sea to the east is the Sword Saint Kingdom of Vajra, but we know nothing about it."

"Why?"

Since Chelina, who is usually well-informed, gave an ambiguous answer, I raised an eyebrow.

"It's too far... Information from Atlantis, which has influence over the entire Midal Continent, reaches us to some extent, but not from across the sea."

"I see."

From this conversation, it seems this world doesn't have wireless technology. Maybe communication could be possible with magic... or rather, wave techniques, but it doesn't seem to exist.

"Let's get back on track. The military in this area is mainly for dealing with harmful beasts and internal security, maintained with minimal funding. The previous king was a mercenary, so there's no expertise in properly training soldiers."

"I see."

This explains why, despite using powerful weapons, I was able to survive and join up with Hagg and the others. Normally, I would have been captured by soldiers who could use wave techniques.

"It was luck."

"That luck was created by you, Akira."

Chelina said this as she leaned on me. She must be tired after all that action.

"Want to rest a bit?"

"...No, I'm fine like this."

Despite wearing a thick military jacket, I could feel her head touching my face, and her body heat. She had a slight sweat, but it wasn't unpleasant.

Suddenly, her hand overlapped with mine on the floor.

I silently felt the warmth of her hand.

---

After a short rest and a light meal, a slender man slipped into the room.

Almost simultaneously, Yarrai and Hagg started to stand, but Chelina gestured for them to sit back down.

"It's fine. He is my shadow."

The unremarkable young man bowed slightly and leaned in to whisper something in Chelina's ear.

"...Understood. Please inform them that I will come immediately."

The man left the room without a sound.

"The connection has been made. The Sea Dragon will accept us."

Chelina's expression became serious.

"They want me to come alone to decide the future strategy."

"Alone?! "

Melvin shouted.

I was also surprised.

"Going to a gathering of anti-government forces alone is dangerous. Think about it."

Melvin nodded vigorously.

"Yes... I think someone like Melvin would be overlooked. Melvin, come with me."

"Yes, ma'am!"

Melvin bowed respectfully.

"That's good, but at least tell us where you're going."

"Yes... It will be known soon. It's the home of the Fishing Guild Master, Mile Bachar."

"The Fishing Guild Master? That lean, muscular guy?"

"Yes."

"The Fishing Guild is a major player around here. Is he part of the resistance?"

"It's deeper than that. Now you understand why I said there's a good chance of success."

"I see."

So, this is already a war. It's just that there hasn't been open conflict. As an outsider, I might not have noticed, but this city-state has been at war for a long time.

Military action is the last resort in diplomacy. That's all it is.

"But, what's the point of Chelina going?"

"They... the Sea Dragon needs me as a crucial piece."

"Piece?"

"Yes. A symbol of righteousness."

"Chelina isn't involved, right?"

"Not exactly. The people know that I have been dodging the kingdom's unreasonable demands for years, and that our chamber of commerce frequently advises on national policies centered around business. We also provide work to small and large chambers of commerce and street vendors that would have been shut down long ago."

"So, this chamber of commerce is essentially supporting the country... Ah, I see."

I understand now.

"Chelina, as the de facto leader of this chamber of commerce and a young woman, leading the charge, the majority of the people in this country will support and act. The Sea Dragon is counting on that."

"...So, they want a leader."

"Exactly."

"...Wait, does that mean if you go to the Sea Dragon, you'll be put on the front lines?"

"Probably. I expect to have to make a speech in front of people, but the details are planned by the Sea Dragon's leaders."

"What? The details are unclear."

"I'm going to find out."

Hmm...

I was speechless.

"At least, can someone go with you... like Hagg or Yarrai?"

"Bringing outsiders would be risky. Guild Master Bachar knows Melvin well, so it should be fine, but bringing unknown dwarves or elves to an organizational meeting would only create unnecessary suspicion. Plus, Melvin is actually quite strong."

I can't force it if you say that.

"Understood. Be very careful."

"Yes, of course."

As usual, she smiled and left the room.

But her smile seemed forced, like a business smile.

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