376 Death Mage V12 Side Chapter 47

Side Chapter 47
The Peaceful Alcrem Duchy


To the north was the resource-rich ‘Iron Nation’ Marmook, to the west was the ‘Grain Nation’ Yondo, known as the stomach of the Empire, to the south was the ‘Sea Nation’ Kallahad, a vital trading hub, and to the east was the ‘Shield Nation’ Mirg, the cornerstone of defense.

Supported by these four vassal states, the Amid Empire has established a stable reign. It was believed by everyone that overthrowing it and unifying the continent would be impossible.

It was impossible, even for the military officials of the Orbaume Kingdom who had to make big statements to secure their budget, as well as the nobles holding key positions in the military.

Only those who were ignorant or were complete idiots thought otherwise.

But the situation had changed.

The secret unit known as the ‘Fifteen Evil-Breaking Swords’, with each member possessing the strength equivalent to an army, was lacking in power. The S-Class adventurer party, ‘Storm of Tyranny’, was now using its power against the Empire.

And a young... No, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that a young boy had become the Pope of the Great Church of Alda. Instead of Marshukzarl, who was acclaimed by many as a wise ruler, an average man who was previously unknown to the public had taken the throne in his place.

"The situation... no, the circumstances and the era are on the verge of a significant change. Your Excellency, Duke Alcrem, we implore you to make a decision."

Duke Takkard Alcrem was asked for a response by a diplomat serving the Duke Sauron household, who was fervently arguing at times and calmly explaining risks and returns at other times. He let out a small sigh and said, "Hmm."

With his glossy, fluffy hair and firm, unwrinkled skin, he had gained a reputation for looking ten years younger than his age, but he couldn't approve of the tactics proposed by Duke Rudel Sauron through his diplomat.

"I understand Duke Sauron’s proposal very well. I can comprehend its content, risks, and returns; everything. However, you must understand that there are circumstances in our territory."

As Takkard gestured with his eyes, the Alcrem Duchy's diplomat verbally explained to the Sauron Duchy's diplomat.

He spoke about the two major incidents that had occurred in the Alcrem Duchy this year: the economic losses and the progress of the reconstruction efforts caused by the revival incident of the Evil God of Pillaging Forzajibal, in which the latter directly affected the duke.

Though it was actually the Evil God of Cannibalism Zerzoregin who revived, only a few individuals knew this.

The only damage caused was the destruction of the ‘Sacred Wastelands’, which was actually a nest of Mimic Humans, so there were no actual "damages."

Using this as an excuse, they wanted to refuse Duke Sauron's proposal.

"We are well aware of the situation Your Excellency, Duke Alcrem, finds himself in. However, with the impending war against the Amid Empire, we cannot afford to leave that matter unattended. We hope you understand that."

This was not an invitation to form an alliance and organize a coalition force to attack the Amid Empire.

"Um, it's too dangerous to leave the former Scylla Autonomous Territory, which has truly turned into Devil Nests, unattended! However, the power of Sauron Duchy alone is insufficient to deal with it! I am willing to endure shame and request for your cooperation!"

Indeed, the target is not the Amid Empire’s forces or the fortresses of Mirg Shield Nation, but rather the former Scylla Autonomous Territory.

"I also understand the concerns that Rudel-dono has."

From Duke Rudel's perspective, the former Scylla Autonomous Territory is a land occupied by mysterious hordes of Undead.

The undeads do not come out of the former Autonomous Territory, but anyone attempting to enter were mercilessly slaughtered and joined the ranks of the undead. No one has ever returned alive from there.

Even reconnaissance using familiars had all ended in failure. It seemed that there were monoliths and geoglyphs that mentally tormented anyone who saw them. Mages also lost their sanity with no exception.

Furthermore, those who recovered and regained their sanity disappeared, some even leaving behind a note saying they were "going to God."

On top of that, the villages scattered near the former Scylla Autonomous Territory were disappearing one after another, making it unsafe unless one entered the territory itself.

At this rate, if left as it was, if they invade the Amid Empire in the future, they would constantly face the danger of undeads overflowing and attacking their own forces.

Not only that, the Devil Nests would continue to spread from the former Scylla Autonomous Territory, and might eventually reach the territories of other nobles in the Sauron Duchy.

Before that happened, they had to do something, even if it meant owing a great debt to the other dukes.

(I know that too. I can understand why. If I was Duke Sauron, I would think the same as well. But… that’s the territory of the Demon Empire of Vidal, so I can’t mess with it!)

However, Takkard Alcrem knew the truth about the former Scylla Autonomous Territory.

The powerful hordes of undead that appeared over there were the forces of the Demon Empire of Vidal, who had secretly allied with them, and were operating within it as an enclave of the Demon Empire.

The undead guarding the outskirts of the former Autonomous Territory are not mindless monsters that indiscriminately attack and kill the living, but are rather a disciplined army under control. Without Vandalieu's orders, they do not leave the Autonomous Territory to attack the towns and armies of Sauron Duchy.

Besides, the mass disappearance of nearby villages was simply the result of the villagers collectively migrating to the former Scylla Autonomous Territory. They are now living more comfortably as citizens of the Empire than they were when they were inhabitants of Sauron Duchy.

(To begin with, trying to solve it by force is a mistake. If we had the military power to handle it, we would easily be able to breach the fortress of Mirg Shield Nation in the first place.)

The number of Undead troops reached up to tens of thousands, with even the lowest ranks being Rank 5. Among them, there were those that exceeded Rank 10.

If they were to become enemies, they would need to deploy not only the diminished ‘Alcrem Five Knights’ but also all the secret units of each Duchy that were comparable to the Five Knights.

And even then, victory would not be guaranteed. It would only result in a conflict.

(In the first place, if it comes to that, I will tell everything to Vandalieu-dono. However, even so, I can't just go along with this story. I've been asked not to get involved by Vandalieu-dono as well.)

Starting this spring, Vandalieu would be attending the Adventurer's School in the royal capital. He had no time to be involved in troublesome matters.

For Vandalieu, repelling the army and ensuring that Sauron Duchy, which serves as a barrier against the Amid Empire forces, doesn't suffer too much damage, was nothing more than a troublesome task. Moreover, it should be noted that Sauron Duchy is predominantly populated by many Vida believers, and even its military personnel are mostly Vida believers.

As for Takkard, he didn't want to cause harm to his own troops.

(...It is unacceptable to let the soldiers die in vain.)

Among the commoners, there were some who believe that nobles have no qualms about using conscripted civilians and soldiers as disposable tools.

However, any noble with a decent sense of political power would not entertain such notions. While it's true that there are instances where orders like "go and die" are given, sending soldiers to places where there was no hope of survival. Takkard has also experienced such situations.

But there were always valid reasons behind such decisions.

Dedicating resources to training full-time knights and soldiers requires substantial money to be raised, as they are essential for maintaining public order and ensuring security within the territory.

Even conscripted soldiers are valuable labor resources during peacetime, serving as farmers, craftsmen, merchants, chefs, pharmacists, and more.

Losing such valuable soldiers for a war that could have been avoided is unbearable.

"I understand that as well. However, in our Alcrem Duchy, we have already lost the Knight of the Crumbled Mountain Goldie, and his clan who were guarding the Sacred Wastelands in order to seal the revived evil god once again. Currently, our priority is to hurry with the reconstruction of the Borgadon Temple to ensure that the sealed evil god does not revive again, and to keep an eye on those who worship other evil gods so that they do not act."

In reality, the revival of the Evil God Forzajibal and the Evil God Zerzoregin was impossible since their souls have been devoured. There doesn’t seem to be any sign of followers of evil gods making any moves... although there had been a few traces of people escaping from Alcrem Duchy, which Vandelieu was based at.

Therefore, there didn’t really have any urgent business or pressing issues that would require Duke Alcrem to mobilize the military.

In Duke Farzon's territory, there has been a commotion about Heinz and the ‘Five-colored Blades’ coming out of the Dungeon, or they have yet to come out, but that is not a problem the army can do anything about .

It is a matter of Takkard Alcrem using his own political power to gather information.

"Therefore, unfortunately, it is difficult to provide direct assistance. Though I intend to spare no effort in offering financial and material support."

Since the territories are adjacent to each other, outright refusal is also difficult. Takkard intended to cover it up with necessary expenses and provide assistance in terms of funds and resources.

In response to the request from Duke Sauron, the Duke Alcrem household had a history of using money and goods, rather than military intervention, to smooth things over with them. They believed that the other party would back down with that.

"Please wait a moment. In that case, I would like to request assistance in the form of introducing some capable individuals."

However, the diplomat did not back down.

"...And who are you referring to? They don't seem to be one of our duchy's soldiers."

"...Firstly, Randolph the True."

The first name mentioned by the diplomat from Sauron Duchy was that of a renowned S-Class adventurer who has been active in the Orbaume Kingdom for over a century.

Indeed, when facing an unknown enemy that cannot be dealt with by the military alone, it is natural to seek the assistance of an S-Class adventurer, known to be a superhuman among superhumans. Although there are also the ‘Five-colored Blades’ who achieved S-Class status a few years ago, they have yet to emerge from the dungeon. Therefore, the only reliable option is Randolph.

He is known for not getting involved in wars between nations, but since the former Scylla Autonomous Territory is not considered a nation (or so it is believed), as long as there is a connection, he might consider taking on the request.

However...

"While it is true that Duke Alcrem can establish contact with Randolph, isn’t that the same for Duke Sauron? And if that is not possible, there is also the option of contacting him through Marshal Dolmad."

When asked by the diplomat on Sauron Duchy 's side, he answered bitterly.

"Actually... Rudel-sama was not introduced to Randolph-dono through his predecessors, so their relationship isn’t strong. Also, relying on Marshal Dolmad may pose issues in maintaining the political independence of our territory."

From their response, Takkard and the others understood the situation that Rudel Sauron was facing.

(I see. So they must have done something to offend Randolph. Moreover, Marshal Dolmad seemed to be distancing himself from them.)

Rudel Sauron didn't exactly "offend" Randolph to the extent that would warrant such a description. He simply ignored his advice. If it were just that, Randolph, who doesn't have high expectations for nobles in the first place, would have sighed and accepted the request.

However, when Rudel tried to make the request, Randolph was infiltrating the city of Morksi as the bard Rudolf, so he couldn’t be contacted.

Rudel's side misunderstood that they couldn't reach him because they had "angered him."

Furthermore, it was true that Marshal Dolmad was keeping a distance from them, who served as the Elected King of the Orbaume Kingdom. This was because Rudel was struggling to reclaim the former Scylla Autonomous Territory, which raised doubts about his ability as a ruler.

"...In that case, we’ll try to contact him. Whether he responds or not will depend on Randolph-dono."

Takkard replied that way, but in reality, he had no intention of contacting Randolph. If he were to respond to the request and join the army to reclaim the former Scylla Autonomous Territory, it would result in harm to the undead army.

(There is absolutely no way we can jeopardize the friendly relationship with the Demon Empire of Vidal!)

Takkard Alcrem and his trusted subordinates, who attended the ceremony celebrating the completion of the giant statue and the birth of the Emperor's first child, caught sight of the Demon Empire of Vidal.

The difference in military power between the Orbaume Kingdom and the Demon Empire of Vidal was beyond imagination.

The likes of Bravatiyu and Baldiria; the Alcrem Five Knights, might be able to fight. However, that would only be as individuals. If the two armies were to clash, the Orbaume Kingdom's forces would be reduced to mere corpses in the blink of an eye, with only powerful individuals like the Five Knights remaining.

If the high-ranking adventurers and heroes blessed by the gods were to join the battle, their forces would be strengthened. But as a ruler, Takkard couldn't rely on such uncertainties. In fact, when Morksi and Alcrem were in danger, the heroes didn't come to their aid but instead fled beforehand.

Even if it was to escape from Vandalieu, Takkard couldn't trust such individuals.

The problem wasn't just the difference in military power. The significant gap in overall national strength was the biggest issue.

(Indeed, in terms of population, our Alcrem Duchy is larger. But do we have the national strength to construct such a statue almost entirely with the power of our people!? There is no need to think about it!)

Furthermore, the superior production capabilities of weapons, and the stable supply of food provided to all the people of the Empire... The more they knew, the more they realized the disparity between their own country and the Demon Empire of Vidal.

Even in terms of population, the Demon Empire of Vidal may surpass the Alcrem Duchy when considering factors such as the Demon Continent, where the ‘Storm of Tyranny’ returned from there for the first time, and the existence of enclaves in other territories.

In the first place, what exactly defines the population of the Demon Empire? What about the Shadow Snipers guarding the city walls, or other undeads and golems? Are they included?

In any case, even without delving into such details, it is likely that their population will surpass that of the Orbaume Kingdom in a few decades.

(Currently, the movement between the two is limited. However, in the future, through some means... If we can somehow establish roads through the Boundary Mountain Range to the former Scylla Autonomous Territory or create safe routes through some power, allowing people to come and go freely, the number of people who would migrate from the Orbaume Kingdom to the Demon Empire will increase significantly!)

Adventurers, as well as alchemists and merchants, will be among the first to go to seek new materials and products. It can be expected that some may feel reluctant towards going to a country where vampires, monsters, and undead are treated as citizens... but they are not reliable.

There are already many people who have migrated from the Orbaume Kingdom to the Demon Empire of Vidal.

(Actually, I was quite shocked to realize that I myself don't feel a sense of aversion towards the undead.)

While Takkard was thinking about such matters, it seems that the discussion between the diplomats came to a conclusion and decided not to mediate on behalf of introducing Randolph.

"How about relying on the 'Five-colored Blades' instead of Randolph-dono? I've heard rumors that they have come out from the dungeon."

Reluctantly, Takkard mentioned the names of Heinz and his companions, as he felt it was unnatural to avoid mentioning his own actions of approaching Heinz of the Alda’s peaceful faction and trying to gain his favor, as well as abolishing discriminatory practices regarding employment of Beastmen.

Naturally, deep down, he hoped this proposal would be rejected. It wouldn’t be hard to imagine Heinz’s participation in the war would likely cause even more chaos and damage than if Randolph were to participate.

"...Suggesting them as candidates doesn't seem like something the duke would do, who is rumored to have recently converted to Vida fundamentalism."

However, from the perspective of Sauron Duchy's diplomat, the current relationship between Takkard and the Alda’s peaceful faction, with Heinz as their leader, did not seem to be a good one.

In fact, since the reform recognizing ghouls as one of Vida's new races, the relationship with the Alda’s peaceful faction had cooled.  There might be nothing apparent on the surface, but precisely because of that, the Duke’s side could sense the distrust and wariness that the Alda’s peaceful faction held towards them.

However, this awareness was also communicated to Duke Sauron’s side, so it seemed that everything would end without any issues this time.

With this, Takkard was relieved and started stroking his chest.

"Rather than that, as the Vida-believing Sauron Duchy, we would like to request the introduction of Honorary Countess Darcia Zakkart, also known as 'Vida's Incarnation,' and her son, 'Patron Saint of Transforming Equipment' Vandalieu."

However, an enormous bombshell had just been dropped.

"If we can have Honarary Countess Darcia Zakkart, a hero who can summon Vida’s familiar spirit and has sealed an evil god, come visit us, it would alleviate the people's anxiety. Furthermore, if her son possesses remarkable skills and commands excellent tamed monsters, he may be able to find out what is happening in the former Scylla Autonomous Territory. It seems he even has a Scylla as one of his followers."

Moreover, the bombshell didn't end there.

The true intentions of the Sauron Duchy's diplomat, as well as the true intentions of Rudel Sauron behind him, were unclear to Takkard and the others. It was uncertain whether they had realized something or were oblivious to it.

However, if this diplomat's words were to reach Vandalieu's ears, it would certainly sour his mood. The fact that they are allowing it shows that Rudel Sauron was unaware of his true identity and the truth.

"Also, I'm thinking of submitting a request through the Adventurer's Guild to recruit Kanako Tsuchiya, known as the 'Magical Girl,' along with her companions, as well as the rising stars 'Flying Sword' and 'Iron Cat’. Would you mind?"

Since adventurers are affiliated with the guild, there is no law that requires Takkard and the Alcrem Duchy's politicians and bureaucrats to seek permission to hire Kanako and the others.

However, hiring competent adventurers from other duchies without permission, especially if it involves hiring multiple individuals, would lead to misunderstandings. So unless there is an emergency at hand, it is an implicit understanding that advance arrangements should be made.

Takkard and the others thanked their predecessors for this implicit understanding. Thanks to it, they could prevent it.

"I'm sorry, but Darcia-dono's son is planning to enroll at the Central Adventurer's School in spring. She also plans to accompany him, although I haven't confirmed it. Following that, it is possible that the 'Magical Girl’, who is closely related to them, along with the 'Flying Sword' and 'Iron Cat’, who are her son's disciples, as well as their friends, the 'Heart Warriors’, may follow them too. No, even for honorary nobles, we can't control the nobles within our territory, so it’s embarrassing."

"Ye-, wait no, what do you mean...?"

The Duke Sauron's diplomat, who didn't expect to be refused completely, asked back with a bewildered look. Bravatiyu discreetly whispered to Takkard, suggesting they try to deceive the Sauron Duke's diplomat and create a smokescreen together.

Thinking that he might have noticed something, Takkard...

"My lord, could it be that Rudel Sauron is orchestrating a scheme to create a rift between us and Zakkart-sama? Or perhaps they are trying to weaken our forces and plot something nefarious during that time!"

It was a conspiracy theory.

"...It's not an equal replacement, but we can dispatch skilled individuals from our knights."

"My lord!?"

It seemed difficult to stop the Sauron Duchy's operation of reclaiming the former Scylla Autonomous Territory in advance. In that case, it is best to send someone from their side to share information with the Demon Empire of Vidal so as to make the operation fail in a good way.

It wasn't just a result of impatience due to the overly suspicious nature of his trusted subordinate.

(Oh, if only I were an earl instead of a duke, things would have been much easier.)





Unaware that the weary Duke Takkard Alcrem wanted to replace him, Earl Isaac Morksi continued to govern the trading city of Morksi, which remained peaceful that day.

"Kyuu~"

"Gyugyuu~"

Tama and Gyoku, popular for their translucent white bodies, round eyes, and long legs, were currently taking over Vandalieu's place at the food stall and cooking in the back alleys of the red-light district that was now called "Vida Street."

"... The tamed monsters have finally started running this food stall."

Rock, the leader of the adventurer party ‘Rock Iron Party’ based in this city, chuckled dryly as he looked at the food stall.

"I don't know whether to be impressed by the tamer's ability to train the tamed monsters how to cook, or be surprised by the management policy of leaving the food stall to the tamed monsters."

"Is that okay, guard-san? There's a maid sitting behind the food stall, but she's not a tamer, is she?"

Kest, the guard who was starting to shed the label of being a rookie, chuckled and answered.

When Kest, the guard who was gradually shedding the label of rookie, was asked by a companion from Rock's group, he smiled wryly and replied.

"It seems to be fine. Tamer supervision falls under the jurisdiction of the Tamer guild... And as for matters in the red-light district, there's an unspoken agreement to leave it to the Hungry Wolf Security unless it becomes a major issue."

"So, in the end, it all depends on Vandalieu. He's the boss of the Hungry Wolf Security and the 'True Ruler of the Red-Light District.'... When I first met him at the Devil Nests, I never thought he would become such a big shot... No, maybe he was already a big shot back then?"

"The details don't matter. Anyway, how about a grilled squid skewer?"

This food stall changes the ingredients on the skewer depending on the day, and today it seemed to be mainly dealing with squid monsters that appear in Garess' Battlegrounds.

By the way, the "maid sitting in the back" is not Rita or Saria, but Magisa, a Vampire Zombie Maid who was once a subordinate of the Pure-breed Vampire Birkyne.

Magisa is positioned there to give the illusion that a tamer is watching over the stall and to prevent people who see the high-ranked Tamed Monsters for the first time from being frightened by giving them the impression of, "It's safe because the tamer is watching."

...In reality, she is not a tamer, nor even human, but Rock didn't even realize that. The only one who knows the truth is Earl Morksi.

"Is it really okay in various ways? Them cooking squid..."

"Well, they have a lot of legs, but it's not cannibalism since they're octopuses, so isn’t it fine?"

"Huh? Aren't they squids?"

Actually, they were krakens. More specifically, little flying krakens. They were small krakens with bodies the same length as a human's that can float in midair.

While they were related to squids and octopuses, they were a different species. So it's not cannibalism. It's more like a lion eating a tiger, which wouldn't be considered cannibalism.

By the way, the parent of Tama and Gyoku, the little Kraken Zombie who was turned into an undead by Vandalieu and was resurrected, was behind the food stall cutting and skewering squids, pouring sauce over them.

Magisa acted as the fake Tamer and handled the accounting.

"Chuu~"

"Give me six skewers of squid. And also order one for this guard here."

"Huh? No, I..."

"It's fine, it's fine. Your work is done already, right? So it's not a bribe, don't worry about it."

"Chu~!"

And there were Maroll, Urumi, and Suruga, the three mouse sisters, working as waitresses. Supporting their three-meter-long bodies with their hind legs and deftly taking orders with their front legs, they resembled bears if you don't look at their faces.

Even rowdy drunkards didn’t dare to cause trouble at this food stall. Compared to a year ago, the security in Morksi's red-light district had dramatically improved.





At that time, the person who had contributed to the improvement of security was struggling with a mountain of documents.

"Phew, managing employees is not easy at all. Instead of having a main office and branches, why don't we set up offices in each city and exchange documents with each other?"

"Well, there are no goblin communication devices, golem fax, Gufadgarn, or Jane in human society, so it would only increase the hassle of transporting documents."

"That's something Boss and the others should handle. You can record any kind of document, right?"

"...I'm not impressed with the idea of using your boss as a fax machine."

Michael, also known as Miles from 'Hungry Wolf,' controlled writing tools with his tentacles, helping with paperwork. The documents they were looking at contained information about the movements of people related to the Temple of Arda and the followers.

Demon King familiars were using writing tools with their tentacles to assist with paperwork for Miles, also known as Michael from ‘Starving Wolf’. The documents they were looking at contained information about the movements of people related to the Temple of Alda and the followers.

"It seems that several Alda believers who had radical ideas protested by singing hymns in the open plaza of Alcrem. But it seems like no one paid them any attention."

"Hymns, the ones that promote the exclusion of Vida's new races, right? Did they really think they would gain support by singing them in Alcrem's open plaza?"

Even before Vandalieu arrived, Alcrem Duchy was a duchy that already had a significant number of supporters of Alda’s peaceful faction. It's unlikely that radical extremists would gain support now, but...

"Maybe they thought it would be better than doing it in Morksi?"

"Are you saying that they weren't reckless enough to challenge Kanako in a performance?"

While these believers were conscious of Kanako's concert and engaged in peaceful protests through music, the problem lies with other radical believers who held extreme ideologies.

"Attempted arson at the Tamer’s Guild, attempts to assault our security guards, attacks on me and Kanako, breaking into Boss's house... These individuals who act on their own accord are troublesome since we can't hold an organization responsible..."

As the reforms announced by Duke Alcrem progressed, the movements of radical believers had become more intense and active.

“Well, it’s good that there won't be complaints even if we handle them roughly, so it's fine.”

These radical believers, who engaged in reckless actions such as attacking Miles or Kanako and infiltrating a house that had turned into a ghost mansion due to Vandalieu, eventually disappeared from the city.

After being brainwashed, replaced by impostors, or having the contents of the mind replaced, they left the town without any further issues.

What happened to them depended on the crimes they had attempted... Most of those who have disappeared so far have ended up being criminal slaves or executed in the Alcrem Duchy.

"Why do believers of the God of Law willingly break the law?"

"They probably think that as long as they follow the laws they believe to be right, it would be enough. More importantly, I can’t grasp anything about the movements of the peaceful faction. They only sent letters to Boss, Darcia-sama, and Kanako, but nothing more."

"...Enemies who only show moderate movements in public are extremely troublesome."

"By the way, what is Boss's main body doing right now?"

"He is currently conquering a dungeon with twisted space in the Demon King's Continent. When walking through the corridors, you might suddenly fall to the right, and before you know it, you find yourself crashing into the ceiling. It's that kind of Dungeon... Would you like to come now?"

"Pass. Call me when you're conquering a simpler dungeon for a change of pace."