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Chapter 57 : Negotiations with the Beast King
🕑 Added 2022-07-10 07:11:12 +0000 UTCTL:SummerPeanut
Thank you for the peanuts, Ty!
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"All right, we're all here."
Ralph, the guildmaster, said, and those of us who were present nodded our heads.
I, Ike, Clarice, Zeke, Maria, Black Tri-Stars, Azure Fang, Red Wings, and Margrave Carmel.
"What happened to the beastmen?"
Zeke asked Ralph, and Margrave Carmel answered.
"All of them except Barnes is cooperating with us. I knew Barnes’s demands were as I expected. I am sorry.”
“What are Master Barnes's demands?”
Ike asked.
"If we bring a woman named Flora to Almeria, he’ll join us. Well, if the labyrinth overflow happens, he will fulfill his duty as per his contract but there will be some damage to this city...”
"Is it not possible for you to bring Flora to the party?”
"Yeah, Flora has joined an A-rank party. She's no longer in the Kingdom of Balkus. She should be in a highly dangerous area or labyrinth somewhere in this world by now because the A-rank party has a lot of work from the country's request.”
I haven't seen an A-rank party yet. I'd like to meet them someday.
While I was thinking about that, Zeke talked with Margrave Carmel.
“Margrave, are you not able to move the Knights? Also adventurers outside of here."
"Hmm. Yes, I can. In fact, I am sending the Knights here.......However as much as I am ashamed to say it, our Knights is not very strong. There were capable adventurers in Almeria but they were sent away because of the war. The two most promising adventurers have married and are now, I am afraid, viscounts in their own lands."
Margrave Carmel said as he looked at Zeke and Maria, and Zeke…
"I would like to apologize for that time. The Margrave has been very kind to me..."
"It’s all fine. And that viscount's child is cooperating with me too. I am also very grateful to you. When this matter is over, the two of us…… No, I think the three of us should have a talk including the lady of your house.”
"Indeed. I fully understand and accept the suggestion. But for now, let's think about the Almeria Labyrinth.”
"True. That's right. You seem to have come up with some kind of strategy. If you don't mind, why don't you tell me about it?”
Zeke, Maria, Azure Fang, and Red Wings came from Irgusia to our house in Almeria once to check the situation before coming to this guildmaster's room, and we explained the situation to them.
Then we came here to talk a little and discuss what should we do.
"Yes. First of all, we will dive to the first floor of the Almeria labyrinth, leaving only one enemy behind. This is a common practice but it is to make the retreat safer. I'm sure you all already know that with the exception of spring rooms, as long as you don't wipe them all out, the magic beasts in that room won't come back up."
Zeke looked around at everyone and everyone nodded except me and Clarice.
I felt like I had heard something like that a very long time ago but Clarice seemed to have no idea.
"When we get to the last room on the first floor, we'll leave one in this room as well. But I would like to restrain only the magic beasts in this room if possible."
Well, considering our force, I'm sure we can at least tie them up.
"And then the real battle will take place between the first and second floors. In other words, the staircase. I think that most of the ants will probably head for the first floor the moment we attack a single ant. So we will have Mars release a wide-range Wind magic, Tornado, near the stairs and attack the ants. Are we good so far?"
Zeke asked Ralph and Margrave Carmel, and they both nodded.
"According to Mars' reading, a single shot of the tornado will put them on verge of death or perhaps do quite a number on them but don't expect it to be enough to take them down. Also, due to the large number of ants, the power of the tornado will be weakened, and the ants will probably escape the tornado and enter the first floor. The plan is for us to exterminate the weakened ants that have entered the first floor.”
"Even for Mars, isn't it impossible for you to keep fire magic at the stairs all by yourself?”
"Yes. In the case of Mars running out of MP, we will use Earth magic and Water magic to block the staircase. We will have everyone who can use Earth and Water magic do so in a manner that doesn’t consume all their MP. If we can hold it out for three hours, Mars's MP would have recovered a certain amount of his MP, but after that, we will have to play by the ear based on the situation... In addition, we would like to prohibit other adventurers from entering the labyrinth to ensure that we can retreat from the labyrinth. I hope they can wait in front of the labyrinth just in case we fail..."
Zeke stared at Ralph until he said, "Okay”, and nodded back.
Margrave Carmel looked at him as if he was asking if there was anything else.
"Let me be presumptuous. What my esteemed father just said is based on the assumption that Lord Barnes will participate in the battle. If Lord Barnes is not going to participate in the battle, then is it possible to somehow involve him to join the battle? I believe we would probably be wiped out if it were just us...”
"Does that mean…that we will fight in the city of Almeria…?”
"Yes. What do you think would happen if we were all wiped out and Lord Barnes had to fight the ant horde alone? Even if Lord Barnes were able to clinch a win, I believe the city of Almeria would suffer tremendous damage...”
"Certainly...... if you think the battle in the labyrinth will become a little tough, it might be best to return to the city of Almeria early and fight together with Barnes...”
"Could you convince Lord Barnes again, please?"
"......I can't...... do that, at least not me. Can I ask you to do that alone, Mars? You are the only person that Barnes recognized here. I’m not sure if he will realize the magnitude of the situation if I am the one explaining, but if it’s you, perhaps he might be convinced."
Going alone is indeed scary...... but it's a request from Margrave Carmel's...
"I understand. Then I will try to talk to Lord Barnes."
In the end, tomorrow's strategy is to fight until we fall into a pinch. Actually, no. Right before we are in a pinch, we will retreat and somehow drag Barnes to join in an urban battle.
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"What do you want? I don't think I have anything to say to you anymore, right?"
For some reason, Barnes was not in the glass room but in front of the glass room.
The glass had not yet been repaired.
Barnes said in a gruff voice and I was a little frightened.
"Yes. I've come to request for your company to the Almeria Labyrinth by any means necessary."
"So obstinate! I'll lend a hand when the labyrinth overflow happens. But until then, I'm not leaving this place!”
"If we are wiped out in the Almeria labyrinth, the city of Almeria may suffer considerable damage. If we can fight together, I firmly believe that the possibility of Almeria City suffering damage will be lowered.”
"I don't care what happens to the city. I am only lending a hand thanks to the contract. If you are wiped out, I'm just going to walk out of here.”
Hmmm. Is it just me, or does it seem like Barnes is saying some messed-up stuff?
He doesn’t want to leave here...but he doesn't care what happens to the city…
As I was pondering on the spot for a bit, a lion appeared from behind Barnes.
On its head was a red ribbon. And its left eye was crushed...which may not be the case but it's quite wounded.
Maybe it was for this lion that was in the same room with Barnes?
But last time I checked, Barnes was supposedly calling her a girl...
"Hey, go back now. I'm not leaving here until you get Flora.”
"Finally. What does Lord Barnes want with Lady Flora?”
“It's a known fact. I want to cure Ellie of her curse and wounds.”
Barnes said so and gazed at the lion with the red ribbon. This lion is Ellie?
Hmm? Heal her wounds? So does that mean that maybe Flora is......
"Perhaps Lady Flora can use Holy magic?"
"Yes, indeed. That is why I'm not in the Lister Confederacy but instead in the Balkus Kingdom. I had heard that there was still one Holy magician in this country.”
“Lady Flora must be an amazing Holy magician. To be able to break curses.”
"As if. From what I've heard, Flora can only use Heal. Well, she might have become a little more proficient now. I've heard that the Holy magician has lifted curses in the past. I'll have her try until she can break the curse."
Barnes continued as he looked at me.
"Hey. If you find Flora anywhere, bring her to me. Okay?"
"Yes, I understand. But if this city disappears, we won't know where Lord Barnes will be...”
Barnes appears to hesitate now. Perhaps all I need is one more push?
"I have been told by my esteemed father to go to the Lister Imperial School in the Confederacy of Lister. I can stop at various places on my way there and look for Lady Flora…whatever shall I do?"
Then Barnes said..
"Oi. Did you say your name is Mars? Come back tomorrow!"
With that, Barnes returned to his room.
He would think it over until tomorrow.
Barnes would probably not make any large move.
That's because Ellie is there. It would be impossible for him to move from one city to another while protecting Ellie.
That's why he can't go looking for Flora...... the Holy magician by himself.
If he trusts me even a little, he might accept my earlier suggestion.
Besides, I have something to discuss with Zeke after I get back too.
Can I tell Barnes that I can use Holy magic?
If I could break the curse, I might be able to do it right here and now but I don't know of any such magic.
Worst-case scenario, if I heal Ellie's wounds and he finds out that I can use Holy magic, I might be locked up for a long time until the curse is lifted.
I went home with my thoughts racing non-stop.
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