Episode 201 Abyss Crusade – Preparation for Battle (2)
A magnificent coastal city located in the northeast of the Central Continent and at the very west of the Eastern Empire.
Tsargrad, the capital of the empire.
Along the sweeping boulevards and truly magnificent avenues lies the imperial palace, so vast that it would make even the extravagant palaces of Francia seem like those of simple country nobility.
President Maurice Talleyrand, who came on behalf of Revolution Frangia, walked around the palace following the elf who guided him at a leisurely pace, as if he had no idea what was going on and that the situation was urgent.
To be honest, at first, there were more than a few times when he felt itchy because he wanted to urge him to go quickly, but he got used to it and when situations like this come up, he actually starts to relax.
“Please inform me!”
“Please inform me~!”
“Please give me peace~!”
With blurry eyes, Talleyrand glanced at the human subjects of the Eastern Empire kneeling and crying in front of the imperial palace, and followed behind the elf minister who was moving leisurely, regardless of what they were doing or not.
The gap between the humans who shed tears and beg for something to be done while the East is being devastated, and the elves who try to live their lives leisurely without any sense of crisis.
After walking while appreciating the ridiculous comedy, Talleyrand arrived at the high throne of the Tsar.
“Maurice Talleyrand, on behalf of the Revolutionary Kingdom of Francia, sends greetings to the Tsar, the great, noble, and only protector of the continent.”
Talleyrand bowed his head in a polite greeting, and the Tsar waved his hand as if he were afraid to do so.
“Go away.”
“Yes, Tsar, according to the etiquette law….”
“It is not a etiquette law enacted 1427 years ago!”
“73 more years still have to pass before the etiquette can be revised according to the imperial laws…”
“Eye, I don’t want to hear it! “Go away!”
“Tongchok-”
“That damn Tongchok! “I guess I’ll have to see this tsar get taken by the back of his neck before I get out!”
Eventually, when all the elves retreated, the Tsar stood up from his throne and approached Talleyrand.
“Welcome, subject of the Talleyrand Empire.”
“It is truly an honor that the great, noble, and only guardian of the continent welcomes us like this.”
As if he didn’t care about rhetoric, the Tsar walked over, dragging his long, long clothes and held out his hand. Talleyrand quickly unwrapped the box containing the macarons and lifted it up for the Tsar to eat.
Without saying a word, the Tsar picked one up, put it in his mouth, and made a satisfied sound.
“Oh oh oh. This is the taste! Why on earth can’t the imperial palace cooks make this taste! “You seem like an incompetent bastard!”
That’s because they always leave out one or two things from the recipe.
Talleyrand thought to himself.
Either way, the Tsar eagerly ate the macaron and said nothing.
Talleyrand patiently waited for the snack time of the Tsar, who, on the surface, was a teenage boy who liked cookies and bread.
The tsar would get bored if there were too many anyway, so I only put in 4, so the waiting time wasn’t that long.
Char, who finally ate all four and let out a slightly disappointed sigh, quickly grabbed Talleyrand’s arm.
“Taleran.”
“Yes, great and noble—”
“Please help me.”
Ah finally.
Talleyrand asked, suppressing a smile that threatened to burst out.
“Great, noble, and only guardian of the continent, Tsar, God is foolish-”
“I could just eat macaroons and live comfortably, but those damn bastards are telling me to contact them every day, so I can’t rest! I’m only 200 years old! “Why did something like this happen to me?”
The 200-year-old Tsar, who looked like a teenage boy on the outside, was holding the coronet, which was glittering with jewels and gold and seemed very heavy, with both hands, and his eyes flashed as he grabbed Talleyrand’s shoulder.
“Please help me first. Even if it’s difficult for those damn old bastards to make such a fuss, if you just help them, I’ll give you everything you ask for out of the royal property! You know my position! “A faithful subject like you would understand the Tsar’s feelings, right?”
Talleyrand responded with an extremely kind smile.
“Of course, great, noble and unique Guardian of the Continent. “Then first of all…”
He then took out the agreement he had prepared in advance.
“I would like to swear a faithful oath to fulfill my loyalty as a subject.”
* * *
Bilbao, a trading port in the northern part of the Iberica Peninsula.
I opened my mouth as I looked at the port I was entering after a long time on a boat.
“…It has improved beyond recognition.”
The port, which was difficult to enter even with the large battleship Libre when I first arrived, has expanded to a large extent and is bustling with activity with a large number of merchants and employees.
You can feel this liveliness in Aquitaine, the trading port of Francia, but it is quite refreshing to see not only humans but also orcs, goblins, and occasionally beasts wandering around the streets naturally.
“Ahahaha, I heard you had a hard time.”
Shandra said with a grin, and I also smiled softly.
“It’s been a while since I saw my brother, Shandra.”
Shandra slowly looked to the side and answered.
“I’m taking my husband too.”
“Kuhum keuhum.”
Gaston cleared his throat with a slightly red face.
Shandra, who was acting as a de facto diplomat and attaché, officially married Gaston earlier this year.
Since this is his first time going to the Iberica Peninsula, Hassan is reuniting with his married younger brother for the first time.
“Yes, you have become a great knight, made your lord successful, and even won a lady, so you have a successful life, right? Gaston?”
“greatness. “Did you remember all that?”
The man who read the stories of knights under his mercenary father achieves that dream, and even as he grows older, he feels ashamed like an innocent boy.
I laughed at that and turned my attention back to the port.
Even though it’s been a while since I’ve seen you, I can’t help but notice the sight of a skinny, dark-skinned man with a turban on his head standing there.
“okay. “Then let’s meet your brother-in-law, Gaston.”
When the anchorage was over and we got off the boat, Hassan and his attendants bowed politely to us and greeted us.
“Welcome, brother of the king.”
“It’s been a while, Hassan. “How have you been?”
“Hehehehe, I always wish I had two more bodies.”
I laughed at Hassan’s joke and looked around Bilbao Port.
“Oh yeah. I definitely think so. This is the only port I’ve seen, but it’s hard to believe that this port was only built during the war with the Empire. “They say that the development of the Iberian Brotherhood is beyond recognition. It must be your credit.”
Hassan smiled slightly and answered.
“Thank you for the generous review. However, in reality, not everything is that easy. The Iberian Brotherhood still carries out transit trade almost exclusively through Francia. “It would be no exaggeration to say that all of Iberica’s supplies are gathered here, so this place is a bit of an exception.”
“Hmm, I see.”
As I nodded and stepped aside, Hassan turned to look at his sister.
“Your expression has opened, Shandra.”
“Hey! “I got married!”
“I was wondering who would take that away, but it’s the end of the world…”
Hassan shook his head and muttered, then stretched out his hand to Gaston.
Gaston, who thought he was asking for a handshake, flinched when Hassan grabbed his hand with both hands.
“Lord Gaston, how did it happen that you got your nose pierced by such an unanswerable guy?…”
No matter how you look at Hassan’s face, it contains genuine pity and regret.
…That’s funnier.
I shouldn’t laugh, but this….
“That Shah Shandra is a good person.”
Gaston’s shy words did not comfort Hassan.
Her brother, who seemed like he would be defeated by Shandra in just one second if he used his strength, instead hurled a point at Shandra with his thin body and shouted at her.
“You vicious bastard! “I would have rather seduced someone who rode a little older, but I didn’t know you would trick such an innocent and good-natured driver into marrying me!”
“Ahahahaha!”
“Foot…”
Shandra started laughing openly and in the end, I couldn’t help it either.
Now that I think about it, I haven’t heard anything about Hassan’s family relationship, so maybe he didn’t get married until that age?
No, no. No matter how you look at Hassan, he looks like he’s in his 40s, but he’s only 3 years older than me.
…I don’t think I should ask, but I’m curious.
I’ll have to ask Shandra secretly later.
“Then I will take you there. Brother of the king. We have prepared accommodations for you to avoid any inconvenience. “I think we can relax first today and then leave for Dilus tomorrow.”
“Ah, please.”
The magic pills that Christine always prepares for me are very useful, but I don’t think I’m very friendly with Bae.
Christine lives on the boat as naturally as on land, but I don’t think I can do that. People must live with their feet on the ground.
As I moved along with the delegation and was guided by Hassan, I glanced at Bilbao’s wide market street.
The hearing trained as a knight can easily pick up their lively conversation.
“Seeing as there are a lot of accents not only from Francia but also from other countries in the Central Continent, I guess merchants have already expanded their reach here. “If this continues, won’t it soon be possible to increase the number of diplomatic ties among the Iberian Brotherhood?”
The Iberian Brotherhood became a fairly decent market after unifying the peninsula, but their religion has become an obstacle, and Francia is the only country that has diplomatic relations with them so far.
In fact, neither their king, Crocs, nor they are that fanatical, but in any case, the humans of the central continent are still unable to rid themselves of the perception of Iberica as a nation of pagan barbarians.
Hassan grinned, folding his hands together politely, and answered slowly.
“Merchants are people who are willing to show tolerance and respect for money. But it is also a favor that can be reaped depending on the interests and losses.”
Hmm indeed.
“Even if it were practical, there would be a big difference between merchants coming here individually to do business and establishing diplomatic relations at the national level. “Even if the merchants who benefit from it or the government wants it, those who have no interest in it see us as pagans of a different race, so we still have a long way to go.”
Okay, so not everything will go so smoothly.
“Still, it is truly fortunate for the Brotherhood that we have you, Hassan. As a new country, there are usually trials and errors due to gaps in administrative power or lack of experience, but thanks to you, this will be greatly reduced.”
Even though I don’t know much about the military or anything like that, I had hopeful thoughts after seeing merchants from other countries, but Hassan was calmly grasping the situation.
“It’s an honor for you to say that. However, if the king’s brother had not helped us through the first establishment of diplomatic ties between the two brother countries and the victory in the war of unification of the peninsula, things would have been much more difficult than they are now. “All of my brothers in Iberica, including myself, are deeply grateful to His Excellency the Marquis de Lafayette.”
I smiled bitterly.
Somehow it ended up like that.
“But I didn’t do it without expecting anything. “Aren’t you still here to collect your debt?”
“Hehehehe.”
Hassan smiled like an old man, ran his hand over his beard, and added:
“It is a debt we must repay to the Marquis and Francia, but it is also a debt we must repay to those devils.”
I laughed too.
“Yes, that’s right.”
What the devils have done on the Iberica Peninsula is clear, and they have a reason for revenge.
No, almost everything the devils did in the central continent was like that in the first place.
At least while the demons were in place, I didn’t have the power to fight them, so it might not have mattered… but
they will have to pay for the resentment they have built up over the years.
* * *
Central Iberica Peninsula.
A huge fortress that stood out in the middle of a barren wasteland.
It was once an object created by a greedy chieftain’s desire to show off, but now it has become the dividing line between the center of Dilus, which has grown so large that even the fortress cannot cover it, and has blended in with the city.
“That’s amazing. “I was impressed when I saw Bilbao, but this is on a different level.”
After the war on the Iberica Peninsula, the war against Krafte took place.
Over the course of three years, Dilus had become a huge city that could rival Lumière as well as any other large city in Francia.
Hassan laughed hollowly.
“There is a sense of greater concentration because the Iberica Peninsula is barren. So, I’m having a bit of a headache.”
“…Okay, that’s a lot of work.”
Franjia also has problems due to Lumiere and its population structure concentrated in the central and northern regions, but is it even worse here?
Actually, the population of the Iberica Peninsula would not be half that of Francia even if all the various races were combined, but seeing as a city similar in size to Lumiere is being built, there is no way there will be no problem.
As soon as you pass through the wide-open city, pass the castle gate, and enter the fortress.
thud.
Goblins at the beginning.
thud.
Then humans.
Every road we pass, the troops of our brother countries are lined up in an orderly manner, raising their spears high and then striking them on the ground, making a sound like thunder.
It seems that the first members of the delegation who came to the Iberica Peninsula were a little frightened by this intimidating sound, but at least not me.
Every time their spears hit the floor at the same time, a sound louder than drums resounds.
Their actions are not intended to intimidate us.
Just like when I first entered this city and greeted Crocs, I could feel the vibrations shaking the ground even from the horse.
Orcs that are over 2 meters tall are slashing at the ground with their spears without any error, exposing their bulky upper bodies.
This scene is a sign that they show respect that has not changed since then.
We finally arrived at the center of the fortress.
There is no such thing as a huge royal castle, which is common in human countries.
It’s just that the symbolic flags of the tribes that fought alongside him on the Iberica Peninsula are waving in a house that is slightly larger than where the city’s residents live.
Nevertheless, the orc standing in front of him without any attendant exudes a stronger presence than any king on a huge throne.
The orc, still wearing only leather boots and trousers without a crown, exposing his scarred torso writhing with muscles, sings with a sound that could shake the entire city.
“Al-ardho!”
“Akbar!”
The soldiers of the brother countries raised their spears in unison and a thunderous sound passed by in response.
To their king who will never change.
“It’s been a while, Crocs. King of the Iberian Brotherhood.”
“It’s been a while, Lafayette. My brother!”
I said with a smile.
“I have come to ask for your help on behalf of Franzia.”
Crocs smiled brightly with his scary face, horrified the envoys at his ferocity, and shouted at them to leave the city.
“The sea we’ve been waiting for!”
