Arc 20: Calamity Comes
「I see. Fureizu, that is. I can nod in acceptance towards Touya-dono creating Frame Gear as well seeing that those apparitions are the opponents」
The King of Belfast leans against the creaking chair. Though accurately speaking, it was not me who had created Frame Gear.
The ones present here besides me are the rulers from the western alliance namely: The King of Belfast, The Emperor of Regulus, The Monarch of Rifurizu, The King of Misumido, Her Eminence of Ramissu and The new King of Rynie; a total of six representatives.
First, I have explained to the kings about Fureizu, who are aggressors from a different world that had destroyed an ancient kingdom, and the circumstances that are about to occur once again in Yuuron this time. I tell them neither about Fureizu [King] nor about Babylon. It becomes a story of something along the lines of me discovering Frame Gear in ancient ruins, repairing them, and replicating the manufacturing process. Well, it is not incorrect in the most aspects.
「Those fellows, the ones called "Fureizu"? Are they that tough?」
「They have also appeared in our country, to be honest, even though it was just one of them. It is said that magic didn't work on it. It was quite solid and on top of that, it even possessed the ability to regenerate.」
The Beast King of Misumido answers the new King of Rynie who raised his hand timidly. He is talking about the snake fellow which was brought down by Rin.
「For more than ten thousands of such things to come out at Yuuron... Touya-dono, is that a one-time occurrence? Or will this sort of thing continue to happen from here on out?」
「Apparently, the case this time is a considerably rare one. However, they might appear here and there after this even if it will only be in small numbers. There is also a possibility for a grand invasion to happen sometime in the future like the current one right now. ….. Forgive me, I'm not sure whether it would really happen.」
「Is that so... No, don't mind it that much」
The Emperor of Regulus closes his mouth with a tiny smile. It's not like I'm a specialist on the Fureizu, but I'm probably the one who knows the most about the Fureizu in this world if we exclude End.
「Frankly speaking, there is a possibility they might appear in your countries as well. Due to that, please take a look at this」
The images are floating on the wall of the conference room. It's a video taken by having a summoned bird fly to Yuuron sometime ago to carry the smartphone.
The images taken from a high point in the skies are showing a large army of Fureizu attacking the villages and mercilessly slaughtering every human. It's the figures of slaughterers killing the escaping humans as if it's their entire duty to do so without any pardon. The six kings do not avert their eyes from the images and continue gazing at the Fureizu even while their foreheads are sweating.
「Those are, Fureizu...」
「This is a real time... Ah~, it is not what's currently happening. It's an incident which happened an hour ago. It seems that after the Fureizu destroyed that village, they aimed at the village next to this one, and started marching there」
After receiving the smartphone from the bird that has returned, it made me feel completely helpless when I saw those images. Though I was glad to just photograph Fureizu, I could not have expected to take photos of the scenes of villages being attacked. It made my heart ache when I think of the people who might have been saved, but I still have dared to broadcast those images in front of the kings.
There was the matter of me wanting them to have a sense of crisis as well, but I wanted them to imagine what they would think if this was happening to their own countries.
「What is happening in Shanghai, the capital of Yuuron?」
After hearing the Monarch of Rifurizu's question, I replace the images of the Fureizu with the map display. The small red lights were moving around. They are probably turning towards the villages or towns where people live and go there.
Shanghai is already dyed in red.
「It looks like there is some resistance, but I think it is just a matter of time until they fall. Fureizu's objective is to kill humans. I am guessing they won't move from that place until they massacre every human in that capital」
「Such a thing...」
The Ramisshu Pope holds down her shivering mouth. The Fureizu are attacking the streets just for the sake of killing humans. They massacre the people at one place and then they turn towards another place in search for the next human when they are finished just like how locusts devastate all the grain by leaping from one crop to another.
「Touya-san, over here…. in the lower-right part of Shanghai... Doesn't it look like Fureizu over there are disappearing one by one…..?」
「Eh?」
When I try looking at the place pointed out by the new King of Rynie, the red lights are certainly disappearing one by one. That's….. Ah~, that's End!
「That's someone who cooperates with me. As a matter of fact, I have offered this person a Frame Gear. I think that it is most likely that person fighting them」
「I see. I suppose that shows how Frame Gear is able to be a sufficient countermeasure against Fureizu」
End is probably powerful by himself, but as the King of Belfast says, fighting against Fureizu is the main point of today's conference. In order to talk about the pivot of the talk, I opened the talk with a clap.
「After this, Brunhild will fight a battle for the extermination of Fureizu using the Frame Gears. I would like you to approve of this as the concerned nations of the western alliance」
「He~, wait! Are you saying you have decided to be an opponent for all of them!? 」
For His Majesty The Beast King to be surprised is understandable. Even if I gather people capable of riding a Frame Gear like our household's knight order or Yumina's group, it will probably amount to less than a hundred people. By the calculation, we will be able to exterminate them if each pilot brings down at least one hundred enemies. Nevertheless, this action can be considered as reckless.
「There is an emergency escape magic applied on the Frame Gears just in case the frame receives serious damage. That magic will transfer the pilot to a special place. Naturally, it can only do so when the cockpit is being crushed or something similar. But in the cases of an instant death, the magic won't be able to do anything….. 」
Fortunately, there are quite some amount of frames thanks to the mass production being done until now. At worst, we will have no choice but to cope with changing the frames one by one whenever they receive serious damage.
Then, the Pope raises her hand a bit.
「Touya-sama, I have one question. As far as [That gentleman] is concerned, are those apparitions called Fureizu his enemies as well?」
「….. I don't know whether they are enemies or not. He told that he doesn't know about them. But then again, I surmise that [That gentleman] coming to interfere won't happen since this Fureizu incident is our problem」
「What are you talking about?」
The Monarch of Rifurizu inclines his head due to him not being able to understand our conversation. He probably cannot imagine in any way that [That gentleman] is Kami-sama.
「I understand. Our Holy Kingdom of Ramisshu shall fight together with Brunhild Dukedom as well. Thankfully, I think that several people from Templar Order are capable of piloting those Frame Gear thanks to the "Frame Unit" magic tools lent to us by Touya-sama」
「Eh?」
Is Ramisshu Templar Order participating as well? Well, I'm saved since they have said that they will help. But, is that okay? This mission will be dangerous, you understand?
Seeing this, The King of Misumido raises his hand this time.
「O~to, if that's the case, then Misumido will assist as well. How can we leave such an interesting situation alone?」
「The Kingdom of Belfast will certainly participate as well」
「Regulus as well」
「Rifurizu too」
「Ry~, Rynie as well, ~desu !」
「Ano, does everybody understand the situation? The other party is really dangerous, you know? Why expressly…. 」
When I have given them this kind of warning just in case, I was overturned with their voice telling [Like you can say something about it]. Well, I suppose that's natural.
However, it is exactly as I have said it as well; this mission will likely contain only danger without any benefits even if they participate. When I say it frankly, The King of Belfast answers this question.
「For our reasons, there are a few of them. To start with, Yuuron most likely won't be able to retain its former power and is expected to rely on foreign countries. It is better to start selling favors in advance. Secondly, we would like for our own knight orders to gain experience battling against the Fureizu since we don't know when our own countries go through the same situation as Yuuron. Thirdly, it's in order to protect Brunhild. Or rather, it's to protect Touya-dono. The crafts and culture of this country are wonderful. If by some chance Touya-dono will die during this time, we will lose the opportunity to study it and the country itself will incur a huge loss. Well, that's how it is」
I see. How should I say this? That's quite a shrewd way of saying it. Certainly, it will seem to become quite severe even if Yuuron settles this fight. And we don't know whether the Heavenly King in the capital is still alive.
As for me, is it because they have aimed for my life? I don't have much interest in him being dead or alive. I will help if he is alive and if he is not, that's too bad but that's the end of it. Well, I have a tendency to help out as much as possible though.
「The problem is the situation that will develop after this matter is settled….. 」
「Do you think that neighboring countries will aim at the weakened Yuuron?」
「Is that possible? However, the territory of Brunhild in between Hanok and Yuuron will be considerably helpful if that happens」
Currently, the foreign countries bordering Yuuron are, one, two, three….. six countries, is it? Should Ishen enter the picture, it will be as much as seven countries.
The Kingdom of Hanok to the west, the Demon Kingdom of Zenoasu to the north, the Kingdom of Nokia and the land of gods Ishen over to the sea to the east, and the Kingdom of Horn, the Kingdom of Ferzen as well as Romodea Federation to the south when crossing the river.
The moment a large country surrounded by so many countries is shaken, it won't be possible to predict what the heck will happen to it.
Map
However, we have to settle the current problem in front of us for now for now.
「Since all of you are saying that you will cooperate, I will lend a total of 20 units consisting of 18 heavy knights and 2 black knights used by commanders. Please select the pilots for them. There will be 90 units from the Brunhild's side and 120 units in total from the side of the Western Alliance. We will then face them with 210 units altogether」
「10000 against 210….. So I guess each unit has to bring down nearly 50 opponents. There doesn't seem a way where we can win at all with this many opponents, but do you have some kind of plan?」
「Currently, lower class and intermediate class types have been confirmed among Fureizu. I think it will be possible to bring down almost all of lower class ones without much trouble if Frame Gear is used. ───Seach. How many of intermediate class are there? Denote them with blue light」
On the projected map, the red lights are changing into blue lights in some proportion.
『Beginning Search. ... Finished. Displaying. Intermediate class – 1035 units』
「That is about ten percent. The numbers have fallen down to the point that each unit bringing down five opponents will be good enough. In that case, shouldn't we be able to manage this somehow?」
The Monarch of Rifurizu gazes at the screen while clapping on his bald head.
「In reality, the scenario will include kicking the lower class ones bustling around during the fight, so it probably won't be that simple. And there is a strategy for that」
Having done the introduction, I start explaining the strategy. It's also a strategy that's not difficult even if I say it myself. We will divide Fureizu by using the sound of the [King] I've received from End and guide them in three directions.
Among the three groups, the group that manages to annihilate Fureizu they are fighting will immediately be divided and sent to the other groups with transfer magic by me. It's about assuming the balance of war potential at all times.
「Please wait a minute. Does that mean that Touya-sama won't be riding the Frame Gear this time?」
「Yes. I plan to fly all over the battlefield, provide cover for everyone whenever something happens and function as a support unit」
I describe what I've thought up towards the Pope of Ramisshu's inquiry. It's perhaps better to do it like that this time. There is no limit to when and where from an unexpected trouble may occur. It's probably better if I can move freely in my position in order to deal with those unexpected troubles.
「Certainly. At a battlefield that's divided into three parts, only Touya-dono can see through where things will be advantageous or disadvantageous and send around war potential here and there…..」
「Yes. If it is me, I can also compete against the Fureizu in some way or another even if I'm only flesh and blood」
「That's somehow doesn't suffice as an explanation… Is there a necessity for Touya-dono to use Frame Gear? 」
「Although I can say that I can bring them down even if I'm only human, it will still take considerable time. Bringing them down quickly can be more easily done with Frame Gear」
While answering His Majesty The Emperor like that, we have decided to end the meeting since there is no time. Yuuron is being on the verge of crisis while we are doing this. We have to hurry up.
「I will do the summoning in one hour. Until then, please explain the circumstances to the others and select the pilots for Frame Gears」
After opening [Gate], I send back the kings and their attending knights to their own countries.
There is no time and there are a lot of things to do here. Anyway, let's try doing the thing that can be done to the very limits.