The day after Kazuya rescued the slaves from the underground prison.
Because Phyllis called for him, Kazuya went to the castle with Chitose.
「It looks like a European castle」
「It does look like that, doesn't it?」
Every corner of the palace is polished to a shine. A deep red carpet is spread across the ground, an expensive looking painting is hung up on the wall.
Kazuya and Chitose walk together whilst enjoying the castle.
「It's here」
The maid accompanying them said as she led them to the room. Upon entering the room, Kazuya spotted Phyllis who is wearing plated armor, as well as a young lady wearing expensive looking jewellery and clothing.
…..Who are you? Who is this person?
She gave off a mature feel; seemingly in her middle thirties. She was seated on the sofa.
Kazuya and Chitose entered the room.
「This way, please」
「If you insist」
「Excuse me」
The women sitting on the sofa says so, as she floats a gentle smile.
「How do you do. I am Queen Isabella Veruherumu of the Canary Kingdom」(TLN: Iris' mother is a princess and called Aria, try not to get confused xD)
Why does a queen appear so suddenly!?
Although Kazuya was taken aback by the fact that the young woman was a Queen, he managed to return a calm reply.
「Greetings you majesty, Queen Isabella. I am the leader of Parabellum Nagato Kazuya. This is my deputy Katayama Chitose」
「I have heard many good things from Phyllis. Apparently you have an amazing adventuring group」
「I'm….honored」
Whilst replying to Queen Isabella, Kazuya shoots a glance at Phyllis.
Phyllis, noticing Kazuya's gaze, smiled wryly.
…..I do hope you didn't mention anything strange.
Kazuya couldn't hide his anxiety whilst looking at Phyllis.
「Enough with the formalities I think. Let me tell you why I'm here」
Getting back to the topic, Queen Isabella continued.
「I wanted to thank you directly for saving Iris, as well as preventing the destruction of the Second knights squad」(TLN: I referred to them as just "Knights" last time, but they actually define them as a squad)
「No, we just helped by chance」
Kazuya lowered his head to Queen Isabella in a panic.
「Please don't be so modest. Regardless of the circumstances, you still rescued Iris and Phyllis」
「Haa…..」
Kazuya returned a vague reply.
「Someone told me that you were going to visit Iris once you returned to the castle, will you be going?」
Oh?
Kazuya felt uncomfortable speaking to the Queen about matters to do with Iris.
「Um….do you not want me to meet with Princess Iris?」
Kazuya says so, causing Queen Isabella to lower her face in sadness.
「Well….I also want to be with that child. However, it's too dangerous to be near her in case her magic goes out of control」
「….your majesty. Back to the main subject」
As the conversation begins to sway in the wrong direction, Phyllis interjects.
「I'm sorry. That's not something I should talk about with guests….shall we enter the main subject?」
After saying so, Queen Isabella met eyes with Phyllis.
「This is the reward for the request」
Upon the prompt from the Queen, Phyllis jingles a white bag and then hands it over to Kazuya.
The bag Phyllis handed over contained 50 gold coins and 1 white gold coin.
「Isn't this too much?」
Kazuya who got a reward higher than what it should be, asked Phyllis.
「Oh, I don't think so. For the work you did, this is the natural reward」
「Then, I will take it thankfully」
Queen Isabella handed a bag with gold coins to Chitose, at which Kazuya expressed his thanks, attempting to leave.
「Please wait a moment」
「? What is it?」
「Well, I'd like to make a request」
「Hmm….a request?」
「Yes, that's right」
Even Phyllis was shocked by the Queen's sudden request to Kazuya.
However, Kazuya could not just ignore what the Queen had said previously. Chitose and Kazuya sat back down.
「I have only one request. I would like you to become Iris' playmate」(TLN: It does say this)
「Wha!! That….」
「...」
「Could you please allow it, since the reward doesn't matter」
Well, I'm not really in trouble financially right now.
Kazuya suddenly fell quiet thinking about the sudden request from the Queen.
–BANG!!
A soldier burst through the doors suddenly.
Immediately after, Phyllis gripped her blade whilst shouting at the soldier.
「What is it!?!? Queen Isabella and the guest are talking right now!!」
「AH! Please forgive my impoliteness!! I have something urgent to report!!」
The soldier who came into the room glanced at Kazuya and Chitose whilst apologising.
「I don't mind. Report it」
As soon as Queen Isabella gave him permission, the soldier straightened himself out and began to talk.
「Report! Our scouts found a large number of dead monster corpses near two of the breeding zones. Some facts are still being confirmed, but apparently both field were completely burnt black, there was nothing left!!」(TLN: Forgot what I called it before, basically a place where monsters multiply)
「Uh!? Is that true!?」
Queen Isabella utters a cry of disbelief.
「Yes! It's true!」
The soldier firmly nods, causing Queen Isabella to shed tears.
「Good! This is good! We don't have to sacrifice that child any more!」
As if not holding anything back, Queen Isabella hid her face with her hands as she shed more tears.
「I'm sorry you had to see me like that」
After the soldier leaves the room, Queen Isabella calms down and resumes talking.
「No, I don't mind」
「Is that so? Then about our talk a short while ago…」
–BANG!!
「Serious!!」
When Queen Isabella tries to get back on topic, a soldier bursts through the door yet again.
「Report!! We have new information from the scouts at the two breeding grounds!!」
Phyllis who thought the same report had come again begins to reprimand the soldier, he merely shakes his head and denies that it is.
「This is different!! This is another incident!!」
Seeing this soldier in the same state, Queen Isabella also granted him permission to speak.
「I don't mind, report it」
「Report! Elsass magic empire has invaded fort city!! Their troops number 500,000 and we have information that they are using siege warfare. Also, although this is unconfirmed. Apparently another worlder is within the enemy troops」
Huh? fort city…..
「That's impossible!?….is that true?」
「I swear to God it's true, reinforcements are en route」
Phyllis and Queen Isabella were at a loss at the sudden bad news.
「I see…..」
「Ha」
The room grew silent.
「What should we do, your majesty?」
It was Phyllis who broke the silence first.
「How long would it take to sortie an army?」
「Because we have to recall soldiers from the border as well, it could take 1-2 weeks. Within 2-3 days I can gather around 30,000 soldiers. The fort city would most likely have fallen by the time the soldiers get there, due to the long travel time. But even if we add 20,000 soldiers onto the fort's force of 10,000. It's like adding water to a hot stone」(TLN: As soon as the water hits it, it evaporates. As soon as the soldiers arrive, they will die)
「Is that...so?」
The room is wrapped in a gloomy atmosphere once again.
Meanwhile, Kazuya and Chitose were worried about speaking during their conversation.
「Uh…」
「Well, I'm sorry….」
When Kazuya spoke up, the two people seemingly remembered he was there.
「I'm sorry we didn't finish. as you have heard, an urgent matter has occurred」
「I'm sorry Kazuya-san…..if there is another chance to talk, we will. Take care」
The two people can probably guess what would happen to the Canary kingdom from now on.
Kazuya and Chitose remained when the Queen and Phyllis left. The sound of fussing could be heard throughout the castle.
Looking outside to see what it was, a familiar face entered his line of sight.
「Ha…..haaa...fou…nd…you..」
「...Beretta?」
It was deputy of the second knights squad Beretta.
「What happened?」
「That…well. Have you heard that the Elsass Imperial army has attacked?」
「Well, I did. It looks to be serious」
When Kazuya answers Beretta, she tries to grasp his clothing with tears in her eyes.
However, Chitose puts a stop to that.
「Don't touch master」
「Please move back!! You have no business interfering!」
Beretta starts to argue with Chitose whilst crying.
「I implore you! Please save my little sister!!」
The grievous voice of Beretta reverberates throughout the castle.
――――――――――――
Kazuya upon hearing Beretta's words, moved her to an empty room to talk.
「….In other words, your little sister is within the fort city that the imperial army is conquering. You can't move yourself, because all the knights are currently mobilising」
「That's right!! The empire doesn't care about the beast/monster group and will surely rape and then kill them! Please save my younger sister!!」
Kneeling down and grinding her head into the ground, she begs Kazuya.
Chitose begins to speak, whilst looking at Beretta coldly.
「Send your master into the jaws of death because you can't go yourself, is what I heard」
「I am moving!! However, as a guard of Princess Iris, I can't leave! Normally, a group of adventurers would have no chance, but if it's Kazuya's parabellum…」(TLN: She actually mispronounces this "Para-vellum")
「Master, you shouldn't listen」
Chitose tries to pull Kazuya away from helping Beretta.
「Such…!! Please wait a moment! Please!」
「….Chitose」
「Yes」
「Don't be meant to Beretta」
「But…..I have to do this….」
「Oh?」
Kazuya looked at the faces of Chitose and Beretta alternatively before making a decision.
「Actually, even if Beretta didn't ask us. We were planning to go to the fort city for other reasons anyway」
…..I have to return a debt. (TLN: Not sure what this is. I'll re-check it later)
「Oh, then…..」
「Well, I can't promise anything. But if we meet her, we'll bring her back」
「…..really?」
「Well, It's true」
「…You would…..Uaaa!!」
Relieved at the reply of Kazuya, Beretta leapt into his chest whilst sobbing.
「…Then please take care of my younger sister, she is called Colt Zara」(TLN: I think the author is just using gun names haha)
After receiving a send off from Beretta, Kazuya gathered his troops.
「All members, listen up! We are going to the fort city now, it is currently under fire from the Elsass magic empire and they've been forced into a corner. Our aim is to repulse or annihilate the imperial army. 10 soldiers from the platoon will leave for the mansion, the rest will join the convoy. Sortie!!」
「「「「Understood!!」」」」
Being satisfied with their reply, Kazuya left to make preparations.
「Master. Does master really need to go to the fort city personally?」
「Well, even so. It would be wrong if I didn't, right?」
「…..I see. What are you doing about the other units?」
「I don't want to let her know the full extent of my forces, but this situation is bad. Tell the soldiers at the outpost to standby. Send a motorcycle with side car out as a scout」
「I understand」
Chitose looked at Kazuya with determined eyes. She couldn't say that she wanted to stay here with him, she was a devoted assistant.
Kazuya boarded a nearby vehicle within the convoy, setting off for the fort city .
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