Chapter 275-2 The Situation Escalates
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
I watch Diana approach and turn my gaze back to Melgis-san’s rear.
”Hmph! Welcome to the frontier settlement, I’m Neil Atmiras. I’m honored to have met ‘Crystal Ice’ as well. Please, come this way.”
After saying that, I lower myself onto the sofa, and once I do, Melgis-san also takes a seat.
”Allow me to greet you again, welcome to the frontier settlement. Thank you for traveling such a long distance to be here.”
”No, I wanted to extend my greetings myself, so please don’t concern yourself.”
”I see… By the way, I’ve been a bit curious…”
”About what?”
”Why are you greeting us now?”
Up until now, even for crucial deals that were too hard to decide over letters, Alex-san could handle it on my behalf.
Why has Melgis-san come all the way to the frontier settlement now?
If a simple greeting was the purpose, she should have come here ages ago.
”…Actually, there’s a very important task that I can’t leave only to Alex.”
”Is it something that’s safe to discuss here, at the frontier settlement? Is it a matter that’s alright for me to hear?”
As I ask if it’s okay to hear the details of such an important matter that Melgis-san has come to discuss directly, Diana whispers into my ear from behind.
”Neil-sama, you must firmly demand ‘What business do you have on my territory?’ Don’t show weakness, or you’ll be disrespected.”
”Isn’t that a bit overstepping though?”
”Think about it, would a titled noble travel all the way to the frontier settlement without good reason? If you’re turned away with ‘This is not for outsiders to hear,’ are you just going to meekly back down?”
As Diana suggests, if something so important that it couldn’t be left to Alex-san is happening at the frontier settlement, it’s a problem not to inquire as the ruler.
Especially now, with the ticking time bomb of an unknown Origin source lurking in another dimension, I can’t afford to leave any more issues unaddressed.
”Melgis-san, could you tell me about that important task? Maybe there’s something I can help with.”
I feel Diana’s gaze from behind, silently saying, “That’s not right,” but this is honestly the best way I can ask right now.
”You want to help?”
”Yes, if there’s anything I can do to support, I’ll do my best.”
”Then I’d like to ask about a man named Golarf, who visited Neil about 3 weeks ago.”
Melgis’s unexpected question made me shake a little.
How does Melgis-san know Golarf-san?
No, that doesn’t matter.
What’s important is why Melgis-san is trying to extract information about Golarf-san from me.
After saying Golarf-san’s name, Melgis-san’s presence suddenly felt threatening.
A nasty thought flickered in my head, and I forced myself to ask.
”What’s your business with Golarf-san?”
”To kill him.”
I wanted it to be some dumb mistaken guess, but Melgis-san shot back the answer without hesitation──it was to kill him.
I buried my head in my hands.
”…Can I ask why?”
”Of course. Neil won’t accept it without an explanation. Simply put, that man is insane──dangerous enough to destroy this whole country.”
”And what makes you think that?”
I had no doubt Golarf-san was crazy.
But he didn’t seem so unhinged he could bring down the kingdom.
If he were just mad, there wouldn’t be talk of killing him.
There had to be something serious pushing this decision.
”Neil-sama knows who Golarf really is, right?”
”Yes…”
I hesitated for a moment, thinking she might be testing me, but the very fact she asked showed Melgis-san was at least partly aware of Golarf-san’s true identity.
I admitted it honestly.
”But even knowing who he is, you still intend to kill him?”
”There’s no need to worry, it’s been ages since that man led the organization. Even if someone targets him, there’s no one left to interfere or seek revenge. Even if there were──”
Melgis-san’s eyes, cold as ice and sharp as a spear tip, are fixed directly on me.
I flinched under that gaze for a moment, but I couldn’t easily back down here.
”…Without a convincing reason, it might just come to that.”
”From our conversation, it’s clear how much Neil-sama understands. If you grasp it that well, then it’s quick to say that man is obsessed with gathering ‘power.’”
”‘Gathering power…?”
”Yes, it may be a roundabout way to put it, but to be specific, he’s been secretly collecting notorious items like dangerous Magic Tools and potions that can lead to heavy penalties just for possessing them. This is based on what I could track back, so it’s possible he’s been at it for over a hundred years.”
”What does Golarf-san want with those things?”
”I don’t know.”
”Huh?”
”What matters isn’t what that man aims to achieve. The problem is the dangerous artifacts he possesses that could easily lead to the downfall of the country.”
”But how can you just say you’ll kill him because he might be dangerous without even knowing his situation?”
”Does Neil-sama feel safe being in the same room as a madman wielding a sword? Are you willing to overlook someone who might lose control and swing that sword at anyone, just because they haven’t harmed anyone yet? And if that leads to someone’s death, can you forgive yourself?”
”……”
I couldn’t respond to the relentless logic thrown at me, and seeing my silence, Melgis-san straightens up as if coming back to herself.
”I apologize, I got a bit heated. You offered to help, but I must decline. Neil-sama has connections with elves, and being involved in killing one of their kind could damage those relationships. I ask that Neil-sama keep this matter close to your chest, and not interfere with what we are going to do from now on.”
”Just let it slide, huh?”
”Yes, I greeted you with that intention in mind, so I’ll take my leave now.”
She knows I’m not about to nod in agreement no matter how long she waits.
With that, Melgis-san stands up without waiting for my response and heads for the exit of the reception room.
”Oh, and about this matter, it’s so serious that only a select few within the Spear of Shouhyou know about it. So if Neil-sama faces any disadvantages because of this, please consult with me or Alex.”
With that, Melgis-san finally leaves the reception room.
”Ugh…”
Letting out a deep sigh, I lean back heavily on the sofa and gaze up at the ceiling.
This is bad.
I never thought the Spear of Shouhyou would be targeting Golarf-san’s life.
What the hell am I supposed to do?
”Neil-sama”
As Diana peers worriedly at my face, which is still fixed on the ceiling, I let out a sudden breath.
Things are different now; I’m not just brooding alone like I used to.
”Diana, can you gather everyone who’s free right now?”
”Is that alright? Melgis-sama just said we’re not to do anything else.”
”We can’t just sit around doing nothing, especially Lewya. Besides, I remembered something.”
”You remembered something?”
To be precise, it’s not that I remembered something, but that something occurred to me because of it.
A suspicion turned into certainty after my conversation with Melgis-san earlier.
”Yesterday’s incident with Origin, that was Golarf-san’s doing.”
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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