In The Name Of Ingrad! (29)

I had completed the Liberation Village and was receiving the reports that Matilda continued to deliver one after another.

“So the Saintess’s visit was to ask us to lend our strength in dealing with the Corrupted Heroes… something like that, right?”

“That is correct. Since all of them are certainly beings with powerful strength, she says she came to ask us to mobilize Ingrad’s high-level forces.”

‘Because our forces were as good as revealed due to the previous conflict with the Empire… does that mean they covet them?’

No matter how I thought about it, it seemed to be that kind of story.

That was not all.

I had also received word that there had been a brief friction with the Heroes who visited. Since Debik had been present there, it probably had not spread into a major problem, but, well, in any case, it had been resolved properly, and I was able to hear that they had formally received the Saintess’s request.

“What does Matilda think?”

“If she says high-level forces, I think it is a request to mobilize people who correspond to Master class. However, I think sending such forces outside the country itself would be a problem.”

“We think the same. Refuse their request. And our schedule is busy right now, so I do not think we have the leisure to pay attention to that place as well.”

Matilda looked around the area that could be called a pioneering base and asked with a fascinated expression.

“It is fascinating how peaceful this place looks, to the point that I wonder if this really is a place that the Demonic Tribe had occupied.”

“Is that so?”

I looked at the people of the East Continent preparing to go fishing and the countless fishing boats floating on the sea, then said,

“Right now, this place is only in a state where simple activities, just enough to produce food, are possible.”

“In the case of sacred fish, they are goods that Ingrad can easily handle, so how about distributing these to that side?”

“Rather than applying currency to these people right away, I intend to try allowing them to live through a barter system. Prepare a distribution stage to match that. And please ask Hare to confirm whether additional Gates can be installed.”

“Understood. What should we do about the soldiers’ supplies?”

“Prepare them at the highest quality. This place is a battlefield against the Demonic Tribe. We cannot afford to be negligent toward the soldiers stationed here.”

“I will proceed accordingly.”

The Saintess of the temple of the Central God of the Apoca Kingdom… In truth, I did not know her face, but I had continued to pay attention to her.

That was because she had been one of the people who had played the greatest role when I was summoned to this world. I remembered hearing that because she had been extremely exhausted, after the summoning ritual, she had immediately been escorted to another location.

‘The Apoca Kingdom… Though it is a kingdom that is half-ruined… an existence who works for them…’

It seemed she had not simply obtained the name of Saintess for nothing. But that was exactly where it ended. I had no desire to become deeply involved.

As I had told Matilda, it was not something that used strength for Ingrad’s sake. The official cause was for the peace of the world, but in reality, if the Dradnos Empire stepped forward with all its might, I thought they could somehow deal with the Corrupted Heroes eating away at the Apoca Kingdom.

Even so, the fact that they had come to our side made me wonder if they were wary of the Dradnos Empire’s ambitions.

‘The Emperor’s greed…’

Even now, he was being sufficiently greedy. And he had used his head well, drawing in the strength of other countries and maintaining a united front while pushing back the Demonic Tribe. Clearly, unless a variable occurred, would they not be able to recover the East Continent up to a certain point? That was the state of expectation.

Afterward, I looked over the report Matilda had brought.

“The effect is better than expected, is it not?”

“Could it be that the symptoms of poisoning were not light?”

“Mm…”

The symptoms did not look light. There were even many cases where people had symptoms that only appeared when the poisoning symptoms were quite severe.

But seeing that this was being corrected so easily, I wondered if it was the power of the medicinal ingredients from the Forest of the Demon Dragon.

Moreover, it was medicine manufactured while properly utilizing mana as well. Its efficacy was certainly extraordinary.

“You said you would adjust the quantity of the medicine to ten days’ worth?”

“That is correct. I wanted it to be used only for treatment purposes. Even now, there are many kinds and quantities of medicine that must be manufactured. I thought that if we increased the quantity too much, it would not function properly.”

“Well done. I think it was an appropriate measure. And it looks like increasing production facilities will also be necessary.”

“Shall we additionally recruit personnel and increase production facilities?”

“Let us do that. Hire mainly beastkin, and as for the site, Matilda, please look for a suitable place. Aside from that, if the brewery and the artisans’ street also need to be expanded, let us settle on the direction of expanding them as well.”

“An overall expansion, then?”

“The country is growing. There will be that much more we need. Besides, it is no longer a matter of simply paying attention only to domestic demand, is it?”

“That is correct. Ah, and there is this as well.”

Matilda unfolded the luxurious letter she had delivered.

“Is it a letter sent by Princess Onellia?”

“It seems she has sent an invitation because the civil war has ended and there will be a coronation.”

“A coronation… As far as I know, that country requires a man to become king…?”

Briden was a country where men had ascended the throne for generations. Moreover, it was a country where women’s rights were extremely weak, to the point that it could be called discrimination, and they had a pathological opposition to women holding high positions.

Since I knew the circumstances behind the rebellion that had tried to usurp the royal family, where only Onellia remained, I asked out of curiosity.

“She says that at the same time as a political marriage, Princess Onellia will ascend as queen.”

“A political marriage… Who is the other party?”

“The report says he is a distant relative. He is a person who happened to receive succession rights while holding the rank of baron.”

I thought it was unexpected. Moreover, I wondered how desperate they must have been to take in a person with a baronial title as a son-in-law.

‘Well, those are their circumstances, so it is none of my business, but the date is tight.’

The coronation date was four weeks from now.

Considering the distance to Briden, it could be called a fairly tight timeframe. Since we could pass through the Forest of the Demon Dragon, it seemed we could roughly match the schedule if we tried, but the problem was that the person named in the invitation was me.

Briden wanted me to come personally.

‘Do they want to show that a powerful allied nation supports them…?’

Given Onellia’s political sense, I wondered if that was what she was aiming for. Due to Briden’s nature of detesting women engaging in politics, it felt as if she wanted to establish various diplomatic relationships to the point that it could be called a great achievement.

“Let us send the mobile carriage-type Gate in advance and try to match the schedule. I also have much to do here, so I would like to settle on moving through that. Is that possible?”

“I will arrange it that way.”

Like that, Matilda took a step back, and Wijel, who had been waiting for the next report, spoke to me.

“We have secured five locations as the fortress sites you previously ordered. We have first dispatched an advance force through steelwood palisades and established camps in a rushed manner, but do you truly intend to raise fortresses?”

“I am thinking of creating living spaces around those fortresses, using them as the standard. Like fortress cities.”

“The land itself is barren. If that cannot be dealt with, those places will not be able to serve a proper role.”

“I know. That is why I have already spoken to the Ministry of Industry.”

I had delivered an order for them to bring fertilizer. Through the Relief Group, I had confirmed that potatoes and sweet potatoes could be grown even in barren land.

Because of that, I intended to actively utilize this.

“That many people cannot eat abundantly from fishing alone. So I am trying to teach them the basics of agriculture and revitalize agriculture around the fortresses.”

“…Agriculture, I understand. I will secure a slightly larger number of fortress sites.”

“Please make sure the intervals are not too far apart. Later, I am thinking of connecting them with walls, as we did in Ingrad.”

“…Forgive my impertinence, but I have one question.”

When I asked Wijel what it was, he asked his question.

“Do you wish to conquer the East Continent?”

Was that not a question he had asked before?

After thinking that, I said to Wijel,

“It is not conquest. I am only trying to take a suitable share together when others are profiting. Moreover, I am receiving the Rangers’ constant scouting reports, and they say the Demonic Tribe’s movements are definitely strange.”

“That is true. There are reports that they are gathering somewhere, but I am worried that if we simply aim for expansion while trusting only that, we may suffer a major blow.”

There had been a time when I, too, had worried about what Wijel was worrying about. However, I thought that doing nothing because we were worried about an unknown moment would actually be a foolish action.

“I think we are doing well right now. So I do not think there is any need to do nothing but worry. Prepare the fortress sites properly. And I would like to call in some whale beastkin and try building fortresses with blocks.”

“Blocks…?”

There had been a report from Ulde. It stated that the fortress had been completed stably, and also pointed out some concerning areas.

So I intended to supplement that and design blocks. And if we used blocks to build fortresses, there was the advantage that I would not need to personally wear out my feet going back and forth over long distances, so I intended to make use of them.

“I intend to review the points Ulde sent over and produce them. So please prepare accordingly.”

“Understood.”

Watching Wijel take a step back like that, I spoke to everyone.

“The number of people active outside, including the Relief Group, is increasing. This may mean that it could easily lead to various problems, but it is also proof that our prestige is rising that much. I know that all of you are working hard. But please devote yourselves so that we can move forward just a little more. I ask this of you.”

“How could there be any objection!”

“Understood, Your Majesty.”

“We will devote ourselves wholeheartedly.”

Each of the retainers answered.

---

“To think they would refuse the visit…”

At Kim Sangjin’s words, Jeong Jina said,

“It was not a refusal. They only refused the request. They allowed the visit.”

“…But is that not the same thing?”

“In reality, Ingrad has conveyed that they are currently distracted by conflict with the Demonic Tribe. We do not have the right to complain one way or another.”

“That is true, but…”

The Heroes looked at the Saintess’s expression. Moreover, the holy knights, as well as the Heroes themselves, were seriously agonizing over whether they had twisted the circumstances strangely and caused this result, and the Saintess swept her gaze over them and said,

“None of you are at fault. It is my lack of virtue. And Ingrad is doing its best on the front line against the Demonic Tribe. I do not think we have the right to make an unreasonable request of them.”

The Saintess had thought things would go well according to Goddess Artemisia’s oracle. However, separate from the oracle, she only realized that Ingrad was not very favorable toward gods, and she accepted the result before her eyes with despair.

‘Is there no way…?’

Permission to use the Gate had been granted. Because of that, if they intended to head to Ing City, they could go. Perhaps because of that, the Saintess made one proposal.

“Everyone, if we withdraw like this… it would be something to be sorry for toward the people, would it not?”

“What are you trying to do?”

“I thought of something I would like you to help me with.”

“….”

The Heroes and holy knights thought that something felt uneasy. They had remembered the beastkin who had introduced himself as Debik and released that terrifying pressure yesterday.

However, they could not pretend not to know the Saintess, who was trying to do something rather than withdrawing like this.

Everyone bowed their heads and asked her only to tell them what she wanted, and the Saintess began by saying she was sorry to those people, then spoke of what she wanted.

“…Will it really go well?”

At Kim Sangjin’s words, the Saintess said,

“It may be forcing the issue. But… I intend to try even this. Have we not realized once again that we desperately need Ingrad’s help?”

Everyone had felt it through Debik’s might.

That this place was definitely the answer…