In that sense, maybe the chance to see a foreign land is a bit of luck in the middle of this catastrophe.
With those thoughts lightly on her mind, Neia climbed the stairs to the second floor where the delegation was staying. The innkeeper recognized her, so she wasn’t challenged.
Considering the cost of this inn, it would have been better to rent one room here for the leader and her second, while the others stayed somewhere cheaper, but when the deputy pointed out that some people might take such fussy economizing as a sign that the Sacred Kingdom had no future, the leader conceded the point.
When she reached the leader’s room and knocked, the door opened a crack. There stood a paladin on guard.
The security detail was for the Sacred Kingdom’s strongest paladin, the leader of the delegation. Well, the one answering the door was more like a footman than a guard, so Neia felt like it might have made more sense to have her fill that role. Of course, she knew that a nail that stuck out would get hammered down, so she didn’t say anything like that.
“Neia Baraja, reporting back.”
The door opened wider, so she went inside.
She could see a large room at the end of the hall. In the center of the room was a big, long table where the leader was sitting.
It was the leader Remedios Custodio and her second-in-command, Gustav Montagnés. Additionally, over half the seventeen delegate paladins stood at attention against the wall.
The two leaders had some documents spread out on the table. Stealing a glance, Neia could see that most of the names were crossed off.
“Neia Baraja, reporting back, ma’am.” She announced herself standing tall with her chest out.
“How’d it go?”
“My apologies. Apparently, there was no time for a meeting. The minimum wait would be two weeks.”
“Tch.” Remedios clicked her tongue.
Neia’s stomach twinged. Was the irritation directed at her or the kingdom noble who refused to meet her? It seemed like it could be either, but she didn’t dare ask.
“Ah. Well, thanks for going out in the cold. Head back to your room and rest up.”
“Yes, sir!”
Neia suppressed the sigh of relief that threatened to slip out in response to Gustav’s kindness. She got ready to leave as fast as possible, but Remedios stopped her.
“…Before that, I want to ask… Did you try to negotiate for an earlier meeting?”
“Huh? Um! Yes! Of course, I asked, but unfortunately, it wasn’t possible…”
“Are you sure you aren’t just a lousy negotiator?”
“Uh, w-well—”
Who could just outright say no? And it was clear that she would get a talking-to either way.
“—Commander, it’s not only the noble she called on. Other nobles have also refused. Although some said they can’t help but would still like to talk.”
Remedios rolled her eyes to glare at Gustav when he interrupted. A tension beyond description continued to mount.
“Neia Baraja.”
“Ma’am!”
So I’m going to be the target of her attack after all? she thought, disappointed, but of course she responded energetically so as not to show it.
Gustav tried to mediate, but Remedios ignored him and stared Neia down.
“While we’re here doing this, droves of people are being slaughtered by the subhuman army Jaldabaoth leads. Four major cities have already fallen, and there’s no telling how many towns and villages have been ravaged.”
The four cities were:
The political center of the country and capital, where the main shrine of the Sacred Kingdom’s religion, the Holy Sanctuary, was located, Jobans.
The bayside city west of the capital, Limun.
The city nearest the great wall—the fortress line—boasting the strongest curtain wall of any settlement, since it was positioned to be the first major target of any major invasion, Fortress City Karinsha.
And finally, the city between Jobans and Karinsha, Prato.
In other words, all the major cities of the north were now under the control of Jaldabaoth’s subhuman army.
“And on top of that, many of the survivors have been caught and taken to camps built in the cities and villages. I’m told that what goes on there would make your blood run cold.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
The camps Remedios was talking about reportedly had walls erected around them, and no one had managed to infiltrate the sites yet, so no one had actually seen what happened inside. But there were whispers that they were guarded by subhumans, and according to people who had snuck up close enough to hear, groans and screams filtered out on the wind.
More than anything, the demon ruler Jaldabaoth hardly seemed like the type to show human prisoners compassion.
“You know all that, and yet you dare to bring back such pitiful results? Are you really trying? If you are, then show me some real progress.”
“My apologies, ma’am!”
That was true. Remedios was absolutely right. But—
Neia had another feeling she couldn’t suppress.
Then what does that make you as the commander of the paladins if you can’t even save our imprisoned people?!
She wanted to throw her words back in her face. But as a squire of the Sacred Kingdom, there was no way she could do that.
“So you’re sorry, but what does that do? How are you going to get things done?”
Neia had no reply.
She was just a regular person. She didn’t have noble standing or wealth or anything at all. She wasn’t even a paladin, only a squire. What could someone like her offer that would attract a noble of the kingdom? Her only option was…
“I’ll work hard.”
…pressing on with attitude. But Remedios didn’t seem to like that answer.
“I’m asking what kind of hard work. Working hard in the wrong way won’t—”
“Commander,” Gustav interrupted her. “How about we leave it at that for now and start getting ready? The Blue Roses will be here soon. It could offend them if our welcome is delayed.”
“Right. Squire Baraja, apply yourself harder and get something to show for it!”
“Yes, ma’am!”
Remedios waved Neia off as if she were saying, Now get outta here.
“Excuse me, then, Commander Custodio!” Though she was exhausted, internally she trembled with happiness—Yes!—as she turned to go. But her reinforcements up
