Chapter 167
－From the Perspective of the Captain of the Fourth Order of Knights of the Emperas Kingdom－
Gammilze, the captain of the First Order of Knights, let out a heavy sigh.
He himself was reluctant, but those around him were already making preparations to make him king.
The knights had already made up their minds, and the former slaves helping us had also made it clear they supported him.
Information had spread through our collaborators, and the former slaves in the villages and towns were watching over him.
The people living near the royal capital were bewildered, but they were placing their hopes in him, believing that if he could calm the forest’s anger, things would be all right.
Farther from the royal capital, some people supported the nobles, but as word of the forest’s anger and what happened in Eregari Town spread, their voices grew quieter.
At the same time, support for Gammilze, who was credited with striking down the previous king after he incurred the forest’s wrath, was growing.
With public opinion in this state, if someone else were to take the throne, things would become quite turbulent.
The people and knights of the Emperas Kingdom needed Gammilze.
And he understood that.
If it were only a matter of domestic affairs, we would still have a little time, but the Emperas Kingdom urgently needed a king because other countries had their eyes on us.
Supporting this, numerous reports had come in of people who seemed to be spies from other countries.
The news of the previous king’s death had probably spread, and they were watching for an opening in our country.
Some countries had been plotting to take control of the forest. There were surely others that would attack and destroy us while we were unstable.
With no king in the country, now was the perfect time to strike.
We urgently needed a king to resolve our problems with other countries.
But that didn’t mean just anyone would do as king.
The king we needed right now first had to have the support of many knights.
The support of the former slaves was just as important as that of the people.
Otherwise, we would leave ourselves vulnerable and invite an attack.
We didn’t have the strength to fight a war with another country right now.
“Sigh, I can’t afford to put this off. But first, I need to deal with the problem right in front of me.”
“Has something happened?”
Gammilze and Gazy’s words reminded me why I’d come here.
…I’d come to tell them something important, but I’d forgotten.
I cleared my throat once, as if to cover it up.
Gazy’s eyes seemed to say, “Again?”
Though I didn’t think I’d made that many mistakes in front of him…
“I found someone who appears to be the captain of the Third Order of Knights.”
“I see.”
This was the problem that needed to be dealt with urgently.
It was true that we also had a problem with those opposing the liberation of the slaves, but
thanks to the efforts of the First Order of Knights and the influence of Gazy and the others, those who had joined us as collaborators were beginning to keep them under control.
Even those who’d been making a fuss were gradually changing as word spread about the previous king, who had incurred the forest’s wrath.
Though information hadn’t spread properly to places too far from the royal capital…
Resolving this problem would take time.
But the problem with the Third Order of Knights needed to be dealt with quickly.
That was because they had taken the magic stones with them.
Even if they were only fragments, examining what the mages had left behind hadn’t revealed everything about the power they held.
For that reason, we needed to take them back before the people who stole them caused any problems.
“The Fourth Order of Knights and I are ready to move at any time.”
“We can move as well.”
“No, I’ll go.”
“Huh?”
“Wouldn’t it be better if you didn’t?”
“I’ve known Virtoa since we joined the knights. We’ve been through thick and thin together. I want to try talking him around one last time.”
His face looked pained as he spoke, and I could see a tangle of emotions in it.
He probably regretted not having the chance to talk with the captain of the Third Order of Knights.
He’d complained about that a little while ago.
As far as Gammilze was concerned, saying there hadn’t been enough time was just an excuse.
He was the sort who wouldn’t move on until he was satisfied.
Once he became king, he wouldn’t be able to act so freely, but he could still go now.
Gazy had also been working alongside us as a collaborator, so he probably understood Gammilze, too.
Gazy looked at me and shrugged.
“Sorry. This is my selfish request.”
Watching us, Gammilze must have sensed that I understood, even if I wasn’t convinced.
“I’ll gather more information.”
Gazy said a few words to us, then immediately left the room.
I hadn’t asked what kind of work Gazy did back when he was a slave.
But he was far better at gathering information than I was.
By the time we reached Totolos Town, Gazy would have gathered plenty of detailed information.
“I’ll go along as your guard.”
It would be a problem if anything happened to Gammilze now.
“We need someone to guard this place, too.”
“We can leave that to the Second Order and my men.”
This would probably be Gammilze’s last job as a knight.
Once he became king, would I no longer be able to talk to him this casually?
It was a little sad, but it couldn’t be helped.