Chapter 115
"Have you heard of Caligo?"
"I know of him. It's a name that often appears when reading old books."
Louise raised her hand and touched her chin.
"That's right. Your Majesty naturally knows more about him as a dragon than I do, so I'll mainly explain why I suspect he's involved now."
As it was impossible to explain that the current situation was similar to the late-game crisis appearing in the game,
"...Grand Marshal Gerhart informed me about the recent situation in the south. According to the letter, the enemy forces move very systematically despite having several aggressive orc tribes mixed in."
"Hmm..."
"This is not characteristic of ordinary orcs. It's not like a great chieftain has appeared either..."
Viktor slowly constructed his logic, recalling the setting book he had seen before and mixing in some fabrication.
Louise enjoyed his explanation with small nods and smiles, and,
"...Recently, even the Labria Republic, which can be called the sworn enemy of elves, has joined in, so I think Caligo's ability must be involved."
"Humans call it domination of the defeated, don't they? He does have such an ability. A dragon..."
Louise, who had harbored expectations as soon as she heard the name Caligo, easily accepted Viktor's explanation.
"Are you saying this because you want me to step in directly? It seems difficult right away."
Although Louise expressed regret, she had no intention of stopping the game while Viktor's story wasn't over yet.
"It's alright. It's not too late yet, we can sufficiently block it with our current forces."
Viktor slightly shook his head and asserted.
Louise lowered the hand that had been touching her mouth.
"Oh. The guns and cannons were impressive... but dragon hunting will definitely not be easy."
"That's right. However, my goal is not to hunt Caligo."
"Hmm?"
To Louise, who was subtly revealing her pride as a dragon, Viktor calmly stated his intention.
"Based on his appearances in various legends, he's closer to a terrible eccentric. Especially, his characteristic is obsessing over rules he sets himself. Isn't there a case where he retreated giving treasures because he thought he had broken his promise?"
"That's right."
"Moreover..."
Before continuing, Viktor looked at Louise with a strange gaze.
"...?"
"...Isn't it a basic rule of the game not to reveal one's true form? He might use dragon abilities indirectly, but at least we won't face a situation of physically dealing with a rampaging dragon."
"Hmm... Is that so?"
His words were based on the widely known premise of the 'game', but Louise tilted her head.
"I don't think I could just sit still if you were defeated and the capital was taken."
Her words were full of laughter, but.
"...That won't happen, but please endure it."
Recalling that there was an event where she would rampage and be dragged away by other dragons, Viktor couldn't just lightly dismiss her words.
"I'm saying this because I believe in you. Yes, if it's that Caligo, he might very well do that. ...Viktor."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"You're so young, how do you know these things?"
Louise, who had been listening to his explanation with a deep smile, suddenly felt curious, but.
"..."
"Well... I guess. You even noticed my true identity, so it's not strange that you know about other dragons."
As that curiosity was trivial compared to the interest she felt, she dismissed it with self-questioning before Viktor could answer.
"Good. What do you want me to do?"
The declaration of landing a blow on a dragon with human hands made Louise's heart race.
Louise, who had been half-leaning on the chair while listening to the explanation, leaned forward again and approached Viktor.
"If Caligo has come out so openly, I think I can help quite a bit."
"...It might sound disrespectful, but it would be better for me if you helped as the Empress of the Dragonian Empire."
Viktor firmly drew the line for Louise, who was subtly showing signs of getting heated up.
"Ah, right. That's how it was. I almost made a mistake."
"...I'm sorry."
"Sorry? It's my fault for trying to break the promise, you've done nothing wrong. Hmm..."
Louise, who rather expressed doubt at Viktor bowing his head,
"...Here it is. You said troop redeployment would be enough."
Rummaged through her bosom and took out the letter he had sent before, reading it.
"Yes. To decisively suppress the enemy combining orcs and elves, and possibly dwarves if we're late, we need the Red Dragon Corps."
"You want to go to the Este Kingdom direction first, and then send the Red Dragon Corps there later?"
"Exactly."
"That's not difficult. Anything else?"
She nodded and continued her questions.
"Please officially order my dispatch."
"Ah... I see. That's not difficult either."
She also simply accepted the request to officially recognize his activities, but.
"What will you do with the disposition of the former 5th Corps Commander, Volker Rommel?"
"Volker Rommel? What are you doing with him now?"
"For now, we're keeping him confined in a guest room and watching him."
"Hmm..."
As she hadn't thought about Volker, who was just one of many nobles, she couldn't answer immediately about his disposition.
"...Well. Tell me if you have a specific way you want. If I use a little force... execution seems possible."
"His crime is great, but execution is a bit excessive."
"Then, demotion? Dismissal? To what extent do you want?"
"I think you should completely expel him from the military."
"That's... not bad either."
With her light nod, Volker's fate was decided, and.
"Talking about Volker reminded me... Here's evidence that Theodor Oppenstadt was in collusion with the Esperian Kingdom."
"Hmm? Duke Oppenstadt?"
Handing over Theodor's intercepted letter to her, preparations to bring down Theodor also began.
"Among the nobles handed over as hostages, there's one who received his letter, so please arrest him when they can testify."
"...This is interesting too. It would be better to proceed after you return from dealing with the south, right?"
"...Yes."
"We should have a separate talk then."
Louise, who didn't like Theodor, kept the letter well instead of asking more questions.
"That's all."
"Isn't it lacking? For requests, these seem like things I should do anyway."
This was the extent of Viktor's requests.
As they were requests that didn't even come close to the level she had in mind,
"I don't want to unnecessarily ask Your Majesty for things I can do directly."
"Is that so? Then, it's alright if I add a little on my own volition?"
She proposed one more thing.
"...Yes."
To Viktor, who reluctantly agreed, Louise showed a meaningful smile.
"Alright. Now that there's no more business, you can go if you have nothing else to say."
"Then, I'll take my leave."
"Don't you need a guest room?"
"No. Thank you for the offer."
"I see. Come see me tomorrow morning."
"Yes."
After Viktor left the lounge, she took out a neatly wrapped paper envelope from her bosom.
What came out of the envelope was a recommendation for a title that Gerhart had submitted to her before departing for the south.
"He doesn't want wings attached, so I should just change his shoes, I guess."
Expecting Viktor's reaction to be surprised by the unexpected reward,
"A count should be enough."
She filled in the contents of the recommendation, imitating Gerhart's handwriting as he had asked, referring to Erika's report.
---
"Did you wrap things up well?"
"Yes. I think we'll depart tomorrow or the day after."
"Understood."
"I'll be preparing too!"
"...I'll call you when it's time to leave."
He left the imperial palace with Erika and Anna, who had been waiting outside.
"I'll be going!"
Erika returned to her home in the capital, and,
-Thud.
"Two rooms, please."
"Oh my, yes. Here you are."
Viktor and Anna took lodgings near the imperial palace.
"One room would be fine."
"Someone advised me not to skimp on things like this."
"Ahem."
"Take this chance to rest well."
"...Understood."
While resting in separate rooms at the lodgings,
-Knock knock.
Late in the evening.
There was a knock at the door.
As the gray dot wasn't moving in front of the door, he waited for the next knock, but,
"...Tsk."
Seeing Anna moving in her room on the mini-map, Viktor went out first and opened the door.
"Good evening, Corps Commander Viktor."
"Who are you?"
Standing in front of the door was a man wearing clothes of the eastern nobles.
He smiled artificially and held out a note instead of answering.
"...Caen?"
"Count Benjamin Briel. I've come to make an offer that Corps Commander Viktor can't refuse."
"General, what's going on? ...!"
Viktor subtly gestured towards Anna, who had come out hurriedly, and,
"Come in."
"Thank you."
He let in the man marked in gray for now.
"...Are you looking for something?"
"No."
Viktor confirmed the cold metal sensation felt in his bosom and sat across from him at the table.
"So, why did you suddenly come?"
"About that..."
When he suddenly put his hand in his pocket, Viktor also flinched, but,
"...On behalf of the nobles of the Caen Kingdom, there's something I want to convey to Corps Commander Viktor."
What he held out was a single letter.
That letter,
"...Incorporation."
Contained content stating that the nobles of the Caen Kingdom hoped for incorporation into the empire.