ocean-life Chapter 414
Chapter 414
Day 96 – Late Nighttime, White Weirdo Inn Back at the inn, once we all gathered in the dining hall, the nuns bowed their heads deeply. It seemed they had regained their composure.
Their habits, both modest and solemn, exuded purity and dignity. From beneath their long veils peeked refined, noble features. The problem, however, lay in the fact that those habits were made from clingy, stretchy fabric that accentuated every curve, paired with deep slits running up to the waist, revealing sensuous legs clad in fishnet stockings. Their demeanor was chaste and sincere as they apologized, but their outfits were the definition of lewdness.
「We apologize for the commotion. While our feelings remain unchanged, we understand that acting recklessly without a plan and causing everyone trouble and worry was wrong. That said, this remains our problem. We cannot allow President-sama and the others to do anything dangerous on our behalf.」
Arianna-san and the others calmed down, but their resolve was unwavering, so they didn’t quite change their minds yet. To be more precise, someone was urging to wipe out the entire Theocracy and, in doing so, had disarmed them mentally. It was that blow which made them settle down.
It wasn’t so much a matter of fighting poison with poison. Rather, the opposing toxin was so potent and hazardous it neutralized their own, rendering them inert and, ultimately, harmless.
「We’re all heading to the Beastmen Country soon, right? Since we’re going there anyway, how about we just keep going straight through, pass the Beastmen Country, and head to the Theocracy’s Grand Cathedral and just beat everyone? If one beating isn’t enough, we keep providing beatings until everything is resolved? I mean, even if it’s somehow not resolved, if you keep beating the problem will eventually end up annihilated, so that counts as resolution, right? Logically speaking? Theoretically, I hear there are some doubts? So ethically speaking, let’s just beat them?」
The issues were time and distance. The First Division and the remaining half of the Royal Guard were heading to the frontier. Kakizaki-kun and the others should be coming along, too. The Frontier Army, the Royal Guard Division, and the First Division, three of the Kingdom’s major forces, would be assembled. The plan was to have those three units cull the Evil Forest and dungeons, and while they were going at that, we’d make our way to the Beastmen Country… and then invade the Theocracy from there.
The plan, if you could call it that, was to skip all the in-between steps and head straight for the Grand Cathedral and destroy it. A reckless proposal, but it was the only remotely constructive one. Naturally, the one who suggested it was none other than the destructive, socially-dangerous Sex King.
「It’ll take time, but maybe it’s faster in the end? Since we won’t face any interference?」
「But then the entire Kingdom military would be stationed at the frontier, doesn’t that leave the Kingdom defenseless?」
「The Confederation’s been taken out in the naval battle by Oda-kun and the others, so they shouldn’t be able to move.」
「Haruka-kun said if we release Kakizaki-kun and the others into the Beastmen Country’s forest, no ground troops will be able to get through.」
「「「Just release?! No intention of reining them back in, huh?」」」
At the Frontier, the three armies would maintain the current state or buy time. Meanwhile, the Kingdom would be protected by Oda-kun and Kakizaki-kun’s pirate and guerrilla operations. If that isn’t enough, the Second and Third Divisions would defend the Kingdom. And then the rest of us, just a handful, would infiltrate… or more likely, force our way into the Theocracy, targeting its central command, smashing it into pieces, grinding it into dust, and burning away every last trace. That, apparently, would solve everything.
At this point, I thought talks about negotiations were naive, but it seems that we are already past even considering combat options. It seemed we were now discussing cleanup procedures after the execution had already been finalized.
「From the way he talked, it sounds like Haruka-kun plans to go to the Theocracy too, doesn’t it?」
「But this isn’t just about guarding Arianna-san and the others anymore.」
「Bringing along a slaughter demon of supreme destruction to rescue people from the Theocracy is kind of…」
「Even so, Haruka-kun’s been constantly wary of the Church, not the Theocracy, but the church itself.」
「「「You mean that thing that Nefertiri-san might not be the only one?」」」
Exactly. The theory is that they should possess some kind of power capable of subduing, even if only for a moment, and capturing someone like Nefertiri-san, who had likely been the Dungeon Empero. Otherwise, it doesn’t add up.
「Did Arianna-san and the others seem okay?」
「「「Yeah, they collapsed after getting drunk. Maybe that liquor’s actually really strong?」」」
We’d assumed Haruka-kun was just weak with alcohol since he passed out after five or six drinks, but apparently Arianna-san and the others started wobbling and fainting after just a sip. I don’t know much about alcohol strength or content, but maybe it’s really high proof? Slime-san seemed totally fine, though?
Right now, the Haruka group is in a discussion. They’re trying to decide who to leave at the Frontier, who should accompany us, and if possible, they want at least one person stationed in the Kingdom too. They’re calling it a safety measure, but in reality, it’s an incredibly unsafe plan that would leave Haruka-kun completely alone. Naturally, Angelica-san, Nefertiri-san, and Slime-san are all furiously opposed. It apparently turned into a big fight, with everyone insisting they want to go with Haruka-kun.
He’s always worried about everyone else. Always putting himself in dangerous situations while all alone. Every single time, he ends up nearly dying somewhere while completely on his own. And yet he never learns, never reflects, and probably doesn’t even regret it. That’s why he’s planning to do something dangerous again, and the three of them are no doubt yelling at him for it. No matter how many times they get angry, he never seems to learn.
「Anyway, at minimum, we’ve only got three days, so while Arianna-san and the others train, we’ll be training too!」
「「「「Jaa!」」」」
There’s no time. The more Dungeons we can wipe out, the safer the Frontier becomes, and the more we can reduce the chances of a stampede. On top of that, it’s a great way to gain levels, build combat experience, and acquire gear. The goal is for a single party, with an instructor, to reliably reach the 50th floor. Ideally, two parties to the 75th floor. Then clearing a 90-floor dungeon in a four-party raid. At the very least, we want a raid party to take on a Dungeon Master on 80th floor.