Vermillion

Fortress city Wolvern.

Name it, "Duchy." Located on the border between the region of Lilleil and the northern earth, a giant city that exchanges the centre of the Principality of the Union of Akrand.

The way it is, it embodies the name 'Fortress City'.

A luxury city built neatly around a lord's castle built on a small rocky mountain. The thick first walls surround them, and on the outside, the streets of the cluttered general city are spreading like milk overflowing from the pot.

On the outer edge of the downtown, a high and soaring second castle wall and a waterway stretched with obvious defensive intent. Compared to the first castle wall, the walls are not so fine as to have a faint color, and most attacks will not be frightening. In addition, waterways that also function as water moats must be particularly effective against the invasion of horseback riding peoples.

The area around the city will soon open as a field, with red roofs of barns and lodgings of farmers visible in the green waters that soar in the early summer breeze. And a small fortress with guard soldiers and high sights was dotted here and there, like an island with a face to the sea, or like a satellite surrounding the planet, to help the surrounding area.

The city itself, not just the walls, serves as an organic defensive base -

That's why Wolvern's Fortress City is here.

The heart of the city, the castle of the lord.

Long ago, Wolvern was only a pioneering village on the border, and the castle was built with an emphasis on functionality. A garden of herbs set in the courtyard, a spacious squad, and a spire protruding from all over the castle in the adjacent Metropolitan Library.

One of the tallest of them, a tower called the main tower (donjon). There was an old man there with a big lighting window.

Long stretched jawbeard in grey hair that seeps out the labor of a long life. Deep wrinkles are engraved between the eyes and eyebrows, and their eyes are old and sharp. An exorcist talisman is woven in a woven red robe with gold thread and a large ball of treasure (ruby) embedded around his neck. And it emits a dull, golden light on your forehead, crown.

Yes, he is the one who makes himself lord of the fortified city of Wolvern and unites the Principality of the Union of Akland.

King Alial-Klause-Wulvern-Akland, the man.

With a window overlooking the streets of Wolvern, Krause headed to the desk to fight a pile of paperwork, coughing up small from time to time.

Take one of the bundles of paper that has been piled up, look through the contents, sign it safely, and press the judgment of the ring to go to the next document again. Repeat the work extensively, with a harsh expression.

But - how much time had passed, just after the pile of paperwork cleared up to about inside, Krause put her hand on her mouth and started coughing hard. Gough, a cough that seems painful with water, like gushing from the back of your lungs.

"…… Your Majesty"

By the desk, a bald old man called out reluctantly.

"How about we take a break?"

"……… Uhm."

Krause, who returned the feather pen to the pen stand and deposited herself on her back, growled and sighed.

"…… let's do that. Valter, have some tea. And call Antonio."

"Sir."

See the maid whose bald-headed man called 'Valter' was holding back on the wall. Lowering her head with a thorough trick, she left the office quietly, but early enough.

"…… ha. When you get older, you don't get rattled."

At the same time you lose sight of the samurai, pull out your shoulder strength, Klause. The face of the king, full of majesty, had been transformed into that of one old man because he was alone with Valter.

To the King, who looks tired, Valter speaks out to encourage him.

"Play. Your Majesty is magnificent."

"... younger than the rest."

Krause gives up and sighs with her face, even as she turns a slight eye to Valter, who smiles like a stomach. Because I have learned from a long relationship that the way it is said that it may even be taken as disrespectful and disrespectful is a manifestation of the spirit of humor and compassion of being a Valter.

Chancellor of the Principality of the Union of Akland, Uncle Valter-Berkman-Schmdaler.

He is one of my belly-hearted men who has spent decades with me since Krause took office as Lord of Wolvern and hence the Duke.

"No, no, I've been worried about hair loss lately..."

"Soak it up"

Don't twitch. He nodded at Valter, stroking his scalp. Krause stood up dauntlessly.

Behind the elegant chair, narrow your eyes to the sunlight slipping through the window, while looking at the land of Akland that stretches beneath your eyes.

…………

Eyes behind your back for a view, somewhere far away. Walter, naturally mouthing behind the seeping king of loneliness, drew a lingering smile.

"…… these days,"

Severely, Klause opens her mouth.

"I'm thinking of ceding position to 'Dietrich'"

"…… Your Majesty"

Again, somewhat lonely, Valter's brow drops. Krause continued her words as she combed her long stretched jaw with her fingers.

"Dietrich is still young, but more than that, he's too old for the rest. Given that 10,000 (...) is (...) one (...), it would be better to give way to the spark now."

"As far as it goes.... Your Majesty intends to be completely withdrawn?

"No. The rest turns to the advisory role"

"Are you Mr. Left?"

In response to Klause, Valter nodded with pleasure.

"It's called," Just the Shape. "

"Uhm. No matter how smart Dietrich is, he doesn't have enough experience to leave it all to himself. There has been peace for the past few years, but... now is a delicate time. I also hear about the people of the snowfields and the disturbing movements of the people of the meadows."

A little, with a harsh expression, Krause took the report on the desk.

A number of reports have come up from the Governor's Office, which is located at the home of the people of the meadows, the Riff. It seems that a tribe that was defiant of the Duchy's dominion has suddenly grown larger in recent times.

Literally speaking, it is preferable, but it is difficult to imagine that those who have been resisting for a long time will become obedient today. Eighty-nine, we're up to something - and that's what Klause and Valter saw.

In the battle ahead, the people of the meadow suffered a disastrous defeat before Wolvern's organized army of magicians, but their mobility and their attacking power by horseback bows are by no means insulting. Klause thinks it's not that hard to crack down on a rebellion, but at the same time it's an unacceptable opponent to be cautious.

"…… By the way, what is happening to the North?

As I returned the report to the pile of documents, I inquired. Lifting the edge of his mouth, Valter smiled cynically,

"It looks like we're still having a skirmish in our bodies."

"Uhm. That's superimposed"

That, in a tone that makes a fool of himself, Krause nods rather in an upbeat mood.

In the past there have been wars between the Principality and the North, but at present the relationship between the two is quite good. Disputes over the territory have also been settled through the intervention of the people of the meadows, who have governed some of the northern cities in a split manner.

It was not a very interesting story as Krause at the time because it took the form of being devoured by the rule of the Principality, but people came and went from North to South and as a result the surrounding economy was to develop. On the Wolvern side, food, preferences, medicines, etc. The northern earth exports some metal products, excellent weapons, etc.

Not so bad a relationship for both sides of the Principality and the North. However, Klause, fearing that the force of the people of the snowfield would again be directed at Wolvern, left some hands on him to avoid the war.

One of them is the territorial conflict between the people of the snowfields, which is taking place in the western part of the northern earth.

Originally famous for its harsh winter environment, the northern earth, with the exception of the west, which faces the sea, is known as a relatively warm, fruitful and livable land.

And - yes, but therefore, susceptible to being a source of contention.

With population growth in recent years, the people of the snowfields are falling into a moderate land shortage. There is a need for a fruitful earth that can produce food in a stable manner. In the harsh northern lands, however, such lands do not exist other than in the west.

So Krause succeeded in further fuelling disparities in living standards and fuelling inter-tribal rivalries by sending a large number of agents as pedestrians and daring to supply cheap medicines and more to the rich tribes of the West.

And it turned out to be in the form of a 'conflict'.

The population growth brought about by the improved living conditions as a result of the medicines and other technologies supplied by Wolvern, but it has also become a source of killing each other in the inner circle, so I can only say it is ironic. But assuming that Klause had not made a move, the spearhead of that pressure would have been directed to Wolvern and hence to the whole principality.

In addition to their excellent weapons, the people of the Snowfield are a people who possess their own physical strengthening technique called the 'Seal'. Until now, there have been many small military clashes, even called skirmishes at best, but I cannot imagine what damage would result if it were a massive invasion involving the movement of peoples.

- At least now, I want to avoid total war.

That was Krause's idea. As things stand, what the Principality needs is' time '- the time it takes for the people of the snowfields to divide themselves. It was them who were constantly and not necessarily cohesive between tribes from the beginning, but once they had established a common' enemy ', there was room to keep up their footsteps.

It must be thoroughly and severally divided.

It is too dangerous to deal with the present situation, the people of the snowfields, who are united, who themselves carry the seed of discord: the people of the meadows. Assuming that the Principality and the earth of the North enter into total war, the people of the meadows will also rise up for all the opportunities of a thousand encounters.

It's too risky for a boulder. If you ask me if I have enough returns to match that...

(- The western part of the north, though fascinating)

Krause looks out over the Aria River, which flows through the end of his sight, to the far ocean.

The sea. And the port that leads to the outer sea. This is what Krause asks for as "Lord Wolvern, the fortress city".

And, alternatively, for those who want a war with the people of the snowfields, it is something that can exchange the backbone of that claim.

"…… lately, the main warriors have grown loud."

You read Klause's thoughts, like a solitaire, and Valter shrugs.

"……… um."

With a small sigh, Krause lowered back to the chair again. On its face comes a bitter, spiritual colour of tiredness.

Among his ministers are those who vociferously insist on a war against the land of the north. Primarily, they belong to factions and associates of the military industry. Whether the aim is to secure military expenses (kubu) or special needs such as weapons - the thoughts may vary, but it is the acquisition of Bridgetop Bao overseas that remits their claims before they are built.

That is, to keep the coastal areas of the western part of the North in hand.

"If we secure our own port, Wolvern's status will be a stone's throw. Especially what you're saying."

"…… but it's premature."

"I have the same idea as His Majesty... well, Kitene these days... well, what shall I say," I'm in good shape, "so there must be a certain number of people who can't stand on their bellies."

"Uhm..."

It's lamentable, just to say, to Valter, Krause, who has no choice but to create a tannic surface.

Fortress city Wolvern.

The castle city of Satina.

Gallon, a mining city.

Port city of Kitene.

When it comes to giant cities within the Principality of the Union of Akland, four more can be mentioned, among them Kitene boasts tremendous economic power, from trade to salt making, as the only gateway to the outer sea in the Principality, and that sets it apart from other cities.

Yes - Besides the Alliance leader Wolvern, the biggest economic power.

Originally, there was a balance in the wind between Wolvern of military power, gallons of industrial power, and Satina, who does everything without doing anything, but the tricky thing about this problem is that the Duchy's allies are not always determined to be Wolvern.

The nobles named for the Principality of the Union of Akland do not pledge absolute loyalty to the Lords of Wolvern.

It's just that Wolvern, a man of great military power, has a pact with his lords by promising them safety.

Therefore, to be hailed, the "Principality of Akland" Union ". Its power is fluid and sometimes even terribly vague.

In the first place, if history were to be broken, until only about a hundred years ago, no nation existed that would be the 'Principality of the Union of Akrand'. At the time, it was a small country dominated by Kitene, of which Wolvern was only a regional city. In addition, the present Duke Takrause, as he traces his origins, goes to the bloodline of the former lord of Kitene. In the wake of repeated coups d 'état, clashes with different ethnic groups, and the development of Wolvern, the Lords of the time "transitioned capital", and it was the current principality that was born as a result.

If you return the back - again in the future, the chances of 'transitional capital' happening are not zero.

Nevertheless.

Neither has it begun now that the port city of Kitene boasts tremendous economic power.

Wolvern, too, try to counter the monopoly of salt by taking control of the people of the meadows and holding back the right to mine the rock salt at its base.

Satina, too, by adopting its own tax system, has restrained merchants via Kitene and taken an active approach to other economies, etc.

With the exception of gallons, which, for better or worse, do not engage in politics, each has repeatedly been restrained and adjusted in a good way, and so far this issue has never surfaced in particular.

However.

I've come here recently to disturb the Lords of Kitene - somewhere, ambitious shadows have become invisible.

"Without that 'rumor' thing, I can't help but think……"

Ha, and with a rare and sad face, Valter sighs.

A few months ago. Among the general public, certain rumors became popular.

Says His Majesty the current Duke is not in good health and will soon collapse.

Said Dietrich, who took the trail, was too young, and so the present lord of Kitene, instead, became the ally of the Principality.

- and.

This rumor, whispered by Makotoya, spread throughout the Principality at an unusual rate on the corner, on the market, or in a pub at the end of the day.

Because of its unnaturalness, and simply disrespect, intelligence led by Chancellor Valter explored the origins...

We went to the port city of Kitene.

Of course, the lords of Kitene immediately denied it, but when it came to pass, the nobles of Wolvern rubbed it.

- This is a provocation from Kitene against Wolvern.

Yes, it is true that there were not many recipients.

(… rarely, I would like to think)

As he strokes his jaw, Krause thinks. What comes to mind is the face of the Lords of Kitene.

(What are you thinking………)

A few times a year, we meet face-to-face, but he had the impression that he was an oligarchy, honest man for the glorious business talent he had inherited from generation to generation. However, it is so, so it is difficult to speculate on what you are thinking from time to time.

Logically speaking, where Kitene, inferior to its substantial military power, has targeted the throne of the Duke, there is no advantage to being able to say that it just costs money in vain. Krause was also half-intuitively convinced that Kitene had no 'intention' of doing so.

(but if so, other forces would have spread rumors)

In the first place, Klause's ill health is a confidential matter known only to some nobles. Someone comes up with it, and it's not a substitute for it to flow. Then, it is natural to think that someone intentionally spreads rumours to the nobles in the Principality because of the seeds of discord -

(- Who? And with what intent?

The identity is a mystery, but I don't know what it's meant to be. Honestly, if you spreading rumors as a workmanship, you can do better. In this case, the way the rumors spread - because the speed of diffusion is too obvious, it is tantamount to a hustle and bustle from myself as' it is a workmanship '.

(Who, for what...?

No matter how much I thought about it, my doubts just swirled around and it was like a stack of sloppy things on the inside of my chest. And it springs up from the back of my lungs, heavy cough, as if I remembered it on the pretend.

Gohoo, Gohoo stirred hard, and Krause shook her head as if to shake off her pessimistic thoughts.

(Totally, I don't think I can handle this...)

- I feel old. I don't put it in my mouth, but I've forgotten a lot about this place.

I don't even want to think about it in case there is, and I want to watch the end of the country as much as I can, but I should still pull myself back while my head is clear, and refresh my thoughts.

(Forgive me Dietrich...... it will make you carry the burden)

I'm still young - you can even say I'm young, the old king sighs, thinking of his grandson's face.

For one thing, take a sigh of breath - the dark thought was, I decided to end it.

"…… With that said, it is time for His Highness's birthday."

As if I anticipated that, Valter will shake the subject.

"It's early. Will she be fourteen now?"

The look on my grandfather's face, should I say? Krause's face while arming was gentle everywhere, all this time.

"…… we must celebrate."

The show to the people, at the same time, groans.

"If that's the case, should we still, after all, plan some sort of monument?

"… right, thinking about the future…………………"

Tips, and tapping the clerk's desk at his fingertips, Krause turns his mind around.

"…… an armed warrior, no matter how much. Do you want to open a martial arts tournament?

And when Klause looked, Valter answered with a full smile.

"It's a good idea."

"Then measure it that way."

"Sir."

Sincerely, where Valter lowers his head, from outside the door, he hears footsteps.

Krause regained his majestic expression and Valter corrected his posture. Hello, and the sound of knocking on the door.

"- Master Antonio is here."

"Let it through."

In a flat voice, Valter answered.

The door opens and a man enters the office with a samurai carrying a tea utensil.

With a round face, he was about his age in his early forties, or a man of a pompous physique. He has a brilliant robe with several gems sewn on it, a small hat with feathers on the top of his head, and a single eye for what is known as a senior nobleman.

"Your Majesty is in a good mood today……………"

A man who smiles softly and gives a hint of grace. The name is "Antonio". He's a specialist medic for Krause.

"I called you because I was sick."

"Ha, sorry......"

Antonio attracts a soft grin to Krause, who laughs at the edge of his mouth distorted. However, I will immediately regain my mind and place the medicine box on a simple table prepared by the samurai and prepare scales, cups, etc.

"… So, how do we do it?"

"As usual. My cough is depressing."

"As you wish."

Courtesy, Antonio began to formulate the drug with a familiar gesture. Weigh powder, syrup, etc. handily and mix together in a cup with the water you bring.

Immediately, a loose, cloudy green, however unpleasant, drug solution was completed.

"Well..."

With a new spoon in his hand, Antonio takes the medicine and contains it in his mouth.

"Hmmm…… there seems to be no problem"

Taste, not a ritual with a strong poisonous character to take responsibility for. But naturally, having cleared it, Antonio reformulated another cup of silver that the samurai had carried with him.

At first glance, it's an uncharacteristically cup, but if you see what you see, you'll notice its powerful magical fluctuations. If we detect the poison, we'll let you know immediately, it's an expensive magic trick.

A samurai carries a cup filled with medicine to Krause's hand. So, like a waste, Valter beside him snarled his fingers with a pussy.

[Thorborg.]

Fluffy, soft golden light drifts around the cup. In that light, together, they hallucinated the figure of a winged dwarf.

Valter is a prime minister of the Principality as well as a brilliant magician who completed his sorcery at the National Magic Academy. The technique of poison sight is also palatable, and it can be said that deceiving the eyes of its sophisticated scrutiny is not possible in a person's body first.

Twirling around the cup, the light turned to lick is brightly extinguished twice and three times as it is, then fogged.

"…… No problem."

For the first time Valter assured me that he didn't feel comfortable, Krause put his hand on the cup in front of me.

and pun, glancing at the shaking drug solution with a fed up face, pouring it down his throat at once as if he had decided to be ready.

…………

I flashed my face. bitterness to awesomeness, and poor aftertaste. At the same time, however, there was such a refreshing feeling that I could grab it from the back of my chest.

"…… As usual, your medicine works well. It was daunting."

"I have nothing to say."

The bitterness of the medicine also seemed to have worked, and Krause's words were somewhere to be thrown, even as the samurai drank a mouth-watering tea full of honey, which she poured into a new cup of silver. Still, Antonio lays flat as if he had been impressed.

"Hands and feet can be unusually cold these days. … can we do something about it"

"Yes, if that's the case, you know how to formulate the drug solution."

"Then count it that way next. I'm counting on you in the future."

"Ha! An extra honor............!!

Antonio leaves the room, nagging with Pekopeko all the time while holding the medicine box.

Don't make that look obvious on your face.

But somewhat frigid, Valter was dropping him off.

†††

Fortress city Wolvern, corner of the lord's castle -.

In a painting on the sunny ground floor, there is that little room.

It's an unusual room. The entire wall was occupied by a shelf, where it was narrow and lined with dried plants packed in bottles, seeds of some kind, and dry things that were inexperienced. There is also no foot treadmill on the floor, so much so that the container is placed on a desk larger than the room, with breast bowls, rinses, scales, beakers, cups and test tubes, etc.

There was a man in that room.

He was an ugly man. His face was badly burned or something, and his eyelids were curled and raised, and his eyes were cloudy underneath. The other eye was terribly small, and the imbalance in the parts on its face stirred physiological aversion to the viewer. Once done and swollen lips, ragged pile teeth visible from that gap, and a man headed to his desk with a cat back to the anomaly, just one silent, rubbing away some creepy purple bone-like thing.

…………

Only the mess, the sound of the rinse, sounds in the room. Powder things like bones, transfer them to another container, and then crush them anew. Such a simple, but plainly tough task continues in extension.

But - how long has it been?

Footsteps approached from outside the room at an early pace.

The ugly man who stopped working looks familiar and wears a hood deep in his eyes.

Don't let the visiting master look ugly and ruin your mood.

As the footsteps reached the front of the room, there was no knock or anything, and the door opened abusively.

Silently, a man enters the room. A round face, a chubby body, a luxurious robe - Antonio.

"How's it going? Hmm?"

Antonio hits and changes from when he was in the office and speaks out in a conceited manner.

"Ha, Ha. Thanks for everything."

"Mm-hmm. Even today, His Majesty was very pleased with the medicine he had formulated. You should be proud."

"Ha. Thank you very much."

Unscrupulous motion, but the ugly man deliberately lowers his head to look. Don't compromise your mood.

"Well. So to speak, Your Majesty seems troubled by the cold hands and feet these days. Candintoa grass, Rio ca fruit, extract of lace beans, I think it works around here, how about that?

To the flowing words of Antonio, often the man, rethinks.

"……… I'm sorry, as you said. Perfect."

"Yeah, it still is. There's no mistake in my view."

Phew, and Antonio, who sounded his nose so well, looked extremely pleased.

"That's why, yeah, right, three days' worth. Have it ready by tonight."

"Ha... Ha, by night, no way."

"Something?

When prepared from scratch, quantitatively, it was quite an unscrupulous request. To the man who seeps some surprise, but Antonio asks back with a grumpy face. In a panic, the ugly man lay flat.

"No. No. Sure, by night, in three days."

"Right. That's fine."

Nodded Antonio, a smile that looked down on his round face.

"An ugly monster like you thinks very carefully about who can help you eat."

"Ha, ha."

"Then…… measure it that way"

Antonio, laughing away at Niyanya about what was wrong, didn't have a glance at the man as it was, he shut the door abusively and just left.

Cuttlefish, and footsteps go far. Meanwhile, the man kept his head down.

Eventually, after the footsteps were completely deafened, the pounding,

"Hmm.... I can't do anything on my own, I have a youthful flair..."

It was like a poisonous voice, but at the same time, it was fun somewhere.

While dragging your feet, gather the desired ingredients around the shelves. Arrange the bottles with leaves and nuts on the desk and resume the task of rubbing them with a rinse, as was the case earlier.

Terrible, horrible.

An inorganic, somewhere violent sound, sounds.

- How long has it been?

From the gap between closed rain doors, about the time the sunset light plugged in. Hello, and the sound of knocking on the door sounded.

But it came not from the door, but from a closed window. Then, not even knowing if it was a laugh, the man who distorted the edge of his ugly mouth and placed the rind, hurriedly opened the rain door.

There was a raven.

It was a raven with bright red eyes, stuck in a window frame.

At the same time as the rain door opens, the raven enters the room, as it is accustomed to. Tong, and jumped on the desk, then fluttered down to the floor.

The ugly man turns to the door. Carefully, he opened it so as not to make any noise and asked what was going on outside the room.

- No one.

Confirm that and gently close the door.

And looking back - there was an old man in black in the room.

He was an old man with a different atmosphere.

First its back length. Wrapped in a pitch-black robe, it releases a top-heavy presence. As he was old, his spine stretched perfectly, giving him a glimpse of its grandeur. Black beard with short stretches and equally short pruned black hair. The hands peeking through his face and black coat were full of wrinkles, indicating that he was quite old, but both eyes, opened, had a hegemony until he was rough. Bloody, burning flames, deep red eyes...

――――

Silently, the old man waved his right hand gently.

At that moment, the sound disappears from the world.

From the window, or from the ceiling, the surrounding sound of life, which had been heard slightly, disappeared in any good fortune. The ugly man, ignorant but blurred, presumes that he exercised the magic of sealing the sound.

If you use magic poorly in the castle, the court magicians will immediately detect it. I've heard such stories before, but at least I clearly understood that the old man in front of me is a non-standard being.

"... Well, it's been a long time. How are you?

Try to peek into the tall man, and the old man asks in his closeness.

"Heh. Thanks..."

Dark grin. But it wasn't a top coated and hardened smile, it was something that seeped through true awe.

"Right or right.... Your Majesty (...) of the lower (...) Dear (...) child (...) is (...)?"

And to the continually questioned words, the man darkened his ugly grin even more.

"… by this time, they are plagued by cold hands and feet"

"Kakakakakakakakakakakakakakakakakakakakakakakakakakaka"

From the nostalgia, Old Ong smiles evil as he takes out a jar filled with colorless, clear liquid.

"If...... ahead (...) is (...) long (...) long (...)

I handed the vial to an ugly man.

"Hehe, hehe……………………."

Receiving it, the man also smiles like he's drawn.

Cuckoo, hehe, hehe.

A noise of mockery echoes in a room that is too quiet.

Eventually, it turns into the sound of a single bird's wings, called judgment.

Even that went away, then only the gorilla and the sound of the rinse sounds again.

Nothing.

As if nothing had happened.

Forever.