Ch.270Operation-Setting NPC. (1)

“How bothersome.”

[Yes, it’s bothersome.]

After hearing the very useful yet incredibly troublesome information that Gorg had gathered in that short time, we couldn’t help but frown. Naturally, neither her talk about checking others with something called a [Status Window], nor her mention of having that kind of [Skill] would serve as evidence for us to make the first move. After all, none of this little-known information would incriminate us.

“…I want to stay by Grace’s side today.”

“Ira. You know that even if you’re by her side, you can’t stop all of them.”

“But!! I’m worried!!”

[…Ira’s level is currently quite high. To be honest, if facing just one opponent, the probability of not losing is high. However…]

She’s not overwhelmingly higher level than the opponent, and moreover, in her case, she’s not the type whose strength or agility increases in an easily understandable way like us. Though her intelligence has now risen to nearly the late 160s, her strength is barely 40, and her HP hasn’t even reached 2,000 yet.

[Your mana capacity, no, usable amount is approaching 1,000 now, but a mage is ultimately rear support. Ideally, I would stand at the front to face the enemy while you unleash spells from the back, but unfortunately…]

“Gorg, who collapses if he’s more than seven steps away from Ira, can’t fulfill that role. And it would look strange for me, merely a guardian, to follow Grace to her room when nothing’s wrong.”

Even though we know, we can’t prepare in advance. Our current party composition might seem well-balanced at first glance, but it’s like a sandcastle that collapses entirely if Gorg alone falls. In the end, as we were sighing together without finding a good solution, Ira brought up something else.

“…You said they bring people from outside for conscription.”

[I did.]

“You did, right?”

“And earlier, those knight gentlemen knew they were here.”

“That’s right?”

[Yes, they did.]

“Conscription means they don’t kidnap people, but look at their faces and choose who to take. Earlier, Grace’s father said so too!”

[Even if an imperial decree comes down ordering someone from our family to be drafted, I have no intention whatsoever of sending you.]

[Ah.]

“Oh.”

Right. We were thinking they were a cult group, imagining they would attack based on the village scenery we saw earlier. But this is a noble’s house, not a rural area in a frontier domain. No matter how rude and lawless this cult group might be, would they really attack a lord’s mansion?

[As expected of Ira. Your level of insight is exceptional.]

“That’s right. If they’re coming here not for a simple attack but for forced conscription, they’ll surely try to take Ira, me, and Gorg too! If we reverse the situation and unmask them at that moment…!! But, wait…”

How do we unmask them? If we just confront them saying “You’re a cult group!” the other side still has the Imperial Chancellor behind them. It’s obvious our words would be ignored. Indeed, no matter how things unfold, other than a show of force…?

“Ah, I have it.”

[Pardon?]

“Huh?”

“A method. I have a way to unmask them. Gorg, you’re the key.”

[Oh, you mean me?]

“Ehehe! As expected of big sis Rey!!”

Even though I hadn’t explained anything yet, as soon as I mentioned having a method, Ira hugged me with her adorable behavior. I quickly explained the plan. And then…

[…This time I’m practically baggage.]

“Eh, but this method is only possible because you’re here?”

“That’s right! Gorg! Fighting!!”

[Having received Ira’s encouragement, I’ll accomplish this even if it costs me my life.]

Though it probably won’t cost him his life, Gorg froze as if his soul had left his body after saying that. Meanwhile, I started cleaning the room as if nothing had happened, and sent Ira to Grace’s room. It’s a bit risky, but this way the enemies won’t think we’re planning anything.

“…Hehe. Without Jack here, it feels like I’m working with a young Jack.”

Watching Ira’s back as she ran out of the room, I briefly felt like I was seeing his back.

*

-Knock knock knock.

[Grace~ I’m here!]

“Huh, what?! *sniff* Just a moment!”

After returning to the mansion and greeting Ira and my family, everyone told me I was too young and shouldn’t worry about things like war, so I was alone in my room feeling a bit sad and sniffling when Ira came to my room with a cheerful voice. Oh, I don’t want her to see me crying.

-Creeak.

“Grace? Were you crying?”

“No! I’m not a crybaby like you, why would I be crying?”

“Uwu, I’m not a crybaby!!”

“Hehe. Ira is a crybaby!”

I’m so grateful that this cute friend came all this way because she was worried about me, and even came to my room to check on me. With that feeling in mind, I teased Ira a bit more, and she grumbled that she wasn’t a crybaby while approaching my bed and sitting beside me.

“Grace was crying. There are marks on your face.”

“I cried just a little, unlike you who was sobbing loudly.”

“…Grace is being mean. I was worried.”

“…Sorry.”

Talking about a possible war in our country, in my domain, and saying goodbye to friends felt like a permanent farewell, as if I’d never see them again, and I didn’t want to say such goodbyes. As I apologized and conveyed those feelings, Ira hugged me and spoke in a somewhat serious voice.

“Still, I wish you had told me. Latina will surely be worried too.”

“…Latina knows too? That I came back because of the war?”

“I didn’t tell her, but Latina is smart. She’ll definitely notice.”

“You didn’t tell Latina either before coming?”

“No. I was in such a hurry I couldn’t see her face before leaving.”

No, that’s not right? I couldn’t help but smile a little, realizing that Latina would be the one worrying the most among us. Ira suggested we apologize together later. Yes, we should apologize. That kind friend is surely worried about both Ira and me right now.

“I’ll rest just this week, then return to the academy as my parents said. Shall we go together this time?”

“…Yes. Let’s do that.”

“Hmm?”

I thought she’d be happy about traveling together in a carriage, but Ira’s expression darkened a bit. Why? Didn’t she come to get me?

“…Big sis Rey told me not to tell you, but I think you should know too.”

“Huh? What? What are you talking about?”

Suddenly taking my hands and looking at me with serious, glowing purple eyes, Ira began to speak quietly. Huh? Cultists? Forced conscription…? Wait a minute. Now that I think about it.

“How about it, Grace? Are all the maids and servants here people you know?”

“…No, except for Butler Frank, they’re all people I’ve never seen before. Don’t tell me the reason many villagers are missing is…?”

“…I think they’ve all been taken.”

“We need to tell Father!!”

-Grip!

After hearing Ira’s story, I immediately stood up to tell my father, the lord, but Ira grabbed my wrist firmly and shook her head vigorously. Why?! We need to tell Father, the lord, and mobilize the domain’s knights!!! Forced conscription like kidnapping!! It’s illegal, right?!!

“Earlier, this morning, the knights who came with us said so. The entire knighthood has already been conscripted, and only three of them remain to guard the Count. So…”

“Th-that can’t be…”

There are no allies on our side. The moment I heard the facts Ira already knew, I lost strength in my waist and sat back down on the bed. So, when those cultists come soon, will Grace, big sis, and everyone be forcibly conscripted? Because of me, even my friend Ira and my teacher…?

As anxiety and resentment suddenly surged and my vision began to blur, Ira placed her hand on my cheek and smiled brightly as usual. Why? How can she smile…

“It’s okay. We, I will protect you. And let’s protect your family together, Grace!”

“B-but… how can we without the knights…?”

“Hehe! It’s okay!! I can fight, and so can you! You’re the top student in the academy’s elementary division! I’m your friend! And our big sis Rey and Gorg are much stronger than us!!”

“B-but if they bring the Chancellor’s directive, we can’t just fight…”

“We’ve thought of a plan! So, will you help us, Grace?”

“A p-plan?”

In this moment when I felt like collapsing under the sudden flood of frightening information, my friend with galaxy-like purple eyes began to explain an unbelievable plan. Um, that… I-Ira, that’s too dangerous for you too…

“It’s okay! Grace is a genius who contracted with an intermediate spirit! And I have Piyakki!!”

“*gulp* *deep breath* Phew!! O-okay! If it really comes to that, I’ll trust you, Ira. I don’t know the skills of the teacher and Mr. Gorg.”

“Yes! Thank you for trusting me!! Let’s show the adults that we’re not just children?”

Despite describing a very scary and difficult situation, Ira smiled brightly and held my hand firmly as if everything would definitely be alright. I don’t know exactly what this child sees, but I want to believe she sees a good future that I can’t see.

“Yes!”

Just like that first day at the academy when everything seemed overwhelming, when I took her small outstretched hand—this time too, I grasped that hand.

*

That evening.

“Well, Count Mueller? Previously you refused to conscript your eldest daughter, your only heir, because your second daughter was at Neity, but how perfectly timed! Your second daughter has returned? Then, ‘by imperial order,’ we’ll have to conscript one noble child, right?”

“…I don’t know where you heard that my child returned this afternoon, but stop talking nonsense! With a mere piece of paper that’s not even an imperial decree but just a directive from the Chancellor, how dare you talk about taking my child!! Rather, I hear you’ve been forcibly taking my people. You’re not kidnapping people from my domain, are you?!!”

“My, how hurtful to call it kidnapping! We’re simply showing the directive and asking for cooperation before taking them? We’re still gathering and ‘training’ them nearby. And originally, the order was to conscript 1,200 people, but you’ve sent barely over 40 troops? If you continue to be so uncooperative, we might have to label you? A ‘rebel’?”

People wearing white priestly robes who barged in during dinner time. They began threatening Count Mueller with a very confident and arrogant attitude, despite addressing a noble who was the lord of this domain. However, Brown Mueller had no intention of giving in to their threats, and naturally had both his eldest and second daughters waiting in their rooms while continuing the argument.

‘Damn, I definitely told the butler and servants not to let word of Grace’s return leak outside. How did they already know and come barging in?’

The problem was how these people knew about his daughter who had just returned today. And whether these people who arbitrarily used the Chancellor’s authority in the name of the Empire were really priests, and truly on the Empire’s side—that was suspicious from the start. That’s why he had no intention of losing this argument. But…

“Kekeke. Well, if you keep acting like this. We have no choice~? Come, devout priests. Search the mansion. Ask the other servants and maids very carefully where ‘the talent we’re looking for’ is hiding, and bring them here—”

-BANG!!

“There’s no need to search. I, Grace Mueller, second daughter of Count Mueller! With the skills of the top student in Neity Academy’s elementary division, am the person you’re looking for!”

“Grace?!! Your father clearly told you not to come out…!!!”

“And!!”

-Pitter-patter, tap!

“Hello!! I’m Ira, Grace’s friend. I tied for first place with Grace in the practical evaluation. Am I also a conscription target?”

The two twelve-year-old girls whom the Count had tried to protect—Grace Mueller with brown hair and the red-haired girl Ira—stood proudly before those who had come to conscript them.