Ch.331The World’s NPCs in an Uproar (6)

Time is relative. Ragni Bluemoon Ottoman knew this even before anyone taught her.

A knight simply standing guard, maids bustling about for her first social debut, and herself at nine years old, sitting still while being adorned.

Though absolute time would be the same for all, the time felt by the guard knights through their thick helmets flowed unbearably slowly due to the tension of protecting a princess. Meanwhile, the time of the maids carrying dresses, cosmetics, and perfumes to prepare her moved faster than anyone else’s.

Amidst all this, she alone was leisurely entertaining herself by imagining conversations she might have with the various noble children and titled aristocrats she would meet for the first time today. It would have been absurd if her mind hadn’t noticed the relativity of time.

And when she asked Jack to handle the diversionary operation against the Holy Nation from the rear, Ragni thought:

‘What shouldn’t take too long? While time might flow slowly for Jack, for me it’s an extremely urgent matter.’

The rear operation she requested was genuinely necessary, but not urgent. The fact that imperial citizens were being kidnapped and killed by the Holy Nation was heartbreaking—but only just now. Precisely, just now. In other words, she asked him to do it to delay his joining as much as possible. The welfare of the citizens ranked exactly second in her true intentions.

And Jack’s orders were always full of holes. She knew it was because he trusted her and cherished her. But still, they were problematic. His previous order not to reveal her identity as an imperial princess could have been circumvented by simply revealing herself as imperial royalty. And his current order, “Come see me immediately when you arrive at Helgot territory,” wouldn’t need to be followed if she didn’t know whether Jack had arrived at Helgot territory or not.

Riding her horse roughly, she signaled to a ducal unit member running alongside her. The man, confirming her order, immediately sped ahead to relay her intentions to the unit member guiding from the front. The direction of the galloping horses gradually changed, heading toward a direction completely unrelated to Helgot territory.

‘First, to Count Dim Sier’s domain.’

Dolph had gone to the collapsed Helgot territory. Mac and the revolution leader had gone toward other territories where the revolution had begun. Then I would head toward where the war started—taking down and absorbing another count’s territory that was among the fastest to receive information from Ponia and supported the war.

By cutting that off, the supply route for maintaining the army would be completely blocked, and the Empire would find it difficult to openly send soldiers for war in a normal, public manner. They could openly use demons to supplement supplies and troops, but that bad move is exactly what we want. If that happens…

‘We can run wild outside as well.’

Currently, a battlefield between humans is forming, but the story changes when the mud of demons is thrown into it. The Holy Nation, the highest religious state on the continent, and the Empire, boasting the largest size on the continent, have fallen to demons. Even the Empire’s vassal states will rebel and turn their swords toward the Empire and the Holy Nation. Ponia, Aigram, and Neiti, who were openly the first enemies of the Empire and the Holy Nation, along with all sorts of neutral cities across the continent—their powers will be concentrated.

The current king of Ponia may not be a brilliant ruler, but compared to the Emperor, he’s a sage king—not extraordinary, but not foolish either. Surely, if given the opportunity from our side, he would be able to suppress the Empire and, together with other countries, narrow the battlefield.

“…If we make a mistake, it could result in the fall of a nation.”

“Excuse me?!”

“Nothing.”

When another ducal unit member questioned what I had quietly muttered to myself, I shook my head saying it was nothing. Once the Empire begins to collapse on the battlefield, other countries will attack the imperial mainland. Then, with the leadership collapsing and the revolution movement starting internally, the Empire won’t last even a few days. Only…

‘Even so, we can’t underestimate the Empire’s defensive capabilities.’

The Headmaster has gone there now, but what will be the outcome? If possible, I hope the capital falls at her level. But I don’t know the Emperor’s condition, and above all, if that ‘relic’ activates, it won’t be easy even for the Headmaster.

“Hyah!! Faster!!!”

“Yes!!!”

So I ride assuming a high possibility that she will fail. To make the most perfect preparations before Jack arrives. To end it properly at my level even if the Headmaster fails.

*

“…And so~ Count Dim Sier’s domain, Marquis Kotral Fon’s domain, and here, Duke Helgot’s domain. The three largest territories surrounding the imperial capital have come under the revolution and me. Well, Ponia reversed a military disadvantage dozens of times over and won. And contrary to my expectations, word began to spread that Ponia even blocked the demonic invasion allied with the Empire, so it was inevitable that the pro-war faction’s justification would be shattered. Up to this point was truly simple.”

“…I see. From now on, I’ll give orders that are really strict. No more loopholes, seriously.”

“Kyaa~! Plugging holes and doing things to my hole♡ …Ahem. Sorry, the mood seemed a bit heavy, so I was just joking.”

“……”

Though she speaks lightly, this is absolutely not a light matter. It means she circled all four directions around the imperial capital without passing through it in just over a month. And even as she speaks, the reactions of Knight Mac and Dolph watching from behind make it clear. She talks as if she divided the work, but their gazes say otherwise.

“Hmm, anyway. That’s how the surrounding cleanup ended, and to change the subject. Chancellor Salver, who realized very late that they were completely cornered, moved his army, but with all directions blocked. Moreover, the main force went to Ponia and was annihilated, so it was impossible for them to lose. Thanks to that, we could also cut down quite a bit of the enemy’s remaining forces. Only…”

“The defensive magic they activated. Even I couldn’t break through it. If this damn instructor had told me about the ancient relic beforehand, I would have launched a large-scale attack on the capital before it was activated.”

The Headmaster, who interrupted Ragni’s words while dragging a pink demon by its tail, clicked her tongue strongly and glared at Ragni. But her gaze was not so much anger as…

“It couldn’t be helped. The avatar of the Demon of Greed had to be dealt with quickly, and you actually missed it despite taking action, didn’t you?”

“I killed the main body! A few fragments escaping shouldn’t change the current war situation! In the first place, you got the priorities wrong? It would be more realistic for the Empire to lift that defensive magic right now and surrender!!”

“Come on. I said I’m sorry, didn’t I? I’m human too. I can make mistakes—”

“And so! With that body, you alone!! Are you boldly spitting out that you’ll go in there by yourself?!”

[I said that no one but me can enter the capital right now.]

The eyes of Dolph, Mac, and the Headmaster toward Ragni aren’t looking to blame her for the failure of the operation. Rather, they’re worried. And the state of Ragni that Gorr and I are seeing…

[-Occupation: Raid Boss (Ottoman Empire’s Slave)- Level: 450 Name: Ragni Bluemoon: 21 years old.]

[Strength: 10+4,690]

[Agility: 10+4,292]

[Intelligence: 330+??????]

[Luck: 200+????]

[HP: 99,893]

[MP: 40,323]

Her HP was clearly around 210,000. Her MP was 100,000. Although her strength and agility stats have now exceeded three times mine, seeing her HP consumed to this extent without being injured anywhere, I can’t even begin to imagine how intensely she must have been moving during this past month. Truly, it must have been such a forced march that even those who assisted her and the Headmaster who was with her are worried.

“Haa, so, I told you earlier. That magic doesn’t work on fellow imperial royalty. That’s how the magic was modified. If it’s just me alone, I could simply walk in, you know?”

“And then? Are you going to fight alone against the fragments of Greed inside, and the imperial leadership who activated that relic? Are we supposed to just watch?”

“Kyaaaah?!! T-tail!! My tail is being torn off!!!”

The Headmaster’s lowered voice and eyes that look like they might slap Ragni’s cheek at any moment clearly say she won’t permit it. It’s obvious that the pink demon’s tail in her grasp is being sacrificed in Ragni’s place. Anyway.

“So. Is that the end of the boring talk?”

“Huh? Yeah.”

“It really was a boring story.”

“Truly. Meeting after almost three months, and having such a meaningless conversation.”

“Iraya. What did you think of Ragni’s story?”

“Hwaaam… Huh? Oh, it was boring!”

When I ask Ira, who was actually yawning as if it was really boring, she tilts her head looking at Ragni and me as if she hadn’t been listening at all. Well, good.

“The Headmaster has a point, and I understand what you’re saying too. So. Ira will make the decision.”

“…Eh?”

In just over a month and a half, she prepared everything alone, designing it so that she would have to go alone at the end. I’m not stupid enough now to not understand what Ragni’s actions mean, and everyone here understands why she gave such lengthy explanations. So.

“Iraya. What do you think? Should we just send Ragni alone?”

“No! Big sister needs to be scolded by me first!!”

“That’s right.”

“I agree with Ira’s opinion too.”

“Wait, I told you earlier. We can’t let that relic continue operating like that! It uses the life force and magic power of living humans…!!”

“I heard you! But you’re more important to us! And you need to be scolded by us!!”

“Ira says so? How about it, are you going to try going alone, breaking through everyone here including the Headmaster?”

Push just you, who’s exhausted, in there? I’m not sorry at all, but no one here will permit that. And Ira, who delivered the conclusion, boldly approaches Ragni, grabs her hand, and starts dragging her to another room in the annex. The surprised Ragni calls out to us, “Uh, huh?! W-wait!!” but no one takes her side. And.

“Kukuk, my stupid disciple. She’s completely forgotten that she also needs to be scolded by me for coming here when the academy break is over and it’s time to study.”

The Headmaster, already irritated by Ragni’s actions, muttered softly with her first smile upon seeing Ira’s behavior.