Chapter 58: An Alliance Forged in Truth

Anastasia’s office meeting room.

After greeting the key figures of each nation’s delegation, she moved to a different location to hold the meeting with them.

“Crown Princess, you no longer need to worry about manpower. One of our dwarven craftsmen will do the work of a hundred men.”

Baldur said confidently in his deep voice.

“Hmph, our elven gardeners will also lend their strength, so we will be of even greater help than those dwarves. There are none as skilled as us in restoring desolate lands.”

Elara added, not to be outdone.

“Yes, that’s also true. But our pointy-ear, you sure hold a grudge… Shall I tease you again? Trying to look good in front of the boy is quite…”

“Will you shut that mouth of yours!”

At Baldur’s teasing, Elara’s face turned red, and she was about to bicker with him again as usual.

But then.

“Elara.”

Princess Sylphia of the Elves softly called her name.

At this, Elara cleared her throat and composed herself.

“Ahem… My apologies, Your Highness the Princess.”

“You should apologize to everyone, not just me. This is a gathering of high-ranking individuals from various nations, not just the empire, you know?”

“…My apologies to everyone.”

As Elara reluctantly bowed her head at Sylphia’s reprimand.

“Pfft…!”

Baldur couldn’t hold back his laughter and let out a sound.

At that, Sylphia narrowed her eyes, giving him a look as well.

“Lord Baldur, you too.”

“Oh, dear, dear. My apologies, I too apologize to all of you.”

And so.

Despite some minor commotion.

The meeting proceeded well without any major issues.

“Logan, don’t forget us, nyan! If we beastmen stand guard, we can perfectly block those bandit bastards before they even come, nyan!”

“Your Highness the Princess! It’s not Sir Logan, it’s to the Crown Princess…”

“No, nyan! I came to help Logan, nyan!”

Throb—!

To the point where a faint vein popped on Anastasia’s forehead.

There was a bit more commotion, but anyway, the meeting proceeded well.

Above all.

“…Our kingdom may not be as exceptionally skilled as others, but we will help in every way we can.”

Even this person, who would have been justified in exploding with anger at any moment, was actively offering help.

“Still, if any injuries occur due to work or attacks, we will certainly treat them. Many of our shamans, including myself, have come. I can proudly say we are not inferior to the priests of the Church.”

Graham of the Belgaros Kingdom.

It was clear he wanted to bring up the story of Orlea right now.

But he was only talking about the topic of supporting the reconstruction project.

At this, Anastasia had nothing to say other than to express her gratitude.

“Ah… Thank you so much… Lord Graham…”

Her heart felt heavy.

Seeing him, automatically.

The face of Orlea, trapped in the ice prison, came to mind.

But then, something unexpected.

“…No, it is only natural. Princess Emilia also repeatedly asked us to lend great strength to Her Highness the Crown Princess.”

Hearing those words as well.

“Ah…”

Her heart truly felt even heavier, like a stone.

Lulu and Lala had reported that Irene’s magic was an absolute prison, to the extent that even the Saintess and priests of the Church could not thaw it.

So, even if they succeeded in retrieving Orlea, they couldn’t save her from that ice prison, so her rescue had been reluctantly postponed.

However.

The biggest reason, in truth, was that she didn’t want to give her enemies a weakness to exploit.

It was clear they had a strong suspicion that Anastasia was the one behind Orlea’s infiltration of the detached palace.

But, without evidence, they couldn’t easily bring it up.

Anastasia was essentially taking advantage of this.

So, she couldn’t help but feel guilty, and receiving their help felt too burdensome and apologetic.

Anastasia’s thoughts…

Logan, standing behind her, read them clearly.

‘Anya…’

‘She is a kinder person than anyone.’

She had asked him several times if there was any way to save Orlea, if he couldn’t think of something.

But even for Logan, it was impossible to immediately think of a way to save Orlea.

Therefore, he had no choice but to shake his head.

After that, Anastasia hadn’t mentioned her again.

How much her heart must be aching and how difficult it must be for her now.

He could easily tell without even having to ask.

At this, Logan, as if he had made up his mind, slowly opened his mouth.

“…Your Highness. I believe it’s alright to honestly tell them everything you want to say.”

“…What? What do you mean by that, Logan…?”

Anastasia tilted her head slightly, as if she couldn’t understand.

‘What I want to say…’

‘Surely, he doesn’t mean I should confess everything and apologize?’

‘In this place, with people not just from the kingdom but from other nations as well?’

Logan, reading her thoughts, spoke in a tone that said she could trust and be reassured.

“Everyone here is a comrade who fought together in the Demon Lord subjugation, are they not? Of course, there are those who did not directly participate, but I believe their hearts are the same. I believe these people are far more trustworthy than the noble faction and the Church… than people like that.”

As Logan showed trust and praised them.

Those in the meeting room were somewhat flustered but also pleased.

“Khaha! As expected of the boy, thank you for thinking so highly of us! Isn’t that right, Elara?”

“Why does this dwarf always have to drag me into things?”

“So it’s not true?”

“What do you mean, not true! Ahem..! Thank you, Logan. I, too, no, we too, think so…”

“Hoho…”

Sylphia also smiled gently and nodded.

From the first moment she saw Logan, she had thought he was a mysterious person.

To the point where she felt it wasn’t for nothing that he had captured Elara’s heart.

“I don’t know what this is about, but… I, too, speak in the name of the World Tree. We elves are sincere in our desire for the peace of the empire… of the continent. You can trust us.”

“You can trust us beastmen too, nyan! Instead… is there really no way to get a concubine spot?”

“Your Highness the Princess, please…!”

Although…

There was someone who got on her nerves…

Anastasia, as Logan had said.

Couldn’t help but feel that these people were truly trustworthy.

But…

The most important person still remained.

Anastasia still couldn’t help but hesitate.

But as if to make her worries meaningless.

Graham also smiled gently and opened his mouth.

“I also believe you, Your Highness the Crown Princess. Just as the princesses said, you are a very kind person…”

“Huh…? What do you mean…”

Anastasia was flustered because Graham showed a reaction she hadn’t expected at all.

Graham continued in a reassuring tone, as if telling her she could truly trust him.

“The matter of Princess Orlea… is truly… very sad, and I find it regrettable. But it was something the Princess herself was prepared for. I hope you do not blame yourself too much… It is alright to tell us everything.”

“Ah…!”

Anastasia let out a short gasp, as if she had received an indulgence.

At this, a stir went through the people in the meeting room.

“The matter of the Princess…?”

“It seems something happened…”

“Sad… and regrettable? What happened, nyan…?”

To them.

Logan spoke with a serious face.

“Yes, I’m sure you are all curious. So please, everyone, focus. Her Highness will speak.”

“Logan…”

“It’s alright, Your Highness. For the sake of what’s to come, it is better to speak without hiding anything.”

“……”

Anastasia hesitated for a moment, but then nodded.

As Logan said, it was right to tell everything to those who had come from afar to help.

Not just about Orlea, but everything had to be shared.

As he said, she was also confident that these were people who could be trusted more than anyone.

She hesitated no longer and opened her mouth with a determined face.

“Yes, I will tell you everything. What has happened until now is…”

---

“So such a regrettable thing happened…”

Sylphia sighed with a face full of sadness and pity.

“Tsk… How regrettable that the revenge on that prince in heat failed… No, more than that, what on earth is that mage thinking?”

“She must be completely twisted… Hooo… It must have been really tough for you all this time, boy. No, it will continue to be tough… Stay strong…”

Elara and Baldur also couldn’t hide their troubled expressions.

“I really don’t like that woman named Irene, nyan! Come to think of it, when I proposed, didn’t he say he couldn’t because of her, nyan!?”

“Princess… please… read the room…”

Luna and Torena were still noisy, but they both showed a similar regretful reaction.

Finally.

“Thank you for telling us everything honestly, Your Highness the Crown Princess.”

Graham expressed his sincere gratitude to Anastasia. There was not a trace of resentment or anger towards her in his expression.

And.

He continued.

“As for the matter of the Princess… we just need to drive them all out. After that, we can all find a way to save her from that terrible ice…”

“Yes, that’s right. We elves will also use every method at our disposal to help.”

“The same goes for us. If melting it with mana is impossible, how about using machinery or tools to slowly break it down bit by bit?”

“We’ll try to find a way too, nyan!”

“Everyone… thank you so much…”

Anastasia was relieved to see the allies uniting with one heart and one mind.

At this, Logan whispered in her ear.

“Didn’t I tell you? That everyone would believe in Anya.”

“Logan… thank you so much…”

Just then.

Graham cautiously brought up a new topic.

“Then next, there is something I would like to tell you all.”

“Yes, please speak, Lord Graham.”

“After the matter of the Princess… it is about the matter of the Magic Tower’s Master that you mentioned.”

“Could it be…”

“Yes, I think I can help with that part. Hearing the symptoms Sir Logan described, it seems to be something I know of.”

“Is that really true…!?”

Logan asked back in surprise.

Another reason he had said they should tell everyone present everything.

Was also to obtain information on how to cure the Magic Tower’s Master, Iren.

Since it was a gathering of various races and experts.

There was a small hope that they might be able to suggest a solution.

“Yes, I’ll need to see him up close to be sure… but it’s highly likely he’s been struck by a Sahongu.”

“Sahongu…?”

Anastasia tilted her head.

Most of the people in the meeting room had the same reaction.

However, among them, there was one who showed a different reaction.

It was Princess Sylphia of the Elven Kingdom.

“A Sahongu… surely you don’t mean the ancient dark magic artifact?”

As she asked back, her face paling, everyone in the meeting room was horrified.

“Your Highness the Princess, dark magic, what do you mean…!”

“Hohoho!! These guys are really going all out!”

“Torena, what’s dark magic, nyan? Is it a black attack magic, nyan?”

“…Princess, please just be quiet…”

And.

Logan thought with a hardened expression.

‘As I thought… it was something like that.’

It seemed clear that the enemies they had to face.

Had an even deeper and darker force behind them.