Skeleton Knight, in Another World Volume 7 Chapter 11-12

Translator: Silver Editor: Namorax

「Meeting」Part 1

King Asuparf’s reply to Margrave Branier’s letter was drafted and sent out the same day it arrived at the capital.

Considering that the messenger had left for the most direct route to the Branier territory, the reply wasn’t expected to reach the Margrave for at least five days.

However, that expectation was suddenly overturned because three days after the messenger had been sent out, Margrave Branier himself arrived in the capital.

“Given the distance, the Margrave shouldn’t have arrived so quickly. Is this a trick?”

Zahar, who’d just been reporting on Arc’s behavior in the city, voiced his concerns, but Asparuf seemed to disagree with him.

“No, visiting so many days in advance is proof to the authenticity of their stated purpose. He probably headed out without waiting for our response..”

Hearing the king’s half-hearted explanation, Zahar silently bowed his head in agreement.

Certainly, if they’d sent a fake messenger, it would be wasted effort if they went and acted before their messenger returned.

The letter sent by the Margrave gave the impression that he’d been backed into a corner.

They couldn’t even afford to wait for a reply from a country they’d had a history of hostility with…… this fact made the Margrave’s visit all the more abnormal.

“My Lord, I have a bad feeling about this meeting with Margrave Branier……”

King Asuparf agreed with Zahar’s glum assessment of the situation.

“……So do I. The meeting shall take place immediately. Take Margrave Branier to the official meeting room at once!”

At the King’s order, one of the guards in the corner ran out the room.

Within minutes of the order being given both parties, who had decades of hostility between them, met for the first time.

They sat on the opposite sides of the small table in the center of the room and calmly evaluated one another.

While he was already middle-aged the King was the younger one of the pair…… however, one could see the dignity and strength of a ruler in his eyes.

Though calling cards of old age were visible on his face, the sharp eyes and battle-hardened body of a veteran soldier still remained.

They were trying to gauge one another other, but light smiles remained on their faces.

…… If you ever needed an example of a noble not devoted to filling their own coffers, then the Margrave’s imposing figure in front of the king would be what came to mind.

…… In comparison to those nobles who were completely absorbed in factional struggles and their own pleasures, the King was like a dazzling light in a hazardous bog.

“Nozan’s King, Asparuf Nozan Soulia.”

“Margrave of Salma Kingdom, Wendelin De Branier.”

The two shook hands after introducing themselves.

Besides those two, only Zahar, who was acting as Asparuf’s guard, was present in the meeting room. Surprisingly, Margrave Branier attended without an escort.

“A request for an informal meeting was rather unexpected. No need for formalities, what’s your goal?”

The Margrave saluted the King before replying to his straightforward question.

“Thank you. Before I tell you, may I ask, how many monsters attacked Soulia?”

His gaze sharped at the Margrave’s question.

However, the Margrave would be obligated to answer his question after receiving the information.

“It was about one hundred thousand.”

The Margrave unintentionally slapped his knee and the corners of his mouth rose when he heard the King’s answer.

“That’s good news. It may be rude of me, but surely the defenders of this city have suffered recently. It’s a miracle that a hundred thousand monsters were defeated with such little damage, but how confident are you if they attacked in similar numbers again?”

The smile disappeared from the Margrave’s face, and he spoke in a low, tense voice. Asparuf quietly listened to what he said, since realizing why the Margrave would ask these things made him to break out in a cold sweat.

“……Have they appeared there as well? Another large horde of undead…… How many?”

“Around two hundred thousand.”

The air in the room had become heavier when the King asked his question…… and the number the Margrave mentioned brought the conversation to a halt.

The three people in the room heard an audible gulp.

As if it were the signal he’d been waiting for, the Margrave spoke up again.

“Currently, a large force of undead is besieging Larisa, Salma’s capital. I lack the means to rescue the city…… even if I turned my territory on its head, I wouldn’t be able to come up with two hundred thousand soldiers. It would be foolish to try a rescue with such numbers. I came here because the only hope my territory and your country has of winning is if we cooperate…… Isn’t it?”

The Margrave’s sharp eyes demanded an answer from the King.

If he refused the Margrave’s proposal, then his territory would be consumed by the two hundred thousand undead. Whether or not those undead would then set their sights on this place…… it was a question he didn’t have an answer to.

Soulia had already attacked once, who was to say it wouldn’t happen again? It was possible.

“Certainly, a repetition of the previous outcome is unlikely”

The King released a large sigh as he spoke.

In response, the Margrave released the breath he had held when he heard the King’s answer.

“That’s reassuring! I know this is sudden, but can you tell me the strategy you used to repel the undead? It’s best to prepare for battle as quickly as possible. Based on the state of the wall, I think you used some sort of trap and fire magi……”

The Margrave’s voice trailed off when he noticed the King’s poor complexion.

It was possible that the secret technique the King had used to fend off the undead horde wasn’t something that could be prepared on short notice…… at least, that was the impression the Margrave was getting.

However, the truth was something the Margrave never expected.

“We humans were incapable of doing anything against the besiegement. The capital stands today because of the efforts of two elves and a beastmen.”

The Margrave was left dazed by the King’s statement.

The Margrave hadn’t heard anything about the Nozan Kingdom allying itself with elves or beastmen.

In the first place, the beastmen’s numbers had dwindled since the Hiruku doctrine demanded them to be hunted down and gathered up as tributes by its neighboring countries. The majority of the elves isolated themselves in the Great Canada Forest east of Rhoden.

Could it be possible that……

“Those two, were they from Rouen?”

The King shook his head and explained that the elves had come from Canada.

The story of three people rescuing Soulia from the brink of destruction was even more confusing, given that the saviors weren’t even human.

Not even the experienced Margrave could hide the unrest sparked by that story.

“Wait, wait. Do you expect me to believe that two elves and a beastmen repelled a hundred thousand enemies?”

Even under the Margrave’s intense scrutiny, there wasn’t even a hint of ridicule or certainty about dealing with a future crisis within his gaze…… he only caught a glimpse of worry.

After a while, the King let out a deep sigh before calling out to Zahar behind him.

“Zahar, I apologize, but could you go see if Arc-dono would like to join us?”

Zahar bowed towards the King and let the room in a hurry.

The King asked the Margrave an unexpected question.

“By the way, Wendelin-dono, have you grasped the true identity of the enemy?”

It was a question that the Margrave had pondered before, but stopping the two thousand undead had taken priority over answering the question.。

The overwhelming number of undead was connected to that question.

Normally it would be impossible for such a large number of undead to rise.

The legend of the “Undead King” was the first thing that came to mind, but the King shook his head when he told him so.

“My prime minister thought of that legend as well. However, if we assume the legend to be true then the Undead King should have been destroyed by the Empire. Perhaps they were unable to kill the Undead King back then and sealed him away instead. And now he’s been released upon the world once more……”

The King paused for a moment and left out another large sigh.

“Be that as it may, this enemy is not from some uncertain legend. There is a clear entity responsible for innumerable undead sent after us. Our enemy is deeply rooted in the Hiruku Theocracy.”

When he was told who the real enemy was, Margrave Branier was left speechless.

The look in the King’s eyes told him that he wasn’t joking.

“……What convinced you that the Hiruku Theocracy is behind all of this?”

He locked eyes with the King and asked him for the conclusive evidence that made him certain that identify of the enemy was really the last entity anyone expected.

The King informed him of everything that had occurred a few days ago…… the Margrave was left dumbfounded as he listened to the story of Palermo’s monstrous transformation and the truths the elves had revealed.

“…… So if we are to believe their words, then they can find them by sight and smell?”

The King nodded at the Margrave’s question.

“Only elves and beastmen have the ability to detect undead mixed in with humans. However, there aren’t many of them in this region anymore.”

The Margrave groaned after those words left his lips just before someone asked to enter the room.

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Translator: Silver Editor: Namorax

「Meeting」Part 2

Following the the orders of his King, Zahar once again entered the room and bowed.

Three people entered the room behind him.

At the front of the group was a giant knight in silver full-plate body armor, but why was he wearing such luxurious armor? And what was that grass-colored, unknown animal sitting on his helmet?

If it wasn’t for the wagging tail, one would mistake it for a helmet decoration from a distance.

Directly behind the silver knight was an unparalleled beauty who would attract anyone’s attention.

The woman was a dark elf: her pointed ears, lilac skin, golden eyes and snow-white hair were things you’d never see among the elves of Rouen Forest.

However, the woman wasn’t wearing a dress befitting of her beauty, instead she wore the garments of a soldier or mercenary and a leather breastplate with strange markings on it.

A silent girl of small stature was the one to bring up the rear.

Her entire body was wrapped in a concealing black garment, the triangular black ears atop her head and the long black tail attached to her waist were proof of her beastmen heritage.

The beastmen girl’s clear blue eyes calmly flowed over the sitting Margrave, the pressure her gaze caused created wasn’t something he could shake off easily.

The three of them carried an unusual atmosphere as they sat in the new chairs Zahar had prepared, their gazes glancing over the King and Margrave respectively.

“Wendelin-dono, allow me to introduce you. This is Arc-dono, Ariane-dono and Chiome-dono. These are the three we spoke of before, the ones who rescued my country.”

The Margrave’s gaze poured over each of them as they shook hands and exchanged greetings with one another.

It could be said that they were out of the ordinary in appearance and composition, especially the knight, who didn’t remove his helmet with the animal on it, although he was sitting.

A glimpse at King Asparuf revealed that he was absolutely earnest about this.

“I am sorry for asking you, Arc-dono. However, according to Margrave Branier’s testimony, the same crisis that threatened my country is fast approaching his territory. Somehow, an undead army twice the size as the one we encountered has attacked the capital of Salma Kingdom. In this situation, the Margrave fears that his territory will be consumed and that the army will place Soulia at risk again. I know it’s a complex situation, but can we rely on your power once more?”

The Margrave was surprised that the King had lowered his head to those of another race, but it convinced him that the King thought his country wouldn’t have survived without their power.

Moreover, even though the King had just informed them of an extraordinary threat twice as powerful as what they previously faced, they remained unfazed.

One of them, the dark elf women… Ariane merely looked displeased by this before she started talking with the knight, Arc.

“The last time it had been because of Lille-chan’s request that we involved ourselves with the fate of a human country, but this time it will be our own decision whether or not we meddle in this mess, you know.?”

“Hmm. That may be so, but our conditions would be in vain if we allowed one of the few human nations willing to ally themselves with us to be destroyed, wouldn’t they?”

King Asparuf held his breath as he watched the conversation that would determine the fate of a country play out.

Even though the Margrave didn’t know how the trio managed to repel the undead, he could tell that the future of his country depended on their decision.

Therefore, the Margrave needed to say something to attract their interest. Something that would make them lend a hand to humans once more.

“Would you mind if I interject something? We have reports that some monsters which seemed to be some kind of scouts were moving towards Rouen forest, where Arc-dono’s fellow elves are living. These things are probably intending to use the Branier territory as staging ground to march against them next. And from there against the Dimo Earldom.”

Although it was mere speculation, it was something they must consider at least.

With that in mind the Margrave turned to the trio to gauge their response.

“Could they have been the ones who injured Rouen’s warriors? Given the way Cardinal Palermo acted, there’s a good chance that the horde will move itself towards the village.

When the Knight Arc voiced his thoughts, Ariane raised an eyebrow.

What Arc just revealed put the Margrave somewhat at ease.

The scale of the force that attacked Rouen was unknown, but the fact that their warriors had suffered casualties meant that they didn’t have the same level of power as these three.

If anything, the trio’s power should mark them as some kind of special forces.

In the first place, Margrave Branier had never heard of any elven warriors that possessed such power in the Rouen. It was the reason why the story of how a couple of elves and a beastmen repelling a hundred thousand undead was so unbelievable.

Though the Margrave didn’t know the current relationship between the elves of Canada and Rouen, it shouldn’t have been all that bad given what he was hearing.

“Should that happen, wouldn’t the capital deploy its forces under the pretext of rescuing Rouen?”

Having said that, Ariane crossed her arms and showed a thoughtful expression, but Arc bent over and whispered something in her ear.

(Can’t the damage be mitigated if the elves take action first?)

(It’s foolish, but the issue is the village’s pride in their combat ability. Arc, if those with your level of power appear, a guardian Dragon King can take care of it.)

While it was meant to be a secret conversation, it was may as well have been a speech in this quiet room.

Existences called Dragon Kings were said to be at the apex of all life.

The topography itself vulnerable to change because of their tremendous power.

The fact that the elves could move such a being with a simple request made the Margrave dizzy.

While the Margrave was drifting in the whirlpool of his own thoughts, Ariane announced their decision.

“I do not believe that Canada will be all that concerned with the collapse of a single human nation. However, the continued existence of human nations and territories that acknowledge elves and beastmen as people will be more beneficial to us then the race dying out. If you can prove your sincerity, you might convince the elders to intervene.”

The King and the Margrave shared a look after hearing what she said before the Margrave asked her what she expected.

“What kind of proof?”

“Mostly the same conditions imposed on Nozan Kindom: all enslaved elves and beastmen shall be released and any unjust slavery is to be prohibited.”

“I can accept that. On the honor of my family’s name, I promise to fulfill those conditions.”

The Margrave agreed to Ariane’s conditions without a moment of hesitation.

Since the Margrave’s territory was connected to the elves’ Rouen Forest, he’d kept a watchful eye on interactions with the elves to avoid unnecessary friction.

As for the beastmen, the nobility of Salma Kingdom didn’t want to upset their relationship with the Hiruku Theocracy, which was why it was illegal to own beastmen slaves, just like it had been in Nozan Kingdom. Most nobles left beastmen alone in the forest and mountains they resided in.。

In other words, Margrave Branier wouldn’t be burdened by the conditions in the slightest.

However, Ariane suggested another seemingly impossible condition.

“…… If the council of elders decided to destroy the Hiruku Theocracy, would you accept it?”

“Hah!”

“That.”

The King and the Margrave were taken aback by her final condition.

“The Pope of the Hiruku Religion is the mastermind behind all of this, right? There shouldn’t be any reason to hesitate on the matter, right?”

It was the Knight Arc who stepped in to help the two dumbfounded, relatively powerful humans with their conversation with Ariane.

“Ariane-dono, the Hiruke religion is widely practiced among humans. Wouldn’t a reckless invasion just expand the rift between elves and humans? If leaders like Asparuf-dono and Branier use their power to oppress the faith of the people, it would only cause sects to spring up all over the place.”

Both men looked towards Arc and nodded their heads repeatedly.

The beastmen girl, that had been silent till now, voiced a compromise.

“Then opposing them under the pretext of removing the current pope and cardinals, on the grounds of them having distorted the doctrine concerning different races for their own benefits, should be fine. Either way, it’s impossible to overlook the current Hiruku doctrine.

The King and Margrave could only groan at what she said.

As she said, from this point forward, it would be difficult to maintain a border with the supposedly docile Hiruku Theocracy after they invaded their neighbors with an undead army.

The current Pope’s removal was fundamental in finding a basic solution.

“If you can weaken the power of the Hiruku religion, it should greatly increase the chance of gaining the elders’ support. We can’t promise anything if there aren’t any benefits.”

Ariane had just promised the two that the final condition could be negotiated on.

“So, should we return to the Rouen Forest and talk about this with Dylan-dono?”

“Well, my grandpa…… my grandfather is one of the great elders, this is something that should be taken up by the council.”

While Arc the Knight and Ariane the warrior discussed plans together, an uneasiness sprung up within the Margrave and caused him to unintentionally interrupt them.

“Sorry to interrupt, but it will take four days to reach Rouen from here. In addition, Ariane-done mentioned bringing this story to Canada a little while ago, correct? Canada is west of Rhoden Kingdom, so my territory would be a battlefield before you make it there and return.”

The Margrave had voiced a reasonable concern, the trek to the Great Canada Forest was normally a long one, and assuming they managed to amass a formidable fighting force, by the time they returned, Nozan Kingdom might not even be left standing.

However, the Knight Arc simply said: “There’s no need to worry.”.

The Margrave became irritated by his answer, but King Asparuf took over the conversation.

“Arc-dono, can you use the ‘Spiritual Path’?”

The Margrave was shocked by the question before he started looking between the two.

The “Spiritual Path” was a human legend that said elves possessed a secret ability that allowed them to instantly travel across large distances.

Still, the Margrave knew it was simply a legend.

If they really possessed such an ability, then the elves who had been caught and enslaved by humans would have easily escaped.

However, Knight Arc cast a confused look towards Warrior Ariane beside him.

Seeming to judge that using the name humans imposed upon the ability was too presumptuous, the King recount the moment Arc used the “Spiritual Path”.

“It’s the power Arc-dono used to defend me when Cardinal Palermo transformed into a monster and attacked me. Did you not use the ‘Spiritual Path’ to instantly move in front of me?”

Arc finally spoke up when he realized what it was the King had been talking about.

“Oh, transfer magic?”

The King gulped in response to Arc’s response.

“W-With this transfer magic are you capable of instantly traveling anywhere?”

The Margrave managed to hold down his impulse to speak and carefully listened to Arc’s answer to the question.

“It isn’t that convenient of an ability, but reaching Rouen shouldn’t be an issue. Ariane-dono, how long will it take to raise our case with the council of elders and return here with their reply?”

The shocked King and Margrave remained expressionless as Arc asked Ariane about the duration of their upcoming trip.

“I don’t think everything will go smoothly in this case. So, I imagine three days at least.”

Ariane shook her head and shrugged as she answered Arc’s question.

“There’s no much time left then, we should get going……

Arc rose from his chair and bowed to the King and the Margrave before leaving the room with Ariane and Chiome in tow.

Silence took over the room as their backs disappeared in the distance.

“Can the relationship between humans and other races ever be the same?”

The Margrave had muttered that question to himself.

However, King Asparuf and the royal guard Zahar nodded their heads in agreement with what the Margrave was implying.