The Returned Sword King Decided to Become a Tyrant Chapter 181
To survive (2)
A slum in a city.
There was a huge plaza underground that no one knew about.
A resting place only permitted to those who have turned their backs on the world.
That’s right, it was a hideout for warlocks who lived off of artificial light.
“Elder!”
As the old wizard appeared, those inside rushed out.
The children were so skinny that they looked like they hadn’t even gotten a single bite to eat. Their faces were filled with an emotion called impatience.
“Your Majesty, did you come alone?”
“What happened to you gentlemen?”
“Hehe, don’t worry. I’m just late because I’m trying to erase my tracks.”
“Me, really?”
A wrinkled hand gently stroked the children’s hair as if to reassure them.
Following this, the black magicians who had been with them at the palace arrived at the hideout one by one.
The children’s expressions brightened.
“Gentlemen!”
“Master, the pursuit did not seem to have caught up at all. It did not seem to have made even the slightest attempt to find out where they were hiding.”
“Let’s not talk about that in front of the children.”
“ah……!”
The old wizard calmed the children down and sent them inside.
His expression looked very bitter.
“At least those children have the right not to worry about the future.”
“……sorry.”
They were all children who became orphans during the process of killing all the warlocks.
Victims abandoned all over the continent without any trace left behind.
Perhaps it was the old wizard who thought that even embracing it was his duty.
“Ugh.”
The knees that were used to comfort children.
He struggled to raise his old body and looked at the warlocks.
“This may be bad news for you, but perhaps the reason there has been no movement in pursuit is because there is no need to do so.”
“Master, what do you mean?”
“The new king of Esteban. He already knew where this place was.”
“Is that true?!”
The warlocks were startled.
“You wouldn’t have even left a trace, how could you… …!”
“I felt eyes hovering around me for a while now. It disappeared shortly after, so I left it alone. I guess it must have been him who sent me.”
“Oh, that happened… … .”
“He was a skilled hider, so he probably wouldn’t have noticed.”
The old wizard noticed that gaze.
Eyes that have once reached a certain level.
Even if I had given up everything and chosen to live an ordinary life, there was no way I could have avoided it.
“Now that I think about it, it seems like they had expected us to come from back then.”
“her.”
It was also about knowing about the hidden hardliners.
The words and actions that have been used to confine him since then will also prove this.
As the old wizard stretched out his hand, the empty space began to ripple and a pill appeared.
Woohoo-
Surrounded by several layers of protective shields, it was dispersing evil energy in all directions, making the sturdy shields pale in comparison.
“… … Master.”
“The overall technology has changed, but it’s definitely something the hardliners were researching.”
The old wizard’s expression hardened.
Having lived for many years, he knew better than anyone the history of the oppression of black magicians.
This is also the reason why the hardliners and moderates split.
And what they were researching.
“… … This is something that should not exist in this world. Something like this should never have been created.”
As he muttered like that, the conversation he had with the new king of Esteban flashed through the mind of the old wizard.
-Find a way to neutralize it.
-… … Unlike artifacts, this cannot be neutralized.
-I know that too.
Allen Esteban.
He continued speaking with a laugh that bordered on sarcasm.
-That’s why I asked you to ‘find’ a way to neutralize it.
The old wizard thought of children running around.
It was an opportunity.
An opportunity to prove your legitimacy by proving your worth.
The King was telling them to pay a price commensurate with the risk they took.
-Don’t keep me waiting.
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The King’s voice playing in my head.
The old wizard, who had opened his eyes and faced reality once again, began to slowly nod his head.
“… … I’ll try.”
If that’s what the other person wants.
He was determined to achieve it.
For the sake of the children who will remain in the future.
… … And now, for the sake of my own foolishness that I thought I had let go.
* * *
The warlocks leave.
“Well, I guess the annoying things are finally over.”
George shrugged as he sorted through the papers he was going to store in his new office.
It’s only been a day or two, but so much has happened.
Is that all?
The aftermath of the tragedy that occurred in the Federal Empire is not small.
This means that from now on, literally anything can happen and it won’t be strange.
Of course, it was a welcome development for me.
“By the way, how long do you expect it will take for the warlocks to come up with a countermeasure for the potion?”
“Three weeks.”
“her.”
I answered without taking my eyes off the document I was reading.
3 weeks.
In that brief, if brief, moment, George’s eyes narrowed.
“I remember even the high priests of the Holy Empire sticking out their tongues.”
“They are not warlocks. A carpenter cannot do the work of a craftsman.”
“Then is there any reason why you think so?”
“there is.”
A firm answer that came out without hesitation.
Not that it wasn’t true, in fact the moderate warlocks had a way to stop it.
To be exact, their leader, the ‘Great Wizard’, would know.
So, the countermeasure for the pill was already out there.
‘Whether they can discover it or not depends only on their efforts.
Did I tell you to prove your worth?
As someone who knows the abilities of warlocks, there was no need for me to do that.
But the reason I did that was because I had the events that would come afterward in mind.
‘… … contractual relationship. But, no matter what, I must be in the position of a savior.’
A savior who embraces the warlocks and takes risks.
Because the beginning of every relationship is something that will branch out from it.
Of course, there would be no way for them to know that even that ‘risk’ has already been fully prepared for.
“I hope it was useful enough to compensate for the inconvenience.”
After muttering like that, I turned my gaze to George.
“What did you make them do before?”
“I understand that preparations are being made diligently.”
He smiled with satisfaction at George’s report.
“Then it’s time to taste another harvest.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he activated the communication device in his bosom.
Then, the communication was immediately connected and an unforgettable voice was heard from the other end.
-It is an honor to have you, Your Majesty the King.
Crow. That strange, hollow voice rang in my ears.
* * *
Even after receiving the title of Duke, Duke Walter did not let go of his work.
He still carefully checked the documents coming into the Ministry of Finance and did not hesitate to process them himself.
Especially recently, it seems like he’s really starting to enjoy it.
“Haha, another trade request coming in.”
Begging for mithril in the name of trade poured in from all sides, and some countries took advantage of the gap to request ancient magic and dwarven weapons.
But they were just taking advantage of the opportunity, so how could there be more than one or two competitors?
Now that Esteban’s status has been reaffirmed on the anniversary of the previous king’s birthday, his passion cannot be curbed by a little busy work.
“Hmm! If the conditions are like this, it’s not bad… … If things continue like this, it won’t be long before we surpass the countries of the Southern Continent, known as the Land of Gold… … Hmm?”
But it was strange.
Recently… … that is, since the fall of the Second Prince faction, there have been documents that have been particularly noticeable.
What happened to catch his eye was also of that type.
“This time, it’s another name. Was there a place like this among the stores that supplied goods to the palace?”
A certain supply contract that has become a fixed expense at some point.
It was very noticeable because it was delivered under a different company name each time.
Moreover, the conditions were also extremely suspicious.
“Are you saying you bought this much necessities? And this time, several times more than usual?!”
That’s right.
The number of items delivered each time is far greater than the required quantity.
In comparison, the price is ridiculously cheap.
This was something that Duke Walter, who was well-versed in finances, could not understand.
What was even more incomprehensible was that it was a contract carried out at the order of the Crown Prince… no, now the King.
‘What the heck?’
Until now, I felt something was strange, but I never thought to check it.
But this time, it was too much. Too much to just sit back and watch.
“… … There may have been a mistake, so I should check it myself.”
You may have entered the wrong quantity of the item.
If that’s the case, it needs to be corrected immediately.
The Duke quickly put on his coat and headed to the royal storeroom where the goods would finally arrive.
chuck-!
“Your Majesty the Duke!”
“Excuse me, have the items that were delivered to the royal family this week already been sorted out?”
“I think it is still there.”
“Hmm, that’s good. I’ll go check it out myself.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The knights who had scanned the duke’s entire body with the exploration artifact stepped back and bowed their heads.
“You may come in.”
As soon as permission was granted, the Duke quickly went out to search the wagons lined up inside, looking for the goods.
How much time has passed like that?
The Duke was able to see the cart containing the items he wanted.
“Here it is.”
Swish-
I carefully lifted the curtain covering the outside of the cart.
But inside, the exact quantity written on the document was there. The enormous amount was certain.
“… … Then what is that cheap price? Where is this large quantity used in the first place?”
Finally, the duke called the warehouse manager and asked where the goods would be sent.
But the answer I got back was so disappointing.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t know the details. I just know that I’m following His Majesty’s orders… … .”
“Ugh.”
It was back to square one.
At least it’s fortunate that we know that it was taken outside the palace.
“Hmm, of course he has a plan, but… … it’s hard for me to guess his intentions.”
What on earth is it? And the ‘stores’ that sell it at prices much cheaper than the market price.
The duke’s doubts deepened.
* * *
A fortnight has passed since then.
Winter is gradually revealing itself.
The afternoon, which seemed to pass by uneventfully as usual, became lively thanks to news from someone.
“The warlocks have arrived.”
“I see.”
Surprisingly, the main character was the visitor from the warlocks who had been expected to arrive three weeks later.
widely-!
I put down my pen and blurted out my thoughts.
“Two weeks and one day. You arrived sooner than expected.”
“Shall we come in?”
“hmm.”
There was no reason to delay.
Because I wanted to confirm what they had brought, and there was something else I was curious about.
“I see you’re ready.”
A distinctly felt presence.
It looked completely different from before.
It was like a star shining in the dark night sky, burning itself brighter than anything around it.
