Chapter 190 – Counterattack Against the Empire

「I heard that there seems to be someone like a necromancer on the empire’s side.」

When I mutter so, Brunhilde sharply narrowed her eyes.

「Necromancer… Then by chance, there is a lich on the other side…!.」

「No, Marquis Prevan might have been turned into a revenant but I don’t think that a small fry such as a lich is behind this.」

When I deny Brunhilde’s guess, the priestess Marina gave a dry laugh.

「Ha ha… A lich is a disaster class monster nanodesu…」

「A-ano…then, it’s an evil god?」

Looking sideways at Marina, Sherry asked me that. I cross my arms and groan.

According to what I’m imagining, there is a high possibility that the one who raised the corpses is a necromancer player.

However, there are some things that make me question if it’s really a player.

Why? Because it has too little merit.

A necromancer can raise corpses of 2 people max. He can control both dead players and NPC.

Though the physical ability and magic are halved, they can control it to their heart’s content.

With that skill, there was a possibility for weak guilds to beat upper-class guilds so there were many necromancers in middle-class guilds.

However, if I’m the one who’ll use it, I’ll target those who specialize in melee combat like Sainos or Lagreat.

Picking a mage is troublesome because their magical power will be halved.

I will not commit the mistake of choosing someone like Marquis Prevan.

Frankly speaking, even if you use all the soldiers in the eastern part of the kingdom, they won’t be enough to beat a player.

Then, who is manipulating the Marquis Prevan if it is not a player?

If it’s not a player, then the only possibility is an event boss.

「…As expected, it is Nyarlathotep. One of the pillar evil god.」

When I answered so, Sherry held her breath with a blue face.

「…Then, this place is already at the hand of the evil god?」

Hearing Sherry’s words, Dan, Brunhilde, and Anri unconsciously look around the bar.

I smiled wryly when I saw those three.

「No, it is not in this shop. The battle has yet to start.」

When I say so, Dan looks relieved as he relaxes his shoulders and looks at me.

「Even so, this city is unbearably peaceful even though an evil god is here.」

「You’re right. It doesn’t have the atmosphere of the incoming war.」

Rihanna agreed to Dan’s dialogue.

However, since my guild members have turned into statues, this city is definitely a war zone.

However, since Marquis Prevan is being manipulated by Nyarlathotep, it will stay like this until Nyarlathotep comes out.

If this is the game, Nyarlathotep will show up after being the four bodies of Hastur but it seems that it already appeared.

While thinking of such a thing, someone entered the bar.

It is Ataratte and Keira.

「Ah, Keira! Welcome back!」

「I’m back.」

「You seem tired Ataratte.」

「How was it?」

「Fufu, I heard various things.」

When the two of them approached our table, their friends greet them.

「You too are quite early.」

When I say so, Ataratte is proud like a peacock while Keira looks at me expressionlessly.

「Before the report, that, fruit wine…」

「Yes yes」

I laughed at Ataratte’s dialog and replied.

The result, the two of them came back with quite dense information.

The first one is what happened after the last contact with Hastur.

There are a considerable number of witnesses and because my guild members have turned into statues, it became a little troublesome.

The worst part is the merchants who are sensitive to the rise and fall of a country and the economic tide. There is no way I can stop them so soon afterward, good and bad rumors spread to other countries in no time.

In addition, the mass movement of the mercenaries. How should I call it? Something like getting on the winning horse? They are currently on the move to where they think they’ll profit when the war ends.

And currently, the number of mercenaries taking the side of the empire now has increased.

The second is about Marquis Prevan.

Apparently, Marquis Prevan only kept the minimum amount of soldiers in his castle and he doesn’t even meet his successor, his eldest son.

However, he seems to issue instructions to his subordinates from time to time. Currently, the empire’s forces have already crossed the border.

The third one is about the knight order of the marquis.

Majority of his knights are already moving to the fort on the kingdom’s side making the other side, the empire’s side, totally unprotected.

There seems to be an overflowing number of opinions among the citizens as to whether trust the empire.

The last one is about the Immenstadt Empire.

The empire’s army is marching with the saint army on the frontline. The ordinary empire troops are the ones occupying the abandoned villages, cities, and forts along the way.

「I heard that the kingdom is numerically inferior. No, that is a fact.」

While summarizing the information, I murmured such a thing.

Hearing my mutter, Keira opens her mouth.

「There is a story about an elf woman who is a member of an adventurer party. It seems like she became a statue while their party was in a forest in a slightly remote location from this city. Judging that their party member was cursed, they brought the statue of the woman in this city.」

「Nani?」

I raised my face and looked at Keira after hearing her report.

Keira nodded to me and answered.

「It seems that the place where that woman became a statue is about a half day distance of walk.」

Keira said so and waited for my reply.

I was shocked with what Keira said and looked up the sky.

「…Hastur does not necessary has to stay somewhere in the city. I already know that but…」

It is said that the walking speed of a person is about 4 kilometers per hour.

It is not a straight line and the elevation of the road should also be assumed. A half day distance of a walking adventurer.

It should be safe to assume that it is at least 30 kilometers away from the city.

In other words, if we are lucky, the four hasturs will be within a range of 30 kilometers.

If we’re unlucky, there will be four husters inside a diameter of 60 kilometers.

No, in the game, the shape of the map is definite.

Perhaps I cannot discard the possibility of Hastur having a range of operation of a 60km by 60km square.

「..This is the worst.」

With this, the best plan is to kill Hastur as quickly as possible and go to war with my guild members.

If it goes like this, I might have to challenge the saint army directly.

I don’t want to fight against unknown opponents but it will be hard to find Hastur with these number of people.

「…A-ano」

「Hn?」

While I was troubled, Rihanna called out to me in a fearful manner.

When I directed my gaze at her, Rihanna opened her mouth.

「You have cooperated with many countries with much effort. I think you can borrow soldiers…」

「No, that will take too much time. The more time it takes, the more it became disadvantageous for the kingdom. That can also become a trigger for others to lose confidence in the international alliance. Though we already have an allied force, we only have limited individuals who can use flight magic. Even if I help, I can only carry up to 1000 people per day…」

After I answered Rihanna, I realized something.

That’s it. Isn’t there an available large force here?

「…The mercenaries. There are mercenaries that are not yet ally of the empire so I can hire them with money.」

「Indeed. With them, our numbers will be enough.」

I nodded as a reply to Rihanna and looked at everyone.

「It has been decided. Let’s gather mercenaries. You can use my name or the international alliance. Money will not be a problem. Let’s talk to as many mercenaries as possible.」

When I said that, everyone replied and nodded.

The empire mailed despise letters to the mercenaries to try overturning the war situation that is usually about hiring mercenaries.

With this, it is now possible to beat Hastur.

Time for a counterattack.

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