Magic Caster of Destroy

These words, sandwiched by scattered laughter and repeated throughout the throng of nobles, grated unbearably on Gazef’s ears.

The last few years, they had met the Empire on the field of battle at Kattse Plains.

For the most part, they had simply drawn up battle lines and confronted each other, or exchanged arms briefly with minor losses to the Kingdom. This year would probably be more of the same, and the nobles took on an air of laxity as they imagined the same old events playing out again.

However, Gazef spoke out, spurred by the cry of his warrior’s instincts.

“Don’t think that this battle will end in a small skirmish like it always has!”

The nobles looked like they’d been splashed with a basin of cold water, and turned resentful looks on him.

“I see. This is what our Warrior-Captain really believes. Can you give us a reason for that?”

“Yes, your Majesty, that is―”

The image of a certain person set alarm bells ringing through his heart.

“―That is to say, it is because of that great magic caster, Ainz Ooal Gown.”

“That being the case, the only one of us who has actually seen him face to face would be you, Warrior-Captain. That means we must give some weight to your words. Can you tell us what makes you say that?”

Gazef did not know how to answer. He did not know how to explain it, but his warrior’s instinct was telling him that making that kind of decision about this war would be extremely dangerous.

“Your Majesty, could you not hand over the outskirts of E-Rantel to the Empire, no, to that magic caster?”

After a moment’s silence, the shouts flew like hail.

“You craven coward! How shameless can you get, you chicken-heart?!”

These shouts came from the nobles of the Royal faction.

“After his Majesty showed you such kindness, you turn around and tell him to surrender his demesne to outsiders? When did you start serving the false Emperor?! Not to mention, you haven’t even answered his Majesty’s question!”

In the face of such deserved castigation, Gazef could not answer. Had he been in their position, he might have well done the same thing.

“Enough.”

The one who reached a helping hand out to Gazef in his time of need was his beloved King.

“But, your Majesty!”

“I am deeply grateful that my subjects would be so moved on my behalf. It is because of that reason that I ask you to remember that my Warrior-Captain would never betray me. For my sake, he has fearlessly thrust himself into danger countless times. Someone like that would never do anything which would harm me.”

The nobles who had shouted at Gazef bowed to the King. While he acknowledged this fact, he continued speaking to Gazef.

“Warrior-Captain, whom I trust like my right hand. Even if you are the one who puts forth that proposal, I cannot agree to it. No ruler should give up the land he rules without a fight. Such an act cannot be allowed for the sake of the people who live upon it.”

Handing land over while moving all the residents off without harming them was nothing more than a fairytale. Even if it was possible, there would be no way to allow the displaced residents to live like they used to, and in the end their lives would be worse off for it.

“That is undoubtedly so, your Majesty, and I hope you will forgive me for my foolish words.”

Gazef lowered his head as his King, who loved the people so dearly, spoke to him. If he was a noble who simply saw his people as a means of profit, the King would not have said what he did. It was because of the King’s compassion that Gazef was willing to pledge his life to him.

He recalled the words he spoke to his vice-captain half a year ago.

“When you seek help, the ones who will come are the nobles. The strong will bring aid.”

“Those are the ones who will come to the aid of the weak, regardless of the danger.”

The Gazef from before he had entered the grand martial tournament would never have said such things. Much like his vice-captain, he would have thought that there were no nobles who would risk themselves for the commoners.

After he began serving the King, however, Gazef realized for the first time that such nobles existed.

Regretfully, said nobles lacked power.

There had been many lives that he could not save, and just as many incidents where the nobles’

pointless pride had led them to throw obstacles in his way.

Even so, the man he served had not given up. He had continued working toward building a kingdom where its people would be able to live better lives day by day.

Gazef was proud of his King, Ranpossa III. If that was not the case, he would have defected to the Empire when the Emperor himself had tried to win him over.

But it was precisely because he was such a man that dark clouds loomed heavy over his heart.

What the King spoke was the truth, and he had the right view of things. The King had always been full of compassion, but Gazef knew the reason why the King had taken such a harsh tone.

After the demonic disturbance, the balance of power between the two factions had shifted greatly.