Chapter 85 - Make the North Great Again

'How menacing.'

The back of Galahad's neck prickled for no reason other than the Grand Duke's steady glare from across the table. He seemed merely to be staring, yet his gaze carried considerable weight.

Apparently, the aversion to mana stones ran deeper than Galahad had expected.

The North had spent its entire existence fighting Demons amid hunger and cold. Its fierce hostility toward them was only natural. And as they said, mana stones and Demons were inseparable.

Besides, selling mana stones meant trading with the Empire, which they disliked almost as much as the Demons.

It was certainly a difficult choice for them. But a necessary one.

'He won't rip my head off with Adrianna here, surely.'

Galahad nodded, stealing a sideways glance at Adrianna.

"Mana stones aren't just shit. They're shit that sells for a high price."

He spoke without averting his gaze from the Grand Duke. The Grand Duke's brows lowered further, his deep-set eyes blazing.

At that moment, Adrianna intervened between them.

"If we officially exploit the mana stones, outside powers seeking them will come pouring in."

"Quite right. But haven't enough of them already come in? There was even a Demon city."

"Commander Galahad."

Adrianna's brows stiffened. Galahad glanced at the Grand Duke, who was still watching him silently. Those deep eyes gave no hint of his thoughts.

"At this rate, the North is finished anyway."

Adrianna urgently tapped Galahad's thigh with her gauntlet.

One corner of the Grand Duke's mouth rose, revealing a thick fang that unmistakably belonged to a predator.

"Are you confident?"

"Yes."

"Very well."

Galahad smiled at the unexpectedly easy assent. A magnanimous man indeed.

"Thank you."

"On one condition—"

The Grand Duke's trapezius muscles bulged. An ominous creaking of muscle tickled Galahad's ears.

"You take responsibility."

He turned his head as he spoke in a heavy, lingering voice. His gaze indicated a large empty space among his collection of demon-beast heads.

It was a chilling threat to hang Galahad there if anything went wrong.

Galahad nodded lightly.

"Yes, of course."

He had accounted for that responsibility before raising the subject.

Still, an agent always dug more than one escape tunnel.

Just like this.

"We will take responsibility."

Galahad made his declaration while drawing Adrianna slightly closer.

"...?"

Adrianna's eyes went round.

The Grand Duke's brows furrowed.

* * *

"Why am I sharing the responsibility?"

Adrianna asked, struggling to maintain her composure. Galahad answered with a breezy smile.

"We're going to be married, aren't we? Shared responsibility is responsibility halved."

"... I made it clear that I have no intention of doing that."

"For now, perhaps."

Whatever she said, he simply refused to listen. Adrianna frowned in frustration.

'I need to be firm.'

But just as she was about to speak again, Galahad beat her to it.

"Isn't the North's financial situation precarious?"

Her expression turned serious, and she nodded.

"Yes, it's quite bad. Mainly because the Empire has cut off its support."

War inevitably cost a great deal of money. Now the funding from the Empire had stopped as well, and the North was a barren land.

"Mana stones will solve that."

As always, Galahad's voice was steady, so full of conviction that one could hardly help believing him.

"His Highness the Grand Duke gave his permission, didn't he?"

"... You call that permission?"

The Grand Duke had declared that he would hold Galahad responsible if anything went wrong. That was closer to a threat than permission.

Most people would surely have thought so, but Galahad seemed to have heard something different.

"It was permission. Didn't you see him nod?"

He laughed freely. Adrianna's brows rose a little. She marveled that anyone could be so confident.

"Have you ever been to the capital?"

Adrianna shook her head at the unexpected question.

"No."

"The capital has something called a sewer system. Thanks to sewers powered by mana stones, waste flows underground and out of the city. The streets are filled with pleasant fragrances, and mana lamps make the nights as bright as day."

Galahad snapped his fingers. A tiny light slowly rose and circled in the air. Adrianna's eyes followed it.

"Magical devices have advanced agriculture so far that people care about fine dining, not merely filling their stomachs. From sweet cakes to fragrant candy."

Despite his detailed explanation, Adrianna could not picture it.

Her world was the front line, colored red or ash-gray. It was far removed from such splendor.

"And what of the North?"

Galahad asked as he smoothed his hair. He looked so much like a true aristocrat that Adrianna took a step back.

"Cold and hungry, isn't it?"

"... It is."

It was the truth. Adrianna nodded readily.

"Then you must burn even shit to keep warm, and eat it to fill your empty stomachs."

There was not the slightest opening in Galahad's assured tone. She understood what he meant, and she knew he was right.

Still...

"... Would you please stop calling it shit?"

"Oh, that's what you people called it."

"It's rude to discuss shit at the dinner table."

"Ah, I see. I'll bear that in mind."

At his shameless reply, Adrianna turned away and gave a small cough.

"Oh, where do the staff officers gather?"

"Farther inside. Why are you looking for them?"

"Now that I have permission, I must discuss the magic-stone deposit business."

They had only just left after receiving something that barely qualified as permission. Yet he already intended to visit the staff officers. His pace was difficult to keep up with.

"The staff officers are difficult people."

"Of course they are. From what I've heard, they handle everything from finances and personnel to miscellaneous chores. No wonder they're on edge. Where are they?"

"This way."

Adrianna led him to the staff officers.

Their room was bustling. The officers moved about, earnestly discussing something.

They planned everything from departmental transfers to finances. As a result, they were always cold and prickly.

They listened to no one but the Grand Duke. In fact, they treated even Adrianna frostily.

Into their heated meeting, Galahad strode without a care.

"A pleasure to meet you. I am Galahad, commander of the Special Operations Unit."

Adrianna was disconcerted by his loud, confident introduction. Apparently, he had no idea how prickly they were.

She was about to step forward, but their response was nothing like what she expected.

Their faces brightened. Seeing those ill-tempered people smile startled her a little.

"Ah, Commander Galahad. Everyone, this is Commander Galahad of the Special Operations Unit."

Theodore approached first, beaming.

Adrianna had never seen him react like that. The others rose and followed him, gathering around Galahad.

In the North, those too small and weak to fight learned their letters instead. Consequently, every staff officer was small. Galahad, by contrast, was tall and slender, making for quite a striking sight as he towered among them.

"I've heard so much about you. My, you're a handsome fellow. You and Lady Adrianna make a wonderful match."

"I hear you did an excellent job dealing with the Seventh Battalion's Demon Realm..."

"And the Demon city! Imagine the headache if that had remained!"

The officers welcomed him noisily. Their obvious goodwill left Adrianna bewildered.

Then Galahad casually lifted the golden rod. Its splendor drew every eye, and the noisy officers fell silent.

He surveyed them with a smile.

"I've long heard of your hard work. How difficult it must have been to keep this barren North running. And northerners are so big, they eat a great deal, don't they?"

At his gentle words, the officers nodded vigorously. Galahad patted each of them on the shoulder.

"Some think only those who take up arms and fight are heroes, but isn't money what keeps a war going? Their food, their clothes, even their swords—there isn't a single thing that doesn't cost money. You who support them without complaint are the true warriors and heroes."

His earnest words drew a torrent of vehement agreement.

"Exactly! Where do those bastards think money comes from? Do they think we cut their budgets because we want to?"

"They lumped us all together as staff officers and dumped every complicated task on us!"

Complaints poured out of them. They were nothing like the coolheaded officers Adrianna knew. Galahad nodded as though accustomed to it.

"I know your struggles well. It is entirely thanks to you that the North has survived this long."

"At last, someone understands...!"

The officers were deeply moved. Apparently, their grievances had been piling up for quite some time.

Adrianna felt an unwarranted pang of guilt herself. She had made several requests for support too.

"Now, I've brought some good news for our heroes."

"Good news?"

Their faces lit up. Galahad struck the floor with the golden rod. The small thud startled them slightly.

"The magic-stone deposit business."

"... The magic-stone deposit business!"

The officers shrieked.

"W-wait. Did you say magic-stone deposits?"

"Demon... Ahem. Yes, those mana stones."

"Has His Highness given permission? Anything related to Demons makes his eyes blaze..."

"I proposed it as my reward for bringing down the Demon city. There will be a few minor details to discuss, but he has accepted it for now."

"Oh, my goodness! Truly?!"

"Truly."

A loud "Oooh!" rose from the officers. Then one of them sobered and raised a hand.

"Could you give us a moment?"

"As long as you like."

With Galahad's permission, they gathered again, forming a circle and putting their heads together to whisper.

Adrianna, a knight, could hear them perfectly.

"Mana stones? Aren't those what a few commanders have been selling in secret? I hear it's quite profitable."

"More than merely profitable. The Fifth Battalion repaired its facilities with the proceeds."

"The estimated value of the Fifth Battalion's haul back then was..."

"His Highness really approved the magic-stone deposit business? This is—"

Silence fell for a moment. The officers bobbed their heads.

"A bonanza!"

They shouted as one, their voices brimming with excitement.

Having finished their brief, perfectly audible conference, the staff officers gathered before Galahad again.

"We know little about the magic-stone deposit business. Could you explain precisely how valuable it is?"

"Of course. Let's begin simply with the most plentiful low-grade mana stones..."

Galahad spoke without hesitation, explaining their value with examples northerners could understand.

The officers nodded constantly.

Adrianna's eyes widened at the enormous sums, the likes of which she had never heard before. Even she had not expected them to be worth that much.

"Oh... Those shining stones are that expensive?"

"They're desperate to get their hands on them in the capital. Northern mana stones command an even higher price."

Another murmur of wonder arose. Then one officer raised a question.

"How will we trade with the Mage Towers? They won't deal with us because of the Empire's policy toward the North. They'll be wary of offending the Empire."

"Oh, don't worry about that. I know some very capable Mages. I intend to capture a few more too."

'... Capture them?'

Adrianna tilted her head at that odd choice of words.

"Oh... Just what we'd expect of Commander Galahad!"

The staff officers responded enthusiastically once more. Galahad nodded, clasping each of their hands in turn. It was a rather peculiar sight.

"Now, let's make a plan. First, we must thoroughly uncover the commanders' back channels. Has anyone been living more lavishly lately than their allocated budget allows? Oh, excluding the Fifth and Seventh Battalions."

The staff officers competed to deliver their reports.

'What on earth...?'

Adrianna was somewhat bewildered by how instantly Galahad had taken command of them.

"We'll teach them the simple truth that pocketing illicit money all by yourself leads to trouble. Now, repeat after me."

Galahad suddenly raised the golden rod high. It had a strange power to draw the eye.

"Make the North great again!"

The officers' eyes widened at his cry. It was a phrase full of vigor.

Their lips moved tentatively. Then they raised their voices.

"Make the North great again!"

'... But you're not even from the North, are you?'

Faced with such camaraderie, Adrianna swallowed her question.

* * *

"Heh heh... At last, I've reached it."

Sensing the immense power within him, First burst into wild laughter.

This space called the Demon Realm was the ideal environment for him. Since his arrival, he had not rested for even a moment, devoting himself entirely to training.

His motivation was, of course, Galahad. When they met again after so long, Galahad had grown stronger yet again. Just as First's worthy rival should.

He had thought he was closing the gap, only to see it widen once more. To some, that would have meant despair. To First, it was fuel and motivation.

And so he simply never left the Demon Realm. He ate, slept, shat, and did everything else inside it.

His grueling effort soon bore fruit.

"Heh heh."

Pumpkin's face crumpled at his sinister chuckle.

"Why the fuck have you taken all your clothes off again, sir?"

"To face it with my entire body. Heh heh."

First stood naked, carrying nothing but a sword. It was a thoroughly fucking awful sight. Still, the aura coating his sword and the flames blazing above it had doubled in size.

"I shall call this mana-aura."

"That's an incredibly lazy name. More importantly, put something on. Everyone's staring."

"I'm confident. Against anyone but Galahad."

"This isn't a question of confidence... God, for fuck's sake."

"Pumpkin, I see you lack confidence."

"Cut the bullshit, sir."

Despite Pumpkin's harsh words, First did not even pretend to listen.

Whatever had happened between him and Galahad, First had been acting as though there were a hole in his head ever since. Talking only wasted her breath.

Besides...

'It's shrunk.'

Pumpkin looked around and clicked her tongue in amazement. The Demon Realm was smaller than before. There could be only one reason.

"For the man who earned the Grand Duke's recognition!"

"The man who earned the Grand Duke's recognition!"

It was because of those people rolling around stark naked, just as First had instructed.

The training had begun with the Seventh Battalion's company commanders and spread to the soldiers, until everyone was rolling around. Perhaps they had absorbed it, because the Demon Realm had grown smaller. They were erasing it by absorbing it through their bare bodies.

Pumpkin sighed softly and rummaged in her pocket.

"Orders have arrived."

"Hmm. Orders?"

First took the document and read it.

Pumpkin could more or less guess its contents. Hurry up and carry out your assigned mission—something along those lines, surely.

Naturally, she could predict his response too.

"What a nuisance."

First tore up the orders without hesitation. Sighing, Pumpkin gathered the scattered scraps.

Not even orders from above could stop the hole-in-the-head First.

"No one can order me around. Galahad is the only one I acknowledge."

He spoke as he picked up his sword, his face full of resolve.

"Two more disciplinary actions, and you'll be retired."

Pumpkin wiped away her smile and spoke seriously. For an agent, retirement meant only one thing.

Death.

"Oh dear. So I still have two left."

Pumpkin's face twisted at First's carefree laugh.

"Besides, who but Galahad could retire me?"

His voice brimmed with confidence. He had a point. Still...

"Did you fucking forget that I'll be retired along with you?"

"Don't worry. I'll take responsibility for you."

Pumpkin was briefly speechless. On the surface, it was a fine-sounding line, but...

"Please, just put your clothes on."

Squinting, she held out First's armor.

Just then, a soldier came running up, breathless. At the sight of his blatant nudity, Pumpkin muttered a curse.

"Someone is here to see you."

"To see me?"

Turning his head, First saw someone wearing a crow mask. A member of the Black Magic Society.

"Um... Commander Galahad has challenged you to a Mage-catching wager."

The crow-masked figure spoke in a thoroughly intimidated voice, seemingly unsure even as they spoke whether this was a good idea.

Naturally so. The motive behind that challenge was painfully obvious.

'Does he think we're his lackeys?'

But...

"That wager—I accept."

Pumpkin sighed softly at First's impassioned reply.

At least lackeys got paid.

Clicking her tongue, she held out his demon-beast-hide coat.