Chapter 213: Knight Commander Barland
Mistaken for an envoy from the Demon Country, the city gates had been closed to us.
Though dealing with the gate guards was manageable, I had no intention of escalating the situation. Therefore, we could only wait for the responsible party, Knight Commander Barland, to arrive.
Despite the heightened vigilance, no arrows were shot from the hastily constructed watchtowers. It seemed that they were excessively fearful of us.
Soon, a knight clad in gleaming silver chainmail, accompanied by archers, peered over the city wall and shouted down at us.
This was likely the Knight Commander Barland mentioned by the soldiers.
「Hey, demon knight, what is your purpose in coming alone to the city of Antil? If you are a messenger seeking the surrender of Antil, tell them that Abysspania will never surrender or submit!」
「No, I keep telling you, I’m not a messenger from the Demon Country. I am Sawatari Takeru, the King General of the Kingdom of Silesie!」
「The Kingdom of Silesie… I’ve never heard of it!」
「Would it help if I said I’m from the Eura Continent?」
「Wh-what? Say that again. The Eura Continent?」 「Yes, I’m from the Eura Continent! I’m also a hero of the Asama religion. Is there an Asama Church here as well?」
It seemed the Knight Commander had some recognition of the Eura Continent. Perhaps others had come from there as well.
If there was an Asama faith here, showing the ‘Silver Feathers’ would prove that I was not a knight from the Demon Country.
「Please, wait a moment.」
The murmur of activity began within the city walls. Soon, the massive gates creaked open. Emerging from them was an elderly knight with prominent streaks of white in his hair.
Up close, he was quite a distinguished-looking man. His neatly combed hair, once likely a dark brown, had turned to a romantic gray with age.
His beard, too, had traces of white, giving him a sharp and dignified appearance. It seemed that knights in this city wore chainmail rather than full plate armor, which was the norm.
Knight Commander Barland wore a leather cloak over his armor and carried a longsword at his side, secured with a leather belt. His elegant and gallant demeanor suggested both noble refinement and considerable skill as a knight.
He might even be younger than his rugged appearance suggested.
「My subordinate acted inappropriately. If you were truly from the Demon Country, you wouldn’t be visiting the gates of an enemy city. If you are indeed a hero from the Eura Continent, do you have any proof?」
「Proof, you say… I have the ‘Silver Feathers’ given to me by Asama.」
I presented one of the ‘Silver Feathers’ that I carried carefully. Knight Commander Barland took it with trembling hands.
「This is indeed… I apologize for the oversight. Please, accept it back.」
Wait, did this really convince him?
I would think a ‘Silver Feathers’ could be forged, but Knight Commander Barland seemed to be deeply moved, easily accepting it as genuine.
「To think that a legendary hero of Asama would arrive… and to receive the ‘Silver Feathers’ as proof, it may indeed be the guidance of the Goddess of Creation. Please, come to the lord’s residence in Antil.」
「That’s fine, but what about letting the half-demon girl into the city?」
Although it’s somewhat understandable that demons are disliked by humans, it’s Lara’s first experience of rejection and she is quite shaken. I hope for an apology now that the misunderstanding has been cleared.
「I also apologize for the disrespect towards the young lady accompanying the hero. We will make amends many times over… You there, what are you doing! These may be the ones who will save us from our dire situation!」
「Yes, we are truly sorry…」
「We apologize for the misunderstanding!」
Knight Commander Barland, who had bowed his head himself, strongly urged the young soldier Lanz and the older Sergeant Renton to come forward and apologize. Since it seemed to be a mere misunderstanding and Lara was reassured, I decided to forgive them.
「Hero-sama, I apologize for my negligence. There is no reason to exclude someone just because they are half-demon. There are many people with demon blood in this city.」
「If there are many half-demons, why was there such a misunderstanding?」
「Even though there are mixed-blood demons, they usually have only slightly grayish skin. However, your young companion has a somewhat unusual tail… Of course, if examined closely, it’s clear she is more human. The large, unfamiliar tail led to a mistaken assumption of her being a pure demon.」
「Are pure demons rejected in this country?」
「Our country, the Holy Abysspania Queendom, is a land of humans who worship the Goddess of Creation Asama. However, Abyss was originally a land with many demons, so we do not automatically reject demons. But currently, we are at war with the Demon Country on the continent… so the soldiers are on edge.」
「So, they mistook us for enemies because of that.」
「Not entirely. Demons with unusual appearances are often thought to possess great power. Seeing the large tail, they immediately judged her as a powerful enemy.」
「Hmm, since you mention a Demon Country, could it be that there is also a Demon Kingdom on the continent?」
「Indeed. It is called the Abyss Continent. We originally fled from the Abyss Continent to this island. I will explain more about these circumstances along with my apologies. Since a standing conversation isn’t ideal, please come to the castle.」
So, we were guided to a small castle in the city.
Though referred to as a lord’s residence, it was more like a large manor. The city’s scale was smaller than initially expected.
While there were some old buildings, most had a hurried appearance.
The city’s population is likely around five thousand. Due to the ongoing war, many soldiers were armed in leather armor.
The reception room in the castle had hard leather sofas. Given the abundance of leather products, it seems they may not produce much raw silk or wool here.
Furthermore, the castle felt deserted.
The tea was made personally by Knight Commander Barland, and it was mint tea rather than black tea. They might not have access to coffee or black tea.
「Let me first extend my formal greetings. I am Barland Harant, a knight serving the Holy Abysspania Queendom. Though I am currently acting as a general, I was a knight commander until recently, so you may call me Knight Commander.」
「If you’re a general, then I’ll call you general. As I mentioned earlier, I am the King General of the Silesie Kingdom from the Eura Continent, so we are of equal rank.」
「I see. However, I am more accustomed to being called Knight Commander. It is not a particularly praiseworthy matter; all the other knight commanders, captains, courtiers, and generals, the principal figures of our nation, have all perished in battle. I am the only one who survived, so I ended up taking on the roles of Knight Commander, Captain, Minister, and General. Haha.」
Barland laughs, but it’s not really a laughing matter. It seems like a dire situation, and Barland may be laughing as a way of coping.
「But I heard that this Abyss Continent is a land where the Holy Magic of Asama cannot reach. Yet, there is still faith in Asama here. Does that mean there were settlers from the Eura Continent?」
Barland’s skin is somewhat dark, but his bone structure is that of a Caucasian. It seems there were people from the Eura Continent who settled here before me.
I’ve heard rumors of a civilization in the Great Bay of Sigus-Machinus, so I’m not entirely surprised.
「Hero-sama, is there a kingdom called the Holy Liliella Queendom on the Eura Continent?」
「Oh, that’s the country that fell a thousand years ago.」
It’s a story from twelve hundred years ago. The Goddess of Creation Asama, distressed by the dire state of the world’s harsh fantasy, once gave immense holy magic to Queen Liliella in an experimental effort to create a unified nation. It reportedly fell and was destroyed in just two hundred years.
「Indeed, a thousand years ago… We are the descendants of that kingdom.」
This revelation was shocking to me as well.
「You settled on the new continent a thousand years ago?」
「Yes. The immortal Queen Liliella, who boasted of her formidable holy magic, sought to spread the influence of the Goddess of Creation Asama to every corner of this world.」
「I see, and that effort failed. Though, considering the existence of Abysspania, it might not have been a complete failure.」
「No, it was indeed a failure. From the beginning of our settlement on this continent, it was clear that holy magic could not reach this land. Moreover, there are countless demons on this land who cannot comprehend the divine love of the Goddess of Creation. This continent was cursed and named Abyss, leading to the abandonment of the settlement plan.」
The Holy Liliella Queendom, which once ruled the entire Eura Continent, was a superpower known solely for its formidable holy magic. It’s understandable that in lands where this magic could not reach, they were helpless.
「But Barland and the others survived?」
「Perhaps it’s better to say we were left behind. Lacking any means to return, we founded Abysspania. From this Antil Island, we crossed to the Abyss Continent and fought against the indigenous demons for survival. With a history spanning a thousand years, it’s hard to summarize, but we’ve grown into a great power controlling three provinces in the southern half of the Abyss Continent.」
The history is incredibly grand. According to the map Barland showed, the Abyss Continent is divided into six major regions.
The northern half is divided from east to west into Moloch Province, Nisroch Province, and Tamuz Province. This region was originally known as the Three Great Demon Countries.
The southern half consists of Dagon Province and Linmon Province. The southernmost region, Baal Province, was the original territory of Abysspania.
Baal Province is roughly equivalent to Mexico rather than the United States in my world. The division of the Abyss Continent into provinces seems to reflect historical conflicts among human nations as well.
Similarly, the Demon Countries were also divided and waged internal conflicts. Over a long history, it seems the northern half was dominated by demons while the southern half was controlled by humans.
The map of Abysspania also includes the legendary Great Bay of Sigus-Machinus. It appears that what we call the Gulf of Mexico in my world is referred to as the Great Bay of Sigus-Machinus here.
While the Holy Liliella Queendom, dependent solely on its powerful holy magic, fell in just two hundred years, the Holy Abysspania Kingdom, starting with a few forsaken immigrants without magic, has managed to survive for a thousand years against formidable demons through sheer wisdom and courage. It is a poignant irony of history.
「Well done.」
「However, that is all in the past. About three years ago, the son of the Nisroch chieftain, Ifriil, became the Great Demon King.」
「The term ‘Great Demon King’ implies someone with significant power, not just the king of a demon nation. Could it be that he opened a miasma hole?」
Three years ago is around the time I became a hero. It feels like an ominous coincidence.
「I don’t know what you are calling a miasma hole, but I’ve heard that Ifriil, having gained the power of the Great Demon King, was given the right to rule by the ancestor of the demons who emerged from the earth and transformed into a red dragon overnight. What we do know is that since that day, the demon army has begun using formidable monsters and demon beasts like sea dragons.」
「I see…」
So, the enemy commands sea dragons and other monsters. Human soldiers stand no chance against that.
「Indeed. Since the day the Great Demon King Ifriil began the apocalyptic war, he quickly brought the Three Great Demon Nations under his control and started attacking Abysspania. We suffered defeat after defeat, losing the three provinces on the continent, and now only this Antil Island remains.」
「If it’s just the island left, you might as well leave it be.」
「The Great Demon King Ifriil claims he will overthrow the Goddess of Creation Asama and return the world to the time before Asama’s sanctification.」
「Returning to before sanctification? That’s absurd. Does Ifriil even understand the otherworld? If that were to happen, even the demons would not survive!」
「Our scriptures say the Great Demon King will destroy the world. Being a Great Demon King, he is understood to be a counterpart to Asama’s hero.」
It sounds like the final judgment. There’s a sea ruler known as Leviathan who brings destruction on the Day of Judgment. If monsters like Behemoth or Leviathan are unleashed upon the world, it might truly be the end. It’s like Ragnarok from Norse mythology or Armageddon from the apocalypse.
But it’s an utterly ridiculous story. What are the Demon Nations thinking? Fighting humans makes sense, but destroying their own continent? They’d die too.
Surely, they must have some limit. But, based on my knowledge of miasma holes and the monsters that come from them, even if they are demon kings born from them, they can’t be controlled by anyone. The demons in the northern limits of Eura are having a hard time too. I’ve heard from Kaara that the northern demon king has become reclusive, unable to handle the northern lands turned into a different world.
Is Ifriil, the red dragon demon king, so powerful that he can control the otherworldly forces linked to the miasma hole? I hope he’s not a suicidal demon king who wants to destroy his own continent. That would be too frightening to deal with.
Indeed, the provinces of Dagon, Linmon, and Baal, which were once Abysspania’s territory, have been turned into demon countries with governors appointed by the Great Demon King. The six Great Demon Nations are now ruled by the world-destroying Great Demon King Ifriil.
Looking at the map, Antil Island is roughly equivalent to Cuba in my world. So, it seems the entire continent has turned into the Demon Kingdom.
「I heard the development of Antil Island hasn’t progressed much.」
「Antil Island is the place of our ancestors, but the heart of the nation has moved to the continent, leaving it quite neglected.」
「I see. That’s why it looks like it’s just been newly developed.」
Seeing that Antil Island has abundant vegetation and is left untouched, it must mean the mainland is quite rich.
The old woman tending the fields knew about gold coins, and the presence of iron armor suggests that there are mineral resources as well. This island could be a promising trade partner.
「For nearly half a year since fleeing to this island, we’ve managed to stave off starvation by expanding old buildings and growing potatoes. However, it’s been a struggle…」
「In that case, you should try harvesting and eating coconuts. They’re quite delicious.」
「Indeed… Ideally, we would like to gather food, but we’re afraid to send people to the coast in case a sea dragon, incited by the enemy, appears. As long as we avoid the sea, we haven’t been attacked.」
So that’s why it looked like a deserted island. It makes sense that the coconuts were left unattended.
Sea dragons are indeed formidable enemies. They were once considered natural creatures in the legends of Eura, but it seems the demon nations now control them intentionally.
However, the fact that sea dragons haven’t been sent against towns and villages suggests that perhaps the control isn’t very precise. Regardless, facing such a monster with just bows and spears is futile.
「So you’re trapped on Antil Island.」
「Since you crossed the sea, could it be that you defeated a sea dragon?」
Can I really say I defeated it? More like I was swallowed, but I cut my way out, so it might be dead.
「Well, under the right circumstances, it’s not impossible to defeat them.」
The sea dragons aren’t as formidable to me now. There were only two or three, and judging by the fact that Abysspania hasn’t been wiped out, there might not be many of them.
They seem unable to chase after you once you’re on land. If you can manage the severe storms that accompany them, you could probably defeat them with Kaara’s magic or a volley of cannon fire.
「Please, save our country. Surely, you were sent by Asama for this purpose.」
Asama actually told me not to go because it’s dangerous.
「Being told that, I can’t just jump into a war. It’s a difficult situation.」
Honestly, I don’t want to get involved in wars with other nations. I don’t view demons as enemies. I wouldn’t mind trading with demon nations if it came to that.
Seeing me fall silent, Barland stood up and called for someone from the back.
「Ah, yes. Please meet with the queen. Pudding! Pudding! Bring Queen Amorette here.」
「Wait, the queen is coming?」
We’re in the reception room, not a throne room or anything.
Just as I stood up from the sofa, a young maid appeared wearing a headscarf and an apron dress. Given the scarcity of wool in this country, this might be considered fine attire.
The young woman, likely in her mid-twenties, was holding a baby wrapped in a white cloth. The baby, with its curious round eyes, was gazing at me with interest.
I have children myself, so seeing a baby naturally puts me at ease.
Is the queen a mother?
「That is the nurse maid, Pudding.」
「Oh, then perhaps…」
「This tiny baby, Amorette Abysspania Liliella-sama, is the twenty-seventh Queen of Abysspania. If Hero-sama does not come to our aid, she will be the last queen.」
At first, I thought it was a plea using the infant as a sob story, but Barland’s tone remained calm, even with a faint smile. He may have already resigned himself to the situation.
「Well, I do feel sympathy.」
「I do not ask you to fight for a country you have never known. If you have a way to escape the island, please, at least take Queen Amorette and Nursemaid Pudding with you. As long as Her Majesty is safe, even if we are all lost, Abysspania can survive in another form.」
The words of loyalty, so selfless, were pleasing to my ears. Though I am also weak to the pleas of women and children, I find myself moved by the earnest wishes of a rugged man willing to risk his life for them.
「The last queen of Abysspania, huh?」
There was once a little empress in the Germania Empire, but now we have a baby queen. Given that the capital has fallen and they have fled to the island, it’s clear that all the royalty and nobility are dead.
It is indeed pitiful for an infant to be a queen alone.
The infant queen, Amorette, had something glittering in her hand—it was the ‘Silver Feather’ of Asama.
This is said to be the symbol of the lineage blessed by Asama, confirming that she is a descendant of Queen Liliella.
No wonder, then, when I showed the ‘Silver Feather’, he immediately believed I was the Hero of Asama.
Though I am not Barland, I too cannot help but feel that this is a twist of fate.
I came to explore the new continent after peace was restored on the Eura Continent, yet here I am, facing another war. Is this the fate I am bound to?