Chapter 346
Having secured a firm promise of reward payment from His Majesty and the others, officially obtained recognition of my independence, and secured my land, I spent the past few days with a big smile on my face.
Preparing a noble's party takes time.Even so, you could say preparations for this victory celebration were completed quite quickly.
Although, from my perspective, this victory celebration is just the prelude; the main event is something else.
"Are you enjoying yourselves?""O Master! Of course, I am enjoying myself immensely!!"
That said, this grand celebration is where everyone who fought together against Aži Dahāka, including the heroes from other continents, gathers in one place.
So, I'm participating properly.
The venue is the Royal Castle.The most luxurious and largest hall within was provided, and the castle's servants all pitched in to prepare for this victory celebration. It's a rowdy, eat-drink-and-be-merry affair, quite unlike what you'd expect in a royal castle.
I brought my party members along too.
Just moments ago, in the audience chamber, we stood solemnly in orderly rows, receiving awards from His Majesty the King. Yet here, now that it's over and the grand celebration has begun, the atmosphere is a complete 180 degrees different.
I myself was late entering this venue because I was the last to receive various rewards gathered before the assembled nobles. Why are ceremonial clothes so darn fussy and complicated anyway?A slightly rougher outfit like Barbatos's, where you could hold giant bone-in meat in both hands, would have been much better.
"Master, thank you for your hard work.""Ah, Clarice. That's a lovely dress. It suits you.""Thank you."
Just as I was about to speak to Barbatos, who was continuously stuffing his face with enormous meat—to a degree that makes you wonder how his small body contains it—Clarice spotted me and approached first.
When I first met Clarice, I thought there might be some trouble related to the Mad Jester, but it turned out nothing happened. We got along well, built a good master-disciple relationship, and training progressed smoothly.
Dressed in a beautiful spring-green traditional outfit from the Western Continent with little exposure, she seemed to be enjoying her meal elegantly, in contrast to Barbatos.
"Barbatos's satisfaction goes without saying, but does the food we prepared suit your taste, Clarice? I asked Ingrid to create recipes based on elven cuisine. I had the royal chefs cook according to those recipes.""Yes, I'm surprised by how many dishes are easy for us elves to eat as well. Master, you are not only skilled in martial arts but also have extensive knowledge of cooking! I've been constantly amazed by your versatility since we met."
Since I knew from FBO about the culinary preferences of various races, including dishes elves would likely enjoy, I had the royal kitchen prepare accordingly.Thanks to that, the mixed celebration from all directions, combined with the informal atmosphere, seems to be lively and enjoyed by everyone.
"Truly, just as Lady Clarice says.""Oh, Kon, are you enjoying yourself too?""Yes, of course. I am being entertained."
Even in such a lively venue, when the four Oracle Heroes of the continents gather in one place, they naturally attract attention.Originally, I would have liked Hulida-san, the Apostle of the Goddess of Love, to participate as well, but she declined my invitation.Considering the possibility that Boldrinde might send assassins, Hulida-san was tasked with guarding Duke Edelgard during this battle and did not participate in the frontlines.
Thus, she firmly refused, feeling she couldn't possibly attend.
As a result, the four of us gathered this time.
Barbatos prefers meat over alcohol, Clarice balances food and drink well, while Kon, conversely, seems to prefer alcohol over food, holding a wine cup in one hand.
"Honestly, I truly feel it was good I came to this continent. I'm confident I would have definitely regretted staying in the Eastern Continent. Especially being able to witness Master's divine-level strategy in the battle against Aži Dahāka has become my treasure. I pride myself on having a reasonably flexible mind, but at that time, the only thing on my mind was defeating it head-on."
Perhaps he's had a fair amount to drink; Kon's face is slightly flushed.He's more talkative than usual, maybe due to the alcohol's influence.
"Indeed! I also thought we would respond by reading the enemy's movements. I never imagined we would completely seal its movements.""That's surprising. I thought a warrior from the North like you wouldn't prefer such underhanded tactics.""If it were a duel fighting fair and square, I would be furious! However, the battle with Aži Dahāka was an all-out fight we *had* to win, with the fate of this world at stake! Challenging battle with perfect preparation is the righteous path!"
Having shared hardships, the three of them have grown much closer without realizing it.When they first arrived on this continent, there was an air of mutual wariness due to status and power dynamics, but that has significantly faded now.
A bit still lingers due to their respective positions, but nothing more than that.
"However, there is something about this battle that doesn't sit right with me."
In the middle of such a friendly conversation, Barbatos's gaze turns toward me.Since we're eating and drinking, the conversation remains casual.
But he adopts a somewhat serious expression, so I brace myself slightly, wondering what's up.
"It's about whether our presence was truly necessary in this battle. Master, answer me honestly. Was our strength needed on that battlefield?"
I blink my eyes at the question that follows.
"Of course it was.""But toward the end, it was just a simple task of hitting it over and over. Wasn't our specific presence unnecessary then?""Well, after we managed to get it into that state, I think we could have managed even without you guys."
I answered immediately that Barbatos and the others were needed.In fact, during the fight with the replica Aži Dahāka, I can assert that their unique abilities saved us.
Achieving the feat of zero casualties was thanks to Barbatos and the others being there.
"You speak as if there was a possibility we might not have reached that state. Master, do you mean there was a possibility of a different situation?""There was. I did my utmost to bring about that situation, but depending on the enemy's action patterns, that strategy could have failed, and we could have suffered significant damage, albeit with a slight possibility."
They say "All's well that ends well."Precisely because the outcome this time was good, they can speculate about whether they might have been unnecessary.
But from my perspective, I merely guided events to reach that point, exhausted all options, and attracted the best possible move.
"Significant damage?""My worst-case scenario was annihilating Aži Dahāka at the cost of our complete wipeout."
If I were to talk about the absolute worst, it would have been a pyrrhic victory so bitter it would kill the mood for any celebration—no, an outcome so miserable it would be presumptuous to even call it a victory.
Not only Clarice but also Kon and Barbatos widened their eyes in surprise at my words, spoken with a wry smile, about how it was a close victory.
I had already discussed this with my party members who came along, so they weren't surprised and were chatting with their own acquaintances.Lady Esmeralda was with the Edelgard family's private troops, Claudia with the Temple Knights, and Nell and Amina were enjoying the meal with Ingrid.
"Were there really moments that could have become such a crisis?""First, Aži Dahāka's initial actions. It chose to crawl out of the ground, but what if, at the same moment of the explosion, it had fled deep underground, burrowed below the effective range of the ground-hardening magic tools, slipped under the barrier, and escaped outside?""...As far as I can imagine, I don't think it would have been a good outcome.""Our countermeasures against curse poison using the barrier and flame throwers would have been completely negated, and we'd also have to deal with the Serpent Dragon's minions."
In stark contrast to the festive atmosphere, a slightly tense air hangs over here.
"We drew its aggro in one go with the Earth Crushers to make it target us, but even with that aggro balance, there was a possibility it could have taken different actions. The probability of it attacking us with that was about 95%. In the remaining 5%, there was a chance Aži Dahāka would have fled and reset the situation."
The battle ended safely, and we likely won't have to fight Aži Dahāka ever again.That's precisely why we can have this casual chat about "what ifs."
"What would you have done if the strategy had failed?""Depending on where it appeared, the basic plan would have been to lure it into a containment fortification. The absolute worst-case scenario would have been Aži Dahāka leaving the battlefield and fleeing to another continent... if not the central continent, then East or West. If it escaped there, triggering a chain revival of monsters of the same class... To prevent that, we'd have to fight it head-on to grab its attention and lure it into the fortification. Just thinking about the potential damage during that process sends a chill down my spine."
It's easy to imagine my figure in that bad "what if" scenario, screaming that no amount of force would be enough.
"Truly a relief that possibility didn't come to pass. If it had, our strength would have undoubtedly been necessary. A battle against an unrestrained Aži Dahāka... What do you say, Lord Barbatos? Does that make your heart race?""Hahahaha! It does make my heart race! However, it would be a battlefield requiring resolve. I have not yet enjoyed life enough to wish for a battlefield from which I cannot return! So for now, I shall pass!""That would be wise. Had I been in that situation, I would have fought with my life on the line as my duty, but I would still want to live."
If it had come to snatching victory in that worst-case battle, these three would have had to work with all their might as well.However, that's just a "what if."
It's one of the possibilities that could have occurred if the bad assumptions had become reality.
"Well, you three were also necessary as damage dealers. Frankly speaking, with the added fight against the replica Aži Dahāka becoming a consecutive battle, I was worried the barrier tower's energy might run out."
Moreover, the worst-case assumptions for this battle were no joke.An unexpected event could have occurred, leading to a chain reaction into the worst possible flow. That possibility was more than ample.
"Hahaha! I was just hitting it recklessly back then!!""Yes, I thought I might have muscle aches the next day.""For me, it's tendonitis. I just kept attacking without thinking of the consequences.""It was quite an experience, wasn't it?""Aye! I learned that there exist beings that won't fall no matter how much you attack!""Just as Lord Barbatos says. While it gave me confidence that I've grown stronger, it's also proof that I must not become complacent.""Absolutely, that is true."
However, that didn't come to pass, and we can laugh about how tough it was.Everyone here well understands that this is happiness.
At Kon's joke-like gesture of waving his wrist limply, both Clarice and Barbatos can't help but laugh.Looking around, you can see dwarves and beastkin drinking with arms around each other's shoulders.Looking next to them, you can see a dragonkin soldier and an Edelgard private soldier arm-wrestling.An elven woman cheers them on, a beastkin heckles, and a dragonkin declares he'll go next.
"...Thinking that this is the end somehow feels a bit lonely."
With this celebration, their contracts come to an end.They gained strength and showed results.
Come to think of it, it might have been a fleeting series of events.
"Fuhahaha! This is not our final farewell! Kon! I shall visit your continent for fun!! Of course, you must come too! I shall welcome you!""Please spare me the rough welcome.""That is also a characteristic of my country!! Clarice! What about you?""That's true. Going there for training doesn't sound bad either.""That's just like you, so serious!"
The day they leave the Southern Continent is also near.However, our ties won't be severed.
Barbatos is full of enthusiasm about visiting.That conversation will become the foundation for their future interactions.
"Master! Please, by all means, come visit my country.""Ah, Master, please come to my place too when that time comes.""Please visit my place as well. You will be welcome."
Well, even though it was tough, if it leads to a result like this...
"Yeah, of course. Speaking of which, next time, I'll be independent from the kingdom and building my own town. Come visit then."
Ending with a bombshell statement, surprising them, and getting questioned relentlessly—that's not a bad conclusion either.