第１８６掘：ジルバ帝国の落日 暗躍？の章 (Part1)
**Dungeon Excavation 186: The Sunset of the Zilba Empire – Chapter of Secret Maneuvers?**
*Side: King of Zilba, Fionha Reiga Zilba, Zilba VIII*
*BOOM!!*
I was jolted awake in the morning by a resounding noise. What on earth? We had been in meetings until late last night regarding those mercenaries...
"Is anyone there?"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The Royal Guards stationed outside responded immediately. Hmph, if the guards aren't in a panic, it must not be anything too catastrophic.
"It sounds noisy. What has happened?"
"My apologies! It appears the disturbance is coming from the rooms assigned to the mercenaries who arrived yesterday."
"What!? What do you mean by that!! I specifically ordered that no one was to lay a finger on them!!"
I finally grasped the gravity of the situation and leaped out of bed.
"It seems those who were not present at the scene took it upon themselves to launch a surprise attack while they were sleeping. They claimed that if they could defeat them, it wouldn't be a problem."
"You fools! What were you planning to do if you *couldn't* defeat them... and besides, if the gap in our power could be bridged by a mere sneak attack on sleeping targets, I would have already used poison or an ambush myself yesterday!!"
We were already far beyond that point. There is an overwhelming disparity between those mercenaries and us. The only thing we can do now is to avoid hostility at all costs. If possible, we must grant their wishes and bring them to our side. That was the conclusion of our meeting. And anyone who saw what happened yesterday knows the result of this "attack."
"M-my apologies, Your Majesty!! The men who laid hands on our guests have all been captured by them! They are demanding an audience with the person in charge!"
A soldier arrived to report the outcome. As expected, they were captured with ease. The fact that they didn't kill them suggests they still have plenty of leeway. Damn it, they captured them instead of killing them. Now, I have no choice but to take responsibility. If they had been killed, I could have made excuses, claiming they had paid for their sins with their lives...
"...I understand. Escort them to the throne room. As for the handover of the attackers..."
"They are ignoring our requests, stating they will only hand them over after meeting with the person in charge directly."
"...Naturally."
If we had disposed of them ourselves, we could have fabricated any story we liked—provided we held the upper hand. But in a way, this is fortunate. If my subordinates had acted on their own again and I had decided to punish or ignore them, the mercenaries would have had the perfect excuse to attack us without hesitation.
I didn't speak much with them yesterday, but even if their true objective remains hidden, I understand why they chose to step into the royal castle. It was to cut through the red tape. The current situation is a headache, but if we had followed proper procedures, met with me, bowed our heads, and tried to obtain what they demanded, it would have been even more troublesome. Even if we tried to crush them with our overwhelming power, they would undoubtedly resist with stubborn defiance. That includes myself; we all have our pride.
"What a truly troublesome lot..."
At first glance, they seem unreasonable, but they are applying pressure with exquisite precision. In this state, we have no choice but to nod and accept their demands. We know that if they were to go on a rampage, the country would fall, and on top of that, we committed the blunder of launching a sneak attack only to be repelled.
"...I see. So that is why they gave us three days..."
I finally understood the intent of the mercenary leader, Yuki. This situation was induced. By setting a three-day time limit to hold a meeting and provide an answer, he ensured that the matter would only reach the ears of the high-ranking officials within the castle.
I had ordered the soldiers not to touch the mercenaries, but to the rank-and-file, they were nothing more than bandits who had barged into the royal castle. What happens when you tell them to stay put, but they see an opportunity to gain glory by defeating these "intruders"? They raised the banner of patriotism and challenged them to a fight, never anticipating defeat.
Now, the mercenaries have the perfect pretext to force their demands upon us, and we have no choice but to comply. Even if we tried to stall for time, the three-day threat—coupled with my subordinates' rash actions—has effectively shortened our window even further.
"Furthermore, because of this incident, the soldiers in the capital will likely never lay a hand on them again..."
The mercenaries' power has been fully demonstrated, and I will be forced to issue an even stricter decree of non-interference. The only ones who could potentially touch them now are the legions currently on expedition, but there is no reason to antagonize people who are technically treated as guests.
Yes, I had intended to write a letter to the legions reporting this incident. I wanted to claim that mercenaries had broken into the castle and committed acts of violence. I thought that with their superior numbers, they could overwhelm the small group of mercenaries, but after this disturbance, we can never make them our enemies.
With this attack, a sword is effectively pressed against our throats. If word were to leak to the legions that we were trying to eliminate the mercenaries, our heads would be rolling in an instant.
Damn it, nothing but bad thoughts are swirling in my head. For now, I must do what I have to do. First, I must meet with the mercenaries and negotiate to settle this as peacefully as possible...
When I entered the throne room, the high-ranking officials who had participated in the meeting were already gathered.
"What do you intend to do, Your Majesty?"
"If we handle this poorly, the history of Zilba will end today..."
"Gah, those foolish soldiers!!"
Most were either approaching me to speak or lamenting the current situation.
"Yes, yes, sorry to bother you all so early in the morning."
A laid-back voice echoed, drawing everyone's attention. Now, what will they do? The leader, Yuki, walked into the throne room with a relaxed air, showing no particular signs of anger.
"You insolent wretches!!"
A soldier acting as a guard, outraged by the mercenaries entering the throne room without any regard for etiquette, reached for his sword.
This is bad. This will only make the problem worse. No, if this goes wrong, Zilba might truly be finished.
"Stop!! If we trace the root of this, we are the ones who committed the rudeness of a night raid. It is beyond the pale to demand etiquette from the other party now."
"Guh..."
If we were to argue, one could say they were in the wrong for barging into the royal castle and causing such a mess, but they have the power to enforce their will, and we do not. Yes, that is the reality.
"And so, I heard you said you wanted to hand over the criminals directly to the person in charge?"
Around Yuki were about five of my soldiers, bound in rope. They weren't Royal Guards... which unit did they belong to? Is something strange happening in this country?