第６４３堀：だがやっぱり一筋縄ではいかない (Part2)
Ignoring this and disposing of them could crack the foundations of international friendship, not to mention the humanitarian concerns involved.
"But their capabilities are an unknown variable, aren't they? Is it really okay to just leave them be?"
"I don't think their individual abilities are that significant. Reports suggest their levels are somewhere between 40 and 80."
"Hah. Level 40 is general-class, and 80 is on par with a Magic Sword User like myself. Under normal circumstances, those are formidable foes. In this region where monsters are scarce, that’s an overwhelming amount of power."
"But Agil is different now, and you have Steve and the others for backup."
"I still think overconfidence is a recipe for disaster."
"Regardless, we can't just ignore the people involved. We’ll have them face the situation, and if it looks dire, they’ll have to experience it firsthand before we step in to dispose of them."
"Well, I suppose that’s the only way. Honestly, what a troublesome mess they’ve made."
"They’re the type who wanted to tarnish the reputation of the Three Houses and the Haire Church, or sow discord among them. If they can utilize the corpses, they’d be fools not to. If they played their cards right, they could have killed members of the Three Houses and seized control of the Haire Church in one fell swoop."
"So that’s why they’re heading straight there without causing a scene?"
"If they had rampaged, they could have slipped in during the chaos while the soldiers were busy defending the town."
"...In that sense, it’s hard to say if their visit to the headquarters is a stroke of luck or a misfortune."
"If they hadn't come, we wouldn't have discovered the misuse of the corpses at the Kyper Cathedral. If we hadn't known, we would have been playing catch-up. Especially regarding Princess Arge."
"Well, I don't know how much the late Princess Arge's corpse can actually do, but if it managed to infiltrate Findar, it would have been an absolute nightmare. Still, heading to the headquarters means it’s going to be a bloodbath for us—or rather, for Princess Carrie and the others."
For Princess Carrie and Princess Stasia, the deceased Princess Arge is their sister. If she were to suddenly appear before them, they would undoubtedly be thrown into a panic.
"So, since there is a very high probability of a confrontation, I’ll leave the explanation to you."
"What!? Me!?"
"You have to. Otherwise, they might get themselves killed in an instant."
A sister who should be dead appears before their eyes. Naturally, they would approach her to check if she’s safe. And then, they would be struck down in a heartbeat, leading to total chaos.
Moreover, it wouldn't just be Princess Carrie and the others; if the Archbishop were also killed, it would lead to the misunderstanding that Haiden and Findar had gone rogue. Since it is Arge’s corpse committing these acts, from an outsider's perspective, every nation would believe Findar was responsible.
I doubt anyone knows Sota-san, but if Arge’s lich introduces him casually, the credibility of Haiden, Findar, and the Haire Church will be dragged through the mud.
"Ugh, fine! I can't just let them be finished off, and I can't let Princess Carrie and the others be assassinated. You want me to tell them, 'She looks like your kin, but she's being controlled, so please, fight her'? That's the worst!"
"Good luck."
"...Damn it. I guess I have no choice. You’re going to owe me big for this!"
With that, the communication from Agil cut off. Right about now, he’s probably racking his brain, agonizing over how to explain this.
"Aah, poor guy."
"If you want, Steve, you can explain it instead."
"I’ll pass. Besides, there’s more information."
"Right. According to Britt’s report, the group of liches, who have incorporated high-quality Magic Gear into their bodies, ran into a group descending from the headquarters and greeted them with a friendly smile."
"Huh?"
"‘Huh?’ is exactly what I said. So, the intentions of that corpse group are completely opaque. If they had started moving under RS’s orders, they could have dashed away the moment they left town, but they didn't. And apparently, they left without making any contact with the people they resurrected at the Kyper Cathedral. They’re just walking. They didn't even bother to secure horses."
"That makes no sense. What, are the undead of this new continent the pacifist faction, not the warmongers?"
"If that’s the case, they’ll just chat and be on their way. Nothing to worry about."
"In the first place, why did we forget that they could use the undead?"
"We haven't established a way to stably utilize the undead in the new continent yet. The Arge-undead are operating using methods we don't know about. It’s not so much that I forgot, but rather that I didn't think they could be moved at all."
"Another amateur mistake."
"My bad. I didn't think they’d go around gathering corpses from various nations to use as soldiers. If that gets out, it’s game over."
"Ah, I guess that’s a reckless stunt only the Haire Church could pull off. They handle the funerals and all that, after all."
"Exactly. We’re discussing a plan to prepare a vessel for Sota-san and send him over there, so wait for further updates."
"So, we’re preparing for battle on this end? Understood. Oh, but what happens if Sota-san’s corpse and Sota-san’s soul-copy run into each other?"
"That’s part of what we need to discuss."
"I hope it doesn't turn into a headache."
"It’s already a massive headache."
Well, time for a meeting on this side, too.
Honestly, I don't care about public perception anymore—wouldn't it be easier to just wipe everything out with high-altitude bombing?
Such violent thoughts cross my mind, but I quickly brush them aside. Doing something like that would only make things more complicated.
*Sigh.* Can’t things just head toward a happy ending without me having to think so hard?
Next up: the zombie troupe of past heroes. In a way, I suppose the training paid off.
Now, let’s see how we clean up this mess!!