The morning meeting at the throne room...
In the morning meeting, the discussion of the attack on the northern territory of Inrud was in full swing, and the lords were presenting the reports of their own territories one by one. However, among Marika's New Type senses, there was one person who was different. In the mind of a brown-haired nobleman with a neat beard, Marika sensed a suppressed emotion of uneasiness and nervousness.
'I remember this man's name... Thomas Harcourt? What's wrong with him? I don't sense any hostility from him...is something bad happening to him?
Marika analyzed in her head based on her own perception. Marika had a vague impression of this noble, he seemed to be a small lord of the Eastern Territory.
After a while, after the other lords or ministers had finished their morning reports, it was finally Thomas Harcourt's turn.
"Your humble servant reports to Your Majesty. Recently, my territory is facing a serious crisis. For some unknown reason, a terrible dragon has been ravaging the villages and towns in my fiefdom."
With a cold sweat on his head, Thomas reported with trepidation.
"Dragon?!"
When Marika heard that, her eyes immediately lit up. Alarm bells went off in her head. This was just not normal.
In this world, it was extremely rare for a dragon to attack a city or village. Because of the agreement between the Inrudian and the dragons, the dragons don't have to go out to hunt for food, and a large amount of food and treasures, which the dragons love, will be sent to them by Inrudians. In return, the King of the Dragon Clan provided the Inrudian with the power of the Dragon Clan, and forbade any dragon from attacking humans except on the battlefield.
If a dragon fails to abide by the laws laid down by the dragon king and the Inrudian king, said dragon will be expelled from the northern territories where the land of the dragons lies and will be wanted criminal under the decree of both thrones.
The sentience of a dragon is enough to follow the laws of man, so the occurrence of a dragon maliciously attacking villages is what makes Marika feel suspicious. Either this dragon is stupid, or he is powerful enough to disregard the Dragon King's laws.
Marika's first thought was that this was another one of Nicholas' schemes. For no other reason than the fact that the dragon's rampage was taking place on the very same route that Marika had planned for her main army to travel to the border of the northern territories. Marika's original plan was to use Harcourt's territory as a stopover to rest and recuperate before continuing deeper into the enemy's territory. Now this dragon has disrupted Marika's plans. If there is one person who is most suspected, it is the King of Inrud, who has the most connections with the dragons.
And if Nicholas was trying to trip up Marika's plan, it was certainly a good plot. Because Falcurax was a criminal, so no matter what he did, as long as there was no evidence of their connection, the Inrudian would be able to pass the buck.
"What is the current state of the damage done?"
After the idea she just had was quickly analyzed in her mind, Marika hurriedly asked for details.
"Your Majesty, six villages in my territory have been severely attacked, many grain fields were razed and untold numbers of people have died in the attacks. Moreover, the dragon is so powerful that many local adventurers are too afraid to challenge the beast."
"Then why don't you apply for the local garrison to round him up. Our army would be far more suitable for the job than the adventurers!"
At this moment, Achilles interjected with a puzzled look on his face.
"General Achilles, it's not that I don't want to. It's just that this evil dragon is so powerful and cunning that it's hard to pinpoint his whereabouts. Whenever my men went on the hunt, he would hide or launch a despicable surprise attack. I fear that sending more troops would only be a waste of time and lives of our soldiers. That's why I want to send strong adventurers to kill him, but my territory is much too remote, nor do I have the cash to hire top tier adventurers for the job."
Thomas explained with a difficult expression on his face.
"So you want His Majesty to send a powerful warrior to bring that dragon to justice?"
It was Artorius' turn to ask.
"Indeed, Lord Artorius. So I beg of you, Your Majesty, to help me get rid of this dragon. As long as this dragon lives, my people will suffer at its hands."
Thomas pinned his hopes on Marika, confident that she would have a solution. And the power of Artorius and Achilles still impresses all to this day.
At this point, Artorius asked again:
"Lord Harcourt, how much information do you know about this dragon? Any information would be helpful to us in our mission to vanquish this beast."
For a knight who had fought in King Gwynn's Ancient Dragon War, Artorius knew the dangers of dragons and how to fight them. He was interested in how powerful the dragons of this world were. If the dragons were not as powerful as he had hoped, perhaps they would be good prey for his apprentices to practice on.
"I don't know much about it myself. However, according to the eyewitness reports of the survivors, the identity of the dragon has been confirmed. This dragon is the infamous "Night Devil" Falcurax."
As soon as Thomas said this name, many of the nobles originally from Inrud began to whisper uneasily.
"Falcurax? Didn't he die of old age?"
"Idiot! The life span of a dragon is limited, but it's not that short! That foul beast is only about middle-aged in human years."
"He disappeared for so long, why did he appear again?"
"It's over. Is there anyone in Her Majesty's ranks who can beat that demon?"
"What are you afraid of? With Her Majesty here, that beast won't be able to do anything!"
In this uneasy atmosphere, Thomas continued:
"Falcurax is a notorious dragon who has destroyed countless villages. He even set a record for destroying two cities in one night. He is so evil that he is wanted in many countries on the continent, and the Dragon King has ordered for him to be killed on sight if anyone sees him. Moreover, Fakurax is an old dragon with the cunningness comparable to a seasoned warrior! That's why no one has been able to bring him to justice yet."
As Thomas finished his explanation, a system notification sounded in Marika's head at the same time:
"Mission Trigger: Kill or defeat the Night Demon, Falcurax. Mission Difficulty: Difficult. Mission Reward: Unlock "Knight of the Haligtree" Loretta, "Iron Fist" Alexander, Karolos Conspectus glintstone sorcerer, Olivinus Conspectus glintstone sorcerer, Haima Conspectus glintstone sorcerer and the Cuckoo Knights."
'Glintstone sorcerers and the Cuckoo Knights? These two are not necessarily good news...''
Looking at the names on the reward list, Marika was once again in distress. In the world of Elden Ring, the Cuckoo Knights were a group of mercenaries employed by the Raya Lucaria Academy of Sorcery. When Renalla was suffering from dementia as a result of the mental blows she received when she was abandoned by Radagon, the mages within the academy turned against the Carian royal family. When both Radahn and Rykad were unable to return to Caria due to their duties, they colluded with the Cuckoo Knights to overthrow the Carian royal family. As a result, Renalla was imprisoned in the Great Library, and Ranni was forced to withdraw to the Carian fortress with a handful of troops still loyal to the crown.
With that in mind, Marika didn't have a good impression of either group. But for the moment, Renalla's academy was still understaffed. With only Renalla as the headmistress and Sellen as a professor, the academy is completely unable to teach a large number of students, so the sorcerers have become a necessity. The cuckoo knights were also a necessity, Marika was about to send an army to the north, so she needed all the soldiers she could get her hands on.
'Damn it, one problem after another.'
Just as Marika was getting annoyed, a figure that no one expected walked up to Marika and knelt down on one knee.
"Master, now is the time when our army is preparing for the expedition. If we don't get rid of this Falcurax, it will be a big obstacle to our northern expedition, and the people will suffer because of this evil demon. As a former member of the Knights of the Round Table, I cannot stand aside. I, Knight of the Round Table, Bedivere, hereby ask you Master for an order to slay the dragon Falcurax!"
In these words, the thought of almost all the officers and generals was - "This guy?"
There was no way around it, as Bedivere was always by Marika's side, so he never had a chance to really put his talent to work. In addition to his frail and gentle appearance, most of the ministers regarded him as a pretty face that Marika kept by her side. This was common practice among nobles of both sexes so it was not something frowned upon, and many didn't even know Bedivere by name. So the ministers were blindsided when such an unassuming vase suddenly jumped at the chance to challenge this impossible feat.
And Marika? She was now in a state of inner turmoil. She was completely dumbfounded.
'Huh? Bedivere...he just said-what? That he's going to fight Falcurax? No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. There's no way Bedivere would be okay with doing something so dangerous! Yes, yes, yes! I must have misheard! I must have heard wrong! Hahaha...''
Just as Marika froze, Achilles laughed out loud with bravado.
"Hahahahaha! Well said Bedivere! Truly a man worthy of being a friend of mine! A man should aspire to have the same courage you have. So Bedivere, don't worry about it! I support you on your decision!"
Achilles unreservedly expressed his support. Being a servant as well, and as Bedivere's friend, he believed that Bedivere would be able to do it. Artorius also followed suit in his support:
"Yes, slaying the dragon is the duty of a knight! Although I'm not familiar with the Knights of the Round Table, I'm sure they are just as brave as you, sir Bedivere!"
For Bedivere's courage in taking the initiative to challenge the dragon, Artorius also gave him a positive look and words of affirmation.
In a moment, all the courtiers, seeing that the two leading generals had spoken in favor of Bedivere, expressed their support for the knight. According to the conception of the courtiers, they all agreed that the dragon slaying was a chance to show the strength of the knights, a chance for a man to earn fame and glory. Morgott, who kept his presence in the courtroom low, nodded his head in rare approval.
Marika's lips trembled slightly, and she wanted to say something to persuade Bedivere to give up. Her pupils shook wildly, her throat was dry, and her heart couldn't accept the fact that it was breaking her.
But she looked into Bedivere's eyes and could not perceive a trace of hesitation in them. There was no fear in them, only the determination to destroy evil. Under Marika's new type senses, Bedivere's entire body seemed to be wrapped in an invisible flame, a flame called courage.
"I...I'll think about it."
After a long internal struggle, Marika only gave a vague answer.
"Well, now that the candidate to challenge the dragon is under consideration, let's move on to the next important topic. Let's move on to the next important topic! May I? My Lord?"
Just as the entire court was about to fall into an awkward silence, Nobunaga took the initiative to step forward and change the topic.
"Ah... uh… Lord Nobunaga, go ahead"
Realizing that she had let her composure slip, Marika hurriedly restored her aura and expression.
"After a period of training, my men have become proficient in the use of the teppos. In the report I submitted to you, my lord, the excellent combat ability of the artillery has also been clearly recorded. So I believe it is time to move on to the next stage. I hope that my Lord will authorize the mass production of teppos on a larger scale, so that all our legions can be equipped with at least one musket unit."
Nobunaga's advice was strong, showing off his former confidence he had displayed in the Shogun's court during his previous lifetime. Nobunaga's advice was supported by the military ministers who had seen the power of the arquebus. From their point of view, Nobunaga was a lord from the land of reeds. Therefore, the generals from the Lands Between had high expectations of Nobunaga, as he had escaped from the bloody hell of the land of reeds, a place where fighting and killing was the norm.
The civil ministers in charge of the country's budget were hesitant to support Nobunaga's proposal, but when Nobunaga reported the amount of money needed for the mass production of arquebus, they were satisfied and joined in the support. There was no other reason, it was too favorable. The resources needed to train an arquebus unit were much cheaper than the time and resources needed to train a battle mage or an archery unit.
"Mission Trigger: The arquebus is a cross-generational weapon that has allowed human warfare to enter a new phase. Please equip all your legions with at least one arquebus unit, so that the world of swords and magic can feel the shock of technology! Difficulty: Simple. Mission Reward: Multiverse Lucky Draw x1."
But even after listening to the voice of the system notification or Nobunaga's tireless efforts to sell the benefits of the arquebus, Marika, though calm on the outside, was still panicked and confused on the inside. Disorientedly she approved the request of Nobunaga, after which Marika quickly ended the morning meeting.
[Author's Recommended BGM: Chainsaw man OST-Sweet Dreams]
After the meeting, Marika returned to her room without realizing it. Noticing Marika's abnormality, Bedivere accompanied her in.
"Master, I know what you want to say, but-"
After closing the door, Bedivere wanted to explain his decision to Marika. But before he could respond, Marika suddenly rushed forward and hugged him, her voice trembling as she asked with a sobbing voice:
"Darling, please tell me you weren't serious about what you just said..."
Listening to the emotion in the center of her voice, and feeling the force of her hugging him so tightly that he could hardly breathe, Bedivere's heart was wrenching. But he managed to remain calm, patting her back gently and speaking soothingly:
"I'm sorry, Master, but I must go. It is the duty of the Knights of the Round Table to root out evil. I know that my strength is not impressive compared to the other Knights but..."
"Don't lie to me! What Knights of the Round Table duty! ...My fault... it's all my fault, if we had just forced the announcement of our relationship then, you wouldn't have to do this..."
Marika suddenly shouted like she was hysterical, and her tears flowed out of control, wetting Bedivere's shoulder.
"It wasn't your fault, it was my choice. Even if you had chosen to do that, I would have still gone through with my decision today...but yes, as you have thought, part of it was for my own selfishness...I wanted to prove that I was a man worthy of you, to show everyone I am someone who is strong enough to protect you. But more than that, it is because it will help you, to defend the people you hold dear...to defend, that is what I must do as your knight."
Bedivere said, and a smile crossed his face. That expression was laced with helplessness and nostalgia.
"NO NO NO NO NO NO NOt- Darling, you don't need to do this, I'm strong, I can protect you! I'm strong enough to protect you! The dragons are no match for me! Or I can find someone stronger than you to take your place! I-I-I...am strong...awaaaah..."
Marika's reaction was still hysterical, like a crying girl. Yes, like a little girl afraid of losing her father. Marika didn't even realize that her love for Bedivere had always been twisted in some way. Apart from the system, the only other person the Reincarnated can show her weakness and fear to is the gentle Bedivere. She may seem strong and optimistic, and she may think so herself, but the truth is that she is still afraid. She's afraid that her children will see that she's not really their mother, that this dangerous world will hurt her friends and family, and that she won't be herself. For someone who was just an ordinary person in her previous life, she is strong enough to have made it this far without having a nervous breakdown. Perhaps it was Bedivere's care and attention that healed her fragile and tense mind and made Marika rely on him as if he were her mother or father, a kind of pathological dependence.
But as far as Marika could remember, Bedivere was not a strong warrior. Even with the Silver Arm, Bedivere had given his life at the end of the Sixth Singularity to accomplish his mission.
How can she stay calm when this fragile yet reassuring man is now leaving her on a deadly journey?
...Marika continued to cry, she once promised herself that she wouldn't cry so easily, but she still did. Her legs seemed to be drained of strength, and she slowly fell to her knees.
Bediwell held her carefully in his arms, as if the woman in his arms was a doll that could break apart at any moment. As a man from the middle ages, it was a shame to be questioned about his strength by his lover, but Bedivere's caring nature made it so that it did not bother him. He was now more concerned with his lover's emotions.
"Master, you are the king of this country. The people will need you to lead them as they prepare for the coming war. The others have duties they must oversee in the capital..."
"Don't go...please. I-I don't...don't want to be alone...I need you."
Marika pleaded, still with a sobbing voice. Marika couldn't use a commanding tone to force him to stay… because she loved Bedivere… and that made it impossible for her to treat him as anything less than her equal.
"Master..."
Bedivere's heart felt like it was being pierced by a hundred needles as he listened to her sobs.
"Master, why don't we sit down first."
Carefully lifting Marika to her feet, Bedivere then sat her down on the couch, then knelt on one knee in front of her to continue soothing his lover.
"Master, perhaps you don't realize it, but we can't always stand behind you. While it is good for you to do everything yourself and lead by example, we are all willing to share the burden for you. We also have the power to help you."
"Don't! In case you go and something happens...no no no no no-! No way! No way! I-I don't want to lose you...I don't want my loved ones to die again-! Something like that, I don't want it-!"
Marika's hands clutched Bedivere as if he would disappear at any moment. She lowered her head, and her tears would not cease to flow. The faces of loved ones who had died or gone mad flashed through her mind, her parents from her past life,the original Marika's parents, Godfrey, Gerwyn, Malenia, Miquela, Rykard, Radhan.
"Who said I am going to die?"
Bedivere's unexpected answer made her look up. What she saw was a confident smile on Bedivere's face.
"I will not die. I will live to finish the mission. And then, no matter what happens, I will return to you, alive."
The man in Marika's eyes was filled with a handsome spirit. She was so mesmerized by this scene that she wanted to keep him with her forever. But his words were asking her to let go.
"You promise?"
For some reason, Marika had a feeling that Bedivere was telling the truth, that he could really pull it off. She couldn't understand why she had this premonition. In the end, she could only attribute it to her New Type intuition. This feeling, coupled with the fact that she didn't want to insult her man's will as a knight, eventually loosened her attitude.
"I promise, in the name of the Knights of the Round Table."
Bedivere said with a certain confidence in his eyes, his tone, and his emotions.
At that moment, Marika grabbed Bedivere's left hand and gently bit on it. She didn't know why she did this, perhaps she wanted to make a proof of their promise.
There were a few small sobs, but the tears stopped, and reflected in her fluttering golden eyes was Bedivere's look of determination, silently telling Marika that he would win.
"Don't use their name. I want you, Bedivere, my man, to promise me that you will come back to me alive."
"I promise."
