Your Majesty, Dinner Is Ready. Chapter 179 - The Invincible Jerix

Chapter 179 – The Invincible Jerix

 

The Interracial Association held a regular meeting once every month. The so-called Guardians of Coexistence Council.

The Association’s executives would gather to discuss various issues concerning District 5 and determine their course of action by majority vote.

“Thank you all for attending again today.”

A circular meeting ground surrounded by trees. 

A crow Birdfolk dressed in bright robes stood at the center, holding a voice amplification device.

“From this moment, I declare the Guardians of Coexistence Council in session.”

The chairman of the meeting. Blackbeak, President of the Interracial Association and one of the Twelve Heroes, announced the start of the proceedings.

“……”

Silence filled the air.

Unlike the Association’s usual free-spirited and cheerful meetings conducted in the style of the Eastern Continent, the atmosphere today felt completely different.

“For our first agenda item, let us discuss how we should manage the twelve new labyrinths that appeared last month.”

“……”

Normally, everyone would be arguing to speak first.

Now… no one opened their mouth.

Everyone desperately avoided making eye contact with Chairman Blackbeak. It had already been like this for several months.

‘…I’m going to lose my mind.’

Blackbeak suppressed the overwhelming urge to throw away the voice amplifier.

Nobody wanted the position that required taking responsibility, so Blackbeak, one of the Twelve Heroes, had been forced into becoming Association President.

He already had little enthusiasm for the role, and lately everyone had become even more timid, constantly watching a single person’s reactions.

“…If no one has any opinions, I’ll handle it myself.”

After waiting about five minutes, Blackbeak once again arrived at the familiar and depressing conclusion that he would shoulder everything alone.

“Moving on to the next agenda…”

And so, through the fourth agenda item, the meeting became little more than a one-man lecture, with the chairman alone speaking, deciding, and accepting all responsibility.

“The next agenda is… Sigh.”

Blackbeak stopped midway and let out a long sigh.

It was because of the proposer of the fifth agenda item.

“The proposal is to completely suspend all interaction with humans…”

“I shall speak first.”

Breaking the silence that had persisted until now, one executive raised a hand.

A goblin. A race famous for being both tiny and physically weak.

Moreover, he was a hunched old man. Yet nobody present dared underestimate him.

He was one of the Association’s most important executives.

“Yes. Please go ahead, Sir Jerix.”

Jerix, Great Chieftain of the Goblins.

The man known as the Invincible Jerix spoke slowly.

“First… Let us once more define precisely what constitutes an ‘interaction.’”

“…Very well.”

“To begin with… No humans whatsoever should be allowed to enter District 5.”

“In other words… We must create a Human-Free Zone.”

Even afterward, Jerix alone continued talking.

Blackbeak desperately kept his expression under control.

“…Furthermore, anyone who converses with humans in another district should receive severe punishment. There should be no exceptions. Not even for humans affiliated with the royal family.”

An extreme proposal.

Not only ordinary civilians, but even members of the royal family should be avoided.

Hostile as the Interracial Association was toward humans, this policy clearly crossed the line.

“To summarize… District 5 should become a sacred land into which humans are absolutely forbidden to enter.”

“……”

Amid the silence, where no one dared speak, Jerix slowly surveyed the meeting hall.

“I’ve repeated this point so many times. Is there perhaps still an idiot here who needs it explained again?”

Nobody answered. Everyone simply lowered or turned away their heads, desperately avoiding becoming Jerix’s conversation partner.

“If not… Then I needn’t waste my breath. Proceed, Chairman.”

“…Understood.”

While secretly planning his retirement, Blackbeak faithfully carried out his duties.

“If there are no further opinions… We’ll proceed directly to a vote. Those in favor, please raise your hands.”

Decision-making on the Eastern Continent was always conducted by vote.

The opinion supported by more than half prevailed. Even those who had opposed it were expected to accept the final decision without complaint.

Jerix was the first to raise his hand.

“I vote in favor.”

“……”

Obviously you do. Blackbeak sneered inwardly.

After all, Jerix himself had proposed the motion.

“……”

Soon, a handful of executives raised their hands, while others remained silent.

The ratio was almost exactly half and half.

Strictly speaking, there were more opponents… but not enough to form a majority.

“The proposal is tabled for now.”

“Hm…”

Jerix slowly looked around the meeting hall once more.

As though engraving into his memory the faces of every executive who disagreed with him. Those who had voted against him hurriedly averted their eyes.

“Very well. Let’s move on to the next agenda.”

The meeting resumed.

Once again, only silence prevailed.

Eventually, they reached the final agenda.

‘…What?’

Reading the document his secretary had prepared, Blackbeak nearly cried out.

The proposer of the final agenda was Melsion of the Thirsting Axe. A Beastman belonging to Jerix’s faction.

“…The final proposal is to hold an exploration tournament in which all non-human expedition teams may freely participate.”

The vote began. As though he’d been waiting for it, Jerix immediately raised his hand.

The executives who had supported his earlier proposal regarding cutting off human interaction followed suit.

Unlike before, even several who had opposed Jerix’s earlier motion voted in favor this time.

After all, on the surface, it appeared to be nothing more than a peaceful event promoting unity.

“…With a majority vote… the proposal to hold a tournament promoting interracial harmony has been approved. A heartwarming proposal for a change. Well done, everyone.”

The meeting ended.

Only after Jerix became the first to leave did the other executives gradually begin departing one by one. Blackbeak, however, remained standing there blankly, holding his pounding head.

‘…I want to retire.’

He didn’t want to know what Jerix was planning.

Yet he’d already figured it out. It felt as though something terrible would soon happen in District 5.

 

***

 

The morning after the welcome party.

“Marlin. What’s your favorite kind of exercise?”

“……”

Marlin immediately frowned deeply, then turned toward me on the living room sofa.

“Karr.”

“Yes?”

“I hate this appearance.”

“There you go again.”

I turned toward the boy standing before Marlin.

Blond hair. Golden eyes. A tiny body. An adorable face.

Since Marlin had hated the previous appearance so intensely, AKarr had changed into Pure Five-Year-Old Karr.

Now he smiled brightly.

“Please don’t dislike me so much. I want us to become closer, Marlin.”

“…If you want that… Could you at least stop speaking so politely?!”

“Grrrk!”

Iquiril smacked Little Karr on the head with its tail on Marlin’s behalf.

Abel, who had been beside me researching recipes, shrugged.

“Patron. It seems it’ll take quite a long time before Sister and AKarr become close.”

“So it would seem.”

I’d expected it wouldn’t be easy. Still, I hadn’t expected them to make absolutely no progress.

If I wanted AKarr to become Marlin’s Frozen Comrade, I’d need a more decisive strategy.

“Sir AKarr.”

Calling Little Karr over, I whispered the next stage of Project Become Best Friends into his ear.

“A truly final measure.”

“I see. Very well. It sounds amusing.”

AKarr readily obeyed, using [Transformation].

Cute Little Karr soon became an infant, one too young even to walk on two feet.

“What is it this time?”

Marlin’s expression softened noticeably compared to before.

I picked up Baby Karr.

“This version is so young he can’t even speak. After thinking it over… I realized the fundamental reason you dislike Sir AKarr is because his personality is exactly like mine.”

“That is definitely true…”

“Would you like to hold him?”

Marlin cautiously accepted Baby Karr.

Faithfully acting like an infant under the effects of [Transformation], AKarr giggled happily.

“Do you think you can become friends now?”

“…This is definitely the best version so far.”

“That’s a relief.”

“Since he doesn’t need to eat… You won’t have to worry about feeding him. And because he won’t cry at random… Just talk to him often.”

“Okay.”

Just as I gently patted Marlin’s shoulder while she stared intently at Baby Karr…

“Mr. Cultist! You have a visitor!”

Rachel, who had gone out shopping for ingredients, walked in with a respectful bow.

“Thank you.”

“Glory to Twisted Truth!”

[Your maid and Faint Shadow operative Rachel faithfully continues her life as one of Your followers. It’s been quite some time since the Wise One received such an excellent source of faith, and He is delighted!] 

She was probably trying to curry favor with me. Even taking that into account, it was still worthy of praise.

Mentally increasing Rachel’s evaluation, I opened the door.

“…Hey, mister.”

A small goblin stood outside. Mek Invincible.

The goblin I’d first met before exploring the Nightmare World, whom I’d occasionally run into ever since.

“Mister. Like you promised… I need your help.”

“…Please. Come inside first.”

Smiling like a proper cultist, I ushered Mek indoors.

‘The time has come.’

Seated at the dining table, Mek stared silently at a cup of cold tea.

Both hands remained inside his pockets.

Sitting beside the gloomy goblin, I asked gently,

“Sir Mek. What brings you here? I more or less know already… But I’d still like to hear it from you. A concern only gains meaning once the person involved shares it themselves.”

“It’s exactly what you think…”

Gulp! Gulp!

Draining the tea in one go, Mek spoke with a bitter smile.

“Soon… There’ll be a tournament where explorers from every race except humans can freely participate.”

“Huh?”

Marlin, who had been tense because of Mek’s unusual demeanor, blinked in surprise.

“Isn’t that a good thing?”

“…If it were… I wouldn’t have come all the way here asking Mister for help.”

“Ah! That’s true. If you need Karr’s help… That means you’ve been driven completely into a corner.”

“Do you think I’m an Evil God in His prime or something?”

After flicking the forehead of my ward for insulting her patron, I looked back toward Mek.

The gloomy goblin placed both hands on the table and continued.

“The event’s supposedly called…”

The Grand Interracial Unity Festival.

“I don’t know how long they’ve been preparing… But they’ve already decided both the labyrinth and the schedule.”

“Where will it be held?”

“Final Stand… And the rules have already been finalized.”

Mek handed me a small slip of paper from inside his clothes.

Looking it over, I found rules I was already quite familiar with.

[All explorers will wear bracelets provided by the Association during the expedition. Anyone whose bracelet is taken will be eliminated and immediately transported to the labyrinth’s final checkpoint to wait there.]

Rules that actively encouraged direct combat. Unlike the Battlefield of the Sun and Moon, the Guild War arena, there was no gimmick guaranteeing participants’ safety.

Making it considerably dangerous.

Fortunately, any injuries sustained while stealing or losing bracelets would be healed by the Association’s healers.

[The first team to clear the labyrinth receives 50 points. Each bracelet taken from another explorer is worth 3 points. Discovering a Hidden Piece grants 30 points. However, elimination forfeits all accumulated points.]

“Um… Can I ask something?”

Marlin leaned closer, reading the note beside me before quietly speaking.

“What exactly is the problem? It’s a tournament promoting harmony. Humans not being allowed to participate doesn’t exactly sound harmonious… But at least the intention seems good.”

“The answer is hidden inside what you just said.”

I placed a hand on Marlin’s shoulder.

“The problem is precisely that. The visible intention looks admirable. But the real intention hidden underneath… is considerably more violent.”

The Grand Interracial Unity Festival.

Following the Guild War, this was the event where the story of Nightmare Dungeon would begin advancing dramatically.

“If the District 5 tournament proceeds as planned… more than thirty percent of Pletica’s human citizens will die.”