Voices saying “Yes,” and “That’s right,” began to float up from the crowd.
“—It seems everyone agrees too, but in the far-off future, in the age of our children’s children and our grandchildren’s grandchildren, in an age when this tragedy is but a distant memory, can the people then still remain vigilant? Do you think we can station twice or three times as many people as we do now on the fortress line?”
The military expenses would drain the national reserves, and they would deploy an intimidating amount of fighting strength but have no obvious results to show for it.
“I trust there are people who served in the fortresses during your conscription. Then I ask you to search your memories. If the daily expenses and stores consumed back then were tripled, do you not think it would greatly strain the nation? At that time, do you think a country that only knows of that tragedy from memory will remain vigilant?”
As understanding dawned on the faces of her audience, Neia delivered her conclusion.
“—That is why we need the protection of His Majesty!”
“Why!? Why must we seek the help of the undead!?”
The same voice from before rang out.
It was the man who had questioned her earlier. People like him put Neia at ease. Her toughest crowds were the ones where nobody reacted at all. When that happened, she felt uneasy about whether her words had reached them at all.
Neia’s supporters had suggested planting a few naysayers like that in the audience beforehand, but Neia refused. Similarly, she had rejected the idea of planting shills in the audience.
“I am saying this precisely because he is undead. His Majesty is powerful, but more importantly, he is undead, and so in that far distant future, he will still be alive — still exist.”
“But, but I heard that the Sorcerer King fell in battle and died.”
“That rumor is both true and false at the same time. Sadly, the first part is true. His Majesty expended a great deal of mana and cast many spells in order to save we who were powerless, and in the end he was defeated by Jaldabaoth. But the second part is false. His Majesty is not dead! The existence of Shizu will prove that to everyone.”
This was the cue for Shizu — one of the key figures in the liberation of Kalinsha — to enter from the side.
The audience gasped in awe, and worshipful murmurs of “Shizu-sama” could be heard.
“…Mm.”
Shizu held her head high and puffed her chest out.
“Once, she was one of the maid demons in Jaldabaoth’s service, yet she fought alongside us in the Battle of Kalinsha. That is because His Majesty wrested command over her from Jaldabaoth’s hands.”
Many people had seen Shizu slay demihumans one after the other during the battle. The people who addressed her with — sama had probably been directly aided by her.
Shizu was very popular. While she had once been a maid demon of Jaldabaoth, she was still very pretty, and more importantly, she felt youthful. One could say it was difficult to bear hostility against her.
Had the Sorcerer King considered this when he bound you to his service? Neia had once asked Shizu. Shizu had replied, “Maybe.”
“Shizu was bound by the magic of His Majesty, and that remains in effect as long as the Sorcerer King still lives. In other words, she is the proof that His Majesty still lives.”
As the air turned electric, Neia raised her arms to indicate that everyone should be quiet, because she was not done speaking.
“I am sure you are all wondering why His Majesty has not yet shown himself. In truth I do not know either. However, I cannot imagine that such a compassionate lord would abandon us! There must be some reason why he cannot return here immediately. I do not know if that is because of His Majesty’s considerations, or if some danger has arisen. And that is why—!”
Neia’s voice reverberated through the silent plaza.
“That is why I beseech all of you for your strength! Please lend me the strength to find His Majesty. Even if we bet our lives to walk the length and breadth of the Abelion Hills where the demihumans live before finding His Majesty, the Holy Kingdom still cannot fully repay the debt we owe Him. And I have said this before, but His Majesty came only to fight Jaldabaoth, yet he ended up fighting the demihumans on behalf of our weak selves, thus wearing down his strength and leading to his defeat!”
Neia raised her voice even louder as she shouted.
“Nevertheless — everyone! That is why we ought to repay the debt we owe to the person who came to save us! That great man came by himself to save us! Even if he is one of the undead, I do not intend to be an ingrate! — And so, I call upon the people who seek to repay the debt to His Majesty in some small way.”
Neia stopped for a while to let the anticipation build before shouting again.
“I am looking for people to help me find His Majesty! But you do not need to go in person! Your skills, your knowledge, anything you can contribute will be useful. Please lend me your strength! Please help us!”
Neia bowed her head, and beside her, so did Shizu.
Ohhhh, the crowd roared.
After raising her head, Neia finished thusly:
“…I am certain there are some of you out there who cannot believe based on my words alone. However, how about asking the people from the Liberation Army before Kalinsha was taken back? That way, I am certain you will believe that my words are not lies.”
After returning to her room, Neia sank limply into her chair.
“Thank you for your hard work, Baraja-sama.”
The person thanking her was a quiet-looking — though somewhat gloomy — woman.
She seemed to be in her twenties, and her distinguishing features were a pair of ample breasts that drew men’s eyes and a head of short hair. Apparently, it had once been long, but it had been cut short in a prison camp.
She was part of the support team which Neia had established. Neia’s supporters wanted to name themselves, and so they called themselves the Sorcerer King Rescue Corps.
Her job was to help manage Neia’s increasingly busy daily life.
While it had only been half a month since they had first met, this woman had become irreplaceable to Neia. That was because she had completed her assigned tasks — cleaning, laundry, cooking, and various other tasks — with consummate perfection.
“Ahh, thank you.”
Neia wiped her face with the cloth the woman had offered her, and the cool sensation felt very comfortable on her burning face.
She then went Whew in a way that seemed very reminiscent of a middle-aged man before laying the towel on the table and turning to the woman who immediately reclaimed it.
“Ah, while I’ve been saying it all this time, please don’t call me — sama. After all, I’m hardly an amazing figure.”
“What are you saying? You are His Majesty’s spokesperson in this country and act on his behalf. Not addressing you as — sama would be rude.”
The fact that a woman older than herself was saying this slightly bothered Neia.
This was a problem only experienced by those who were not used to a superior position.
Speaking of which, Neia was not a spokesperson or anything. Rather, she was wondering how she had ended up in that position.
Neia felt that Shizu — who was staring aimlessly while lying down casually on a couch — fit the description better.
In the first place, the Sorcerer King’s greatness should have been obvious to everyone from an objective point of view. She was simply stating the obvious, not arguing on his behalf, and she had not intended to begin preaching any form of organized belief or opinion.