In her place, the reptilian maid stepped forward and said, “Very well, I shall explain in your stead. Due north of here in the very heart of this meadow lies an abandoned dungeon. Ancient enchantments once sealed it off from the world, but something has since destroyed the barrier cast over it, unleashing a terrifying ghoul unto the world. Its name: Gormlaith, the three-time murderer of kings, ruler over a diminutive race, golden-eyed destroyer, the Herald of the Setting Sun, is none other than the Dark Lord of the Forbidden Land, who once had the entire Right Continent cowering in terror.”
Oh, her. The one having curry udon with my little sister as we speak.
“Gormlaith? Doesn’t ring any bells. Nor have I ever heard of such a lord anywhere near the forest.” Lana tilted her head quizzically.
“Champions throughout history have covertly locked the Dark Lord away from the world for ages. It is no wonder news of it has not come to you, Lady Laualliuna,” Lazalisa replied.
“‘Covertly’…… Why the need for such secrecy?”
“I’m afraid I cannot reveal that, as it is our sworn duty to protect this information.” I could almost see an inconvenient truth about this world coming to light. The Dark Lord and the Champion of Light wouldn’t stir up trouble just to get the credit of vanquishing the other, right? You’ve gotta be kidding me. I don’t want to get involved with that mess.
“I see. Freyja, I have a question for you.”
“Whatever could that be?” Elated that Lana asked her anything, Freyja whirled back around. Poor little puppy.
“Two years have passed since you graduated from the Hoense School. Presumably, you have spent far longer than I as an adventurer, bearing the Champion’s title passed down through generations at that.”
“Why yes, my explorations have taken me all over the Central Continent.”
“Yet you still haven’t made any other friends aside from Lazalisa?”
“………” Freyja’s smile stiffened.
“Lady Laualliuna, there is a very good explanation for this.”
“No, Lazalisa, I beg you! Not that! You can tell her anything but thaaat!” the master pleaded, clinging to her servant. She looked like a woman about to get dumped by her lover.
“Milady.” Lazalisa rather violently shook the beggar off. “I am hungry and, if I may continue, have reached my limit with lying to rest every night in a horse stall. If forced to continue this impoverished lifestyle, I assure you I will go home.”
“Urrrgh!” Freyja groaned in frustration.
“So?” prodded Lana, still completely stone-faced.
“The fact is, we achieved incredible success with our expeditions in the Central Continent’s dungeons, though the credit for this rests not in my mistress’s own capabilities, but in the outstandingly talented party members with whom we worked. However, milady convinced herself otherwise. In a fit of arrogance, she broke from her party, went on an extravagant spending spree, then returned here to the Right Continent.
“Out of respect for my mistress’s honor, I will not mince my words,” the maid continued. “What followed has been a series of blunders on a cosmic scale. Milady joined a hastily arranged party in an attempt to complete a reckless quest, only for the group to immediately disband. In a rage, she turned to retail therapy as an outlet, depleting our financial resources on an assortment of truly expensive pieces of art, for example, which she unwittingly purchased. But when our dire straits soon compelled her to sell the artwork, she was able to recover but a mere fraction of the cost. Our remaining party member ran off with the last of our funds, calling it compensation for the party’s breakup. And though we desperately needed money to support our daily expenses, my lady found it impossible to relinquish her pride and take on smaller jobs.
“That was when milady sensed the Dark Lord had risen once more. Calamity never strays far from the evil ruler, and left alone, it will bring this kingdom to its knees. Only a Champion of Light could save this nation from certain doom. Once the deed is done, my mistress plans to leverage the debt of gratitude that King Remlia will surely owe her for saving his realm to request an exorbitant reward and therefore secure our financial stability. However, even milady’s absurdly intense firepower and my skills would almost certainly prove insufficient to vanquish the Dark Lord. Coincidentally, we learned of your whereabouts, Lady Laualliuna, just as we were putting these plans together. In the history of the Hoense School of Magic, there are very few people who will not crumble before the combined forces of the two mages honored with the title Leader of the Final Flame.”
The reptilian beastmaid lowered her head in a deep bow. “I beg of you, Lady Laualliuna, lend us your strength in this endeavor.”
“E-exactly, Nyaunyau. I am generously offering to share with you the renown that will come from slaying the evil Dark Lord.”
“Milady, I swear I will leave you this instant if you do not properly ask Lady La-u-a-lliu-na for her assistance.”
“L-Lana, will y-ou pl-ease…he-lp me……?” Freyja implored, her voice hardly audible.
Her face devoid of expression, Lana replied, “I understand. And I refuse.”
“But why?!” Freyja cried, then tried to fling herself onto Lana, but the beastmaid caught her midjump and pinned the pigtailed lady securely under her arm.
“Lazalisa, and you, unlucky, penniless Champion, you’ve both failed to understand a vital point. I belong to my husband, who is also our party leader. I can’t make such decisions without his permission.”
A hungry gleam in their eyes, Lazalisa and the suspended Freyja turned their gazes on me. Lazalisa made the first move.
“Whoopsie,” she murmured as she tugged at the neckline of her clothing, revealing the bare skin of her left shoulder. “Milady, now you.”
“As a yet-unwed maiden, I could never tempt a man so salaciously,” she scoffed. I supported her devotion to chastity.
Time to put my two cents in. “I have a few questions. First, this Dark Lord—what would happen if you left them alone and choose not to vanquish them?”
Freyja answered, “Vexing though it may be, I would submit a request for reinforcements to the Central Continent’s League of Champions. I cannot turn a blind eye to this evil presence and still wear my Champion title proudly.”
I knew this Dark Lord and her goblin subjects had absolutely no intentions of launching any aboveground raids. All they wanted was to live in peace and quiet, deep below the earth. Just like the self-sufficient merfolk, goblins had all they needed in their underground city to support themselves in the abandoned dungeon where it lay. Their regent’s agricultural magic and livestock-rearing technologies made that possible. Our spheres of existence had no overlap. As long as above-grounders didn’t disturb their way of life, there would be no risk of war.
But what if the goblins’ sovereign was slain, destabilizing their way of life……? I can’t read them well enough to know what they’re like deep down, but would anyone sit around idly and let themselves starve to death?