"Over here, Grand Sage Aglupus is waiting."
The person who had guided us to the large door said so while trying to open it. As I glanced at Nyau standing next to me, she seemed quite nervous.
Behind this door, it appeared that Grand Sage Aglupus was waiting. I wonder what kind of person he is.
"Welcome, Sage Nyau."
A raspy voice could be heard.
"It's been a while, Grand Sage Aglupus."
Nyau bowed and replied.
Ah, so this person is Grand Sage Aglupus. Honestly, his appearance was far from what you'd expect from someone with the title of Grand Sage. Unkempt long hair, dark circles under his eyes, disheveled beard, pale cheeks, and he looked terribly emaciated, like a sick person.
His attire was also quite plain, in contrast to what you'd expect for someone at the top of the nation. However, the throne he sat on was ornately decorated in glistening gold, creating a peculiar imbalance.
"You don't need to address me with 'Grand Sage.' You've been promoted to Master as well, right? Then, we're equals."
"No, Nyau is still a junior, so please allow me the honor."
"Hmm, well, fine. Sage Nyau, let's talk in private. Follow me to the reception room."
Grand Sage Aglupus got up, presumably headed for the reception room.
"Um, excuse me!"
However, Nyau called out loudly, stopping him.
"Grand Sage Aglupus, I have a request. I want him to be present during our discussion," Nyau said, pointing at me.
"Huh?"
Grand Sage Aglupus looked at me with a displeased expression.
I hadn't expected to stand out like this, so I felt strangely nervous.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Kiska," I introduced myself.
"Sage Nyau, who is this person?"
"He's the man who played the most significant role during the recent incident in Katarov Village."
"Can we trust him?"
"He's the person I trust the most."
"I see. However, I don't quite understand why we should let him attend this discussion."
Grand Sage Aglupus had a valid point. Compared to them, I was just an adventurer with little remarkable ability. It wasn't entirely clear why Nyau was so insistent on my presence.
"This is based on Nyau's intuition. I believe that Kiska has value in attending this discussion," Nyau asserted confidently.
I couldn't help but think that she might be overestimating me.
"I see…"
Grand Sage Aglupus nodded and then cast a sharp and thorough gaze over me, making me feel quite nervous.
"I may not understand this man's value, but I will permit him to attend the discussion based on Sage Nyau's word."
It seemed that I would be allowed to participate in the conversation after all.
◆
"With that, I'll take my leave," the servant placed cups of drinks on the table in the reception room and then exited the room.
Seated across from us was Grand Sage Aglupus, while Sage Nyau sat beside me.
"I don't engage in idle chit-chat, so let's get to the point. The Hero is dead, correct?" Grand Sage Aglupus began.
"Yes, Hero Eligeon has passed away," Nyau responded with a mournful expression.
"I see. However, that doesn't add up. Why hasn't my rank gone up?" Great Sage Aglupus asked while displaying his status screen. There, the word 'Master' was written, and it indicated that he was ranked 9th.
Indeed, if the 7th ranked Hero Eligion had died, it would be strange if his rank hadn't increased.
"That's something even Nyau can't explain."
"Well, that's fine. Even if the Hero were alive, if he doesn't appear before us, it's as good as dead," Grand Sage Aglupus concluded.
Afterward, Grand Sage Aglupus and Sage Nyau shared the information they each had: the events in Katarov Village, the betrayal of Holy Knight Canaria and Warrior Gorgano, resulting in the death of Hero Eligion, the fall of the capital city to the Demon Lord's forces, and the imminent advance of the Demon Lord's army toward the capital of the Ritzken Empire, Larrichmond. There was a high likelihood of war breaking out between the Ritzken Empire and the Demon Lord's forces tomorrow.
"Why the dragons decided to aid the Demon Lord's forces was quite mysterious. Normally, dragons are solitary creatures who don't serve under anyone. In fact, during the 'Battle of Arianne,' the Demon Lord didn't lead dragons into battle," Grand Sage Aglupus remarked.
I recalled that the 'Battle of Arianne' was a major confrontation between the Hero's forces and the Demon Lord's army, resulting in a dramatic victory for the Hero's side.
"So, our scouts found some intriguing information. It seems there's a man in the Demon Lord's army who can command dragons," Grand Sage Aglupus continued.
"A man who can command dragons…" Nyau responded.
"Yes, it's a rather enigmatic figure. Once he raises his voice, countless dragons gather around him. He goes by the name 'Dragon King,'" Grand Sage Aglupus elaborated.
"A Dragon King…" Nyau pondered.
A man who could control dragons at will. Perhaps the title 'Dragon King' was fitting for him.
"It seems there was a secret pact between this Dragon King and the Demon Lord. If they succeeded in killing the Hero, the Dragon King would become a subordinate of the Demon Lord," Grand Sage Aglupus explained.
I see, so there was a reason for the Demon Lord to command dragons. Our conversation with Grand Sage Aglupus revolved around how to confront the Demon Lord's forces.
Whether or not the Ritzken Empire could be defended depended largely on the efforts of Sage Nyau and Grand Sage Aglupus.
"Nevertheless, losing the Hero was a significant setback," Grand Sage Aglupus lamented.
"It's my fault, I'm sorry…" Nyau replied, her tone crestfallen.
"Still, the question remains: is the Hero absolutely necessary to defeat the Demon Lord?" I interjected, despite staying quiet so far. I intended to change the topic to avoid further probing into Nyau's blunder.
"That's right. The Hero possesses the divine protection of the Supreme God, Puthos," Grand Sage Aglupus mentioned.
That's a well-known legend even I'm familiar with.
"I've heard that the Hero's divine protection guarantees victory in any adversity. We can't be sure if it's true, but the mere existence of a Hero is reassuring," Grand Sage Aglupus continued.
Ensuring victory in any adversity. It made me wonder if my skill, 'Save & Reset,' was a form of divine protection as well. However, even with 'Save & Reset,' there were still times when I couldn't win, so it seemed somewhat different from the concept of guaranteed victory.
"Um, there's something I'd like to ask Grand Sage Aglupus about," I interjected.
"Hmm, go ahead, ask your question," he replied.
"Do you have any knowledge of someone named Agetha?"
"No, I've never heard of it. Is this Agetha a significant figure?" Grand Sage Aglupus inquired.
"Yes, Agetha is a dear comrade of mine, and I've been searching for her, but I have no idea where she is," Nyau explained.
"I see. I hope you find her," Grand Sage Aglupus replied nonchalantly.
Even someone as prominent as Grand Sage Aglupus didn't know about Agetha. Where could she be?
"Urgent news!" Suddenly, an unexpected visitor burst into the room.
This person had violently thrown the door open and exclaimed in a frantic voice.
"The Demon Lord's forces have invaded our territory!".
It seemed that the battle had already begun.