Part 3[แก้ไข]
*Ahem!* Kuro Usagi cleared her throat loudly before continuing to lead the discussion.
“Then let’s start by discussing the strategies on the Game. But before that, Sala-sama has a few words that she wants to say first.”
[What could it be?] Everyone in the room were tilting their head in puzzlement.
Sala stood up from her seat and swept her gaze around everyone in the room.
Sala gave a deep sigh as her face was clouded over with worry.
“……The words that I’m about to tell you guys, please keep it a secret confined to the people of this room. Please be mindful never to let a word of it spread around.”
“……Yes, I understand.”
Jin represented all the rest to give his reply first and the other people around had also nodded their heads silently though the solemnness of this speech Sala was giving, caused every one of them to furrow their brows skeptically.
Sala closed her eyes for a while in deliberation before opening her mouth again to say:
“Firstly I would like to say that when the [Golden Harp] was repossessed by the enemy, [The Death Eye of Balor] has also been stolen away.”
“Ba…[The Death Eye of Balor]?!”
“Is that for real?”
“Yes. Although it isn’t a Gift that any normal Titan can use……but with that, the Titan tribes would surely have gained a strong weapon on their side. We must also take into account of that and draw up strategies to deal with it. So everyone, please be mentally prepared.”
At this point, Sala paused for a while and the solemn expression was etched more deeply into her facial features.
“And the other matter I want to say is...Before the Game entered its ceasefire, I had received the urgent reports from the North and East Sides……According to the reports, it seems that Demon Lords have not appeared in [Underwood] only.”
“……what?”
“The North Side’s [Floor Master] [Salamandra] and [OniHime] Alliance, and [Floor Master] of the East whom you guys should be quite acquainted with, the [Thousand Eyes] cadre’s Shiroyasha-sama---All three of the above mentioned Communities have been hit by the violent invasion of Demon Lords simultaneously.”
The sounds of everyone sucking in their breath in surprise echoed in the Discussion Hall. Even Kuro Usagi who was in charge of the position as the host of the discussion was frozen and slack-jawed, evidently having heard it for the first time.
If this piece of news were to be true, it would mean that there were at least four Demon Lords who had descended upon Little Garden currently.
Even for Asuka and Izayoi who have only recently arrived and stayed in Little Garden for a short while, they were still able to immediately see the strangeness and the severity of the situation.
Asuka whispered to Izayoi who sat beside her:
“This shouldn’t be coincidental right? In an attempt to overthrow the [Floor Master]s, there’s a Strong Demon Lord that is leading several other Demon Lords into action…… that’s what it is right?”
“Yea no doubt about that……but I see it now. Since there’s such a situation, it would make sense and solves another question that I had.”
“What?”
Sala shot her question in reflex. It was the phrase of [make sense] and not [I understand] that minor difference in the word usage that caused her to be mindful.
Izayoi unfolded his arms and leaned forward as he asked:
“You’re Sala right? I heard that you were originally the successor of [Salamandra], is that true?”
“……That’s right. What’s with that?”
“Then have you heard of the Demon Lord that appeared at the [Birth of the Fire Dragon Festival] that [Salamandra] hosted last month?”
“Of course. Although I’ve left my hometown, but it’s still my former Community and my hometown that have been attacked.”
Sala frowned darkly. Perhaps she felt that Izayoi was looking down on her.
But Izayoi’s expression had sobered up considerably with solemnness as he swept his gaze over everyone gathered in the room.
“Then, let me ask you, the one who came from the North……Have you heard that the one who attracted the Demon Lord was [Salamandra] itself?”
“What did you say?!”
Asuka stood up as she interrupted the conversation with a shout. Her surprised expression had far exceeded the previous expression she wore and was completely incomparable.
But this was to be expected. For that would mean that the death match they had participated in was due to the invited trouble of the ones whom she thought of as comrades in arms. That thought had definitely not crossed Asuka’s mind.
The person who was on the receiving end of the question had clenched her teeth while her face had grown taut as she lightly shook her head.
“……that’s the first time I’ve heard of it. But since Otou-sama is still around, that is something that sounds very much like him.”
“Otou-sama? You and Sandra’s father?”
“Yes. That person is one who wouldn’t care about the methods even if his comrades die. As long as it is something that is advantageous for the Community, he will do it…… Even if it may have caused the death of Sandra in the [Birth of the Fire Dragon Festival], he must have thought that he could still seat upon the position as leader once more to solve the problem.”
“But, But I heard that the former leader of [Salamandra] is bedridden due to illness……”
“Just a little pain from illness isn’t able to make that guy go down. Moreover, he most probably planned to use young Sandra as the shield while he continued to control things in the dark which would be safer for him.”
*Hng!* Sala harrumphed openly at that.
Kuro Usagi’s rabbit ears drooped as she seemed to ask dejectedly:
“Then……Then what could Sala-sama’s Otou-sama be trying to benefit from doing such a thing?”
“Who knows? But in the case where Otou-sama is really sick and bedridden……I would guess that it would be an attempt to let Sandra’s name be known throughout the lands that cause him to specially invite a Demon Lord……but regarding the secrets behind that matter, I would guess that the lad sitting over there would be more knowledgeable about it.”
Sala looked pointedly at Izayoi while he took on a bemused expression as he replied:
“I guess that’s more or less the case. Before hearing the situation from you, I’d thought that it would be that way too. Moreover, looking at the attitude of that Mandra guy, it would seem that he had also believed in that cause……but, it would seem that the situation isn’t that simple after all.”
“And your meaning is?”
“Kuro Usagi, let’s just think for a moment shall we? The one who attacked during the Festival of the [Birth of the Fire Dragon], [Black Death Demon Lord]---Percher’s aim wasn’t to target Sandra but was instead aiming for Shiroyasha right?”
Kuro Usagi drew her breath sharply at that. Hearing his words, it did seem to be that way.
[Black Death Demon Lord] wants to seek revenge on the Authority of the Sun. Moreover, she’s also possessed the very rare [Authority of Host Master] that had [The ability to seal Sun’s Star-class spirits].”
To defeat the strongest [Floor Master] Shiroyasha, it can be said that Percher was the best possible candidate for the task.
“The host for the [Birth of the Fire Dragon Festival] is Sandra. Shiroyasha is merely a guest of honour who visited without the entourage of the main force of [Thousand Eyes]……It might be possible that the Festival was a trap laid to defeat Shiroyasha.”
Izayoi’s conjecture caused Jin to be boggled into realization as he cried out:
“Oh…Right! I heard that during the same time when Shiroysasha-sama was under attack, the South Side’s [Floor Master] had also been attacked and defeated……If we were to link them up to a common mastermind behind all these incidents---!”
“That’s right. In other words, these guys—let’s just call them as a collective term of [Demon Lord Alliance] for now, plans to attack and put down all of the [Floor Masters] it drives them to launch their simultaneous attacks……And there should be some kind of organization behind them that helps them to connect and coordinate to allow the Demon Lords to battle in an advantageous condition.” Izayoi ended with casting his sharp gaze towards Sala.
The speech caused Sala to be alarmed. Although she didn’t see eye to eye with her father’s actions and had already left her homeland, but Sala did not want to believe that her family and homeland could have fallen to that despicable level. So she posed her question to confirm, albeit with unease.
“Lad. Are you hinting that……my father is the mastermind behind these incidents?”
“Nope, I’m unable to confirm that sort of detail at this point. So far, only half of what I’ve said are circumstantial evidence but the most important part of the motive behind such acts still remain unknown. And if we look at the root of the problem, what could be the purpose of getting rid of the other [Floor Master]s?”
Izayoi sank into deep thoughts and it did not look like an act.
Sala finally found a small respite for herself but Faceless seemed intent on giving it a follow-up attack as she added:
“……Sala-sama. Currently, the [Floor Masters] are [Salamandra], [OniHime] Alliance, Shiroyasha of [Thousand Eyes] and the one who’s still in hibernation [Laplace Demon] these four right?”