Chapter 849: The Sand City Uprising 6
Nancy-san’s martial arts had grown even more familiar to her fully intact body after centuries of inactivity, rendering even the massive ogres utterly helpless, like lifeless puppets. Her movements were swift as a gust of wind, showing no sign of strain, as her legs, knees, elbows, and palms all struck with satisfying thuds, sending the ogres flying through the air or slamming them to the ground. It was a dance-like movement, distinct from the 「Extreme」 speed of 100-man commander Becker or Almeida. Though visible to the eye, it possessed an uncanny stability that clumsy arms could never grasp. Not that Becker or Aurora were weak—this woman was in a league of her own. No matter how many brute-strength ogres banded together, they couldn’t advance a single step beyond her. That’s the kind of strength you can believe in. Truly worthy of being Dianne’s master.
“……Hey, Madam! What the hell are you doing!?”
100-man commander Becker, who had finally dealt with the ogres closing in on him, kicked them aside and let out a ridiculous cry at Nancy-san, who stood there calmly. His old man makeup was ruined.
“Well, well, you’ve aged considerably since I last saw you, Becker. Perhaps your married life is too intense?”
“This……don’t call me by name! I’m in a bit of a situation here!”
“Hahaha. I understand. ……I came out because the problem is resolved. No need to worry”
Nancy winked with a practiced gesture.
At Nancy-san’s suggestion, Isabel, Cosmos, and we had returned to Carlos-san’s mansion.
“For now, leave her arm unbound and focus on protecting the wound. Bring someone skilled in medicine……right, Nicholas. Just administer first aid for now”
“Shouldn’t we splint it?”
“That would be major surgery. Besides, even though we recovered the arm, it was handled roughly by the ogres and is in terrible shape. We’d need to either repair it somehow or, like I did, rely on the Holy Beast of the North……let Nicholas decide. He’s young, but quite a good doctor”
While Nancy-san was speaking, a dark elf man was summoned from somewhere within the mansion. One of her brothers, or perhaps a son or grandson…….
“Sister-in-law. ……This is bad”
“Well? Can you fix it?”
“I wish you’d brought her a bit sooner. ……Aside from the shape, whether she can write again……well, optimistically, maybe twenty percent chance”
“I see. ……Anyway, just replenish her blood. You said you had a good spell ready, didn’t you?”
“Right, right. Ah, someone bring the materials. A desert lizard, female and as young as possible—even newborns are fine—plus the purest alcohol you can find, and……”
Dr. Nicholas was giving orders to the maids. I’d heard magic sometimes required materials, but watching this made me feel queasy, so I decided not to force myself to look. He’s a stranger, but Nancy-san recommended him, so it surely can’t be anything bad.
——————————-
“Carlos-san, I ended up getting Nancy-san’s help……was that okay?”
“Looks like we achieved our goal. Honestly, I’m relieved. I couldn’t handle you taking it out on me when Dianne and Hilda weren’t around”
“Ah, no, I wouldn’t do that”
“No, she absolutely must hate me. Just because Dianne and the others aren’t here, if that hidden humanism inside her were to humanize?”
“Sometimes I don’t understand what you’re saying, Carlos-san. No, I don’t hate you or anything. I haven’t been subjected to vegetable torture lately either”
“……Tsk”
This person is definitely a great person, but what is this petty malice? No, that’s not it.
“More importantly, didn’t you say we couldn’t confront the 『Tower』?”
“Ah, that’s fine now. The situation has changed. ……We weren’t just sitting idly by. But at that moment, I had no choice but to say what I did”
Carlos-san adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses.
“Honestly, your timing is either perfect or terrible. ……Well, probably the former. At least one person was saved because of you”
“……Ha, Haa?”
Not quite grasping his true meaning, I just nodded vaguely.
“……There’s a meeting after this. ……You’re covered in dust too, you should freshen up. You don’t need to speak, but I’d like you to be a witness”
“A meeting?”
“Yes. ……I’m summoning the leaders of two of the ogre factions here”
—————————-
About two hours later. Night had fully fallen. In the garden of Carlos-san’s mansion, illuminated by bonfires, two groups of formidable one-horned ogres arrived, each accompanied by about ten henchmen. Carlos-san stood, arms outstretched, to welcome them.
“Welcome, Tack-san, Dorado-san. Today will be a memorable day”
“……I don’t get why you called me along with Dorado”
“I agree. What’s the deal, Onyx?”
Dorado had the face of a classic rough-and-tumble ogre, his horn bent and curved back midway, clearly modified. They should be straight, but breaking them and rejoining them would be nothing short of shameful, so they must have been altered with magic or something. While difficult for an ogre, Talc wouldn’t lack for someone to ask. His clothes, too, clearly prioritized show, adorned with flashy gold and silver thread. And the other one, presumably named Tack by association. This one had the demeanor of a martial artist who rejected ostentation. Ogres often stand leaning forward when facing other races, but he stands perfectly straight. In stark contrast to Dorado, who radiates an almost aggressive intensity, this one gives off the impression of a martial arts master with flawless, unbroken movements. His clothing is pure white. While not an unusual color scheme for desert regions, combined with his bearing, it somehow suggests a martial philosophy. It’s hard to tell an ogre’s age since they bulk up from a young age, but the flashy Dorado-san seems somewhat younger.
“We never call you lot for anything but business. ……Care for a drink first? I got my hands on a few barrels of rare Early Roses brandy. Should be enough to satisfy your companions too”
“Sorry, but I’ll pass on getting drunk where this bastard is present”
“Haa! If I wanted to take you down, daytime’s plenty, Tack. Talk big, but you’ve got a tiny gut”
The two ogre leader candidates glared at each other. Carlos-san shrugged before them, suddenly adopting an arrogant air as he plopped down into a chair.
“If you don’t want to drink, that’s fine. ……Then let’s get down to business”
“……?”
“What’s that, Onyx? That’s not a very nice attitude towards your guests”
“To be honest, your quarrel is causing us trouble. ……This is a proposal to end it quickly. Well, if you refuse, that’s up to you. In that case, you will not be a beneficial partner for us. Just understand what that means”
“……You’ve suddenly become arrogant”
“What the hell? Are you looking for a fight?”
“Onyx. And the influential trading companies of Talc……Left Blade, Iron Ant, Moss Green, High Seven, and Trident are jointly proposing financial assistance to you. There are two conditions”
“……Even Trident is offering financial assistance to us……”
“What the hell? Is there a catch?“
Carlos-san continued speaking to the hesitant leaders with a half-closed eye.
“The integration of the Tack faction and the Dorado faction. ……With only one-fifth of the funds, no matter how much money you have, if others concentrate their efforts on targeting you, you will be crushed. But if you gather two-fifths and solidify your position with ample funds, you will be unshakable”
“That’s ridiculous!”
“Are you telling us to cooperate with this bastard?”
“If you can’t, then approach the remaining factions. We’re not interested in a losing bet. We’re considering investment precisely because we believe we can recoup it”
“…………”
“……You’re underestimating us”
The ogres bristled. But Carlos-sam remained utterly unmoved. As the representative holding vast funds, his expression remained cold and unyielding.
“You decide which side to back. We’ll invest our funds accordingly. ……You are the non-bloodline faction. Compared to the remaining three bloodline factions who rely solely on the previous generation’s blood, you possess both the cause of innovation and reason. This proposal is based on our belief that you can unite your strength because you hold ideals for the future of 『Tower』”
“Gu……”
“……Well……but, with this guy……”
“There is one more condition”
Carlos-san’s gaze sharpened.
“A young man named Lucky Homer was murdered. ……We’ve identified the perpetrator. Barry McNeill. ……Cut off his head and bring it to us”
“……Wh, What the hell are you saying……!”
“Hey, wait, Onyx! You bastard, you want us to cut off someone’s head for money…the head of our own comrade!?”
Carlos-san remained cold-eyed as Dorado-san barked.
“Don’t misunderstand me. I’m not saying 『I can’t reach it myself, so I’ll buy it』. ……This is a proposal to help you take responsibility for everything. If you say you can resolve this mess early with enough money, I’ll give it to you. But I’m just saying you must purify yourselves first”
“……A mere dark elf merchant thinks he can get cocky!?”
“Stop treating us like fools!”
The ogres seethed. The air thickened with tension.
……But.
“You don’t understand, do you?”
Nancy-san stepped forward boldly.
“A mere dark elf merchant? ……Exactly. Carlos is a merchant. ……But what do you short-lived earthworkers think you can do against a dark elf who lived 800 years beside that violence?”
The couple stood side by side. ……The king and queen of this town looked down upon them.
“Know your place. ……Take responsibility for your actions. That is all we demand”