351 Threat Should be a Last Resort Okay? No Throwing it Around Willy-Nilly
"Urgent report! A trouble has arisen at the federation old road forest! Requesting permission to report directly!"
The voice sounded panicked yet retained a manner of calmness.
Prime minister, Kuroin, gave his approval.
"Enter. What happened? No wait, first of all, calm down and catch your breath."
The official reporting in took several deep breathes as urged by the PM.
He must have been in a great hurry. He finally gave his report after taking his fifth breath.
"...Those damnable federation foxes and their little ploy. We must count our luck that it was foiled preemptively. God is on our side. But to think they would resort to forbidden magic drug... Truly a detestable lot..."
"I have also been entrusted with an additional message. May I, Sir?"
Ordinarily there's no way some random person of unknown background could have sent a direct message to the prime minister himself.
However, this was during a state of emergency, manpower shortage and the aftermath of the king dying.
Thus the fact that this message carried by a gatekeeper managed to reach the PM without additional screenings must have been 'luck' speaking.
"What? A message? Who's... well fine. What does it say?"
The prime minister was out of luck the moment he chose this. He regretted hearing it as all it did was adding more things weighing on his mind.
"Sir! Um, er, the content is terribly crass... I am wondering if it is appropriate to read this message out loud..."
The official hesitated. However, the PM urged him to continue.
"'Is Arcane Blade doing well? I'll stop playing around in the kingdom if you hear my demand out.' Or so it goes. What could this be about?"
The PM's face clouded for a moment before immediately turned thunderstruck in shock.
"...Where is that person? I shall hear him out."
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >
Despite his anxiety to see the PM looking so flustered, the official detailed how the man in question is waiting at one of the gates.
(We have issued a gag order. Nobody should have known what took place back then... Except for one person. The one who disappeared without a trace... who has got that magic beast... under his control.)
The PM was assaulted by a sense of rejection at the threatening message. However, offending the man here would be the height of folly considering the matter with that magic beast.
"Bring him to the palace's council room. Also, answer to everything the man demands on the spot. No matter how unreasonable. Regard him as a First Class, no, a Royal Guest... A member of the royalty as you guide him here."
The PM chose his words carefully as he gave his orders. He couldn't afford mistreating this unknown individual by making vague orders.
The kingdom could end the same day that man got offended.
There is no blaming him. The impression left by that magic beast was so dreadful, had it gone on a rampage, this official's life couldn't make up for it.
If such cheap punishments as execution could appease the man, he would gladly offer as many.
Hence, he emphasized on the important points.
"Listen well. Do everything within your power to avoid displeasing that guest. Do not slight him. Take this with you. Use the authority granted by this to keep away anyone who would act discourteously toward that guest. You get that? Have I made myself clear? You are responsible to bring our guest here."
The PM handed over a dagger from his bosom pocket.
The official who didn't have the clearance to report to the PM directly in normal times trembled as he received it.
"Hold it, one more thing, ah, must be careful... Alright there's the seal. Take this too! That should do it..."
A directive written by the PM himself. Such directives rarely ever get handed out.
The official trembled even harder as he took it. Nevertheless, the PM still gave it to this petty official.
This is done for the sake of avoiding mistakes that could be caused by telephone game, which might result in angering that guest.
The PM gave the royal seal dagger, a superlative directive, and a direct order, all so the official himself would lead the man to the castle.
"Now, go. Make doubly sure you do not upset our guest."
The PM put his hands on his aching head as he saw the trembling back of the official off.
"What is his goal? Kuh! And just when we're finally at the last stage of dealing with our biggest issue at hands..."
The princess stopped the PM when he tried to investigate the man's identity after the event at the royal chamber.
Thus he abandoned the idea and focused on his duty, and just as he was about done making plans to tackle the manpower shortage issue, this happened.
Of course that brought in more headaches. It's too late to regret heeding the princess and stopping the investigation now.
"The princess testified he's not dangerous, but then, how do you explain this..."
He grabbed a stomachache pill from his drawer as he held his now aching belly and took it.
(Should I have him erased behind the princess's back...?)
He saw this mysterious individual with his own eyes. Conversed with him. And yet he couldn't make out the silhouette well, weirdly enough.
And now after all this time, the man himself initiated a contact in such a threatening way. Alongside the matter with the federation.
(What's his endgame? Is he a covert operative affiliated somewhere? But why now of all time? ...I have too little information to draw a conclusion...)
The PM steeled himself and continued the work he was doing to a point before leaving his office toward the council room.
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