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“Lord Fourier! Must I truly accompany the expedition myself?”

After the meeting with the Amukham delegation, Connor Clarke voiced his anxiety to Cameron Fourier in a corner lounge reserved for the diplomatic mission.

“Clarke, whatever has come over you now? This was already decided when we departed the capital, was it not?”
“B-but! To venture into such an uncivilized land… and, to travel alongside such… s-such savage people!!”

Clarke’s mind replayed the earlier exchange. The dangerous glint in the eyes of the man who called himself Silense Croque. And the overwhelming presence of Howard Cloud, the current chieftain of Amukham, who had declared that he himself would accompany them into the Great Iroshio Forest.

◇◇◇

Connor Clarke was a purebred civil servant. He had lived his entire life untouched by violence or hardship.

Why, then, had he come all the way to this frontier? The primary reason was that his direct superior, Fourier, had been appointed head of the investigative mission, but there was more to it.

To be honest, Clarke had never intended to travel to Iroshio in the first place.

The Great Iroshio Forest was a remote land said to be overflowing with Demonic Beasts, something Clarke had only ever heard about in stories. For someone who had barely ever left the royal capital, it was truly unknown territory. The very idea of traveling there was unthinkable.

And yet, Cameron Fourier had presented a reward sufficient to make Clarke accept the journey. That reward was Fourier’s extensive network of connections.

Fourier himself, though from a cadet branch, carried noble blood, descended from the historic Baldemonte family.

Through that lineage, he had cultivated powerful relationships. Members of the royal family, executives of continent-spanning corporations, and even high-ranking officials of the Temple Bureau. Clarke knew well that Fourier’s own abilities were nothing special. It was these connections that had secured him his current post.

And now, Fourier had promised to introduce Clarke to select individuals if he would accompany the mission. On top of that, he would prepare a letter of recommendation for promotion to a position of responsibility.

Connor Clarke was, by his own admission, an intensely ambitious man.

He believed himself talented, and therefore naturally entitled to rise faster and higher than any of his peers. He was sharp, always chose the optimal solution, and knew how to deploy people efficiently. All he lacked was a solid pipeline of influence. With that in hand, he was convinced he could climb endlessly upward. That belief defined him.

Which was why Fourier’s proposal was irresistible.

The expedition to Iroshio would be guarded by the Mobile Heavy Cavalry, elite troops specialized in slaying Demonic Beasts and other non-human threats. There was no greater military force in the kingdom. This entire battalion would serve as the mission’s main fighting strength.

“Can you imagine a more reliable escort?”

Fourier had asked Clarke.

“There is no need to traverse the entire forest. What matters is the fact that an investigation team was dispatched.”

This was an unprecedented catastrophe. The kingdom could not afford to appear idle. Yet venturing as far as the Daypahra Mountains was beyond human capability. Even so, merely sending a team to Iroshio and setting foot there was politically necessary.

“On site, we’ll enlist the Amukham Village Guard as guides. If we can bring along a well-known figure, our evaluation will improve considerably. You’ll be protected by them and the knights. All you need to do is explore the forest for three or four days. Think of it as a half-year business trip, round trip. Hardly a burden, is it? And when you return, you’ll be promoted.”

Given all that, Clarke’s acceptance had been inevitable.

◇◇◇◇◇

But now, Clarke was beginning to think that this wasn’t what he was promised.

To someone who had lived a life far removed from conflict, the presence emanating from the people of Amukham felt no different from that of an antisocial mob.

Until their arrival, the journey had been perfectly safe and comfortable under the protection of the knight order. No one dared oppose Fourier. Along the way, Clarke had enjoyed more than his fair share of indulgences through Fourier’s favor. Inside the carriage, out of sight, he had passed the days in idle luxury.

That was only natural with a noble like Fourier present. In the capital, respect for bloodlines was a given.

But here? These people openly declared that they held no reverence for noble lineage at all.

He had heard that respect for blood weakened the farther one traveled from the center, but this was his first time witnessing it firsthand.

Clark felt himself growing unsettled.

◇◇◇◇◇

“I understand exactly what you’re saying. But you see, Clarke, you’re actually quite fortunate.”
“…Huh? Fortunate…? Me? I wonder about that.”
“Indeed! Think about it! Lord Cloud is, by rights, a Margrave of the Amukham Frontier! You will be opening up an untamed land alongside such a man! What greater honor could there be?!”

Fourier had invited Clarke to serve as deputy precisely because he was easy to manipulate.

Clarke constantly complained that he was undervalued, craving evaluations far beyond his station. From the outside, it was laughable, but give him the right bait, and he would do anything. His thinking was wonderfully simple.

Fourier himself had a duty to remain safely in the rear, overseeing the mission as a whole. There was no reason for him to risk his life on the front lines.

Someone else had to go instead. That someone was Clarke. That was why he had brought him along in the first place. He had already let Clarke enjoy plenty of perks along the way. Now it was time for him to earn them.

Turning tail here was unacceptable. Doing so would permanently derail his career, and he likely wouldn’t even make it safely back to the capital.

Clarke had only one possible choice from the start. And yet, Fourier found himself pleased with how generous and magnanimous he was by explaining it all.

With that self-satisfaction warming his heart, he continued weaving his persuasion.

“……”
“Just imagine the impression this will make once we return to the capital. What do you think?”
“N-Now that you mention it…”
“I can already picture it, Clarke, the reception you’ll receive from the people I introduce you to, once we return in triumph.”

Waiting for the Grades to return would take at least a week, and preparing afterward another one or two. Spending nearly a month stuck in this place was unthinkable. Unnecessary expenses would only damage Fourier’s own evaluation. And who knew how famous those Grades even were? It was a gamble he had no intention of taking. They needed to depart as soon as possible.

Besides, the chieftain himself was willing to lead them. Opportunities like this didn’t come twice. If he could say he had sent that man off, his own reputation would soar. Clarke’s whining could not be allowed to tarnish that. No matter what, Clarke had to go.

Fourier continued his persuasion smoothly.

“I see, I see.”

“And have you already forgotten? You were never meant to advance far into Iroshio. Once the base camp is established, three or four days in, you’ll return with the supply unit. That’s all. Just four or five days.”
“…Ah—y-yes. That’s right… no, yes! Of course!”

“There’s nothing to worry about. All you need to do is dream of the glory that awaits you.”
“Y-yes! Then, as promised, once the expedition succeeds, I humbly ask for your introductions!”
“Of course. Leave it to me.”

Though the sun had not yet reached its peak, the dimly lit room echoed softly with the thin, vulgar laughter of two men.