Reincarnated Devil's Strongest Hero Training Plan ~The baby he picked up has grown up so well that his father is confused~ - Chapter 30

Reincarnated Devil’s Strongest Hero Training Plan ~The baby he picked up has grown up so well that his father is confused~

Chapter 30   Aristocrats acting behind the scenes and low-class devil taking advantage of the opportunity

After Gaius defeated the leader of the Holy Knights in the final, for a while, amidst the ongoing children’s tournament, which was the main event of the competition, individuals dressed in black gathered under the command of a nobleman who had reached middle age, kneeling before him.

The location was his mansion in the noble district, a little distance away from the martial arts tournament arena.

“Lord Zalug, we have a report to present.”

“Proceed.”

Lord Zalug, as addressed by the individuals in black, nodded graciously, exerting dominance over the atmosphere of the place.

His authority was not like that of ordinary nobles engrossed in power struggles; rather, it possessed sufficient martial prowess to command the spirits of those dressed in black.

It could be inferred that he occupied a position equivalent to a military officer among the nobles, considering the need to excel in martial arts despite owning territory and the possibility of being attacked by other countries. This was indeed the essence of this man.

After receiving reports for a while, Zalug, upon hearing that the leader of the Holy Knights had been defeated in the final match and the unique combat skills that led to the defeat, raised an eyebrow upon hearing that the victorious warrior who also serve as an escort for a certain child who could also utilize those skills.

“…To think that there exists someone capable of defeating the leader of the Holy Knights, who has been hailed as the strongest in history, with sheer strength. And the child under the protection of that warrior is no ordinary individual either… Hm. In that case, it becomes highly likely that the nobleman has come to assess the military strength of our country.”

“Yes. While we are still investigating which country they belong to… However, ultimately, it seems to be the case. And not only the warrior but the child as well poses a considerable threat, I dare say.”

Likely, among the neighboring countries, Lord Zalug, the Border Count, speculated. Because there would be no point in participating in the martial arts tournament if they were not a country bordering theirs.

The assumption that they came all the way to establish connection with the saint in a distant land lacks persuasiveness, and there would be no point in assessing military strength in the first place. Therefore, it is inferred that the origin of the nobleman named Kakyu, who hired that warrior, naturally belongs to one of the neighboring countries.

“In that case, if they’ve brought a pawn surpassing the leader of the Holy Knights, we can gauge their seriousness…”

He anticipated the worst-case scenario and analyzed it based on the premise of being in his shoes. If he were to fight on the battlefield against the leader of the Holy Knights, disregarding means, how many sacrifices would it take to defeat him?

Certainly, defeating the leader of the Holy Knights single-handedly wouldn’t be impossible for him. Unlike the martial arts tournament where only direct confrontations yield results, on the battlefield, traps, magical tools, and the presence of each other’s subordinates need to be considered. However, even if he were to ultimately emerge victorious, it was certain that he would be forced to endure significant sacrifices.

Nevertheless, including the ability to oversee situations from a tactical perspective, such calculations were part of his combat prowess as a border count. He considered various scenarios in a short amount of time and concluded the danger posed by the noble opponent, defeating the leader of the Holy Knights, and the danger posed by Gaius, who wore the dragon equipment, utilizing it to its fullest extent.

“That man, he’s becoming increasingly dangerous. If he cannot be persuaded as a warrior allied with other nations, then there’s no choice but to eliminate him. Otherwise, he poses a threat not only to our nation but also to the revered Saintess, a treasure of humanity capable of opposing the demonic forces. After all, he’s proven capable of defeating even the captain of the Holy Knights, who stands as the linchpin of our country’s defense.”

“Yes! Understood. In that case, we, the clandestine operatives, shall proceed with their eradication—”

“Well, hold on. There’s no need to rush. The conversation isn’t over yet.”

Lord Zalug, the Border Count, interrupted the operatives of the covert organization of the Holy Church, who seemed poised to take action.

Indeed, while Gaius’s combat prowess was undeniably a threat, matters weren’t so straightforward.

Dealing with someone from another country who had won the tournament and attracted attention would create international issues and wouldn’t be easily concealed. Moreover, the previous discussion was conditional on the inability to manipulate him.

Therefore, it would be prudent to carefully consider the course of action for the future.

Moreover, as the winner of the tournament, he would at least be invited to the royal palace as a notable participant. He would inevitably attend the evening gathering for the top participants tonight. In other words, there was still plenty of time to think.

Hence, Lord Zalug sighed at the operatives’ impatience, realizing there was no need to hurry.

“First, let’s start with relatively manageable tasks, dealing with that child who is likely the weakness of the warrior, Gaius. …Hm, according to reports, hasn’t that child already reached the final stages? ”

“Yes! At this rate, it’s likely that he will compete against Ein, the prodigy of the sword and the son of the leader of the Holy Knights, in the final. In terms of strength, these two are head and shoulders above the rest, and it’s almost certain to become a reality.”

“I see,” he said, understanding and contemplating.

If the report was true, then a child with the same unique combat skills as the warrior would engage in a battle of attrition against Ein, the prodigy of the sword, in the final.

In that case, regardless of who wins, their stamina will be significantly depleted, and above all…

“I doubt that the combat skills used by that warrior can be used without any repercussions. It’s not something a human can do, defeating the leader of the Holy Knights with a single blow. If that’s the case, then it might be prudent to anticipate the child using those skills at the martial arts tournament and launch an attack during the evening gathering where he lost stamina… And then, if we add a spectacle of rescuing the child, the opposing nobles wouldn’t be able to retaliate strongly.”

No matter how strong this Gaius character is, ultimately it’s the nobility, his masters, who move him.

If we can create a debt with that noble, we can manipulate the situation to our advantage.

Therefore, within Zalug, it has already been decided to use the child as bargaining chip against Gaius. Once they bring negotiations to a favorable position, He is confident they can devise means to persuade him.

After all, negotiations primarily hinge on who holds the upper hand in the preparation stage.

The subsequent verbal sparring is merely a superficial aspect, not the essence.

Negotiators who can overturn the initial power dynamics are few and far between.

“Very well! In that case… I’ll immediately assign teams for the assault and rescue missions.”

“Yes. But make sure nobody suspects a thing. If our intent to target the child is exposed, everything will be lost. The effectiveness lies in the uncertainty of who, when, and where the cards are being played.”

“Understood!”

With that, the shadowy figure vanished from the presence of the border count, ready to fulfill the crucial role in national defense.

And the border count shared the same sentiment. He understood that if this negotiation failed, their nation, having lost the Holy Knight Commander, its strongest card, would suffer a significant blow to its reputation. Even the presence of the Saintess would be shaken by other nations.

For him, too, it was undoubtedly a risky gamble.

However, once the martial arts competition concludes and that noble leaves the country, it will be too late to act.

In a nation steeped in human supremacy doctrine, one wouldn’t typically expect a visit with a Dark Elf wife.

“But to have absolutely no leads whatsoever… it’s beyond frustrating. If they’ve managed to slip through our investigation this easily, it’s no laughing matter. Could it be that the noble’s visit was merely a sightseeing trip in disguise?”

After the departure of the shadowy figure, a faint sense of unease lingered as he listened to the report.

As one possible answer, the notion of sightseeing came to mind, yet if that were the case, it couldn’t help but be a rather casual affair, a thought that couldn’t escape the mind of the border count.

◇

“Hmm, I see. So that’s how it is…”

“What’s the matter, Husband?”

“Oh, it’s nothing, Elsa. Just some business over here.”

It seems that in order to investigate the movements of the Holy Maiden Guards, or rather the extremists in this country, I’ve been sending out my subordinate demon, Mini-Kakyu, equipped with my special ability of splitting, to keep an eye on them. Upon hearing the reports from Mini-Kakyu, I came to various realizations.

Apparently, that clandestine organization was persistent and intended to take action targeting Ars in the future.

Honestly, it was supposed to be a pleasant event where my son would make friends. To dampen the mood at a time like this was utterly unacceptable.

…However.

“But, this could be useful.”

“Pardon?”

“Elsa, I’ve got something to attend to. I’ll be stepping out for a bit, so hold onto my chair. Well, I’ll be back before Ars’ final match.”

“I see, another one of husband’s schemes, isn’t it? I won’t pry into the details, but if it’s for Ars, I won’t ask too many questions. Take care then.”

Alrighty.

Since I never told Elsa about the mini-kakyu, she probably doesn’t understand what’s happening, but it seems she’s picked up on the fact that I’m about to do something out of the ordinary.

She’s quite the perceptive woman.

Now then, I suppose I should get ready on my end as well.

After all, it seems like Ars is on the verge of making friends.

If that’s the case, why not go all out and liven up this event?