The afternoon following Martina and the others’ return to the royal palace. Lambert was not in the military minister’s office, but in the audience chamber. The location had been suddenly changed to the audience chamber because the King wished to hear the report directly.
Although Lambert was born into a noble family and was accustomed to dealing with high-ranking officials as the captain of the knights, he rarely had the chance to enter the audience chamber. He appeared slightly tense.
“My apologies for the sudden change,” the King said.
“No, it’s no problem. It is a great honor to be able to see His Majesty’s esteemed face,” Lambert replied.
“You needn’t be so formal. Although this is the audience chamber, it’s just the military minister and me here,” the King reassured him.
“Understood,” Lambert said, bowing his head and relaxing slightly.
After taking a deep breath, Lambert began the report in a serious tone.
“First, regarding the recent large-scale monster outbreak… we’ve determined that the cause is a buildup of miasma.”
“As expected… I believe eight light attribute mages were sent, but did they attempt to eliminate it?” the King inquired.
Lambert nodded immediately, taking a moment before continuing with a grim update.
“The size of the miasma buildup was double that of the previous one, and although we attempted to eliminate it, we failed. During the time we were injecting mana into it, the miasma seemed to shrink, but as soon as all mana use stopped, it returned to its original size. To eliminate this miasma, we would need twice the number of people, at least twenty… and considering it is still expanding, even more may be necessary.”
Having reported all the details, Lambert paused, glancing at the King and the military minister. Their expressions were serious and grim.
“More than twenty… that is nearly impossible,” the King muttered.
“Indeed. We might be able to gather that many by applying penalties for those who refuse the summons, but even if we could, it would cause unrest in the country. Moreover, in the future, those with light attributes might even try to hide their abilities,” the military minister added.
“Another approach could be to increase the rewards for those who respond to the summons, but even so, it’s unlikely many will volunteer to go to such dangerous places…” Lambert said.
“Yes… after all, someone with a light attribute can earn plenty on their own,” the military minister agreed.
The conversation halted for a moment, and a heavy silence settled in the audience chamber. The King broke the silence.
“Captain of the First Knight Order, how are the knights handling the monsters that are born from the miasma?”
“Yes. As with the last incident, we’ve been dispatching knights to defeat them as soon as they appear. The knights are currently dealing with those that have already spread.”
“I see… understood. Then, while we still have time, we must aim to revive the summoning of the Saint,” the King declared.
The military minister nodded in agreement, but Lambert’s eyes widened in surprise.
“I’ve heard Martina mention it before, but is it truly possible to do such a thing?”
“I don’t know. We know nothing for certain, but we have little choice but to stake everything on this small hope. As long as miasma accumulations may continue to appear, if we don’t act, the country will eventually be overwhelmed by monsters.”
The King’s words, spoken in a low voice, left the military minister and Lambert speechless. They knew that offering simple comforts would be meaningless, and they could think of no effective solutions.
“We must investigate the summoning of the Saint and begin planning to revive the magic circle. Martina must be included, of course. There will also be a lot of research to do, so we should bring in the librarian, Sophian, and the historian, Laforet. Who else should we include?”
“Your Majesty, I believe we should include several government officials from the administrative department to handle various adjustments.”
“Good. Then choose those who are close to Martina. That will make things easier. And the knight order will also be necessary. What about you, Captain of the First Knight Order?”
At the King’s words, Lambert straightened up and bowed.
“If I may be appointed, I will give my utmost effort in carrying out my duties.”
“Good, then I leave it to you. The knight order’s strength will be needed in various situations. I’ll also rely on you for the ongoing observation of the miasma buildup.”
“Understood.”
The three of them continued to discuss the plan and finalize the selection of members. About two hours later, Lambert left the audience chamber.
As he stepped out of the room, a strong light of resolve filled Lambert’s eyes.
