「Any information related to the seven imperial armaments?」

「In all honesty, we’re a little in trouble there. Literature on that matter is too scare after all. Just as Elma had said earlier, after the dark war era, the families of the seven imperial armaments seem to have intentionally erased information on them」

The first thing that Merea asked about were those armaments, prompting the leader of〈Knowledge (Lazlas)〉Lilium to answer him.

With her crimson hair spread out behind her and her bangs tucked behind her ear, she sat in a perfect posture as she replied to Merea’s question.

「That so? ――DId you remember any information Elma?」

「Sorry but even I don’t have concrete information other than from my own family. I think it’s quite commendable the my grandfather and his group managed to dig up as much information as they did but when it comes to the other families, I don’t really know much…」

「..I see. But, it’s not like we don’t have any clue at all though」

「Why are you able to say that with certainty?」

Elma immediately asked when she heard the words Merea said. When Merea heard that question, he turned toward Elma and while raising his index finger, he spoke with a clear tone.

「Because, Serius had stolen the demonic spear of the〈Spear Emperor〉」

Elma looked surprised and as if she had realised something, she nodded.

「Unless it’s something like, Mūzeg’s family is the family of the〈Spear Emperor〉then it would mean that they somehow managed to get the information on the seven imperial families from somewhere. The family of the〈Spear Emperor〉, even if they don’t get recognized as a demon lord, Mūzeg might have somehow found out about the existence of their family and the descendents who inherited the〈Demonic Spear Kurtad〉. ――Well, the moment those descendents took possession of the demonic spear, that very moment they would end up being demon lords though」

Merea spoke bitterly.

「That’s true. In that case, It might be better to think that there is definitely information on the other imperial families――」

「It’s also good for the mental health of〈Knowledge〉」

Lilium sighed as she added to what Elma said. 「It would be absolutely tiring to try to find information on a topic that you yourself believe to not exist. It’s unproductive I tell you, unproductive. It’s one of the three major hardships of a hired scholar. There weren’t many of such scholars in the〈Blue Rose Academy (Mies Aios)〉of Aios but in places like〈Red Rose Academy (Mies Aios)〉there are quite a few of them」

「By the way, what are the other two major hardships of hired scholars?」

「I’ll talk about it later if I ever have the chance」

Lilium noticed that ardent curiosity in Merea’s eyes. Even though she noticed it, she was sure that, if she were to talk about it right now, the conference would definitely get side tracked. So, in order for the conference to not get affected, she hung bait in front of his eyes like an experienced pet owner. Merea as well seemed to have realised that he shouldn’t get sidetracked and quickly thought, 「not good, not good」 and seemed to be reprimanding himself.

「In any case, let’s just put it down as no harvest. ...Hmm, although I don’t think that Serius would do something like spreading around the way to use the seven imperial armaments but I’m still a little worried」

When Merea had come into contact with it, he had looked for an opportunity and stolen the demonic spear Kurtad from Serius. Merea believed that, if Serius didn't let his guard down around Merea at that time, he would have had it much harder trying to steal the spear.

That was a one-off negligence born solely from their first meeting an lack of information. It was huge that he managed to achieve that yield in that one-off negligent situation.

――In case he manages to get his hands on another one of the imperial armaments and shows up in front of me then it would definitely be...troublesome.

Not just restricted to the seven imperial armaments but, the very fact that they had crossed swords was enough to become the foundation for Serius to come up with countermeasures.

――...

Merea was definitely not underestimating the talent Serius had for war.

――Well, even if we put individual combat aside...having a large body like Mūzeg’s army getting their hands on one of the seven imperial armaments would be troublesome.

If it were Serius then he would definitely create corps that would be specialised in swinging the seven imperial armaments. Just one swing managed to achieve that sort of a result.

If they were able to swing it multiple times then the bedrock of war would be in smithereens.

Merea imagined a situation where war was going up in flames. Serius was probably imagining a similar situation.

Thanks to that, Serius would obviously have a thought like, 『Since the enemy used something like that』. More than anything, Serius was on the side that 『received』 the first attack from a seven imperial armament in this era.

To understand the threat of the matter, being the one who received that strike, Serius would understand it as much if not more than Merea who had actually made the strike.

――He probably doesn’t want to let us use it.

Of course, as the side using it, they would want to monopolize it. Having both sides use it, he should also be trying to avoid such a situation.

If the situation actually devolved into them clashing with such strikes then war tactics could just be thrown out the window. The war would end up like a gambling event instead.

Mūzeg, which had grown to this point with gambling, would want to avoid a situation where they would disappear.

Merea predicted that Serius would definitely try to hide the seven imperial armaments for the time being. At the very least, he would hide it till all the armaments were in his hands. Merea was still unsure on how to release that information.

「It’s like we’re walking around with a bomb strapped to us」

「Seriously」

Merea finally opened his mouth and spoke. Hearing him, Elma nodded and replied while the other demon lords showed a similar reaction.

They probably had a similar situation played out in their heads.

「――Well, Hasim would actively help out on that point. When situation actually devolves to that point, Serius and Hasim would definitely make their entire countries move. We just need to make sure that we get on top of that wave. It’s just that, any information on the matter could also work as a bargaining chip so we should search for it proactively. ――Although it might be information that we don’t know whether it exists or not and I do feel sorry about that point but please do look into it」 Merea spoke with a wry smile. The members of〈Knowledge〉who were sitting towards the end of the table on Merea’s left showed a similar smile and just shrugged.

「――Leave it to us」

In the end, they answered strongly.

「Yeah, I’ll leave it to you. I’m fairly useless when it comes to these points so I won’t be able to do anything for you」

While speaking with an embarrassed look, Merea showed the trust he had in them through his words.

◆◆◆

「Well then, shall we move onto the next topic? ――Shaw, do you have anything?」

「Oh, is it my turn?」

The next one Merea turned towards was Shaw, who was sitting towards the middle of the right side. He was two seats further in past Salman. Between the two, the twins――Lina and Mina were sitting happily.

「Speak quickly, dead man―」 「dead man―」

「Somehow feels like I’ve become something completely different in the second half though. I don’t particularly move around like a dead man!」

Shaw purposefully rustled his golden hair as if to show off to the twins next to him.

「Ohh, I unexpectedly reacted strongly. …*cough*. ――So, well, that’s right, you’re asking if I got any information other than the commerce I do right?」

「It’s helpful that you’re able to understand without me having to elaborate」

Merea laughed and then spoke up again.

「At present, I suppose the members of〈Wallet (Lister)〉are probably spread out the most. Although you’re concentrated on commerce but, unlike〈Knowledge〉that has quite a lot of things to do inside and outside, you guys are much more sensitive to information from the outside」

「That’s perfectly accurate」

「Do you have something?」

「Hmm. ――Ah, now that you mention it」

Shaw dropped his right fist into his left hand and with an obvious acting like he just came up with something, he spoke up.

「Although I talked about doing trade with the western side but when I was exchanging information on that topic with merchants from other companies I came by some interesting information」

「Oh?」

Light seemed to flicker in Merea’s red eyes.

「Do you know about the〈Art City Virgilia〉?」

「Art city?」

「Yes, that’s right」

Shaw straightened up and spoke with a serious expression. Although his expression was serious, his gestures and body movements still had a dramatic flair to it.

「It’s a city that gathers art. Music, theatre, painting, literature, antiques, a combined opera and even 『new something or the other』 that may or may not even be art. Well, it’s basically a city that gathers different kinds of art to the point that we can’t even list all of them in one go. In any case, as a city state, they can be considered a nation but they don't really have much independence. You can call it as a playground for entertainers, I suppose」

「Hmm. Where is it?」

「It’s in the northeast of the eastern continent. It’s by the sea」

「I see, I see」

Merea opened up a world map in his head, this was something that had practically been beaten into him by Marisa recently. However, he was still quite unclear on the information about the other continents so he just concentrated on the eastern continent and placed a mark on the place where the art city Virgilia would be.

「It seems like the nobles and magnates of the surrounding countries have revived a little after the resumption of commerce so there are predictions that the number of people visiting Virgilia would be much more than the average year」

「Hmmm」

「From here on out is the main topic」

Shaw put his index finger up in front of his mouth as he spoke with a refreshing smile on his face.

「In that Virgilia, the actor who might become the 『star』 of the upcoming pleasure season seems to be living there」

「Actor huh」

「Yes. To be more accurate, it appears to be an opera actress」

「Does that have any relation to us?」

「This is just my speculation okay? But, from what I’ve heard so far, 『she』 is――」

Shaw paused before he spoke up with a dramatic air.

「She seems to be called the〈Enchanting Queen〉」

For them, that exaggerated title had a rather familiar ring to it. Though compared to the system of heroes and demon lords which give relatively short titles, it felt rather long but even so――

「――It’s a word that resounds quite oddly. Is it because of the position, I wonder?」

The words that Melea laughed and said in amazement accurately represented the hearts of the current demon kings.