By Zephyria Meterion, who had been watching the scene with his arms crossed, narrowed his brows as if he was very displeased that the battalion commander, who had been depressed by the news of his subordinate’s death, was joining a reckless plan. Soon after, instead of refuting Rainer’s words, he rested his hand on the armrest and asked the investigators to hear the definite facts.
“What are the investigators’ opinions?”
The assistant investigators, who were still in front of the platform to move the samples, had troubled faces when the high-ranking commander asked for an opinion that was not a fact. Nevertheless, when Meterion persistently stared at them, one of them opened his mouth, looking around.
“…There was a similar direction among the hypotheses we established.”
According to his words, this topic had already been discussed several times among the investigators.
However, he said that since the existence of the next core meant that the power structure and generational change within the Peninsula were imminent, it was impossible to guarantee that all the demon beasts, though bound to the Peninsula, would move as the existing core’s pheromones led them.
In particular, he said that it was most uncertain whether the Dermokas would respond to the call, and that since they seemed to be supporting the new core, the pheromone action of the existing core might not be as great as expected over time.
After hearing the answer, Meterion leaned back in his chair with his legs crossed. It was no different from his usual behavior, but seeing it in this situation, it seemed subtly triumphant, and Charlotte across from him let out a cynical laugh.
Bruno, who had heard the investigator’s words, glanced at the Legion Commander, who had been silent all along. Then, he turned his head back to the front and opened his mouth to proceed with the meeting.
“Certainly, it was a good opinion, but it seems that there are unclear factors to execute it without error. And… this is just my opinion, but even if we succeed in wiping them out, there will be no guide to lead us to the habitat, so there is a possibility that it will be difficult to find the next core that is hiding. We need to leave at least a few to guide us to the place where they hid the eggs.”
At that time, the chief investigator, who had been standing still and watching the commanders’ conversation, suddenly opened his mouth.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but if the plan mentioned earlier really succeeds, you don’t have to worry about the guide.”
The commanders’ gazes were once again focused on his voice. Bruno, who had spoken last, asked back.
“What do you mean?”
“The next core are all in eggs or newly born babies inside the Peninsula right now. Juvenile demon beasts are so weak that they are eaten by beasts or trampled to death. They may be destined to become King, but they can’t do anything alone and will starve to death without a supporting force to assist them.”
The chief investigator slowly moved his gaze and continued.
“The ‘perfect subjugation’ that I specified in the briefing earlier means that there is no new King, or that the possibility of creating another group is fundamentally blocked because there is no force to gather around the new King.”
“……”
“So, if we eradicate the demon beasts that take care of them and achieve the latter of the two conditions, the next core will not be able to survive alone on the Peninsula, so there will be no need for a guide to lead us to their habitat.”
There was a brief silence in the meeting place at his clear explanation. Taking advantage of the gap, Charlotte asked the investigator.
“Isn’t there a possibility that the remaining next core will form a new group?”
“In a honeybee colony, if several queen bee candidates are born, they kill each other, and only one surviving individual becomes the Queen. The system of the Peninsula’s demon beasts also seems to be similar to this, so it can be said that coexistence between the next core is impossible.”
“Then, does the investigator judge that it is worth trying to execute the plan mentioned earlier?”
Charlotte asked as if to drive a wedge into the investigator’s answer, which was unclear whether he was just trying to inform the facts or support someone’s opinion. The chief investigator seemed to hesitate for a moment in that spot, and then gave an ambiguous answer that was neither affirmative nor negative.
“As Molton Battalion Commander said, I agree that it’s the fastest and most certain way to end the subjugation at this point if it succeeds. However, considering various possibilities, the probability of failure is overwhelmingly higher than the probability of success.”
Meterion asked.
“What is the probability of failure?”
“Over 90%.”
As if there was nothing more to hear, Meterion waved his hand. The commanders who had been looking at it positively also coughed awkwardly, seemingly embarrassed by the absurd probability.
Charlotte, who had been somewhat expecting the chief investigator to support her opinion, looked deflated. It was better not to hear it at all, as the answer would crush even the will she had.
In the end, the situation returned to square one. Charlotte, who found it difficult to express her opinion, unconsciously looked at the head table where the Legion Commander was sitting. Bruno also turned his head as if he wanted to hear Hugo’s opinion this time.
The commanders’ heads turned one by one, and everyone looked at only one place, as if they had made a promise. Leonardo, who was indirectly realizing the weight of the decision at the end of that gaze from the side, turned his eyes last.
“What do you think, Legion Commander?”
As Bruno cautiously asked, the final decision-making power to tie up the divided opinions implicitly returned to Hugo. There was no change in his expression as he seriously watched the situation, but Leonardo, who was watching quietly from the side, somehow felt that he was reluctant to make a decision.
The problem of probability and possibility, no matter how carefully considered, always feels like a rash decision. Especially in the same position as this person.
In fact, the failure rate of over 90% itself was not important to Leonardo. Rather, he thought there was no reason not to try if there was a way to compensate with the Barrier Stone, even if it failed.
However, the Legion Commander I know didn’t seem likely to give a positive answer.
Hugo’s gaze, which had been scanning the commanders, suddenly reached Leonardo. Leonardo, who had been thinking about this and that, tilted his head in bewilderment when he suddenly met his eyes.
Soon, the commanders’ gazes followed, so he became anxious that he might suddenly ask, ‘Leonardo, what do you think?’ in this situation. But the blue eyes seemed to be asking that.
Leonardo, with a hardened expression, protested by glaring, meaning, ‘Why are you looking at me?’ Hugo stared at him for a while, then turned his head without saying anything. Then he asked the chief investigator, who was already back in front of the platform.
“How much time do you estimate is left until the core is completely released from the seal?”
“…I’m sorry, but I cannot predict that accurately. However, I can only say that the Council’s arrival here at this time is so imminent that it can be said to be a stroke of luck.”
After about 3 seconds of silence, Hugo lowered his gaze slightly at the ambiguous answer. He tapped the armrest of the chair with his long fingers.
Leonardo unconsciously focused on the sound that was heard regularly.
“A failure rate of over 90%….”
Along with his sighing voice, the sound from his fingertips gradually slowed down. The surroundings were as quiet as a mouse, so it sounded louder than ever.
Tap, tap, tap. The sound, which had been dragging on, stopped at some point.
Hugo, who had straightened his gaze, opened his mouth in the silence.
“Let’s bet on the remaining 10%.”
After a moment of silence, the surroundings became rapidly noisy.
The commanders, with wide eyes, looked at each other and murmured. It was a decision that was unlike the Legion Commander.
Charlotte, who had been staring at the head table without meaning, blinked her big eyes at the suddenly made decision. Then, she slightly raised the corners of her lips, nudged the arm of her superior next to her, and held out her palm downwards. Rainer scoffed with an indifferent face and quickly turned his gaze, but he clapped his hands appropriately.
Meanwhile, from across the way, Meterion’s voice, with his brow furrowed, could be heard, unable to understand.
“Isn’t that too reckless a decision? The probability of failure is so high, what are you trusting to proceed?”
“There is an appropriate countermeasure called the Barrier Stone, and with the core not knowing when it will be released, I don’t think there’s any reason to refuse if there’s even a 1% chance of wiping them out.”
“An appropriate countermeasure? It’s easy to say, but to trap all the demon beasts distributed in all directions, you have to lay Barrier Stones weighing tens or hundreds of tons along the border of a wide peninsula. Do you think that’s possible in a short time?”
Hugo also knew that it wasn’t an easy task. However, he didn’t show it and answered calmly.
“We have to make it possible. Because that’s what we have to do.”
What we have to do. Meterion’s expression crumpled at the magic-like phrase that elegantly dismissed it.
“You’re going down a difficult path.”
“There hasn’t been an easy path since we entered the peninsula, Kleinder Battalion Commander.”
Meterion gritted his teeth as Hugo emphasized his title. He didn’t argue further, but his face still didn’t show that he understood.
Leonardo, who was also a little surprised by the unexpected decision, blinked and looked at Hugo’s profile. He couldn’t have read my thoughts just because our eyes met for a moment, but strangely, he had a strange feeling that my existence was involved in the reason why he made such an unlike-him decision.
The best direction for me was to end the subjugation quickly, so if the situation flowed in this direction, it would be more than positive. However, that was only from this side’s point of view, and the problem of persuading the commanders was clearly a different matter.
Leonardo, who was looking back and forth at the two people in a tense confrontation, wondered whether to join in and give them strength. They didn’t seem to be on good terms just by looking at them, and somehow it seemed like he would be clearly taking sides if he supported one side’s opinion here.
Moreover, the opposing target was Meterion Kleinder, and maybe it was because he knew I was uncomfortable, but I didn’t want to get involved with him any more than this. I didn’t want to stand out either.
As he was about to remain silent, Leonardo’s expression was soon caught in his eye, and he clicked his tongue inwardly.
Soon, his long thoughts became useless at once, and with the thought of helping just once, he suddenly opened his mouth towards Meterion.
“About that Barrier Stone, I don’t think you need to lay them all.”