"I, too, have fulfilled a long-held wish with the sword Darius-dono struck for me. I intend to repay my debt to him with my life. Aria-dono, Luna-dono, Sofia-dono, and we are also here. I believe the operation itself is not reckless."

Aria was pleased that the two of them had praised Darius as she sat back down.

As she nodded to herself, the king made his final decision.

"―Very well. However, we also have conditions. Once the regeneration is complete, the Aldrian Kingdom will join our alliance under the protection of Asteria. In military and economic matters, you will prioritize our decisions. Is that acceptable?"

It was a declaration to become a de facto vassal state. However, Verrier bowed deeply without a moment's hesitation.

"I humbly accept. Kylan has also agreed to those conditions."

With that reply, there would be no more objections from the nobles.

Then, the king moves on to the next agenda item.

"I understand your resolve completely. However, I've also heard about the problem from Kylan. In the capital of Aldrian, there's a Tyranno Behemoth."

"...Yes."

Tyranno Behemoth. At the mention of that name, the expressions of everyone in the meeting stiffened noticeably.

That's because this monster was treated like a legendary creature, the kind spoken of in fairy tales.

Scales covered in deep crimson scales, strong teeth, and powerfully built legs.

It's a monster that possesses the strength of a dinosaur species.

That monster had possessed a ferocity distinct from that of the dragon species and had already been discovered by Kylan's unit.

"W-wait, is there really a Tyranno Behemoth?"

"But... isn't it a legendary monster?"

Voices rose one after another from the nobles as well. Their expressions were filled with fear, and that atmosphere spread to those around them.

Verrier also seemed to want to shake off her weakness, but her expression was equally grim.

"...It had the appearance and strength just as described. I heard from the soldiers that its armor was incredibly thick, as if some kind of barrier had been deployed, and that attacks didn't penetrate at all."

At Verrier's words, the king nodded slightly.

"If the legends are true... the Tyranno Behemoth is protected by a Shell Barrier... and ordinary attacks won't work. It's probably the Tyranno Behemoth. The problem is how to deal with this monster... So, I'd like to confirm Aria, Luna, and Sofia... Are your weapons not made with Crystallium?"

The Crystallium.

It's a legendary mineral said to rival orichalcum. It's found extremely rarely in dungeons, and its market price is immeasurable.

In fact, even looking around the world, there are only a handful of weapons and armor made of Crystallium or Orichalcum.

The king asked that way because it would take that much material to destroy the Tyranno Behemoth's shell barrier.

At least, according to legend.

"...No, ours is different."

"...I see. If it's Darius's weapon, there's a chance, however slim... isn't there? But still... considering what happens if the attack doesn't break..."

The king muttered to himself in thought for a while, as if pondering, when Luna interjected.

"This isn't a matter of the weapon's durability or anything like that. Rather, it's more likely a matter of compatibility."

"Compatibility?"

Aria had heard of that, too.

She realized that the barriers created by magic aren't simply about smashing something hard with something even harder to break it.

Of course, sometimes brute force can get them through, but Luna denies that.

"Yes. Each ore and magic stone has a different unique wavelength of magical power. To destroy that shell barrier, a crystal ore with a special wavelength that matches it, probably the Crystallium, would likely be the most effective. If you search the world, there's a possibility you might find other magic stones with similar properties, but the most reliable is still the Crystallium."

Indeed, there might be something within the magic stones that matches the wavelengths produced by the Crystallium.

However, it's not realistic to take a large amount of magic stones and try them out on-site. And if they don't find any magic stones like that, it's not just that everything would be wasted.

"...Then we'll have to start by finding the Crystallium but―"

"Regarding that point... perhaps if you consulted Darius-san, something could be worked out."

"...What did you say?"

At the mention of Darius's name again, not only the king but everyone's faces turned toward Luna.

Aria also understood. Sofia likely understood as well.

And as for why Luna's expression seemed somewhat hesitant, Aria felt the same way.

Chapter 45