"Ah... You mean there are fewer?"
Cecilia was immediately startled!
If she made a mistake at this time, it would be troublesome!
Upon hearing Cecilia's words, the officer immediately raised his hand like he'd been electrocuted, waving it vigorously:
"Ah! No, no! It's not like that!"
Seeing the officer's reaction, Cecilia asked somewhat awkwardly:
"Uh... then it's..."
However, before Cecilia could finish speaking, the officer said anxiously:
"That... wasn't it supposed to be thirty in total? Why are there fifty?"
Upon hearing this, Cecilia showed a formulaic smile.
"Ah, there's no need to be surprised about this matter. The plan to increase the aid supplies again was approved by both Her Majesty Elashia and Lady Candice."
Looking at the dragon girl in front of her who was smiling awkwardly due to her subordinate's breach of etiquette, Cecilia continued with a smile:
"After all, this benefits us both, doesn't it?"
Nina could only respond with an awkward laugh:
"Uh... thank you so much then..."
After glaring harshly at the soldier from earlier, Nina quickly changed the subject:
"How about... we go into the city to chat for a while?"
Looking at the knights who were explaining the usage techniques of Magic Crossbows to the Iron Empire soldiers, and feeling that this matter would take quite a while to complete, Cecilia glanced at the long briefcase in her hand.
She nodded and gestured toward the city gate.
"Alright, please."
Seeing that she had so easily shifted the topic, Nina smiled, revealing her cute little fangs.
"After you, my lady!"
...
At Cecilia's request to "find a relatively secluded location," the two soon arrived at Nina's small courtyard in the city.
Thinking that she rarely lived here and might not have anything suitable for entertaining guests, Nina asked with some embarrassment:
"Uh... would just black tea be okay?"
However, after entering the courtyard, Cecilia showed a serious expression and didn't answer Nina's question, saying directly:
"That won't be necessary. What I need to discuss with you next is very important. Please come with me into the house to talk about this matter."
Saying this, Cecilia carried the long briefcase and walked directly into the house.
Seeing Cecilia's extremely serious demeanor, Nina had no choice but to follow her in.
After entering the house, Nina asked somewhat curiously:
"That... may I ask why you brought me here?"
Could it be some military secret?
If so, why wouldn't Her Majesty Elashia, who could communicate remotely, tell the master directly?
"Her Majesty Elashia instructed me that this weapon should preferably not be known by others—it's best if only a few of us know about it."
Saying this, Cecilia opened the briefcase she had been carrying.
After the briefcase was opened, inside was actually a rectangular steel plate?
And the steel had been enchanted too?
Bringing the rectangular steel plate before Nina, Cecilia said:
"To ensure absolute secrecy of this weapon, we directly sealed this weapon inside with steel."
"Then we had our country's only [Forbidden Curse Mage] cast a [Reinforcement] spell on this steel plate."
"So most people can't open it."
Cecilia looked at Nina and said:
"But we know—you can open it."
Hearing this, Nina, who finally understood Cecilia's intention, nodded.
Dragons were not only naturally strong but also had the talent of being unaffected by magical interference.
Except for offensive spells, most other magic was ineffective against dragons.
"I understand what you mean. You and Her Majesty Elashia want me to open this weapon in front of Master... uh, Her Majesty Alexandra?"
Cecilia nodded.
"That's right."
Having finally finished all the official business, Cecilia also showed a relaxed expression.
"There's nothing else after this, so I'll have to take the knights back this afternoon."
The beast tide was coming soon, and she needed to return to organize the defenses.
Nina offered to let her stay:
"Won't you stay overnight with us?"
Cecilia smiled and shook her head.
"That's not necessary. Being able to mooch a lunch here would be quite nice."
After some small talk, Cecilia suddenly asked curiously:
"By the way, I remember you're the Vice Marshal of the Iron Empire, right?"
Nina was stunned for a moment and answered:
"Yes."
In the information Elashia and Candice had given her, this dragon girl was quite an easy-going person, so she didn't hesitate to ask the question she had wanted to ask for many years.
"That... I don't know if it's a cultural difference... but why does your marshal wear... this uniform?"
She who had seen Nina in the last battle between Elasia and the Iron Empire long ago had wanted to ask—why did the Iron Empire's Vice Marshal wear clothes that were obviously unsuitable for combat, and even call Alexandra "Master"?
Now that they had shaken hands and made peace, she could finally ask this question.
However, Cecilia immediately regretted asking this question.
Because the dragon girl's little face immediately turned red with a "whoosh"!
"Uh... I'm really sorry... I didn't mean to..."
Cecilia hurriedly waved her hands in apology...
...
At sunset, after watching Cecilia leave with her army, Nina sighed.
Really, how did what should have been a solemn military meeting turn into this.
After commanding the troops to install all the Magic Crossbows, she carried the long briefcase toward the palace.
...
"Oh? You're back?"
Looking at her master lying lazily on the bed, Nina sighed.
It seemed the master had slept straight through until now.
After saluting Alexandra, Nina opened the briefcase in her hand.
"Master, General Cecilia has returned."
"Oh."
Alexandra lay lazily flat on the bed looking at her.
Nina took the rectangular steel plate out of the briefcase.
"Then, Master, this contains a weapon that Her Majesty Elashia sent you. General Cecilia said to keep it secret, so I'm opening it in front of you now."
"Oh."
Alexandra turned over on the bed.
"Hah!"
With a sound of metal tearing, Nina forcefully pried the steel plate from the metal connection, revealing the long sword wrapped in layer upon layer of black cloth inside.
After tearing off the black cloth wrapped around the long sword, the simple black long sword finally appeared before Nina's eyes.
The moment Nina saw this sword, she immediately realized.
This sword was definitely not ordinary!
She immediately said to Alexandra with surprise:
"Master! This... should be the [Demon-Slaying Blade] mentioned in the [Forbidden Book], right!"
"Oh."
Alexandra stretched lazily on the bed again.
"Master..."
Being brushed off by Alexandra again and again, Nina immediately showed a dissatisfied expression.
Seeing that she had successfully teased her dragon maid, Alexandra also showed a smug smile.
"Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore."
Alexandra sat up from the bed.
Seeing her master finally get serious, Nina finally continued:
"Then, Her Majesty Elashia provided us with fifty Magic Crossbows, which is twenty more than we had planned."
"Oh?"
"Master!"
Looking at the dragon girl pouting with dissatisfaction, Alexandra smiled.
This time she wasn't brushing Nina off.
"This time I'm genuinely a bit surprised."
She had originally only wanted ten, but her good daughter got her fifty.
Although she didn't know why Elashia would do this, she knew Elashia wouldn't do anything meaningless.
That characteristic playful smile appeared on her face again.
"It seems things are about to get interesting..."
Alexandra, who had already made arrangements in her mind for what was to come, was preparing to lie back down on the bed, but suddenly sat up again as if remembering something important, and said to Nina:
"By the way, don't call Elashia 'Her Majesty Elashia' anymore."
Nina was somewhat puzzled.
"Then what should I call her?"
Alexandra smiled.
"Of course, it's Her Highness the Princess."