Chapter 2409 - Mynoghra 2

IN most situations, a man has no leg to stand on before a woman's wrath.

The same held true of the King of Ruin and his loyal subordinate, proving even they weren't an exception to the rules that govern the relationship between men and women.

Takuto, the man who'd become the commander of Mynoghra in this new world, was presently imploring his direct subordinate to cheer up after his careless decision ruined her mood.

"C-C'mon…cheer up, Atou."

"Hmph! I'm not in a bad mood or anything." The aura she was exuding begged to differ.

She had every right to be annoyed when Takuto had so arbitrarily decided to waste their precious, limited Mana supply on some measly Dark Elves. He hadn't expected it to upset her this much, so he'd spent every moment since apologizing in hopes her mood would improve.

It would have if he'd realized the girl was more irritated that he'd failed to consult her than at the wastefulness of his actions. But that was asking too much of a boy who'd spent the bulk of his life in the hospital with little to no interaction with the opposite sex.

On the bright side, his desperate attempt to appease her with endless apologies seemed to gradually wear Atou down until she felt bad about not forgiving him.

"Okay! How about this? I'll do anything you say if you forgive me!"

"I-Isn't doing anything going a little too far? I'm not that angry…" Atou chewed out, staring up at Takuto from under her long lashes.

She was starting to worry her master might abandon her if she continued to act coy. She planned to forgive him as soon as he gave her good reason to.

"I can't do this without you, Atou. I need you."

"K-King Takuto…"

Frankly speaking, Atou was easy to win over.

For the most part, this girl put her master first, so one or two nice words from him and she was ready to let bygones be bygones. This was unavoidable when Takuto was her whole world, and especially when her whole life—though restricted to the confines of a video game—had been spent by his side.

"I'm sorry for being so stubborn too! I'm a disgrace of a subordinate for objecting to my mighty King's decision."

"I'm the one who's sorry! We came to this world together, so I should've consulted you first. Will you forgive me?"

She nodded, and with that, they put the affair behind them.

Overall, neither viewed what happened as much of an issue. They just felt like acting more dramatic to liven up the conversation—their trust in each other was as strong as ever.

But the next problem they had to discuss was more serious in nature.

"Thanks. With that settled, there's something I wanted to consult you about. Are you up to helping me figure out a solution?"

"Of course, my king! So what's bothering you? If it's about our remaining Mana, I believe we should still be safe with the minuscule cost associated with the amount of food you produced…"

"No, that's not the problem. This is on an entirely different scale," Takuto imparted with a grave expression.

Atou grew anxious over how much he seemed to be struggling to broach the topic. It could be said the concerns of her esteemed master easily eclipsed her own.

"Did something upset you, my king?"

"Not quite. You remember how we talked with the Dark Elves?"

"Yes…?"

Their abrupt encounter with Dark Elves wasn't that long ago. Atou replayed the short conversation in her head, but as far as she could tell, they'd handled things well. They'd successfully deceived the Dark Elves into believing their side was stronger without revealing any of their cards.

No problems should've arisen from their encounter, but…Takuto's concerns lay in an entirely different sphere of thinking.

"To tell you the truth, er, I struggled to speak…"

"How so?"

"Didn't you notice, Atou? Even I thought it was a little strange. I can hold a proper conversation with you, but I suddenly couldn't talk when other people showed up."

Atou replayed the events in her head again. She definitely thought his word choice was a little weird. But she chalked it up to him purposely being curt to stop from accidentally giving away too much information and ruining their act.

She'd simply assumed he was roleplaying as a powerful being who left all trivial talking to his minions. At the time, she'd even been so impressed, she'd thought, My king is so impressive to pull this off on the spot!

Sweat trickled down Atou's brow. What she sincerely hoped wasn't the case was about to come true.

"Come to think of it, I can't remember ever holding a decent conversation with the nurses and doctors at the hospital. I have basically no experience talking to others. I think there's a word for people who can only speak to people they are close to…"

"Oh no…"

Atou trembled. She shook from head to toe. She just remembered her master's previous life, the slightly troublesome sway it held over him now, and the colossal misunderstanding she'd been operating under.

"It seems that I have…a communication disorder…"

A single tear slipped from Takuto's right eye as he spoke. He had a burdensome affliction that made it difficult for him to communicate with strangers.

"Please don't cry, my king!!"

Atou rushed to his side faster than the eye could follow and clung to his arm. That was all she could do for him now.

Takuto wept over his inability to communicate. Atou also wept over the fact her master couldn't converse well with others.

Even for the Hero of Ruin, who'd once gained infinite power and destroyed the world in a single stroke, this was one enemy she couldn't defeat for her master.

Meanwhile, the King of Ruin let his grief run wild.

"I'm no king, Atou! It's far too lame to be the King of Ruin with such severe anxiety. I can't go on living!"

"It will be all right! Even if you can't speak to others, you'll be just fine as long as you talk to your Atou, my king! From this day forth, I shall become your exclusive speaker! I shall serve you for the rest of my days, so it'll all work out in the end!"

"Yeah, but how can an uncommunicative king give orders or negotiate with foreign nations? I need to talk, don't I?"

Atou fell silent. She paled over failing to have the answers for him.

Tears streamed down Takuto's cheeks again.

"I want a full life reset. Take my memories too! Let's restart from scratch," he moaned.

"It's not that bad! You needn't let it trouble you so! Kings don't need to be verbose. Kings are solitary! They keep themselves above all vulgarity. You're presenting the image of a powerful man who only speaks to his trustworthy subordinates!"

Had Atou ever raised her voice this loud before?

She projected her voice as loudly as she could to push through her argument and wash away her master's apprehension. Although her words were just loud and unconvincing, she was fortunate that Takuto Ira was easily swayed by anything she said. As such, her frantic shouting managed to quell his depression.

"Aw, Atou! Thank you for trying so hard to cheer me up…"

"Don't you fret, my king. We will slowly but surely rehabilitate you. You will definitely become capable of speaking to the masses. You have me! You have me, so please! Don't think about starting a new game and erasing the past!"

"Yeah. Sorry. I guess I was feeling a little defeated. You're right, though. I don't have to be an excellent speaker when I have you."

"Yes, yes! That's the spirit. If Eternal Nations taught us anything, it's that you can solve any problems in life as long as you have power and wealth!"

"Thank you, Eternal Nations. And thank you as well, Atou. I have the best confidant in the world…"

They hadn't solved a single problem, but they both seemed satisfied with the answer they reached. And while it might be hard for someone else to understand, this conversation managed to tighten their bond.

As they gazed into each other's eyes, they were filled with a torrent of emotion until they reached peak excitement.

"ATOOUUUUU!"

"KING TAKUTOOOOO!"

The dam holding them back broke, and they shared in a passionate embrace.

"GIGIGYEEEEH!!!"

A disturbing shriek interrupted their intimate moment.

"..."

Still embracing, they looked over their shoulders to find Longlegged Bug oddly trembling behind them, watching them with its rolling eyeballs. They'd no idea what those grotesque eyes were trying to express, but it was horrific enough to shatter the moment.

"Oh yeah, I forgot I summoned him back to base."

"Honestly, this bug can't read the room. Shall we just recycle the unit?"

"That'd be a waste of Mana, so no."

Having the bug present soured the mood—or rather, it brought them back to reality.

Takuto casually released Atou and perched on top of the stone dais. He would've rather stayed that way, but Long-legged Bug's piercing gaze was unsettling. As for Atou, she was understandably upset.

"What do you want anyway, bug? Learn some tact, you blundering insect! King Takuto and I were in the midst of deepening our relationship."

"GIGYEEH."

"Hm? Oh, I see. It looks like the Dark Elves are close. They must've come to take the rest of the food."

"Oh, right. I forgot about them."

As the player, Takuto could sync his mind with the Long-legged Bug and its abilities. This particular Scout unit's special ability expanded the player's field of view. The ability worked even in the middle of a complex forest covered by the fog of war, letting Takuto see the Dark Elf clan approach them through its googly eyes.

Apprehension filled him. Like he'd just told Atou, he had serious communication problems. He wasn't confident he could get through a second negotiation smoothly. But he had someone there to dashingly rescue him from this crisis—his confidant, Atou.

Immediately picking up on why he looked so stricken, she promptly offered a plan.

"An excellent idea just dawned on me. I shall take over any negotiations with those Dark Elves. All you have to do is watch!"

"Really? You don't mind?"

"Really. Please entrust this task to me. In my humble opinion, you will come across as more dignified by remaining a man of few words."

"Hmm…Mmm…" he groaned.

Takuto was grateful for the offer. He would love to leave the negotiations to her. But was that really something he should permit? He was King and she his subordinate. He didn't care about hierarchy, but he worried his attitude about these things might put more of a burden on Atou.

"Or do you find me lacking, my king?"

Atou held her hand over her heart, her expression brimming with confidence that silently told him to trust her.

Takuto was secretly relieved by her reaction and also ashamed for underestimating her ability.

What did he have to fear? She was Mynoghra's legendary hero, Sludge Atou.

The Hero of Ruin annihilates all enemies and crushes every obstacle underfoot.

The girl of infinite possibilities and limitless power was asking him to leave the task to her.

There was but one answer for the King who'd been given absolute trust and loyalty.

"You lack nothing, Atou. Can I entrust this to you?"

"Hehehe! Your every wish is my command, my king."

Crimson eyes locked onto him as she swept into a deep bow. Her bewitching expression brimmed with absolute confidence, suitable for a hero who would bring ruin to the world.

◇◇◇

"THANK you for granting us the honor of being in your mighty presence, O Great One. I am Moltar Cordal Mazaram, chief of the

Dark Elf clan you generously bestowed mercy upon."

A Dark Elf detachment showed up before Takuto shortly after he learned of their approach from his scout. They were led by a weather-beaten old man. He wore his silver hair and beard long and proud, though they were ravaged by the effects of malnutrition.

He lowered himself to his knees before Takuto and Atou, with his battered staff thrust into the ground for support.

Beside him was Dark Elf Warrior Captain Gia, who they'd met yesterday. Seeing as Takuto recognized most of the faces there, they appeared to have selected the same members for this mission.

But having a different leader now changed their demeanor. Or perhaps they'd discussed how to act beforehand.

Atou gave a satisfied nod to return their proper greeting.

"Good. You know proper manners for a Dark Fae. Don't beat around the Flesh Tree. I can tell you came here for a reason. Out with it."

"I heard our younglings behaved without manners during your prior meeting. Allow me to apologize and also extend my sincerest gratitude on behalf of my clan for kindly providing us with muchneeded rations."

"…It is only natural for underdeveloped Dark Fae to lose their presence of mind before a mighty being. My king is not so narrowminded as to let trivial things affect him."

Manners can make or break certain situations. Those in power are obligated to dole out appropriate punishment for lapses in decorum. Thus, it was only proper to show some displeasure and offer a word of warning regarding their behavior.

Atou, however, was only interested in Takuto and nothing else. One glance in his direction told her he wasn't bothered by their offense either.

Why would he be when he was a normal young man from a modern land?

He didn't place much value on strict forms of politeness. Thus, she applied no personal feelings to something he'd determined wasn't a problem.

As far as this matter was concerned, Atou could indeed be called Takuto's loyal pawn.

The fact that the Dark Elves invaded the Accursed Lands without permission was left unquestioned, and their behavior was also dismissed as trivial.

In reality, they didn't actually have the authority to be treating the Dark Elves this way, but Elder Moltar had no way of knowing this as he lowered his head to show his gratitude for their lenience.

"Our entire race is ashamed of our pettiness before your generous benevolence. Please grant us the honor of knowing your name, so that we may pass down the tale of the great debt of gratitude we owe you forevermore."

Atou turned her head toward Takuto. She was seeking his permission to tell them his name.

He never did give his name during their last encounter. While part of it had to do with his lack of social skills, it was also due to his decision not to provide more information than necessary. But his opinion changed after taking some time to think about it.

Rather than live a miserable life cowering in fear, he might as well grab life by the horns, even if that was the riskier option.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained—that was one life lesson the game had taught him. With that in mind, he permitted Atou to answer them.

Atou had but one thing to do now that she had his stamp of approval. She took a small breath and proclaimed his name with imposing pomp.

"You are in the presence of King Takuto Ira, the Ruler of Ruin,

Lord of the Apocalypse. Remember his great and noble name! When referring to him, you shall address him as King Ira or King Takuto Ira."

The Dark Elves' heads sank even deeper with Atou's proclamation.

Takuto's name was now known, and it became engraved in their hearts along with fear and awe.

Atou nodded with satisfaction.

This was how Takuto's name first became known in this world.

It was at Atou's sole discretion she introduced him as Takuto Ira, the Lord of the Apocalypse. She purposely made a point of preventing them from calling him Takuto because she understood the special relationship calling someone by their first name entailed.

By doing so, she drove home the relationship she had with her master before everyone present. And it was because she was busy coming up with such schemes that she missed what Takuto hadn't— the elder Dark Elf shuddered upon hearing the title she gave him.

"Oh, and my name is Atou. Be sure not to address me with the same formality as King Takuto. He is the Supreme King deserving of respect at all times—I am just his loyal subordinate. You are welcome to forget my name."

"King Takuto Ira and Lady Atou… I have etched your glorious names into these weary bones. I swear I will impart this knowledge to the rest of the clan so that they too will engrave your names into their very souls."

"Excellent. Now take your food and be gone. Most of it won't last indefinitely. Just because my king can produce infinite amounts with a wave of his hand does not justify letting good food go to waste."

Atou sounded bored with them, which was actually true; she'd already lost interest in negotiating. She only existed for her master, Takuto. She understood that like the back of her hand and wanted it just as bad.

She wouldn't even care to speak to others if it wasn't for him. The sooner these talks were over with, the sooner her master would praise her.

"P-Please wait! You see, we discussed how we can repay the

King for saving us and were wondering if he wants us to pay tribute?"

The Dark Elf chief poured cold water all over Atou's wishes to be in her king's arms. It seemed they weren't finished talking yet.

Atou frowned and pondered their unusual request since it wasn't a grave enough offense to upset her.

"You wish to pay tribute? Ha. Can you provide something that will satisfy my king?"

"I am ashamed to admit it, but we are too ignorant to even imagine what might please the mighty King Takuto Ira. May we first hear directly from His Majesty what he—"

"I see. You have nothing we need then. You are in no position to offer anything anyway."

Atou waved them off, sighing as she shook her head.

They'd offered to pay tribute, but Atou highly doubted starving refugees had anything of value. Of course, she couldn't completely deny the possibility of them possessing a rare item such as Artifacts. Even with that slight chance hanging in the background, she chose to prioritize removing them from her king's presence.

At the beginning of the game, when the player's empire is still in the fragile, foundation-building stage, even the smallest missteps can prove fatal.

Atou was most wary of the Dark Elves bringing their problems to Takuto. In particular, she feared the people who'd chased them out of their territory and continued to hunt them becoming Takuto's problem.

"We might not be, but…if we don't—"

"I told you we don't need your tribute."

"You did, but—"

"What are you being so elusive about? My king is a busy man. Are you scheming something?"

"I would never!"

Atou's annoyance showed, eliciting visible panic from the Dark Elves. After all, she didn't try to hide or suppress the jet-black murderous aura seeping from her.

Atou's passive abilities—Hero, Evil, and Fanatic—each had the effect of multiplying her basic combat strength. And with her special ability to steal abilities from the units she defeated, she had the potential to grow stronger with each battle.

The Dark Elves, on the other hand, were too starved to make use of their full strength. In their current state, Atou could easily wipe the field with them. If she wanted to, she could cut down the Mage and Warrior units, then go wipe out the entire Dark Elf clan in less than ten minutes.

And that cold-blooded murder would prove very beneficial to her and Takuto if ethics were thrown to the wind.

Yep, this is taking a really bad turn!

Takuto quickly abandoned his wishful thinking that these talks would end peacefully. As it was, Atou had drawn a critically wrong opinion about the Dark Elves. Her attitude toward them was extremely negative, and looking at it objectively, she came across as a subordinate whose life was made more difficult by having to deal with her king's whims.

Just speaking with them was unpleasant for her, but she had taken on that role per her king's wishes. Hence, she tried to bring the conversation to a close to quickly get rid of the nuisance. It was only natural for her to view the situation that way.

On the other hand, the Dark Elves couldn't let things end that quick. This negotiation was make-or-break for the pitiful clan. It was a turning point that would determine their fate. Even if this single encounter lengthened their lives, there was no next time.

They'd no food and no guarantee they would find a safe place to live. Therefore, even if they seemed a little suspicious, it was quite natural for them to actively try to negotiate with Takuto and Atou.

Of course, Takuto didn't blame Atou for having a narrow-minded view that was laser-focused on him when he could analyze everything objectively from the dais. But he also wasn't going to permit a battle in their present situation.

Deciding he needed to step in, Takuto cleared his throat and raised his voice despite his nervousness.

"Atou."

"Yes, my king?"

Atou was quick to respond. She whipped around at the sound of her name and flew to Takuto's side faster than an arrow. Then she placed her hands on the dais and leaned her face close to his.

Her displeasure was apparent on the cute pouty expression she made sure only he could see. She also seemed frustrated that the conversation wasn't going anywhere. She brought her lips to his ears so only he could hear her whirlwind of complaints.

"King TA-KU-TO! These people suck at negotiating! They also seem to be plotting something! They're bad people. Let's kill them. Let's kill them all!" she whispered vehemently.

"Now, now, let's not be hasty…!"

Takuto stopped just short of saying, "You didn't do a great job negotiating either."

She'd started off fine, but had derailed into being a bit unacceptable toward the end. Then again, he was even worse, having pushed the whole matter on his young-looking subordinate, just because he had trouble talking to strangers.

Regardless, it was undeniable that Atou and the Dark Elves had gotten off on the wrong foot. Atou seemingly wanted to be rid of them quick, but the Dark Elf chief had good reason not to back down.

Her attitude all but screamed not to approach them again. Trying to forcefully end the conversation flustered them even further. She only acted that way to put as little social pressure on Takuto as possible, but it only fostered a greater misunderstanding between both parties.

"They'll only cause harm if you let them live! Annihilating every last one of them here and now is best! They deserve to have their heads hanging from a pike for all to see, King Takuto!"

"Whoa, hold your horses! Listen, I'm sure they want to negotiate with us—they're offering tribute! You know how we're an evil civilization? Don't you think they're acting a little funny because they're suspicious of our motives for helping them?"

"Oh! That's a good point! Then what should we do next?"

"Let's ask for something in return to convince them the debt is paid. That way, they can feel reassured and be more comfortable opening up about what they really want. But man, that old elf is pretty interesting."

I want to enjoy talking with them more too, Takuto thought. He wasn't starved for conversation by any means, but the Dark Elves piqued his interest.

Atou looked at Takuto, who'd seen right through to the core of the issue, with adoration twinkling in her eyes, and she confidently responded in a much happier mood.

"Y-You never cease to amaze me, my king! I'm awed by your insight! I completely understand what you want now. Please leave the rest to me. I will take care of everything."

"Hey! Wait!"

Atou spun around and returned to the negotiating table. There's no way she understands…

Takuto knew that, but was afflicted by the greatest game penalty—the inability to communicate. He'd no choice but to leave negotiations to her.

"Hehe. So that's what this is all about. Now I understand…" Atou crooned seductively. "I swear, you people are so foolish I don't know what to do with you."

The Dark Elves lowered their heads even closer to the ground, sensing something sinister in her sudden shift.

"I would have never noticed if my king hadn't pointed it out. To think you see King Takuto as no different from some measly evil spirit."

"N-No! We wouldn't dare! Believe me, Benevolent One!"

"Silence. My king's word is absolute. And rejoice: he has taken your tasteless suggestion into consideration and deemed you Dark Fae worthy of a contract. Put simply, we will receive some kind of tribute in exchange for the food. Satisfied? Your kind should understand a contract with us is absolute. Are you relieved now?"

"Y-Yes, milady! Thank you very much for your gracious compassion."

Moltar simply expressed his gratitude without refuting Atou's speculation further. He did so partly because he knew the dangers of acknowledging what he thought of her king and because he realized the longer he spoke with Atou, the more hostility they earned from her.

"Then we need to receive something of equal value. Hmm, what do you have of value to us…?"

Atou twirled toward Takuto, her angelic eyes pleading with him.

He knew what she wanted without her asking. Her eyes begged,

"Help me, King Takuto!"

Ditz…

Takuto's impression of Atou nearly suffered a blow because of how quickly she gave up after talking smack, but he adored her so much, any blunders she made were neutralized by his special feelings for her. It turned out that while Atou could be his spokeswoman, he'd have to make all the important decisions when it came down to it.

"Ask about the outside world."

"My king is interested in the outside world. You people came from a faraway land, yes? Tell us everything you know about the greater world. We shall view that as compensation for the food and consider the contract complete. Is that satisfactory?"

"Absolutely! In that case, this old man shall offer you everything I have learned over my many years."

Joy showed on Moltar's face for the first time. He and his people were overcome with relief to be asked for the cheapest form of compensation imaginable. This was never a problem they had to worry themselves ragged over if they hadn't been operating under a big misunderstanding.

Why is she so good at interpreting what I desire but turns utterly useless when I leave everything to her?

Takuto contemplated the reasons for Atou's curious behavior, but it wasn't a question with a set answer, so he forced himself to just accept it for what it was.

Negotiations were now well on their way to an amicable close. But he'd noticed something that made him question if this was all they wanted.

"You must leave this forest after our contract is fulfilled."

"Y-Yes, milady."

Oh, that shook him.

Atou didn't pick up on it as usual, but Takuto didn't miss the apparent dismay flashing across Moltar's face. This helped Takuto swiftly put together the pieces and figure out what they wanted based on how they reacted.

"We will permit you temporary asylum. You likely need time to recuperate before moving on. However, you cannot stay long.

Remember that."

The life of an exile can't be easy. They probably don't have anywhere else to get food after what I gave them runs out.

During his last, sudden meeting with the Dark Elves, they'd mentioned they were driven out of their land. According to Longlegged Bug's report, their clan had around five hundred members, which wasn't an easy number to suddenly convert into nomads.

Offering Takuto tribute was probably also meant to improve their standing with him. He was certain they were there to use this opportunity to negotiate permission to reside in this forest and receive food from him regularly.

Them staying too long is honestly a nuisance. Refugees from a different alignment will only hinder building our empire. Plus, there's no guarantee they won't bring trouble to our door.

Just like in the real world, racial differences cause various conflicts in Eternal Nations. People with different cultures, mindsets, and ideas of good and evil are destined to clash.

Takuto had no intention of stupidly pushing hot coal under the rug, only for it to cause a fire later.

"We would be eternally grateful if His Majesty permitted us to reside in this forest long-term—"

"We can't permit that. This land belongs to my king, and he desires peace and quiet. Oh, and one more thing: if you don't want to throw away the lives we saved this day, don't mention this place to anyone else."

So that's what they were after. Before any other problem, there's the issue of the territory belonging to Mynoghra eventually becoming cursed. In-game, cursed land has a negative status effect on good and neutral aligned units. I have no idea what it'll do in a real-life setting, though.

That was the primary reason why Takuto didn't actively stop Atou from trying to drive the Dark Elf clan from the forest.

Cursed territories are advantageous for evil races. They provide various civilization benefits, but they are always disadvantageous when interacting with neutral and good aligned civilizations.

Of course, Takuto had no way of knowing if things worked the same way as in-game. Maybe there wouldn't be an issue. He definitely needed to test to be sure. But Takuto was strangely convinced that the game mechanics did indeed apply to this world. For those reasons, as much as he hated to do it, he needed them to leave.

But I'd feel so awful just up and abandoning them. I'll feel horrible if they go off and die in a ditch somewhere after I gave them food.

Takuto may have given them food on a whim, but that was produced with Mana he couldn't replenish yet.

Were they about to go on an aimless journey and die after he'd prolonged their lives with his limited resources?

That was just as bad as them being a nuisance. Rather than sympathy, he was frustrated by the idea of his actions becoming meaningless.

"W-Well then, Great King Takuto Ira, thank you for permitting us to have an audience with you. Men, as we are before His Majesty, be sure to quietly carry away the food."

Is there another way to solve this?

The talks were about to end.

Elder Moltar and the Dark Elf Warriors seemingly decided not to risk Atou's wrath by arguing the point. Their exhausted faces spoke differently, however.

Mynoghra's King—a being who should possess infinite power.

As the man who'd been called Eternal Nations' legendary top player, Takuto felt as if he was being put to the test—that if he failed here, he'd be mocked as incompetent.

"Hey, you guys."

As soon as the words left his lips, Takuto had found his answer.

He finally realized how game-changing the civilization of Mynoghra was and his own power as its king. If he felt like it, this wasn't a problem he needed to waste precious time mulling over.

"Become my citizens."

Takuto had found an ingenious way to solve everything. Deep down, he was confident this option was possible. He almost wanted to laugh at himself for not thinking of it sooner.

But what met Takuto when he looked at the people before him with a confident smile turning up the corner of his lips were slack jaws and eyes that seemed to ask, "Are you crazy?"

The Dark Elves naturally questioned his sanity, but even Atou gave him the same look. He immediately realized he'd massively screwed up presenting his plan and fought back his tears as his inability to express himself reared its ugly head again.

<< -x-X-x->>

Silence fell over the clearing—everyone was trying to figure out what the King meant.

Takuto didn't think his comment would command this much attention, and he was hit by a tidal wave of remorse. It's often said that introverts become depressed when they recall conversations they've had with others. Takuto was a perfect example; he quickly regretted saying anything at all.

"Wh-What was that, King Takuto?" Atou queried.

Takuto remained silent. He actually wanted to be left alone to wallow in his misery, but Atou wouldn't stand for that. She needed to confirm what he wanted and how to proceed with the negotiations from there.

"P-Pardon me. I need to speak with my king. Stay where you are. Do not draw any unfounded conclusions in the meantime!" Atou hastily ordered Moltar and the warriors, her expression distraught from Takuto dropping such an unexpected bomb.

Seeing the panic on her face as she approached made Takuto wish he could start this game over again. He'd made too many sloppy moves from the start; he wanted a clean reset.

He always did that when a game map got off to a bad start, but unfortunately for him, this world wasn't a videogame. There was no new game menu. And so he was stuck explaining himself to Atou, who demanded an explanation.

"Wh-Wh-What are you thinking?!" she whispered.

"E-Exactly what I said. I thought we could just make them our citizens. C'mon, don't look so shocked. It makes me feel worse…

Sorry I suck at talking."

"Y-Your comment was fine… But those things are neutrally aligned, you know?"

"So they are," Takuto hummed, rubbing his chin with his hand.

Although he was just beating himself over screwing up, Atou's shocked expression was quite funny, which had the mysterious effect of calming his restless mind. Once he stopped panicking, he swiftly weighed the pros and cons of his suggestion and felt confident that his offer was based on sound logic.

Takuto stared at himself reflected in Atou's uncertain eyes and explained his plan to her as if speaking to a child.

"I want to use the Refugee skill to recruit them. Remember how that was part of the game?"

"I do. But I worry about the conflicts that might arise when we produce Mynoghra's main race, the Homunculus."

Civilizations in Eternal Nations are assigned various races, such as Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Demons, etc. These distinctly different races each possess their own goals and dispositions, adding extra flare to the game, especially with the ability for races to immigrate and become refugees in another civilization.

The complex nature and variety of playstyles were a part of this game's appeal. And naturally, that meant Mynoghra also had its own unique race. Suggestively named Homunculus, the race boasted even more germane characteristics than its name.

"Okay, Atou, I want you to remember exactly what the

Homunculus look like," Takuto gently instructed, bringing unfounded relief to his perplexed subordinate.

Regaining her calm, Atou pulled out the information she'd mentally filed away about the Homunculus and blanched.

<<-x-X-x->>

"Those things are soulless, after all. They've a high fertility rate and great food and resource bonuses, but that comes at a price— crappily low Mana and technological development. They'll be more of a disadvantage than anything while we can't aggressively expand our empire."

Atou was well-aware of the downsides Takuto laid out. While the Homunculus were a race that specialized in one thing and failed at everything else, they were a powerful asset with the right strategy.

Takuto and Atou had plenty of experience working with various strategies to tackle every situation thrown at them. It wouldn't be difficult for them to develop a tactic to incorporate the Homunculus in their plans for world conquest, once they were ready to produce them with Mana. Except they took an entirely different issue with their use.

"Think back on the Homunculus's character designs, Atou. Can you really stand looking at that forever?"

The Dark Elves jumped when Takuto glanced and pointed in their general direction. What he was actually pointing to was the LongLegged Bug hiding behind them in defense mode. Its googly eyes seemed to gawp at them as they rolled around in their sockets.

Atou was immediately reminded of Mynoghra's native race in the early stages—bulging eyes, disproportionate body parts, constantly quivering whether they stood still or moved, just like their bug scout, except in deformed humanoid form.

"Ugh! Double ugh! I forgot Homunculus look like extremely deformed humans because they tried to imitate humanity to blend in better. Seeing them in the flesh is liable to make me puke…"

Things that were originally suitable for game graphics appeared frighteningly realistic here. What someone can tolerate and even enjoy in a game is entirely different from wanting to experience it in real life.

It was hard to estimate the kind of mental damage it'd do to them, living with those disgusting creatures every day. Atou, at least, had misgivings about the adverse effects on both of them from running a country full of googly-eyed, slimy citizens.

"And there are advantages to accepting the Dark Elves as citizens too. It's always been a struggle balancing the inefficiency of Mynoghra's research-related facilities. With them on our side, our research speed will no longer be a problem."

One of Mynoghra's civilization traits is getting access to the Homunculus race. The player can expand their empire at an explosive speed using Homunculus with their fast reproductive rate, high productivity, and minuscule penalties for decreased citizen happiness and hygiene.

This allows the player to take advantage of one of the best benefits of being an evil civilization: the ability to forcibly expand industry without worrying about pollution tanking citizen happiness.

These are the traits and strengths unique to playing as Mynoghra. The downside is the huge handicap placed on research and development, putting them massively behind other empires when it comes to technological advancement as a way to balance the game.

But it'd be a different story if they invited the suffering Dark Elves to join their empire. Their presence would effectively counter any research penalties. And obviously, Takuto could still produce Homunculus as long as he had sufficient Mana.

Meaning it was still possible to secure explosive fertility and productivity generated by soulless drones. Going by the notion of there being a right person for every job, inviting them was a smart move.

In the game, Mynoghra's evil alignment made it extremely difficult to accept immigrants and other races, but this situation might classify as a lucky random event in their favor.

"They'll bring a lot of benefits to our empire, but even more than that is…well, you know?" Takuto said, bringing them back to the topic of grotesque looks and zombie-like citizens.

"I strongly believe citizens capable of civilized conversation are a necessity for our great Mynoghra. Or rather, for my mental health…"

"What a coincidence. I was just thinking the exact same thing!"

Takuto's proposal, which was initially considered insane, actually went over well when he explained it. There was never a problem with his strategy, only confusion evoked by his poor choice of words.

As good of a plan as it was, the potential results were unknown. Atou still had reservations.

"But will they function as proper citizens?" she asked.

"We won't know until we try. There might be game limitations we don't know about. As long as they maintain a certain degree of happiness, there shouldn't be any trouble—I think."

"Do you think this is a game world? It doesn't feel quite the same to me…"

Atou had absolute faith in Takuto. If that was her king's conclusion, then it must be true.

Still, they didn't know much about this world. She was concerned about any potential deviances from the game world creating dangerous problems for them down the line.

"Well, we can figure that out as we go. Either way, we'll be able to get a lot of information from them. Let's solve the problem at hand for now. Do I have your support in this, Atou?"

"There are too many uncertain factors… Ngh… I can't decide what is right. I'm sorry."

At that moment, Takuto thought Atou's behavior was very gamelike. She was quick to act when she understood what he wanted, but dangerously slow when it came to making a decision herself.

She probably wasn't aware of it, but Takuto sensed there was something at a fundamental level interfering with her and causing this unnatural indecisiveness. But he wasn't going to point it out to her. It wasn't that big a deal to him. He was happy as long as he had her, and Atou was satisfied as long as she had him.

"Don't sweat it. I'm the king and you're my subordinate. It's my job to make the hard decisions. Let's accept them into our empire as citizens."

"Your decision has cleared up all my doubts. I shall inform them of your decree—um, is it all right if I do that?"

Her unconfident question embodied the shame she felt at not being more helpful. Frustrated that he wasn't better at expressing himself and not wanting her to ever lose confidence, Takuto put on his best smile. This was a sign of affection he only ever showed her.

"You don't even have to ask. Who else would do it? I'm counting on you."

"Please leave everything to me, my king."

With their private talk finally over, Atou faced the Dark Elves.

Entirely unaware of the contents of their conversation, the Dark Elves could only anxiously await the King's decree, as handed down by Atou.

"My king meant exactly what he said."

"L-Lady Atou, could you please explain what His Majesty is thinking in terms we can understand in our ignorance?"

"My king is going to build an empire. If you become his citizens, he will guarantee your safety under his mercy and might."

Elder Moltar and the rest were taken aback by this unforeseen proposal. Before coming, they'd considered all the different situations that might occur during negotiations with the King of Ruin and prepared their responses. But they never could've prepared for this.

"My king knows all. He laments the situation you are in and has shown you his great mercy. Nothing more, nothing less," Atou declared like a thunderclap.

Through her tone and word choice, she was essentially asserting there was nothing more to it than that while also warning them not to question his decision.

But Moltar and the Dark Elves were too busy racking their brains trying to decide how to respond to the King's abrupt proposal to heed her.

"I tremble with joy before the great King's boundless mercy… Pardon my rudeness, but may I inquire what will happen to us if we were to become his citizens?"

"I wish I could promise eternal happiness to you, but that's not what you want to know, is it? To put it simply, you would become evil."

Everyone was stunned.

Atou came right out in the open and gave them a clean and concise answer. It was easy to understand. Her meaning was clear.

But, at the same time, it was such a preposterous and life-changing statement.

"Yep, that's right."

Elder Moltar's gaze unknowingly went to the King, who was nodding along quite happily with his subordinate's response, like it made all the sense in the world. Not even an old sage who'd lived two hundred years could be easily convinced by this simplified explanation that they'd just become evil.

"Perhaps it would be more appropriate to explain in greater detail, but we aren't obligated to do that for your people at this time."

Atou deliberately condensed the explanation. They weren't Mynoghra's citizens yet, and they could still reject joining.

Naturally, she'd every intention of slaughtering them all the instant they spurned her king's mercy to keep word from getting out. Still, she decided sowing unnecessary worry in them by sharing that bit of information was pointlessly foolish.

Besides, Takuto had said he'd welcome them as citizens. All they had to do was joyously accept, making tedious explanations a waste of time anyway.

"The decision is yours. I have nothing further to say. Whichever you choose is your destiny."

The Dark Elves didn't seem to realize her usage of "destiny" included whether they lived or died based on their reply.

Atou had absolute faith Takuto would solve any empiremanagement problems that might arise one way or another. With that said, she placed great importance on her king's interests. It wouldn't hurt for things to play out in the best direction for all parties.

So she hummed aloud, her fingers lightly placed on her lips as she gazed thoughtfully into the distance before saying, "But in my personal opinion, this side is surprisingly fun." An eerily kind smile crossed her face.

-x-X-x-

-x-X-x-

THE Dark Elf clan discussed the matter for three days and three nights. It was just too outlandish and life-altering not to tread with great care.

They had received enough food to start recovering, although not entirely. Their newfound stamina was burned not wasting any time sleeping as they heatedly debated whether to become the King's citizens or not.

The one who had bestowed food upon them claimed to be the legendary being known as the King of Ruin. It was true they were in dire straits, but they were apprehensive about happily going along with his offer and becoming citizens just like that.

This being was not like the hundreds of run-of-the-mill kings they'd served in the past either. According to Elder Moltar's tales, he was the king of the apocalypse who would eventually destroy the world and return everything back to nothingness.

His power was fathomless and impossible for mortals to resist.

Once they formed a contract with him, it was highly likely even their souls would belong to him.

Most of the clan gave their opinion regarding this ultimate choice where even liberation by death wouldn't be possible once they decided. Needless to say, every adult in the clan was consulted, and children of a certain age were included. Even toddlers who'd just learn to speak were forced to make a decision.

The only ones excluded were the babies who slept against their mother's chest.

After a long debate, they unanimously decided to become the King's subjects.

They had no future. It was better to survive, even if that meant falling into the hands of evil than to sit by and wait for death.

Most of all, they couldn't forget the mercy that satiated their hunger. Whether that mercy came from an evil being or the harbinger of the end times, it mattered not compared to the outstanding debt of gratitude they owed.

At long last, everyone felt like a weight had been lifted off their shoulders with their crucial decision made. They were also convinced their lives were about to change for good.

◇◇◇

THE Dark Elves had made that fateful decision two days ago. And it was today that their very souls would forever remember what the result would bring.

The King would soon come to their encampment. Ordinarily, they'd go to him, but it was decided, per Atou's suggestion, that the King would meet them there as it'd be more of a nuisance to have a group of five hundred traipsing through the forest to see him.

An unsettling quiet hung over the air. Nobody verbalized how they felt, but a mixture of anxiety, hope, and fear filled everyone.

Every Dark Elf knelt on the ground, waiting for their new master with their heads bowed. Per Elder Moltar's decision, his people were better off not looking at the King and risking a bad first impression.

Before long, they heard the sound of twigs breaking underfoot and two pairs of footsteps approaching.

"The King has come," Elder Moltar told his clan just as two figures appeared from the forest depths.

Despite countless warnings from their Chief and Warrior Captain not to look directly at the King, several of the younger Dark Elves lifted their heads, curiosity getting the better of them. They were overcome with regret as soon as they did, as absolute fear chilled them to the bone.

They had looked at pure darkness—darkness in human form.

It was as if something had gone horribly wrong in the world, giving birth to this distorted dark stain incapable of purification. Something too eerie for words was before them.

The being they were about to revere as their king was the incarnation of ruin.

The faint of heart let out a strangled whimper, getting elbowed by the person beside them.

The younglings' survival instincts kicked in, causing them to stifle their cries and bury their faces in their mothers' chests.

Even the brave warriors could not hide their fearful shudders.

Only the people who held to their chief's warning found themselves spared from the worst effects. The young ones who dared look wet themselves, some even swooning with drool dribbling from their mouths.

They had absolutely no idea what he was thinking—that was their sole impression of Takuto Ira.

But they had decided to become citizens of the empire created by the King of Ruin. Their exile brought them to establish their home here, where they would live new lives under the protection of this ink-black being.

Atou, the King's direct subordinate, exchanged a few words with Elder Moltar and listened to his brief explanation about the throne. The King then sat upon the misshapen throne the Dark Elves had hastily prepared for this occasion and gave a half nod to the girl waiting at his side.

"We shall now welcome the Dark Elf clan present here today as immigrants to Mynoghra," the girl announced in a clear and powerful voice that traveled well despite not speaking loudly. "Do you approve, King Takuto Ira?"

The King gave a contented nod and said "'Okay.' I welcome you" in response.

The instant the King's words entered their bodies through their ears, they felt their very souls being caressed, and an internal chill froze them from the inside out.

"Congratulations. You are now officially citizens of Mynoghra. In the name of our great King, Takuto Ira, all happiness and peace will be promised to you."

With that, Atou's proclamation, filled with an unseen power, came to an end, and the tenseness in the air eased somewhat. Perhaps she had been slightly nervous too because once she finished, she broke into a broad smile.

A strange silence followed.

"C-Captain, is the ceremony over now?" the legend-loving adjutant Emle asked Gia in a hushed whisper.

"It should be. But they haven't said anything else. What should we do now?"

Not only did they have little experience with such rituals, but they also didn't feel like they had become Mynoghra's citizens—or rather, evil beings.

What was going on?

Neither the King nor his subordinate made any moves as they seemed to be waiting for something.

Should they just stay as they were for a while longer? Were they going to hear a speech from their new king? Kneeling this long was starting to hurt their legs. Such thoughts plagued the minds of every

Dark Elf, including Emle, when suddenly—

Their hearts hammered in their ears as unbearable rage welled up from within. It was the hatred of all living things. It was the simmering, burning hatred of all who persecuted, hurt, and ridiculed them as worthless.

Now, if the King ordered them to, they'd be happy to kill all living things. Wrath unlike anything they had experienced before inflicted both confusion and intense agony on the Dark Elves.

At the same time, they were enveloped by powerful emotions that drowned out the boiling hatred. Those miserable feelings of hate and anger, which dominated their hearts like the raging rapids of an overflowing river, became more like the babbling of a peaceful brook compared to this new emotion wrapping them up like a warm blanket.

These pacifying feelings came from but one source. Every Dark Elf's gaze settled there—upon their king, Takuto Ira, who would destroy everything for them.

"Are you okay?"

At last, they finally understood the truth about their king with their souls.

The King was worried about them.

They now knew he gave them food because he was deeply sympathetic to their circumstances, and that act was out of pure mercy with no strings attached. From the beginning, the King had no intention of hurting them.

Why, he was compassionately watching over them as they endured their hearts' painful transformation. Knowing that filled them with the joy of being protected for the first time in their lives.

It brought them infinite relief that came from the deepest darkness. They were delighted the great King of Ruin deigned to look at them. They were convinced all their enemies would fall before the King, leaving a field of corpses in their wake.

They brimmed with endless joy that they finally had a place to return to after all the hardships and tragedy they'd experienced. Every kind of emotion swirled within them like a raging storm, eventually transforming into a maelstrom of heated passion.

Fanaticism had been born within them, along with loyalty on par with the debt of gratitude they owed.

At this very moment, the Dark Elves were reborn and transformed into the evil citizens of Mynoghra.

"A-All hail our great and mighty king, Takuto Ira!" one of the younger Dark Elves cheered with his hands in the air. He was the same pathetic man who'd wet himself earlier. But now he just felt pride and excitement before his king.

His excitement quickly spread to the people around him, eventually engulfing the entire group in a maelstrom of enthusiasm.

Even Warrior Captain Gia and Elder Moltar showered Takuto with praise as tears of joy streamed down their cheeks. Atou stood at his side, nodding in satisfaction, as if their reaction was only natural.

All devotion is given to my king. All fanaticism revolves around my king, she thought.

In response to everything they said to him, the great King of Ruin took it all in stride and simply said, "Cool."

<2< -x-X-x->2>

TAKUTO and Atou had taken their first steps into this new world after safely establishing their empire. They left the Dark Elf—their citizens'—settlement and returned to the familiar stone dais where their expressions became the grimmest yet.

"We've hit a wall."

"A big, hard wall."

Atou echoed Takuto's murmured sentiment from where she sat beside him on the dais. They sighed in unison. Long-legged Bug's eerie cry echoed in the distance.

"I had a blast spending time with you, Atou." "I also enjoyed being with you, King Takuto."

Takuto gazed into her eyes and said his farewells with a weary grin. Meanwhile, Atou, having already come to terms with their future, gently squeezed his hands with a fleeting smile.

Silence hung between them, followed by the indescribable looks on their faces. Overcome with emotion, they rolled off the dais onto the grassy ground without worrying about sullying their clothes.

"The two biggest empires on this continent are hardcore goodaligned!" Takuto ranted. "What the hell?!"

"Even worse, one is a Human empire that worships a holy god, and the other is a nature-worshiping Elven empire! They'll come for our heads the moment we're discovered! It'll be a complete case of 'Nice to meet you. Now die, evil abominations!'"

This was the new problem which killed their motivation and excitement. What they'd learned about their neighboring nations from Elder Moltar put their newly founded empire of Mynoghra at a crippling disadvantage.

Humans and Elves—not only were they two races with horrendous starting relations with evil beings, but both of their empires were good-aligned too. To make matters even worse, they were hegemonic empires with advanced civilizations that encompassed large territories.

And just to make a bad situation even worse, Takuto and Atou didn't recognize the names of either empire or the continent they were on.

A strange new land in a strange new world surrounded by potential unknown enemies.

They were crushed so tightly between a rock and a hard place, their situation couldn't even be defined by a difficulty level anymore; they were stepping beyond Nightmare mode.

"I hate this map! This start point sucks so bad!"

"Let's start a new game! We should start over, my king! I hate this setup too!! My motivation died with the lack of starter Resources! I mean, what's the big idea? This bloody forest can't produce any Food, Mineral, or Mana!"

If being surrounded on either side by extremely hostile empires wasn't bad enough, the Accursed Lands, where they'd "spawned in," had practically no Resources. Most terrains normally had Resource points, where a certain amount of Food and Minerals could be mined without any land development.

In-game, these locations are indicated by Resource Icons, and it's possible to collect Food and Resources from them without any buildings. These resources are then used as a foothold to advance a civilization's development.

That was how it was supposed to work…under normal circumstances.

But this territory had no identifiable Resources. No wonder it was called the Accursed Lands. It was only natural for the Dark Elves to be starving and for Takuto and Atou to be rolling around throwing a fit on the ground.

"Blehhhh," he groaned. "I just want to die and start over, but that'd be a waste, now that we've successfully recruited the Dark Elves. We've essentially struck RNG gold getting another race to join us during early game."

"I agree. Besides, we haven't learned everything from them yet—Oh? Speak of the devil, they are on their way here."

Since the Dark Elves became their citizens, Takuto and Atou now knew their every action. They'd ordered them to provide all the information they had on this world, and the last few days had consisted of learning about a variety of things, including the neighboring empires.

Elder Moltar had likely come to regale them with more stories today.

It was just after sunrise. Takuto and Atou, who'd been lying on the grass sunbathing, exchanged looks as they confirmed Moltar's movements in their minds' mini-maps.

"Time to get up?"

"Yes, I suppose so, my king. Stay still so I can dust the dirt off you."

As Atou patted the dirt and grass off his hospital gown, Takuto thought about how much he still had to do, like getting new clothes.

◇◇◇

"GREETINGS, King Ira! And Lady Atou. I hastened here today to explain more about this world to you!"

A much healthier-looking Elder Moltar came before the temporary throne with an energetic morning greeting. While he still had the body of a withered tree, having his troubles solved and regular access to food had entirely removed the shadow of death from his face.

"King! I came too! This time I brought one of my subordinates,

Emle, with me!"

Moltar was accompanied by Warrior Captain Gia and his adjutant, Emle.

Notable for her glasses and slender body despite the improved food situation, Emle was the Dark Elf in charge of information. She was incredibly knowledgeable about other empires and various legends. Since information was what Takuto and Atou sought, she was the best person for the job.

.

---------->

.

Atou nodded, satisfied with the way they respectfully paid homage to their king. She stepped forward with a dignified air that belied her pitiful state rolling around on the ground earlier, and spoke for her communication-impaired king.

"The King is very pleased with your dedication. We have high expectations for you today, as always. Also, there's no need to be so formal and stiff. His Majesty despises stuffy formalities and isn't interested in wasting time on courteous exchanges. Besides that, you are our empire's citizens."

They were loyal, no question about it. But the respectful attitude that stemmed from that loyalty made Takuto uncomfortable.

He was just an ordinary guy when it came down to it. Sure, his family was well off, but as a commoner to the core, being revered by Moltar and the others was unsettling, to say the least.

"But how can we prove our allegiance then …?"

Takuto had Atou tell them to drop the formalities to make it less awkward for him, but the proposal seemed to go against their common sense.

"Loyal behavior can be faked, but true allegiance dwells in the heart and mind. The King fully knows just how devoted you are to him. Hence, there is no issue with you acting casual."

"Yep, yep. I know."

"Oooh! Great King Ira! What merciful words! If the King says so, then we shall joyously refrain from standing on ceremony!"

Elder Moltar had wondered what the reasoning was but was convinced by his king's words.

To the Dark Elves, the King of Ruin was always right, and if he said something was so, then the only thing in the wrong was the common sense ingrained in them since childhood.

And, as Atou said, their allegiance wouldn't waver simply by changing the way they spoke. Instead, their king's thoughtfulness gave them measureless joy.

No doubt their conversation today would become even more rewarding because of it. Convinced that was the case, Elder Moltar and the two with him contemplated where to start the day's information session when their rumination was interrupted.

"Oh, right! We would like to explain our future plans to you before we get into our usual session. It's the perfect opportunity as both Elder Moltar and Warrior Captain Gia are present today."

The Dark Elves nodded, both a little surprised at the sudden suggestion and convinced it was time to discuss such things.

Mynoghra was an empire, even if it only consisted of one settlement and a throne. It wasn't just a gathering of refugees. It was only natural to decide on the empire's agenda if they were going to conquer the world under their mighty leader.

Both Elder Moltar and Gia were leaders among the Dark Elves. There was much for them to do. Renewing their determination to devote all their power to his cause, they stood at attention and awaited the King's orders.

"You will continue to hold important positions in Mynoghra's national administration as members of the empire-management council. This is the King's decision. There is no room for debate," Atou started.

"Elder Moltar will handle matters of national management. We have high hopes for you, since you seem capable of using magic too. Gia will continue in his role as Warrior Captain. Please lead the warriors of Mynoghra to victory. You can choose who will serve under you, and if there are no issues at hand, you are welcome to use your former subordinates."

The Dark Elves graciously accepted their roles. The King's directives fell in line with what they had expected. Of course, just because they expected it didn't mean they took it lightly. They were going to repay the debt they owed, if only a little.

Warrior Captain Gia pounded his chest, determination burning in his eyes. "As you command. If it is for my king, I will immediately give the order, and we will gladly slaughter your enemies, down to the last infant!"

Gia's declaration echoed through the forest, reaching into the great beyond with gusto. In his mind, he imagined the King giving a pleased nod and Atou encouraging him to go through with it. He was positive his bright future as a brave warrior began today. He dreamed of slaying the King's many enemies as his vanguard on the battlefield.

"What the hell? That's scary…"

"It is?!"

The King had the completely opposite response from what Gia was hoping for with his passionate declaration.

The Warrior Captain froze like a statue, his eyes wide as saucers. His brain came to a screeching halt. Had he said something offensive without realizing it? He ran through everything he'd said and did over the past few minutes and found nothing out of place.

"War is so barbaric."

"The King prefers peace."

Of course Gia's suggestion didn't get the reaction he expected— they had fundamentally different ways of thinking.

Takuto uttered his soft stance on war as if it was the most obvious course of action, and Atou supported the sentiment.

At that moment, Gia wanted to cry, "Why is the King of Ruin a pacifist?!"

But he convinced himself it was because the King had some profound, unfathomable logic he based that decision on. Gia decided to diffidently voice what he hoped the King was thinking.

"P-Pardon my confusion, but is your plan to bring ruin upon the world indirectly rather than directly?"

"Nope."

"The King prefers domestic affairs. Remember that."

"Y-Yes, ma'am. I will abide by His Majesty's wishes…"

Gia's assumptions were struck down yet again. The King had utterly denied them. Gia's confusion was spinning out of control.

He glanced to his left, where Elder Moltar was stroking his white beard with amusement. Gia, whose selling point was his calm and collected nature, almost blew a fuse when Moltar winked at him mockingly, but he sucked it up, as they were in the presence of the King.

In the end, what the King says goes.

Gia might've embarrassed himself and had his motivation squashed, but his core personality hadn't changed after becoming evil. He didn't have an insatiable desire to kill all living things. His people had been forced to live in suffering for a long time.

If the King wanted peace, then that was for the best. Everything should be as the King wanted it. That was how Gia was able to accept it.

"In the meantime, get plenty of rest and make those gaunt bodies of yours a little easier on the eyes. After that…comes building proper housing, I suppose."

Atou started giving out instructions while Gia was busy coming to terms with his doubts in his own way. Orders to rest for the time being were a godsend.

Aside from everyone taking part in this meeting, the Dark Elves were on their last leg. They vowed to devote even more fealty to their king for granting them time to rest up without having to ask for it.

"Yes, ma'am! We are truly thankful for your boundless compassion. However, if I might be so bold, those of us here can still be of use to you while the others rest. I can be of service to you in a variety of ways—unlike Gia here, who is only useful for his strength!" Moltar flashed Gia a provocative smirk only he could see.

Damn you, old man! You're all game now that you're fat with food! Gia mentally cursed him with all his heart but kept his mouth shut while swearing to clear his name when a better situation presented itself.

"You would all be better off resting too, but—King Takuto, they appear to be workaholics. Should we order them to gather resources or choose where to build our settlement?"

Their offer was an unexpected one. A little unsure on how to proceed but delighted nevertheless, Atou turned to her master for his opinion.

Although Takuto didn't want to overwork them, he also didn't want their motivation to go to waste, so he racked his brain for an easy job they could do while making the most of their Dark Elf abilities.

Every race has various traits. Assigning units to manage facilities or jobs that suit their unique race traits is a key game strategy to further advance your empire.

As Takuto remembered those game elements and started putting a strategy together, a brilliant idea suddenly hit him.

"I know!"

Atou immediately reacted to his utterance. She tilted her head, her eyes locked on him, and quietly waited as if wordlessly asking, "Did you come up with a plan?"

"What about assigning them to do Terrain Enhancements that don't damage the forest?"

Atou clapped her hands at her king's suggestion. He just had to say one thing for her to know exactly what he was getting at. She really was the perfect subordinate.

"Right! They are Dark Elves, after all." Atou turned from Takuto to the Dark Elves. "Elder Moltar, I would like to confirm if your people can procure lumber and build various structures without destroying the forest?"

Elves and forests go hand and hand. That was common knowledge not only in Eternal Nations, but most fantasy worlds in general. And in this game, Takuto thought, the Elf races have the unique trait of building structures without causing deforestation.

Forests produce various beneficial resources: Food, Lumber, and Anti-Pollution Effects. All of these resources are crucial to managing an empire.

However, the player usually has to clear the forests and secure land to start building anything. And, naturally, once you fell all the trees, the Forest Bonuses go away too. Elves were among the most favored races in the game because they can maintain the Forest while building within it.

Takuto had asked hoping that trait carried over to this world, and it appeared his hunch was right.

"We aren't as skilled at it as the Elves who belong to the Light, but…we are also a people who make their home in the woods. If I may state our preference, we do prefer building up in the large trees to living on the ground," Elder Moltar answered.

"Perfect!"

"Our king prefers to build without destroying the environment.

This is a good sign."

Takuto's delight showed on his face. That was just how big of an advantage Forest Bonuses gave.

In particular, improved hygiene would contribute significantly to population growth and upkeep in the future. How could he not crack a smile over the benefits he was sure to obtain later on?

"I am brimming with pride to know the King is pleased with our natural talents," Elder Moltar said.

"Grrr…" Gia groaned aloud, unable to hide his disappointment when he thought the King of Ruin would start his reign of terror by destroying the forests.

But after a few moments of scowling, he determined he must've had the wrong idea about Ruin and tuned back into Atou's explanation of the King's desires.

Was it his youth that made him struggle to accept things outside what he'd come to know as common sense?

"Please do your best to collect lumber and other resources without exhausting the forest. You can do it at your own pace," Atou instructed.

"I'm looking forward to seeing the amazing transformation the forest will have with the Encroachment effect."

"As am I, my king."

The King was done speaking.

The Dark Elves were curious about several of the things he'd said to Atou but decided not to ask as those were not words meant for them.

They knew their place.

Henceforth, they were going to restore their clan to its former glory under their new king. They still had clansmen who'd split off to escape to distant lands. Proving their worth was the best way to get the King to welcome those detached brethren into his empire.

Elder Moltar and his people planned to offer everything they had to the King, sparing no effort or resource at their disposal.

"Good luck. Don't forget to Reforest."

King Ira offered those final words of encouragement to them.

Feeling like he'd ascended into the heavens just by receiving those spine-tingling words, Gia didn't miss this ultimate chance to speak directly to the King.

"Yes, sir! O great and mighty King, may I ask a question?"

"What's the matter?" Atou immediately injected herself between them.

Gia wanted to hear directly from the King, but was satisfied to know he had his ear. There were matters more important to tend to than that. He was ashamed to show his ignorance, but knew it was a greater crime to pretend he understood something when he didn't.

Thus, he gingerly repeated that word he'd never heard before.

"Forgive me, but what exactly does it mean to…Reforest?"

Surprise flickered across Atou's face. The uncomfortable change in the air filled the brave Warrior Captain with terror.

What in the world did it mean to Reforest? What kind of act was it?

Ignorance is shame, knowledge is light. However, anyone who hides their ignorance to keep up appearances is doomed to fail, Gia thought.

He came right out and asked to avoid that pitfall, but his question seemed to unsettle his rulers more than even he anticipated.

"What?"

The King sounded surprised. That single utterance plunged Gia into greater distress than he'd ever experienced before, but it seemed King Ira was genuinely more surprised than disappointed. His jet-black figure wavered as he crossed his arms and began contemplating what was said.

"You don't know about Reforesting?" Atou asked.

"…I'm afraid not. Forgive me."

"It's fine if you don't. How about you, Elder Moltar? And the girl in the back—Emle?"

Elder Moltar and Adjutant Emle shook their heads.

Gia was about to pray to his ancestors to save him from despair if they knew what he didn't, but seeing as neither of their clan's scholars had any idea, this was a fundamental difference in knowledge between them and their king.

"Hmm… I thought your technological level was around Smelting, Fishing, Farming, and Fortress Building? It's weird you don't know this."

Takuto was unusually talkative. Gia and the rest were surprised to hear him say so much to them when he usually left the talking to Atou.

"You do understand the terms King Takuto just mentioned, I hope?" Atou asked.

The Dark Elf trio nodded. Those were technological concepts even they were familiar with. They may not have lived in big cities, but they had their own trades before they had to flee. They also possessed basic knowledge about the names and general purposes of the different technologies belonging to each empire.

Gia considered explaining what they knew, but Atou beat him to it.

"Then do you know any of these: Four Major Elements, Military

Magic, Six Major Elements, Special Magic Source, Strategic Offense

Magic, Troops Allocation Magic, Floating Weapons, Terrain

Manipulation, Dimension Summoning, Netherworld Dolls, or Genetic Enhancement Magic? All of these fall under Magic Technology." Those terms were entirely beyond their understanding.

Atou said they counted as Magic Technology, but they hadn't heard of any of them, and some of the terms sounded utterly foreign. They could vaguely grasp what the words meant. But the very concepts seemed so illusory, they failed to believe they could exist in reality.

Trembling before the fact Atou uttered all those concepts like they should be obvious knowledge, Elder Moltar responded about the one Magic Technology he knew existed in this world.

"W-We know about the Four Major Elements. It's the basic concept of our magic. But I've never heard of the rest…"

"What are your perceptions of magic?" Atou asked. "Please tell me how it relates to basic combat and military affairs. Do you have any magic-based squadrons?"

"Oh, let me answer that," Emle spoke up. "In basic combat,

Mages support Warriors with offensive magic. And it is common for Mages with recovery magic to be assigned to rear support squadrons in military situations. However, no one has formed a squad of just Mages because of range, needing guards, and longevity in battle.

Some have considered the possibility, though…"

"This world is stuck at that level…?" Atou muttered, then fell silent.

This world's technological levels were ridiculously out of balance.

Science Technology and Magic Technology are typically researched simultaneously.

Given what they had learned from Elder Moltar about the development of fortress building and iron armaments, Takuto and Atou had expected their Magic Technology to be at around the same level, which would've consisted of a basic understanding of Military Magic and the Six Major Elements.

But once they peeled back the layers and looked deeper, they discovered the magic advancements in this world were at a noob's level or worse.

With that in mind, it made sense why they would marvel at the concept of Reforesting.

In Eternal Nations, Reforesting is a Terrain Enhancement available after unlocking and researching Agriculture and the Six Major Elements in their respective research trees. Reforesting uses magic to regrow trees at a much faster rate than in the real world, making it a more specialized technique than Atou gave it credit for.

But even if their Magic Technology was underdeveloped, they should've at least known the basic concept of Reforesting and had the means to do it without magic. And yet, the Dark Elves said they hadn't even heard of it before.

Atou noticed the strange disconnect between this world and Eternal Nations and looked at Takuto to inform him of her thoughts. His silent nod proved he'd reached the same conclusion.

"In other words, the Magic Technology of this world is significantly lower than what His Majesty expected?" Elder Moltar summarized.

"…Yes, exactly. This is far worse than anticipated. It also makes things very interesting. We don't know what caused Magic Technology to fall behind, but if we accelerate our development before everyone else, we will gain a huge advantage over the other empires."

Takuto nodded along, expressing his approval. He must've been excited as he nodded faster than usual.

Gia observed his reaction and saw that their meeting was proceeding well enough to repeat his question when there was a lull in the conversation.

"If I may, Lady Atou, what is the purpose of Reforesting…?"

"Oh, we got off track, didn't we? Reforesting means replanting trees in an area that has been deforested to preserve the vegetation. Not only does this secure our Lumber source, but it also has various other Benefits."

"Hmm. I see, I see. As far as my knowledge is concerned, it can take anywhere from several hundred to thousands of years for a sapling to grow to maturity—could this be where magic comes in?" Elder Moltar asked.

"Indeed. By using the Magic Elements you don't know about yet, we can accelerate growth."

Elder Moltar fully grasped the situation now.

Trees in this world took a long time to mature, but they also had a tendency to be enormous enough to build houses into. And the larger the forest, the more trees they needed to clear for farmland.

Elves protected forests to live alongside them—they had no concept of keeping the vegetation under control.

But if nature could be nurtured with magic, and if the King was thinking of reigning over his empire for hundreds of years, that was another story.

Forests are finite and will eventually be depleted, and trees are an essential resource for construction. Focusing on woodland cultivation from an early stage is an investment in the future. And if magic can accelerate growth, it will become a mighty weapon for increasing national power by generating enormous resources.

Elder Moltar was in awe of his king and his ability to transcend the thinking of Humans and even the long-lived Elves. Yet he also grappled with a new question: how did His Majesty possess knowledge that greatly surpassed modern thinking, such as the various Magic Technologies Atou told them about?

"If I may be so bold to ask, where in the world did you gain the knowledge about these Magic Technologies and Reforesting…?"

"All of this knowledge that is the truth of the world was created by our great God, the King of Mynoghra, Takuto Ira!" Atou proudly answered Elder Moltar's query with the confidence people usually have when talking about themselves. "Our king created it?!" What?!

Takuto reacted two whole seconds later. Now that was the biggest load of bull he'd ever heard.

"Your people have experienced the King's mercy and have received the honor of becoming his citizens. During that process, I believe you have all realized just how great and mighty he is." The Dark Elves gave big nods in response.

Takuto waved his hands to stop things from growing out of control, but everyone was so locked on Atou, his efforts ended in vain.

"You still don't know! Our king is actually a hundred times more amazing than you think!" Atou doubled down on her lies in her loudest voice yet.

Obviously, Takuto should've butted in and denied it right there and then, but he had the unfortunate inability to speak up when he needed to. And so he was stuck anxiously watching Atou go on a boasting rampage of pure exaggeration.

It went without saying that Atou had nothing but good intentions. She might have actually even believed that Takuto really did create those technologies.

In fact, spreading that he created such knowledge would only serve to benefit them. At any rate, there was no denying she had just planted an outrageous time bomb without batting an eye.

Atou gestured to herself with her index finger, instructing them to ask her about anything.

Don't make this an even bigger deal! Takuto thought, but of course, this was one of those times they seemed to be out-of-sync.

Meanwhile, Emle keenly jumped on the opportunity to ask questions with stars in her eyes.

"Some time ago, in the Human Holy Kingdom of Qualia, there was a plague that killed many people. The priests of that country said that it was a demon's curse. Does His Majesty know what the true cause was?"

"They probably exterminated too many of the cats living in their cities, causing a massive rat epidemic…" Atou explained. "Rats are reservoir hosts for many different plague bacteria. How it works is: someone catches the plague and dies, rats eat the infected carcass and proliferate, spreading the plague and killing more people that are then eaten by more rats. It creates quite a wonderfully endless loop. Our king discovered the issue."

Apparently, this was another of the King of Mynoghra's brilliant discoveries.

Obviously, Takuto had discovered no such thing. Some genius scientists had. Takuto quietly muttered apologies to those scientists who uncovered those life-changing truths after years of research.

"…They are plague hosts? So the presence of rats leads to people dying?" Emle asked.

"It's not the rats themselves, but the fleas and bacteria they carry that are the cause. Creatures so small that they can't be seen with the naked eye exist in this world. This is yet another brilliant discovery by our king."

Th-There she goes again…

Takuto was getting a headache from the rapidly growing pile of achievements being attributed to him. But he didn't burst into the conversation to warn Atou to stop. Or rather, he didn't possess the communication skills or tact to correct her. Either way, the fact remained that he was too soft on Atou to say anything.

"Fascinating," Elder Moltar said. "I can picture that if I imagine it as a very tiny gnat. We must come up with a way to exterminate this winged pest, before it can wreak havoc in our bodies."

"There are several ways to deal with the problem. I assume you're already considering bloodletting, but let me tell you in advance that draining blood from the sick does not purge the germs. It has the opposite effect of weakening the body. Praying is effective in a world with magic such as this, but its blessing doesn't work on thousands of people—so said our king." I said no such thing.

But now it was established that he had.

After that, Atou went into the most effective means to treat and prevent epidemics, making sure not to withhold any technological advancements related to medicine. All the while, Takuto's esteem in the eyes of his people grew exponentially without him lifting a finger.

The Dark Elves directed their awe and respect toward him as their heads were filled with unfathomable knowledge and concepts.

Every aspect of this conversation dealt a nauseating blow to Takuto's stomach.

"Our king can accomplish this much in just his sleep," Atou boasted with a confident cackle.

Takuto simply nodded along in silence, hoping she would stop sooner rather than later since he knew he couldn't do anything else.

"All the knowledge I have shared with you was created by our king. In the Land of the Gods, where he used to reside, there is much knowledge unknown to your kind. Advanced technologies can't be used much at your current level, but our king will bestow blessings on you like he just did with this knowledge. Do you now understand just how blessed you are?"

As a matter of fact, most of what Atou said wasn't wrong, barring the exaggerations about how great their king was.

It is generally believed that technology only becomes effective and viable once a civilization has reached appropriate cultural maturity and has gone through the prerequisite steps and research for the underlying technologies first.

That thought is both true and false. An explorer is overwhelmingly more likely to reach a treasure with a treasure map than aimlessly wandering through the fog with no directions.

Atou and Takuto certainly lacked the expertise and experience an expert would have. But possessing knowledge no one else had gave them a golden advantage.

"Then that means the apuhls His Majesty gave us is also a type of food he created in the Land of Gods, right?!"

The conversation shifted suddenly, as Emle brought up the fruit

Takuto had produced with his Mana. Everything Emergency

Production produced was from modern-day Earth and food he often ate during his life there.

He had no idea what system allowed that miracle to happen. But it was a fact that technological progress could produce one of the greatest treasures known to man—an abundant food supply.

"Yes, yes, that's absolutely correct. Isn't it delicious? He's created even more delicacies than that! I love grapes!" Facts aside, Atou was getting out of control.

She's banned from eating grapes for a while.

Atou was too excited to guess what Takuto was thinking as she spoke enthusiastically about various things she shouldn't have.