Volume 2 BEGIN
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Prologue
AFTER dying and waking up in another world, Takuto Ira realized he'd become the commander of a civilization from the strategy game Eternal Nations. He took charge of the evil forces of Mynoghra and was served by Atou, the strongest-end-game and weakest-earlygame Hero unit. He'd begun managing his empire with the sole goal of living peacefully with the girl who also remembered playing the game with him.
Adding the Dark Elves to their ranks along the way, Mynoghra's growth had been proceeding as they'd hoped, but fate prefers chaos to order.
The Holy Kingdom of Qualia had to go and dispatch its Paladins to scout Mynoghra's territory. From that encounter, they learned of the existence of Witches and Saints.
Takuto thought back on those chaotic days so full of trigger flags that it seemed as if he'd been roped into the storyline of a video game.
"Haa…" he sighed. "So much has happened, huh? Why does trouble keep showing up at our door when we only want to be left in peace…?"
"A lot of events cued at once, didn't they…?"
Takuto's lament was met with a response from Atou, the Hero unit he trusted and adored the most.
Right before his eyes was the empire he'd built from the ground up, and Atou stood at his side. In the game, the scenery was a little dull and lackluster because it was just expressed with computer graphics, but when he looked at what he had now, the realness of its presence moved him in ways a game never could.
He let out another sigh, signaling the end of the first phase of their journey, and sat on his favorite throne. Then he suddenly realized that Atou was leaning forward, gazing into his eyes.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Nothing!" she squeaked. "I think it was all just in my head, after
all!"
"Really? I get that! I often get stuck in my own head too."
"Right?!"
I wonder what's gotten into her.
Takuto was starting to worry because Atou had been acting funny lately, giving him scared looks and all, but interacting with her now made it seem like he had been worried for nothing.
Atou was also relieved to discover her doubts were unfounded.
After encountering and battling the Holy Kingdom of Qualia's recon team, Takuto's words had pierced her heart like a thorn.
Although he'd grown up in an unusual environment, being bedridden in a hospital most of his life, the Takuto Atou knew should've been an ordinary person living in a peaceful world with normal sensibilities. Yet, he was okay with Atou killing people and even asked her why he should be bothered by it.
At that moment, Takuto appeared distorted to her, and she was overwhelmed with apprehension and doubt about whether he was indeed the boy she knew. But she must've just been imagining things because she didn't sense the same thing from him now.
She was probably just rattled by nerves from her first battle— nerves she never knew she had.
Determining that was the case, Atou shoved the thought aside and never paid it attention again.
Thus, the two of them continued to run Mynoghra the same way as before, without noticing each other's discomfort—all to create the peaceful and tranquil evil civilization they dreamed of.
Things had been set in motion throughout the world.
The forces of good, neutral forces, and the forces of evil.
In a world blending various emotions to resemble a game, yet completely different from any game, Mynoghra took its next turn…
-x-X-x-
Chapter 1: Twins
MYNOGHRA had crushed the Holy Kingdom of Qualia's reconnaissance team, buying them a little more time to live in peace and quiet. They were steadily amassing more power, the extra time working in their favor as Takuto had speculated.
Today again, Mynoghra completed the construction of another facility to solidify its position in the world.
"It's finally built!"
"Yes!! The Palace is complete!"
Takuto and Atou looked on with satisfaction at the newly established national symbol. Although it had the grand title of Palace, it was actually the lowest level building in its class and wasn't even that big.
At best, it was on par with the mansion of a middle-ranking nobleman. But wastefully expanding its size at this point in the game would only bury them under higher Upkeep costs. They'd likely need to upgrade it once their empire grew, but this was more than enough for where they were at now, and it satisfied Takuto, who never even had a room to call his own during his past life.
Faint light shined in through the skylight, illuminating the familiar throne that had been decorated more lavishly than before to give off a regal presence. Takuto sat on the throne that now had a certain mystique and reclined without hiding his giddy laughter. His good mood skyrocketed when Atou whistled like she always did when he took to his throne.
As much as he enjoyed taking in the splendor of his Palace and the comforts of his throne, he'd be dubbed incompetent if he let that distract him from his work. Takuto was King, and it was his duty to manage the empire, leading it in the direction of peace and tranquility.
Mynoghra is an evil empire that loves peace.
Takuto's initial objective hadn't changed, regardless of how others perceived his empire or the actions he'd taken.
"Okay, Military Magic is already in the testing phase, so I'd say we've got the foundation more or less laid out, wouldn't you?"
In Eternal Nations, the 4x strategy game Takuto played during his past life, there was a Magic Technology called Military Magic.
Military Magic allows each civilization to use powerful spells based on the Mana unique to their alignment. Normally, the player seeks out a Resource point called a Dragon Vein Mine, which supplies the necessary Mana, but a Palace can also automatically generate it to alleviate the load.
Mynoghra's Palace produces Ruin Mana. It can also generate some Magic Power too.
While it might be seen as a complete waste of resources if you only view it as a status symbol, taking the benefits it brings to the empire just by existing into consideration makes constructing the Palace an obvious decision. Especially in this Resource barren starter land Mynoghra spawned in.
They had already gotten off to a great start, especially considering how Mynoghra's early-game weaknesses often cause the empire to bottleneck. Not only had they been blessed by the unexpected good fortune of the Dark Elves joining their empire early on, but Mynoghra's presence had yet to be exposed despite all the trouble with the Paladins.
Takuto couldn't let his guard down, but he'd brought the empire far enough along to take a moment to breathe at least.
"That's true, but we're going to need more citizens to expand. How in the world do we increase their numbers…?" Atou asked.
"It'll take way too long if we wait for their numbers to grow naturally," Takuto agreed.
The pile of problems ahead still towered over Takuto and Atou.
The problem they had to tackle next was their lack of citizens.
Normally, population growth can be expected over a long period of time, but considering the current continental situation, Mynoghra was falling behind the other empires.
Of course, Takuto was still planning to secure their labor force using the Larva produced by Isla, Queen of Bugs and Mynoghra's unique race, the Homunculus, as an option, but what they currently needed the most were units to serve in intellectual capacities. In other words, they required citizens with the intelligence to think for themselves and invent new things independently.
"I heard the Dark Elves have other clansmen who are still wandering in search of a new home," Atou mentioned. "We could secure a decent workforce if we welcome them into our empire, but that still wouldn't be enough."
"So, the question is: what's the best solution?"
Takuto and Atou racked their brains in the newly completed Palace.
Lately, Elder Moltar, Gia, and Emle had been so busy with their various jobs, they couldn't stop by as often to talk anymore. The reason was simply that there weren't enough educated personnel to handle all the intellectual work. This also served as evidence that building a solid framework was necessary to run a working empire.
The greater the world you see around you, the more apparent what you lack becomes.
That being said, there was only so much they could do at this point.
Steadily solving what they could was the best strategy, which meant the population problem was shelved for another day.
"But it is impressive," Atou said, sweeping her gaze over the Palace to change the dead-end topic. "Our world will start from here."
The Palace wasn't that big because it was a base-level facility, but it was still imposing and breathtaking. Wood unique to Mynoghra was woven in layers in a distinctly Dark Elf architectural style, making the structure look like a work of art. Of course, the decorative details were just as stunning.
The textiles woven by the Dark Elf women were the definition of perfection. Just looking at the history of Mynoghra embroidered on them almost gave the illusion they were telling a mythical tale.
The Palace, though still at its starter level, was sufficient for the King to reside in. The final stage after the last upgrade was even grander.
"Yeah, you can say that again. Let's upgrade it once we have the extra Resources. I love the biggest Palace!" Takuto exclaimed in high spirits.
It's often said that every man wants to be lord of his own castle, so it made sense why Takuto was acting like an excited child whose mom just bought him a brand new toy. And it's no wonder Atou became just as excited seeing how enthusiastic it made her king.
"I couldn't agree with you more, my king! Our Palace shall take root in the ground and pierce the heavens! Our vassals will be powerful heroes with dauntless courage! Our walls will be filled with countless, beautiful maids!"
"Yeah!! Now we're talking! It makes me forget all the bad stuff."
Takuto threw open his arms with a "Woohoo!" He was in such a good mood, he could dance.
Atou mimicked the gesture, spreading her arms and sharing in her king's joy. But then she let out a scream, pouring cold water on the merrymaking.
"AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!"
"UWAAAAH?!"
She'd screamed so loud, Takuto had jumped and slid off his throne.
What in the world had gotten into her?
Taking slow breaths to calm his racing heart, Takuto looked up at his trembling confidant.
"I-I just realized something dreadful…"
"Wh-What's that?"
"Maids! We don't have a single person to attend to your needs, King Takuto!"
"Oh? Now that you mention it, that's true."
With that comment, Takuto realized for the first time that a maid was indispensable for a king.
He'd been fine until now because Atou had been taking care of his needs. Besides, he was the type who did things for himself, so it never occurred to him to want one. But their new home was quite large. They'd obviously run into various inconveniences living alone together in such a big Palace.
On top of that, it seemed wrong to continue living the way they had before now that their empire had stabilized somewhat. After all, Takuto was the King of Mynoghra and the Commander of the Dark
Elves.
Some people were sure to object to a king doing everything for himself.
At the very least, it was unacceptable to the girl who'd openly declared she lived to serve him.
"I'm a failure! A failure as a servant!"
So it was only obvious that Atou whined about it. She actually had a valid point, but the way she threw a tantrum like a child made it come across more like selfish whining.
And it almost always fell to Takuto to talk her down.
"Don't overreact. I don't mind not having one."
"I mind! What kind of maid do you want?!"
She rushed up to him, closing the distance like a predatory cat, and questioned him like he didn't have a choice in the matter.
Sensing he wasn't getting out of this one that easy now that she'd entered this mode, Takuto rubbed his chin between his fingers. But nothing really came to mind.
He honestly wasn't interested in things like chamberlains. Plus, he was nervous he wouldn't be able to talk to some stranger suddenly charged with caring for him. That'd only stress him out.
So, he had only one requirement.
"S-Someone who's easy to talk to."
"KING TAKUTOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"
Atou cried—cried for her king who still became tongue-tied around others.
She sidled up to him and offered all sorts of comforting words, but Takuto's good mood rarely returned after it'd deflated. He sat on top of the throne, hugging his knees, muttering sad things.
"Ugh… I feel super alienated not being able to talk to the Dark
Elves. I want to be a friendlier king…"
"Er, you are a bit too regal, King Takuto," Atou began, telling him something he never expected to hear, "…So I believe they are afraid of you."
"Whaaaaaaaaaat?!"
His eyes bulged with surprise.
Why is anyone afraid of me? And what the heck does 'regal' mean in this situation???
But she was right about one thing: fear gleamed in every Dark Elf's eyes when they looked at him, albeit less now than at the beginning. They didn't show the same kind of fear while interacting with Atou.
Takuto understood how they felt.
Talking to important people can make anyone nervous.
Once, during his past life, a big-time doctor from a university hospital traveled a long distance just to treat him. He vividly remembered how uncomfortable that made him feel, so he figured the Dark Elves must feel the same around him. He couldn't help feeling disappointed by that.
"Forever a loner…"
Those three sad words slipped from his lips.
His confidant blanched at the reality her king was going to be forever alone.
"I-I…will be with you foreeeeeeeeeever!" Atou cried, clinging to him.
Realizing he'd probably be a gloomy Gus forever if he didn't have her, Takuto felt grateful he had such a devoted and affectionate confidant at his side.
Ahh, just how blessed am I? I'm such a lucky guy to have a girl who cares this much about me.
Pure bliss filled him.
"Oooh! I just struck upon a genius idea!"
However, his bliss dissipated in an instant, replaced by a cold sweat that trickled down his forehead.
Nothing good ever came from one of Atou's ideas, especially those she was extra enthusiastic about.
"Will you leave it to me, my king? I came up with the best solution ever!"
"Er, uh…c-can you slow down and explain first—"
"Won't you leave it to me, Atou, your loyal servant?!"
She cut him off, pushing her demands on him without explaining.
When it came down to it, Takuto was a softie where Atou was concerned. The biggest softie you'd ever find.
Thus, he had no reason to refuse her when she asked to be put in control of matters with such confidence.
So, Takuto gave in—fully.
"Of course!"
He granted her permission to act with a big smile, throwing in the towel and hoping he wouldn't regret whatever came next.
◇◇◇
"ELDER Moltar! Gather all the little girls! This is His Majesty's wish!"
"HUH?!"
Two shocked utterances echoed through the Throne Room. One belonged to Elder Moltar after he heard that abrupt command, and the other belonged to Takuto after hearing the same thing.
"P-Please explain a little more first, Lady Atou! F-For what reason has that order been passed down? What is His Majesty thinking?"
"His Majesty loves little girls!"
Takuto cursed himself for handing the matter completely over to her several hours earlier. Hating himself, he cradled his head in his hand and concentrated all his nerves on overcoming this rocky situation.
"H-His Majesty l-loves little girls…" Takuto felt all eyes on him.
Gia and Emle were also present for this conversation.
Every Dark Elf in the room had shifted their dubious gaze to him.
They were giving him cringe-worthy looks, driving home the point that he was now placed at a crossroads.
"ATOU!"
So, he shouted.
If he didn't correct this misunderstanding now, he would be stuck with a much worse badge than just sucking at holding a conversation.
His voice had come out much louder than he'd expected, telling him that he could speak for himself when he really wanted to.
◇◇◇
"HA! Ha! Ha! I see, I see. I should've expected His Majesty to have such an ingenious idea as keeping the innocent children by his side to teach them not to be bound by our outdated common sense."
"It's certainly a good idea. Children often say the darnedest things, perplexing even adults."
How long did that explanation take?
To Takuto, it felt like an eternity, but it was worth defending himself like his life depended on it to avoid being forever dubbed a lolicon—a man with a fetish for little girls.
Wouldn't young girls be easier than adult women for him to talk to with his communication disorder?
Atou likely adopted this strategy with that reasoning, but how she went about it definitely shaved a few years off his second life.
One wrong move and he would've been treated like a pedophile. He'd be known as the Lolicon King.
Takuto had every right to shout and defend himself like it was the end of the world. With every gear in his head turning at full speed, he had desperately conveyed a believable explanation to Atou with his eyes, and Elder Moltar and Gia interpreted it just as he'd hoped.
Something about it still didn't sit right with him, but it worked enough not to be outright ridiculous. It was the perfect save.
"Not only that, but His Majesty is being considerate by not adding this extra work to the adults. While being the King's caretaker might sound like a big job, he only needs help with basic tasks. Even young children should be capable of doing simple chores," Atou explained, further convincing Elder Moltar and Gia.
But her remarks didn't dispel Takuto's concerns. It made sense on paper but did nothing to clear his name of potential lolicon accusations.
"Oh? Then couldn't boys serve that role as well?"
"There's more to it than that."
Takuto reacted at the speed of light to the question Gia casually uttered.
He was on course to being forever dubbed as the Lolicon King. So he interjected himself into the conversation without a second thought, hoping that suggesting there was more to it than what was explained would put an end to it.
"Hmm. I see. His Majesty seems to have something greater in mind. Please honor us with an explanation from your deep abyss of knowledge, my king."
But, of course, they wanted to know more than that.
Elder Moltar shouldn't be criticized for asking the most obvious question, but Takuto was always put on the spot when it came to this wise old man.
I-I can't say I have nothing in mind, can I…?
Elder Moltar stared at him with anticipation. Faltering under that probing gaze, Takuto kicked his brain into high gear to come up with a suitable excuse.
He glanced over at Atou, the source of his problems. She was looking at him with stars in her eyes, impressed by his ingenuity giving her proposal greater meaning.
What a complete and utter misunderstanding.
Hold on. What if I say it's to nurture future leader candidates? Especially since there are fewer girls in leadership positions among the Dark Elves.
A miraculously good idea hit Takuto just as it was getting harder to tide things over with a meaningful pause.
As things stood, Mynoghra had a shortage of talented people to fill critical leadership roles. Elder Moltar, Gia, and Emle were doing their best to manage things, but the amount of work always exceeded the number of workers.
They were in this much of a bind just managing a group of several hundred people. The number of jobs requiring intelligent, trained leaders would only multiply as Mynoghra became a bigger empire.
But they didn't have an endless supply of personnel to recklessly burden with empire management tasks. Jobs had already been assigned to every Dark Elf, and each was necessary to keep the empire running.
Entrusting them with the work of a civil official on top of their regular job would push them from sweatshop working conditions to downright slavery. That was the last thing Takuto wanted for his empire.
As it was, his stomach twisted with the thought of how much work he was asking them to do. He truly wanted to reduce the load he was placing on the Dark Elves, and he'd also instructed them to take holidays.
In other words, no one with a job in Mynoghra had time to play around. And they currently had no capable people to entrust new tasks to. In that case, while it was a little crazy to suddenly bring up educating young children to take on future leadership roles, it did make sense logically.
"Leader candidates. It's to help nurture them…for the future." "Ooooh! So that's what you had in mind, Your Majesty!"
Even if the plan failed, it wouldn't cause much damage. On the contrary, teaching children his values while they were still young would make having talented subordinates who were in sync with him more than just a dream.
Atou and the Dark Elves are trying their best, but they're shortsighted in some areas. I need someone who can give me good advice when the need arises.
Once he turned the faucet of his ideas on, the advantages of this plan poured out like hot water.
Of course, it also helped him come up with an answer to the question: "Why are you only offering this opportunity to little girls instead of all children?"
This world was still in the developmental stage of civilization, and therefore the values of bygone eras, which were at odds with Takuto's modern values, were pervasive.
Put simply, men are to work while women take care of the home.
The Dark Elves had vowed they wouldn't forget their gratitude to the King and would devote everything to Mynoghra, but there were many situations where they were bound by their culture's common sense to the point where they couldn't come up with advanced, aggressive new ideas.
Therefore, if left unchecked, women in this world would be confined to the norm of raising a family and tending to the home without knowing they could do more if they wanted to. Of course, some worked too, but at best, they helped with the farm and took on homemaker side jobs. In fact, Mynoghra's citizens who fell under the housewife category were also in charge of that kind of work.
Emle was the rare one out, having been Gia's adjutant. Although there were rare cases of certain groups allowing someone with special talents like her to shine, the concept of social progress and women moving up in the world practically didn't exist here.
Takuto wasn't going to try to change the world, but given his empire's shortage of personnel, he thought it was terrible to let young girls' talents go to waste when he could actually do something about it.
Thus, Takuto passionately spoke about how this would aid the girls without arousing any suspicions about him having unsavory motives.
"Then shouldn't we hold a grand test to select the right people to impart your great wisdom to, King Takuto?"
"We don't have the people for that, and it's experimental at this stage."
Yes, this was an experiment. Just a test. There was nothing to lose if it didn't work and much to gain if it succeeded.
But Takuto was fairly confident this plan would have some success.
Dark Elves have long lifespans. They don't live for thousands of years like the typical elves found in fantasy stories. But they're still a long-lived species with an average lifespan of about two hundred years.
Although he'd only be instructing the ignorant children tending to him during his spare time, they would likely mature into excellent subordinates after dedicating years to their training. The only potential kink in his plan was that he didn't know how long he would live now that he'd become the King of Mynoghra, but he doubted he was stuck with a human lifespan.
He could worry about that when it actually became a problem, and he already had several strategies in mind for when the time came.
For now, he was focused on nurturing human—or rather Dark Elf—resources.
The plan was to implement Mynoghra's take on the apprenticeship system. While it was unprecedented for a king to take on apprentices, the necessity, advantages, and grounds for doing so were sufficient enough to merit it.
Takuto was convinced he'd flawlessly come up with the perfect excuse. He was in awe of his ability to develop a genius plan amid great mental turmoil.
He slowly explained the details to the others as they struck him. He relished the reverent and awestruck looks Elder Moltar, Gia, Emle, and even Atou were giving him.
Takuto was also excited about it. Now he could finally comfortably practice talking to others with the girls as his conversational partners.
Well, it's not like the world will end if I don't get better in a day! I'm sure I'll get over my people anxiety if I try.
In the end, that's what Takuto was really after.
Atou's crazy proposal forced him to talk his way out of being forever labeled the Lolicon King, but he definitely wanted to work on his lack of communication skills too.
"I'll be! His Majesty continues to present us with ingenious plans. I'm ashamed by how boldly we claimed to support you when you continue to aid us!"
"Indeed! I never imagined His Majesty was already thinking about raising up future leaders. Just how big of a picture does our king see…?"
"I wouldn't expect anything less of our king! We will devote even more of ourselves to you, Your Majesty!"
"I'm not that great."
Their praise was excessive, but it'd be worse for everyone involved to correct them too much. So, Takuto just went with it.
He was in high spirits for getting through that crisis by the skin of his teeth. He wasn't really sure what to think about maid culture, but he was interested in it.
Plus, who wouldn't be happy to be surrounded by girls?
Takuto shared the same sensibilities as most men.
He'd definitely be more motivated to run the empire on a daily basis if the Palace had more flowerlike girls than just being full of squalid, butch men. Not to mention, he'd much rather practice talking to women.
All right! You're going down, communication disorder!
Takuto fired himself up.
He'd outright deny it if anyone confronted him about it, but he was surprisingly all for this particular plan.
"I can't wait," he muttered to himself, his subordinates bowing before hurriedly leaving the Throne Room to put the plan into action.
◇◇◇
"M-MY king…they are just children."
"It's fine."
Jumping straight to the conclusion: the plan to employ young girls as maids was on the verge of absolute failure.
Unknown factors are inevitable with every plan.
Of course, he probably should've expected this to happen, but this result came about because Takuto underestimated how others viewed him.
In short, every Dark Elf girl who'd been handpicked for the role broke down crying the second they saw Takuto. Not even he could conceal his shock. It was pitiful seeing how depressed it made him, slumped over in his throne as if he'd been rejected by every girl in the world.
"His Majesty is sulking! Are there no children capable of looking at the King without crying?!" Atou raged, Takuto's depression too much for her to bear.
"None. This is all the children in our empire…" Elder Moltar said quietly.
"Weak! Such weaklings!!"
At his wit's end, Elder Moltar looked to Gia for help, who was standing at his side, pondering something with his arms crossed.
"Elder Moltar, did you introduce His Majesty to those twins?"
"N-Nay… I didn't want to offend the King with them."
"…Hm? Enlighten me!"
As soon as Atou's ears picked up on their conversation, she darted over to them at the speed of light from where she'd been throwing a tantrum next to Takuto.
Elder Moltar genuinely didn't want to go with Gia's plan, so he reluctantly talked about the twin girls at his superior's orders. "H-How should I explain this? There are two orphan twin girls. They are certainly brilliant, but they are a tad problematic. I believe they are unfit to serve the King."
"Hmm? You're beating around the Flesh Tree too much. Clever children are perfectly fit for the role. Well, I'll decide when I see them for myself. Please bring them here."
Elder Moltar couldn't refuse a direct order from Atou. Groaning unhappily, he bowed and turned to leave. But Gia butt into the conversation faster than Elder Moltar could leave to fetch the twins.
"I've already fetched them."
"Gia! You do quick work!"
"Ha! Unlike a certain doddering old man, I'm always thinking two or three steps ahead to serve you, Your Majesty. My mind works faster than a senile one."
"You conniving upstart!"
Atou sighed at the two glaring Dark Elves. The sight of them competing to see who was more devoted to the King had become as commonplace as three meals a day. Exasperated that they were going at it again, Atou put in a few words to stop their childish bickering and shifted the topic toward the final two maid candidates.
"Okay, okay, we might be looking for children, but we don't want you acting like them with your quarreling. So bring the twins here now. Come on, hop to it."
"Yes, ma'am! Gladly!"
At long last, Gia urged the two girls into the Throne Room.
…As soon as the twins entered, Atou's eyebrows visibly moved upward.
The girls were probably around twelve to thirteen years old. They were relatively older than the other girls they had an audience with, but age didn't matter in this evaluation.
They passed the first stage of the interview when they saw Takuto and didn't bawl their eyes out. But they had a strange aura about them. And it wasn't just their aura—their appearance also gave away the fact that there was more to them.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, great king. I'm Caria Elfuur. I go by Cary."
The twin girls entered the room holding hands like the best of friends.
The girl on the right politely introduced herself and bowed. Her silver hair, distinct to all Dark Elves, was cut to ear length, and she was wearing revealing traditional clothing that emphasized mobility. But a reddish-brown burn scar stuck out like a sore thumb on the right side of her beautiful face. The burn scars marred not only her face but also traveled down her whole right side, from her shoulder to her foot.
She showed off those scars proudly as if owning them and the story they told.
"I'm the big sister," the girl on the left greeted with a carefree smile.
Her silver hair reached her feet, and she wore a more conservative dress and shawl in direct contrast to her younger sister's revealing attire. Her outfit gave her a look of purity that dazzled Atou.
But her casual greeting was grounds for disqualification. Atou was going to scold her for her rudeness until she noticed something was off about the girl.
"Big Sista's name is Maria Elfuur."
Atou was convinced the girl was broken when her younger sister introduced her instead. Her carefree, vapid smile said it all.
Atou determined she had sustained some sort of traumatic damage that left her in a mental state that was far younger than her biological age and pardoned her rudeness.
"Nice to meet you."
The words Takuto worked up all his courage to say echoed through the Throne Room. He didn't seem to feel one thing or another about the girls, his gaze signaling Atou to take care of the rest.
Determining her king didn't mind whatever ailed the twin girls, Atou decided to start testing whether the girls were suitable to serve in the capacities he desired.
Although…
"A dullard and damaged goods…"
Maria the dullard and Caria the disfigured.
They certainly seem like children with a story… Are they truly fit to serve as the King's maids?
Those thoughts crossed Atou's mind as she scrutinized the two girls.
.
---------->
.
<-x-X-x->
The air was tense inside the Throne Room where Takuto was law.
Head cocked, Atou assessed the aberrant twins. Being a monster that existed outside the realm of logic herself, Atou asked the girls about themselves without an ounce of hesitation or fear.
"What are those scabby scars, girl?"
"The result of a disease."
"Poor thing."
"They suit me just fine…Your Majesty," Caria said simply, falling silent after speaking her piece.
Takuto also didn't seem interested in pressing her to explain.
Elder Moltar explained on behalf of the twins that the scabs came from a plague and that they still left a mark even after full recovery. Whatever the reason for the scars, Atou decided not to pry into the matter further. She didn't care as long as it wouldn't negatively affect her king.
"What happened to your big sister?"
"Something bad happened to Big Sista…"
"Something bad?"
"She ate Mommy."
"Moltar?"
Atou shot Moltar a questioning look. Her eyes were asking: "What does the younger sister mean by that?" She was only asking to confirm what she'd already inferred about their situation…
"It was a lamentable decision. Their mother was a proud and noble woman. Our entire clan has never forgotten her sacrifice…" His comment reminded Takuto of the agonized expressions the Dark Elves made when he'd explained the effects of the Flesh Tree. At the time, he'd believe they were repulsed by the mysterious effects the tree had on the psyche by making people feel like they were indeed eating human flesh… But that wasn't the case.
Reality is stranger and crueler than fiction.
Yes, the Dark Elves could no longer stand their hunger and had turned to eating their clansmen.
Chased out of their homeland, they journeyed endlessly in search of a new home. The long journey forced their race to make extreme decisions to survive.
Maybe there was another option.
There may have been a way for everyone to reach the Accursed Lands alive.
But it was meaningless to bring that up after the fact.
Besides, Atou wasn't in a position to judge their choices, nor did she care to. But it was easy for her to see that, to them, it was an abdominal, distressing decision. Moreover, what they did to survive had eternally scarred the two young girls…
The puffy scabs and scars on Caria's skin looked like they were due just as much to burns as to the plague. The relentless burn marks on her face appeared intentional and oozed with the hatred of the hand that did it.
Maria's glassy eyes held more in common with the dead than the living, and madness could be seen in her innocence.
…Now I understand why Elder Moltar was reluctant to introduce them, Atou thought, finally convinced of the sage's decision.
Judging by their healthy complexions, they weren't treated as outcasts. It seemed unlikely he didn't want to reveal the twins because he wanted to hide the clan's tragic past.
The problem lay in the deep scars haunting them both.
Caria was hideous because of her disfiguration, disqualifying her as a Palace maid. And Maria was unlikely to do a satisfactory job with any task given her childlike naiveté.
They fit what the King and Atou were looking for. But how could anyone recommend them in this state?
Atou could imagine why the withered old sage struggled with how to handle them. She was also stumped over how to proceed. Although the final decision ultimately lay with the King, he'd granted her full authority over this matter.
The twins left much to be desired as a representation of the King. But their mental fortitude in his presence was hard to pass up on too…
"Your Majesty, so white."
Before Atou realized it, one of the girls—the older sister, Maria— had walked right up to Takuto. She peered at him with her big, round eyes.
Takuto didn't seem particularly surprised and answered her query.
"What's white?"
"Hmm? I wonder what is?"
That wasn't a very good answer, but it appeared to pull on Takuto's heartstrings. A gentle smile touched his lips as he gently patted Maria on the head.
"You're Maria, right? Will you become my caretaker?"
"Mm-hm… I'll take care of the King."
"Okay. There will be a lot of things for you to remember and do, but do you think you can put your all into it?"
"…I probably can."
"Then, from this day onward, you will be a future leader candidate for the great Mynoghra. I have high hopes for you. You'll get paid for your work too."
"…I'll buy lots of candy."
"H-His Majesty is—our king is actually holding a real conversation with a little girl!!"
Atou's inner debate instantly solved itself in this moment.
I was right! Our king can actually talk if his conversation partner is a young girl! If he uses this opportunity to rehabilitate, his communication problems will be solved, and a weight will be lifted off him!
With that in mind, Atou decided on the spot to employ the twins. For better or worse, she prioritized actual gains over external appearances.
Takuto's attention shifted from Maria, who'd accepted the candy he'd produced with Emergency Production, to the younger sister.
Caria froze up like a deer in the headlights.
Unlike her older sister, she seemed somewhat scared of Takuto. Her reaction was the correct one under normal circumstances. If anything, the way she stood her ground despite her fear impressed Takuto.
"A-As the younger sister, Cary's o-obligated to stay with Big Sista. I-If that's what Big Sista wants, then I'll try my bestest too."
"That's admirable. Really admirable… Then, will you stay with me too?" Takuto asked.
"Y-You can count on me!"
Thus, the two girls were picked as Takuto's maids.
Looking relieved, Elder Moltar and the others encouraged the girls to work hard.
"His Majesty approves of them, so we will have the girls serve as his caretakers from now on."
Atou was also pleased that everything went well. And Takuto could finally breathe again, knowing that he'd finally secured maids and escaped judgment as a Lolicon King.
Just like that, the lonely Palace, where only Takuto and Atou lived, finally had two new, flowery additions.
◇◇◇
AFTER that, the two maids began working at the Palace, and Takuto thought he'd finally freed up some time in his personal life.
But reality is never so kind.
Takuto's life had become twice as hectic and problematic than before.
"Your Majesty, your drink."
"Thanks."
"Oops, I spilled."
"I-It's okay."
With a splash, Takuto's clothes were wet and sticky.
Maria had messed up. It happened every time, so Takuto's surprise had melted into indifference by now. Although that didn't change the fact she kept doing it. Thanks to that, the clothing the Dark Elf women made by hand for him were full of stains.
Takuto also wasn't keen on scolding the girls either. He wanted to value their effort, and he couldn't really get angry at children for making childlike mistakes.
Plus…
"Y-Your Majesty! I'll wipe it up for you!"
"Thanks."
Who could be angry when Caria blanched and tried so hard to make up for her older sister's mistakes? She appeared to deeply love and respect her older sister and put in ten times the work to clean up after her. Meanwhile, she still seemed afraid of Takuto.
Hence, Takuto had a hard time gauging what kind of approach he should take with her. That was why things remained awkward on a daily basis.
From the outside, Takuto looked like a pitiful older brother with two problematic younger sisters trying their best and always failing to help out around the house. It really was putting him in a frustrating position.
But today was different.
Normally, the older sister always wandered outside to play after finishing some random work, but this time she curiously stayed there, staring intently into Takuto's eyes.
"Your Majesty."
"What is it?"
"Are you an evil person?"
"I'm evil-aligned, yeah."
Takuto had come to this world as the Commander of the evil civilization of Mynoghra. Thus, his alignment was evil, which was why he replied the way he did.
Of course, since the girls were Mynoghra's citizens, they were also evil-aligned. Hence, their question puzzled him.
"Why don't you kill?"
"Who?"
"…Us."
"Huh?"
"U-Um, you see, Big Sista's asking why the great King Takuto is being merciful to worthless children like us."
Caria's explanation sent Takuto into pensive thought, his arms folded as he groaned.
Why wouldn't I be merciful? They're my vassals. And they're children. I'd never consider punishing them, and if they do anything really bad, I'd just scold them for it. Killing would be so savage.
Do I scare them that badly?
Feeling a little sorry for them, Takuto tried his best to answer their question in a gentle voice.
"Because you're my caretakers."
"Grr!" Maria growled at him like an angry little animal.
"Big Sista's angry at you for being an evil person but a kind king…"
"Seriously…?"
Takuto was baffled even though he thought it was cute how she expressed herself with angry sounds. But since he had a general idea of what they were trying to say, he calmly addressed the problem with them.
They're probably confused by their sudden alignment change, he concluded.
"Okay, let's have a little talk. Put your listening caps on, girls."
Both girls pretended to put on imaginary caps in the most adorable way, their attention wholly devoted to Takuto.
"A good person can only do good things. They can't hurt others or steal their things. And they must never kill, right?"
"Right!"
"Obviously."
"Okay, then what about an evil person? What should they do?"
"They can only do evil things!"
"Anything wicked!"
The girls responded like that was the only right answer.
Takuto anticipated their responses and had his reply ready.
"Wrong. An evil person can do anything they want." Their eyes went wide with surprise.
Takuto chuckled at their precious reaction but made sure to continue his point, not wanting it to get lost before he could drive it home.
"You can do good or bad things. You can do everything and anything, or you can do nothing. For you see, an evil person is incredibly selfish and free. They just have to believe in what they think is right, never listen to others, and charge ahead without looking back. That's what defines a true evil person," he paused there, then added with a playful wink, "So it's okay for me to be nice to you, because I want to!"
"That's no fair!!"
"Well, duh! Evil people don't have to be fair, silly!"
"Will evil ever be punished?"
"Only if you can't kill the good person doling out the punishment
first."
"Whaaaaaaaaaaat?!" both girls cried out in unison.
Takuto passionately explained his pet theory, smiling wryly at himself for how easy it was for him to speak at length on this topic. As he did, he was struck by a certain realization. If his guess was correct, then it'd explain the true motives behind Maria's actions and questions.
In other words—
"All of your mistakes until now were on purpose, weren't they?"
The older sister gave a big nod, her eyes no longer clouded and glassy; the younger sister quivered in fear.
Their reaction promoted Takuto's hunch to a surety.
"I see…"
He'd finally reached the answer.
She—they—wanted to die.
Takuto had already learned from prior discussions that the Dark Elves had cannibalized their own people to stave off starvation. And he knew their mother was a victim of that.
He might not have the best understanding of a family's love, but he knew that their mother had sacrificed herself to save them out of love. Whether the girls wanted to be burdened with the trauma their mother forever placed on them was an altogether different matter.
They probably never desired this outcome.
"Cary and…Cary's Big Sista—"
"—should've died."
Maria continued her younger sister's sentence with a logical coldness that felt like it couldn't have come from someone with a broken mind.
Maybe, her mind was never truly shattered.
She just despised herself so much, her hatred painted the world black, only allowing childlike thoughts to breach the surface. Something about her gave off that feeling.
"But you're scared to die?" Takuto asked.
Both girls gave a small nod.
They couldn't forgive themselves for surviving through their mother's death—they wanted to die so badly, but it was too scary to take their own lives. They longed for someone to kill them, letting their despair kill them on the inside, their own minds hurting them more than any external factor.
Thinking that if they did things to earn the King's wrath, he'd surely kill them, they lived every day seeking salvation through death.
That was the plight haunting the two girls who had committed the taboo of cannibalism.
Takuto silently beckoned them closer. Sensing the cry for help they couldn't conceal from their eyes, he desperately searched for the right words to save these two innocent and kindhearted souls. "You girls are here for a reason. There is someone who kept you alive, that's why you can't die. You know who that person is, don't you?"
"It hurts…"
"It's so painful."
Ahh, these girls are so deeply loved.
Takuto found that to be the most precious thing of all.
What a moving and beautiful love! he thought.
He'd never received any love or affection from his family. That's why he struggled to wrap his head around some aspects of it, but even he could easily tell these girls had a powerful bond with their mother.
At this rate, their love was bound to be lost forever.
Their minds would eventually break for good, and then they would be broken in the truest sense.
For some reason, it pained Takuto to know this wonderful love would vanish due to worthless crap like ethics and common sense. "…What did your mother tell you?" "Live on…" the twins said together.
An obvious choice, Takuto thought.
Given the love between them, it was no wonder their mother told them to live on.
So, he sincerely took what they said to heart and offered them thoughtful words that would resonate with their souls.
"Evil things aren't always the wrong thing. You and your mother did the right thing… Be proud. You are both standing here today because your mother's love prevailed against fate."
Those words had an absoluteness to them.
Takuto had an air of inaccessibility and majesty that separated him from just someone playing the role of an evil Commander.
The girls were consumed by his words and left feeling as if their souls had been lost. Their sense of self was on the verge of collapsing as they were enveloped by some monstrous entity beyond cognitive recognition.
It was a horrifying, terribly sweet experience.
Their great and mighty king erased the self-destructive feelings that were devouring their mind and souls. Only a deep love for their mother was left after their common sense, ethics, anxiety, and loss disappeared.
"Your Majesty, what in the world—"
"—should we do?"
Tears spilled down their cheeks.
Did they weep because their anguish had been wiped clean or because they were moved by their new understanding of how much their mother loved them?
Either way, the two girls were crying.
Takuto had no way of knowing this, but…those were the first tears they'd shed since losing their mother.
"Live as your heart desires. Live up to your mother's love, in a way that makes her proud." He gently embraced them both. "Remember this: you are free. You are free to do and not to do whatever you want. As long as it is something your mother would be proud of, I will bless every choice you girls make." Innocent eyes fixated on him.
Takuto didn't know if anything had changed for them. But relief washed over him when he noticed the slight change in their once harrowed expressions.
Just like that, the two little girls were influenced by the King's words, bringing them some salvation.
◇◇◇
"KING Takuto! I finished the investigation."
"Welcome back…"
"Hm-mm? What happened here?"
"We got better acquainted."
Atou returned to the Palace after finishing her miscellaneous tasks and frowned when she saw the King.
Nothing particularly problematic had happened while she was away.
Well, maybe it looked problematic to her.
The two girls, who were supposed to be Palace maids, were sleeping on either side of Takuto on the throne, their expressions blissful.
"Don't tell me you actually laid your hands on them?"
Atou accidentally let her disrespectful thoughts slip out. Her judgmental gaze pierced Takuto simply because she was jealous of the two young girls.
"No way! Anyway, report! Give me your report!!!"
"Oh, pardon me then. I wanted to talk to you about our findings on the nearby town."
They had started a more thorough investigation on the town closest to Mynoghra, which they'd discovered early on. They were stealthily collecting information in a way that wouldn't provoke their neighbors since Takuto wanted to be on friendly terms if possible.
It appeared the investigation results were in.
He didn't mind having her report the gist of things orally, leaving the finer details to a paper report later.
I wonder what kind of neighbors we have.
Takuto suppressed his wandering thoughts and concentrated on Atou's report.
"…It's a town belonging to the neutral nation of Phon'kaven, which is a multiracial empire consisting primarily of Beastmen and
Humans. The town is known as Dragontan."
"They're multiracial, huh…?"
Multiracial nations, by their very nature, contain a variety of cultures and values. Meaning they may be more open to negotiating with an evil empire if the circumstances are right. If nothing else, there shouldn't be an all-out war the second they meet like with a holy empire.
However, they couldn't be too optimistic until they learned what the neighboring empire's policies were. Depending on the other empire's convictions, negotiations could break down, leading to war.
"What's the population break down?" Takuto asked.
"Half are Humans, and the other half is made up of Beastmen races such as Werewolves and Werecats. They fall in line with what we know of them."
"So, just your typical fantasy demi-humans?"
"Exactly. There are just a lot of subtypes. They have a council system of government, run by Shamans known as Staff Holders." A council system of government means multiple people decide the empire's management policies. Using this system makes it much easier to prevent an empire from abruptly running off course because there is no king to give absolute orders like in an absolute monarchy, but on the other hand, it's also easier for opinions to be divided, leading to disputes and slower decision-making.
"Their civilization isn't very developed. They aren't too interested in technological advancement as they have a deeply rooted indigenous religion that worships nature spirits."
"That probably also has to do with a lack of Resources in the south to devote to science and technology. But, either way, they don't seem like much of a threat," Takuto concluded.
Going by what he just heard, they didn't seem like a very advanced empire. If anything, the fact they still had a council government led by Shamans gave the strong impression they had yet to escape an old, antiquated culture.
"I was able to confirm my suspicions with the extra information Emle provided, but they are a surprisingly orthodox neutral empire. Put in Eternal Nations' terms, they aren't cunning enough to suddenly declare war on us after ten turns," Atou explained while unfolding a map.
"Oh?" Takuto tilted his head as he confirmed Phon'kaven's territory on the map.
Phon'kaven's main territory was located much further east than he'd expected, and only the town of Dragontan existed out in the middle of nowhere.
"Huh. This town is awfully isolated from the rest of their territory. Why did they build it way out here? It costs to move supplies that far, and the burden of defending this spot is too great to not have a good reason."
Takuto scrutinized the available information and started to plot his strategies around it. But then he suddenly caught the meaningful look on Atou's face and stopped mulling. "Is there more?"
"Yes, I actually have something to report on that front."
"Why do you sound so serious? Did you discover something bad?"
"It appears the town was built around a Dragon Vein Mine."
"Now that's interesting…" Takuto's eyes narrowed.
Another empire had built a town where a Dragon Vein Mine existed. That could only mean that the empire possessed some form of Military Technology related to magic.
<-x-X-x->
Chapter 2: Meeting
TAKUTO was in such a good mood that day, anyone who saw him could tell. And why wouldn't he be when the time had finally come for him to devote himself to his absolute favorite pastime: Domestic Affairs.
Lately, there had been many annoying events to tend to, such as the Holy Kingdom of Qualia's recon team and surveying the neighboring empires' motives. The peace of mind granted by clearing those events helped improve his mood.
Perhaps his vassals sensed their king was in high spirits, since the meeting about to take place had a relatively relaxed atmosphere despite the air of tension.
"Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to join us."
Atou was heading up the meeting as always. Her eyes swept over the people present with a polished smile.
Mynoghra's leaders were all in attendance today: Elder Moltar, Warrior Captain Gia, and Emle, who'd been promoted from Gia's adjutant to Takuto's private secretary and advisor. Takuto's caretakers, Maria and Caria, were also joining them. And naturally, no meeting would be held without Takuto and Atou present.
"All right, it's time to begin the ever-so-fun-and-lovely Domestic Affairs turn! Let's hear the status reports first, starting with the person in charge of construction."
"Hello. I'm Emle, and I'm in charge of construction. Construction of the Palace is now complete, freeing up some of our workforce. I had everyone devote their spare time to replenishing Lumber, so we have plenty of Materials. Construction of new buildings can begin at any time."
"Good to know. Thank you. We should build something new while we can afford it." Atou nodded, satisfied with Emle's ability to concisely provide the information she sought.
As Emle pointed out, Mynoghra's Imperial Capital was in a state where it could afford to build more facilities. They didn't want to overextend their valuable working force when they didn't have to. Still, the facilities belonging to the civilization of Mynoghra brought various benefits to the empire, and the general consensus was to build and improve the ones they needed first.
"King Takuto, is it all right to construct the facility we discussed?" "Yep," Takuto answered Atou with a nod.
As a matter of fact, Atou had spoken with Takuto at length about Mynoghra's policies before the meeting. Nevertheless, there were several reasons for still holding the meeting like this.
The primary reasons were allocating work to their vassals, reducing the load on Takuto and Atou, and ensuring they didn't overlook any potential problems. The secondary reason was to gain new perspectives and awareness by listening to citizen opinions. In addition, by having the Dark Elves participate in the meeting, their sense of belonging to the empire would be strengthened, encouraging them to work even harder toward their common goals.
Meetings were held even when they didn't have the time for it due to these reasons. It was one thing to run an empire of this scale, but it'd eventually grow too big for Takuto to manage entirely alone. The realistic constraints of processing vast amounts of information forced Takuto and Atou to choose methods that wouldn't have been necessary for a video game.
"In that case, please construct a Clinic next, Emle," Atou said.
"We want to avoid losing you, our citizens, at any cost right now. Military facilities are important too, but nothing can get done without workers."
"Noted. I will let the building supervisors know after the meeting."
Deciding which facilities to build next was actually quite the headache. There were a number of appealing candidates, such as the Sumptuous Meat Forest, which raises the rate of population growth at the cost of increased Food consumption, and Living Reeds, which gives a defense bonus when an enemy attacks one of your cities. However, both were rejected because they didn't offer immediate benefits.
So, they went with a Clinic, which considerably contributes to the prosperity of the empire and guarantees existing citizen health and longevity. The Magic Research Institute, which produces Magic units and increases the production of Magic Power in the city, also remained as a candidate until the end. However, it was temporarily put on hold until they had the right personnel for the job.
One of the main reasons they decided on the Clinic was because its construction costs were low, and it could be built relatively quickly. Of course, they had already agreed the Magic Research Institute would be built next.
"Next on the agenda is Domestic Affairs," Atou said, smoothly moving the meeting to the next topic. "Who is in charge of updating us on the Resource situation?"
"I am also in charge of that," Emle answered. "We are steadily building up a good domestic food supply. Our Lumber and Stone supplies are in good order, and His Majesty is also providing us with Iron goods and the like that we can't manufacture ourselves.
However, I'm starting to think the expense is not worth the gain given how much Mana and Magic it consumes."
Takuto's ability to summon items was the real reason the Dark Elves, who only had the clothes on their backs, were able to build an imperial capital's foundation in such a short time. His ability to produce unique items and supplies from his world provided them with iron products, clothes, and various other tools that were usually difficult to obtain.
Producing the items obviously consumed Mana and Magic, but Mynoghra only had a population of around five hundred. Supplying goods for these numbers didn't even dent his reserves. However, this brute force solution only worked because they had such a small population.
"Emergency Production with Magic is just so convenient to use.
It's a necessary expenditure, so we'll continue to make the most of it. With that in mind, it really escalates the priority level for facilities and research that increase Magic Power production. Also, I'll be sure to give you a bigger salary, Emle. Thank you for putting in so much work for your two posts…"
"Thank you."
Atou became keenly aware of their shortage of talented personnel as she watched Emle bow. But that matter was still being shelved.
They were nurturing the twins to become future leaders, but it would take years for their efforts to bear fruit. At present, they had no choice but to hope that some dramatic change would come and solve the problem.
"All right, since we've already touched on magic, why don't we hear about how things are going on the research front next?" Atou said, leading the meeting to the next agenda.
"My turn then," Elder Moltar responded. "We've just finished researching Military Magic, which has made it possible for our forces to use military-level spells. I'm presently the only one capable of using it, but…powerful attack spells using the Ruin Mana supplied by the Palace have been unlocked! Although I don't see us actively making use of it given His Majesty's policies."
"Right you are. Ruin Magic is wonderfully useful but doesn't serve much of a purpose in Domestic Affairs…" Atou said, trailing off.
The Magic Technology known as Military Magic could already be used in battle thanks to Elder Moltar's research. The timely completion—or rather, completely calculated timing of its completion—gave Mynoghra a powerful military card it could play when necessary.
To make things even better, they could produce Magic units once they built the Magic Research Institute. They could expect even greater military might once that became a reality.
That being said, Atou was right for languishing over its completion because Ruin Magic was only useful for offense, lessening its value to an empire like Mynoghra, which emphasized domestic growth over conquest…
"As for what to research next, let's go with the Six Major Elements under the Magic Technology skill tree as we planned from the start. It will take some time to complete, but there's not much merit in selecting anything else to research…"
Science Technology skills such as Smelting and Fortress Building didn't have much to offer Mynoghra in its current state. Both Takuto and Atou found researching skills from the Magic Technology tree to be far more appealing, too. Mynoghra would become a magicfocused nation, but specializing in one technology tree was an orthodox empire-management strategy, so they saw no issue with it. "Let's end the meeting with the military report," Atou said.
"I'll be reporting on that matter as the Warrior Captain," Gia responded. "Our newly spawned troops consist of five Long-legged Bugs. They are scouting the Unchartered Territory around the Accursed Lands. However, unlike the Accursed Lands, the area outside the forest is all flat terrain. We can't investigate as much as we like while prioritizing stealth."
"Hmm," Atou hummed thoughtfully, tapping her finger against her chin. "Information on the surrounding area is being reported to the King in detail. It's a little risky to extend our scouting too far if we want to maintain our anonymity. Please redirect the Long-Legged
Bugs to patrol around our territory."
"It will be done… On another note, I know it is not my place to speak on research, but I'd like to propose we learn this Advanced Hunting skill you told us about before. If we acquire this skill, the Long-Legged Bugs can evolve into Headhunting Bugs, securing a more powerful military for us…"
Takuto and Atou inwardly groaned over Gia's proposal.
He was rehashing a topic long after they had already made their decision. He presented his proposal at the worst possible time, but its contents were worth considering, and this also served as proof that free thought was growing among Takuto's vassals.
In fact, Advanced Hunting was brought up as a research candidate before the meeting. Under normal gameplay circumstances, it would've been the obvious next choice.
So, why didn't they pick it? The reason was simple: no animals existed in their forest to hunt. Gia's inability to take that into consideration proved he still had a long way to go.
"It's a tempting proposal, but we're going to focus on magic research for the time being. We have an urgent need to comprehensively enhance magic-related technology," Atou rejected his idea but made a note to lay into him with some scolding and a lot of praise later. "What is Isla's production status?"
"Allow me to report on that," Elder Moltar chimed in. "We have already secured sufficient Lumber and Food resources. The Flesh Trees and the highly nutritious fruits produced by His Majesty have brought good results. However, we are a little behind schedule in accumulating Magic Power and Mana."
"Do you have anything to add, King Takuto?"
All reports and policy decisions had been made, leaving only the question of whether the contents of the meeting pleased the King.
Takuto was impressed by how smoothly everything had proceeded.
He'd explained the general process and plan to Atou, but everything moved forward through the consultation of his vassals. The sight of them being loyal to the empire and trying to fulfill their responsibilities to the best of their ability brought him joy.
"It all sounds good to me. You're all doing a great job!"
Every one of his vassals deeply bowed their heads in response to his unusually long remark. His citizens understood the King didn't talk much. Thus, they could feel the weight of his words when he did speak.
As they were filled with the joy that sprung up in their hearts, the meeting moved into more serious topics.
◇◇◇
BEFORE long, the time for Domestic Affairs had ended, and it became time to raise the agenda relating to a reality none of them wanted to acknowledge. In other words, they had to face the problems with no easy solutions.
"With everything else settled, let's talk about foreign affairs. The Holy Kingdom of Qualia hasn't made its move yet, correct?"
"We haven't seen any suspicious movements from them yet, no.
They still seem to have their hands full with trouble to the North."
Atou had asked Gia to confirm what she'd already assumed, and his answer did just that.
"That's a blessing in disguise for us. If we continue at this pace, even with some delays, we should complete Isla without issue. Things are currently peaceful with our potential enemy empires, which means we can focus on the problem of population growth. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to improve the situation?"
"We believe our clansmen safely escaped somewhere. Welcoming them into the empire might alleviate some of the King's concerns," Elder Moltar suggested. "If you leave persuading them to me, our clansmen are sure to bow before the greatness and mercy of our king."
"His Majesty is deeply sympathetic to the Dark Elf plight. You can rest assured that he will not abandon them. How many of your clansmen do you expect to be out there still?"
"Not many. Probably around one to two thousand now…"
"Hmm, I see… Even if we make them our citizens, we're still far from the numbers we need. King Takuto, please regale us with some wisdom on this matter."
The decision-making was handed over to Takuto.
Their original plan was to have at least five thousand citizens before too long. They could improve their overwhelming lack of intellectuals and further expand the empire's scope and scale with that many.
But there were even fewer Dark Elves than expected. Plus, while Elder Moltar refused to admit it, there was no guarantee everyone had survived.
Takuto's strategy of accepting the weak Dark Elf refugees and indebting them to him had worked better than expected.
Unfortunately, he wasn't lucky enough to catch lightning in a bottle twice.
"Leave it for later."
That was all Takuto had said after rubbing his chin when Atou drew him into the conversation while he was explaining something to the twins. Even with his experience and wisdom, this was a difficult problem to solve.
In all actuality, their situation was what was abnormal. After all, a normal game session took place over decades and centuries. It was a given that the population would naturally increase over so much ingame time.
They were asking the impossible, trying to find a way to unnaturally multiply their population just because they were short on manpower.
"There's no easy solution, is there? You guys need to start pumping out babies!!"
An empire's power is directly linked to its population levels. Atou narrowed her eyes on Elder Moltar and Gia and took out her grievances on them. It was frustrating that their biggest holdback didn't have a quick fix.
But the cruelty of reality was thrown back in her face.
"Lady Atou, neither of them…are married," Emle pointed out, dashing any hopes of children coming from their top council members.
"I'm married to my work," both men proudly proclaimed, smacking their chests with their fists.
Emle let out an exasperated sigh.
Ha. So they're the type who celebrates their bachelorhood. People who'll never marry.
Immediately determining they were a lost cause, Atou gave up on the men and turned to Emle as her last hope.
"I see. Then the job falls to you, Emle…"
"I'm, um, currently searching for a partner…"
"..."
They're all a lost cause, Atou bitterly concluded.
Emle seemed like the type that'd be popular with the guys, but given her current role in the empire, a relationship would be challenging to balance.
Regretting ever touching on the topic of the Dark Elves' love lives, Atou hastily changed the topic.
"L-Let's stop talking about this! We've gone off track! Next! Onto the next matter of business! Let's decide what policy to take with the neutral empire of Phon'kaven! That's our main objective for today's meeting!"
The tension that had temporarily loosened in the room tightened once more.
It could be said that the urgent matter of how to deal with the town right outside the Accursed Lands would determine their destiny. One wrong step could lead to an all-out war. They had to avoid that outcome at all costs, especially now when too many unknowns surrounded the neutral empire.
"I will report on that matter," Gia spoke up. As the warrior captain, he was in charge of all military affairs. "It appears that town is currently on high alert."
Everyone present frowned when they realized the gravity of his report.
"They are in a state of high alert? Does that mean we've been exposed?" Atou asked.
"No. I have confirmed sporadic Goblin attacks from a distance.
They're apparently on guard against Barbarians consisting of hostile
Demi-humans."
Barbarian is the general term used to refer to enemies not belonging to any empire. In Eternal Nations, they're a nuisance that shows up in droves during early-game. From what Elder Moltar had explained about them, Atou concluded they were a similar annoyance in this world too.
They aren't too difficult to defeat, but weaker units such as Scouts will go down without much of a fight if attacked. An army needs to be formed to deal with them. Barbarians tend to appear out of nowhere, and if left unchecked, cause significant damage to poorly defended villages and settlements.
They're a source of irritation in many ways.
But there are some Barbarians with special skills, and the best part about killing one is that it won't earn the wrath of another empire.
I'll just annihilate them if the opportunity presents itself, Atou schemed.
Defeating a wide variety of units would increase her power. She had to become strong no matter what; because that was the mission she'd imposed upon herself.
"But," Gia continued, "they seemed to be having an extremely difficult time fending them off, to the point it was even making my blood run cold."
"Oh?" Atou cocked her head, perplexed by that bit of information.
Gia had reported the attackers were Goblins. If that was true, then they should be easy to defeat, given this world's technological level.
The implausible situation bothered Atou.
"Is Phon'kaven not sending reinforcements?"
"Not from what I can tell. They might not be able to readily deploy reinforcements to such a distant territory. Or…I reckon their capital is under similar attack."
"Hmm…we can't dismiss the difficulty of sending reinforcements to a faraway settlement. Are the Barbarians in these parts that dangerous?" Atou asked.
"There are a relatively large number of Demi-humans because this is an Uncharted Territory. You often hear about Goblins, Orcs, and Kobolds attacking people."
"But it's hard to imagine Barbarians attacking a city, Elder Moltar. It's one thing if they run into troops on patrol, but even they know how reckless it is to raid a city."
Gia and Elder Moltar commenced their usual bickering. However, they weren't coming to a very constructive conclusion, and the only thing made clear by it was that no one really knew much about the situation.
"We don't have enough information to draw conclusions yet," Atou interjected into their exchange. "More importantly, Barbarian attacks increase the likelihood of refugees. We might be able to increase our population if we can succeed in inviting them into our empire."
Not every village and town belonging to an empire has adequate defenses. A city of a certain size can prevent enemy invasion with a solid stone wall, but villages devoted to agriculture and raising stock tend to be defenseless.
It was the natural course of things for the town to fall if they couldn't eradicate the Barbarian threat, and even if they were fortunate enough to escape, they would become refugees with nowhere else to go.
Most empires couldn't afford to take in a lot of refugees, but luckily, Mynoghra had plenty of land, food, and work for them. As long as they could accept becoming evil, then all that was left was for them to come to terms with their choice.
This idea, which was explained to the others by Atou with a smug look, was something Takuto had secretly shared with her.
"Lady Atou, isn't there a chance those refugees will betray us?"
"We just have to keep them under surveillance. You can prevent rebellions by stationing troops in the city. One of Mynoghra's units— one of King Takuto's yet-to-be-summoned subordinates—is perfect for that job."
"Ooh! Now that sounds promising!"
Atou deliberately refrained from commenting on that unit's peculiar looks. It was just barely tolerable for her. Of course, she had no way of knowing if the Dark Elves shared her sensibilities.
Either way, their abilities were guaranteed, so she and Takuto had already discussed spawning them in the near future.
"Besides, not many people would consider betraying an empire that promises them peace and safety. Am I wrong?"
"I reckon you're onto something there."
"At any rate, we would like to make contact with that empire and proceed with amicable talks soon. If we can make them feel indebted to us, great. If they're hostile, then we can cross that bridge when we get to it. I'd love to get our hands on that town if all the right cards line up, but let's try not to get our hopes up."
Everyone nodded in agreement with Atou and showed their support for the policies. That marked the end of the meeting.
"Then it's settled. During our next turn—oops, I mean, our next action is to send a messenger to the neutral empire of Phon'kaven. There's no hurry, so please think of ways to make our contact as friendly as possible."
Atou purposefully didn't touch on it, but there was a very simple reason why she—and Takuto—were fixated on this particular town.
There was a Dragon Vein Mine there.
They had to do whatever it took to obtain the Dragon Vein Mine, a Mana-producing map resource. They hoped to guide things in a friendly direction, but there were many ways to go about it.
Takuto selected an unusually assertive policy.
Mynoghra was only steps away from finally being recognized as an empire for the first time.
<-x-X-x->