Chapter 2424 - Mynoghra 17

Interlude: The Accursed Lands

THICK clouds blocked the moonlight, wrapping the Dark Continent in a curtain of inky darkness. A swarm moved swiftly under the cover of night in the land where Brave Questers' Demon Lord Army, invaders from another world, once used as their base of operation

"Stop."

"Gyegagaa!"

The swarm halted at that quiet command as if they were a single unit rather than many. They had stopped at the command of Mynoghra's elite Dark Elf Warrior Captain, Gia. The swarm in question was comprised of Mynoghra's unique bug units.

"How is it? Any difficulty moving?" Gia asked the Headhunting Bug he was riding, only to receive an ear-piercing chittering in reply. "Gyegegegee!"

Perhaps it was because they'd spent so much time together that they could understand each other without speaking the same language. Gia gave a satisfied nod as though he'd received the answer he'd wanted to hear from the chilling cries coming from the creature under him.

"How's it going for the rest of you?" Gia asked the Warriors and the Long-legged Bugs they rode behind him.

"No issues here, either. We've gotten used to all the jostling when they move, too."

"GYEGYE!"

He received the same answer from both rider and mount.

Gia's current mission was to patrol the Dark Continent while training a quick-response squad that could move at high speeds using Headhunting Bugs and Long-legged Bugs as mounts. It was the ideal collaboration between bug Scout units with high Move stats and Dark Elves with impeccable night vision. Toss in sniper rifles with silencers, and they had formed an elite special forces unit that could silently annihilate the enemy in the dead of night.

The Headhunting Bugs worked fine, but the Long-legged Bugs were a tad small for mounts. Scout or not, they were still Mynoghra's units. Contrary to their squishy appearance, their tremendous physical strength allowed them to carry the Dark Elf Snipers with ease, bringing about the formation of a new squad.

While this combination would've been unthinkable within Eternal Nations, it was the perfect way to take advantage of the many flexibilities presented by this new world.

<-x-X-x->

This deadly combination also had a lot of value on the national defense front. The bitter taste of failure they'd experienced during the Barbarian invasion still weighed heavily on the Dark Elves. Of course, an overall lack of defensive capabilities and their decision to support Phon'kaven backfiring on them played an even bigger part in that failure.

There was little to nothing they could've done to change things with their strength alone. Even so, that was a hard pill to swallow when Mynoghra and its king had saved their very lives and pride as Dark Elves. That's why they put their body, mind, and soul into training day in and out to prevent such a tragedy from ever happening again.

And all their efforts were steadily yielding results.

"Captain, there's one Orc located to the south-southwest," a Sniper reported. "It hasn't noticed us yet but seems to be surveilling its surroundings."

"They shouldn't be able to perceive us in the dark— Ah, it's using smell, isn't it?" Gia speculated. "This is another problem we'll have to borrow His Majesty's wisdom to solve."

This was just one of many factors that would remain unknown to them unless they participated in actual combat. Improving upon all these small details would aid them in the future. Mynoghra's military consisted of a small number of skilled individuals. They needed to hone their senses to detect the smallest details and always be prepared for an emergency if they wanted to make up for their lack of numbers.

"How should we proceed?" the Sniper asked.

"I'll finish it…" Gia said, pulling the gun off his shoulder and pointing it at the target.

He breathed in, held it, and slowly pulled the trigger. There was a slight puff noise, like the sound of an arrow being released into the sky, followed immediately by the Orc's head exploding like a melon in the distant darkness.

Barbarians couldn't survive within the territory surrounding the Accursed Lands. All life that entered the land under Mynoghra's surveillance wouldn't live to see morning.

"Move out…"

The swarm careered forward like a unified beast at the command given in the same hushed whisper that had ordered them to stop. All that was left in their wake was jet-black darkness.

◇◇◇

"GIA seems to be pulling the troops together well."

Back at Mynoghra's Palace, in the smaller Council Room around the same time, Sludge Atou was listening to a report on the results of Sniper training.

"Indeed," Elder Moltar responded. "He's been taking the troops out nightly to patrol and survey the Dark Continent as part of their training. He's succeeded in both missions without running into any major issues."

"One of the most important things in national defense is having a strong influence on the areas surrounding your territory, after all," Atou remarked. "Our existence became widely known during our involvement in the last war. We're fortunate to have this opening to strengthen our forces before all hell breaks loose again." Elder Moltar nodded firmly in response.

Takuto's new Mana-making method was rapidly enhancing Mynoghra's military power. In addition, the advanced strategic theories recorded within the book Takuto had summoned from the

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Land of the Gods made their military even more efficient, and not just through firearms.

"Our domestic defenses have increased with the addition of our newest subordinates too," Elder Moltar said as he glanced outside the Council Room's window to where a copse of bizarre plants seemed to be flaunting how dangerous they were with their comically large size.

Known as Giant Pitcher Plants, the plants in question were one of Mynoghra's unique units with a massive defense boost that came at the cost of immobility. Takuto was able to place them all over the city thanks to their cheap cost and all the gold coins from Brave Questers.

Did he go all out building them throughout the capital and the Accursed Lands because they drew their nutrients from the ground and wouldn't need a steady Food supply to survive? He certainly seemed to have a bias for the monster plants.

On top of that, they had the Defense bonuses granted by the recently constructed Living Reeds, the unit recovery abilities of the Medic Brain Eaters, and now the Dark Elf Special Forces. The combination of these forces, in terms of defense, made Mynoghra dangerous enough that the Lawful Continent would have to think twice before attacking.

<-x-X-x->

Since time immemorial, people have referred to the Accursed Lands as a cursed sea of trees you can't leave once you step foot inside their labyrinth depths. The funny thing was, until the entity known as Takuto Ira appeared there, that land was really nothing more than a vast primeval forest that was hard to navigate.

The Accursed Lands weren't actually cursed when they were named as such. Perhaps such a name was given out of the fear of the unknown. Or perhaps it was meant as a built-in warning for unsuspecting travelers not to get lost within its dark, unnavigable depths.

But things were very different now. The Accursed Lands had become an entirely different creature that more than lived up to its once false name.

Ruled over by the King of Ruin and infested with true evil, those lands had become truly cursed in every possible way. The trees were warped and distorted every which way, and all-consuming miasma hung like a thick mist in the air. Ferocious, man-eating plants filled every gap between the trees, expectantly awaiting any fool who dared set foot inside so they could devour them whole. Day and night, Dark Elves stood guard, silently attacking anyone who disturbed the peace with mysterious weapons.

This region had become the Accursed Lands in the truest sense now. The holy could no longer safely venture inside. The evil dwelling there was propelled by burning rage to deny access to all that was holy in order to prevent their peace and stability from being stolen from them again.

The Accursed Lands, as they were now, were truly suited to house Mynoghra's imperial capital. Everything about this region had warped to be suitable for the great King Takuto Ira and his citizens… "Strengthening the nation's defenses, preparing favorable conditions to win, and then annihilating the enemy is the most basic of the basic tactics, no?" Elder Moltar remarked.

"It's the fastest and easiest route, after all. Not much will get past our defenses now," Atou said, sounding satisfied with their steadily improving defenses.

She wished they had reached this stage sooner, but they were able to build a defense grid this fast only because of the gold coins they'd obtained from their battle against the Demon Lord's Army. There was no use indulging in vain regrets—after all, regretting the past wouldn't bring back Isla.

What mattered now was learning from their failures to better tackle what lay ahead of them.

"We're on our way to rock-solid defenses, so it's about time we launch the offensive. Are we going with an orthodox approach for this too?" Elder Moltar asked like a friendly old man with a thirst for knowledge.

When launching the offensive, the most orthodox approach is to assign elite forces with a Hero unit and send them straight into the heart of enemy territory to crush them head-on with overwhelming strength. Novels and some historical accounts prefer telling the tale of the underdog overturning unbeatable odds to win against those in power with carefully thought-out tactics.

But the simplest method is often the best, and when it comes to the military, the simplest approach is to put together enough forces to overwhelm and crush the enemy.

If Mynoghra were to follow that path, their current objective would be to quickly assemble all the powerful units they couldn't produce before. But Atou's expression was slightly different from what Elder Moltar had expected to see when he'd made his query. "No. King Takuto actually prefers more atypical methods," she said.

"Ooooh!"

Elder Moltar was brimming with curiosity. Everyone wanted to know where the king was going to direct them next.

"As King Takuto's most trusted retainer, I have witnessed his countless strategies up close and personal," Atou continued, satisfied with the amount of awe Elder Moltar was showing. "Each and every strategy is so complex and novel that I often don't understand his vision until the final outcome."

Atou's expression was so gentle as she seemed to be remembering those moments fondly. While Elder Moltar reaffirmed the depth of the bonds between their king and the girl before him, he itched to know more about the other wars Takuto had waged.

"If King Takuto chooses to wage war next…" Atou sighed before continuing, "…then it will be a war like none before it."

Just what kind of enigmatic strategies was their king capable of that they still puzzled and wowed even the Hero who'd served him for years?

Even as his subordinates revered and feared him, the King of Ruin never stopped preparing for his next battle…

-x-X-x-

Chapter 5: She Used to…

TWO young women were conversing within the provincial assembly hall that seemed a little too bejeweled and extravagant to have been built by people who proudly claimed to be the humble servants of God.

"Why are you doing this?" asked Saint Soalina of Blooming

Burials. She was the Saint who'd supposedly lost to Slurping Witch Erakino during the Northern Witch Disturbance. "Why…are you doing this?"

Soalina asked the girl dancing in front of her this question for what felt like the hundredth time.

During her battle with the Witch, Soalina realized she'd made a fatal mistake at the last second and was certain death was finally upon her. However, contrary to her hopes that she'd found peace in eternal slumber at last, fate still seemed to have plans for her. She eventually regained her senses and realized she'd traveled to the unfamiliar southern province with the girl in front of her.

Soalina couldn't help but repeat her inquiry. What was this girl enjoying so much? Or what was she about to enjoy?

The girl twirled and spun throughout the assembly hall, dancing to her own tune despite only one person watching her little show.

…Soalina was about to repeat her query, when the dancing girl finally stopped and spun toward her with the same flare as a clown addressing a child.

"Because this is what you wanted, Sainty Soalina~♪!"

.

----------->

.

This girl was the creature known as Erakino, the Slurping Witch.

"You claim…this is what I wanted?" Soalina asked, incredulous.

"Absolutely, Sainty~♪!" The Witch grinned like she was smiling at someone she'd been friends with for years.

Soalina had been deprived of her will by Erakino's special ability, but her consciousness was returned to her by none other than

Erakino. Well, only a piece of her was returned…

Soalina was only allowed to speak her thoughts. Erakino still bound her mind, and she couldn't even wiggle her toes of her own volition without the Witch's consent. She still didn't know the nature of the wicked little girl's ability, but it was obviously capable of binding someone's mind if certain conditions were met.

Soalina quickly learned she couldn't take hostile action against Erakino, seek help, leak any information regarding Erakino, or do anything that would give away something was wrong. A wide range of locks had been imposed upon Soalina, and she was compelled to comply by a mysterious force her Divine Protection had no effect on.

Soalina was no different from a bird trapped in a cage. Its beautiful birdsong might charm people, but its song is nothing more than the lament of a creature deprived of its freedom.

And so, Soalina put forth her query time and time again—in order to discern Erakino's thoughts. To better understand what kind of convictions and beliefs the Witch was acting on. To somehow understand what made no sense to her.

"This is not what I want," Soalina asserted. "You're just trying to draw this country into the vortex of war."

"Am I the one drawing y'all in, or is this all happening at the behest of an entirely different creature? The world is just full of mysteries, ain't it?!" Erakino cackled.

"If nothing else, our kingdom was peaceful until you showed up," Soalina countered.

"Ha! There's no guarantee it would've remained that way, Sainty. This world's gonna be embroiled in war sooner or later. The most important question is, will you live or die when it happens."

Countless cities and lives were lost to Erakino and her Northern Disturbance. Although the population in the northern province was significantly smaller than the other provinces due to the cold, inhospitable climate, that didn't make the loss any less significant.

Everything Erakino said was contradictory. She almost seemed to imply that the Northern Disturbance and everything evil she did wasn't her fault.

But there was absolutely no denying that the girl standing before Soalina was evil incarnate. Who could deny it when the evidence of her wickedness was strewn around them?

"Then, by that logic, what necessitated this atrocity before us?" Soalina asked grimly.

The assembly hall was newly decorated in fresh blood, entrails, and gory body parts. That was all that remained of the clergymen who'd been disparaging Soalina and Erakino only a few hours prior. Now they were being welcomed into the loving arms of their holy God on the other side.

Erakino broke out in a wide grin and resumed gracefully dancing through the hall again, splattering crimson blood all over the pristine white cathedral walls. Soalina watched her without batting an eye.

"Hmm, the need to roll out a Hollywood-style red carpet?" Erakino giggled. "This room would totally be rated R, huh? R for violence and gore! Man, I'd watch that!"

The Saint didn't answer her, partially because she barely understood what Erakino was talking about, but also because she knew full well that a wrongly worded response would only please the wicked child. Still, just because she didn't feel like replying didn't mean she could stop the Witch from rambling on.

"Say, Sainty, were these old fogies necessary for this kingdom to run?" Erakino asked with a tilt of her head.

Soalina's emotions showed ever so slightly with a twitch of her eyebrows.

"All souls are born into this world with a role to play. Everyone fulfills their role under the guidance of the Holy God Arlos," Soalina returned dryly.

"Uhh, did my question actually register in that pretty lil' head of yours? Are you dodging the question with a politically correct response?" Erakino asked in a mocking tone. She sidled up close to Soalina and peered into her downcast eyes to provoke her.

Soalina frantically suppressed the contradictions within herself as she hid how she actually felt behind a sedate argument.

"The Veiled Saint is still here in the Southern Province. What you are doing will eventually be exposed, and the other two Saints—the

Scribe Saint and the Mystic Saint—tasked with protecting the Holy

Capital of Qualiane will see through your wicked schemes."

"Aaaaaaaaah, I don't give a rat's ass about any of that right now, 'kay? None of that's got anythin' to do with cute little ol' me. C'mon, Sainty, tell me what you really think," Erakino insisted as she waved off Soalina's trite response.

"What I really think?"

Soalina's lips formed a pouty moue in response to Erakino's words that seemed to poke right at the crux of the issue without relenting.

"Let me make it easy for you. Were they people who deserved to die?" Erakino persisted.

Soalina was rendered speechless by the realization that was the one question she least wanted to confront.

"Were they pariahs that made everybody else's lives more difficult?" the Witch asked, her finger thrust toward a particularly fatty pile of flesh and guts. "Tell me the truth, Sainty Soalina. That's an order."

Soalina didn't have any control over her own consciousness. Her ability to speak her opinion at the moment happened only because Erakino allowed the bird in the cage to sing. Ultimately, she had no means of disobeying her master's orders.

"They abused their power for the illegal accumulation of wealth. They mistreated the young boys and girls who attended church in ways that are too obscene to utter. They were entirely unfit to lead the people."

It was all too easy to expose the contradictions within the Holy Kingdom of Qualia when compelled by the mysterious power Erakino held over her. These were dark secrets Soalina never would've voiced before.

"I see, I see. Then wouldn't you say it was a good thing…they died?"

"…It's a good thing."

Soalina's face, which she'd kept schooled into a perfect mask of calm, distorted for the first time. Not from anger toward the Witch. No, it was from frustration with herself for not being able to do anything about the heinous crimes of those in power when she bore the grand title of Saint. And even greater frustration over the fact that the grinning Witch before her brought them to justice instead…

"You oughta be jumping with joy, then!" Erakino exclaimed with a little jump. "At the very least, no one else will have to cry in the dark about the abuse they suffered at their hands. If this ain't justice,

I don't know what is! We did the right thing, Sainty~♪!"

Could this really be called justice? They'd simply killed a few pariahs that would get in their way.

Qualia's Southern Province was blessed with fertile land and a booming economy. Corruption among the clergy boomed in proportion to its economic success. Most of the high-ranking clergy, starting with the Cardinals, had a hand in illegal activities, and their cunningness, left unchecked by their lack of fear of God's wrath, kept them from ever getting caught with their pants down.

They had clearly gone against Qualia's established laws, but they couldn't be judged and punished without evidence. That was what it meant for there to be a governing state and laws.

Erakino had overturned the system with a single swing of her arm. She overturned it by force, violence, malice, carelessness, and simply being naïve…

As she said, many people would likely be saved as a result of the tragedy that had happened in the cathedral today. They would be undoubtedly saved by it.

…What was the purpose of justice, then?

What had happened to the ideals Soalina believed in?

"I can't even begin to fathom what you are trying to do, Erakino."

With her convictions shattering around her like glass, the resentful voices of those she'd failed to save became auditory hallucinations that whispered haunting things in her ears. Too worn down to even think for herself anymore, Soalina simply shook her head and admitted the truth to the Witch.

Erakino must've picked up on something from her reaction, because she flashed her sunniest smile yet and launched into a detailed explanation of her intentions.

"Master and I have learned that to conquer this world we can't just push everything through with brute force. You hafta follow the proper steps and get all kinds of people to join you to win~♪!"

Soalina had heard Erakino mention this "Master" of hers several times. This seemed to be who the Witch served, and every time she mentioned them, she overflowed with respect and deep affection for that person. Soalina didn't know who or where this person was, but it was clear that Erakino trusted them from the bottom of her heart.

Chills froze Soalina to her core at the knowledge there were entities out there who had the wholehearted trust and devotion of a Witch.

"So, see?" Erakino continued, unaware of Soalina's inner thoughts. "Our interests align here, Sainty. We want a country where we can be free to do what we want. You also want a country where you'll be free to do what you want. Don't ya think we can make the most wonderful country if we work together?"

"A wonderful…country?" Soalina repeated.

"Yeppers! It'll be a country where no one suffers! Where no one's sad! A wonderful country where everybody can live happily ever after!" Erakino enthused. "All little ol' Erakino here wants is an organized military, so I'll leave everything else to you to do with as you please, Sainty! You can save all the lost souls you want!

Awesome, right?"

"You speak of saving people when your hands are stained with the lives of so many…?" Soalina countered with sarcasm. Erakino was talking about her dream country in such a giddy, childlike way, but it'd be a lie to say the farfetched idea didn't tempt Soalina.

"Hm-mm, that wasn't this Erakino, but…whatevs! Doesn't make much of a diff when it comes down to it, ehe~♪!"

Central and the rest of the provinces would eventually learn of the annihilation of the Southern Province's high-ranking clergy. However, if Soalina used her rank as a Saint before that happened, she could cover it up and smooth things over, albeit a tad forcefully.

Each of the Holy Kingdom of Qualia's provinces were granted extensive autonomy from Central. If they limited their scope to the Southern Province alone, then…it might very well be possible for them to create a country that aligned with the ideals Erakino spoke of.

"What really matters is that you and I are already in the same boat, Sainty. It's just a fact that everything'll eventually be swallowed up if you don't rally forces together here and now. The game's already begun—a game where your life is on the line, and you can't back out even if you want to!" Erakino pushed her point even further while Soalina remained silent to gather her racing thoughts. "You were also bothered by it, weren't you? Y'know, the omen of cataclysm that appeared in the Accursed Lands~♪!"

Only a handful of people knew about the omen of cataclysm— the apocalypse-bringer—Soalina had sensed within the Accursed Lands. And now it was none other than the Witch before her who'd confirmed her omen. It was comical, really. A Witch was confirming her suspicions when one of Qualia's very own Cardinals tried to lead her astray for his own gains…

"Let's defeat 'em together, you and me, Sainty! Any baddie will be putty before our tag-team efforts! We'll put an end to the bad guys just like we did today and all the days before now! Doing so will surely bring about the peace we long for!"

Soalina was at a loss for words. There was just something so tempting and irresistible about her offer.

If all goes well, maybe it really will be possible to create the ideal country? How could she not be tempted when such a sweet offer was being dangled in front of her? And then there was the more naïve, childlike delusion that crossed her mind: Maybe we can create a truly peaceful country by removing all the evil in the world?

Soalina would've never been tempted by such blatant cajolery under normal circumstances. But she was currently a bird locked in a cage, left with little else but the misleading voices of the dead whispering to bewilder her.

"Life is one big gamble, Sainty," Erakino continued more seriously. "People like to chalk up what happens to something as pretty-sounding as fate, but in reality, it's all about whether the dice roll in your favor."

Soalina silently contemplated the situation. If the good she believed in couldn't save anyone, and the evil she despised could bring about justice, then maybe she should try that route instead— because it's not like she could do anything, anyway. Not now…not ever.

"Will you…promise me one thing?" Soalina finally asked.

"What is it?"

"Promise me you will no longer kill when it's not necessary."

"Sure thing!"

There was no guarantee she'd keep her word. To Soalina, it seemed Erakino had replied just to appease her and that she'd agreed to it right away because that was her plan from the start.

Either way, Erakino had accepted Soalina's request. That's all there was to it.

"Now the real question is: will we win or lose~♪?" The Witch cackled.

Her words were the epitome of frivolous—there was nothing trustworthy about them. But Soalina couldn't help thinking: Does a trustworthy soul actually exist anywhere in this world…?

How could she wonder such a thing when it was by her hand that those once trustworthy souls were now…no more.

She could hear the clatter of armor in the distance. The Paladins who'd caught wind of the disturbance were headed to this assembly hall to fulfill their duty.

Soalina needed to make a decision. Now. She had surprisingly little time left and only two options to pick from.

Her decision wasn't going to be made for her by Central's clergy or a divine oracle. This decision would be made by none other than she herself.

But just how important of a decision was it?

Soalina quietly inhaled. And then, feeling resigned to what was happening in the world, she decided to go along with the ridiculous deal presented by a Witch.

<-x-X-x->

Chapter 6: Evil Saves Lives Indeed

SOALINA was alone in her office inside St. Amritate Cathedral, perusing a stack of papers. Every document contained evidence of the injustices accumulated by the sly old foxes of the Southern Province assembly. Still, the sheer amount of information exceeded her expectations due to the complicated and hardened administrative system.

Soalina came from a humble village, so she wasn't accustomed to heavy reading and writing. Like a child receiving an elementary school education, she slowly and tiringly plodded through the contents of those documents.

For every document, there were one or more citizens out there suffering. She needed to confirm every letter on every page as soon as possible to right those wrongs… Her mounting impatience only served to trip her up unnecessarily, slowing her pace.

There was a sudden knock at the office door and a Paladin entered the room.

"Saint Soalina!" came the booming voice of High Paladin Fjord Vysterk, Captain of the Southern Province Paladins. "We've finished the initial investigation into the deceased Cardinals' private assets."

Despite his old age, his undiminished skill with Holy Sword Artes had the people throughout Qualia laud him as Fjord the Stalwart. He was so famous, there wasn't a soul among the commoners, much less the clergy, who didn't know his name.

The battle-hardened veteran swept into a deep, courteous bow.

Soalina acknowledged his presence with a nod. "How are your findings?" she asked, her tone hopeful.

"If I had to sum it up in one word, I'd say they are tremendous. To think they had so many hidden assets. And then there's their dual bookkeeping, misappropriation of donations, and taking bribes. I can't help but think of all the good that would've come of these donations actually being given to the poor instead of the greedy. I lament my inability to have stopped these heinous sins."

Even Fjord, who usually kept a consistent mask of calm that never betrayed his feelings, couldn't hide his disgust with their findings. Actually, it was only because he was delivering this report that the information was laid out so calmly before Soalina. The rest of the Paladins, who'd been temporarily summoned to get the situation under control, were ranting and raging over those repulsive acts that went against their beliefs.

"Arlos strongly desires for us to be a light upon the people," Soalina said. "Let's do everything we can for them. Have you filled the positions I asked of you?"

"We've sent word to the Priests of each town and village, but they aren't quick to respond when they have local issues to address," Fjord responded.

It's not easy to rebuild a governing body with gaping holes in it. It's not just a matter of assigning the right person for the job—the candidate also needs a certain level of ability and popularity with the masses. That being said, the Bishops and Cardinals Erakino had killed all served in the highest positions of government in the Southern Province. Since most of the practical work was handled by the ordinary clergy, the average citizen's daily routine was left unaffected, keeping a semblance of the status quo.

However, it was clear the tranquility would crumble over the next few days. They had to somehow restore the complex flow of order to a reliable form before that happened.

"I see… You may use my name if necessary, so please continue your efforts to persuade them. We need people most of all right now."

Soalina even permitted Fjord to throw around the weight of her title as Saint—something not to be taken lightly. Fjord trembled with the knowledge of just how weighty of a decision that was and how much determination Soalina had to make it. But even as he revered the Saint, Fjord remembered something he must confirm as the Captain of the Southern Province's Order of Paladins.

"But are you certain it's wise not to report back to Central?" he inquired carefully.

Several seconds of silence followed before Saint Soalina of Blooming Burials answered.

"Yes…we would be wise not to. Unnecessary interference from Central at this point will only serve to inflame the disorder here. Naturally we won't keep the matter from them forever. We will wait until the time is right."

"Hmm… If that is what you believe is best, Saint Soalina…"

She was misleading him. Fjord was more than just a senile old man on the verge of retirement. He was a High Paladin known throughout the continent, and a renowned Hero of Qualia who'd purged the most evil from the world aside from the Saints. He had honed his insight into the realm of foreknowledge and mind-reading, so he perceived Soalina was hiding something she felt guilty about.

There's something fishy here. Something stopping Soalina from bringing this urgent incident to Central's attention. Fjord schooled his features so she wouldn't notice as he dissected all the information he'd obtained thus far. There must be more to this… Something I'm overlooking…

As he fished through his foggy thoughts, Fjord suddenly arrived at a blurred memory: the bishops' corpses were strewn messily around the cathedral, and in the sea of their blood stood Soalina and a girl. Just as Fjord and the Paladins who served under him drew their Holy Swords and swung at the girl—

"Hiya, hiya! You seem to have a lot on your mind! Should you really be twiddling your thumbs chatting away the time right now?"

"…Ah! You're…"

"Yo, Chiefy! Have ya looked in the mirror? The bags under your eyes make you look more like a raccoon by the day! Are you getting enough sleep?"

A girl suddenly appeared and started talking to Fjord like they were chums.

Fjord's vision blurred and his head throbbed like it was being pounded with hammers. The girl in front of him overlapped with the girl from his blurry memory as she flashed him an uncanny grin with lips the same shade as her blood-red eyes. His headache grew a thousand times worse, and he was one step away from removing the veil clouding his thoughts.

"Nngh… P-Pardon me…m-my head…"

Just a little more… Just one more push!

And then it happened—High Paladin Fjord recalled that the girl in front of him was Slurping Witch Erakino.

"Oh darn…looks like the effect's worn off already. You're such a handful, Chiefy. Trust in lil' Erakino here, 'kay? Ehe~♪!"

[Erakino rolls for Brainwash

Rolled: Critical

]

"Ngh… What was that? Oh, Lady Erakino," Fjord said, greeting his trustworthy fellow believer. "Pardon my late greeting; I wasn't aware you were here, too. I was fighting off a bit of a dizzy spell, you see?"

The hammering pain rattling his brain subsided as if it was never there, and the haze cleared from his mind, filling him with thoughts of justice and a gentlemanly regret for having been discourteous to the young lady in front of him.

"Were you dazed by my cuteness?" Erakino teased. "You shouldn't work yourself silly, Chiefy."

"Hahaha!" Fjord let out a hearty laugh. "I must still be lacking to cause a lady to worry after me. However, there are times when we must push ourselves to the brink to achieve our goals, Lady Erakino." "Like when helping people in need?" Erakino guessed.

"Indeed! That's exactly when we should work ourselves silly!" Fjord exclaimed. "As you well know, Qualia is about to be embroiled in unprecedented turmoil. And it's in these difficult times that it is the duty of a Paladin to become Arlos's sword and the people's shield. Evil doesn't rest, and neither does good!"

"Nyahaha! Now you're a workaholic if I've ever seen one! You've got the reckless work ethic that would turn any corporation you headed up into a sweatshop~♪! And guess what? I've got just the job for the work fiend Chief Paladin~!"

Erakino cracked a strained smile as she procured a stack of papers from thin air. Was her smile strained because she was overwhelmed by Fjord's straitlaced attitude or simply put off by him being so devoted to his work, even at the cost of his health?

"Th-This is…!" Fjord's eyes bulged when he looked at the papers. The documents contained the locations where the Bishops and

Cardinals had stashed their illegally gained assets—information he thought they'd never uncover. "Where did you find this…Lady

Erakino?"

"The Investigate skill's always worth having— Oh, but Chiefy, is that what you should be focusing on right now? What's important isn't how I found the information, but how you put it to use, right?"

"Indeed! Forgive me. You are absolutely right. Thank you for setting me straight, Lady Erakino."

Fjord immediately switched gears at Erakino's advice.

The secret accounts they'd found thus far exposed an enormous amount of hidden assets. Fjord thought they were in for the long haul since the stashes' locations were unknown, but with this new find, they could recover the assets much sooner than anticipated and bring order back to the Southern Province with it.

Fjord's complexion looked much better than it had moments earlier as he'd discovered a potential way to put an end to the brewing chaos.

"All right, Saint Soalina, Lady Erakino, I'll closely examine these documents at once. Time is of the essence, and we never have enough of it, after all," he said, firmly gripping the stack of papers.

"That's true. I leave the task to you," Soalina said.

"Good luck!" Erakino waved.

Fjord bowed politely to the ladies as he had when he'd entered the office, then turned on his heel to leave…except he suddenly stopped before exiting the room.

"I am…deeply grateful to you both for standing up and taking action for the sake of this kingdom. Through you, Arlos is telling us we shouldn't continue to overlook the rot festering throughout His country."

Erakino, who'd seen into the darkest depths of Fjord's thoughts with her Brainwash skill, knew he really meant what he said. And Soalina, who'd come completely under Erakino's control with her Slurp skill, also understood that to be true.

"Let's make this a better country. If you will excuse me, then, ladies."

Erakino responded to High Paladin Fjord's comment with a carefree grin while Soalina plastered a nebulous smile on her perfect lips.

◇◇◇

"GOSH, it feels awesome to do somethin' good for once! What a novel experience!" Erakino laughed as she twirled around the office. Her carefree smile was that of an innocent girl and nothing that would make anyone assume she was a Witch who'd ended many lives.

Soalina focused all her attention on processing the documents on her desk—as though she could block out the reality she didn't want to see and gloss over the contradictions and lies breeding within her by working nonstop.

"If things keep goin' this well, we'll get rid of all the baddies in this area in no time, Soali!" Erakino purred.

"If things keep going… If things keep going this way…" Soalina repeated

Yes, I hope things keep going this way, she thought.

Oddly enough, Erakino truly seemed to be trying to make Qualia a better country. If nothing else, she certainly appeared to be getting attached to this land and her new acquaintances here, such as Fjord. Soalina couldn't understand for a second why a Witch who didn't give a jot about human life had any feelings at all.

But, if by chance, Erakino developed a true attachment to this country and its people, wouldn't everything change for the better? Surely there would be no more miserable and unfortunate people like me? Such self-delusional thoughts of a better, brighter future filled her mind.

"If things keep going… Yes, if things keep going this way…" Soalina muttered again.

"Yes, only IF things keep going this way…and that's a big if."

Yet another visitor dashed the hope Soalina put into her mantra.

"Saint Fenne…"

The visitor was a woman whose height was a mystery. She was undeniably taller than Soalina, but she often stood hunched over, as if afraid to stand tall, which made her look much smaller in comparison. She wore a saintly habit to conceal her skin from the neck down, coupled with a pure white veil that completely hid her face—altogether, there was something eerie about her.

Meanwhile, her voice was like a goddess singing. It was beautiful enough to make it feel like the room had been purified just by her speaking and even stained the cheeks of Soalina, a similar blessed entity.

The woman's name was Fenne. She was one of Idoragya's Seven Great Savior Saints: The Veiled Saint Fenne Kahmair.

"Oooh! If it isn't Veily! Good to meet you, good to see you! All healed up, I take it?" Erakino casually addressed Fenne, who'd appeared in the room using some sort of ability.

Fenne wordlessly turned her head toward the Witch, lifted a corner of her veil at an angle Soalina couldn't see her, and confirmed Erakino directly with one eye.

"Nice to meet you, Erakino. To think you brought down Soalina… You did well."

"Pretty much! It took a hella long time, though. But thanks to that win, Erakino here is one step closer to achieving my ambitions!

Aren't I awesome?"

"I see. I couldn't care less."

Soalina was struck by a terrible sense of incongruity. She didn't know the relationship between Erakino and Fenne.

Qualia had a culture that despised provinces getting involved in each other's affairs because of the large amount of autonomy granted by Central to each province. Thus, the Northern Province received no information on how the Veiled Saint, under a different province's jurisdiction, fought against Erakino. Without any information on the situation, what had happened between them was a complete mystery.

"What's the matter, Soalina?" Fenne asked softly, seeming to notice Soalina's antsiness. Her voice was as sublime and beautiful to the ears as a court orchestra.

Shaking off the somewhat inhuman voice echoing in her mind, Soalina phrased her concern in a roundabout way. "Pardon my rudeness for asking in such a manner, but did Erakino do anything to you, Saint Fenne?"

"Nope, nothing," Erakino and Fenne answered the same way at the same time. Soalina shuddered at that eerie coincidence.

"You ask the silliest things, Soalina," Fenne said. "Did you think I was under her Brainwash spell or something? Oh, or did you think I'm plotting something? In either case, you've got the wrong idea. I am always thinking of the people first. The situation is what it is. As someone who has lost once already, I know I can't beat you and Erakino."

Shadowy eyes pierced Soalina from under the veil. Fenne seemed to see straight through everything Soalina was thinking. Soalina didn't know how to respond.

"Oh, so that's what you're thinking, Soalina. You think the Veiled Saint made some sort of secret deal with the Slurping Witch and went into hiding, only pretending to be severely injured during the last battle. What a terribly wicked thought. Arlos would never approve of such dreadful musings. You should promptly rid yourself of such thoughts, Soalina."

Fenne floridly denied Soalina's question, both as if she'd had this speech prepared beforehand and as if she were just speaking as things came to her in the spur of the moment.

Every Saint's abilities were strictly classified as a general rule, and anyone who might've accidentally found out about them in one way or another would be sworn to secrecy. The same applied among the Saints themselves, and even Soalina only vaguely knew what kind of abilities the other Saints possessed.

…Soalina suddenly remembered the Veiled Saint was rumored to possess a Miracle Arte that allowed her to see the truth.

"Come now, Soalina. Let us save the people. God created the Saints for that sole purpose, after all," Fenne said in her siren-like voice. Her voice could pull anyone in and drown them.

For some reason, Soalina found herself looking to Erakino for help.

The Slurping Witch merely let out an amused cackle.

"Everybody should be saved," Erakino said. "That's right— everybody."

Everyone in the office was in complete agreement on that point. However, what they actually meant by it was confined to their respective minds.

<-x-X-x->

Chapter 7: Bilateral Talks

LOCATED in the Phon'kaven town of Dragontan is a vital Strategic Resource called a Dragon Vein Mine. Unprecedented tension and turmoil now surrounded this special town that had been the focal point of a slew of dire situations and high expectations.

Talks were about to be held between the respective leaders of Mynoghra and Phon'kaven, Takuto Ira and Pepe. That vague rumor spreading through the streets plunged the people of Phon'kaven into anxious confusion, bringing about a hushed stillness that made Dragontan seem like a ghost town.

Dragontan's inhabitants were painfully aware of the Barbarian hordes that had attacked Phon'kaven and that Mynoghra had helped drive them away. But that knowledge wasn't enough to assuage the intuitive fear and apprehension taking root in their hearts.

Apprehension that made every single one of them wonder: "What in the world did we make a deal with?"

Rumors spread not only among the townspeople, but also the soldiers who'd fought on the frontlines against the Barbarians alongside Mynoghra.

"Hey…do ya know who we're having talks with next?" a Wolfman with excellent vision called out in a conspiratorial whisper to his colleague from his post atop the watchtower built into the town's outer walls.

The Human soldier frowned theatrically as he answered, "Wasn't it…the King of Ruin, Takuto Ira?"

"Yeah, seems like it. Why's someone like that going outta his way to come here himself…?" the Wolfman asked, not hiding his disgust.

"Obviously because Staff Holders Pepe and Tonukapoli went to see him in person last time. It's only natural he'd come to their turf this time," the Human explained. "Besides, there's the Barbarian Invasion to discuss. National leaders got a lotta stuff to talk about,

I'm sure."

The soldiers were talking about the upcoming bilateral talks. It was already well-known among those in the know that Staff Holders Tonukapoli and Pepe had held in-person talks with Mynoghra's king a while back.

They should be happy to have a good relationship with an ally who valued and trusted Phon'kaven enough for their king to visit personally. This vote of confidence displayed a solid alliance between the two nations. And no one doubted their alliance after Mynoghra had devoted so much to defend Dragontan from the Great Barbarian Invasion, to the point of great loss on their side.

…The only black mark on their resume of being an excellent ally was simply that Mynoghra consisted of evil forces with unfathomable strength.

"Yeah, but will things really turn out okay?" the Wolfman asked.

"We didn't join hands with the wrong side, did we?"

"Can't say…" the Human trailed off, hesitant to answer his colleague.

Information about the empire of Mynoghra was kept top secret within Phon'kaven. The alliance between the two nations was formed only recently, so little to no information had trickled down to the grunt soldiers. They only heard vague rumors claiming their allies were a frightening bunch, and that was it.

"Phon'kaven and Mynoghra are allies for now. I'd like to think…that it'll all turn out okay," the Human finally admitted. "We all hope it'll turn out okay," someone suddenly joined in the conversation, mirroring those hopeful words. That clear, dignified voice belonged to a young woman.

The man reacted to that familiar voice with a start and hurriedly spun around to salute.

"M-Mayor Antik!"

"Wh-What are you doing here?" The men saluted a gorgeous Elf.

"Playing hooky— I mean, patrolling. I'm playing my role by patrolling. I thought I'd check on how everyone's getting along."

Mayor Antelise Antik, a woman renowned for her slender frame, ample bosom, long ears, and cascading blonde hair, casually waved her hand and told them to be at ease with a tired smile. She was a woman with an unusual history that had her leave the conservative, secretive El-Nah Alliance of Elementals for Phon'kaven. Her background wasn't the only impressive thing about her, either. She was a woman of exceptional talent, so much so that she was appointed the mayor of Dragontan without even applying for it.

The soldiers recoiled when she appeared on the walls with them. They were taken by her inhuman beauty—a trait unique to Elves— and the gleam emitted from her sharp gaze as it burrowed into them both. They couldn't stop from blushing under her strong gaze— Antelise was much like a rare and stunning flower seen on top of a mountain they could never reach.

But the men soon remembered they had been neglecting their duties to entertain scandalous discussion, and they quickly stood at attention. It hadn't been long since the last Great Barbarian Invasion. Although the damage had been minimized with Mynoghra's aid and the Defense Force's efforts, they still couldn't afford to be slacking off on wall duty.

"I-I'm sorry you discovered us like this, Mayor Antik."

"We were slacking off… Please give us whatever punishment you deem necessary."

"It's all good, boys. We've been working nonstop, so I know how you feel. Peaceful days have become extra nostalgic to me lately, too… Wait, has there ever been a peaceful day since I became mayor?" Antelise joked with a shrug of her slender shoulders.

Determining the mayor was going to overlook their misconduct, the soldiers scratched their heads and tried to feel out the reason for her visit.

"Haha! We've got nothing but respect for you, Mayor Antik. Even now, you're goin' on the rounds to make sure we stay on our toes."

Phon'kaven's frontier towns were experiencing an exodus of citizens due to their Self-Defense Force's utter lack of usefulness during the Barbarian invasions and the damage sustained from a lack of reinforcements sent from the main army.

Citizens want peace. That's a natural mortal desire and not something that can be suppressed by reason.

What if something similar happens again? What if our allies don't join in the next battle? Anyone who understood those worries couldn't blame them for wanting to leave this deadly zone outside of their empire's protection.

The soldiers on lookout struggled with the same thoughts as well. If they were to be honest with themselves, their morale had hit rock bottom, and their determination to protect the people of their country was shakier than ever before.

Even as they were sounding Antelise out, they could see a line of carts loaded with household belongings heading for the gate on the dusty streets below. They didn't know where the citizens were headed, but they'd obviously given up on this godforsaken town. Watching that exodus day in and out was a hit to anyone's morale. So, to the soldiers, it seemed reasonable for the mayor to go out of her way to monitor and encourage the people out of concern for deteriorating public safety.

But Antelise chuckled and gave an answer that was contrary to their thoughts. "While that's a part of the reason for my rounds, it's also not," she said with a wry smile. "I came here because it's the best spot to overlook the town. This might be the last time I see it like this, you know? It's only natural to want to burn in what the town you ran looks like, right? We don't know where things are headed, after all."

The future ahead of them was too unsettling and surreal to imagine. Antelise had made the remark lightheartedly, but the soldiers didn't miss her hard-set jaw or strained smile. What meaning was hidden behind her words? They didn't have enough information to speculate, but they could tell something more was going on just by how she acted.

The men shared dubious looks. They couldn't imagine what awaited the town they protected. They forgot that they wouldn't even be in a position to think about the future if not for Mynoghra's assistance during the last wave of attacks.

"C'mon, don't say such ill-omened things, Mayor…" the Wolfman said nervously.

"Yeah!" the Human joined in. "You've got a terrible personality there, trying to scare us by saying stuff like that. Hahaha…"

"That reminds me, you aren't going to run away?" Antelise asked as she leaned against the watchtower and looked out at the town below.

The town wasn't only bleeding citizens, but also soldiers. They had various reasons for leaving, covering everything from guarding the departing citizens to blatantly admitting they'd given up on Dragontan. It was so bad that they were down to a skeleton crew that just barely managed to cover town security.

There was no time to rest for those who remained, and their work hours were growing increasingly longer without any benefit. The two soldiers on guard duty hadn't had a decent night's sleep over the last few days, and it'd been quite a while since they last returned home. They had a mountain of tasks to attend to outside of guard duty, and their brief chat was just a momentary respite from a hard day of grueling, tedious work.

Running away would be easier—especially right now, when they had the guilt-free option of escorting the departing citizens to their new homes.

But both men answered Antelise in loud voices.

"Haha, we're not running."

"It seems like we like this town too much when it comes down to

it."

The two men had grown up in Dragontan. They'd received so much from this town and experienced various joys and sorrows while living there. They planned to stay with Dragontan until the end, regardless of how the other townspeople felt. Thanks to people like them, Dragontan had yet to crumble beyond repair.

"Really? Then can I ask you for a small favor?" Antelise asked, showing them a genuinely happy smile, soon replaced by a deadly serious expression. Then she told them her unthinkable favor.

"…I need you to have a steadfast mind and heart if you happen to see the king of Mynoghra during the upcoming talks. And please, no matter what happens, do not, I repeat, do not react. I'm not just saying this to uphold our appearance or to make our country look good. Well, that's definitely a piece of it, but I'm telling you two who love this town this so you can live another day."

The soldiers both swallowed so hard it made an audible noise.

Ultimately, Antelise was telling them that depending on their actions, they could offend the king of Mynoghra and end up in a lifethreatening position. A grunt soldier's life definitely wasn't worth much compared to the bigger picture. Phon'kaven and Dragontan had no reason to concern themselves with the life of a disrespectful soldier, especially under strained circumstances.

Eliminating the offender would smooth things over just fine— that's how diplomacy worked.

But were they really dealing with such a dangerous and unpredictable entity? Was this king that frightening?

For the first time, the two soldiers felt the chill of unease rise up from the depths of their churning stomachs.

"I heard from Lady Tonukapoli that the king of that country is a being existing two to three steps outside the rules of this realm,"

Antelise continued gravely. "She called him an anomaly."

Tonukapoli and Pepe were the only two citizens of Phon'kaven to have actually met the King of Ruin in person during their talks within Mynoghra's Imperial Capital. Pepe had very different sensibilities from a normal person, so his witness account wasn't very trustworthy, but Tonukapoli's words were absolutely credible and reliable.

The strength of Phon'kaven's Staff Holders was well known among their people. Not only were they respected for their achievements and abilities that began with Nature Spirit Artes and extended into a wide variety of magics, but they were also treated as a sort of legendary creature.

Such a person, who was already a godly existence to a grunt, evaluated the king of their ally nation as an anomaly?

A sense of impending doom crept up on the two men who'd been thinking of the situation as someone else's problem. After all, they finally realized that what they were underestimating as merely talks between two diplomats was far more than that.

"I-Is it that extreme? Are you sure the Staff Holder wasn't exaggerating a bit…?" the Human asked.

"Have either of you ever seen Lady Atou in action?" Antelise answered his hopeful question with another question.

The men instantly understood what Mayor Antelise was trying to tell them with that single question.

The girl named Atou, who'd helped defend Dragontan, was an existence outside of mortal understanding.

Both soldiers had seen her fight.

She'd been fighting far from the town, so they could only see her if they squinted really hard from the watchtower, but that was enough to discover she fought more like a monster than anything remotely Humanoid.

Ice and snow glittered all around her. Something tentacle-like whipped around with a mind of its own. Death cries and the dismembered bodies of Barbarians being flung high into the sky were noticeable even from the watchtower. Thunderous roars that sounded like lightning striking the ground shook the air.

…The fight was all too vivid…all too fantastical.

At the time, the soldiers had been told by their superiors that Atou was an octopus Demi-human, but now they all knew that was nothing more than a futile smokescreen. There was no way in hell she was that mediocre of a being.

The girl called Atou was a being beyond anything they could ever put a name to. And Takuto Ira was that girl's beloved master and king.

An existence that could control that monster couldn't be normal.

"W-We understand what you're trying to tell us, Mayor Antik," the Human stuttered. "So…while I'm not confident, I will do everything in my power not to cause any issues on the day of the talks."

"That's not even the tip of the iceberg…" Antelise said eerily. "Even the adorable Elfuur Sisters are…" The soldiers held their breath.

The Elfuur Sisters were the Dark Elf twins Mynoghra had temporarily dispatched to Dragontan. The soldiers had seen the girls from a distance and even wondered why such children were sent on a diplomatic mission in the first place. At a distance, they looked like nothing other than ordinary, cute young ladies. But…

"Nah, I shouldn't talk about them. Well, good luck, boys. Who knows? I might be the one who screws up," Antelise jested, then returned her gaze to the town as if to say that was the end of that.

The conversation left a lot to wonder about, but one look at Antelise's face let them know they wouldn't learn anything further even if they asked. But the Wolfman suddenly remembered something else he wanted to ask her.

"By the way, you can use Spirit Communication Artes, right,

Mayor? What're the Spirits doing?"

Elves have a naturally high affinity with Spirits. Following the voices of these spirits, they perform various artes and divination. The Wolfman was curious about how the Spirits were reacting to the situation as incorporeal beings more sensitive to evil.

"Oh them? They all ran for it," she replied bluntly, the smile not reaching her deadened eyes.

Spirits are a kind of energy that exists everywhere in the world. Their presence is incredibly faint, and they barely have much in the way of instincts and a will that typically indicates a living creature.

All the Spirits in the area had fled. How should they process that fact?

Antelise sprung to action before the men could draw their own conclusion. "You guys won't run away, though, will you?! You love this town, don't you?! Don't you?!" she pressed, putting a hand on both men's shoulders and squeezing tight as if to say she wasn't letting them go.

The soldiers trembled before her beaming smile, wondering if they'd made the wrong decision after all.

◇◇◇

THE more you yearn for a moment to come, the more you feel like you've wasted a lot of time waiting for it. Meanwhile, why does it feel like the days you wish will never come arrive all the faster?

Thus, the day of the bilateral talks arrived all too soon for the people of Dragontan.

<-x-X-x->

Chapter 8: Reception

TODAY was the day of the diplomatic meeting between the leaders of Phon'kaven and Mynoghra. Antelise, the mayor of Dragontan, was pensively gazing into the horizon from the town gates, waiting to welcome their state guests, including the King of Ruin, Takuto Ira.

Ugh, I wanna go home… Well, I guess this is home now. I'd rather die in a ditch than go back to El-Nah, Antelise thought morosely.

The duty imposed upon Antelise was to welcome Takuto and guide him and the rest of the Mynoghra diplomatic mission to Town

Hall, where the meeting was being held. Although Pepe and

Tonukapoli would conduct the main negotiations at Town Hall, Antelise was also required to attend as mayor. The pressure of the heavy responsibilities placed on her was mind-numbing.

Even now, she was stressed to the point that it hurt physically and her stomach clenched and churned when she thought of the day ahead. She'd normally drown the pain out with alcohol, but she couldn't risk that on such a day as today, so she was reduced to a pitiful Elf who could only plead with the Spirits to make sure things came to pass as peacefully as possible. Sadly, the Spirits she wanted to ask for help had foreseen the disaster to come and had long since fled.

Then again, since transferring Dragontan to Mynoghra was already considered a done deal, Antelise's wish for peace was a lost cause even if there were still Spirits around to hear her plea.

He won't wanna eat me, will he? I've met and chatted with Atou and Sage Moltar a few times before, but…their king's probably on a totally different level, right?

It wasn't like she'd had zero contact with Mynoghra before now. She'd worked with Elder Moltar and Atou, two key officials, several times and had even gone through quite the first experience with their people when the Elfuur Sisters came for their initial visit.

She might've actually interacted with Mynoghra more than anyone else in Phon'kaven, including the Staff Holders. So she felt she understood the general disposition of that country's citizens. And that was exactly why she felt the highest amount of tension and wariness over their king's visit. The picture Mynoghra's people painted when they spoke of King Takuto Ira made him out to be larger than life and beyond imagination.

This is the moment of truth, Antelise! You must receive our diplomatic guests without causing them any disrespect! That's your job as mayor! Antelise told herself. Look at it this way: get through this little welcoming moment, and then Pepe and Lady Tonukapoli will take over the rest! You've got this! Just make it through a few minutes!

The cession of Dragontan to Mynoghra was basically a done deal—that's how desperate Phon'kaven was, even by Antelise's estimation. How the people living there would be handled would depend on the direction of their negotiations, but taking the relationship between the two nations into account made it seem likely they wouldn't be mistreated.

In the midst of her tightly wound nerves, Antelise found herself thinking: If Dragontan ends up becoming Mynoghra's, then I'll inevitably be dismissed as mayor. I have no intention of ever returning to El-Nah, and it's not like I could even if I wanted to. What should I do with my life now?

As those concerns and a tinge of loneliness crossed her mind, a strangled cry from the watchtower broke the chilly silence.

"Ah, ah, ahhhhhh…"

Antelise glanced in that direction and saw the soldier she'd conversed with just the other day pointing toward the horizon like he'd seen a ghost.

She immediately knew what had perturbed the soldier without having to ask—something worse than a ghost had come.

"Our guests are visible in the direction of the Accursed Lands!!" the Wolfman announced loudly.

His voice pulled Antelise out of her pensive thoughts and back to the moment. She trained her gaze on the direction of the Accursed Lands, where Mynoghra's diplomatic mission should be visible.

…At first glance, it looked like such a small delegation. Of course, it only looked that way because of the distance—the actual size was still vague. At the very least, their numbers had to be whatever was appropriate to join a king on a diplomatic mission.

But honestly, numbers didn't mean a damn thing in this moment.

Antelise and the soldiers scrutinizing Mynoghra's diplomatic mission from in front of Dragontan's gates saw a tower of darkness that pierced the heavens exuding from the whole group.

Ah, we're screwed…

Antelise was dominated by a sense of doom that made her clamp her mouth shut even though she didn't remember opening it. She was overwhelmed by an emotion she'd never experienced before. No, it wasn't a foreign emotion, but rather fear that was so palpable it didn't feel like fear anymore.

What Antelise felt like she was experiencing was: DEATH.

Strangely enough, everyone who laid eyes upon the king's retinue experienced the same feeling: death was coming.

Amid the tension dominated by chilling terror, the closed gates slowly opened, and a giant flag was raised from the watchtower to welcome the diplomatic mission. Antelise made the right decision, telling everyone what they should do in advance and having them practice. She felt like praising the Dragontan soldiers for having the courage and grit to pull off their jobs under these bone-chilling circumstances.

Time progressed slowly as everyone stared open-mouthed at the same spot, unable to school the shock and terror from their features.

After what felt like a painful eternity, the group of people who looked smaller than a grain of rice in the distance had become large enough to see who they were, signaling the hour of the greatest door-die moment in Antelise's life.

Calm down, calm down. You can take a moment to gather your thoughts if you have to—just don't offend our guests, she told herself as she took a deep breath and looked directly at their diplomatic guests.

The diplomatic mission led by Mynoghra's king came to a deliberate stop in front of Antelise.

She already knew from prior interactions that Mynoghra's people weren't fond of overly ceremonious exchanges. But this was understood to be a formal meeting between two countries, meriting the bare minimum of formalities.

In other words, Mynoghra was waiting for Phon'kaven to receive and welcome them in.

Antelise was careful yet quick to rake her gaze over the people accompanying the king. Mynoghra's delegation had more people than she'd expected. There were a number of Dark Elves she recognized, along with several others wearing outfits she'd never seen before.

Large wagon carts trailed behind them as well. The carts weren't drawn by horses, but by gigantic bugs that let out disturbing chittering noises—a fitting retinue for the King of Ruin.

Disturbing as that may be, it was still within the range of oddities Antelise had prepared herself for. The real problem was what kind of people were a part of the king's retinue.

Antelise's eyes were drawn first to the Dark Elf's former chief, Elder Moltar. He currently held the position of Chancellor and Advisor within Mynoghra, and was the most versed in politics among the group. He was also Mynoghra's Minister of Magic and a Mage who spent night and day researching dark magics beyond Phon'kaven's wildest nightmares. He was known as the Curse Sage back when he ran with the Dark Elf Assassination Brotherhood.

The danger lurking behind his grandfatherly smile was not to be taken lightly.

Antelise's gaze then shifted to the Minister of Defense and Military Affairs, Warrior Gia. He was infamous for his fierce and merciless personality all the way back when Antelise used to live in El-Nah, and rumor had it even then that the number of people who'd fallen at his hands was so great, keeping track was an exercise in futility. His nickname was The Assassin. His dark skillset and loyalty belonged only to the King of Ruin now.

The two girls standing on either side of the king like maids were the Elfuur Sisters. Rumor had it that the king was personally providing them with a special education to train them to become future leaders—as sketchy as that sounded.

They had visited Dragontan as envoys from Mynoghra before and continued to maintain a good relationship with Antelise. These two girls were originally the only ones Antelise thought she could talk to without feeling queasy, but the darkness they exuded had grown a thousand times worse since their last encounter, making Antelise particularly uneasy now.

Antelise glanced at the king's most trusted confidant, Atou, last. This girl, fundamentally different from the Dark Elves in both origin and being, stood quietly by her king. Antelise had little to note about her. Much to her horror, she'd learned from all their interactions thus far that this girl, with powers that easily surpassed human understanding, had absolute trust in her king and was equally trusted by him.

Going by looks alone, it was hard to wrap her head around this beautiful girl being Mynoghra's strongest weapon. But it was undeniable that if Atou felt like it, she could instantly massacre everyone in town.

As someone privy to all the information Phon'kaven had gathered during the Great Barbarian Invasion, Antelise sharply inhaled through her teeth as it sunk in how truly dark and evil of a being was standing before her.

And if Atou is darkness incarnate…then…then…the being she obeys implicitly must be…

Antelise forced her trembling body to move and jerked her gaze toward that being.

The King of Ruin. Takuto Ira.

It just stood there calmly, like a friend who came for a stroll in your neighborhood.

This is…the King of Ruin.

The king's attire was a tad strange. He wore a luxuriously designed robe draped over his head to conceal his appearance.

I can't see his face or read his expressions like this, Antelise thought, staring at his face as much as she could without being blatantly rude.

…Beneath the robe was a void of nothingness and a pair of glowing eyes.

.

-------------->

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"Eeep!" Antelise cried out, then clamped a hand over her disobedient mouth.  

Cold sweat cascaded over every inch of her body and her heart pounded so loudly it could be its own drum circle. His gaze seemed to know everything about her, as if watching her from beyond the logical world. In an instant, it bound Antelise's heart with fear and tried to drag her into the depths of hell. Just as she thought her heart was about to stop from the shock, the king suddenly looked away.

"Haaa…haa…" Antelise gasped for air.

I narrowly escaped with my life there, she thought as she tried to catch her breath.

The king's gaze strayed a little below her eyes and continued to stare at her like a lifeless void. Antelise didn't know why Atou suddenly started whispering with displeasure into his ear, but she had a strange feeling it wasn't because of any offense on her part.

Actually, the king acted completely opposite from what she'd expected. In her wisdom, Antelise understood the meaning of his actions. The King of Ruin was being considerate of her by looking away, so she wouldn't collapse in fear. He must have heard her loud cry, yet not only did he not call her out for it, but he kindly dropped his gaze to her chest instead!

Did he don that deep robe in order not to stir up fear by exposing his appearance to the masses? Such actions didn't belong to an apocalypse-bringer who wished only for ruin—at the very least, he was reasonable enough to be considerate of his allies.

Antelise was grateful that Mynoghra was Phon'kaven's ally, even if that alliance left a lot to be desired. At the same time, she deeply resented the fact that they were allies.

Spirits! Did Pepe and Lady Tonukapoli seriously understand what they were doing when they allied with this MONSTER?! He ain't something that we can deal with on equal footing!!! If everything goes to hell, it's not my fault!!

Antelise shouted and cursed in her thoughts, unable to shake the feeling he could read her mind. She needed to at least vent internally about the overwhelmingly outrageous predicament she found herself in before she blew her top. That just went to show how much shock she was in after meeting the King of Ruin.

However, just as it sounds like a wild tale for an elephant to considerately visit the home of an ant, it was even more of a delusional stretch for the root of ruin to peacefully visit the home of puny mortals.

Antelise's mounting confusion and inner turmoil were unavoidable given the situation.

Calm yourself, Antelise. You're dealing with someone who's being considerate of you. It'll be okay. Nothing's gone wrong. You still haven't committed an irreversible mistake.

Fortunately, many of Dragontan's residents had left town already. Everyone else was under strict orders from the mayor not to go outside until curfew was lifted. Decorum usually dictated that the townspeople should welcome their international guests as well, but they were in no position to cater to such formalities.

Antelise had made the right call, telling everyone to stay home despite knowing it was discourteous. If her predictions based on what Tonukapoli had told her were correct, then none of Dragontan's townspeople would be able to withstand the King of Ruin's grueling gaze.

Antelise had, of course, told Mynoghra as much. She'd prepared a better-sounding excuse for them, and they'd gladly approved of not having a large welcome party. Elder Moltar, Mynoghra's contact point for Antelise, was even kind enough to offer her words of consolation despite being on the receiving end of what could've been taken as a slight against king and country.

If only Antelise could accept their thoughtfulness and kindness at face value, then this incident could've been used as a cute story to show off the budding friendship between Phon'kaven and Mynoghra. But something about their attention to detail when it came to being considerate of how people viewed them made Antelise sick to her stomach.

I can't stay silent forever. It looks like the soldiers have steeled themselves as well.

Less than a minute had passed. Having just experienced a lifetime of fear, anxiety, and bewilderment in that short span of time, Antelise took a steadying breath and swept into the deepest, politest bow of her life.

"Welcome to the town of Dragontan, King Takuto Ira of Mynoghra. I am Antelise Antik, the mayor of Dragontan. On behalf of my town and country, we would like to extend a hearty welcome to you and your people."

Putting on an amicable smile was one of the secret weapons Antelise had honed throughout her life. She hadn't had much use for it since getting buried under the exhausting work required of her as mayor of a fringe town, but she was glad to discover her weapon hadn't dulled.

Her battle began for real now—she needed to receive her guests without a single misstep.

"Cool. Thanks."

Aah, so this is what the voice inviting you to ruin sounds like. The maddening claws of fear clawed at the inside of Antelise's chest. I'm confident the negotiation table will be a million times more confusing and chaotic than I'd imagined.

She felt like she was facing a heartless void.

What will the King of Ruin ask for during these talks and what will he offer in exchange? Antelise's chest was plagued with anxiety and disgust of a different nature from fear. If the Spirits will hear me, my only wish is that these negotiations end without blood and tears.

The bilateral talks began with no Spirits to bring her modest wish to fruition.

◇◇◇

THE meeting room prepared within Town Hall was awfully understated for the leaders of two countries to gather for negotiations. Then again, they had chosen a frontier town that was strapped for people to hold their meeting rather than a capital city. Besides, Phon'kaven didn't have the financial leeway to build a stately international conference center just to show off and make jobs like some other countries, and Mynoghra would much rather get their business done and over with than waste time on pomp and circumstance.

Thus, they chose this modest meeting place to satisfy both sides.

Everything about these international talks went against the norm—and that didn't stop at just two international leaders meeting in this shabby, old, cramped conference room at the edge of the Uncharted Territory.

"Long time no see, my best buddy Takuto! I'll give you

Dragontan, so gimme something in return, pretty please!"

The first words uttered when the two Commanders came together proved these were going to be very unusual talks indeed. Phon'kaven's Commander, Pepe, jumped straight to offering Mynoghra Dragontan without much in the way of small talk.

Takuto always took the unbeaten path himself, but even he had to stop himself from cracking a joke at such an outlandish start. Obviously, Pepe jumping the gun wasn't planned for. Tonukapoli shot him an irate look as she cradled her head in her hands and Antelise blinked rapidly, her mouth falling open.

Meanwhile, Mynoghra's council members couldn't hide their shock either. Elder Moltar was drenched in a cold sweat as he fiddled with his beard and Emle dropped her pen. Even Takuto was a bit disappointed Pepe got the first strike in before he could confirm who was attending the meeting.

"It's nice to see you again, Pepe. Hmm, even if you ask me to give you something, I'm not sure what that something should be." But the ball was already rolling, and he couldn't stop it now.

Okay, time to buy a little time, Takuto thought, purposely beating around the bush with his answer to drag things out. He liked Pepe's simplicity and out-of-the-box approach to things, but it wouldn't do to let the other party take the initiative completely out of his hands.

It didn't matter that both sides already had a general idea of what they were there for—this was still supposed to be formal negotiations held between two empires, not talks that took place after accidentally encountering each other like the last time they met. Takuto also wanted to avoid a messy conclusion to clarify the power dynamic between the two empires going forward.

Takuto put a finger to his chin, pretending to be considering what he could give them as he scanned the room.

The major players in attendance on the Phon'kaven side were Staff Holders Pepe and Tonukapoli and Mayor Antelise of Dragontan. Other than them, there were several soldiers on guard duty and a few civil officials taking notes and organizing documents.

Takuto did his very best not to let his gaze drift toward Antelise's ample bosom as he shifted his attention to his own delegate members.

Elder Moltar was there to support him and back him up during the talks, while Emle was there to take minutes. Atou and Gia were present as well, but more in a guard capacity. Waiting in the next room were the Elfuur Sisters, some Dark Elf Warriors, and the Brain Eaters. Takuto's diplomatic contingent made it impossible for them to lose in case of attack and was a tad excessive for a meeting with a friendly ally nation.

Well, it's obviously an extreme lineup when I brought all our aces with me. If I learned anything from what happened to Isla, it's to never split our forces and let individual units get taken out alone. That's why I had everyone come along.

Takuto chose the safer, albeit a little over the top, route of bringing the brunt of his forces with him since Mynoghra's capital was relatively close to Dragontan, and they could march right back home should the enemy invade while they were away.

At any rate, few people were participating in the actual talks. However, the Commanders with the authority to make the final decision were present on both sides, and Takuto also had his whole council in attendance, so they could actually get somewhere with their negotiations. Takuto also didn't want to neglect his Domestic Affairs for long by staying away, so he was prepared to finalize things today.

How should we play our cards next?

"Hohoho. That's a difficult thing to come up with, indeed, my king," Elder Moltar joined in the fray after Takuto bought them around thirty seconds. "Our country is still in the early development stages. The hard fact of the matter is, there isn't much we can provide you with due to how inadequate we Dark Elves have been in serving our mighty king."

Elder Moltar wasn't called a Sage just for show. He immediately noticed the meeting was shifting in Phon'kaven's favor and subtly knocked the reins out of their hands.

Pepe already mentioned ceding Dragontan to Mynoghra as the basis for their exchange. Now the real negotiation was over what Mynoghra could and would give in return. Phon'kaven planned to take as much as they could in the exchange, and Mynoghra planned to tighten its purse strings as tightly as possible, so they were indirectly yet keenly sounding each other out. Although it goes without saying, most negotiations don't play out this fast.

This was the point when both sides would usually try to confirm the intentions and goals of the other party. And they would've tried to ease the tension in the room by discussing their joint efforts in the last war first.

Why do we have to waste time on such tedious formalities? Oddly enough, the Commanders of both countries were of the same mind on that front.

"There you go being all modest again!" Pepe exclaimed. "You served us such amazingly delicious food last time, my best bud. Don't you still have loads of goodies you haven't shown us yet? Plus, you brought those big bug-drawn carts with you, right? Show me what's inside!"

"I didn't bring anything that's that big of a deal, Pepe," Takuto countered smoothly. "Just something I thought you might need."

"I'm positively positive it's something uber awesome!" Pepe said in a singsong voice. "I'm really looking forward to it! This is so exciting!"

He's perceptive…too perceptive. I know we made the carts stand out, but it'll be hard to get the conversation to flow the way we want if we show our hand now.

Takuto had no intention of stupidly giving in to Pepe's request at this point in the game.

"Hohoho!" Elder Moltar broke into the conversation with a jovial laugh. "We can only hope our small offering pleases you, Master Pepe… By the way, Lady Tonukapoli, I've heard that your country has several other Staff Holders. What did your fellow Staff Holders have to say about this matter?"

"Hm? Mm…" Tonukapoli hummed, dragging out her response. "They had a lot to say but accepted it in the end. This fool here convinced them by saying we have to offer at least this much as a token of gratitude for the Great Barbarian Invasion and our continued friendly relations with your country. Although…the Dragon

Vein Mine is another matter entirely."

"We are certainly happy to go ahead with joint management of the Dragon Vein Mine, just as we've discussed before," Elder Moltar smoothly replied. "His Majesty also desires as much. However, ceding us the whole town seems like quite a bold move, don't you think? I was taken by surprise when I first heard the news."

"…Let's just say it was the best move we could think of," Tonukapoli conceded. "I can only hope that it helps you understand how much our country values Mynoghra."

"In that case, pray tell how receiving this town benefits our nation…?" Elder Moltar inquired, not holding back.

"Hey, Moltar!" Takuto interjected. "You shouldn't say such things. Dragontan's a lovely town."

"Oooh, forgive me, Your Majesty! I accidentally let my mouth run on about rude things because I was so concerned with what value it'd bring to Mynoghra and you." Elder Moltar turned from Takuto to address the Phon'kaven members. "Please laugh it off as

the ramblings of a senile old man, friends."

Mynoghra's delegate succeeded in shifting the topic toward Dragontan's value. They had to sort of force it in that direction, but neither side expected the other to follow much procedure. All that mattered was to reach a profitable agreement, and the more profitable it was for Mynoghra, the better. Any means were acceptable to get the desired result.

"Sorry about that, Pepe."

"Don't be, buddy! It's no skin off our backs, since Dragontan really is a town with no value! Wahahaha!" Pepe burst out laughing.

"Haa…" Tonukapoli sighed. "This little fool never fails to open his big trap without thinking…" She shook her head, then took control of the situation. "All right, if I may speak, King Takuto? As we said in the official missive we sent you, Phon'kaven is considering ceding the town of Dragontan to Mynoghra. In return, we would like to request you provide us with something to bolster our military, whether that be boots on the ground or the technology to help us reach your level, such as weapons or research."

"And what good is Dragontan to us?" Takuto fired back.

"Tch!" Tonukapoli clicked her tongue.