Chapter 12: Misgivings
CIVIL officials were trained and put to work in the Capitol Building the Dark Elves had constructed to handle the practical processing of policies and domestic affairs, just as Takuto had hoped. While they hadn't nurtured anyone capable of single-handedly managing whole departments like Elder Moltar and Emle, the overall workload proceeded much smoother with more help.
Today several Dark Elf officials got together in the newly expanded council room to settle the matters getting out of control since annexing Dragontan.
"Dragontan's reconstruction projects seem to be moving along smoothly. The Beastmen are strong and follow orders well, so things are actually proceeding faster than planned," said Forlais, one of the Dark Elf officials. He tiredly rubbed the crease between his brows as he checked over the latest report.
Piles of approved plans and various data sheets littered the table in the middle of the room.
Boards and maps hung on the walls to organize information, and in the back of the room was a smaller table lined with canned beverages in bright colors called "Energy Drinks" that the king had gifted them.
Anyone with normal sensibilities would want to complain when saddled with an impossible workload, but this didn't even count as suffering to the Dark Elves, who'd survived unspeakable hardships and now served their king with unbridled joy.
Although their physical fatigue was evident, they pressed on drafting reports and directives for Dragontan's reconstruction with fire in their eyes.
"It doesn't look like we'll have any issues with rebuilding, but the townspeople's lack of education is far worse than any of us expected," another Dark Elf, Mylirth, commented thoughtfully, rubbing his chin. "It won't affect much at this stage, but we should probably run the education plan by Miss Emle."
The tasks assigned to them by Emle, their direct superior, mainly covered all aspects of Dragontan's domestic affairs. Naturally, the bigger policies and priorities were decided by King Takuto. Emle distributed the work to the officials based on his directive. Their superiors would check over all their work in the end, but that didn't mean they could slack off. When they considered how much work Emle was already responsible for, they didn't want to worsen her stress by adding unnecessary, miscellaneous tasks.
"Is it bad enough that we have to make Miss Emle aware of it?" Akith, the civil official in charge of education, asked. "Remember, consulting her means we're asking His Majesty as well."
He wasn't trying to hide the education issue to save his own hide. He simply didn't feel the need to consult the higher-ups about something so low on the priority list. They had a plethora of more urgent matters to prioritize, and it was commonly understood among the members in charge of Dragontan's reconstruction that they needed to settle those projects before tackling education.
But something had come to their attention, giving them cause to readdress the topic.
"I thought the same thing," Mylirth said. "Until the incident the other day when we provisionally provided the farmers with fertilizer per His Majesty's orders."
"Oh, I remember that. It's a part of our plan to revitalize the exhausted soil. Don't tell me they even struggled with that concept…?"
In addition to their orders to rebuild Dragontan, the reconstruction committee was also tasked with trying out various innovations at King Takuto's command. Improving the soil with Heavenly Fertilizer was one of the experiments they were put in charge of. However, large-scale Terrain Enhancements using Mana drawn from the Dragon Vein Mine were considered the primary measure for revitalizing the land, so the fertilizer experiment was more about finding an alternative if their Mana-source dried up and measuring the effects of combining magic and science.
In other words, the fertilizer was also low priority. So low, in fact, it didn't feel worth reporting on. Of course, writing up reports was important, but if they ran to their superiors over every little thing, what was the point of them being assigned work in the first place? That's why they felt it was necessary to reexamine the situation. They needed to consider the order of priority and handle smaller matters on their own.
"You explained how to use the fertilizer and pesticides before handing it over, right?" Forlais asked. "I thought we chose the simplest one that just needs to be sprinkled occasionally. What's the problem?"
"I thoroughly explained it to them all right. But the next day, an awfully assertive Oxman dumped it all onto the soil. All of it. A year's worth of fertilizer and pesticide…"
"Wh-Why the Saints would anyone waste something Heavenly bequeathed upon them by His Majesty…?"
"The Oxman said if it's that amazing in bursts, then something even more miraculous should happen using it all in one go…" Everyone in the room began rubbing their temples.
These Dark Elves originally came from the assassination branch of the Elves. Meaning they'd all been given a basic Elven education, and everyone assigned to civil official positions was clearly a cut above those serving as Warriors when it came to the intelligence necessary for their position. That's why they'd completely miscalculated and overestimated the intelligence of Dragontan's residents.
"Basically, our common sense doesn't apply to them. What we think they can figure out on their own is completely over their heads. Even Elder Moltar is struggling with how to get us on the same page."
"What should we tell His Majesty? He said we shouldn't worry too much because problems and failures are bound to arise, but I'm not sure we can do i—"
"Don't finish that statement. We just have to produce results that overwrite our failures. We can't go against our orders and slow down the whole process."
Unexpected problems always show up unannounced and at a whim, without giving a jot about your circumstances.
The Dark Elves were incredibly capable. With their loyalty to king and country, and their abilities honed from their time in the Assassination Brotherhood, rebuilding the town should've been a walk in the park for them.
But nothing ever goes as well in reality as it sounds on paper.
This problem alone required them to waste time writing up a report and reorganize their stock to make up for the instant loss of a year's worth of pesticides and fertilizer. They would also have to thoroughly question the farmer in question and walk him through what he did wrong.
Dealing with problems and putting countermeasures in place will greatly impact how things are done in the future, so such matters can never be neglected or postponed.
If they procrastinated on solving the issue and it reoccurred, then they really would have to present the king with their head on a platter.
"His Majesty has high expectations for us. We shouldn't let him down."
The Dark Elves devoted everything they had to their assignments.
Takuto also rubbed his temples when he finally read the report given on the fertilizer incident. And then he personally praised the officials in charge of the issue.
AROUND the same time the Dark Elf Dragontan Reconstruction Officials were racking their brains over how to solve the various problems coming their way, their superiors—Emle, Elder Moltar, and Gia—were also busy handling the deluge of information and issues flooding in.
"Time, money, and materials are always in demand and in short supply. I knew rebuilding and managing a town required a lot, but it's worse in reality than in theory," Elder Moltar grumbled to himself as he scanned the stacks of reports from his subordinates.
Since he was in charge of the Ministry of Magic and supporting the other ministries during emergencies, he wasn't directly involved in Dragontan's governance, but just lightly reading through the reports reminded him how hard it was to govern a single town.
"I guess that's to be expected when we've pushed things through, even if it takes a little force. We've even had to push some of the work onto little Caria and Maria…" Emle laughed dryly as she recalled the Elfuur Sisters sitting at their desks, slogging through paperwork with dazed eyes.
Even if they were overwhelmed with the unfamiliar work, they couldn't throw a fit and stop. Every Mynoghra citizen knew what happened when you stopped moving forward and gave in to weakness.
"We should be taking things a little slower, but time's not on our side with the world the way it is," Gia opined.
Impending danger was nipping at their heels. It was waiting for the opportune moment to target their loved ones and threaten their peaceful lives. They didn't know when that danger would finally be at their door. They did their best not to regret today in preparation for what may very well come for their heads tomorrow. They were all driven by the same motivation, even if they didn't speak of it.
"All right, that about covers it for Dragontan's domestic affairs. Our excellently trained civil officials are handling things well on that front," Elder Moltar said, putting an end to the discussion on
Dragontan and turning to Gia to bring up another topic. "Now then,
Gia, what news do you have on El-Nah?"
As members of Mynoghra's empire-management council, they were responsible for resolving the more imperative problems that couldn't be assigned to anyone else. The primary problems they tackled were all military-related, such as investigating the strange phenomenon happening worldwide and surveilling other empires.
The Holy Kingdom of Qualia and the El-Nah Alliance of Elementals were the two lawful good empires Mynoghra identified as hostile. Other threats existed, such as Brave Questers' Demon Lord Army and the Northern Witch, but considering the huge territories and military behind those two empires, they couldn't discount their ever-present threat. El-Nah, in particular, concerned the Dark Elves, who were already on hostile terms with the Elves, and they found it eerily strange that they had gone silent in recent days.
They would be happy if their misgivings were proven wrong, but if there was something behind the sudden lack of activity from their archnemesis, then…
Unfortunately, the answer they received from Gia, who'd been investigating El-Nah using the intricate investigation network he'd built during his time as an assassin, was not good.
"There's almost no information coming out of El-Nah anymore," he said grimly. "I suspect there's restrictions in place to prevent information from leaking, but…judging from the limited intel I've been able to gather, there's a high chance they've been invaded by an enemy."
"What?! Are you certain?!" Elder Moltar asked louder than usual, shock coloring both his and Emle's faces.
This was the definition of earth-shattering information. They were thunderstruck.
They already had their hands full worrying about the threats posed by the Witch Disturbance happening in Qualia and more forces like the Brave Questers' Demon Lord Army showing up. Yet another anomaly taking place came as a surprise to them. No, this wasn't just an anomaly, it was a new world threat. It wasn't that a new threat to Mynoghra had just appeared out of nowhere; rather, they only now identified something that already existed as one.
It suddenly made sense why everyone in Mynoghra, including King Takuto, was so on edge and obsessively preparing to fight the next threat.
Elder Moltar and Emle both flayed Gia with their gaze, urging him to continue. He wordlessly nodded, glanced over the documents in front of him, and looked back up at them.
"It's just conjecture, but I think it's extremely likely. My reasoning is based mostly on information from a source I can't share with you, but that doesn't disqualify its legitimacy. Most of what I gathered was just bits and pieces here and there, but once you start piecing together the bigger picture, it reeks of something more. There are signs of El-Nah substantially strengthening security on the border with Qualia, and the price of goods has skyrocketed. The various clan chiefs have also started imposing emergency taxes in the background too."
Based on just those tidbits, the first thought would be they were planning to invade another country, but the fact Gia didn't allude to it meant they could eliminate that possibility. The reason he could be so sure had to lie with his classified informant, but neither Elder Moltar nor Emle pushed the point with him. Even if he had an Elven informant, a connection with their archenemy, they had nothing to gain from causing him to lose that source.
They had more urgent issues to discuss. This was now an issue that was beyond them to solve—they needed to involve King Takuto and Atou in the decision process.
As he was sorting out what to do next, Elder Moltar suddenly remembered they hadn't discussed the situation in Qualia yet.
"That reminds me, what news do you have on Qualia, Emle? The last I heard was that they have their hands full with the Northern
Witch Disturbance…"
"I would say they're in the same situation, wouldn't you?" Gia interjected before Emle could answer. "Going by what His Majesty and Lady Atou said, the Witch won't be easily defeated. Well, any holy empire is an enemy of ours, so don't we only stand to benefit if the Witch ends up weakening their forces?"
Gia's casual dismissal of Qualia belied his earlier display of excellent information gathering and analytical observation. Elder Moltar was still hesitant to hand over his role as clan chief to Gia because he had a way of overlooking potential problems if they didn't catch his interest. His disappointment over the young Warrior Captain still not growing out of his immature ways instantly morphed into criticism.
"Haa…" Elder Moltar let out the longest, aggrieved sigh. "Jumping to conclusions like that will eventually be the end of you, boy. I can't believe you still haven't grown out of such simple-minded thinking."
"Tch! Then gather information on your own, geezer!"
"Save your arguments for your personal time, gentlemen… We're too busy for you to squabble," Emle intervened, putting a stop to their petty fighting.
She was absolutely right—and the two men knew it. They could feel the disdainful way her drilling gaze seemed to say, "Don't use our precious time on stupid things. This is why men can never get anything done without a woman's help…"
Emle had been much harsher and more critical of them lately. They weren't sure if that was because she'd grown a backbone after everything she'd been through or simply because the never-ending paperwork was shortening her fuse.
"AHEM!" Gia cleared his throat. "So, anyone know what's really going on with Qualia?"
"A-A fine question, young man," Elder Moltar sputtered. "It's our duty as His Majesty's vassals to do what we can about the matter at hand."
Most of the time, men can't stand up to a woman's astute criticism.
Nervous that the pecking order was about to be decided, both men fumbled to get back on topic.
What mattered here was the state of things in Qualia. They needed to confirm what information they had first and foremost.
They were obviously trying to repair Emle's mood, but she took their questions seriously rather than rake them over the coals. "As for what's happening in Qualia…" she hesitated for a moment, "things are a bit strange."
Emle gave an explanation of the situation that was even more troubling than Gia's report on El-Nah. Qualia had closer trading ties with the Dark Continent's neutral empires, which made information more available through independent traders. Emle's report was a summary of the information collected by Dragontan. Her complexion was rather pale, not because there was a particularly concerning problem, but more because the whole thing was confusing.
After she was done giving her report, they launched into an hour-long discussion covering speculations and concerns they had identified from the available information.
"…All right, let's go directly report the main points of concern to
His Majesty. Change is afoot."
By the end of the meeting, all three Dark Elves had tense looks on their faces.
While Mynoghra was undergoing major changes, other empires were also at the mercy of the great swell of fate.
◇◇◇
"THIS isn't…a good sign," Atou said in an ominous tone after looking through the information the empire-management council had presented.
"I agree. Things are definitely taking a turn for the worse in Qualia and El-Nah," Takuto said, nodding in agreement with the Hero he trusted more than anyone in this world and the last. "Qualia's especially suspicious since all information on the Witch has dried up despite her being their sole focus right now. Based off of what we saw of Brave Questers' Demon Lord Army, I can't imagine any Witch going down that easy."
They were privately discussing the current state of things in the two lawful good empires they had their eyes on.
The information they had obtained from the Paladins during their first encounter with the Holy Kingdom of Qualia revealed that Qualia's main territory was being invaded by an enigmatic being known as Slurping Witch Erakino. Takuto had naturally never forgotten that critical bit of information and had filed it away as a potential threat to Mynoghra worthy of investigation.
But he couldn't deny that he'd postponed looking into the matter during all the confusion that arose from negotiating with Phon'kaven and going to war with an army from an entirely different game genre. Not to mention, information was harder to come by when the territory being invaded was the northernmost tip of Qualia.
But things were changing too drastically and counter to his predictions. The change was so sudden, Takuto didn't notice it until his subordinates brought it to his attention. They were dangerously behind on gathering intel. At the very least, this situation pointed out a need for drastic improvements in Mynoghra's domestic and international information-gathering networks.
The report contained information on the missing Witch Erakino and the big reforms happening within Qualia at the time of her disappearance. Reforms that seemed out of character for the conservative empire.
Qualia's Southern Province was experiencing unprecedented political change.
Saint Soalina of Blooming Burials and Veiled Saint Fenne Kahmair were the faces of change. Saints wielded untold influence over Qualia. So it was setting off all kinds of alarm bells for Atou and Takuto to learn this stuffy religious country—that always put narrowminded traditionalism over innovation—had suddenly deviated from its traditional ways.
The lack of information in the report left them wondering what was actually happening in Qualia. All they knew was that the people of Qualia's Southern Province supposedly felt hopeful for the new relief policies and regulatory exemptions. If that didn't sound flowery enough, they had purged all the corrupt officials. High political positions were now held only by people supported by the masses instead of purchased by the rich and powerful.
It all sounded too good to be true—someone had to be pulling the strings behind the curtain.
"It's disturbing we can't predict what they will do next," Atou lamented. "If this were actually the world of Eternal Nations, we would've had an idea about what tactics the other empires might employ…"
"Yeah. I didn't realize how much harder it'd be to strategize against entirely unknown forces," Takuto sighed. "It's seriously
difficult to make a move against them when we don't know how they'll retaliate."
Several empires in Eternal Nations were designed to pull off strategies behind the scenes without the other empires noticing they were pulling the strings. Mynoghra was one such empire, but it was much easier to plan countermeasures when you knew the enemy could only be one of a handful of empires. However, that only worked in a game with preset empires known to the players, not in reality full of unknowns.
They didn't know their opponent's objective, making it difficult to predict their next move. Even with their limited knowledge of the situation, Takuto felt strongly that the Saints would've never acted on their own good will to uproot the corruption and massively reform the Southern Province. If they had the motivation to improve things, Qualia would've never stayed in a state of stagnant corruption all these years…
"Considering our own objectives, we will eventually clash with them," Atou concluded. "Is the best strategy right now just to bolster our empire as much as possible and gather intel on the enemy?"
"Modern weapons may give us an edge, but we don't have enough national power or information to go looking for a fight. We should still be focusing on domestic affairs," Takuto decided.
Either way, their options were severely limited. It was one thing when it was just Qualia dealing with these problems, but now even El-Nah was going through a similar anomaly.
Takuto and Atou then started discussing what they knew about both countries. They had a special relationship that continued from their past lives. Even with all the experience and knowledge they brought with them into this life, they still chose to focus solely on domestic affairs and collecting information rather than foolishly poking a sleeping bear before they were ready.
Mynoghra wasn't designed to openly wage war. The best strategy to employ when playing this empire was to concentrate on domestic affairs while avoiding attention from other empires, only launching the offensive once everything was prepared on all fronts.
They were still at the stage where they should be lying low. Increasing their national power as much as possible was of the highest priority.
"We need to get our hands on both siege and high DPS units before launching any kind of attack. Although, if I'm being honest, I would much rather go into turtle mode…" Atou admitted.
"I'm worried about our defenses still, too. We've got the Elfuur Sisters now, but their abilities are unreliable at the best of times. They might do okay on a moonlit night, but their abilities might be a double-edged sword during the day," Takuto sighed.
Atou and the Elfuur Sisters were the only units Takuto knew he could count on when push came to shove. The Dark Elf Mages and Riflemen were working hard to bolster their forces, but there just weren't enough of them to make an impact. And while they had a military alliance with Phon'kaven, they couldn't expect another nation to save them.
With all that in mind, it made sense why Takuto and Atou chose to turtle up and concentrate on building their forces despite knowing they were risking falling behind the other empires.
"But it's dangerous and boring to just sit around waiting for our national power to get where we want it. We need something to break the status quo. Something like…a Hero who can turn the tide against the enemy no matter what," Takuto said, falling into thoughtful silence.
Losing Isla dealt them a crippling blow. If she were still around, Mynoghra's military strength would've ballooned to unrivaled levels. Her defense-focused skills were especially useful against enemies with unique abilities. But there was no point crying over spilled milk, because there was no undoing what had already come to pass.
That's why it was only natural for them to want to rush the summoning of a new Hero to fill the gaping hole Isla's absence left. It's not that there weren't other methods he could employ, but Heroes were so overwhelmingly effective, they overshadowed everything else.
But there was a good reason they didn't immediately summon another Hero right after Isla's death. Hero summoning was directly tied to an empire's technology tree. Many Heroes couldn't be summoned without unlocking specific technologies. Mynoghra might've had fewer restrictions compared to the other empires, but they had laughably little technology researched at this point, which meant—
"There's only one Hero we can summon right now," Takuto said.
—they had extremely limited options for who they could summon.
"P-Please don't tell me it's…" Atou gaped at Takuto. Her eyes pleaded with him to tell her it wasn't true.
"You know it. He's the only option."
Atou's face paled with despair. Takuto also looked unhappy with his own suggestion. They both looked displeased despite knowing they could summon the next Hero if they prepared the Resources. They were obviously reluctant to go through with it.
What was causing such an adverse reaction in them?
"No way! I won't stand for him! Ever!" Atou shouted, throwing a fit. "Please don't even think about it! Just stop, King Takuto!
That…that monstrosity is just too much!!"
Atou knew what her king had in mind. She threw herself on him faster than the eye could follow and started whining. Takuto couldn't stop himself from agreeing with her when he knew she got along with him worse than cats and dogs. If that wasn't troubling enough, this Hero was a BIG troublemaker who made it his life purpose to cause problems.
There was no telling what impact such a Hero would have on the world. If things went south, they'd have to review and redo all their strategies from the ground up.
"I-I'm also unsure about him…" Takuto muttered, quickly regretting his own suggestion. "Maybe it's a bad idea?"
"Remember, he was ranked first among the Heroes you don't want to have as subordinates and first as the Hero you wouldn't want as your superior in Eternal Nations!" Atou stressed, trying to reinforce Takuto's misgivings by reminding him of that Hero's terrible reputation.
"And he's also the number one most morally bankrupt Hero," Takuto continued for her. "You gotta wonder what he's like in real life. I wonder if he has even an ounce of loyalty in him."
"Oh, he's loyal. Not only is he loyal, but he also understands what he should and shouldn't do, and yet he's the type to go around purposely triggering problems with a big fat grin on his face…" Atou shivered.
"Yeah, that's the type of guy he is, all right…"
Mynoghra is an evil empire designed with a different set of values from the rest of the world. Said Hero was the biggest example of that, and he could actually be labeled as the Hero who represents Mynoghra the best.
"…Now that I think about it, there's no advantage to be gained from summoning him right now… Actually, there's nothing but disadvantages, so I think his presence will actually set us behind instead of getting us ahead," Takuto laughed dryly.
That particular Hero didn't just have high stats. If anything, he excelled more at causing problems for other empires, which made him more difficult to use when there was a clear and present threat.
Pulling the strings during peacetime was his forte.
"Yes! He'll do exactly that! So let's not consider him! We don't need to summon that swindler! There are many other bett…" Atou paused for a long moment as if she didn't even believe what she was saying, "better Heroes to choose from! There are!"
"You and Isla are Mynoghra's only Heroes with any sense, after all…"
It went without saying that the rest of Mynoghra's Heroes were just as problematic as the one they were discussing. The Heroes belonging to evil empires are almost always designed to be missing a few screws, so Atou and Isla were actually the odd ones out for having as much common sense as they did. When it came down to it, Takuto was increasing his chance of getting stomach ulcers from stress with each additional Hero he summoned.
Takuto thought back to the short stories written to expand on
Eternal Nations' lore and worldbuilding. Most depicted the
Commanders having to go around cleaning up after the messes their Heroes caused. He could honestly say he never once imagined himself in their position. Thinking about it made him even more torn over how to handle the Heroes since it wasn't like he couldn't summon them forever—not with the set of abilities they brought to the table with them.
"Yeah, that settles it, let's hold off on summoning him for now," Takuto decided. "We should save him for a time when we need someone to do things with sneaky, roundabout, unconventional means rather than brute force… Like if something ever happens to me…"
Atou's jaw dropped and her eyes spread wide. She never thought he'd mention something happening to him. She couldn't even imagine such a scenario.
"I want you to summon him if anything happens to me. That's an order I'm giving you now for that possible future, Atou," Takuto commanded. He almost sounded confident something would happen to him someday.
"I will never allow that day to come!!" Atou rushed to deny it.
"Your Atou will protect you! No matter what comes our way!"
But Takuto knew there were no guarantees in this world. He didn't doubt Atou's loyalty or ability for a second. However, some situations couldn't be avoided even when two people trusted each other wholly. Of course, he wasn't trying to panic Atou by mentioning it.
"Hahaha, thanks, Atou," Takuto said with a laugh, hoping to comfort her a bit. "I feel a little embarrassed being protected by a girl I care about all the time, though. I wish I could show off and protect you in battle sometimes too."
"You're an ordinary person, so that's asking for the impossible… Although, any battle that requires you to fight on the frontlines would mean we're in a do-or-die crisis…"
"You can say that again," Takuto nodded several times.
A Commander's primary duty is to guide their empire and choose its policies—not go out fighting on the frontlines. Many historic tales from Takuto's past life spoke of leaders who did indeed carve their way through enemy forces themselves, but he had a feeling a lot of those had some fictional elements added in by later generations.
A Commander, Leader, Ruler—however you prefer to call them—should never be fighting on the battlefield.
As a matter of fact, Takuto already prepared several cards he could play should he ever be pulled into direct combat. But that didn't mean he should go seeking it out.
As Atou said, any situation that required an empire's Commander to stand on the frontline meant that nation was cornered…or, more accurately, on the brink of defeat. For that reason, Takuto didn't include himself as a fighting piece on the board, and his strategies worked toward making it so he would never have to.
But reality never plays out as planned. To this day, he was continually revising his strategies and expectations.
"Anyway, I just want you to remember to summon him if anything happens to me," Takuto stressed.
"All right, I will. But, just so we're clear, I don't believe for a single second that that swindler will seriously try to resolve our problems out of loyalty to the empire if you, our Commander, is gone…"
"What a coincidence. I don't either." Takuto nodded several times in absolute agreement.
If anything happened to Takuto, that swindler would buckle over with laughter first and foremost. And then, he would set about trying to solve the problem in the most problematic way possible for everyone involved. Takuto was torn between his desire never to summon such a troublemaker and morbid curiosity over what would happen if he did.
"But he'd definitely get the job done," Takuto chuckled and reassured Atou, whose cheeks were puffed up with uncertainty over his decision.
Then he thought of the Hero they hadn't summoned yet. For better or worse, he was confident in that Hero's ability.
"Okay, with that said and done, we should continue building up our strength for the upcoming…ceremony," Takuto said, pausing before the last word.
The ceremony in question was the Dragontan Cession Completion Ceremony happening a week from today. It was widely announced as a celebratory event, publicly placing Dragontan under Mynoghra's control. As the paperwork had long since been taken care of, the ceremony was more about the festivities than stifling bureaucracy.
The Dark Elves were putting in every effort toward making the ceremony a success, and even Takuto and Atou were looking forward to the festivities. They still had a mountain of things to do, and the world was rampant with threats to their peace, but surely, they could sit back and relax for just one day.
They started discussing the next meeting agenda with that thought in mind.
Unfortunately…that special day would go down in Mynoghra's history…as one of the greatest trials to establishing the bedrock of their empire.
<-x-X-x->
Chapter 13: The Girl Dreams at Last
AROUND the time Mynoghra's empire-management council was having misgivings about the drastic changes happening in the lawful good empires, the Holy Kingdom of Qualia's Southern Province was going through massive reforms just as they feared.
"O Holy Saint! All hail Holy Saint Soalina!"
"Praise be to the divine Saint Soalina!"
St. Amritate Cathedral had regained its former glory as a house of God since Saint Soalina purged it of corrupt clergy and set it as her base of operations. Beautiful hymns and radiant light filled its halls once more. People from all classes and races congregated in front of the cathedral, singing words of praise and gratitude for the Saint.
Today was an ordinary workday, not a holiday. And yet people gathered at the cathedral to extol the Saint who had become the Southern Province's new Commander.
"Phew…"
Saint Soalina of Blooming Burials waved to the people from the cathedral balcony. This wasn't one of her duties, but she felt guilty not responding to them, so she made it part of her daily routine to step out on the balcony and let the people see her for a few minutes every day. She waved and smiled at the ocean of people crowding the plaza below, then withdrew back into the room.
Traces of fatigue loomed on her face. Her fatigue was more mental than physical.
"Looking good out there, Soali! Finally gettin' the hang of things?" someone asked behind a pillar. Out stepped Slurping Witch
Erakino. She frivolously chuckled and skipped over to Soalina, acting no different from when she'd dragged Soalina to the Southern Province with her.
Witch Erakino hadn't changed at all since the day they'd met. Her attitude remained shallow and playful, and she gave off a constant dark aura that implied she only looked at things in terms of how they might amuse her.
Saints and Witches are mortal enemies. They're like oil and water—they don't mix. That's the way of the world and the natural order of things. This was one of the world's foundational laws that never changed.
And yet, how did Saint Soalina respond to Witch Erakino when she casually addressed her like an old friend?
"Spirits, you're embarrassing me, Erakino…" she said bashfully, a sheepish smile pulling at her lips, making her look her age for once.
"Nyahaha! The Saint who governs the Southern Province! People's fortunes are skyrocketing, all thanks to the true Leader sent by God! …Ah, wait, there aren't any rockets here, are there? Let's just say their lives are on the up and up! We're in the go-go years now, girl! Ain't nothing gonna stop us! Everybody's happy-happy!"
"All of this prosperity is thanks to you, Erakino. All because you worked with me to make it happen… This peace was made possible because you gave me the push I needed," Soalina said with a terribly soft smile. She was acting a bit clingy and naïve for her age. But perhaps this was the real her underneath the saintly title.
Saints are subjected to a myriad of ulterior motives and expectations from the rest of the population. Being on the receiving end of so many opinions and feelings, the Saints tend to shutter their hearts and keep people at arm's length. It made sense then, that when they finally did meet someone they could be themselves with, they let a genuine expression or two show through the façade. "Mwahaha! Right? Right? It's all thanks to your girl Erakino here! And c'mon, why don't you stop being so stuffy with me already? You and I aren't strangers, silly! Besties gotta be frank and open with each other!"
"S-Sorry!" Soalina quickly apologized and tried to be a little less formal. "I just can't seem to get used to speaking so openly… It might not seem like it, but I am trying to be more casual like you asked."
"Seriously?! That's trying?! Oooh, you've got a looooooooooooooooong ways to go, girl! I just want you to start calling me Eraki, like the besties we are~♪!" Erakino cooed, taking Soalina's hands in hers. "I-I can't do that!"
A harmonious moment passed between them.
Ever since the Slurping Witch and the Game Master, who'd yet to appear, moved to the Southern Province, the relationship between Erakino and Soalina had taken a completely different shape.
No one knew what curious course of events led to that outcome. Perhaps even the gods didn't know what caused it.
Nevertheless, a friendship between the two young women rapidly blossomed while governing the Southern Province until they both considered the other an irreplaceable best friend.
…Erakino's abilities had nothing to do with their relationship. The truth was, Erakino had already removed the Brainwash effect caused by her Slurp skill. Soalina was voluntarily striving to improve this country together with her captor. The simplest explanation for their friendship was that they had chemistry and were able to hit it off when given the chance.
The whole affair was laughably cliched. The Witch, who should be evil and malice incarnate, was touched by the Saint, and the Saint, who was supposed to be the embodiment of good and kindness, opened up her frozen heart to the Witch. They grew closer as they turned a blind eye to all the sacrifices and losses that came before their union, and the Happiness of the people living in the Southern Province skyrocketed in direct correlation to their blossoming friendship.
The most twisted, distorted peace took place where they governed—so twisted, not a soul was left unhappy.
But one person watched over the pair of unlikely friends with judgmental eyes.
"I see you have become…fast friends."
"Saint Fenne…"
Veiled Saint Fenne Kahmair suddenly appeared out of thin air. The Saint who always hid her face behind a veil and never showed a sliver of skin shattered the perfect little bubble the pair had formed with her frosty voice. This kind of cynicism wasn't uncommon for the always disgruntled Veiled Saint. She treated everyone this way, and likely wouldn't have a place among the masses with that thorny personality of hers if not for her achievements as a Saint. Thus, her cynical remark on their relationship was perfectly in character for her.
However, it must've struck an uncomfortable chord with Soalina's conscience because she flinched. Erakino twirled in front of her friend, as if to protect her, and returned Fenne's jibe with one laced in her own form of sarcasm.
"OMG! Are you jelly, Veily? You don't have to be so jealous just because Eraki and Soali have become BFFs with awesome nicknames for each other! BEsides, I'm busting a nut for our cause. I haven't done anyyything evul, and I'm burning the midnight oil to make the people of this country happy as clams~♪!"
"I'm willing to acknowledge you're putting in the effort for now. People are indeed being saved by your actions. Both Arlos and I want nothing more than for those who deserve saving to find happiness," Fenne responded to Erakino's goading with indifference. Her tone lacked any kind of emotion, making Erakino wonder if the woman behind the veil was really a Saint.
But Fenne was undeniably a Saint. The Game Master, who secretly gave orders to both Fenne and Erakino, knew she had a different objective from the other two.
"Um, I am grateful for your assistance too, Saint Fenne," Soalina said, stiffening up. "Your cooperation has helped eliminate further misfortune from befalling this kingdom."
Fenne responded to her comment with a slight nod. While she obviously had a difficult personality that kept people at arm's length, she kept an extra wall up between herself and the other two girls. Soalina realized as much but didn't think for a second that Fenne was scheming something behind their backs.
Fenne was, by all accounts, cooperative with their reforms and using her powers to get the job done. If nothing else, Soalina could count on the fact that Fenne desired peace like all the other Saints.
God chose the Saints. You couldn't become a Saint if you didn't long for peace and have the heart to serve others.
"I can understand your apprehension, Saint Fenne," Soalina continued. "But please know that Erakino hasn't once broken her word since we formed this partnership. Our Lord, our God, hath said, 'Suspecting others is a testament to the fear that dwells within you…'"
"…So it is said," Fenne responded noncommittally. She probably couldn't accept a Saint and a Witch being friends.
Soalina often dreamed of the day she could become friends with Fenne as well, but the Veiled Saint doused her hopes with cold water. Whether she knew how Soalina felt or not, Fenne redirected the conversation toward their current situation with the same apathy she had started it with.
"Tell me: how have Central and the other provinces reacted so far? Our government might be full of senile dignitaries, but even they would've caught on by now. If you don't do anything to circumvent it, the Mystic Saint will hear about you and take action."
"Central has remained silent," Soalina said. "They have their hands full overseeing restructuring the region devastated by the Northern Witch Disturbance. Meanwhile, the Eastern and Western
Provinces are busy hindering the process with demands for the
Cardinal in charge to take responsibility and resign."
Qualia was ruled by three Popes who were elected behind closed doors with a complete lack of transparency, and several Cardinals ruled the provinces under them. They competed for power in the Holy Capital of Qualiane, the seat of Qualia's central government.
"I see. Those Central rats all want their own piece of the Northern Province… Even so, it's strange their hungry eyes haven't turned toward the Southern Province with the wave of prosperity that's come from all the reforms you've pulled off so far, Soalina," Fenne said, her tone hinting she knew more.
The Southern Province was experiencing an unprecedented economic boom thanks to the reforms Soalina put in place. Qualia was an affluent country. The climate was mild, crops grew well, and public order was kept by the Order of Paladins' routine patrols. Resources were abundant, and there were never any major disasters or epidemics, most likely due to Arlos's Divine Protection. Furthermore, all kinds of evil were stopped in their tracks by the Saints' oracles.
That's why it came as no surprise there was a huge economic boom once they started redirecting the corrupt clergymen's cash piles back toward the citizens. Now the people had money for all their daily necessities and even a little extra for recreation and small indulgences. The demand created by the flow of capital into the people's pockets helped finance the marketplace, lowering prices, expanding supply, and increasing demand for items once out of reach.
The people then began donating their time and money to thank God for this new abundance, which helped improve equipment and facilities for the Order of Paladins and clergy. Now that the corrupt members were removed, the remaining Paladins and clergy were nothing but sincere about their religious convictions and more than happy to donate their legitimately earned private wealth to the people.
A land without corruption was a fruitful utopia—ripe for the picking by the greedy. So it made absolutely no sense why the predatory clergy from Central and the other provinces weren't all over the Southern Province like flies on honey.
Soalina held her tongue. She didn't address Fenne's unspoken question: Why haven't they come to take the Southern Province from you yet? But Soalina's expression said it all, telling Fenne exactly what she needed to know without words.
"Aha! So that's your answer." Soalina managed to eliminate any interference from Central and the other provinces with less-thansaintly methods. "Hahaha. You silenced them with what they respond to best: bribes," Fenne laughed for the first time.
What was the intent behind her laughter? It didn't take much to guess. She was deriding Soalina with her frosty, scornful laugh.
Corruption plagued Qualia to its core. Those in power used Arlos's name to line their pockets, and they brandished their authority to silence anyone who spoke out against them or just for the fun of it. Their egos expanded like limitless balloons, their sense of self-importance swelled like waves during a storm, and their obsessions with themselves grew worse by the day. The holy kingdom was crawling with greedy politicians who'd come to view themselves as gods. These plump fat cats even put laws in place, claiming it was by God's decree to ensure no one could ever unseat them.
That was the way of things in Qualia, and it was out of disgust for that crooked system that Soalina took a stand against it. Yes, she should've been taking an uncompromising stand against corruption and underhanded methods. And yet, she used those very same unethical means to keep those two-faced politicians in check.
Soalina gnawed her bottom lip. Why are ideals always so powerless? The reality Soalina had seen with her own two eyes constantly crushed her ideals and hopes.
"The funds spent on this matter will be returned to God's people in full. We can't have Central getting involved yet! This was the right decision to ensure the future!" Soalina argued, trying to justify her actions in a flurry of words. She felt so frustrated she just had to say something, even though she knew it'd only stoke Fenne's amused derision of her.
"Haha. Calm down. I'm not criticizing your actions, so don't take your guilty conscience out on me. All your shouting is scaring me."
Soalina didn't get the reaction out of Fenne she'd expected.
Perhaps the person Soalina was arguing with all along was herself. As Fenne said, Soalina was tormented by guilt and what she viewed as being just.
Tears shimmered in Soalina's eyes. She felt the same powerlessness she had back when she used to cry with despair for her lot in life every single day…
"Fenny, I won't stay quiet if you bully Soali a second longer."
.
-------------->
.
Both then and now, it was Erakino who reached out and rescued Soalina from her despair.
"Erakino… You've been tamed so well, haven't you? Am I the third wheel here? That makes me kind of sad. Won't you be a little kinder to me?"
"If you want to get along with people, you shouldn't bully them! Besides, aren't you guilty of doing the same thing, taking out your pent-up feelings on Soalina? You're barking up the wrong tree,
Fenny."
Erakino's counterargument got a reaction out of Fenne for the first time. She paused and clenched her fists for a moment, as if realizing Erakino had pointed out a fact she wasn't aware of herself. Perhaps she also thought she had taken her comments too far because her tone and word choice softened a bit after that.
"…You got me there," she admitted. "Did you come to that conclusion on your own? Or was it a tip given to you by your beloved
Master?"
"Wouldn't you like to know~?" Erakino replied in that shallow, singsong way of hers. "I'm not telling a bully! Let's get outta here,
Soali!"
"I guess I got on your bad side. I hate to stop your gallant exit, but can you stay a moment longer?" Fenne requested, stopping Erakino from leading Soalina out of the room by the hand.
Erakino scrunched up her face in an annoyed frown as if to say she didn't feel like sticking around for more useless banter. Soalina grimaced, as if she were afraid Fenne was going to poke her where it hurt again. Fenne stared at their polar opposite expressions through the veil and carefully picked her words to try and get back into their good graces.
"I still have questions for Soalina. Don't worry, this topic isn't laced with cynicism. I want to discuss our plans for governing the
Southern Province."
"I'm willing to hear you out if that's the case. You good with that too, Soali?" Erakino asked, turning to her friend.
"Y-Yeah…"
Erakino and Soalina exchanged looks and then agreed to hear Fenne out. Fenne was relieved they were mature enough to talk despite the tension in the air. She had come all this way just to ask them about this particular matter. Her cynical remarks and poor taste in teasing were meant more as a prelude to the actual conversation.
Erakino and Soalina took a seat facing Fenne at her insistence.
She scrutinized them both as she ran through her list of questions. Her brows furrowed under the veil. Even as she thought it through, it still didn't make sense. The matter she wanted to ask about was a plan Soalina was for and Erakino was against. It was hard to understand their positions, when it should be the reverse.
Ha, I guess it's foolish to even try to apply logic to this situation where good and evil are happily working together… Fenne lightly shook her head, shaking off the various thoughts swirling through her mind.
"Soalina," she began, confronting Soalina head-on about the plan that would surely affect their position in the future, "I want you to tell me your reasons for going ahead with this Decapitate
Mynoghra operation of yours…"
Soalina's eyes gleamed as they locked onto Fenne's through the veil, all signs of fear and guilt gone. The air grew tense until Soalina finally spoke in a quiet, controlled voice.
"I received a divine revelation informing me of an omen of cataclysm happening in the Accursed Lands. We have since heard multiple rumors about the empire of Mynoghra emerging from there. It is far too dangerous to leave them unchecked."
"I am equally aware of the importance of divine revelations. But I think you are rushing into this. You're being too hasty, Soalina.
What's driving you into being this reckless?"
Fenne also believed Mynoghra was a dangerous empire. This was probably the one matter the Saints and the Order of Paladins all agreed on. But opinions varied on how to deal with the threat.
The Southern Province was in a very precarious situation despite its prosperity and success. It was questionable if there was any good reason to take such a hard stance against Mynoghra when they'd yet to amass an army and still faced a very real threat from Central.
"Have you heard what kind of creature Mynoghra's king is?" Soalina asked.
"Some information comes from the peddlers who do business with the Southern Province and the relatively close Dark Continent. Most of what we learn comes from street rumors picked up by the
Paladins… If I'm not mistaken, the king is a person known as Takuto Ira. And he's called—"
"The King of Ruin," Soalina finished.
Intelligence gathering isn't only done by highly trained spies in secret. Wherever there is an economic exchange, there's also an exchange between people. The relationships between people span labels such as good and evil, and many become more talkative over drinks after work. Therefore, it's not unusual for people on the streets to know things the upper class didn't. The Order of Paladins could follow up on this information by using their sheer numbers to ask peddlers and tavern owners about what's new.
This straightforward intelligence-gathering method had paid off, making it a known fact in Qualia's Southern Province that the King of Ruin, Takuto Ira, had established the empire of Mynoghra in the Accursed Lands and had employed a Witch to spread his influence through the surrounding areas.
Yes, they knew for a fact that this new ruler went by the title the King of Ruin, and this name drove Soalina to hasty action.
"I see what this all comes down to: The Ancient Saints' Book of Oracles… You believe what's written in that moldy tome to be the truth, then?" Fenne guessed.
"We all know God is real, at least," Soalina responded, not answering the question.
"That much is true. But from what I read of that old tome, it's a little too poetic and flowery to be taken at face value…"
Now I understand what's motivating her. Fenne suppressed a sigh.
The Ancient Saints' Book of Oracles was one of the Holy Kingdom of Qualia's most important classified artifacts. It was a compilation of recorded universal warnings and advice for the future contained in oracles previous Saints had received directly from the Holy God Arlos. A copy of this Book of Oracles was kept in every province and the Holy Capital of Qualiane. Only clergymen with the rank of Cardinal or higher were permitted to look at it. The book was tightly guarded out of fear that the terrifying prophecies within would drive a normal person mad if they knew.
The contents weren't actually that dangerous to read, but it did contain oracles they needed to take seriously. One such oracle concerned the King of Ruin. Soalina was convinced the King of Ruin would reign terror on this world, just as described in God's oracle. That's why she wanted to subdue the threat as soon as possible. She was trying to eliminate anything and everything that could possibly pose a risk to the happiness she'd finally obtained.
"Hey, hey!" Erakino interjected, bouncing on her heels. "What's this Book of Oracles? I've never heard of it before!"
"It's a record of the oracles received by past Saints," Fenne explained. "There's one section that mentions the King of Ruin. It's considered ancient for a reason, so some parts make no sense."
"I knew about Mynoghra. Hmm… Takuto Ira, eh? I wonder if he's a player. So, is this King of Ruin a big baddie? Super dangerous?" Erakino asked.
"We…don't know," Soalina admitted. "Maybe it will make more sense to you. I'll show it to you later."
"Yippee!"
"It's a classified text, but such rules no longer apply to you two, do they?" Fenne said dryly.
Erakino giggled behind her hands, drawing a smile out of Soalina.
Fenne doubted Soalina had permission to show the Book of
Oracles to Erakino, but getting feedback from her and her Game Master was more important than playing by the rules. They knew things the Saints didn't.
Erakino had warned them about Mynoghra from the beginning. Both she and the Game Master shared the same opinion that they were completely incompatible with that empire. Another Witch being involved with that nation may've had something to do with it, but either way, Erakino unmistakably viewed Mynoghra as the enemy.
Erakino originally planned to go with Soalina, who she'd brainwashed, to the Accursed Lands, where Mynoghra was said to exist. None other than Fenne persuaded her to stay in the Southern Province out of fear that Soalina would be needlessly sacrificed in such a careless plan. All that resulted in a very odd relationship being formed between the Witch and Saint, but nothing could be done about that now.
"Back to the topic at hand," Fenne said, forcefully taking control of the conversation and bringing them back to what she wanted to discuss. "I want to hear your thoughts on this matter too, Erakino. What do you think about launching an attack on Mynoghra?"
Fenne was personally against it. The strategy itself wasn't bad, and she agreed that Mynoghra and the King of Ruin were too dangerous to be left to their own devices. But in her estimation, they needed to wait until they gathered more information. She'd never admit it out loud, but she believed they might someday have to negotiate and work with Mynoghra against other forces. That was why she roped Erakino in to dissuade Soalina, because she was also against employing this strategy.
"…Yeah, I'd say we're better off not making a move on them yet," Erakino replied.
"Your Master is for this plan, right? Won't he come to talk to us first? I would like to speak with him directly to hear his opinion from his own lips," Fenne pressed.
"Master's a shy boy, so I wouldn't get your hopes up…"
Fenne had already heard the specifics of this mysterious being known as the Game Master from Erakino. It'd be a lie to say she wasn't suspicious and leery. They had earned a modicum of her trust for sharing all sorts of information and knowledge, but there was something unsettling about receiving orders from someone she could never meet in person. Fenne really wanted to ask the other decision-maker about his thought process, but since he refused to ever show himself, she figured that was asking for the impossible and gave up.
"That's answer enough for me. So, Soalina and the Game Master are for it. Erakino is against it. Then I guess I will even out the odds and join Erakino for two marks against," Fenne said. "Oh, what a funny coincidence, Erakino, we're on the same team now. Let's be the best of friends."
"Ugggggghhhh…" Erakino screwed her face up to show her absolute disgust.
Oh my, I was just teasing. She doesn't have to look so blatantly disgusted. Fenne cracked a wry smile under her veil, but before she could poke fun at Erakino's reaction, Soalina started shouting.
"Wh-Why are you against it, Erakino?! You should also regard the King of Ruin and his Witch as a threat! If we leave them be, there's a chance they will bring calamity to our country!"
"Your fears are super valid, Soali. But the thing is…"
Soalina was terribly shaken by Erakino having a different opinion from her. Her lips trembled like a child abandoned in the rain, making Erakino set her lighthearted responses aside to calmly explain her reasoning so it wouldn't further upset her friend.
"…I've just got this terrible feeling, y'know? And I'm of the strong belief that you should go with this kind of gut feeling when it hits you."
The stupidest thing you can do is make a decision that will affect the future of not only yourself, but the lives of many innocent people and your allies based on gut instinct alone. But there are times when that's actually also the smartest thing you can do. There are things in the world that cannot be explained with reasoning and logic alone.
In a world where unexplained phenomena, such as magic and Miracle Artes, are the norm, a Witch's intuition should be taken seriously. But that wasn't enough to convince Soalina.
"Why, Erakino? Why don't you agree with me? It shouldn't be difficult to pull off if we work together. What's changed? You were all for it in the beginning…"
"Nyahaha. What can I say? Little ol' me has taken a shine to things the way they are now. I hesitate when I start thinking about the what-ifs, you know?"
Soalina grimaced and fell silent.
"A-And don't you think you're a little too gung-ho about this, Soali? T-Take a deep breath and chill, girl… Hey, Fenny! Don't leave me hanging and say something, too!" Panicking to see she upset Soalina, Erakino shamelessly turned to Fenne for help.
"Well…I won't deny that Mynoghra, the King of Ruin, and the king's Witch are threats. That much is undeniable since it was preordained in God's oracle," Fenne said with the same cool composure she maintained while watching the others argue back and forth.
She purposely took Erakino's side because she knew the conversation would get derailed if they entered their own little world again. But Fenne was also genuinely concerned Soalina was letting her emotions cloud her judgment.
"We will have to confront Mynoghra someday," Fenne continued. "But it's too dangerous for that to be today. According to the prophecy, this is a confrontation that requires all of Qualia's provinces and Saints to be a unified front to succeed. We lack too much to handle them ourselves."
Impatient panic was driving Soalina to action. While Fenne had a vague idea of what was fueling that impatience, she persisted in getting the other Saint to admit the cause. Fenne actually had a way to find out the truth without asking, but she preferred not to use that method when she didn't have to.
"What reason is there for us to make enemies elsewhere when we're currently at risk of being excommunicated or labeled as an enemy of Arlos by Central? I don't doubt your devotion to God or your righteousness, but even you must be aware that alone doesn't make for a persuasive argument. Soalina, please tell me, what is it you are after?"
Fenne's eyes pierced Soalina through the veil. Soalina opened and closed her mouth several times before finally confessing her true intentions.
"…Brainwashing Mynoghra's Witch with Erakino's ability."
Fenne and Erakino gasped. Soalina's plan was outrageously heretical and belied her role as a Saint.
"I see…" Fenne said thoughtfully. "It makes sense it'd work on a
Witch since it worked on a Saint…"
All the disconnected pieces finally formed a picture in Fenne's mind. She'd figured out Soalina's objective: Defeating the King of Ruin and securing his vanguard Witch through Brainwashing. It was a bombastic plan equivalent to reaching for the stars, but there probably wasn't a better method to solving all their problems. No, they had no other method to employ but this one.
Even if they left Mynoghra alone and maintained the status quo,
Central would eventually find out about what was happening in the Southern Province. Their whole objective revolved around breaking off from the Holy Kingdom of Qualia and forming a new empire. Qualia's Popes and the Mystic Saint absolutely would not stand for that.
The three of them—actually, no one, could defeat the Mystic Saint. So, what Soalina was after was the prestige she would earn from defeating the King of Ruin and bringing peace to the world. If she could exterminate a Witch on par with the one who destroyed the Northern Province and her evil master, then the people of not only the Southern Province but all of Qualia and El-Nah, would surely rejoice and sing her praise. And once she had the hearts of the people on her side, Central would have to tread more carefully in how they dealt with her.
Even if Central still excommunicated them or declared them enemies of Arlos, it'd only look like defamation against the two saints who'd defeated the incarnation of evil. Besides, the Witch they'd secure from Mynoghra could handle any necessary assassinations behind the scenes.
They would be treading on thin ice with this strategy, but the future on the other side of that ice was bright and rosy. Such a toogood-to-be-true reward is often said to be a trap that clouds people's judgment, but they had an ace up their sleeve capable of overturning any trap. That ace was why Soalina was so insistent on carrying out this outrageous strategy.
"I assume you are suggesting this plan because there's an actual chance of it succeeding, right?" Fenne pressed.
"Erakino's Master's ability greatly increases the odds for us. As long as we have that, we absolutely will not fail."
The that which Soalina was referring to was the Game Master's Authority. At first, there was a lot of mystery surrounding Erakino and the Game Master's abilities. They had disclosed a lot about it over the course of their interactions as proof they could be trusted, but it seemed they were still trying to figure it out themselves, so they were testing things while governing the Southern Province. It was during these experiments that they coincidentally discovered that ability.
The Game Master's unholy ability that even defied and surpassed God's powers…
"What are the chances of your beloved Game Master screwing up?" Fenne asked Erakino.
"Master's ability is perfect through and through. I'm absolutely certain of it. The system is absolute. It doesn't allow for exceptions or deviances. Like, at all."
"Absolutely certain, are you? I choose to believe in those strong words of yours."
"Don't worry, Saint Fenne," Soalina said with confidence. "We absolutely will not fail. We have the power to make that a reality—it will be our reality."
Fenne's silence was taken as approval. She realized she couldn't change Soalina's mind even if she continued to argue the point with her. Soalina's mental state was questionable, but even Fenne knew enough about the Game Master's power to conclude they wouldn't fail. Failing would be harder than succeeding. Thus, she nodded and decided to go along with the plan.
"Thank you, Saint Fenne… You're the only one left now, Erakino. I need you. Please, if you consider yourself my friend, won't you do me this favor?"
"Nngh. Gosh, I'm weak for that yuri vibe of yours, but it's not enough to win me over!" Erakino objected, flustered.
"Yuri…? You always try to deflect with such quizzical words." Soalina took Erakino's hand and wrapped it in both of hers. Then she looked pleadingly into her violet eyes. "If we can capture the King of Ruin's Witch, then there will be nothing left to stop us from creating our ideal godly kingdom.
"Word has it that Mynoghra has employed some sort of sneaky method to obtain a town from Phon'kaven. It'll be too late if they merge with the other Dark Continent nations and grow more powerful off the fear and suffering of the people who live there…
"A Witch's power has no equal. We don't know what kind of surprises exist in this world… What we do know is that we won't be easily defeated if it's us Saints, you, and this other Witch against the world. With all four of us, no one will have to suffer anymore. We will make it so no one else is a victim of their fate, forced to end the lives of those dear to them because they have no other choice.
"We can't allow evil to invade and destroy our happiness, our country—the country you and I will make together, Erakino," Soalina finished her speech.
If all went well, if everything went perfectly according to plan, then Soalina's ideal country would be born into this world. And the fulfillment of Soalina's dreams would increase the chances of Fenne's unspoken dreams coming true too. It'd also see Erakino and her Game Master's ambitions coming to light. Happiness would come to the masses, and they'd be purging all that would threaten that happiness from their sight.
Everyone dreamed of the glory and happiness that would come because of their success.
"We need more power. Please join us in this, Erakino," Soalina implored with tears glistening in her beautiful golden eyes.
"NNNGAAAAAAH! Fine! FINE!" Erakino finally gave in. "You forced my hand, Soali! I'll bet everything on this plan for you!"
Soalina's face lit up like a child receiving a birthday gift and she lavished Erakino with ecstatic words of gratitude. Erakino didn't seem used to being thanked and doted on so much. She bashfully looked away and launched into her silly talk in a loud voice again.
"BESIDES! Master's all for this plan, anyway. If we're gonna go head-to-head with Mynoghra at some point, we might as well take the initiative and steal their Witch! You good with that too, Fenny?"
"…Yes, of course. I have nothing more to say on this matter."
"Thank you very much, Saint Fenne."
But would reality really play out according to plan? It had to. It would. It was precisely because they had the means to pull it off that they ended up unanimously adopting this ridiculously risky plan.
"You're welcome. But the more I hear about it, the more surreal this ability sounds…"
They only found out about it by chance, and they were rendered speechless and terrified by that law-defying power.
"Ehe! That's right! And now, without further ado, it's time for you to shine, Divination Dice! Tell me: will Erakino and co's plan succeed? I'm gonna roll the dice again today to see~~♪!"
Clatter-clatter-CLANG! The sound of dice being rolled rang out.
[Erakino rolls 1d100=13 for Divination
Outcome: Failure. Erakino and co's plan will end in failure.
GM: Message
Exercising Game Master Authority.
Dismisses outcome of previous roll and instructs to roll again.
Erakino rolls 1d100=87 for Divination
Outcome: Success. Erakino and co's plan will succeed.
]
The Game Master had the authority to choose any event's outcome. In other words, they could never lose with him on their side.
"God doesn't roll the dice~♪ You can just create any outcome you like! Conquering the world is easy-peasy with Erakino and co's powers! Because we can just keep rerolling until we have guaranteed success!"
Suppose there was someone out there who could freely choose who wins or loses…could anyone ever defeat such a person?
The spark responsible for setting off the flames of war started here. It might just be a spark at this point, but it would become a great fire that would engulf and consume everything in its path. That fateful day was just around the corner.
<-x-X-x->