Originally, Calca Bessarez had already been quite curious about Ren Kuroda. But after hearing what Remedios Custodio said, her curiosity about his appearance only deepened.
After all, Calca knew her friend well. While Remedios didn't outright dislike men, she rarely held any of them in particularly high regard. In all the years they had known each other, this was the first time she had ever seen Remedios praise a man so openly.
"Sir Ren… there's no one else here now, so there's no need to keep your identity hidden," Calca said gently. "You are my benefactor—and the hero who just saved Hobens Royal Capital. At the very least… please allow me to remember the face of the one who saved us."
At that point, what could Ren even say?
With a small sigh, he reached up and removed his mask.
His true face—striking, almost otherworldly in its beauty—was revealed before Calca.
Even for someone like Calca, who was notoriously obsessed with appearances, she had to admit… Remedios hadn't exaggerated in the slightest.
Ren was handsome.
Not just handsome—he possessed a kind of dangerous, alluring beauty she had rarely, if ever, seen before in the Holy Kingdom.
And if that were all, he'd simply be a pretty face.
But his strength had already been proven beyond doubt.
As Calca looked at him, then glanced sideways at Remedios—who was practically winking at her—her fair cheeks flushed a soft pink.
In the letter Remedios had sent earlier, she had mentioned finding the perfect fiancé candidate. Calca had assumed it was a joke.
But now… it was clear her friend had been completely serious.
And had even brought the man directly to her.
Ren, on the other hand, was utterly baffled.
Sure, he knew he looked decent—but not enough to make someone blush on sight.
Ever since he'd removed the mask, Calca had started speaking more hesitantly, occasionally sneaking glances at Remedios as if seeking reassurance.
Did my identity get exposed? Ren wondered.
No… that shouldn't be possible. This is my first time in the Holy Kingdom. And Aura's been the one leading the demi-human side… there's no way something went wrong there.
"Lord Ren, thanks to your incredible assistance, the crisis at the royal capital has been temporarily resolved," Calca said, trying to regain her composure. "The nearly ten thousand demi-humans outside have also been captured. What do you think we should do next?"
"…Let's not go with 'Lord,'" Ren replied, rubbing his temple. "You're the Holy Queen of this nation. Even if I weren't hiding my identity, I'm just the Empire's Knight Commander. There's no reason for you to use honorifics with me."
He paused before continuing.
"As for what to do with the captured demi-humans—and the next phase of your military strategy—shouldn't that be something your country decides? I'm just here as outside support. It wouldn't be appropriate for me to interfere in your internal affairs."
Looking at her, Ren couldn't help but feel that Calca… wasn't exactly the sharpest strategist.
Pretty, sure. But… yeah, maybe not much going on upstairs, he thought, involuntarily labeling her as "all looks, no brains."
Then again, comparing her to people like Aria and Nabe wasn't exactly fair—those two were both beautiful and terrifyingly intelligent.
As for Shizu—well… she was an exception. Cute, sure, but brains and bust both… questionable.
"Calca used to be the High Priestess of the temple," Remedios interjected, stepping in to help her friend. "She never expected to inherit the throne, so she's not very good at political maneuvering or strategic planning."
"In the past, Prince Caspond and High Priest Kelart handled those matters for her. But now that both of them have been captured by the demi-humans… she truly has no one left to consult."
Remedios looked at Ren earnestly.
"And please don't think of yourself as an outsider. We trust your judgment completely and are willing to follow your lead. Please… help Calca. Help the Holy Kingdom."
Seeing Calca's uncertain expression, Ren found it hard to refuse.
Letting out a quiet sigh, he relented.
"Alright… but let me be clear—while the crisis at Hobens Royal Capital has been temporarily resolved, the demi-human army still numbers close to a hundred thousand."
He raised a finger.
"In other words, the force that attacked the capital is less than a tenth of their total strength. The situation is still extremely dangerous."
He continued, his tone turning serious.
"And based on the beast I subdued, the so-called 'Divine Envoy' behind the demi-humans is very likely another outlier-level powerhouse."
"If a full-scale battle breaks out, that individual will definitely step in to hold me back. So the question is—does the Holy Kingdom have the strength to stop the remaining ninety thousand troops on its own?"
That single question wiped the earlier joy from both Calca and Remedios's faces.
They had been so focused on their victory that they had overlooked a crucial fact—
The enemy had a mastermind too.
And one who hadn't even needed to act yet.
If that being stepped onto the battlefield, and Ren was occupied…
Could the Holy Kingdom stand against the remaining army?
The answer was obvious.
No.
Not even close.
Their forces had already suffered heavy losses, and many nobles had defected—taking their troops with them.
"Damn it!" Remedios clenched her fists. "If only the Kingdom or the Empire had sent reinforcements… even a hundred thousand troops would've given us a real chance!"
Right now, her resentment toward those nations was immense.
If they hadn't stood by and done nothing, things wouldn't have gotten this bad.
"Enough, Remedios," Calca said softly, shaking her head. "Neither the Kingdom nor the Empire is obligated to help us. People like… Ren—people like him are rare."
She turned back to him, her gaze steady despite her earlier fluster.
"And since you've pointed out the problem… I'm sure you already have a solution in mind, don't you?"
Ren felt a bit awkward under her trusting gaze.
We've known each other for less than half a day… where is this confidence coming from?
Suppressing the faint guilt tugging at him, he spoke.
"First—those captured demi-humans are off-limits. They're our most valuable bargaining chips."
"Strip them of their magic equipment and use it to arm your own soldiers."
"Then, use the prisoners to negotiate. We might be able to exchange them for occupied cities—or for important captives."
"For example… Prince Caspond and High Priest Kelart Custodio."
He paused, then concluded:
"Right now, our only option is a war of attrition."
"Wear them down gradually… and pray they don't decide to go all-in with a full-scale assault."