Chapter 2: The Demon Lord Subjugation Alliance

Chapter 2: The Demon Lord Subjugation Alliance

The jail beneath Obsidian Fortress was entirely silent. That was to be expected, of course, seeing as the cells were filled with soldiers who were either still entirely immobile from the Paralyze debuff or under Sera’s control. The golems on guard were also immobile aside from lowering their heads when we passed—as a result of us focusing on quantity while creating them, they were only capable of simplistic movements.

Seeing the soldiers and dragons constrained by Blood Dominion sitting there with their heads bowed and their eyes devoid of light made me feel a little bit like a villain.

“Sera, how much longer will your ability last?”

“Hmm...it’ll hold for another two—no, three more hours!”

Damn, that skill of hers is brutal. The fact that it’s fully usable even in close-quarters combat makes it more formidable than Clive’s Charm Eye. And even without relying on her skills, she’s been beating me in every practice match we’ve had since her Evolution. I think my losses are almost in the double digits now. She’s probably powerful enough to be a Demon Lord already, isn’t she? Not that I know how powerful past Demon Lords have been. Oh, hey, if I learn Colette’s barrier spell, does that mean I can enjoy no-holds-barred fights with Sera as many times as I want? Yes, that sounds like a genius idea.

“Shouldn’t I just control him too?” she asked, nodding towards Azgrad. “If it’s information you want, Blood Dominion works much better than Hypnosis.”

“Let’s leave that as a last resort.”

Azgrad and Rosalia, the only prisoners who were currently conscious, were located in special rooms at the far end. I pushed open a heavy door as sturdy as the walls of the fortress itself, revealing three cells and a simple chair.

The chair was where Gerard had been sitting. There were a few golems standing guard as well, but I didn’t expect them to be capable of handling these particular prisoners. As such, we had done rock-paper-scissors to decide on a lookout schedule, and Gerard had been the first to lose. Naturally, Efil had been exempted, since she was already on cooking duty.

When I peered into his cell, I found Azgrad sitting cross-legged and looking straight back at me. His eyes were burning with fighting spirit, without a speck of resignation to be seen. He wasn’t saying anything, although that might have been due to the fact that his mouth was still covered by Clotho’s adamantite restraints.

“Clotho, remove the gag.”

The slime obediently de-Metalicized the tentacle over Azgrad’s mouth and withdrew it. The general looked somewhat grossed out by all the slithering that was happening across his body.

The first words that he said, however, were, “Why did you take me alive? Kill me, already.”

“Come on, don’t be so combative right off the bat,” I replied disarmingly. “I’m here to strike a deal with you.”

“What kind of deal?”

“Well, that’s what I’m really here for, but let’s shoot the breeze a bit first. How’s Clive-kun doing?”

“What kind of sick joke is that? You killed him!”

Although Azgrad frequently used words like “bastard” and “piece of shit” when talking about Clive, his incensed reaction to my question suggested that he did hold a certain amount of respect for the guy.

But that doesn’t add up. “I didn’t kill him. I messed up and let him get away.”

“Bullshit.”

“I was really close, but then this asshole named Tristan interfered. He’s the general of your Mixed Monster Order, isn’t he?”

“You ain’t fooling me. Tristan said you turned the tables on Clive and killed him.”

He’s being surprisingly responsive. Maybe this negotiation will be smoother than expected.

“Well, he did try to lay hands on my woman. I would have loved to get some closure by finishing him off. But after I cut off both his legs, Tristan appeared. He used the power of one of his Followers and the effect of his own Summoning skill to spirit both of them away right under my nose.”

At least I’ve more or less figured out how he did it, so I’ve already prepared countermeasures for next time. He won’t be able to do the same thing here.

“That’s why I want to know where Clive-kun is. You know, so I can finish the job. But now you’re saying that Tristan—the one who rescued him—reported that he died. Is that right?” Azgrad remained silent, so I continued. “I’ll take that as a ‘yes.’”

I heard Dahak asking Efil, “Who’s brother’s woman?” in a whisper at the back.

Stop it; Efil’s face has turned all red. And we’re going for a serious mood right now.

“Considering how badly Clive-kun was bleeding, he might have succumbed on the way back. But even so, he’s a general, right? Wouldn’t Tristan have brought his body home?”

“There...was no body. All we got was the report that you’d killed him.”

“So you’re saying there was no evidence. Where’s his body now, then?”

“Hold on a moment,” interrupted a voice from the cell directly across. “Azgrad, this man has offered no evidence to support what he’s saying either.”

The new voice was, of course, Rosalia. Despite being an ancient dragon, her size was much closer to that of a normal adult dragon, which was why we had managed to fit her into the cell she was now occupying. I had removed her bindings a short while ago.

“An equally likely scenario is that this man had killed Clive by the time Tristan showed up. Tristan decided against making contact with him and prioritized returning to deliver his report, but this man is now trying to foist the blame onto him.”

I hadn’t truly expected them to take my word for it, but hey, Rosalia’s pretty sharp. More so than Azgrad, at least.

“I guess it makes sense for you to think so. Looks like I failed to pull one over on you two.”

“Are you frea—”

“So, has the Charm debuff he cast on the members of the Magic Knight Order been dispelled?”

I couldn’t read Rosalia’s expression all that well, but Azgrad’s eyes widened noticeably.

So, it hasn’t been dispelled. Knowing Clive-kun’s personality, I’m sure he used his skill on the female knights in the order. But when the caster dies, the effects of any spells they cast should also vanish. That’s a universal truth. In other words, Clive-kun is still alive somewhere in a location the other Trycenian generals aren’t aware of.

“Well, all right, let’s talk about something else. Judging from your reactions, you know the effects of a spell should be dispelled when the caster dies. The question is, why didn’t your common sense kick in until I pointed it out to you?”

◇ ◇ ◇

It was time to sort through the facts a bit. First, Azgrad and Rosalia’s failure to question why Clive’s Charm had never faded. That could very well have been an indication that they themselves were under the effects of a similar power. However, the two of them seemed very much in control of their mental faculties. Therefore, whatever was affecting them must have been selectively acting on their unconscious mind as opposed to a total-control power like Charm. At least, that was my impression.

When I pressed further, I discovered that they thought nothing of the rumors of the appearance of the Demon Lord and somehow had no misgivings about the act of invading the rest of the continent, which was strange. True, they had been rapidly expanding their military as of late, but invading the continent meant making enemies of the Adventurer’s Guild, which had worldwide influence; Gaun, which was ruled by the Beast King, a Rank S adventurer; Toraj, which was under the Water Dragon King’s protection; and Deramis, which was blessed by the goddess Melfina.

Every last one of those groups was a force to be reckoned with, and the very idea of inviting their combined ire was entirely insane. Yet—just as with the matter of Clive’s supposed demise—it was only when I specifically asked Azgrad and Rosalia about this plan that they first began to show doubt.

Is this eagerness to go to war also because of whatever power is acting on them? Though I also feel like half of what’s driving Azgrad is his appetite for fighting strong opponents. In any case, the rings that Melfina made for us as a precaution against Clive-kun just might come in handy.

The most obvious suspect for this apparent spell was, of course, Tristan. After hiding Clive away somewhere, he had usurped the other’s position as general of the Magic Knight Order. He was also backed by a suspicious merchant—the same one who had supplied the three collars that were effective even on Rank S monsters.

We’re going to need to identify that merchant. Hmm, considering it was Tristan who recommended Clive for the position of general in the first place, it’s almost one hundred percent certain that he’s guilty. Could the Demon Lord in fact be Tristan rather than the King of Trycen? No, but he didn’t have Mara Pisuna—the skill that identifies a Demon Lord—when I checked his Status.

The next likely candidate was Zel Trycen himself. Suspicions that he was a Demon Lord had been coming from multiple sources for quite some time. However, there was still a possibility that he was merely being manipulated by Tristan. Even so, Zel was questionable in his own right. According to the soldiers we’d interrogated during our defense of the Village of Elves, his current personality and preferences were a rather marked departure from earlier years, and he would emit a strangely coercive aura every once in a while.

Yep, he is definitely suspicious.

“We were being manipulated?” Azgrad murmured to himself, palpably shaken.

Looks like we’re almost there. “So, what do you two want to do now?”

“What do you mean? We’re your prisoners,” Rosalia responded.

Azgrad snorted. “If I genuinely had a say, I’d like to properly thrash whoever it was that set Trycen up.”

“Well, you know, I’m a Rank S adventurer,” I mentioned. “Both the guild and the alliance of the three countries have granted me a certain amount of authority. If needed, you can all stay with me—with certain restrictions—under the pretext of us keeping you under guard. There aren’t many places that can accommodate ancient dragons, after all. If you don’t like that idea, I can hand you over to the relevant authorities according to standard procedure. No idea what would happen to you from there, though.”

I drew the collar Melfina had made from a pocket and flashed it before the prince and the white dragon’s eyes.

“That collar is... But I burned it!”

Unsurprisingly, Azgrad was the first to react. He’d clearly mistaken the object in my hand for the collar that Dahak had been wearing before. It was true the appearances of the two were quite similar, but the function of this one was entirely different.

“Hold your horses. This is the one we seized during the assault on the Village of Elves,” I explained. Then again, both of these collars came from the same source: Tristan.

“The Village of Elves?” Azgrad repeated in a puzzled voice before it hit him. “You mean Gigant Lord from the Mixed Monster Order!”

“Even so, it should serve the same function. Is that what you were referring to when you mentioned restrictions? You want one of us to wear it?” Rosalia asked.

“You’ve got the general idea, but we fiddled with this one a bit. Mel, the floor’s all yours.”

“Thank you.”

I handed the collar to Melfina as she stepped forward.

Azgrad, who seemed to have sensed something about her, twisted his gallant face into a frown. “That woman’s bad news. I can’t gauge her strength.”

“How rude! Can you not pry into a maiden’s secrets as you please?!”

“Mel, the explanation.”

“Right, right. Ahem. This collar is, at its base, the type that slaves are forced to wear. However, its output was previously boosted so that its effects would activate instantly and be effective even against Rank S monsters. I was very impressed when I first opened it up. The person who worked on it must have spent a staggering number of years researching and developing their craft.”

The collar that Mel was praising so profusely even included a feature to curtail any efforts by the wearer to remove or destroy it. Add to that the ability to wrestle absolutely any target into submission and you had a truly frightening item.

Three of these had been made and used: one on Gigant Lord of the Mixed Monster Order, one on Dahak, and the last on one of Tristan’s Follower monsters.

“It greatly weakens the wearer and robs them of the ability to speak. And of course, it places them under the control of the one who put it on them. At least, that’s what it used to do.”

“Past tense?”

“Well, it wasn’t ideal. So I used my Accessory Craftsmanship and Alchemy skills to overwrite almost everything about it. The inability to speak and the weakening effect have been removed. Consequently, it should not unduly affect the wearer’s day-to-day life in any way. In exchange, it forbids them from attacking and betraying us and our allies. The way that it activates is similar to the way in which a normal Slave Collar works.”

To be honest, I’d wanted to grab Dahak’s collar too, but no point crying over spilled milk.

“If you agree to join me, you won’t come to any harm, and I’ll even guarantee you a certain amount of freedom. I’ll also cooperate with you to take down the mastermind who’s been brainwashing your people. And if you’re interested, we’ll even train with you. I’m not the strongest fighter in my party, if you catch my drift.”

“Really?! Uh, no, never mind.”

Heh, I knew that would pique his interest.

“Unfortunately, we can’t trust you outright, not when your country and the alliance are in the middle of an all-out war. I’m sure you understand.”

“So, those are your terms? I don’t doubt that collar will prevent me from opposing you. But what I want to know is: why’re you going to all this trouble? I’m a prince—hell, I’m the crown prince. There are any number of ways you could use me without taking such roundabout measures.”

Sure, if all I want from you is information, I can just let Sera do her thing. But I’ve got other plans.

“As I said, I’m here to strike a deal. This collar is nothing more than a safeguard. What I really want...” I turned my head. “...is you.”

Noticing my gaze, Rosalia looked over. “Me?”

Azgrad immediately flared up. “Hold on right there! What do you want with Rosalia?!”

“Hear, hear! Why do you want her when you already have me?!”

I expected Azgrad’s resistance, but why is Sera getting on my case about this? You’re definitely twisting the meaning of my words on purpose, aren’t you?!

“Ah. So sister Sera is brother’s woman!”

“Um, I’m also, kind of...”

Aw, Efil shyly raising her hand is super cute. But okay, I’m tuning out the conversation taking place at the back of the room now.

“Hang on, let’s dial this back a little. I think everyone’s misunderstanding what I’m saying. Look, we only have this one collar. Naturally, that means we can only let one person wear it. By extension, that means only one person can stay with me and be a part of defeating our common enemy. Do you understand what that means?”

“The other will be handed over to the alliance?”

“As you can see, this collar is human-sized. It won’t fit on a dragon’s neck anyway. However, there is an alternative way for Rosalia to stay with us as well.”

I sent Rosalia the offer of a Contract. After taking a moment to read the message, she closed her eyes and murmured, “I see... A Follower Contract. You are a Summoner.”

“Did you say Summoner?!”

“That’s right. I’m a Summoner, just like Tristan. But I treat my Followers well. Both sides stand to benefit from this deal. My party gains a powerful new member, and you’re both guaranteed our full efforts in helping to take down the culprit manipulating Trycen. The other ancient dragons, Boga and Mdofarak, have also joined our side. And, as you can see, so has Dahak.”

“Once the war is over, we will remove your collar, Prince Azgrad,” Melfina added. “Depending on how it turns out, you may be held partially responsible for the entire ordeal, but we will strive to give you as much support as possible in light of you having been brainwashed. What do you say?” She held out the collar, her face bearing a smile so angelic that it blotted out every last speck of doubt in the hearts of all beholders.

Azgrad turned to me. “What will happen to Rosalia after she Contracts with you?”

“I will not undo her Contract, if that’s what you’re asking. She will remain my Follower.”

Upon hearing my answer, Azgrad sighed deeply. Then he lifted his head high and declared, “Then we have no deal. I will never sell out my companions. Put the collar onto Rosalia. She can adopt human form, so it should fit. Then turn me over to the alliance. That’s the only way.”

“What are you saying, Azgrad?!” Rosalia exclaimed.

“That’s what will happen to the other members of the order who were captured anyway, right? They’ll get uneasy without their commander. Rosalia, you join Kelvin’s group and make whoever’s turned Trycen upside down pay.”

“There’s no telling what the alliance will do to you! Everything will work out if I simply become his Follower!”

“Are you out of your mind?! Then I’ll become Kelvin’s Follower! Don’t you dare accept the Contract!”

Man and dragon began to argue furiously, with neither willing to budge an inch. Of course, I had no intention of Contracting with Azgrad. Having a member of royalty as a Follower sounded like all kinds of trouble.

All of a sudden, a voice rang out from a third cell that was out of their line of sight. “E-Excuse me! I offer myself to be turned over to the alliance in the general’s place! Can you allow them both to stay with you?!”

“That voice... It’s Huba!”

He was right. The occupant of the last special cell in our underground space was Huba Rockway, the lieutenant general of the Dragon Knight Order and Efil’s earlier opponent. She had been restrained just as Azgrad and Rosalia were, but halfway through, I had telepathically ordered Clotho to free her mouth.

Looks like she’s doing exactly what I’d hoped she would.

“Yes, General! I’m Huba! I apologize for speaking out of turn after having been captured!”

“I don’t care about that! What the hell did you just s—”

This time, I had Clotho cover Azgrad’s mouth back up. Ignoring his “Mmm!” and death glare, I turned to Huba. “The thing is, you, as a mere lieutenant general, are nowhere near what the other two are worth.”

“Please, I beg of you! I’ll do anything you ask me to!”

“Anything?” I approached her cell. “What if I asked you to drop your disguise as a man and come to my room wearing something that will please me?”

“I-If that would change your mind, then yes!”

As Azgrad frowned in confusion and tried to speak through his gag, Rosalia exclaimed, “Huba, do you know what you are agreeing to?!”

I ignored the ruckus that Rosalia was raising to stare straight into Huba’s eyes. Although she was wearing her hair short, had an androgynous face, and was clad in a man’s uniform, she was undoubtedly a girl. That fact was backed up by her Status window. She unflinchingly returned my gaze, albeit with a few tears welling up at the corners of her eyes.

Looks like she’s resolved herself.

“Okay, you all pass! Clotho, release them.”

The Clotho clones promptly withdrew their restraints and bounced up to perch on the respective shoulders of the three prisoners.

Huba could only manage a bewildered “What?” while Azgrad asked slowly, “What is the meaning of this?”

“Sorry, we had to test you guys. We needed to see if we could trust you or not.”

And with that, I proceeded to explain the farce. In short, this had been less of a negotiation and more a test of how much Azgrad and his companions could be trusted. Things would have been over immediately if the prince had sold out Rosalia. Instead, he’d firmly rejected my appeal to his battle junkie side and dodged the trap.

Rosalia and Huba had also done well. Unlike the other Trycenian forces I had encountered so far, these three truly cared for each other. As such, I determined them to be trustworthy individuals.

Still, making it clear through the Network beforehand that this was just an act was definitely for the best. Our dialogue sounded exactly like what a villain would say. Worst case, Sera might have protested with her full strength instead of mere words, and that would have been an instant KO for sure.

Rosalia sounded slightly impressed. “You were testing us? What a bold strategy.”

“B-But then how are you going to deal with us? Will you just let us all stay here?” Huba asked apprehensively.

“Yes, but with certain restrictions. Oh, and Azgrad, you’ll still be wearing this collar.”

Specifically, I would be assigning a Clotho clone to each of them with only one-way communication. That way, I would be able to check in on them any time I felt the need to. It was the most sensible course of action.

“What? Didn’t you only have one collar?” Azgrad asked.

Collar, yes. “Efil.”

“Yes, Master,” my maid replied before proceeding to take something out of Clotho’s Storage. “Here are two maid uniforms enchanted with the same effect.”

◇ ◇ ◇

While Huba and Rosalia were led away by Efil to have their measurements taken and be outfitted for their maid uniforms, the rest of us moved to the large living room. Before long, the trio rejoined us, revealing the women’s new looks.

“Wow! It suits you two!” I commented.

Dahak roared with laughter. “The clothes make the man, as they say! Or make the maid, in your case! Ha ha ha!”

“You shush, Dahak! Ugh, why a maid outfit...”

Rosalia’s human form, in contrast to Dahak’s, had glossy black hair and porcelain white skin. She looked similar in age to Ellie back home and gave off a “beautiful big sister” aura. Despite wearing the maid outfit, she still seemed to exude a sense of poise and dignity. According to Rosalia herself, this was her first time showing this appearance to anyone other than Azgrad.

“It...feels so breezy down there.”

Huba, on the other hand, after ditching her male uniform, had been transformed into a cute girl who looked her age. The toned, healthy legs she had developed—probably thanks to all her training with the Dragon Knight Order—were on full display below the hem of her miniskirt. For some reason, she was the only one wearing the uniform in this style, while the rest of the maids, Efil included, wore traditional long skirts. It was a nice surprise, to be sure. But let me clarify: I was not the one who’d asked for it.

::I referenced the outfits in your mind and tailored hers to the style that suits her most. I’m quite proud of how it turned out!::

Ah, so this is the result of Efil’s hard work. Nice.

“Umm, why a maid uniform in the first place?” Huba asked.

Because I like—Ahem. There’s a proper reason, of course. I shall explain.

“It’ll help you two to stay under the radar. Aside from Azgrad, Rosalia has never shown anyone else her human form before, and Huba has always been dressed as a man. Anyone who sees you two the way you are now would never imagine your true identities. It probably wouldn’t even occur to them that you’re connected to the Dragon Knight Order. Now that we’ve successfully delayed—well...captured your order, we’ll be heading back to Parth. Until we’re dispatched for the next battle, you two will be employed at my house.”

“Wonderful explanation, honey. Still sounds a bit like an excuse, but at least the logic is there.”

Heh heh heh, I know, right? And that degree of sarcasm isn’t enough to hurt me!

Rosalia closed her eyes. “So, it’s a predetermined matter. I will not object any further, then.”

“But I don’t know how to work as a maid!” Huba protested in a fluster.

“Not a problem,” Efil replied. “I will make wonderful maids out of both of you in a week.”

“Whaaaat?!” cried Huba.

I had no doubt that Perfect Maid Efil could keep that promise. Even Ruka, who had never touched a knife in her life before she came to our place, had shown incredible growth. As long as these two aren’t disastrous at cooking, I’m sure they’ll turn out just fine.

Azgrad rubbed his chin as he studied Rosalia and Huba seriously. “It’s still kinda fifty-fifty whether this will be enough to pull the wool over Shutola’s eyes. But more importantly, I want to ask—”

“Sorry, man. Seriously, we don’t have any maid uniforms for guys. I don’t even want to see you in one.” I’m not going to be part of creating another Goldiana. Gerard’s and my nerves don’t need any more fraying, thank you very much.

“That’s not what I was going to ask! I’m fine with this collar!”

“Really? Phew. That was a close one.”

“Why did you look so worried about it, anyway? What I wanted to ask was: will my subordinates be all right?”

“Oh, that? Don’t worry. I don’t know how prisoners are treated in Trycen, but your men are being sent to Parth, the City of Peace. I can promise you they won’t be mistreated.”

This was something that Guildmaster Rio and I had discussed ahead of time. The alliance had determined that it was up to each country to choose how they would treat the POWs they captured, as everyone wanted to avoid any friction related to dictating how others should handle their affairs. The nations in the alliance were permitted to do anything they deemed necessary to extract information from prisoners, be it interrogation or torture. Unlike its allies, however, Parth was largely run by the Adventurer’s Guild. And the guild, being an international organization, preferred not to do anything that might cause long-standing grudges. Consequently, prisoners taken by Parth could expect a certain standard of humane treatment.

Azgrad looked into my eyes for a moment, then sighed. “Guess I have no choice but to take your word for it. So, heading back to Parth is fine and all, but what’re you going to do about this fortress? Trycen might send another force this way when they receive word of our defeat.”

“The fortress and golems are largely automated, so I’ll just leave them here unattended. Their cumulative power should be enough to take care of a Rank S monster or two. What’s more, Parth is going to be receiving reinforcements from Deramis pretty soon. When they get here, I’ll have the Deramisians man this place.”

And anything after that will depend on how the war goes. If I recall correctly, Tristan’s Magic Knight Order was sent to Toraj and the Steel Knight Order led by an older general has gone to Gaun. Tristan seems like the one most likely to spring a trap, but I should probably learn as much as I can about the overall situation.

“I don’t know much about the general of the Steel Knight Order. What can you tell me?”

“Are you serious? Man, he’s the Dan D’Alba.”

Oh, he’s that famous?

“For starters, he’s my own teacher. He’s gotten on in years, but in terms of sheer power, that old geezer is still at the top of Trycen’s pecking order. You really haven’t heard the saying ‘If Gaun has the Beast King, Trycen has Dan D’Alba’? Captain Cliff of the Holy Order of Knights in Deramis comes close, but only close. As for Toraj... Well, they’ve got their guardian dragon king and all. In many ways, that place is pretty whack. But that’s why I want to have a go at them some—”

Whoa, he got talkative all of a sudden. But I do appreciate the list of the strongest fighters in each country. Gotta take some notes.

“So, in short, I should keep an eye out for the general of the Steel Knight Order.”

“I doubt he’s involved with the mastermind, though. I didn’t notice him doing anything unusual. But his son... He’s been acting a bit suspicious lately, come to think of it.”

“Is his son in the same order?”

“Yeah, he’s his lieutenant general. His strength is, uh...about even with Huba, I’d say. He’s not superhumanly strong, but I wouldn’t call him weak either.”

I looked in Huba’s direction and saw that Efil had already begun training her two newest subordinates. “About even with Huba” means around Level 70, then? There’s a significant difference from one person to another in how their stats grow as they level up, but let’s just keep that number in mind as a general benchmark.

I then asked about Azgrad’s younger sister, Shutola, the princess who served as the general of the Black Ops. He couldn’t tell me much about her, though. According to him, he had never been able to figure out what she was thinking, so he couldn’t tell if she was behaving differently or not.

Guess I’ll have to put her on hold for now. But still, she has the same mother as Tabura? Is she actually as capable as Azgrad makes her out to be?

Determining that I had learned what I could, I decided to wrap things up for the moment. “All right, let’s get going. Efil, I’m sorry to bother you while you’re busy, but can you inform Sabato’s group? They should be in the training room.”

“Yes, Master. Now, you two, it’s time to put what you just learned into practice.”

“Wait, already?!”

“Already. Off you go. Making a guest wait is a cardinal sin for a maid.”

At that moment, Sera and Melfina suddenly looked in the direction of Parth. The former simply said, “Hm?” as the latter went, “Guh,” and pulled a face for a split second.

“What’s wrong, Sera-nee, Mel-nee?”

“A group’s entered the canyon from the Parthian side,” Sera replied. “Their number is...twenty-eight. I failed to sense them earlier because I let my guard down.”

Melfina nodded. “I feel them too. They must be the reinforcements from Deramis.”

“They’re here already? So fast?” I asked in surprise before it clicked. “They used the teleportation gate.”

Considering the number, Deramis must have selected a small group of elite soldiers. Are they sure they left enough fighting strength at home on the Rizean front?

To confirm, I climbed up to the top of the fortress. After borrowing Farsight from Efil using Skill Eater, I peered into the distance.

“That’s...a pegasus?”

“What a beautiful white horse.”

First dragons, and now we’re seeing pegasi? We’re sure meeting a lot of supposedly legendary creatures lately.

“Master, the person riding the pegasus in the front...”

“Yep, that’s Colette, all right.”

The Oracle of Deramis has come to the front line herself.

◇ ◇ ◇

After the conference in Parth concluded, Colette immediately returned home using the teleportation gate and proceeded to gather all the fighting strength she had scattered throughout Deramis. To be exact, she was gathering her own Followers, which meant that it was only a matter of Unsummoning and then Summoning them next to her. At the same time, she got back in touch with Guildmaster Rio to confirm the situation in Parth and request that he send her updates if anything happened on his end.

With an eye constantly trained on the City of Peace, Colette secured an audience with the person who held the most authority in Deramis: the Pope. The fact that Trycen was also pushing towards their neighboring city, the place with supposedly no real defenses, was common knowledge, and an expeditionary force unrelated to Colette’s efforts had already been dispatched.

However, Parth would be facing the Dragon Knight Order, which was famous as both Trycen’s most powerful order and also the one with the greatest level of mobility. Colette was afraid that by the time the Deramisian host reached their destination, they would find the place razed to the ground. And the closer the front moved towards Deramis, the more chaotic and costly the war effort would become.

Or at least, that was the idea Colette fervently pitched to her father, the Pope, leaving him no choice but to allow her to arrange another wave of reinforcements and join the fight herself.

After receiving the Pope’s permission, the Oracle wasted no time in forming a select group of elites, then brought them all back to Parth through the teleportation gate. With the entire group riding pegasi, the fastest mounts in Deramis’s stables, they hurried towards the Grand Scarlet Canyon where Kelvin and his friends had gone.

All in all, it had been ten days from the start of events to the arrival of Colette’s forces at the Grand Scarlet Canyon. She had utilized every bit of authority and power at her disposal to arrange for the swiftest reinforcements she was capable of.

“Oracle, the Grand Scarlet Canyon is in sight,” reported Cliff, captain of the Holy Order of Knights, who was riding the pegasus directly behind hers. As the person with the best eyes in the group, he was the first to spot the natural landmark that was coming up.

Instead of straining her eyes, Colette closed them, seemingly focusing her senses as if in meditation. After a short pause, she confirmed his announcement. “So it seems. There are traces of Kelvin-sama and his party having passed through here. We’re getting close.”

There was no hesitation whatsoever in her words. Despite not being able to physically see that far, when she reopened her eyes, she turned her face in the precise direction in which the canyon lay.

She’s able to pick up traces of adventurers who passed through here days earlier? Looks like I still have a long way to go to catch up. Colette-sama really does live up to her role as the Oracle.

This expedition was a bold move made with a thorough understanding of both Deramis’s and Trycen’s respective military powers. If not for Colette’s fervent efforts, it wouldn’t have happened at all. And clearly, her abilities were not limited to being behind the scenes engaged in tabletop strategizing—she was more than capable of contributing on the scene as well.

Shutola Trycen, the princess of the enemy nation, might have been famous for her brilliant war tactics and stunning appearance, but Colette Deramilius, the Oracle of the Holy Empire of Deramis, was in no way inferior, possessing both resourcefulness and absolutely divine beauty in her own right.

Or so Cliff, who deeply respected Colette from the bottom of his heart, thought. Naturally, he was completely in the dark regarding her idiosyncrasies.

“By the way, Oracle, are you sure it was a good idea to pull the Guardians away from their respective posts in Deramis? The frequency of monster attacks is still climbing, is it not?”

“You are worried? I can see how you would be. However, I assure you that the forces left behind are more than sufficient to handle whatever occurs, including any action that Rizea might take. What’s important here is the big picture. Parth, the symbol of peace on this continent, is at great risk at the moment. Melfina-sama does not wish for us, as adherents of the Holy Order of Rinne, to keep her blessings to ourselves. No, she wants us to share them with all people, and I, as her agent in this world, have a duty to realize that wish. You might think me a little girl who’s deluded and overestimating herself. But that is why I am begging you, Captain Cliff: please lend me your strength.”

The sight of his superior lowering her head sent Cliff into a fluster. “Please don’t say that, Oracle! All knights of the Holy Order have sworn to dedicate our lives to serving you and the goddess. Please use us in any way you see fit!”

Once again, he found himself in absolute awe. The Oracle possessed not only prodigious ingenuity but also a pure heart filled with sympathy and affection for the people.

The rest of the Holy Order shared his conviction. What a luminary she is! they thought as one.

But Colette was, at the end of the day, a girl of only seventeen years of age, a mere two years beyond the age of adulthood. Behind a composed facade that she maintained through an iron will, she had her own worries. So...what was this paragon of a saint so occupied with and distressed about?

Oh my Goddess, this refined mellow fragrance! No matter how much time has passed, be it days, weeks, or even months, I will never, ever mistake it! Oh, Melfina-sama! I was not granted the honor of beholding you in person the other day, but oh how wonderful your physical self is! What’s more, you’re here in our world with your divine husband, Kelvin-sama! The fact that I have more targets for worship is enough to help me ascend to the heavens! Now that we’ve come this close, I can generally tell where you two are. Please be patient a short while longer. Your loyal servant shall be by your side soon!

She was not composed at all. As a general rule, her mind was only ever occupied by the two names “Melfina” and “Kelvin.” That, and thoughts of what she could do to serve Melfina—a cause that she fully dedicated her heart, mind, and body to.

Before long, the group reached the entrance to the Grand Scarlet Canyon. According to Colette’s calculations, battle should have broken out by now. And yet their surroundings were eerily quiet. A sliver of unease shot through the Oracle’s heart.

Then, at that very moment, three individuals appeared before her in a gust of wind.

“Hey, there, Colette. Uh, why are you here on the front line?”

“Along with the Holy Order, no less.”

“Whoa, look, Kel-nii! The pegasi are real! It’s actual pegasi, Kel-nii!”

The moment Colette laid eyes on Kelvin and Melfina, her unease dissipated and blood nearly jetted from her nose in a fountain.

◇ ◇ ◇

Sabato was standing in front of the door to the living room, completely at a loss. Being summoned by a maid he had never seen before was one thing. But when he peeked into the room, he saw Azgrad, the enemy prince who was supposed to be in custody, sitting at a table with Kelvin and Colette Deramilius, the Oracle and symbol of Deramis.

What the hell had happened in the short time he and his party had been busy training? He was incapable of comprehending the situation, his head so filled with confusion that it seemed ready to burst at any moment.

Goma shot him a look of exasperation. “Sabato, what’s the point of trying to figure it out with your peabrain? Just get in there already.”

“Ditto to what Goma-sama said! I want to see what the Oracle looks like!” Guin chirped, his eyes sparkling.

“Think about the situation, you guys!” Sabato returned in a soft voice filled with agitation. “We’re dressed like this, and we’re here as adventurers, but we’ve met them before! We’re going to be exposed the moment we step inside!”

“You think I don’t know that?” Goma retorted. “But there’s no point wasting time out here. All right, in you go.”

“Bu—psssshhh!”

The moment Sabato turned around, Goma’s fist made contact with his face. With perfectly coordinated movements, Akgas opened the door, allowing his companion to sail into the room unimpeded.

“My apologies for keeping everyone waiting,” Goma said as she entered with a cool and collected expression, wiping Sabato’s blood off her knuckles.

Kelvin looked over with a slightly troubled expression. “Uh, we don’t mind, but...Sabato, training even here is kind of taking it too far, man.”

After a brief pause, Sabato managed, “If I’m not serious about it, reaching your level will remain a dream.” He grabbed the hand that Akgas was offering and staggered to his feet.

The moment Azgrad and Colette saw him, their eyes widened in surprise.

“Dude, aren’t you a Gaunian prince?”

“I believe I have made your acquaintance at a social event in the past. And is that person behind you not Princess Goma as well?”

“Prince? Princess? What’re you guys talking about?”

Although he had learned the two beastkins’ identities quite a while earlier after viewing their Statuses, Kelvin chose to act like he had been taken entirely by surprise.

Sabato sighed. “I knew we’d be exposed.”

“Allow me to provide a simple explanation. But in exchange, please tell us what is happening here,” Goma suggested.

She then shared that she and Sabato were indeed children of the Beast King, and that they were currently in the middle of journeying for the sake of training themselves as warriors, which was a rite that all members of Gaunian royalty had to undergo. Only after they tangibly achieved something in each land and safely made it back home would they be formally acknowledged as members of the family and allowed to take on the royal name. Akgas and Guin were members of Gaun’s knight order and technically their bodyguards.

Kelvin, in turn, brought the beastkin up to speed on Azgrad’s cooperation and Colette’s arrival with reinforcements.

“My brothers have all finished their journeys by now. Being a part of this battle is the mark that we were hoping to leave on Parth,” Sabato confessed.

Kelvin nodded understandingly. “That explains why you seemed so eager. And wow, even princesses have to do this?”

“Our gender doesn’t matter—we are all treated equally,” Goma replied. “In actuality, I’m stronger than Sabato.”

“And Goma-sama is also stronger in verbal jousting!” Guin added.

Sabato seemed to have taken mental damage from that introduction, but the rest of the room largely ignored him as Kelvin moved on to sharing his plans.

Once the discussion was over, Cliff said, “Very well, as Kelvin-dono has asked, the Holy Order and I shall remain here. Along with the golems that will be left behind, we will be more than enough to hold this position.”

“We will also remain,” Sabato confirmed. “At the very least, we now know more about this terrain than Captain Cliff. It’s better for us to be here than not, right?”

“In that case, I will also—”

“Oracle, please accompany Kelvin-dono back to Parth. The Trycenian forces will soon be reaching both Gaun and Toraj. Please use your strength to save as many people as possible!”

“Captain Cliff... Very well, I will do my best!”

The sight of Colette’s face bursting into a smile of pure joy prompted Melfina to heave an internal sigh.

◇ ◇ ◇

Once each group’s role had been decided, Kelvin set off for Parth with his party members as well as Colette, who had only just arrived; Azgrad, temporarily under his command; and their new maids, Huba and Rosalia.

Rion was riding with Colette on her pegasus after making an impassioned plea to do so, while everyone else had piled onto Dahak’s and Rosalia’s backs, the two having retaken dragon form. Naturally, the effects of Efil’s enchanted uniform remained in effect even after the transformation.

As Sabato and Cliff were part of the group staying behind at the fortress, Kelvin had transferred them limited control of the golems. The return-to-Parth team had said their farewells and was now on their way.

“Still, are my men going to be okay? They look like they’re unconscious or something,” Azgrad commented out of the blue.

The Trycenian captives were all riding their own dragons, keeping pace behind Dahak and Rosalia. However, they were in the same state they had been while locked beneath Obsidian Fortress. All had the same blank looks on their faces.

Sera sniffed. “Didn’t take you for such a worrywart. But don’t worry. They’ll follow my commands to a T as long as my skill is in effect. That’s why I went to the trouble of painting more blood on them. It’ll definitely hold until we reach Parth. Though I’m now entirely spent because of it!”

Regardless of how capable Sera was, draining her own blood and smearing it on all the soldiers and dragons in custody had been a laborious task. For every drop of blood that her body lost, her HP ticked down. The lost HP was quickly recovered thanks to Auto Healing, but as it healed, she had already been applying her blood to the next target. The vigorous back-and-forth had continued until she’d finished going through all the captives. She was fine in the physical sense but mentally quite exhausted.

“So, Kelvin, lend me your back. I need a nap.”

“Go on.”

Sera snuggled up against Kelvin’s back and fully leaned into him. Soon enough, her breathing grew slow and measured, indicating that she had drifted off. Kelvin might have hesitated if it had been Melfina making the request, but he knew he didn’t have anything to worry about with Sera. She was a very peaceful sleeper, after all.

If Kelvin was, based on his personal experience, to list his female party members’ names in order of how peacefully to how restlessly they slept, it would have been: Efil ≥ Sera > Rion = normal person >>> Melfina.

He had learned by now that anytime Melfina was sleeping next to him, he would be taking at least one punch to the face at some point. And yet despite being the most violent in her sleep, the goddess was the deepest sleeper and the fastest to nod off. These last points only served to increase the danger to Kelvin’s body when they slept together.

“Honey, you’re thinking something really rude right now, aren’t you?”

“I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about. What’s this, a lead-in to one of your goddess jokes?”

Although his thoughts seemed on the verge of being seen through, Kelvin managed to keep a straight face thanks to Nerves of Steel. Even so, he couldn’t help but think that Melfina’s usual smile looked a bit scarier than normal.

::Brother, I understand that you’re lovers with sister Sera and all, but can you not flirt while on top of me? It makes my back feel really itchy.::

We’re not flirting.

::Aha ha, Kel-nii, that was definitely flirting.::

As part of his training to get used to the Network, Dahak was only allowed to communicate via telepathy during the trip. And it was clearly paying off as he had already gotten so used to it that he felt comfortable cracking jokes. Communicating this way required no verbalization whatsoever, though, so in Azgrad’s eyes, it seemed like the black dragon had reverted to his earlier reticent self.

“Colette-san, this pegasus is so stable! And for some reason, I don’t feel the headwind at all!”

“That’s because he is using magic. On top of using Sonic Boots to buff his own Agility stat, he’s also maintaining a barrier around us for our comfort. He’s such a kind and considerate boy, right?”

“So that’s what’s happening! Hey, you’re pretty smart!”

Their mount chuffed a few times in response. As Rion’s body was quite small, she was currently sitting in front of Colette, with the latter reaching around to hold the reins. The sight of Colette warmly looking over Rion, who was excitedly chattering nonstop, made them seem like two sisters enjoying a moment together.

“By the way, Rion-sama, I heard in passing that you are Kelvin-sama’s younger sister. Is that true? Last time we had dinner, I did not have a chance to speak with you much in person.”

“Mm-hm! Yes, I am! Oh, and just call me Rion without the honorific!”

“The blasph— Ahem, sorry, please just consider it the way I speak. Don’t let it bother you. But in exchange—although it isn’t really an exchange—can you simply call me Colette?”

“Sure! Nice to meet you, Colette!”

In spite of her calm outer appearance, what was going through Colette’s mind was:

I’ve heard the rumors, but Kelvin-sama’s younger sister is such an angel! What an absolutely adorable smile she has! I almost can’t contain my excitement! And this floral scent wafting up from her hair—I’m so ecstatic that I just might fall into depravity! And Melfina-sama’s been keeping an eye on us for a while. Ah, is this a test? Is she intentionally assessing my fortitude?! But...ugh! I can smell Melfina-sama’s scent coming from Rion-sama’s back, her behind, and even the back of her thighs! This is definitely proof that she was sitting on Melfina-sama’s lap while being cuddled—

Reality is, at times, quite cruel. Not everything that glitters is gold.

Looks like Colette’s going full throttle today as always, Melfina thought. I entrusted her with Rion because she’s generally got a good heart, but...will that illness of hers ever get better? There’s the phrase “Goddess only knows,” but in this case, even the goddess doesn’t know.

Colette’s condition was such that Melfina herself was on the verge of branding her a lost cause.

“My king.”

“Yeah?”

“Is it just me or has almost everyone we’ve met recently been rather off-color?”

“I’ve been getting that impression too.”

Rosalia and Huba, who were flying nearby, could not help but think, “Have you two looked in a mirror?” in response to the exchange between the battle junkie and the black-armored knight.

◇ ◇ ◇

Several days after Kelvin’s procession left the Grand Scarlet Canyon behind—they had to go slower on the way back to match the pace of the dragons—they finally saw Parth on the horizon.

“It’s about time. Send the signal, Efil,” Kelvin ordered.

Efil bowed in acknowledgment. “Yes, Master.”

The sudden exchange left Colette confused. “A signal?” she echoed.

Kelvin nodded. “We’re bringing the captives of the Dragon Knight Order with us, and Dahak and Rosalia are also here. From the city’s point of view, we could easily look like an invading force. That’s why we’re sending a signal that we decided on beforehand, to let the people know that we were victorious. The residents of the city saw Efil’s pyrohydra during my match with Sylvia, so we settled on that.”

Understanding dawned in Colette’s eyes. “Ah, you are referring to the flame dragons that melted Sylvia-san’s meteor of ice. I can see how it would be memorable in the minds of the local residents.”

“Everyone, please cover your ears. This will be quite loud,” Efil warned as she drew Penumbra—which she had just taken out of Clotho’s Storage—and aimed it skyward. A moment later, a roar that sounded like a tank firing exploded through the air, and a pyrohydra shot off to soar over Parth. Shortly after, cheers of celebration erupted from the city. The residents had understood the meaning of the signal.

::Damn, that’s quite the welcome. They must be relieved,:: Dahak noted.

Well, can’t really blame them, considering how desperately the city was lacking in fighting strength until recently. Oh, let us down around here.

::Yes, sir.::

Sera offered, ::And I’ll make the dragons under my control continue circling in the sky. I imagine it’ll cause a panic if they land all at once, right?::

Beside the guild building, Dahak, Rosalia, and Colette’s pegasus—which had grown quite attached to Rion during their journey—each landed in turn. Entering the city in a parade of triumph sounded like a great idea, but there was a concern that the dragons’ large sizes might endanger the buildings and inhabitants. So Kelvin chose to land on the guild’s turf, and they quickly scurried inside as if seeking refuge. The hope was that the staff would help to prevent the ecstatic mob of Parthians from flooding in.

“KELVIN-CHAAAN! GERARD-SAMAAAA!”

There was a limit to what the staff could and couldn’t keep out, though. The Rank S adventurer who had volunteered to be part of the city’s defense effort, Goldiana Prettiana, came barreling towards them at top speed. The two who had been called by name nearly jumped out of their skin and armor, respectively. Even Azgrad, who was beholding the behemoth of muscle for the first time, could not help but leap into battle mode.

As for Dahak, who was currently in human form...

“B-Brother...who is that drop-dead gorgeous babe?!”

Three voices exclaimed, “What?!” in unison.

◇ ◇ ◇

Has something gone wrong with my sense of hearing? Did Dahak just say what I thought I heard him say? “Gorgeous babe”? He said “gorgeous babe,” right? Efil, Melfina, Rion, Colette, and Huba are each more aptly described as cute girls. So the only ones present who might be referred to as “gorgeous babe” would be Sera and Rosalia. Around us...yeah, there’s only Sera and Rosalia. I see, Dahak must be tired from the long journey and hallucinating. Ha ha ha, what a silly dragon.

“I’m so glad you’re back, Kelvin-chan. And all you other dearies too. Hm? Why does everyone look so dazed?”

“You’re acquainted with this gorgeous babe, brother?!” Dahak cried loudly, shaking my shoulders vigorously as he pointed at Prettia, who had reached us in the time it took my mind to reboot.

And there goes my attempt to deny reality. Now there’s no doubt that Dahak is referring to Prettia.

“Aww, how sweet! It’s been so long since a pretty boy’s been so straightforward with me! Thank you, dearie!”

“AUGH?!”

Prettia winked heavily, sending a supersized heart flying towards Dahak, which pierced the dragon’s chest. It was super effective!

Or at least, that’s what I hallucinated. I didn’t feel any magic being used, but for some reason, I still saw the surreal visuals.

“How can I... I’ve gone and... I’ve fallen in love at first sight!”

Seriously? Dahak, you... Really?!

“I’d thought sister Sera to be, hands down, the world’s most beautiful woman, but...to think there’s someone above even her!”

Oh, so Sera ranks that highly in his eyes. Wait a moment... It sounds like he’s complimenting her, but comparing her to Prettia seems more like an insult! Take that back! You take it back right now!

“I’ve never seen such a perfect human body before!”

“Oh my, is this dearie on the cusp of realizing a basic truth of the universe?”

God, I can’t follow their conversation anymore. Perfect human body? Is he talking about muscles? Could it be that in Dahak’s eyes, strength equals beauty? Is it the Strength stat? But by that logic...

“Dahak, how does Mel look in your eyes? She’s a beauty without equal, isn’t she?”

“Wha—?! Honey! I’m flattered, but people are watching...”

“Mel-sama, Kelvin-sama is only speaking an objective fact.”

Hey, religious fanatic over there, nobody asked you.

“Sister Mel? Mm...” Dahak seemed to think about it, then continued telepathically, ::It’s true that she’s very pretty, but her beauty seems kind of...uh, artificial? How do I put it? It’s as if she’s put on makeup using self-strengthening magic. Oh, but please keep this off the record!::

I...see. Just make sure you never say that to Melfina or Colette in person. You won’t live to see another day.

::Yes, sir! I don’t want to die yet!::

Within our party, Melfina had the highest Strength stat. But it was the result of a skill, which apparently invalidated it in Dahak’s eyes. Not only that, he seemed to view it as being akin to plastic surgery.

Mel, show him up when you descend in your actual body and not as an avatar, all right? You got this! But still, I did not expect Dahak’s sense of beauty to go in this direction. It seems pretty clear that it’s based on stats, which means it’s not really the physical muscles he’s attracted to. Wait a moment. Rosalia’s also a dragon. And come to think of it, Azgrad’s also pretty buff...

The realization prompted me to send Rosalia a pitying look.

“I’m clarifying just in case, but different dragon races have different ideas of beauty, all right? Dahak is a black dragon. I am an ice dragon. His preferences have absolutely nothing to do with me.”

“Oh, I see. Sorry.” Whoops, that annoyed her.

“I’m so sorry, dearie. I already have someone that I’ve set my heart on. Right, Gerard-sama?”

“Wha—Me?!”

“After sister Sera, now Prettia-chan too?! ARRRHHHHH!”

While I was busy going through my thoughts, Dahak had apparently confessed and been turned down in no uncertain terms.

“I... No, I cannot give up this love! You old suit of armor, I won’t give up! You mark my words!” Dahak cried as he suddenly ran off.

Dude, where’re you going? I can’t have you causing trouble here in town.

The moment the dragon turned a corner and disappeared from sight, I Unsummoned him to fetch him back.

“Ahh, youth,” Prettia sighed with one hand on his cheek.

“Uh...I would actually like to withdraw from the list of candidates, if possible,” Gerard protested weakly.

I cleared my throat. “All right, are we done with whatever this is? Prettia, you were in a hurry, right? Did something happen?”

“Oh, right! Yes, I was! I got a bit sidetracked. First, good job, everyone! Thanks to your efforts, Parth’s peace has been protected. And forget delaying the enemy, you actually brought them over to our side! I was a bit surprised when I heard your suggestion, but let’s just say that Rio-chan is very happy with how things have turned out.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Guildmaster Rio happy about anything.”

“Oh, he’s just a klutz like that. It’s all too obvious to me, though. So, is this handsome man Prince Azgrad?” Prettia rotated his head ninety degrees to stare straight at the Trycenian. Huba, who was standing next to Azgrad, started with fright.

“That’s me. And judging from your well-trained body, you must be Goldiana Prettiana. I’ve heard the rumors. You’ve defeated many Rank S monsters and cleared out numerous dungeons, right? You feel like having a match?”

“Oh dear, it’s so busy being a popular woman. Sure, I’ll take you up on that offer sometime, dearie. But for now, Kelvin-chan... About the situation on the battlefronts at Gaun and Toraj...”

“Has the fighting begun? Who’s got the upper hand?”

◇ ◇ ◇

“They’re here,” murmured Queen Tsubaki Fujiwara from her position at the front of her forces.

They were currently standing at the bank of the great river that served as the border between Toraj and Trycen—known as the Water Dragon’s Tail—and waiting for the arrival of the Magic Knight Order.

“Kagenui.”

“Here.”

As soon as Tsubaki called out his name, a man in black outfit appeared. His face was covered by a hood, he was wearing chain mail beneath his clothing, and he had short swords on his waist. To put it simply, he looked like a textbook illustration of a ninja.

“Have you noticed anything out of the ordinary regarding the force that is approaching us?”

“Their general does not appear to be here in person. Furthermore, all the female knights are equipped with weapons that are likely cursed, judging from the ominous auras they are emitting.”

“You mean everyone in the host? Has their general gone mad?”

The Trycenian force was filing into position on the opposite bank. It was composed entirely of gallant-looking female knights riding noble white horses, but the air surrounding them seemed disturbing in some way.

“Regardless, what we have to do remains unchanged.”

Tsubaki raised a hand. In response, several arks rose from the river, creating giant waves that displaced massive amounts of water. These ships, which bristled with cannons on both sides, were already turned with one broadside directly facing the invading army. At the same time, the Torajian soldiers waiting on land raised magic items that were shaped like guns, taking aim.

“This is but the preliminary skirmish! It is time to show the enemy the folly of engaging Toraj in battle so close to wat—”

“Tsubaki-sama.”

“What is it, Kagenui? I was at a good place in my speech.”

“The enemy is retreating.”

“I see, so they are—” She stopped short. “They’re what?!” Tsubaki whirled around to look at the opposite bank.

Sure enough, the knights who had been advancing just a moment before had turned one hundred and eighty degrees and were now retracing their steps.

“We haven’t even shown them our superiority in strength yet. Hmm, could it be that something has happened in Trycen? Or is this a trap? Kagenui, look into Trycen’s movements, including how they’re faring on the Parthian and Gaunian fronts. Don’t chase the retreating force.”

“As you command,” the other replied before his figure melted into the shadows and disappeared.

“I did notice a single bird flying up from the enemy host. Was that a messenger? Well, no matter. Men! We will continue to hold this position! And keep a steady eye on the sea as well!”

Tsubaki plonked herself into her chair as she watched the arks sink back under the water.

◇ ◇ ◇

A short distance from the eastern edge of the Forest of Crests was the border between Gaun and Trycen. After the assault on the Village of Elves, Gaun had erected a fortress in the area, which was now manned by three of the Beast King’s sons and their men.

These siblings had previously gone on their own adventures and come back stronger, wiser, and accompanied by trusted companions. Having been acknowledged by their father and allowed to adopt the royal family name, they and their comrades had gone on to form and lead their own forces, all of whom had now built up reputations for being highly trained and formidable in battle.

It was two days ago that the Trycenian soldiers advancing on Gaun in ranks of sparkling platinum armor had been spotted. The scale of the attacking force was far beyond that of an expeditionary troop on a recon mission. What’s more, at its head was none other than Dan D’Alba, the man who, in spite of his years, remained Trycen’s greatest fighter.

There was little doubt that this was the Steel Knight Order. The moment news of their arrival reached the fortress, the Gaunians sprang to action. They immediately set up a defensive line, with the three princes riding out to the front in person.

“Stop! Any farther and you will be entering Gaunian territory! You have not been granted permission to cross the border! Turn back at once!”

This was a one-time warning. The instant a Trycenian boot touched Gaunian soil, it would be considered an act of invasion, and the war would begin. Naturally, the Gaunians did not expect their enemy to heed the warning. The announcement was nothing more than a formality for the sake of appearance. Many skirmishes had broken out between their two nations in the past, and the diplomatic conclusions afterwards were sometimes affected by whether this kind of verbal warning had been delivered first or not.

To the beastkins’ surprise, instead of advancing, the invading army parted to allow a single man in heavy armor through. He had a helmet on over his white hair, and his armor reflected the light of the sun. It was General Dan himself.

“What a big welcome for a single old man! Well, let’s not get so wound up, eh? Come now, I’ve brought wine made in our country as a gift. How about sitting down and—”

The general crossed the border while holding up a bottle of wine, still chattering. Two stone monoliths had been erected there at the end of the Great War to demarcate where the border between the nations stood. The moment the Trycenian veteran passed one of them, an arrow flew out from the fortress and pierced the bottle in his hands, spilling what was surely very expensive alcohol everywhere.

“And here I was, hoping we might settle this peacefully,” Dan sighed, still proceeding.

“We said, stop!”

The first to leap forward with his squad was the eldest, Jereol Gaun, who possessed exceptional battle prowess as befitted the first son to receive the name of Gaun. In fact, he was such a master at barehanded combat that he had been the one to serve as Goma’s teacher. Although his adventurer rank had never passed A, he had experience taking down a Rank S monster on his own.

As his subordinates formed a perimeter with their spears raised, Jereol burst forward with the explosive characteristics of beastkin strength. Closing the distance to Dan in a split second, he launched his most powerful move...and missed. The old man easily dodged the incoming attack with a speed that seemed to defy the heavy armor he had on, absolutely unfazed by the many spear tips pointed his way.

“This stuff’s a bit strong, but bear with it,” Dan murmured as he threw a palm strike with a small handful of the wine still cupped in his palm. Jereol’s face was met with both palm and wine as he lunged past.

“HNNNGGGGG?!”

A pain beyond words assaulted him. The palm strike felt like colliding with a boulder and the alcohol had gotten into his eyes. Even a master athlete couldn’t take that without reacting.

“Jereol-sama!”

“Don’t underestimate me!”

Still, Jereol managed to overcome the pain and grab Dan’s outstretched arm, successfully locking it in a hold. Although perhaps “successfully” was not quite right. It was a submission hold that was supposed to cause all victims equal pain, regardless of how strong or weak they were, yet Dan seemed entirely unperturbed. Instead, he calmly lifted the arm that Jereol was gripping straight up into the air.

“Don’t worry about me! Stab him!” the prince shouted, still holding on.

The elite troops of Gaun dutifully thrust their weapons forward. They accurately aimed for the weak points in their opponent’s armor, such as the fasteners, joints, and neck. One after another, the spearheads made their way in. However...

“What?! My spear...isn’t budging!”

The spearheads did indeed pierce Dan’s armor, but the weapons seemed to become locked in place by some incredible power. At least, that was the sensation felt by all the spearmen on the other end of the shafts.

The riffraff aside, this beastkin’s Strength is around six—no, seven hundred, the general thought. About equal to Azgrad-sama’s, I’d say. But he’s still got quite a ways to go.

The old soldier grabbed one of the spears piercing his neck—with the other man still clinging to it—with his left hand and started brandishing it at the troops surrounding him.

“Guh!”

“Ack!”

Every time Dan swung, Gaunian troops fell like dominoes, filling the air with groans of pain. When the spear snapped, he forcibly tore Jereol off his arm and proceeded to swing him around like a weapon. Soon, there was no one left holding on to the weapons that were stuck into his armor. The spears all fell out at once, clattering hollowly. There wasn’t a speck of blood on any of the tips.

When the Gaunian men got back to their feet, they found Dan with his greatsword already drawn. Just like his armor, it seemed to be made of platinum and bore a simple, functional design. All it took was one horizontal swing to generate a gust of wind powerful enough to send his surrounding opponents flying into the air, all the way back to the fortress, slamming them into the fortifications.

Jereol was among their number but happened to be the one who collided with the closed gates. The momentum was so great that he actually burst through them and landed in the courtyard beyond. The sight of the first prince lying unconscious on the ground greatly whittled down the morale of the Gaunian force. By simply swinging a spear and sword around—in a way that did not seem to involve any technique whatsoever—General Dan had already rendered a portion of his enemy’s troops unfit for battle.

“That can’t be! Jereol got done in?!”

“Don’t falter! Archers, fire!”

A cloud of arrows descended from the fortress like a rain of death. However, General Dan did not move. In fact, he had stabbed his sword into the ground before him to show that he did not even need it.

There he stood, entirely still, comfortably waiting for the torrent of projectiles to let up.

“Why?! Why isn’t he taking damage?! Why isn’t he going down?!”

Finally, the old general ordered, “Heavy infantry, forward.”

Troops wearing full body armor and equipped with large shields and halberds clanked forward in unison.

“How much easier my job would have been if they’d just surrendered. But since they’ve chosen to fight back, I have no choice. In accordance with His Majesty’s orders, I will crush them.”

◇ ◇ ◇

The subsequent fight was one-sided. The remaining princes did everything in their power to repel the invaders, but they failed to break out of the encirclement set up by the Steel Knight Order. Soldiers specialized for defense stood at the front of the formation while those in the back fired siege weapons similar to catapults and ballistae at the Gaunian fortress. It was an extremely simple battle strategy, but it proved shockingly effective thanks to how well-trained the Trycenians were. And of course, General Dan D’Alba himself foiled all attempts to turn the situation around.

The Gaunian side ultimately had no recourse but to hole up inside the fortress. Their troops retreated to wait out the pounding of the siege weaponry. However, the fortress itself was well-built, and the sun set soon after. During the night, the Trycenians only kept the siege weaponry running without making any further moves. Both sides took the time to rest up and ready themselves for the major battle that would surely occur the next day.

It was at this time that a certain report reached Dan.

“The Dragon Knight Order was obliterated?!” the old general roared in anger from the tent that served as his personal quarters.

The female servant who had brought the message flinched, then answered in a quivering voice, “Y-Yes, sir. A messenger arrived to deliver the news and told me to bring it to you immediately, sir. He said he had ridden three days and nights without rest. His horse died from exhaustion and he himself is currently unconscious.”

“I thought they had enough of an advantage with Lunoir long gone, but it looks like I underestimated the strength of the adventurers.”

Dan had been under the impression that the only noteworthy powerhouses remaining in Parth were the Rank S adventurers Goldiana and Kelvin. He had gauged the abilities of the latter while observing his exhibition match with Sylvia, but it had never crossed his mind that Kelvin’s party members possessed equal or even greater strength.

“A-And there is another report...”

“What else is there?”

“Th-That’s, uh... The Magic Knight Order...r-retreated from Toraj w-w-without fighting.”

CRASH!

“Eep!”

Dan’s fist had shattered the table. What the hell was that damn snake Tristan thinking?! The crux of our strategy is to push fast and push hard! The more time we waste, the more disadvantaged we become. Now that we’ve lost on the Parthian front, we need to take down both Gaun and Toraj. In the first place, the person who suggested this plan wa—?!

Clang!

Abruptly, Dan grabbed his greatsword from where it was leaning against the wall and blocked the dagger that his servant had swung at him. Sparks flew as the two weapons ground against each other. The general was not out of the woods just yet.

“Well done! I’d perfectly suppressed my hostility and taken you completely by surprise and yet you still managed to block in time. Just what I would have expected from Trycen’s greatest warrior.”

“Who are you?” Dan knew that his assailant’s appearance was indeed that of the servant woman who had been taking care of his everyday needs for some time. However, the fearful look on her face from before had vanished, and she was now emanating an immense fighting spirit.

“I hear you did quite a number on my good-for-nothing sons. I’m here to repay the favor.”

“You’re the Beast King!” Dan cried in realization as he heavily parried his opponent’s dagger. The woman retreated with a few backflips. “I’d heard about your hobbies of disguising and crossdressing, but I never imagined it would be done with such a high degree of perfection. I didn’t catch on until the attack itself.”

“Surprising people is one of my very limited number of pastimes. Come on, let’s let bygones be bygones.”

“What happened to my real servant? Did you kill her? She’s served me well and is stronger than a run-of-the-mill soldier, believe it or not.”

“Oh, don’t worry. She’s just taking a nap right now. I haven’t given her so much as a scratch.”

Without a shred of hesitation, the Beast King bared his chest to prove that it remained entirely unblemished.

“So then what are you doing here? The dagger in your hand tells me you didn’t come to share a drink.”

“Oh, come now, don’t be so belligerent. I’m here to tell you something interesting, Dan.”

The “servant” proceeded to speak with him, and Dan felt himself grow quite uncomfortable at the words coming from her mouth as she smiled the smile he was so used to seeing.

◇ ◇ ◇

The day broke and sunlight peeked through the gaps in the mountains, glinting off ranks of soldiers in their platinum armor. The host, headed by General Dan D’Alba, was marching westward in perfectly maintained formation.

“I can’t believe it. The Steel Knight Order really is going back to Trycen!” exclaimed Kilto Gaun, the kingdom’s third prince. And he had every right to be surprised. The Trycenians had overwhelmed them in both morale and fighting strength just the day before, yet they were now withdrawing of their own accord all because of a clandestine conversation.

While the princes had been hunkered down in the fortress, bracing themselves against the barrage from the siege engines, their king had infiltrated the enemy camp. This was clearly beyond the purview of a head of state. The ministers had clutched their heads in consternation, but the problem was, they couldn’t rebuke the king, not after he’d come back safe, sound, and successful.

“Father...how did you manage it?”

“Hm? I only talked with General Dan about some possibilities.”

From the roof of the Gaunian fortress, King Leonhart Gaun looked out at the retreating enemy force. His answer to the question posed by his second son, Yujil Gaun, seemed to have been purposely vague, strongly implying that he wanted his children to think for themselves. Leonhart was the kind of parent who would push his young off a cliff as a trial and only acknowledge them once they managed to climb back up. Each of the three princes present had accomplished that in their own way, but this battle had reminded them once again just how comparatively powerless they were and how incredible their father was.

There was just one thing that the brothers were slightly bothered about... Can he not do this while adopting the appearance of a female servant?

Of course, they had no knowledge of the fight that had taken place inside Dan’s tent, and it was hardly their first time seeing their father in disguise. But there was still some part of them that wished he would deliver his meaningful words with his own visage.

“There you guys go worrying about the little stuff again. Still, that was quite the thrashing you suffered. Your cute little wife might just abandon you if you remain like that, Jereol.”

“Father, please don’t bring Risa into th—” He stopped. “Why’d you transform into her?!”

“Hmm, the moment you first fell in love with her was...” Leonhart’s appearance had morphed into that of a beastkin woman with an elegant, noble bearing, wearing a passionately red dress. “Jereol-sama, I have no interest in weak men. I’m sorry.”

“Wh-Why the appearance from that banquet?!” Jereol stuttered, clearly shaken.

“Wait, bro, so that time you got really excited about ‘going training’ was...”

“Yujil, Kilto, that’s not what it is! You have to believe me!”

Behind the flustered figure of his eldest son, Leonhart once again transformed. This time, he adopted the image of a more mature-looking version of Risa. “Dear, I told you before, did I not, that I have no interest in weak men? I’m afraid we must break up.”

“WAAAAAHHHHHH!”

It was a terrible blow, to be sure. Jereol somehow found the strength inside his wounded body to run into the depths of the fortress, howling loudly as he went. His father watched him go, then went back to looking like the Trycenian servant.

“Great, that should push him to train himself even harder. He’s grown complacent ever since receiving the name of Gaun, that rascal! Now, Kilto. I’m told that you really pushed yourself after the siege began. You do the limited number of Gaunian mages proud. You’ve been smart since childhood. In fact, I’m proud of you!”

“Y-Y-Yes, sir, th-thank you...” Even though he was being praised, Kilto was stuttering heavily and trembling like a leaf. A sense of foreboding flooded every part of his being.

“But big brother Kilto, studying all the time isn’t good for your health. Big brother Jereol has been teaching me how to fight recently. Why don’t you join us?”

Kilto blinked and found a young Goma standing before him. At this point, his back was drenched in a cold sweat.

“N-N-N-No, I’m g-g-g-good...”

Trauma from his past flashed through Kilto’s head. He backed away, trying to banish the terrifying memories that were returning to him. He would never turn down an invitation from his beloved younger sister, but his brain was telling him that this was one he definitely should not accept.

“What?! You can’t be serious, big brother Kilto. Aren’t you a boy? Wow, I’m kind of disappointed in you.”

“WAAAAAHHHHHH!”

The look of scorn on Goma’s face sent him pounding down the corridor much faster than he normally could have managed. His father watched him go, then returned to looking like the servant again.

“As a beastkin, physical prowess is important, after all! But honestly, will Kilto’s sister complex ever be cured?”

“F-Father, we all have subordinates and are in positions of authority. Please don’t tease us so—”

“Ha ha ha! It’s just a little father-son fun! Look at that, you’ve become such a funny guy, Yujil! Now, you’re both great at archery and humorous. Those shots you fired were impressive. You have perfect aim and can take down any target you set your eye on, right? But now, about your love life—”

That day, cries reverberated throughout the halls of the fortress a total of three times.

◇ ◇ ◇

“Hm?”

“What’s wrong, Sera?”

“I’m not sure, but I feel like I heard someone up north screaming after having their past trauma dredged up. And it’s not from just now but quite a while ago...”

“Well, that’s surprisingly specific. I didn’t hear anything.”

“Mmm... Nah, I probably imagined it!” She shook her head, seemingly dismissing whatever it was she thought she’d heard.

Today was our second day back in Parth. Prettia had told me about the situation in Toraj and Gaun—namely, that both countries had successfully repelled the Trycenians. For some reason, the Magic Knight Order had retreated before even exchanging blows with Toraj, so there were agents looking into that at the moment. According to Azgrad, Clive was being treated as KIA back in Trycen, and his order had been assigned to Tristan.

I’m not the only one who thinks this is suspicious, right? That bastard with the glasses seems to be the key to everything.

“Brother! Can I really use the land up to where Boga is?”

“We’re not really doing anything with our backyard anyway, so go nuts.”

“Hell yeah! I’m not holding back now!”

Dahak had undergone a one-eighty from being depressed about Prettia’s rejection to practically bursting with energy the moment I gave him permission to cultivate the land behind our house. I’d used Green Magic to fine-tune the pH level of the soil beforehand, then given him free rein. He was currently in dragon form, barreling up and down the length of our empty backyard while deftly tilling it using his claws. He was making such quick progress—well, he did have a huge body—that he was doing fine without any heavy machinery. And Sera’s attention was currently focused on this unusual sight, all thoughts of strange voices gone from her head.

“Roar...” Boga was trying to copy what Dahak was doing, but it wasn’t going so well as he always accidentally dug too deep.

Just to be safe, I had informed the people of Parth that we were now taking care of dragons at my place. I’d thought I would need to spend time convincing them that it was okay, but they’d pretty much just shrugged and nodded. Thanks in large part to Rio giving his permission, everyone was mainly like, “Well, it’s Kelvin-san, so sure, why not?”

I know I shouldn’t be the one to say this, but you guys really should be more cautious...

“Hey, hey, Hak-chan. Why can’t you just use your skill to grow the plants you want? Why are you going to all the trouble of making a farm? It takes more time, doesn’t it?” Rion asked.

“You don’t get it, m’lady. It’s true that I can easily make vegetables sprout on the spot with my ability. However, doing it that way makes its freshness and taste go down by several ranks! And it really wears out the soil. I only use that skill when I’m fighting.”

Before I knew it, Dahak had shifted back to human form, now dressed in a farming outfit and holding a hoe. Apparently, this was how he preferred to do the more detailed parts of the farming process.

Oh, right, this seems like a good time to go over the Statuses of our newest party members.

Dahak (162 y/o, Male, Black Dragon (Ancient))

Level: 88

Title: Darkness Dragon King’s Son

HP: 1,833/1,833 (+100)

MP: 480/480 (+100)

Strength: 969 (+100)

Endurance: 733 (+100)

Agility: 471 (+100)

Magic: 737 (+100)

Luck: 288 (+100)

Equipment (Human Form): Iron Hoe (Rank E), Work Clothes (Rank E), Work Boots (Rank E), Towel (Rank F)

Equipment (Dragon Form): Dragon Saddle (Rank B)

Skills: Gemmation (Unique Skill), Black Soil Scales (Unique Skill), Green Magic (Rank C), Black Magic (Rank F), Breath (Rank B), Flight (Rank A), Agriculture (Rank S), Horticulture (Rank S), Construction (Rank A)

Passive Effects: Blessing of the Darkness Dragon King, Summoning/Magic Supply (Rank S), Concealment (Rank S)

Boga (103 y/o, Male, Rock Dragon (Ancient))

Level: 81

Title: Dark Knight’s Favored Mount

HP: 1,987/1,987 (+100)

MP: 197/197 (+100)

Strength: 995 (+100)

Endurance: 1,001 (+100)

Agility: 619 (+100)

Magic: 183 (+100)

Luck: 340 (+100)

Equipment (Dragon Form): Dragon Saddle (Rank B)

Skills: Breath (Rank E), Armored Skin (Rank S), Flight (Rank D), Burrowing (Rank A), Thunderous Voice (Rank C)

Passive Effects: Summoning/Magic Supply (Rank S), Concealment (Rank S)

Mdofarak (63 y/o, Female, Three-Headed Dragon (Ancient))

Level: 74

Title: Encounter with Sweets

HP: 1,416/1,416 (+100)

MP: 907/907 (+100)

Strength: 520 (+100)

Endurance: 489 (+100)

Agility: 418 (+100)

Magic: 634 (+100)

Luck: 631 (+100)

Equipment (Dragon Form): Dragon Saddle (Rank B)

Skills: Multi-Elemental Constitution (Unique Skill), Breath (Rank A), Flight (Rank A), Magic Attachment (Rank C), Magic Conservation (Rank C)

Passive Effects: Summoning/Magic Supply (Rank S), Concealment (Rank S)

When all three screens were lined up side by side, it was clear that Dahak really was several heads above the other two. As expected of dragons, their ages were all quite impressive. And Rosalia is supposedly older than all of—cough, cough.

“I see, so it’s not just about the convenience,” Sera noted in response to Dahak’s protest, nodding with an intrigued face.

Gerard walked out just then, also gripping a hoe. “How about I give you a hand?” For some reason, the straw hat and towel he was wearing didn’t seem out of place on his armored form.

Dahak whistled. “Hey, looking good, old man!”

“Oh, right, you were a farmer before you became a knight.”

“Thank you for remembering, my king. It’s been quite a while, but I can handle something of this level, no problem.”

In regards to why we were taking it easy in the middle of a war, that was because the three countries, after having repelled Trycen’s advance, were now busy rearranging their armies to go on the offensive themselves. Small groups like ours could be ready to move out at pretty much any time, but actual armies were hundreds or thousands larger in number. Understandably, they needed much more time to move such troops and set up supply trains, communications, and so on. They were rushing, but the process would still take more than a week.

I had considered the option of us going ahead on our own, but Rio had sternly stopped me, saying that because we were the only party besides the Heroes who included otherworlders—otherworlders being the only ones capable of dealing damage to the Demon Lord—he wanted to be deliberate about when and where he dispatched us.

So, in short, we ended up with a whole chunk of free time while the armies were busy preparing. And because we had been holed up in the Grand Scarlet Canyon for a while, I’d thought it would be a good idea to get some rest back at home sweet home.

At the moment, I was lounging on top of a picnic blanket with Efil and Melfina, enjoying the sight of our backyard being transformed.

We’re not wasting time. Let’s call it “recharging our batteries.”

Melfina sighed. “So, you’ll still end up having to fight the Demon Lord. Even though it was supposed to be the Heroes’ purpose...”

“Where’s the harm? And the Heroes are busy on the Western Continent, so there’s nothing to be done about it. More importantly, is the Demon Lord that strong? How strong?”

“I guess all that matters is that you’re enjoying yourself, honey.”

Did Melfina just suck a sandwich into her mouth while she sighed? She’s gotten even more skillful than before! Anyway, the Demon Lord is strong, right?

“Master, I’ve finished peeling the apple. Here you go. Ahh...”

The slice of apple that Efil held out to me was astonishingly sweet. Yep, having days like this every once in a while is good too.

◇ ◇ ◇

“Excuse me.”

“E-Excuse me.”

Our two new maids, Rosalia and Huba, entered the living room, pushing serving carts loaded with tea and snacks. Efil was standing behind the couch where I was sitting, maintaining her usual demeanor but with an extra sharp look in her eyes.

I was glad to see that these two had grown accustomed to their new jobs during the few days that had passed since our return to Parth. Unlike a certain trio of girls with catastrophic cooking skills, our new employees were not particularly crippled in any of the duties required of maids and were improving at a respectable pace.

Today, I had invited Azgrad to my house to show him just how well Huba and Rosalia were doing. Usually, the hopeless battle junkie would have made a beeline for our underground training facility to fight my companions as soon as he arrived. I was letting him fight the members of my party by order of ascending strength, but although he’d managed to beat Boga and Mdofarak, he had lost to Dahak in every match so far. In short, he had yet to progress far enough to fight an opponent other than his own former subordinates.

Looks like Alex and Rion’s turn is still quite a ways off.

“You two...actually went and became maids,” Azgrad sighed, deeply moved. By no means was he drawing back. Probably.

“I’ve lived quite a number of years as a dragon, and this is the first time someone’s made me do something like this,” Rosalia replied with a wry smile as she filled our cups.

“I feel like I’m even busier now than when I was in the order,” Huba added, slightly teary-eyed.

“Back when she was serving me, Huba actually had a habit of slacking off when I took my eyes off her. Did you guys have trouble training her?”

“No worries. Efil is the one in charge of her instruction. I promise you we’ll make her into a splendid maid.”

“I-Is that so? I kinda feel like the goal has shifted, but, uh, you go get ’em.”

“It’s all the food’s fault! The staff meals are just too delicious...”

Once we had all been served tea, I picked up a cookie and took a bite. Although it was still far from Ruka’s handiwork, it wasn’t bad at all. Having reached this level of proficiency in only a few days was admirable.

“So, Azgrad, how’re you finding life here? Is the inn too cramped for a pampered prince?”

Rosalia and Huba were staying with us as live-in help, but we had gotten Azgrad set up with a room at Clare’s inn, the Fairy’s Song, under an alias. He was now wearing the outfit of a wandering adventurer, complemented by a scarf to cover his collar.

“Who do you take me for? In the army, camping is the norm. I’m happy just to have a roof over my head. The food at the inn’s great too. You won’t catch me complaining about anything.”

“Glad to hear it. I can vouch for that place. They took really good care of me back when I was just starting out.”

“Jeez, you know this isn’t how high-ranking prisoners are normally treated, right? You’re seriously making me doubt the common sense I learned growing up.”

While preparations were being made for the coordinated invasion of Trycen, we were having Azgrad present himself as an adventurer. He and Huba had selected a few dozen subordinates they thought were trustworthy and convinced those men and their dragons to form a mercenary group that would be joining the war effort as well. Just in case, Sera had made the men confess a whole bunch of things that ensured they would never betray us. And that was how the Dragon Mercenary Group was formed.

“I’ve been hearing good things about your team. Rio was telling me you guys are totally nailing the subjugation quests he’s been giving you.”

“They’re all just the dregs you turned down, right? But they serve well enough as warm-up exercises, I guess.”

“Um, I kind of want to go out and fight too...”

“Sure, once you become a first-rate maid.”

“Ugh.”

If you go out, it would render all our efforts to help you keep a low profile moot. Azgrad is fine because we’ve abandoned the idea of disguising him—anyone who knows him would be able to recognize him immediately anyway—and decided to have him properly contribute in battle. So, since you’re not him, just stay put.

“Oh yeah, I haven’t seen Colette around much recently. Wonder what’s become of her?”

Back when we’d first returned to Parth, she had come visiting so frequently it had verged on being annoying. Now, however, we hadn’t heard a peep from her in several days. It was apparently bothering Melfina so much that yesterday she had only asked for refills five times.

“You talking about the Oracle of Deramis? The army from Deramis arrived, so she’s probably busy with them, right? After all, the joint force of the three countries should be setting out in a few days.”

“I can only hope that’s all it is.”

“Uh...I heard this from Shutola, but are you in a relationship with the Oracle?”

No, she’s just a religious fanatic. “That’s a hard no.”

“I mean, I don’t care, but she said you’re a lustful man who successfully seduced even the Oracle, and that that’s how you gained a pipeline to Deramis. And that you’re really perverted or something.”

“Uh...”

“Dude, you were supposed to deny that.”

It’s quite off-target, but the general sentiment isn’t too inaccurate. Looks like I can’t underestimate his sister’s intelligence network.

“Well, I’m about to get a move on. Rosalia, Huba, the tea and snacks were pretty good. Let me have them again sometime.”

“It would be my pleasure.”

“Y-Yes, General!”

“Getting a move on? If you’re talking about fighting Dahak, he’s not in today.”

“The hell? That dragon, who’s only ever working on the farm or pruning your garden whenever I come by, isn’t around today?”

Hey, even he deserves a break. Despite everything, he’s been a big help with his Construction skill.

“He’s gone to visit Prettia. I’m afraid you’re going to have to give up on fighting him today.”

“Dammit. All right, I’ll come another day.”

“Ah, hold on. You have time now, right? Can you deliver this to Rio at the guild for me?”

“What’s this? A letter? Why not take it yourself? The guild’s right there.”

“Sorry, man, I’ve got something urgent after this. Please and thank you.” I held the letter out to Azgrad as he stood up.

“Well, I was about to hit up the guild to grab another quest after this, so sure, I guess. To the guildmaster, yeah?”

After watching the prince leave with my letter in hand, Efil and I exchanged a look and nodded at each other. All right, time for me to get moving too. Oh, but before that...

“Rosalia, Huba, I’m going somewhere with Efil now. Make sure you listen to what Ellie and Ruka tell you, all right? As your seniors, they’re next in authority when we’re not here.”

“Yes, Master.”

“You’re going on a date again?”

Efil and I looked on with deadpan faces as Rosalia gave Huba’s head a sharp rap.

◇ ◇ ◇

“And there you have it. I delivered it.”

Just as he’d promised, Azgrad had gone to the guild and delivered Kelvin’s letter to Rio. After that, he turned to head downstairs and look for a good quest.

“I’m sorry, just when was it you last saw Kelvin-kun?”

Before Azgrad reached the door, however, he’d been called back by Rio, whose eyes were fixed on the letter. For some reason, the guildmaster had a grave look on his face.

“About half an hour ago. Why?”

“Thirty minutes. Which means it’s too late. Don’t tell me they’re also...” Rio was clutching his head in clear distress, but Azgrad had no idea what was going on. “Just...here, read it for yourself.”

“Kelvin’s letter? What’s wrong with it?”

◆————————————————————◆

To Guildmaster Rio:

Everything’s moving slower than expected, so we’re heading to Trycen first. Come join us once the joint force’s preparations are done. The enemy is the Demon Lord, so feel free to take your time! Let’s all do our best! See ya!

◆————————————————————◆

In response to Azgrad’s silence, Rio said, “Looks like he couldn’t wait a few more days. Or, based on his choice of words, I’d venture a guess that he planned on doing this from the start. Honestly, what am I supposed to do with him?”

The receptionist Ange would attest that later that day, there was a strange screech emanating from the guildmaster’s office that shook the very ground.

◇ ◇ ◇

The moment Azgrad left, Efil and I secretly snuck out of Parth and headed for a place out of sight where I quickly Summoned all my Followers. I had said Dahak was out, but the truth was that everyone had been inside my magic pool. The whole show had been for the sake of heading to Trycen by ourselves. I mean, it was a no-brainer—if we went there as part of a huge group, we would have had to share all the fun. I’d entrusted Rosalia and Huba to Ellie and Ruka’s care and also prepared a proper role for Azgrad to play, so there was little question of him chasing us on Rosalia in dragon form.

“All right, everyone present? Dahak, Boga, Mdofarak, we’re aiming to reach our fortress in the Grand Scarlet Canyon by tomorrow.”

“If I may, brother: wouldn’t it be faster for you to run? Your speed on the ground is probably much greater than what we can manage while flying, right?”

“I mean, you’re not wrong, but...”

“What?! We won’t get to fly?”

A dejected look came over Rion’s face, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes like a dam moments before bursting. From his position behind her, Gerard began emanating a dark, threatening aura.

“Brother! M’lady! Please ride on us! We promise you a super comfortable and super fast journey through the skies! Boga, Mdofarak, make sure you fly like your lives depend on it!”

“You don’t need to push yourselves that hard,” I said with a wry smile. “And Gerard, stop that. You’re scaring Dahak.”

My friend gave a start. “Oh dear, I seem to have forgotten myself just now.”

Of course, we were not opting to fly solely to avoid making Rion sad. We were also doing it to match the timing of the Steel Knight Order that was supposedly marching towards Trycen. According to Azgrad, the order’s general, Dan D’Alba, was famous as the country’s most powerful warrior. That meant we just had to fight him. Letting him go wasn’t an option.

“Aww, thank you!”

Seeing Rion happily clamber on top of Mdofarak, the rest of us followed suit and set out. The great bulk of the dragons lifted into the air and soared through the sky. I continued casting Agility-boosting skills on them while suppressing the quickened beating of my heart.

What is this premonition I’m having right now?

◇ ◇ ◇

We arrived at the Obsidian Fortress right around the time we’d expected. But what we had not bet on were the people we found waiting for us there.

“Why are you two here?”

“I predicted your actions, Mel-sama, Kelvin-sama!”

“My female intuition told me to follow Colette-chan!”

It was the very Oracle we hadn’t seen in a while and the big sister everyone loved, Prettia.

Yes, yes, we love you, so please stop doing that side chest pose that would upstage even bodybuilders. Nothing about it is maidenly—okay, seriously, it’s scaring me. Stop. I beg you.

To sum up what they told us, Colette had figured out from our usual behavior that we would be trying to get the jump on the army and had therefore set off several days earlier on her pegasus. Prettia, who had happened to see her flying away, sensed that something was up. Because Parth’s safety was now guaranteed thanks to the arrival of the Deramisian reinforcements, he had not hesitated to pursue Colette. On foot, in his case.

So this is the reason behind the unnatural peace!

::I’m equally outraged by this development, my king!::

::Dammit, so that’s why I couldn’t find her no matter how hard I searched!::

The guys within my party—me included—all vented our respective frustrations through the Network. One person seemed to be on a different tangent from the rest of us, but we decided not to ask. Or rather, there was no time to do so.

It’s a total surprise that Colette managed to anticipate my actions. But now...

“I’ll concede that you have incredible deductive skills. But what do you actually plan on doing?”

“You are going to subjugate the Demon Lord in the Goddess’s name, right? Then I must accompany you!”

“Colette, I’m sorry to say this, but I can’t let you come along. Prettia is one thing because he’s a Rank S adventurer, but we’re heading for the capital of an enemy nation. Even we can’t guarantee we’ll be able to protect you while breaking through enemy lines.”

We’d had the advantage of the terrain so far because we had only been defending against Trycen’s advances. Our coming battle, however, would be the opposite. We’d be disadvantaged in every respect, not just by the terrain but in numbers too. It was hardly a place to bring someone of the Oracle’s stature.

“Kelvin-sama, have you forgotten?”

“Forgotten what?”

“I am a Summoner. I have my own protection. See?” She raised her right hand and generated a glowing magic circle that I was more than familiar with.

“Oracle, please do not reveal your power so incautiously,” Captain Cliff of the Holy Order of Knights admonished her as he emerged from the circle.

Ohh, so he’s Contracted to Colette!

“Silence, Captain Cliff. I am currently in the middle of an important negotiation. Know that this is a matter that will influence the very future of Deramis.”

Whoa, she’s gone into Oracle mode and started chastising Cliff. Then again, this is probably what she’s like most of the time, right? It’s just that I’ve seen her overexcited and flying off the edge more often than not recently. Can you be your normal self around Mel and me too? No?

“Captain Cliff is Level 86, and his stats are further bolstered by my Summoning skill. He is more than powerful enough to protect me. Furthermore, you will not be reprimanded for taking unsanctioned actions if you allow me to accompany you.”

“I see. By bringing you along, our strategy gains legitimacy. And if it comes down to it, you can claim that it was your idea.”

“That’s exactly right! As expected of Melf— Mel-sama.”

Her true nature seemed to peek out for a split second there, but let’s overlook it for now. More importantly, as things stand, does this mean she would be held responsible if we messed anything up?

::Now that the Demon Lord has appeared, the voice of the Oracle of Deramis will carry a lot more weight. In spite of everything, she is still supposedly the only person in the world who can hear the voice of the Goddess—my voice. As long as your strategy pays off, the other countries will have no grounds to lodge any complaints.::

As always, Melfina seemed to read my mind and quickly allayed my fears. In other words, everything will be fine if we don’t blunder the subjugation. But wait a moment. Could it be that Colette went to such lengths because she’s looking out for us? If so, then I’m the asshole for assuming she’s here just because she wants to sniff Mel or whatever. Ugh, how embarrassing...

Prettia spoke up. “Kelvin-chan, I don’t think you have anything to worry about. Captain Cliff is the most powerful member of the Holy Knights, and Colette-chan has other Followers too. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more reliable ally.”

“Ugh...all right, all right. But Colette, remember to always prioritize your own safety. That isn’t up for debate.”

“Thank you very much! My Followers and I promise to dedicate ourselves to the cause!”

“I just said to engage in moderation. Well, anyway, I guess this is us. We’ll be the Demon Lord Subjugation Alliance th—”

“Wait JUUUST a moment!” boomed a loud voice that reverberated through the ravine.

We all looked towards the fortress where the noise had emanated from. At that moment, the door burst open.

“I’M COMING TOOAAAHHHH!”

The instant I recognized him, Sabato crashed into the far wall, having taken one of Goma’s punches to the face yet again. Is this actually supposed to be some kind of schtick?

“How many times have I told you not to shout like that?! Ah, hi, everyone. May we join you as well?”

How can you maintain such a straight face every time? Could it be that you also have the Nerves of Steel skill?

I sighed. “What’s one more group, right? Fine, we’ll take care of you too. Uh, Demon Lord Subjugation Alliance, yayyy...”

“C’mon, Kelvin, put more energy into it!” Sera chided me.

And so the Demon Lord Subjugation Alliance was born, composed of Prettia, Colette, Sabato, me, and our respective parties.