Returning Home Temporarily
“Uーn, this place too, it’s been a long time since I’ve come back”
“Yeah, Master”
I, who descended onto the land of Mestoa Kingdom, that I came back to after a long time, stretch my stiffened body. Liscia and Mars stand next to me.
Regarding the other subordinates, they’re in the midst of preparation at the Demi-Human Country. Elfion aside, the battle maniac Relcend is calmer when I leave her on the other side than over here. I left Lo behind as her overseer just in case, so I think it’ll be fine though.
It appears that Chrono too, wanted to be by the side of the silver hair girl, Shertia, so I left him behind. In turn, I left work as well though.
I naturally didn’t bring along Elise, who’s the leader. After all, thanks to the letter we sent, there are also the Empire’s nobles who have their eyes on Elise and gather.
“I had been waiting, Creator”
Nero shows himself at where we, who descended onto the castle’s garden, are. Perhaps it’s for the sake of going outside; his appearance wasn’t a skeleton, he has a flesh body.
“Yo, it’s been a while huh, Nero. Were there any problems?”
“Aside from the occasional attacks by the countries around, there’s nothing in particular”
Uh-huh, although that’s a massive problem for a country, based on this situation, it looks like he dealt with it without any problem in particular. Fia is also around after all, so I guess it’s a given huh.
“It’s been a while huh, Hardt”
“Hardt-sama!”
Furthermore, Fia and Mylene came out from inside the castle as I was talking to Nero in such a manner. Fia was walking elegantly; Mylene ran straight towards where I was wholeheartedly.
And then, she hugs me tightly. However, she immediately moves away and sniffs me. What’s the matter?
“Hardt-sama”
“What’s wrong, Mylene?”
“I wonder, why is there the smell of an unknown woman from Hardt-sama?”
It’s a smile, but her eyes aren’t smiling. It feels like the vicinity around Mylene and I grew cold.
“It is not Liscia-sama either after all. It is someone I do not know huh. Uuu, even though I was comforting myself alone, Hardt-sama was enjoying himself huh”
Mylene breaks down in tears while saying that. Good grief.
“I’m sorry, Mylene. I’ll use the entirety of today for Mylene’s sake, so forgive me”
“……really?”
“Aah”
When I say that, Mylene goes, ‘I guess it can’t be helped’, and accepts. Fia looks over enviously from a slight distance away, but I want you to let it go for today.
“Mars!”
“Tierra!”
And then, Mars sees his beloved Tierra and starts running as well. It’s no longer the moribund look he had until just now, it’d changed into a smile from the happiness of being able to meet Tierra.
“Now then, I have various things to talk to everybody about, so let’s go somewhere calm where we can talk. There are things I’m going to have you do from now on as well after all”
Afterwards, we head to the conference room that’s in the castle. Since there are various things to talk about. It’s tough to keep standing after all. In the conference room, Fia prepared a meal for us because she thought we’re probably hungry, and the discussion began after that.
Firstly, it’s what occurred in the Demi-Human Country huh. The fact that I defeated the Divine Beast, that Goddess Fistoria created, and made it my subordinate. It was rather tedious, but as a result of that, I acquired a powerful subordinate named Lo, so if I had to say, it’s a plus.
Although everybody was surprised when I talked about that, Mylene being the most surprised left the deepest impression. Everybody was looking at Mylene.
After that, it’s about my new subordinates. Regarding this, I have to tell them about it properly. Elfion, the former Demi-Human Country’s King and an intellectual, aside, I have to warn them about Relcend, the battle maniac. It feels like she’ll turn into a battle maniac before I know it so it’s scary.
And then, it’s the biggest problem this time around, Glenburg Empire’s matter. At the point in time, when we completed our preparation, we declared war on the Empire with Elise as the leader.
Our numbers are 50 thousand Demi-Human troops; 20 thousand Imperial troops that gathered by Elise’s side; 80 thousand dead spirits, that I had left behind in the Mestoa Kingdom and increased in the Empire; our forces are nearly 150 thousand in total.
However, we naturally won’t reach the Empire’s total forces with just this. It’s because the other side possesses forces nearly 10 times that. Hence, for the sake of splitting those forces up, I dispatched Liscia and Elfion to each nation.
The objective is to have them attack from all sides similarly at the same time as when this side attacks. All of the Empire’s neighbouring countries are countries that had suffered bitter experiences by the Empire’s hands. They’ll probably agree if they consider that there’s the likelihood of winning.
Liscia and Elfion are there for the sake of that. I had the 2 who are the strongest even amongst the dead spirits head over, in order to make them think they can win, even just slightly.
Each nation that saw the two’s strength agreed as expected, they’d bring out 50 thousand soldiers at the very least, and the serious countries promised that they’d bring out nearly 200 thousand soldiers. I guess they think that if things go well, they’ll try to acquire the Empire’s land, but well, I shall consider it for a bit. Anything’s possible after all.
In total, 10 countries, excluding the Demi-Human Country, agreed, and the combination of each country’s forces adds up to nearly 1.3 million. With this, our military strength is close to 1.5 million. We finally equal the Empire’s forces with this.
However, if that’s all, then we’re still only equal. As a strategy in order for us to be at an advantage, Magic Crystals were scattered at the Empire, which was what I’d asked of Chrono.
All of those Magic Crystals teleport Opus Killers, and it numbers nearly a thousand. I’ve ordered the Opus Killers to only attack the soldiers, so the citizens will probably be fine. Regarding this, it’s for the sake of keeping the promise with Elise.
Although there are still factors that I’m uneasy about, for the time being, with this, we can attack the Empire.
“Elise will be the General of this time’s war. And then, I’ll have Fia command the dead spirits. I’ll place Nero as your advisor so it’ll be fine”
Fia, who nervously nods at my words. I have Mars, Tierra and Liscia serve as Fia’s escorts, and Nero is also by her side, so it’ll probably be fine.
We’ll talk about the finer details after going to the Empire, so we, who finished the rough discussion, decided to rest for today. I went to settle some business before I return to my room, and return to my own room subsequently.
Immediately after, over there
“Hardt-samaa!”
, Mylene, who wore a thin one-piece, was already waiting. Mylene is spreading her arms at me while smiling, so I also spread my arms and approach her. And then, when I was about to hug her tightly as always
Gusaa
, there’s the sensation of something stabbing my chest. It’s a sensation that I felt numerous times, several hundred times previously, so I knew it immediately……that I’ve been stabbed with a knife in the chest.
When I look at my chest, red blood flows. And then, when I timidly raise my face, the sight of Mylene, with her face twisted uglily in joy, was there.
