Many people, really. There is a fact that many people misunderstand.

Ivan is not a racist. It is a somewhat unfair accusation. He has come from a world where discriminating against people based on skin color or personality is inherently wrong.

These uncivilized people may not even imagine that such a law could exist, but thats civilization.

Therefore, Ivan does not hate other races based on racial characteristics, peculiarities, or differences from humanity. Isnt that behavior too primitive to be seen as civilized?

As he was the representative of Earth, he always had to act rationally. Therefore, he understands other races for rational reasons.

For example,

Orcs and giants, as well as creatures like minotaurs, are closer to beasts than humans. Just because they can speak and have their own cultures, does that make them human? No. Even parrots can speak, and sperm whales enjoy cultural activities.

Humans should have morals. In this dreadful savage world, one of the things Ivan firmly believes in is that. So, lets exclude the creatures.

Another prominent race is, of course, elves.

Ivan was confident that he wouldnt waste even a second defining elves. Theres no doubt. They are not human. Because they lacked morals.

Morality and elves are difficult words to reconcile. At least water and oil can mix when shaken, but Ivan has never seen morality mix even briefly when dealing with elves.

Instead, elves tried to repay their sad nature in their own way. They fought alongside the alliance during the war. There is room for forgiveness since they fought risking their lives. (Unfortunately, room for improvement has not yet been observed.)

Finally,

Dwarves.

These tiny moles (short, dig the ground, have beards, and squeak.) actually had something in common with Ivan. Thats in their lack of prejudice towards other races. (Beards are not the commonality.)

Because of their lack of prejudice, they sided with the creatures due to trivial issues, propagated a bizarre doctrine of mediocrity, and engaged in fervent espionage activities, being geographically adjacent to the Northern Front. Ivan accumulated many memories with them during the war.

Therefore, he never even thought that he could do something with dwarves for a lifetime. Except killing each other. After all, the animosity between them was too great.

No matter how many dwarves died at his hands. And how many humans dwarves killed. Its ridiculous to keep track of grudges. Its even more ridiculous to argue who started it first. War is just like that.

So,

Comrade Secretary said it! Mediocrity does not mean the future state we should achieve! We call everything the movement of reality that avoids the current state mediocrity!

-Waaaaaaahhh!

The moles gathered in the banquet hall were raising their huge tankards, each as big as their heads, and shouting wildly.

Ivan felt like he just wanted to sigh.

Before his eyes, a giant goblet was placed. It was filled with foamy beer, gurgling. Surprisingly, the dwarves called this a glass.

Have a drink, comrade!!

The dwarf twinkled his small eyes full of kindness as he laughed. Ivan shuddered for a moment at the dwarfs laughter or the word kindness being too unfamiliar.

It probably wasnt poisoned. It would have been better if it were poisoned somewhere else, but these folks couldnt even imagine poisoning their beer.

Amidst the noisy dwarves shouting and occasionally spontaneously chanting quotes from Comrade Secretary, and intermittently singing a bizarre song Long live Comrade Secretary, Ivan felt lonely.

The path of civilization and reason is so distant and treacherous.

To understand this situation, one must go back to just after the retreat.

Its a story from a time when the word peace wasnt just a joke. Ivan was already missing Frechenkaya from a few days ago.

EP16. Someone going to a conflict area for overseas travel during vacation.

Good.

Ivan was leisurely sitting in the newly opened directors office, trimming his beard.

The orphanage, which had been targeted by Drovian siege engines for terror, was now expanded and grandly constructed under the sponsorship of Saintess and Elizaveta.

There was even a chapel inside. Although there were no resident priests, prayers were only held on Sundays, but it was a significant achievement. The orphans always carried minor injuries, after all.

Being able to receive the priests healing sacrament for free was a tremendous contribution to the orphanages finances.

-Sip.

Savoring a cup of toasted barley tea, Ivan was enjoying the long-awaited peace.

Since he couldnt afford any functional issues with his perfect beard comb, Ivan hadnt been able to enjoy this precious time for a while.

It was a small but fulfilling time. The lack of immediate assignments was the reason.

The academy was on vacation, potential ally nations spies had all returned home, and the children of the hero party, the main targets of protection duties, were all hospitalized at the Frechenkaya Grand Cathedral.

Since the saint herself was nursing them, there was no need for further protection, as they were quietly receiving healing in a safe place.

So, for Ivan, it was also a vacation. It was entirely unintended, but sadly, it was all due to the students spending the entire vacation in the hospital. (Isabelle had been scolded by Saintess for over training)

-Kwaaaaaah!!

Hmm.

So, even though the door seemed to burst open, Ivan could carefully place his beard comb down instead of throwing an axe.

Thats why people should live with composure.

Enrique. Knocking isnt done with your foot.

Yes, Mr. Director. Do you have a moment?

No.

What are you doing now?

On vacation. Off-duty.

Enrique chuckled and sat on the office sofa, whistling.

Wow, its changed a lot, huh? Now theres even a bed! Yeah, people should sleep in beds.

Dont you fall asleep in the coffin?

Huh?

Hmm?

Vampires dont usually sleep in coffins, do they? Come to think of it, she never carried a coffin around during wartime.

Ivan was witnessing the moment his common sense was being shattered.

I really want to smack you, apprentice. Stop talking nonsense and pack your stuff.

Stuff.

Yeah, lets go to work.

I cant do that.

In this country, theres no concept of vacation. Its a welfare level even the cathedral wouldnt consider, like ensuring leisure time for sustainable laborers.

So, like all exploited workers, Ivan had to fight for his rights with his own hands.

I said it was vacation today.

Seriously, this is ridiculous. Where did you ever take a vacation Werent you the commander of the Counterintelligence Command?

Its a law that superiors need rest so their subordinates can rest too.

Oh.

Enrique nodded with impressed expression but soon snapped out of it.

I almost got convince! Its urgent, apprentice, do you remember how long its been since you last saw me?

87 days.

You remember that Arent you curious where Ive been?

Hmm.

That wasnt Ivans area of work. Ivan is currently a bureaucrat, and bureaucrats are indifferent to everything outside their own domain. (Some of the Krasilov bureaucrats are even indifferent to their own duties.)

Enrique sat hesitantly on the sofa, clutching her forehead. She crossed her legs on the table without even paying attention to Ivans expression.

Theres chaos happening up there right now.

I see.

By chaos, I mean the dwarves.

Hmm.

Without glancing at Enrique, Ivan continued combing. You shouldnt force your tangled beard with brute strength. Carefully, using the snap of the wrist between the comb teeth, you had to smooth out the knots. Otherwise, the hairs might break while tangled.

Enrique burst out.

No, listen!

Im listening.

Suddenly, what happened with the dwarves, why do I know about it, where Ive been until now, arent you curious about any of that?

Its predictable.

Ivan spoke without turning his gaze.

It was a disturbance caused by dwarven tunneling machines in the Frechenkaya underground terror, I know you left to directly intercept the underground invasion.

Uhuh. Thats right.

If dwarves dug tunnels in the underground, we both know we need to trace that route. We need to identify and block their invasion routes.

Okay.

Meanwhile, you encountered dwarves, there was conflict, and you probably figured out why the dwarves suddenly rushed to Frechenkaya.

Right.

Ivan put down the beard comb and looked at Enrique.

In that case, its a matter for the military.

Enrique. We cant mediate every conflict.

Especially for the hero party. They must be able to distinguish between military affairs and missions.

Heroes do not participate in wars. Wars are the role of the military. Even if they have powerful forces, they cannot be deployed on every front.

The true value of heroes lies in remaining hidden. The fact that a force capable of killing dragon generals lurks somewhere on the front lines itself serves as a powerful deterrent.

Even if the front lines collapse, even if countless people are being slaughtered, heroes never appear to save them. Instead, the hero party delves into enemy territory to assassinate dragon generals and demon kings.

Therefore, strictly speaking, heroes were not guardians of humanity. If classified by role, they were closer to avengers, representatives of revenge for humanity.

Even now, after the war, the hero partys hiding contributes greatly to the peace of the alliance kingdoms. The fact that skilled individuals capable of assassinating demon kings are hiding in various countries alone can instill fear in ambitious individuals.

I get it. I understand. But apprentice, its a more serious issue than you think.

Enrique looked at Ivan with a bitter smile.

They werent terrorizing, they were preparing for war. The dwarves, I mean. The military factories were operating across the entire mountain range.

Meeting Ivans gaze directly, Enrique slowly spoke.

Theyre preparing for civil war, not against us, not against humanity. Remember Abiditas?

Ivans gaze grew distant. Abiditas, the Dragon Lord. Why would the specter of one long dead, from ages past?

That lunatic lich may be gone, buthis disciples are still alive. Ever since Abiditas floating island crashed, theyve been there. They divided the dwarves in half and kidnapped the Secretarys son.

In case they win the civil war, theyll move their focus to the Northern Front. Theyre determined to eradicate this country.

Abiditas disciples probably seek revenge, punishment for the blasphemers who killed their god.

Their temple will surely head towards Krasilov. The dwarven civil war is just a prelude to that.

Enrique had invested all his time in contacting the dwarves opposing the war and understanding the situation.

Krasilov doesnt have the capacity for war anymore. Little Ivan. Im asking for a favor.

Looking at the most reliable and competent expert when facing dwarves and necromancers.

Enrique adjusted his posture with a serious look.

Lets save this country. Lets finish what we couldnt in the last war.

Ivan silently sighed as he looked into Enriques eyes. He carefully placed the beard comb inside the desk drawer and securely locked it with a complex locking mechanism.

The vacation might get longer.

*Authors Note (Authors Afterword)Enrique has been absent since she went out to stop the dwarven horde invading the underground tunnels during the Frechenkaya terror incident.

The mention of Enriques absence occasionally appeared throughout the story!!

*

The Dragon Lord Abiditas was the only dragon lord to die to a source other than the hero party.

This is briefly mentioned in the middle of Ivans past recollection. Among the operatives deployed during that battle, Ivan was the only survivor. (There were a few more survivors in other dragon lord assassination teams. This is mentioned in the very early chapters in the elf aerial battleship episode!)