TLN: Sorry about the one day delay, the chapters were longer than I expected. >-

We are now entering a new arc! Enjoy :D!!

——-A new hero has appeared in the west battlefield.

The Garuna dragon knight who has tamed a black dragon.

The hero that defeated an Empire army of 50,000, Solje Strauss.

Songs praising him become the hope of the people fighting Faris.

—

…At the capital of the Ludo Kingdom, even after being 1 week already, it was still a big festival. 

With the Imperial army defeated, the trading routes have been opened, and the merchants are reconstructing their distribution lines hurriedly. 

The merchants here are competent. The shops that didn't have anything before have now been filled up in the blink of an eye. 

The open air stores also had their energy return, and I, who am being treated as a hero, ended up getting something from the merchants just by walking through the city. Meat, eggs, drinks; even when I don't pay, I get something. Aah, I got a bouquet of flowers from some little girls, too.

I had the talent of being loved by the ma.s.ses…it is on the level that I could misunderstand it like that. But I can't get it on my head and stupidly think about subsisting from it. I also got invitations like 'want to work for us?', but I obviously refused them all.

This festive mood will also come to an end sometime soon. When that happens…mercenaries like us will be forgotten. 

…Well, the Ludo Kingdom survived the invasion of the Faris Empire, and managed to obtain independence and recovered their self-government. That is a huge victory. 

This has never happened before. In the 7 years since the Faris Empire was founded, those greedy pigs have been increasing their territory with the successive wars, but to think they would lose against a small country. 

Of course everyone will be happy. 

I am as well.

But…

But you know…

The Faris Empire is an overwhelmingly big nation. 

"…Ara? Isn't that Captain?!" 

"Hm?" 

A young woman calls onto me who was walking the streets. Finally…the women of the Ludo Kingdom have overcome their shyness and have begun their advances? …Of course not. Thanks to my magic eye below my eyepatch, I could feel an unbelievable magic power after all.

There's no way the daughter of a commoner would have such gigantic magic power. They would have more homely skills like cooking and sewing. 

I turn around and call the name of my subordinate.

"…Loroka Sharnel, did you finish the field work?" (Solje)

"Yeah! Thanks to having received a whole lot of days off!" (Loroka)

Loroka says this with a smile.

This woman with a cute smile, gla.s.ses, and big b.o.o.bs is a member of our Banjar Mercenaries. Even within our crew of weirdos, she is quite the unique one. 

She wears a tribal-like coat made from fur and tree bark knitted by thread. It is unusual, right? It is the clothing of the northern tribe, Diaros. Well, the Diaros characteristic trait is not that though.

It is their horn. 

They call it the Crystal Horn, and this horn growing on their forehead is their racial trait. Even within the demi-humans, they are quite the rare type. If you go to the north, there's apparently a good amount of them, but the Diaros doing something in itself is rare. 

They supposedly have a secluded kind of culture.

"…Captain? Is something the matter? s.p.a.cing out like that." (Loroka)

"No, nothing. I was just fascinated by your b.o.o.bs and your beautiful horn." (Solje)

"Ahaha, that's s.e.xual hara.s.sment, so early in the morning." (Loroka)

"Right, sorry." (Solje)

But the horn s.h.i.+ning blue that is coming out from between her long golden hair is truly beautiful. It has a beauty that can bewitch you into staring. 

The golden hair of Loroka that reminds me of the wheat of my homeland, the blue residing in that horn which reminds me of the sky.

It is a blue as if it had been directly cut from the sky. It isn't strange for a dragon knight like me to get caught by the beauty of it, right? 

The woman Loroka Sharnel is an incredibly charming woman. 

I don't know what kind of life she has led when she was enclosed in the icy north. She is the type that doesn't talk much about her past. 

What I know is that…4 years ago, the female Diaros Scholar had escaped from the ice world on her own, pus.h.i.+ng her way through her family that wanted to stop her, with her ambition of 'wanting to learn more about the world'.

After that, this is something that usually happens to country b.u.mpkins but, she was targeted by slave traffickers, and was on the verge of being caught. 

…That's right, in her case, they couldn't catch her. A not so normal episode unfolded.

What in the world happened?

The Diaros, Loroka Sharnel, is deadly strong.

With the spear she carries, she freely controlled it and killed all the slave traffickers. I don't know much about the culture of the Diaros, but even a gentle person like her has a set of rules that when broken she snaps. 

Apparently, when a person other than their 'beloved' touch their horn…it is okay to kill that insolent person. 

The slave traffickers were about to touch her Crystal Horn with those dirty fingers of theirs. The traffickers probably didn't even expect that a gentle-looking girl like her would be able to stab a person with a smile on her face. They were all slaughtered in a few minutes. 

Even within the Banjar Mercenaries, Loroka is around the 5th in strength with her skill in martial arts alone. In other words, even if 5 or 6 people of the bunch were to attack her, they wouldn't even be worthy opponents. 

But well, there's rules within society. There's times when they are written in laws, but there's also rules that influential people use to get the advantage of others. 

Lorokchan wasn't in the wrong. It was justified self-defense. Slave traffickers attacking an unknowing person, of course they would get killed. But those traffickers were subordinates of an Empire n.o.ble. 

That was a problem. In retaliation for having his subordinates killed, the n.o.ble placed a big bounty on her. 

With several tens of soldiers chasing after her, even she would get tired. 

At that time, the usual Garf Cortez told me…

{That Diaros girl is interesting. A bounty on her, ya know?}

{She has a horn growing on her. Her skills are good, too. This kind of talent can't be found often.}

{…Okay! Let's go recruit her, Solje!}

When she was about to be caught by bounty hunters, Garf and I saved her. And then, in return, we had her join the Banjar Mercenaries. 

Aah, of course we didn't force her to join because of a debt of grat.i.tude, okay? It was the result of her deciding freely if she wanted to join. 

In the first place, she is a scholar that simply wants to travel around the world. A mercenary group that goes around battlefields here and there seems to have been a good workplace for her. At the very least, she hasn't complained about it. 

I have already checked with my magic eye that she doesn't feel any pain in her heart from fighting against Empire soldiers. The 'justice' in her heart must have settled the Empire, who oppress the demi-humans, as evil. She is skilled and shares the same justice as us. Also, she is a beauty. The best comrade, don't you think?

Ah, we are not simply using her. We also provide a variety of things to her. 

In the time we have been living together, she has learned about the culture in this side of the world, and has gotten common sense and knowledge. Even that intelligent Gandalla said: 'She is an erudite. In terms of the amount of knowledge, I can't match her at all'….that's how much of a literary woman she is. 

"…But you have gotten rounder." (Solje)

"Eh?! I-I haven't gotten fatter, okay? Not that much…!" (Loroka)

The curled up Loroka in front of me had misunderstood. Ah, I indeed might have said it in a way that could be easily misunderstood. Also…in the celebratory party prepared by her Majesty, our female members were stuffing their mouths with sweet things after all. It is natural that they would get fatter with that. 

My little sister Mia Mar Strauss who is in the middle of her growth period must have pa.s.sed the weight of an adult woman with that event. Riel is 17 years old… She is slender all-around, so getting a bit fatter wouldn't be bad. 

Lorokchan who is 24 years old, hm…seems to have gotten a bit fatter? She has a lewd body that easily gets fat. Good grief, she really does have big b.o.o.bs…but that's what makes it good!

"…I-I will go on a diet. If I ride on Byakuya, I will definitely… It will be a horseback diet." (Loroka)

"No, what I am saying is not the physical type. I am talking about the inside." (Solje)

"Huh? Did I get fat inside?" (Loroka)

"No, rounder." (Solje)

Because, that Loroka Sharnel is currently crouched in front of the Ludo children and letting them touch her Crystal Horn, you know?

For the sake of answering the pure curiosity of the children, she is allowing them to touch that sacred part of hers that's normally only allowed for their beloved to touch and she has a smile on her face. That's quite the growth. 

"Hmm, what is it you mean, Captain?" (Loroka)

"See, you are letting the children touch your horn." (Solje)

"Ah, so that's what you mean… For these kids, this is a rare sight after all. It is natural for them to want to touch it." (Loroka)

"It must be their first time seeing a Diaros." (Solje)

"Yeah. I don't feel any evil intent, so I can forgive them… Ah, listen well, you two, you can't touch the horn of the other Diaros without their permission, okay?" (Loroka)

Loroka warns the children that are touching her horn. Right, she must teach them that or one day there really might be unneeded blood spilled.

"Eh?" 

"What happens if we do touch it?" 

"They will get incre~dibly angry. That's why, be satisfied with just my horn!" (Loroka)

The Diaros raises her finger and emphasizes this. The obedient children respond energetically to Loroksensei.

"Yes!" 

"Understood, Loroksensei!!"

"Good! Nice answer!" (Loroka)

"Then, we have to go now~."

"Teach us again~." 

"Of course. Be careful when going back home!! Hey, properly look at the ground when running!!" (Loroka)

She sees off the children with a gleeful smile on her face. Seeing her like this, there's no way anyone would imagine that she is the woman who killed 100 skilled horseback soldiers at the war of before. 

But, 'sensei', huh. Loroka is a scholar, a seeker of knowledge. 

No matter the country she goes, she will always go to the library. And then, she would use her free days to speed read a ma.s.sive amount of books. It seems she has sent a number of thesis to the inst.i.tutions in the places.

The Diaros are apparently pa.s.sionate to learn.

They would dig up ancient ruins, have a lot of alchemy knowledge; quite the knowledgeable race. 

Of course, the 'touch my horn and I kill you' is a bit extreme, but they are mostly calm and composed demi-humans.

"…Hm? Loroka, your horn has a little bit of sand." (Solje)

"Eh? Aah, those children were also helping in the excavation investigation, so their hands must have had sand." (Loroka)

"Can I touch it too?" (Solje)

"Eh?" (Loroka)

"I have a handkerchief here, so I will wipe it for you." (Solje)

"Okay, go ahead." (Loroka)

The beauty narrows her eyes below those gla.s.ses and gives me her permission with a kind smile. 

"You really have gotten rounder, less sharp on the edges than before." (Solje)

I wipe her Crystal Horn with my handkerchief. A nice *kyu kyu* sound is made when I do that. It really is a beautiful horn. Rather than calling it a crystal, it feels more like a gem. There seems to be mana moving inside of it.

"At any rate, Captain, you are properly walking around with a handkerchief. I am impressed!" (Loroka)

"Nah, it is just that an old lady merchant gave it to me while I was walking around." (Solje)

"Oh my." (Loroka)

"It is apparently a good product made of silk. But the flower pattern makes it difficult for a fighting man to use. I will give it to you as a present, Lorokchan. Later, I will give you everything that wouldn't fit me." (Solje)

"Ahaha, thank you very much." (Loroka)

"Hmm, see, it looks a lot better now." (Solje)

"Seems so. Thank you, Captain." (Loroka)

Loroka stands up and spins in place. The spear at her back was close to hitting my nose, but I am used to it, so I properly pulled my head back and dodged it. 

Geez, you are already a grown up woman, so don't go spinning around like a child. 

But a big b.o.o.bed Onee-san who is naive and loves children. It is something that is on the verge of being extinct in this world. Fine, I can evade them all. Go ahead and spin to your heart's content with that spear on your back, Loroksensei.

"By the way, are you going somewhere?" (Loroka)

"On my way to the castle. Her Majesty called." (Solje)

"Oh my, love?" (Loroka)

"That would be funny, but it must be business." (Solje)

"Fumu, then, is it that?" (Loroka)

"…Hm? Do you know something?" (Solje)

"Yes, I heard from the merchants. There seems to be movement from the Empire army at the north." (Loroka)

"North, huh." (Solje)

"Seems to be at the Zakuroa region." (Loroka)

"Zakuroa. What a nostalgic name." (Solje)

"Nostalgic?" (Loroka)

"They were allied to my homeland, Garuna." (Solje)

"I see." (Loroka)

"When I was a child, Ares…ah, the grandfather of Zephyr, and my old man brought me there to play." (Solje)

"Is that so. Was it a good place?" (Loroka)

"We only went to the hot springs all the time. That's why those are all the memories I have of it." (Solje)

"Hot springs. Must be a nice place." (Loroka)

"If it is mixed bathing, it would be even better." (Solje)

"I don't mind cleaning your back as thanks for before." (Loroka)

"By a big b.o.o.bed beauty? That would be the best." (Solje)

I make a 'kukuku' laugh. Though we may be having some small talk here, but I am not laughing for real. Loroka has noticed that as well. As expected of an adult woman.

"…Will it be a war again?" (Loroka)

"…Might be. We won against a big opponent like the seventh division of the Empire army. That's good. It is good, but…they will definitely want to get back for that mess up." (Solje)

"And that is Zakuroa…" (Loroka)

"……That may be. They could be moving in some other place." (Solje)

"Right." (Loroka)

"To stop the Empire… This victory won't be enough." (Solje)

That's right, that's why I am not having fun from the bottom of my heart in this festive mood. Don't call me someone who can't read the mood. Fighting with the Faris Empire isn't anything small. 

Different from the Banjar Mercenaries who are gra.s.s flying with the wind, the Ludo Kingdom can't just go in hiding when the Empire attacks.  

Continuously protecting the dominion of the small country from the ambition of a major power? …That would be one h.e.l.l of a job.

"…Captain, can I also accompany you to the castle?" (Loroka)

"You? I thought you had little interest in politics though." (Solje)

"I have no interest in the political field, but…I have gotten students in this Ludo, so…I am worried. Whether this country can properly last." (Loroka)

"…I see. Having an intelligent person like you with me would be rea.s.suring." (Solje)

"I am glad to hear that." (Loroka)

"Now then, let's go, Loroka." (Solje)

"Yes, Captain Solje." (Loroka)

"Putting it bluntly, the current state of this country is incredibly bad." (Claris)

The queen of the Ludo Kingdom, Claris Elz Ludo, was sitting on the throne while showing a troubled expression.

Loroka and I were lined up in front of her. Thanks to our worries being right in point, our faces were clouded. Should I hide it from her Majesty? …No, it cannot be hidden from the wise queen.

"Please raise your heads, you two. I have simply said it to confirm the situation. There's no need to fake expressions or hide them to be considerate with me." (Claris)

"…Right." (Solje)

Loroka and I raise our heads. Claris was smiling. Aah, what kind of expression should I be making. I have a wry smile right now. As a dragon knight in front of the queen, my face is turning into one that wouldn't be called ideal. 

Loroka must be worried about the children from before, she asks Queen Claris.

"Your Majesty, is the situation that bad?" (Loroka)

I think it is quite the silly question. But it is kinda like her too. She is a scholar. It must be in her to prioritize confirming the facts. 

"Ara? The Banjar Mercenaries who have been fighting longer than me against the Empire should be able to know in more detail, right?" (Claris)

"T-That's…true, but I can't go as far as imagining the details of it." (Loroka)

"Yeah, you are right. They are currently on the watch. You know that your mercenaries have been dispatched to the defense departments in the respective areas with the cooperation of Strauss-dono to make a.s.sa.s.sin countermeasures, right?" (Claris)

That's right. What we have to be the most careful about in the current situation is a.s.sa.s.sins. There may not be many, but they are powerful. They could infiltrate Ludo and mess things up from the inside. 

It would take time to rebuild the destroyed seventh division, but dispatching a.s.sa.s.sins is easy. 

"Yes. I have been placed in the seventh unit of the national border guards and plan on going there a while after this." (Loroka)

"I see. We are on guard against a.s.sa.s.sins of the Empire. They will creep into our territory with small numbers and cut the organization to the ground… Our numbers are low. It would be especially effective." (Claris)

"…True. I heard that Riel-san and Misan brought down scouts of the Empire." (Loroka)

"Yeah, the scouts weren't a.s.sa.s.sins though. They are a real threat that will try to infiltrate Ludo stealthily. Their number one target will no doubt be me." (Claris)

Queen Claris wasn't changing the color of her face one bit. She is one strong woman. What a waste for someone like Sharon…

"…But I am not worried about myself. I believe in the brave warriors of Ludo, and…it may be a strange bodyguard, but I have 'Lamia'." (Claris)

"That's right!! Leave the protection of Claris to me!!" (Sharon)

The idiot who has been maintaining silence until now invades our conversation. A charming woman with light brown hair tied in a ponytail and amethyst color eyes…or so it looks, but that's a man. My friend and our bard, Sharon Doche-kun.

He is still cross-dressing. Just what is he thinking? …He must have some loose screws.

"Eh? Solje, what's the matter? Having your mouth open like that. That's uncouth, you know?" (Sharon)

"Nah, I am just amazed. Just how long are you going to stay like that?" (Solje)

"Till I get bored? Or till I perfect it?" (Sharon)

"What's the point of perfecting the path of the pervert?" (Solje)

"Eh? Understand the heart of a maiden and put it to full use in my love novel." (Sharon)

"A romance novel written by a pervert?" (Solje)

Sounds more like an ero one.

"Ufufu, Solje-dono, Lamia must have a secret scheme in her Lamia way. That's why I am allowing it." (Claris)

"Allowing, you say…" (Solje)

I feel like Claris is pus.h.i.+ng herself.

Well, having her sweetheart as a bodyguard while in drags. You could say it is dramatic. But when seeing it in person, it isn't that moving.

"Claris, polis.h.i.+ng yourself as a woman is a trouble of the young!!" (Sharon)

"Yeah, that might be true. Would you like to try having those troubles?" (Claris)

"…No, I am good." (Sharon)

"I see. When you feel like you are not good enough, tell me. I will polish you as a woman." (Claris)

…Queen Claris seems to really be angry at this pervert. There's no doubt Sharon is enjoying this Lamia act after all. 

Well, that does sound Sharon-like though.

But no matter if good or bad, this idiot is supporting Queen Claris who is being on the verge of being crushed by her heavy responsibilities. Like the weird and funny buffoon of the court? 

He is an idiot, but he is a skilled one, so he wouldn't be caught by surprise against an a.s.sa.s.sin. 

…Also, Lamia has a scheme of her own, huh…

Well, I can imagine it. Lamia has been changing little by little in this one week. He is slowly but surely getting closer to Claris Elz Ludo. 

Lamia is a bodyguard. He protects her with his swordsmans.h.i.+p. When that isn't enough, Lamia will most likely exchange places with her Majesty.

That's right, a body double. When an a.s.sa.s.sin has successfully infiltrated, this is the most reliable method. Act as the Queen and have the blade be directed at you. 

Quite the guts there, Sharon Doche. You look like a pervert, but you are a splendid bodyguard. 

"…Your Majesty, can I ask something?" (Loroka)

The scholar Loroksensei says this while looking straight at Queen Claris.

Nice, Loroka. We are the friends of Sharon, so we end up getting caught in his pace and end up delaying work. With a person like you who is disgusted by Sharon in a physiological level, we can really get things straight.

"What is it, Loroka Sharnel-san?" (Claris)

"…Your Majesty, you called Captain Solje. Wasn't it to tell Captain about a big job?" (Loroka)

"…Yeah, that's right. And so, what do you think that is?" (Claris)

Queen Claris returns a question with a question. She may have smelled intelligence from the expressions of Loroka. Loroksensei is the same as Gandalla, the brains of our mercenary group.

Queen Claris is seeing how useful of a chess piece Loroka is.

Looks like you are the one being tested this time, Loroksensei.

"…Strengthening the alliance. I think that's the only possibility." (Loroka)

"Yeah, that's right. And so, with where?" (Claris)

"Anywhere. Ludo Kingdom is in an overwhelming disadvantage. I don't think it is the time to be selective." (Loroka)

"…You are right. Fufufu, it was painful to lend Gandallsan elsewhere, but you have a good adjutant candidate here, Solje-dono." (Claris)

"Yeah, Loroka is reliable. She isn't that knowledgeable about war strategies, but in terms of plain brains, Gandalla himself has admitted that he is no match for Loroka." (Solje)

"…C-Captain…you are praising me too much." (Loroka)

Loroka was blus.h.i.+ng and fidgeting. That's why I move my head and avoid the spear once again. I feel like this habit of hers will one day hurt someone in the physical meaning. That's what you would call 'pointless bloodshed'.

Well, right now there's no need to consider that tragic possibility. There's other things to ask about. It is true that 'anywhere' is fine, but there's only one me.

"…And so, Your Majesty, what should I do in specific?" (Solje)

"There's a place I want Solje-dono to go to." (Claris)

"Where?" (Solje)

"I honestly have several places. But if we consider it in priorities, there's only one…the Zakuroa region." (Claris)

…How timely.

The information Loroka heard from a merchant has reached the ears of the Queen as well, huh. No, I won't take this reality in such a simple manner. 

For some reason, the merchants also told me a lot of 'rumours'. There existed a lot of candidates.

'It seems the Empire army is planning something at Gadolly.' 

'There's movements in Sheitol from the demi-human reunion.'

'A civil war seems like it will occur at the far west with the old Union side and the Faris side.'

As expected of the information network of merchants travelling the world. They seem to have obtained a ma.s.sive amount of information. 

But Loroka didn't 'simply hear' the ma.s.sive amount of information of the merchants. 

She heard it and a.n.a.lyzed their actions. 

She is not as good as Gandalla in predicting the movements of the army, but thanks to having travelled the world, she is knowledgeable about the topography.  

It must be easy for her to sort the information and put them together. She molded the movements of the whole Empire army and the topographical conditions into parts, and by fitting them, she must have armed a map of the current state of things in her mind. 

She calculated the place with the highest risk for the Ludo Kingdom. 

That's why the words of Loroka matched with the answer that was brought by the result of a council which had gathered the information of the Ludo Kingdom. Meaning that they both made reasonable decisions. That's how they ended with the same answer.

I am not so inclined to fate as to believe this is purely coincidence.

Seeing things where you shouldn't be able to. That is the essence of science. It is true that Loroksensei's field isn't military, but her brain is on a different level from that of the people that take the lead in those discussions.

"Fufufu, you two are not changing your expressions at all. You must have predicted this, Lorokdono." (Claris)

"Y-Yes, uhm, kinda…" (Loroka)

…Ah, her Majesty has concluded that I wasn't the one who did the a.n.a.lysis. Well, she is right, but it is a bit of a shock. I am fine, I am more about brawn than brains anyways.

Hm, that Sharon/Lamia, what's with that 'don't mind' expression? Don't take me for an idiot, okay? In terms of snap decisions, my instinct doesn't lose to you intelligent people. 

"I see, as expected of the literary woman who was worthy enough to get an invitation from the professors of the Felead Inst.i.tution." (Claris)

"N-No, how to say it, I am being over evaluated!" (Loroka)

"Solje-dono, if it is her, she should be able to serve as a subst.i.tute to Gandalldono." (Claris)

"…No, no one can subst.i.tute Gandalla." (Solje)

"Solje-dono?" (Claris)

"Captain Solje?" (Loroka)

"There's things only Gandalla can do, but that goes the same for Loroka and Sharon. There's no 'subst.i.tutes' within my crew." (Solje)

"…Fufufu…ahahahaha!!" (Claris)

For some reason her Majesty was laughing out loud with an expression like that of my mother. From time to time this person shows her true nature. She may look docile and intelligent, but the real Claris Elz Ludo is no doubt a rare amazoness.

"You really are good at grabbing the hearts of people, Solje Strauss." (Claris)

"Really? I am honored to have brought out a good laugh from your Majesty." (Solje)

"Ah, sorry. Fufu, but I can somewhat understand now why you are the leader of the Banjar Mercenaries." (Claris)

"It was the nomination of the previous captain though?" (Solje)

"I don't think your great mercenaries would move under the words of whoever, though." (Claris)

"…Well, that may be true." (Solje)

"C-Captain Solje is a great captain, you know!!" (Loroka)

Loroksensei said this with high tension. I am happy to be praised by my beautiful crewmate. Also, Sharon…stop acting as if you are moved to tears by putting both hands on your mouth and dampening your eyes. I feel like you are making fun of me there.

"Fufufu, thanks for the wholesome scene. Now then, Lorokdono." (Claris)

"Y-Yes!! What may it be, your Majesty?!" (Loroka)

"Is it okay to ask you to be Solje-dono's adjutant?" (Claris)

"U-Understood!! If Captain Solje isn't against it!" (Loroka)

"I am not. I welcome a reliable adjutant." (Solje)

Her Majesty is even holding the authority of my personnel. Well, we have formed an exclusive contract and received a large amount of coin, so I can't complain. 

Also, with Gandalla transferred to the Ludo Kingdom army's officer school, it is true that I would be troubled without a smart adjutant by my side. 

…Right, Gandalla is currently retraining the Ludo Kingdom army. Bravery and spirit alone won't be enough to maintain the national defence. 

General Gyarigan and his Behemoth are an incredible fighting force, but if they don't polish their strategic prowess, there's no future for the small country of Ludo.

The Empire army of Faris and the Barmoa Union army that could be said to be their predecessor. Gandalla who has been forcefully acting as a slave for both of those sides said that having information of the enemy will amplify the experience points of the Ludo Kingdom's army, and it would serve to advance the battle against the Empire army in a more efficient manner. 

Tacticians who are knowledgeable about the inner workings of the enemy are invaluable after all. Gandalla is first rate as a mercenary, but he would be able to get promoted really high if he were to choose the profession of tactician. 

This Ludo is a rare country that doesn't discriminate against demi-humans. If it is in this country, getting a palatial residence wouldn't be a dream for Gandalla. A palace residence of a giant huh…I feel like it would be humongous.

Well, he did say that he would return at once if I were to call, so it doesn't seem like he will become an exclusive tactician of the Ludo army though.

For now…it seems like I have business I must attend to, so I should focus on that rather than the promotion of Gandalla.

"Well then, Solje Strauss, I will entrust this to you." (Claris)

Her Majesty snaps her fingers and Lamia jumps to my front. He is completely the dog of the Queen. At least on the bed you should take the lead like a man, okay, Lamia?

"…Dragon knight-dono, this is the handwritten letter of her Majesty Claris-de gozaru." (Sharon)

"…Handwritten letter, huh." (Solje)

I take the letter that Lamia gave to me. Yeah, the royal family seal is there. It is obviously sealed and I can't read what's inside.

"…There's two though?" (Solje)

"Yeah, you know the political shape of the Zakuroa region, Solje-dono?" (Claris)

"I do. That place is the Kingless Land…in other words, a region formed by the alliance of several free cities." (Solje)

"That's right. This distant land has no king and no n.o.bles. The rulers are decided by the citizens and wealthy through elections in a parliament." (Claris)

"You are telling me to meet them? …But there's two." (Solje)

"Captain, the Zakuroa region is divided in two factions." (Loroka)

Loroksensei tells me. She blinks a number of times with those blue eyes of hers while looking intently at my right eye. She seems to be concentrating a lot, my second adjutant. 

"The first one is represented by Vas.h.i.+r Nova, the Western Zakuroa Blood and Iron Alliance. The other one is represented by Julian Laichi, the East Zakuroa Trade Alliance." (Loroka)

"The Trade Alliance aside…what is the Blood and Iron Alliance?" (Solje)

What a strict sounding name. I don't dislike it though.

"They were originally one, Solje-dono." (Claris)

"Your Majesty?" (Solje)

"Novsan is the General of Zakuroa's knights, and Laichi is a great merchant." (Claris)

"In other words, they are the leaders of the military and commerce of Zakuroa respectively." (Solje)

"That's right, Captain. The difference in their styles created a rift between the two." (Loroka)

"A rift, huh." (Solje)

The difference in values between a merchant and a knight. They must be pretty big. The issue is just how problematic of a land it is. 

Her Majesty continues on the stead of Loroka. A double lesson between a beautiful crew member and the queen, what better way to learn.

"Yeah, in the turbulent era it was something common, but…when the people were about to be ruled by a large country, people took two different choices. Knights chose battle; merchants chose obedience." (Claris)

"I see. Novsan wished to battle the Empire with the knights…while Laichi-san agreed to the threat of the Empire, huh." (Solje)

"That's how it is. Both choices are bitter. Neither can be denied. But our Ludo Kingdom decided to battle. I want to realize an alliance with the Blood and Iron knights of Novsan." (Claris)

"Hmm, so one is a letter for Novsan and…this one?" (Solje)

"Want to ally with anyone. That's the thought of her Majesty, Captain." (Loroka)

"…Are you telling me to convince Laichi-san too, your Majesty?" (Solje)

"That's right. The negotiations with Novsan should be easy." (Claris)

"Right, he does sound like someone that I could get along with. However, it will be difficult with Laichi-san." (Solje)

"That's where you show what you've got." (Claris)

"…As in, a.s.sa.s.sination as well?" (Solje)

My words shook Loroka. Yeah, figures. She is a sharp girl, but she is not a military kind of girl, but more of the logical kind. Of course you would react like that when you hear such a talk. 

But her Majesty's smile didn't crumble. She was smiling kindly together with Lamia.

"No, I didn't say that." (Claris)

…So she is leaving it under my judgment.

As expected of her Majesty Claris. She gives me the good kind of s.h.i.+vers. It is the bad habit of the Strauss family. We get attracted by the scary and strong. 

"…Of course, if we can resolve it in a peaceful way, there won't be any problems." (Claris)

"It would be difficult. Merchants move by profit." (Solje)

"Yeah, but the dice has already been rolled. Ludo needs the power to fight." (Claris)

That's right. This is already in a stage where we can't worry about good or evil. The biggest hegemony of the world, the Faris Empire, is going to go in a full-on war against this small country of Ludo. At this rate, Ludo will surely lose.

That's why we have to form this bloodstenched alliance —however the means.

"…Understood. Novdono and Laichi-dono, I will make sure they both receive these letters." (Solje)

"I am counting on you, Solje Strauss. My dragon knight." (Claris)

"Those words are wasted on me, your Majesty." (Solje)

I knelt right there, and Loroka hurriedly did the same.