“Jin. Additional duty.”
– What is it?
The job has finally hit the fan.
Of course, I had anticipated this.
I expected it… but I didn’t foresee the scale being this big.
” infiltrate the Elf Alliance forces. Try to get as close to the Commander in Chief as possible.”
– Hmm… It’s a bit too high in difficulty, isn’t it?
As soon as I heard Jin’s trademark chuckling voice, my anger skyrocketed.
I turned my head and saw soldiers sprawled out on the first floor of the residence.
Widening my sight a little more, I witnessed countless spears rising from the barricade surrounding the Development Area.
The whole Development Area was tense.
Beyond that, a kilometer away on the plains, there were countless tents of the Elf Race.
And there were hundreds of cavalry patrolling the area nonstop…
I couldn’t know the exact number, but at least 8,000 Elf cavalry were gathered right in front of the Development Area.
“So, can we do it or not?”
– Sure, we can do it. But it’s going to cost a fortune…
“Five million Tirion.”
– Huh? You’re asking for this much while risking lives?
“Six million.”
– Huh. Our boss is a bit stingy—
“If you don’t like it, forget it.”
– Aah! Okay! Six million! Yeah! That’s reasonable!
My head started throbbing.
I got scammed in a way that didn’t even make sense.
But now wasn’t the time to worry about money, so I decided to keep my anger in check.
“So, when do you think we can infiltrate?”
– Huh? I’m already in their camp?
“······.”
It seems like I’m not very good at keeping my anger in check.
I felt like rushing over to the Elf Alliance and yanking Jin by his hair.
He knew I would make him work and prepared ahead of time, then he scammed me into paying a ridiculous amount…
I was incredibly annoyed, but there was no way to deal with it right now.
There was no one else as suitable as Jin to gather information and contain the enemy.
He knew that too, which is why he could be so carefree.
Once the contract is over, I’ll have to stab Jin in the chest and crush his dantian.
If I leave it alone, the stress will drive me to an early grave.
“Ah! Your Excellency!”
As the door opened, Damien turned around excitedly with a beaming face.
He genuinely looked happy to see me.
He approached quickly as if to embrace me, then cleared his throat and withdrew his outstretched arms.
“What’s the situation?”
“It seems the Elf chieftains have all united. As a result, they have positioned a cavalry force estimated to be around 10,000 right in front of the Development Area.”
“All of them? Not a single one missing?”
“Well… yes. That’s correct…”
Damien lowered his head, looking apologetic.
After all, it was his role to throw bait and cause divisions amongst the Elf tribes.
But this was beyond his control.
They had no intention of being united for ages anyway.
They simply wanted to stir up a ruckus and put on a show.
In other words, this meant that Serika’s presence was significant enough to temporarily unite the Elf Race.
“What are we doing to respond?”
“For now, we are maintaining silence until a messenger arrives from their side.”
“Any signs of attack?”
“Not yet, but it could be a deception, so we are on high alert.”
“If attacked, what’s the likelihood of falling?”
“Absolutely none. I don’t usually say this, but with that force, we’re completely fine.”
This wasn’t just bravado.
Even with all the soldiers and police forces in the Development Area combined, it barely reached 10,000, but that was more than enough.
This place was a natural stronghold that once withstood the assault of 100,000 Elf troops.
And now, with the thick barricades set up in every district, it was practically impossible to be breached.
As long as the commanders don’t go nuts and turn their swords against us…
“Your Excellency! Duke! The messenger has arrived!”
“······!”
Just then, Atatürk opened the door and shouted.
Sending a messenger after just one hour of stand-off.
Talk about being early.
“Let them in.”
“Yes, we’ll do that.”
Soon, a messenger dressed in traditional Elf attire strolled down the corridor slowly.
To me, it looked as if he was wrapped in a white blanket, but I couldn’t say that out loud.
The messenger stood before us, bowed, and then slowly parted his lips.
“I come on behalf of the chief of the Sekh tribe.”
“What? What did he say?”
Damien, confused, looked around.
What the messenger said was none other than in the Elf language.
An Elf messenger speaking in the Elf language to the Duke of the Development Area…
They really want to escalate the situation.
“The chief wishes to talk.”
“······.”
Damien’s face hardened.
It felt as if the air in the room had turned icy cold.
Every time the messenger spoke, Atatürk translated it into the Imperial language.
Of course, since I had my ‘translation’, it was like I was hearing it twice.
“The Regent of the Freya Empire Federation and the Duke of the Freya Empire Federation’s Development Area would like you to come to our camp for negotiations.”
“What the hell? Are they asking us to go over there?”
“······.”
“Throw this guy out.”
As soon as Damien’s order was given, the soldiers grabbed the messenger’s arms and dragged him out.
Even as he was being pulled away, the messenger glared at Atatürk with fierce eyes.
That gaze held evident hostility.
A hostility that was much stronger than that directed towards us humans.
“It’s as if they want to just sit there in silence until we arrive, isn’t it?”
“Looks like that.”
“Let’s see how long they can hold out in that wasteland, shall we?”
Unable to contain his excitement, Damien stood up abruptly.
From the amount of sweat, it was clear he was furious.
And who could blame him?
He was gathering troops and preparing for ‘some incident’ when the Elves suddenly swooped in, trying to deplete his military.
“Talking sounds like a good idea.”
“Yeah, well, it would be good for both of us if we can withdraw our armies. But how—”
“We need to wave some bait.”
“Are you suggesting… Your Excellency, are you suggesting Serika—”
“That’s the idea.”
“No way!”
Damien shook his head violently.
“Absolutely not, Your Excellency. While I won’t quibble about your personal treatment of a prisoner, giving up Serika would be the worst move possible.”
“I’m not saying we’ll give her up. Just wave the bait.”
“Ah…”
We definitely need to pull them into a negotiating table, right?
I, of course, wouldn’t mind if the standoff dragged on.
On the surface, that is.
Truthfully, I really wanted to sit down face to face with that chief as soon as possible, but at least that’s what I had to appear to Damien.
So I had to play nice and pretend to be generous.
If I gave off the impression that I was in a hurry, it would all go south.
“Then I’ll ask you to summon the chiefs…”
“But let’s have a solo meeting.”
“Yes. Of course… what? Hahaha. Did I mishear something?”
“I said I would meet the chiefs alone.”
“······.”
Damien’s mouth slowly gaped open.
His expression was neither angry nor surprised; it was something indescribably strange.
Does one act this way when they are treated beyond their imagination?
The Duke of the Development Area being absent from negotiations against forces that showed their force, I found it absurd.
Of course, there was a reason for my decision.
I couldn’t leak all secrets in front of someone like Damien whom I didn’t completely trust.
“Your response has been quite slow. I’ll take it as a positive sign.”
“······.”
I turned my back on Damien.
If I kept looking at him, I might unconsciously say some apology.
I’m so kind-hearted that I found it too painful to deliberately do something bad.
“Your Excellency!”
“Have you changed your mind?”
Just before I passed through the door, Damien’s loud voice stopped me.
“No. I’ll leave it to you, but there’s just one thing I want to ask.”
“Go ahead.”
“This situation… did you orchestrate it?”
“······.”
Damien asked me with a blank expression.
While Damien remained calm, Atatürk looked panicked beside him.
That was definitely crossing the line.
But I’ve crossed lines a few times myself, so I decided to let this cute provocation slide.
“It seems the Duke is overestimating me. I’m no deity; how could I gather 10,000 Elf cavalry?”
“······.”
“I believe you’re not genuinely asking that. If there are still questions, direct them to the Imperial Palace. I’m sure Your Majesty would have more precise answers to the Duke’s inquiries.”
“Oh, no!”
Damien turned pale and responded urgently.
What a guy with a variety of expressions!
With that, I swiftly left the room toward the hotel where Serika was detained.
“Erica. Are you all set?”
– Yeah… almost?
I contacted her, feeling a bit anxious, and that was her reply.
Almost? What am I supposed to take from that?
– But are you really sure? Can we pull her in with this?
“Absolutely.”
– But this is a bit…
“Why does ‘no’ always come at the start of your sentences?”
– No, it’s not that… Ugh, again. No… This… okay. I’ll go with Schlus’ plan.
Erica sighed deeply as she replied.
She sounded resigned.
– I get it now.
“What do you mean?”
– Why you never tell me the details of your plans. It’s because I can never seem to believe them like this.
“Right?”
– But everything always seems to unfold the way you planned it… Ugh. It’s such a weird feeling.
“······.”
Some of what she said was right, but some was wrong as well.
It was true things always turned in my favor, but not everything went according to my plan.
I was just insisting that everything went according to my plan because it turned out well.
It seems Erica still had quite a fantasy about me.
– Are you really sure?
“Absolutely.”
I had to at least pretend to be confident.
If I started getting wobbly saying, ‘Uh, it might not work out…’ then things would definitely fall apart.
– I’m so nervous, Schlus.
“I’m nervous too.”
– Luring the Majin with this and intercepting them… Ugh…
I could hear Erica’s deep sigh resonating in a low tone.
But her throbbing feelings were well communicated.
I understand.
I’m just as tense.
Here we would strike the Majin.
That was my plan.
