The cavalry of the elf race has a notorious reputation.
Even though they are currently under the Empire’s control, they are still one of the top things the Empire is always wary of.
With agility that fits the saying “blink and you’ll miss it” and seasoned horseback combat abilities.
Armed with nothing but inadequate armor and short spears, they boast combat power comparable to knights, and considering that elves are depicted as being friendly with horses, training cavalry is easy. They are just openly a cheat-like unit.
While humans take years to find someone with outstanding talent and train them, arming them with expensive armor just to barely create a low-level knight, elves are on a completely different level.
So, if we were to face them head-on in the field, humans could never win.
Even bringing the Imperial Army in legion size might not guarantee a win against them.
But we had no reason to engage with them at all.
If we hold out within this fortress, all advantages of their cavalry would be nullified.
With the water source and food all inside, we had absolutely no reason to go out.
“Open the door.”
“Y-yes? Did I hear incorrectly?”
The flustered knight asked me back.
Realizing his mistake, he bowed his head and began to tremble.
“I-I’m sorry! I think I might have misheard. Allow me to confirm the order again, Your Excellency. Did you say to open the front gate?”
“Yes. That’s correct.”
“I-I will open it······.”
The knight hesitated, stuttering as he finished his response.
The front gate cannot be opened without Damien’s permission.
Since he didn’t waste time asking for Damien’s consent, it seemed he was rather sharp.
I should live life like that guy.
“That could’ve been said verbally. There’s no need for all that…”
“Why? Are you scared?”
“Why would I be scared? This is the elven cavalry unit of our people.”
“That’s true.”
Serika, standing next to me, crossed her arms and rolled her eyes repeatedly.
It seemed she wasn’t too happy about being pulled out of a comfortable hotel for this.
Still, I was glad I could enlist Serika’s cooperation.
Whether she was pretending to cooperate or being sincere, I was grateful she wasn’t rampaging and was behaving moderately.
Soon, the huge front gate began to slowly open, revealing the vast sandy expanse.
I cleared my throat and deployed a spell.
An amplification spell, so my voice would reach even the distant tent.
“If you want to talk, you will come that way! Attendance is limited to representatives! And the translator!”
That was all I wanted to convey.
I gestured for the doors to be closed immediately, and the knight, unable to hide his flustered expression, instructed the soldiers to close them.
Serika looked just as bewildered.
“I thought we were going to the elven camp······?”
“Are you crazy? Why would I go all the way there?”
“Then why did you bring me?”
“I need to show that you’re safe. You’re bait. Top-notch bait.”
“······.”
I waved the bait in front of them.
It was a blatant bait, the kind that, even if they knew it, they couldn’t resist.
They would soon lower their heads and come.
No, they had to.
Now, all that was left was to wait.
“Okay, now go back to the hotel. A soldier will guide you.”
“Huh? Is this it? Am I supposed to go back into the cage?”
“Yep.”
“N-no! I want to breathe some fresh air too! Hey! Schlus Hainkel! Please!”
As I waved my hand, the soldiers grabbed Serika’s arms and dragged her away.
Staying holed up in the hotel is better than wandering outside.
Of course, this was all for Serika.
*
It didn’t take long at all.
Only two hours after the notice, people from the elven camp came and knocked on the door.
They had brought a couple of large wagons, but since I only permitted two representatives and a translator, I sent the rest back.
By now, they were probably undergoing body searches.
– Boss? It seems to be an emergency.
“What do you mean emergency? It isn’t even an emergency.”
– It might just be my misunderstanding······.
Just then, a suspicious voice flowed through the communication magic.
It was Jin’s voice.
Jin, who was currently infiltrating the elven allied forces camp.
“What is it?”
– The one who went to the development area. The chieftain of the Sek tribe. It seems he has an explosive artifact.
“He seems to have? Isn’t that a little vague?”
– Ah! What do you want me to do if I’m not certain! I just finished interpreting it, but only parts of it! There were definitely aspects resembling an explosion spell. It’s certain it’s an explosive artifact or some spell contained in an artifact that’s been improved.
This was a more serious matter than I expected.
Those guys, based on some Middle Eastern motifs, were probably planning a bomb attack here too.
“How did you confirm the spell?”
– I had a moment when the artifact opened. I caught a glimpse of only parts but·····.
“Then you should’ve discharged it then. You received that much money and you still want to work so passively? Aren’t you a professional?”
– No, it was only 3 seconds! What could I have done in that time!
“That’s enough. Three seconds is.”
– I’m sorry! I’m not as quick as some! I just finished interpreting and you’re hurling such nonsense, really!
“Sigh······.”
When they were enemies, they seemed so ridiculously competent.
Now that they were allies, I couldn’t tell if they were trying to mess around or genuinely incompetent, but they sure felt completely useless now.
So this is how the Crow operated, getting astronomical sums of money for such work.
I should’ve just become a Crow.
“Your Excellency. The body search is complete. We will soon let the chieftain of the Sek tribe and the translator in.”
“How was the search result?”
“There was nothing unusual.”
“Understood.”
The soldier opened the door slightly to inform me and then closed it again.
No artifacts were found during the body search, huh.
It wasn’t the soldiers’ fault.
If someone determined to hide something, detecting an artifact wasn’t easy.
Artifacts, by nature, use a “box” that lets no mana ripple escape, and the spell contained within is formatted to prevent outside interference, much like an internal circuit.
It had to be extremely small or concealed as part of a costume.
If it were that size, the explosive power wouldn’t be massive, but for now, I decided to remain cautious.
*Creeeak…*
“Hello. Nice to see you again, Schlus Hainkel Your Excellency.”
As the door opened, a familiar face popped out.
It was the middle-aged elf I saw at the banquet last time.
The chieftain of the Sek tribe.
His name was Mahmed, right?
What was pleasant was that even though he brought a translator, he was speaking the Imperial common tongue haltingly.
His demeanor towards me was completely different from when he was facing Damien.
“It’s a pleasure. Please have a seat, Mahmed.”
“Very well.”
The translator, looking somewhat awkward, entered alongside Trie, who stood behind me.
If any sudden situation arose, Trie would surely react faster than I could.
When I focus my agility on ‘Selection and Concentration’, only then do I match up, and outside of that I’m far behind Trie.
“Your welcome was rather extravagant for a simple invitation, wasn’t it? Haven’t you overdone it?”
“Hahaha… It seems I ended up combining a welcome for you, Your Excellency.”
“Honestly, it’s quite the spectacle for me. Watching the cavalry perform dazzling maneuvers during their training felt like a treat to my eyes. I wholeheartedly wish it would continue every day.”
I was sincere.
I didn’t care how long these elf money-spending displays lasted.
Being tense and on guard was all something Damien had to manage.
Quickly disbursing salaries to the hastily recruited soldiers was also a job for Damien.
“But one thing worries me: will your elven battle mages not consume all the hay? If you’d like to prevent them from slaughtering the horses due to hay shortages later, I think it would be a good time to turn back now… But surely you are all aware of that.”
“Yes, of course we know well. None of us desire this situation to drag on. We are simply striving to achieve a certain goal. Do you know a woman named Serika?”
Finally, the main point had arrived.
I slightly smiled and stared at Mahmed.
“I know. She’s a marvelous dancer. Moreover, she was even more impressive in bed.”
“Se, Serika. Serika Aias, is someone our elves hold in great esteem. I am aware of the mistakes she has made. If you desire just compensation, I will gladly pay it in her stead, so please, would you consider releasing her?”
“A person you hold in greatness… Wouldn’t that be the king of Aias? What has his daughter done to earn such respect?”
“T-that is—”
“Let me correct you. Serika is a royal perfectly suitable to be your puppet. Am I wrong?”
“······.”
Mahmed’s gaze began to waver.
It seemed that my trash talk, devoid of courtesy and embellishment, caught him off guard.
What sort of nation has this kind of guy in a high position, making him so bewildered?
But there was no need to worry.
This place was completely surrounded by a barrier.
“That is… absolutely not…”
“Stop being so dense. Well, I’ll ramble on as I please. Serika has turned down countless offers of help. I don’t know whether it’s determination or stubbornness in reconstructing the Kingdom of Aias, but… however, now that Serika is in my hands. With a word from me, she would be willing to cooperate with you. She could help unify the elves’ will.”
“Is that true? How did you persuade the princess?”
“······.”
“You didn’t persuade her, did you…?”
Mahmed’s face turned ashen.
But I really just persuaded her with words.
I wasn’t sure how he interpreted my silence, but he seemed convinced nonetheless.
That was good enough.
“What do you want in exchange for that?”
“An alliance.”
“An alliance… what do you mean…?”
Mahmed’s eyes narrowed.
He looked as if he was questioning whether I was serious.
“Strictly speaking, it’s a non-aggression treaty.”
“Eh…?”
Mahmed’s voice began to sound increasingly bizarre.
He clearly didn’t know what I was getting at.
And it was understandable.
An alliance between humans and elves.
That was something impossible without a common enemy and no shared goals.
Alliances with the subhumans were possible since humans didn’t have deep-seated grudges against them.
But what about between elves and humans?
The hatred ingrained in their genes was so intense they had no choice but to detest one another.
As viewed from the human’s side, if one wants to survive, one must control the massive oasis and shake down the elves.
From the elf’s perspective, having lost the fertile lands, they had no choice but to be dragged around by humans, so how could they not hate them?
An alliance could be forced, however.
Sure, but it was nothing more than a piece of paper.
In front, they’d laugh and smile, but whenever there was an opportunity, they’d stab each other in the back, it would all be meaningless.
Even Tiltitz, who had upheld a peace treaty for thousands of years, betrayed us in a moment’s notice, so could the elf race not do the same?
An alliance between elves and humans?
Let me repeat, a real alliance was absolutely impossible.
Not without a common enemy, not without a common goal.
“What is the purpose of that alliance… Do you want to station the Imperial Army in the desert?”
“Then would you be able to sleep easy, resting at night?”
“Haha, that’s true.”
“I seek to summon the elves into a joint war.”
“A joint war…?”
“Against the Majins.”
“······!”
Mahmed’s eyes widened.
And, the timing couldn’t have been better.
*Boom!*
“What was that? What just happened?”
“······.”
A loud explosion echoed from outside.
It seemed the worst attack about to plunge the development area into chaos had already begun.
