The progress of the joint meeting between the heraldry and Gazalia was quite smooth.

　Largd-Anne's expression and demeanor were a bit stiff, but she was carrying on as usual, and more importantly, the presence of Saint Mattia, the representative of the heraldic religion, and Finn-Eldis, the queen of Gazalia, at the same time made the meeting function smoothly.

　If this were an exchange of messengers, it would take days or even weeks to come up with a single compromise. The reason for this is that both sides have to confirm with each other what they are willing to concede and what is the extent of the authority granted by the sovereign.

　If you think about the fact that you have to send a messenger on a fast horse or draw up a formal document to your lord for the confirmation, a person like me is almost dizzy from the trouble.

　At any rate, for someone like me, who used to hold strategy meetings at so-called favelas and mercenary gatherings, group decisions are decided on the spot or by gambling. It is not something to be done with a great deal of advance planning or information gathering.

　Because of this experience, I was looking at the meeting between the two forces with a kind of admiration in my eyes. Unbeknownst to me, a sigh almost rose to my throat, but I forced it down.

　The other attendees, Caria and Fialaert, seemed to interrupt what was being said from time to time, but I didn't really feel like doing so.

　The reason is that the battles I've been involved in have been small-scale battles between troops at best, and I wasn't sure if my opinion would be of any use in a big battle where the forces were fighting each other.

I was not sure if my opinion made any sense in such a big place where forces were battling each other.

　Bruder, who was sitting near the end of the table as I was, spoke in a small voice, sounding embarrassed.

　I'm not sure what to make of it, but I think it's a good idea.

　But even if he asks, I only have a little knowledge that I've accumulated during my travels in the past. The amount of knowledge I have is not so different from Bruder's, I think.

I don't think the knowledge content is that different from Bruder's. "......, I don't care if the end of the word is right or wrong.

　This is also something that only Bruder can hear. This is also a voice that only Bruder can hear.

　The Archdiocese, that is, the Garleist Kingdom and the allied forces of the surrounding countries, are organizing their forces with the walled city of Galuamaria as their target.

　Normally, it would have been easier to invade the mercenary city of Belle Fain or the Hanging Gardens of Ghazalia first, but with the name of the Great Satanic Church and the goal of destroying the Old Ones, that's not going to happen. Pretense is always convenient but troublesome.

　The size of their army far exceeds the combined forces of the heraldry and Gazaria. If they were to fight each other seriously, it would be a battle between a dragon and a man. There's no way you can win. You'll be swept away by the enemy's every breath and shot dead by their gaze.

　So there's no way to win," says Bruder, his lips wagging as if he were talking to someone else. Bruder sits shallowly in his chair, now holding a large hat with a rim.

It would be a lot easier if God could perform a miracle.

　If you ask me if there is a chance of winning, I can't do anything but look bitter and let my face cloud over. If the Great Satan descends on you as a perfect dragon, it is impossible. I don't think I can find a way to win.

　Therefore, the only way to win is to break the dragon's footsteps. The only way is to repeat what we did in Belle Fain.

　The Great Sacred Faith is a large religion with a scale that can swallow up the great kingdom of Garleist and the surrounding small countries. With such a large scale, the Great Sacred Church cannot possibly be a simple structure that can be solidified into a monolith.

　It is divided into countless factions, including many smaller ones.

　The two largest of these are the secularists, who believe that the best way is to mix with the secular world, and the idealists, who believe that the original ideals of the Great Saints should be pursued at all costs.

　Most noblemen belong to one or the other, and their relationship is not very good. In the beginning, they may have been mutually beneficial, but now it is customary for them to pull each other's leg.

　In addition to that, there are nobles who ostensibly talk about their faith in the Great Saints, but hold on tightly to their old faith, and the organization of the Great Saints is like all kinds of beasts eating each other's flesh. For now, it appears as if it is united because it has a unified enemy in the form of the heraldry, but inside it is a horrible disaster.

　This is the dragon's vital point that should be targeted, Ann, the facilitator of the meeting, said passionately.

　--We must win tactical victories against the ideologues, who are oriented toward the main battle, and strategic victories against the secularists and old church nobles, who are oriented toward the non-war.

　It is not necessary to win all battles and all enemies. The saint Mattia said, as if taking in Anne's words, that if you put all your strength into the battlefield where the main warring factions wield their fangs, and achieve only one tactical victory, you can gradually break their footsteps. The eyes seem to be somewhat less relaxed than usual.

　In other words, it's a backward step. It's a painful choice, like forcing yourself to swallow molten iron, abandoning all-out victory from the start.

　And let's say the action works, and you get through this one time. But when the cold season is over, the main warriors will sprout up again anyway. And this time, the same methods won't work. So this must be just a strategy to buy time.

　I said that the inside of the Daishonikyo is a disaster, but it's just as bad here. The inside of the organization is still fragile and the military buildup is still insufficient. The only thing we can do now is to brace ourselves and endure the cold wind that is blowing.

　But Mattia, who puts calculation and reason first more than anyone else, says that we should bide our time. Then there is no other choice, is there? If only the catastrophe that once struck the land at the end of the Evangelical War would happen here and now, the situation might be different.

　Suddenly, a pain flashed through my brain as if it were a wound. I felt a kind of inexplicable anxiety crawling up from the depths of my guts. I squinted my eyes and broke a few fingers. My other hand rubbed the back of my neck unconsciously.

　--That's weird. For some reason, the years don't add up. Maybe I'm misremembering.

　As I was tilting my head lightly like that, I suddenly noticed that the air in the whole room was sinking quietly.

　I'm not sure if I'm remembering correctly or not, but I'm pretty sure I'm wrong.

"Lugis, did you hear what I said?

　In the mysterious silence, Erdis says, tilting his head.

　I blinked my eyelids a few times and returned my gaze to Erdis, wondering what she was talking about.

　In all honesty, I'd already decided that I wasn't going to be asked to speak at this meeting, so I paid little attention to what was going on around me.

　I noticed that all the eyes around me were on me. Ann's, Mattia's, Kalia's, and Fiala's eyes were all on me as well. I wonder if it's my imagination that their eyes have a tendency to look right through me.

　No, it's not my imagination. I can even feel the pressure in that gaze.

　Erdis cowered in disgust and opened his lips again. Just before I heard the words, my fingertips felt numb.

So you will be joining the troops as a knight of Gazalia in the war against the Great Patriarchate. For this reason, I hope so too.



　Oh, I see what you mean.

　I'm glad we're not talking about complicated tactics and strategies. Then we already have all the answers. I open my lips, which have grown a little heavy, and clear my throat once to keep my voice in order, and say.

"No, I've already decided on a role. I guess I'm a mercenary of the heraldry now. I've already decided on my role.

　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

　The expression on Erdis's face was curious, truly curious. She looked as if to say, "What the hell are you talking about? Her lips quivered gently.

　--Rougis, you're supposed to be my knight, aren't you?

　You can see Erdis's blue eyes gleam as if they were reflecting a dull light at the moment he said that.