--I'm gonna go check on Philos. What, as a souvenir for his employer?

　Blending into the back streets of the city of Philos, Bruder furrowed his brow in self-loathing, wondering why he had said what he had.

　Was it out of pity that he couldn't jump into the danger of his employer? Or perhaps it was because he wanted to gain an advantage in negotiations as a mercenary. Bruder flexed his fingers tightly as he held the long hand in his hand.

　No, no. I'm just running away. Bruder had a fragmented understanding of the complex emotions that lurked within him.

　In other words, he just didn't want to face his employer, Lugis. That's why he couldn't go in and help him like Vestaline did, and then he fled into the city of Philos, avoiding face-to-face contact. He forced himself to use a plausible reasoning such as reconnaissance.

　The reason why he didn't want to see her was simple.

　I didn't want to be seen as a cheap woman, and more importantly, I was of little use to my employer during the turmoil in Belle Fain. I had been hired, but instead of living up to his expectations, I had been rescued many times. Whether it was reconciliation with Vestalines or vengeance on Mordor, it was all done by him.

　Yes, that's true. I've been rescued by my employer many times, and I haven't been able to return any of it.

　I have been rescued many times by my employers and have not been able to give anything back to them. I am not ashamed to say that I would like to be hired again without any gifts. My sister, Vestaline, is good. She has the leadership skills to lead Belle Fain's mercenaries and the military prowess to be called the Steel Princess.

　But what about you? But what about you? You're not even close to Vestalinu in throwing power. And now, what if... What if your employer welcomes Vestalines, but turns a cold shoulder to you? What if he treats me like an add-on to Vestalines?

　I would be at a loss as to what to do. I wouldn't be able to say a word to my employer.

　Shameful. It's beyond pathetic. I'm sure I'm causing Vesterine to worry for nothing. After all, we had entered Philos with little explanation.

　As darkness began to cover the sky, Bruder finally began to stretch out his arms and legs. The hat he always wore was too unsuitable for scouting. For today, he kept his long brown hair in a single bun and let it drift in the air.

　Despite the fact that they had made a clear break with the heraldry during the day, the security system of the city of Philos was quite sloppy. There seemed to be a number of guards on patrol, but they were just wandering around without much warning. This level of security was more than enough to keep Bruder on the move.

　Bruder blinks a few times, then runs his legs and jumps from shadow to shadow on the street corner. I've done similar things many times when I was a lone mercenary. This is easy to do. And unlike those days, I don't seem to be losing my breath. I wonder if the fact that I got out of the habit of drinking heavily has helped.

　At any rate, I've come here out of selfishness. Bruder wet his lips, not wanting to leave until he had some useful information. If possible, it would be best if he could return with the head of the main enemy figure.

　--Roseau, as his employers called him.

　Narrowing his eyes, he clicks his wrist while holding the long needle tightly in his hand.

　Needle firing is a technique originally intended for assassination. So let's go back to the basics. In the first place, it was unsuitable for me to be a mercenary, to do war work for a living.

　I'll admit it now. I will make my employer understand that I am worth hiring, that I am worth keeping around.

　Let him die for that.

　The canine teeth in Bruder's mouth were strangely sharp and gleaming.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇


　The ruler's chair, placed at the far end of the office. I don't know how long it's been in use, but it has some ornate decorations and thick cushions attached to the chair.

　As he sat down in it, which should have been Philos-Treit's seat, Roseau closed his eyes and looked up. It's not as comfortable as I thought it would be, he sniffed. Surely, Philos-Treit must have thought the same thing. I'm sure Philos-Treit must have thought the same thing, though she probably didn't care about the comfort of the chair from the start.

"Master Roseau, may I?

　The clerk called out to Roseau, who seemed to be resting, in a reserved manner. Lozeau responded with a slight tilt of his chin without much reaction, and listened.

　The subject was simple. We do not have enough soldiers, food, or manpower to fight against the heraldry. Without the support of the High Holy Church, we will not be able to hold out much longer.

"Mr. Roseau, when will the priest's support arrive?

　Interrupting the clerk's words, Roseau opened his mouth. He seemed to be saying that he was not really interested in what the clerk had to say.

It'll take a while. Until then, you must endure at all costs. Do you mind?

　That's all he said, matter-of-factly. The clerk looked puzzled, but he cleared his throat and continued.

It's simple. If there are not enough men, let the old men and children carry spears. If you don't have enough rations, get them from the nearby villages. The same goes for manpower.

　Roseau said, a smile plastered on his cheek. The clerk's eyes widen for a moment, and then he lets the words slip out. The clerk's eyes widen for a moment, then he lets his words trail off, "If we do that, the surrounding villages will never get past the cold, dead snow. The old and the young, many of them will die.



　It was a clever and serious thing to do, Roseau spat the words in his chest. That's why I said it.

"What does it matter? This is a battle fought in the name of God. There is nothing that should take precedence over that. At least, that's what you thought, and that's why you took the spear.

　Rolling his tongue, Roseau lifted his lips in mockery at the clerk. The way the clerk's face tightened was quite amusing. Then, he added, "And that's why you're here.

　That's why you sold Philos-Treit," he said. The clerk said nothing more. That's funny. He was just stating a fact.

Yeah. And then there are the adventurers in Philos. Get them to poke around the nearest hexenbiest lair. It's already snowing. It's already snowing. Using hexenbiests should buy us some time.

　Of course, the city of Philos will be affected. Of course, there will be damage to the city of Philos, but it's nothing to worry about, it's the right thing to do. I told the clerk that and ordered him to get started now. The clerk nodded and left the office without opening a single word.

　What a pity, Roseau thought. If they were keeping Phyllos-Treit under house arrest in a guest room rather than in a dungeon, as they should have done with a nobleman. As Largd-Anne had said, he could have handed himself over to restore Philos-Treit to power.

　But that is no longer an option for them.

　The citizens who thrust their former ruler into the dungeons, and who willingly rather than willingly let her tyranny go unpunished, could not do such a thing. There was nothing they could do but obey her. Roseau couldn't help but laugh to himself in his empty office.

　He knew that what he was doing was not a bad thing, but rather a good thing. They were just doing what they thought was right. And this is the result.

　The women who did the right thing are in jail, and the people who thought they were doing the right thing had to jump into the fire themselves.

　Everything was exactly as I wanted it to be. Everything is out of order. I would like the citizens to die knowing that they were not right, but I don't think they can do that much.

　That's all I wanted. I wanted to give a fitting end to those fools who have no righteousness in them, but who insist that they are righteous. In this way, he wanted to show the girl he longed for, Phyllos-Treit, that there is no salvation in this world and that there are people who are inescapably wrong.

　This was Roseau's greatest possible revenge against the city that had once trampled him.

　He had done what he had to do. All that was left was for the city to fall down the hill. I'll just sit back and let the High Priest guide me out of the city.

　But there were two things that remained in Roseau's mind.

　The first was that Philos-Treit, whom he had longed for and even admired, had refused to condemn him until the end. The other was that brilliantly shining enemy, Lugis.

　I want to drag the girl who believed that I was right into the sludge. I want to bounce that brilliantly shining enemy off the stage. Such a humanistic desire was certainly in Roseau's heart.

　--I'm not right. I'm not right. Then I'll do something that's not right. I will spit on all the joys of this world.

　Roseau's eyes fluttered. I thought I heard a solemn sound in his ear.