"You've made a move, sir? Salainio-dono, Garouamaria?

　Largd-Anne traced the report with her lips as she stared at her nails. Not missing the slight gasp that escaped his voice, the mercenary Bruder put his hat back on. He then paused for a few seconds and looked at Anne carefully before continuing.

　The way he sat slouched in his chair was not the attitude of a reporter.

There are over two thousand of them," he said. Galuamaria really does not have any soldiers to protect it, you old bastard!　What are you going to do?

　As he mumbled viciously with his chewing tobacco, Bruder finally realized that he was looking at Ann. Her eyes were quiet, but deep inside they seemed to be shaking with emotion.

　Perhaps it was some kind of upset? No, of course not. Who would have thought that there would be people who would send out troops against a friendly army in the middle of a deadly snowfall?

　That will only wear down your forces. You'll only be benefiting the enemy. That's the normal line of thinking. But not in the mind of this Salainio guy.

　But for a moment, Bruder felt he could understand Salainio's emotions.

　Humans are naturally driven by reason. That's the way it's always been. But if an enemy is born that you hate from the bottom of your heart, then profit and loss no longer apply. Normal thinking melts away without any meaning. Bruder was well aware of this.

　And there is nothing more troublesome than making enemies with such people.

　Besides, Salainio didn't just lead an army. He gave them a good title, saying that they were reinforcements for the saints.

　It was no laughing matter that, according to the other side, Ann had taken the privilege for herself and was stabbing the saint in the back.

　In Salainio's view, this was a march of justice. A heroic tale of leading his troops against the odds in the face of danger.

　On the other hand, this side accuses Salainio of betraying the saints. The saints who should be judged are far away on the front lines.

　It's pretty straightforward. So this was just a power struggle. The old guard led by Salainio and the new faction led by Anne. The two sides intertwined their fingers, and the loser of the contest was the traitor, the one who would take all the mud and throw his heart out.

　Bruder searches his senses for signs of people around him and opens his lips. He asked quietly if he had a chance. There are more than twice as many of them as there are of us. We need more eyes to resist.

　She needed to have the right ingredients to make a bet.

　Anne leaned her small body back in her chair and said with a smile on her cheek.

No way, you can't win. Even though he has retired from the stage and has become skin and bones, Lord Salainio is still a great warrior.

　With a twirl of her slender fingers, Anne said as if it were obvious. Without realizing what she said, Bruder pressed his chewing tobacco hard against his teeth. He felt his heartbeat quicken a notch.

I'm just a guide, I don't have the charisma of a saint like Mattia or the ability to pave the way like a hero. I can't win on the battlefield.

　Bruder's face crumpled involuntarily. Then why did he try to sell his opponent a fight? If you do that, even the most mild-mannered of opponents will naturally get angry and raise their arms in the air.

　Bruder had heard from Lugis that Ann was a very talented person. A brilliant person.

　Well. I'm not sure I'm ready for that kind of praise. That's the thing.

　And I don't think Bruder's assessment of Lugis is wrong. The fact that her rule of the city of Philos has not broken down at all is proof of that.

　To be honest, city governance was an area that Bruder knew nothing about, but the fact that she was able to rule the city after it was occupied was good enough.

　That's why I couldn't understand her even more. Why was she so reluctant to fight a fight that she had sold to him at a low price? Don't tell me you didn't expect her to be so serious.

I had expected it, but it's still surprising. I didn't expect you to be able to organize the troops so quickly. I did not expect you to be able to rally the troops so quickly. Salainio's influence is still very strong.

"...... Please stop. I don't like it!　I'm not sure what to say, but I'm sure you'll understand.

　Only one person needs to be exposed to such a disgrace. Bruder said with that thought in his mind. His long brown hair swayed in the air and licked the air.

　Anne looked at Bruder and said. There was still a smile on her cheek.

"Yes. So do I, Mister Bruder. So, let's give up on winning the war--we'll win it by being mean.


　"I'll give up winning the war.


　The southern nation of Illyssarde, land of sandstone. I'm going to give up winning the war.
They will all be excellent fighters, turning their skin into toughness and their muscles into iron.



　Today, the country is one of the wealthiest and most powerful on the continent, but in the past, the land was thin and poor. In the past, it was mocked as a land of nothing but sand.

　It is precisely because of such a land that they respect power. It is their maniacally trained military might that has turned their land into an existence on par with the Garleist Kingdom.

　Telsalat-Lewana, a high-ranking fighter of the honorable Elysald, gnashed his teeth in a room reserved for him.

　Judging from the fact that he had been given one of the largest rooms in the city of Philos, it was clear that he was being received as an important guest or emissary.

　Tersarat had been in this room for quite some time now. But he still couldn't move.

　He was glad that he had made contact with the heraldic forces he had been looking for, but he could not stand the fact that all the major players had disappeared.

　It's not that I'm dissatisfied with the treatment I've received, but I'm still impatient. Even though she knows that there is nothing she can do about it.

　But now she is facing the table with a painful look on her face, which is different from such impatience. I'm sure you've heard of it.

　The first thing you need to do is to make sure that you have a good time. You can see that the sugar is not that cheap and the fact that this is being served shows that Tersarat is being given special treatment.

　His dark cheeks fluttered, and his fingertips brushed the air as he grabbed the sweets. Then Tersarat takes one of the sweets and puts half of it in his mouth.

　The sugar crumbles and melts in his mouth. The understated sweetness licked his tongue.

　--So sweet it brought tears to my eyes. Delicious. So very, very good.

　Tersarat could feel his throat quivering with pleasure. It was not that he was unfamiliar with the food culture.

　It's not that I'm not familiar with the food culture, but the food in Illyssaldo is mostly meat, fat, and spices.

　At the very least, these kinds of sweets tend to be neglected in Illyssaldo, where robustness is a good thing. For this reason, Tersarat has only eaten a few sugar confections. No, this may be the first serious one.

　Is it really this sweet? Exhaling, Tersarat sips the other half.

　I know. This must be a Garristian trap. They must be trying to corrupt us. But just one more thing. One more thing won't corrupt you.

　The moment I reach for the sugar candy again...

　--"Knock, knock. There was a double tap on the door.

　With his outstretched finger, Tersarat moved the container of sugar candy away from him. Then he straightened up.

　I knew, of course, that he was a member of this heraldic cult. There was no way I was going to make a fool of myself in front of him.

　After clearing his throat, Tersarat called out, "Come in. He could still feel the sweet taste of sugar in his throat.

"Excuse me. Mr. Tersarat. I have come to ask you for a favor.

　A clear voice. The voice of the woman who claimed to be the acting ruler of this city caressed my ears.