On their way back to the Solstice Magic Kingdom from the city of Luna Sark, they spent the night in the forest and arrived at Fort Boban around noon the next day.
　They handed in their report to Luger Gunsling, who commanded the garrison of this fort.

"It's a blood-mediated death swarm. ....... I've never heard of such a creature.
I've never heard of such a demon." "Perhaps, by the time it reached Metis, it had transformed into something else entirely. At least, the zombies I've dealt with in this country have been normal.
Do you have any idea what could have caused this change?
I don't know. We don't know what kind of changes the spirits of the dead and the slime will undergo. It's impossible to know what triggers them to turn into abnormal species.
God only knows what. ....... Thank you for your report. After this, you will return to the city of Santor, right?　Give my regards to the Duke of Delsacis.
Do you know him?
Well, I used to know him. I can't give you the details. ......
All right, I'll leave you to it.
"Mm.

　After completing the clerical report, Xellos went to Ado, who was waiting at the entrance of Bomba Fort.
　Ado seemed to be uncomfortable with this kind of paperwork, so he pushed everything to Xelloss and ran away. Apparently, talking to the bigwigs is tiring.

I'm done. Let's go back to Santor then.
That was surprisingly fast. ....... I thought it would take longer.
I thought it would take a little longer." "All I did was submit a report and give a supplementary explanation of what I saw there. I don't have much information, so it shouldn't take too long.

　The two men walked slowly away from the fort.
　After a short distance, Ad took out a [light wagon] from his inventory and got into the driver's seat.

You're driving this thing, right?
"Well, I've put you in a lot of trouble. I had to do this.
Oh, yeah?　Well, I'll leave the driving to you.

　The light wagon starts up with a low driving sound.
　As he watches the scenery drift by, Xellos lights a cigarette.
　Shiro smoke drifts out through the window.

By the way, why did you prepare two reports?　Well, I know you're going to give them to the fort and the Duke of Delsacis. ......
The Duke of Delsacis has a detailed report on the Legion. I'm not sure what to make of it. The one you just handed over is a bland summary report.
I'm sure you can't tell me at that moment that the heroes who were killed are causing damage for revenge. But how can you think that much?　If it were me, I'd just report everything and be done with it.
"Haven't you read the papers?　It's not good for the world to know the truth now. The situation with the neighboring countries is becoming unstable, and if this information gets out, it will accelerate the confusion. It's better to keep it as a diplomatic trump card.
I see. ......

　It was dangerous to report the whole truth about the mysterious mummy case.
　In any case, if word got out that the heroes summoned by the Holy Law God Kingdom of Metis had been disposed of unnoticed, and that many lives were in danger because of their dead spirits, the momentum for war would easily rise in this underdeveloped civilization.
　We don't know where the information will leak out, and we don't know what effect the leaked information will have. It is quite possible that a small rumor may develop into an unexpected situation.
　It is the ordinary people who are caught up in the confusion.

I have no intention of disturbing the current peace.
Is war a bad idea now? ....... I really admire you for thinking that far ahead.
No, it's just to keep me out of it. I'm sure you'll be asked to do some backdoor work. Well, I'm all about business.
You're just trying to save your own skin.　What?　Everything you've said so far has been to avoid trouble?
Of course not. Besides, the Holy Law Kingdom of Metis is quite resented by other countries. If this information is leaked now, there will be many countries that will start a war with a good cause.
I don't know if there's another great country in the west ....... I don't know the name of the country.
I don't know the name of the country, but this is the farthest east. The Kingdom of Isaras is in the mountains, and information about the countries to the west is hard to come by. I've heard that even the magical kingdom of Solistea is only a trading partner.

　To the west of Metis, there is a huge nation.
　It controls a quarter of the inhabitable territory, and even extends its territory to parts of the southern continent.
　As a maritime trading nation, its dominion is larger than that of any other nation, and above all, its military power is unparalleled.
　It is called the Mergild Empire. The country's name was the Mergild Empire, and its prosperity was equivalent to that of the Roman Empire on Earth.

"Could it be that the Holy Justice Kingdom of Metis also messed with their neighbors?
"In history, there have been several skirmishes near the border. It's a land-grabbing, land-grabbing affair. It could be a war, right?
...... Hey, Mr. Xelloss?　War in this world is ......


"In addition to military installations, they will raid and slaughter towns and villages. Soldiers will loot and pillage, and rapers and robbers will abound. Women and children will become slaves, and most men will be labor slaves, mining slaves, or killed.
"Human rights are not respected? I don't like that. ......
That's why you shouldn't spread fire. You want to live in peace, don't you, Ad?
.......

　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.
　You can find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier.
　Friction between nations due to diplomatic threats to neighboring countries, war of aggression in the name of suppression of infidels. Exploitation of sacred magic (restorative magic) through exorbitant treatment fees, forcing a policy of preferential treatment for priests that amounted to interference in the internal affairs of other countries.
　There have been countless incidents of medical blackmail using sacred magic, genocide of civilians under the guise of defeating paganism, border invasions and invasions of other countries, and the list goes on and on.
　However, most of them were built on the axis of summoning the brave, and the war potential of the brave, who grew faster than others in a short period of time, was a threat to the surrounding countries.
　Those heroes are no longer summoned. All that was left was the framework of a rotten nation with internal and external problems.

The heroes have betrayed, and the people we have now may rebel at any moment, so we must be cautious. I'm not sure what to make of this.
"Ad-kun, you are very perceptive~. And you can't kill the heroes anymore. I'm not sure what to make of this.
The four gods are substitutes, and the evil gods are already back. It's over. ......
But even if you destroy the country, there's still reconstruction. It's fine if it's a country town, but if it's a big city, you have to stabilize the economy, and a lot of land will be destroyed for a while. Wars can't last forever.
"It costs money. Deserted soldiers and knights may turn into night thieves. ....... It's easy to destroy, but it takes time to lay the groundwork to rule.
In the event of war, there will be a flood of refugees and exiles, and the surrounding nations will be forced to deal with them. The usual approach is to steadily chip away at it from the outside.

　It is easy to break down the pillars of a religious state from its roots.
　But the risks that arise from that are too great. There is no advantage in going to war.

The Duke of Delsacis will do well, won't he?
"I think he'll probably start with the fools who want to protect themselves or the petty lords.　If they don't want him, they can just cut him loose.
Mr. Xellos, you're a bad influence.
Cutting off unnecessary personnel is also a skill of a manager.　There is a good chance that priests and priestesses in good standing are doing something shady behind the scenes, and if you hit them, you'll find dust.
You can find out that much with his information network?　Scary stuff. ......
We just have to keep a certain distance. We just need to keep a certain distance. If you can make a living, you're happy in this world.

　If it is useful, you can make it yourself, and if you sell the copyright, you will be treated well.
　You can make a normal living just by not meddling in politics and doing what is asked of you at a reasonable price. Above all, the Duke of Delsacis would never make enemies of Xellos and the others.
　He would not hesitate to pay a reasonable price for a useful asset. He understands that taking hostages and threatening them is a bad idea.

That's probably why he's keeping Yuy and the others close. I'll guarantee your safety, and that's the Duke of Delsacis' way of being sincere. It's give and take.
He's not a politician, he's a successful businessman. Very reliable. ......
I'll be on friendly terms with the Kingdom of Issaras. As long as you don't do anything stupid, that is. ......
I'm not going to do it!　You're the last boss, and I'm too scared to go against you!
"If only my boss was as good as that, I wouldn't have to go through hell. ......

　When I was working as a programmer in the Lehman era, Zeroth's workplace was a gray environment that was as close to black as possible.
　His first boss was a good, well-spoken man, but he moved up the ladder to a different department. The next boss was irresponsible, and I was forced to deal with him every day.
　The next supervisor was an irresponsible person who took over the work and was busy dealing with it. He was a manager in name only, but in reality, he was an untrustworthy person who left everything to Satoshi. He routinely forgets important matters and product deadline changes.
　As the head of the team, he was always on the lookout for his subordinates' conditions, and it brought back memories of how he struggled to arrange for them to take time off.

...... suddenly put me on an overseas business trip. You're the one who came out of nowhere to ask me to prepare a presentation, and yet you don't do anything yourself.
You're the one who came out of nowhere. What are you talking about?
You're the one who came out of nowhere, what are you talking about?" "We talked about it a week ago, and you came out with it two days ago. ....... And then, 'I forgot about it. I'll buy you a drink next time,' he said. I don't remember going out for a drink at all. ....... I had to tell my subordinates to change their schedule, gather materials for a presentation, and then adjust the situation on site. ....... I can't tell you how much trouble I had to go through. ....... It was a real hell. I can't tell you how many times I wished that old man would get fired. Huh. ......
So what are you talking about?　That's scary!
I was the one who quit my job first, though. ....... Hehehehehe ......


What's wrong with me?　What's wrong with your tone of voice?

　Tormented by dark memories, the old man is alone and depressed.
　Ad, who was driving next to him, was just confused.
　The light wagon carrying the two continued to drive down the street without regard to the passengers.

　...

　The Kuro Mist - When Legion was destroyed by Zeroth and his men, another Kuro Mist, Sharanra, was hovering over the carriages of the caravans on the road.
　In her current state of diminished strength, it would be risky to attack the mercenaries who were guarding her.
　I'm not sure what to do, but I'm going to do it.

I'm not sure what to do.
"Miss, this is the time to be patient, okay?
I'm not sure what to do, but I'm going to do it. Be patient.
I know what I'm doing!　I'm sure you'll be able to figure out where this carriage is going.

　The black mist-like figure is constantly consuming a certain amount of magic power.
　I'm not sure what to make of it, but I think it's a good idea. But we can't just attack the caravan.
　We don't know where they are, and their magic power is not infinite. If we attack the caravans, they might not make it to the city, consume all their magic power, and disappear on the way.
　It was a coincidence, but I couldn't afford to lose the freedom of movement I had now.

It's really ...... inconvenient, isn't it?
I'm not sure what to make of this.
But it's still consuming magic. If possible, I'd like to get there before it's all consumed.
The problem is we don't know where we are. It's a good idea to have a good idea of where you're going.
I'll definitely find them at ...... and destroy them!

　I'm not sure what to do, but I'm going to do it.
　Even when I'm talking to my conscious mind, all I hear is complaining.
　It was then that I heard the voices of the caravan merchants.

"Finally, we see it! A city!
"No more camping! We'll get some rest today!
I've missed my soft bed.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. We're going to a whorehouse.　It's been so long since I've had a woman.
There are children in there. It's bad for their education!

　The guards, mercenaries and merchants, came to life.
　After days on the road, they were glad to see the city for the first time in a long time and regained their spirits.
　They had not spoken much until just now due to fatigue from the long journey. This was good news, as Sharanra and the others had been annoyed by their reticence.

"This is a good opportunity.
This is a good opportunity." "Heh heh ......, I can finally go wild.
I'm not sure what to make of it.　If the priests find out, we could be purified.
I can't move in public. ....... I'm not sure what to do. We're ghosts.
"We're ghosts.
We're ghosts. When we get into the city, we'll go to the back streets.　I'm not sure what to do, but I'm going to try and get the body.
『『『『 anahoresassaa~~~! 』』』』

　They didn't realize it.
　They didn't realize that they would not be destroyed by the priests' purification magic. .......
　As the caravan entered the city, the evil spirits continued to endure until night fell, and then they disappeared into the darkness just as the sun was setting.
　From this day on, many mummified corpses were found in the city.
　It is said that the knights investigated with their guards, but could not find the cause in the end.

　The city of Luna Sark is now in a state of disarray.

　The city of Luna Sark was busy cleaning up the scattered zombie wreckage.
　Holy knights, guards, and mercenaries are joining in the work to dispose of them at a rapid pace.
　Basically, they dug a hole, threw the zombies into it and burned them, but the excessive explosions scattered them over a wide area, making it difficult to collect them.
　The mysterious duo went on a rampage and disappeared without cleaning up after themselves.
　Although they had minimized the damage, they had left us with a lot of work to do, and those who were working on the project were muttering bitter words to each other.

I'll have to write a report too. I have to write a report too, and I don't even know how much to write.

　To make matters worse, the reincarnated had the latest weapon in his arsenal, a magic gun, and blew the swarming zombies away without a trace, leaving only the two of them to cut down the rest.


　A new enemy of the religious state who wants to take revenge by becoming a demon himself. A new enemy of the religious state who seeks revenge by becoming a demon himself.
　The curse zombies alone are a nuisance, but there's no way to defeat an entity that can't even be affected by sacred magic. The only thing that can counter it would be magical weapons.
　What's more, the problem for Manabu is that his country is killing the heroes who are no longer useful.

"Huh, I've learned something I don't want to know!

　The dead spirits of the brave men who were his seniors were saying bitter things to him.
　They are wandering in this world forever, trying to take revenge on the Holy Law Kingdom of Metis.
　Since I'm in the same position, I can understand how they feel.

You'd be crazy not to hold a grudge. You're crazy if you don't hold a grudge, because you summoned me for your own reasons, and I was killed without being repatriated.

　The fact that they were killed without being repatriated is a conjecture of mine.
　But there were twenty to thirty souls of the heroes.
　In the event that you're not sure what to do, you can always ask for help from your doctor.
　This is the truth that the reincarnated person said casually. In other words, Manabu is going to follow the same path as the heroes of the past, and thinking about it doesn't motivate me.
　I let out a depressive sigh for the second time today.

"I can't do this. ......
"Since you're bringing the table here, please compile your report. We're all watching you.
"Yeah, but why do I have to write the report while supervising the cleanup?
"Manabu-sama said, 'I can't motivate myself, I don't want to get out of bed. I brought him up here so that we could work more easily. Please don't be selfish, just move your hands.
You say that, but ...... why is this place like this?　I'm sure you'll agree.

　The place you are in is right above the defensive wall, which until yesterday was the front line of the battlefield.
　It's a great way to make sure you're getting the most out of your vacation.
　In short, I was holed up in my room at the inn, and an hour later I was raided and brought to this place. It was a slam dunk.

I felt like ...... a cow being dismembered.
"I felt like a cow being dismembered. It was a very good experience.
Yes, it was. In a way, brave men are like cattle. But how can you say that those who are killed absurdly will not take revenge? ....... This country is finished in a different way.
What are you trying to say?　I don't understand what you're saying. ......
Yesterday's zombies were the end of the brave men and women who sacrificed their lives for us. You can't go back to the original world even if we heroes die. We stay in this world forever, hating it and bringing misfortune to it. Those seniors will make their move and this country will be cursed.
"What?

　Linley stiffened.
　She understood what he was trying to say.

You knew, didn't you?　Well, that's okay. I've always known that they were just using us. ....... The question is, how many heroes have you summoned so far? He's a mortal, but he's not affected by sacred magic. Only overwhelming magic can counter it.
Who would do such a thing ......?
Yesterday's reincarnation. It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for. You can see the purpose of the reincarnation in this case: to destroy the root of all evil. ....... It seems that otherworldly summoning was a contraindication against the natural order of things.
No way, the evil gods of the other world are ......
I'm sure you're right. It is true that summoning a person from another world means forcibly abducting a soul from another world from a different place of providence. From the outside, the four gods are just like criminals.
"I don't see any evidence for that, sir.　How can you be sure that's true?

　For some reason, Linley persisted.
　I don't know if she knows everything, or if she's just upset because she's hearing something so important to her faith.
　Either way, it was something she wanted to reject, but she had a feeling that things were already taking a turn for the worst. The forerunner of this is the reincarnation, Manabu predicts.
　I haven't read any ronobe.

When the evidence comes out, it will be too late, right?　I don't know how many otherworlders have been summoned so far, but that's a lot of noise for two or three dozen souls.　What will happen if all the souls become active?　Wouldn't this world be destroyed?
"They're just spirits of the dead. If you have purification magic, you should be able to defeat the Legion!
You couldn't even kill a zombie with that cleansing magic. I guess I'll join them when I die, and then they'll try to destroy this world. ......
I'm not sure what you mean by that.　I know a little bit about what's going on, but there are things I don't know, too.
I'm sure. Mr. Rinaldi's role is to keep an eye on me, right?　The perpetrator will come to know about the report. But that seems to lead to giving power to the worst beings, so it's best not to be careless, okay?



　Lynalee's role is to monitor the academy, but she's only there to report back.
　Those who do so are never seen.
　She is obligated to report any action or behavior that goes against the doctrine, but she does not know what will happen from there.
　She does not know what will happen after that, but she knows from what Manabu said that it is an extermination.

I'm not sure what to make of that. And ...... those victims finally bared their fangs. The brave won't be able to do anything about it. They'll probably try to kill us and take us in.
"How can you be so predictable?　How can you be so predictable? It's the first time such an alien demon has appeared on ......?
"It's called a promise. Maybe the souls of the heroes combine with each other and transform into a powerful demon with power that is normally impossible. There's a lot of patterns in this kind of story.
"Unusual power? ...... What is that?
I think it's a power that was added to him as a hero. In our world, this kind of power doesn't exist, so the answer can be found through a process of elimination.

　A cold wind blew through the air between them.
　Linley thought that Manabu was an unreliable hero, but he knew that his insight was superior to that of other heroes.
　As expected, Manabu was selected as the commander of the Holy Knights after Iwata's downfall and was given the role of leading the army. He had specialized in defeating bandits and demons, but with his excellent eye for observation, he had made many achievements before he became the commander.
　I believe that he has probably seen through about 60% of the truth in this matter. Having been by his side for so long, Linley knew that he was right.
　However, she can't admit it because of her position.

So what is the purpose of the reincarnation?　They were allowed to live in this world by the mercy of the four gods, right?　Is it the style of your world to return the favor?
"That's what I don't understand, maybe the four gods did something to you that you don't know about?　I think the otherworldly gods took advantage of that and sent in their assassins.
That's a lot of speculation.
I can't help it, I don't have much information. But assuming that the reincarnated know everything, they will probably resurrect the evil gods. If I were on the other side, I'd do it for sure.
"Resurrecting the evil god ......?
That'd be bad if it's already back. Hahahahahaha.

　This was not a matter to be laughed at.
　Assuming that the reincarnation's goal is to resurrect the evil god, or has already resurrected it, the threat will be directed at the Metis Holy Law Kingdom, which worships the four gods.
　It is unlikely that the evil gods will forgive the four gods who sealed themselves away.

I'm sure you'll be able to find something that works for you.　It's a bit of speculation, but one wrong move and we're dead.
I'm sorry.　I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to get rid of it.
I'm not sure what to do. In any case, now that she knows about the inconvenient contraindications, she'll definitely be brought before the Inquisition.
Are you trying to blackmail me?　But I'm a devout apostle of God, and I will not be killed by my own people. ......
What are you talking about? They're the ones who've been erasing anything inconvenient in the dark until now.　Where's the believability in that? I assure you, if I report what you've just told me, you'll be transferred away from me. I don't know where I'd be sent after that.

　People around you think you're just a brave man with a keen sense of insight who only cares about protecting himself.
　But if you think about it the other way around, you could say that he is a brave man who will do anything to save his life. And on this day, Priestess Lynalee learned the true nature of Manabu.
　He had reported it to his superiors, but by letting him share the secret of "An Inconvenient Truth," he was made an accomplice. There is no turning back now.
　As a devout believer, she does not feel good about the current Holy Law Kingdom. She understands that if she fulfills her duties, she could be dealt with behind the scenes, and more importantly, she knows of some dark rumors.
　Even if he wanted to run away, he was already on the hook.

"...... Master Manabu.
"What?　Mr. Rinaldi.
You have to take responsibility, okay?
I'll do everything I can to help.

　From that day on, Manabu and Priestess Rinaldi began to work together more intimately than before.
　In the meantime, they are rumored to be a couple of years older than each other.
　The other heroes tease them about it, but that's not important.

　Regardless of their happiness, the turbulent time is just around the corner.