There is a word "role play".

　It is the act of acting out a setting that you have created yourself.



　In this game, the player is literally the lord of the land, and it is not good for the worldview if he or she speaks in a light and flirtatious tone.



　There were many players who did not care about such things, but many of the top players who became the champions of each world were particular about it, and there were a few who tried to speak and act in a way that suited their characters, to a greater or lesser degree.



　Helian, the world number 3 champion, was no exception to this rule, and he tried to play with an awareness of how to act like a king.

　Although it is not a serious role-playing, I can say that I have tried to act like a king at least as much as a <, for example.

　Thus, although my knowledge is shallow enough to be able to find it on the net, I have learned how to act like a king.



　......What I want to say is that I am very glad to have studied table manners.



"Appetizer, Carpaccio of Ixio salmon.

"...... Mm."



　A white porcelain plate is presented to him with a solemn, elegant gesture.

　It was a professional touch that not even the slightest sound of walking could be heard, let alone the sound of a plate being set down. It is not difficult to imagine the scornful glances that would have been given by the waiters if the server (Helian) did not even know how to handle the cutlery.



　However, although it did not bother me in the game, eating a meal surrounded by the waiters was quite a heavy pressure.

　When I think of what the upper class people in the real world have to go through every day, I am deeply impressed. I wonder if the nobles don't care about the way the people below them look at them.



　I could not even have the time to taste the food, but somehow I managed to finish the meal without any mistakes. I was a bit puzzled by Levee's attempts to take care of me, but I was satisfied that my stomach was full for now.



　When the after-dinner tea was brought in, I told the waiter that Rieve was all I needed and sent him on his way. At least I can enjoy my tea without being seen.



　And it is true that only Levee is enough.

　She has learned various skills other than combat skills. I did not appoint her to be a member of the king's entourage for no reason.

　She can also serve, though she is not as good as a specialist.



...... delicious."



　I sipped the tea and muttered to myself.

　The first thing I felt was a faint aroma. When I put it in my mouth, a deep flavor softly enveloped my tongue. A pleasant heat flowed down into my chest as I welcomed the tea into my throat.



　When I drank it in the game [Tactics Chronicle], I had never experienced such a taste expression.

　It is only natural that the regulations are imposed so as not to adversely affect the real world, but even if there were no regulations at all, it would not be possible to express such a taste.

　Even if there were no restrictions at all, it would not be possible to express such a great taste. I smile sadly, thinking that this is indeed a tea that has received a royal warrant.



　After enjoying the tea, I feel a little relieved.

　Thinking back, my nerves have been on edge ever since my transition. I had been so tense during the meal earlier that it had been a long time since I had been able to loosen up.



　Suddenly, I looked at Lieve who was standing beside me.

　She was still in her room, but Helian was able to enjoy his tea in a natural way.



"......?"



　When she looked at me, Levee blinked her eyes as if she was asking me what I intended to do.

　Seeing this, Helian puts the cup back on the saucer and leans his weight on the back of the soft chair.



　Thinking back to ......, Levee has always been there for me even after the transition.



　It is only natural for her to be in the king's entourage, but even so, she continues to work with Helian and lend her strength.



　She organized her corps in the chaos after the transition, acted as a liaison between the king and the corps commander, engaged in exploration missions outside the country, and even helped to provide food for the half-elves in the half-elf settlements.

　When the rebellion was discovered, he was the first to send Helian back to the castle, and after that he has worked tirelessly as a guard, a nurse, and a waiter.



　She has done so because Helian wanted her to.



"--Lieve."

"Ha."

"Now I'm going to ask you a question. You may not understand my intention, but ...... answer as you see fit."

Yes, sir.



　There is one thing you should be sure of.



"What do you think of ...... the weak?"







　　　　+ + +







"Weak, is it?"



　Levee's eyes shook slightly, as if she were puzzled.



"Yes. Those who are less powerful than you...... are, for example, Leifa, whom you saved yesterday. How did you feel about her?"

"Is it ...... about Leifa-Rim-Latestwood?"



　Rieve looked down and thought for a moment.

　After a few moments, she seemed to have gathered her thoughts, looked up, and opened her mouth with straight eyes.



"I felt he was a strong man.



　But it was an answer that Helian did not expect.

　He had given an example of the weak in terms of strength, but what he received was the exact opposite.



"...... strong?　From my point of view, it seems that Leifa's fighting ability is much inferior to yours."

"Yes. Yes. As you say, if we fight, I will win. If we fight a thousand times, I will win a thousand times. Leifa Lim-Lattwood understood this. But even so, she did not behave in a servile manner, but faced us as equals.



　It was the time when I rescued Leifa from the magical beast in the forest.

　At that time, Leifa did not turn her eyes away from Levee and Eltina, who were far more powerful than she was, not even for a moment. Although she was by far the weakest in terms of combat ability, she was facing the strong travelers on an equal footing.



"Furthermore, after reaching the village, Leifa-Lim-Lattestwood seemed to be very tired, but she was still rallying the people of the village without resting.




　The fact that the people of that village have not yet reached despair in the midst of overwhelming odds in an unwanted war is due solely to the behavior of these women. Seeing her stand up straight in spite of her weakness, I sensed that she was a strong person.

"......The way you are is strong, isn't it?"

"Yes."



　At least, it seems that Rieve does not judge a person's worth only by his fighting ability. But we still don't know what he thinks about itself, or what kind of values he holds.



　Let me go a step further and ask.



"But in terms of fighting ability, she is a weak person for you. Don't you think in terms of the law of the jungle?　No matter how strong your heart is, if you are weak and have no power, don't you think you are inferior to yourself?"



　At least, that was the setting of stray demons in the game [Tactics Chronicle].



　The world of demons is, in other words, a world of the weak and the strong.

　If you are strong, you live; if you are weak, you die.

　That is the natural order of things, and "the weaker is worse" should have been the common sense of the demons.



　If this was the case, then Helian had a suspicion that the common sense of Levee, who was still a demon even though he had been raised with care, was also "like that".

　But..,



"No, not particularly.



　Rieve shook his head in a casual tone.



It is true that the general idea of demons is that strength is precious and weakness is a sin, but I myself don't see it that way.

"Why?"

"Because I am a demon of the Alkimaira."



　The words were answered immediately, as if they were a matter of course.

　Helian gasped.



"At the dawn of time I was a weak demon. I would have been of little value in the world where the law of the jungle is the law of the jungle. But Herian did not abandon me, and brought me up to this point.

　It would be blasphemy for me to prey on the weak. Therefore, I am convinced that I should not follow the principle of the law of the strong against the weak, but the principle of Alkimaira, which Master Helyan has ordained.



　There is no sound of falsehood in his voice as he answers.

　At least, that is what it sounded like to Helian.

　Her amber eyes are still fixed on Helian's reflection.



　After looking into Lieve's eyes for a while, Helian crossed his arms and closed his eyes.



"I see..."



　The words escape with an exhale.

　I could be sure of what I needed to be sure of.

　The first Liewe, who had been with Helian for the same amount of time, gave him the answer he wanted.



"Is that so?"



　Then I've decided.

　I've made up my mind.







　--From now on, I will not doubt only Rieve.







　In the game, there was a system of rebellion.

　And it actually happened once, when an ogre faction followed the common sense of demons and tried to abolish a weak king.

　This rebellion was easily suppressed, but it will happen again if Helian is judged to be not good enough to be a king.



　There is no guarantee that the legionnaire will not revolt.

　If that happens, it is conceivable that the legions commanded by the legionnaires will rise up together.

　Even without that, in [Tactics Chronicle], where "battle is numbers" and "single combatant" go hand in hand, the mere betrayal by a few corps commanders would be enough to end the existence of the nation at once.



　However, on the other hand, it is impossible to act with suspicion.

　If you are suspicious of every corps commander, you will not be able to operate a proper army.

　If you run a country with fear of betrayal and looking at the faces of your subordinates, it will surely fail one day. It would be nothing but a slow suicide.



　So Helian decided.

　He is the only one among all his subordinates who has decided not to suspect Liewe of "betrayal".



　In Hélian's eyes, Levee is a loyal subject.

　Of all his men, Helian trusts her the most.

　She is one of the oldest who has been with us since we started [Tactics Chronicle].

　Eltina and Balan are also among the oldest corps leaders, but only Lieve, who was given the role of the king's aide, has always been with Helian from the beginning of [Tactics Chronicle] until today.



　So I believe.

　Only Rieve believes.



　And in any case, if even this Rieve gives up on me, it will be impossible for me to continue reigning as the king of demons in the future.



"I understand. You asked a stupid question. Forgive me.

No, no. No, no, I didn't say it was stupid. ......

"That's not necessary. It's just you and me here.



　As she spoke, something white began to flap behind her.

　Needless to say, it was her tail. The fluffy tail was wagging vigorously from side to side.

　On the other hand, her expression was almost expressionless.



　She probably thinks she is calm and collected.



　I felt something like a smile on my face, and it made me laugh a little.

　I'm not sure why she started wagging her tail, but I can't help but be glad that she's in a good mood.






"Speaking of which, ...... how's your body doing?　I'm sure you are feeling the effects of my death."



　It has not yet been 24 hours since Hellian's death.

　For the next few hours, all statuses should remain "down" by two ranks.



Herian's physical condition is not so bad. It is true that I have felt a decrease in my abilities due to your death, but I have been by your side and have received your help. ......"

"...... Oh. I see."



　The player himself has no fighting ability, but he has the ability to strengthen his men.

　What Lieve is talking about is the ability to improve the status of all subordinates within a proximity range of about 50 meters of the king's army, which was also effective during the search for foreign countries. The penalty is offset somewhat by the one-step enhancement of the ability.



　There is a similar ability that improves the lowest status of all subordinates within a radius of about one kilometer by one level, but the effects do not overlap.



　In addition, there is only one other ability related to combat, the ability to draw out the power of one's subordinates.



"Liewe. Can I use the "Red Moon Blessing" here as well?"

It can be used at ......, yes, but..."

"I see. Then I'd like to try something. Show me how it works right here, right now.

Yes, sir.



　A player-specific ability to draw out the power of his subordinates.

　It means that only the subordinates within a radius of 50 meters of the king can use the .



　The "secrets" here is a general term for what are called "special moves," "trump cards," and "super magic. It is possible to use abilities that can perform high-powered attacks or produce special effects.



　However, they cannot be used without the king's (the player's) permission, and there is the cost that the king's (the player's) life force is reduced by a certain amount when they are used.

　There are some that can turn the tide of an overwhelmingly disadvantageous situation, but such items usually cause a total loss of vitality with a single hit, or reduce the maximum value of vitality itself, so they cannot be used at random.



　Also, a king's vitality is fixed from the beginning of the game. Since the maximum value cannot be increased, the player is required to have the skill to find the right moment to use it. This is what is called player skill.



　By the way, "Red Moon Blessing" is one of the most useful of the .

　It has a simple effect of strengthening all the stats of "Levee" and consumes less than 10% of the king's "life force" at a low cost. It is just right for verification.



"Now, I will use it - "Red Moon Blessing".



　A red phosphorescence rises from Levee's entire body.

　This is a sign that the "Red Moon Blessing" has been activated.

　Rieve's body is filled with power, and a sense of temporary elation and almightiness fills her.



　--At the same time, something unusual happens to Helian.



"......,ka,ha"...



　Something precious is being pulled out of his body.

　Helian held his chest as quickly as he could. She feared that if she did not do so, she would be deprived of her body without limit.

　It was a horrifying sensation, as if her internal organs were being played with with her bare hands.

　Dizzy and distorted vision, as if suffering from heatstroke.



"--?

"No, I'm fine. ......"



　The fearful sensation passed in an instant, but the dizziness and weariness remained. When I think about it, it may be natural for me to feel ill since almost 10% of my "life" has literally been taken away.



　However, if this is the case with 10%, what would happen if we were to use 80% of the "secret secrets" of consumption? And moreover, if it is during the war, I feel my blood run cold.



　I am so glad that I checked ...... in advance.



"But more importantly, how is it working? Does it work?"

"...... Yes, it is working fine. In its current state, I can beat the Fifth Corps Commander (Gardi) in his giant state in a fistfight."

"Let's hope that day never comes. The damage to the surrounding area is too great to even lightly imagine. Anyway, ......, we've seen what we wanted to see. You can unlock it now."



　
　I understand that now.

　It is necessary to use it more carefully than in [Tactics Chronicle].



　There are still more things I would like to investigate, but I have already wasted almost a whole day because of the death. I do not have the time to continue the verification at my leisure.



　There is also the Half-Elven country and the settlement of Rattestwood.

　We will have to follow up with them since they have suddenly left the settlement. If we leave it too long, it may raise unnecessary suspicions.

　If we do not get involved again, there is no need to worry, but they are an important source of information for Alkimaila, who is still ignorant of this world. We need to maintain our friendship.



　If possible, we would like to resume our activities immediately.

　But I tell myself not to be hasty.

　The symptoms of dizziness and fatigue have gradually lessened, but I still don't think my fragile body will be able to withstand walking around in poor physical condition. The life force should recover over time, but at this rate it will probably take several hours.

　The death penalty may still be in effect for another five hours. If you are going to take action, the best option is to take action after the 5 hours when the penalty is over.

　And then...



"Liewe. We will have an audience with the corps commanders in five hours. Tell all the corps leaders to gather here, except for the corps leader who is out of the field. After that, you will take your rest.

"Ha, I understand about the message. However, my physical condition is not a problem, so I do not need to rest. I will continue to protect you.

"No. You've been working since yesterday. I'm the one who's been handy... but get some rest. In the meantime, you can be escorted only by Living Armor.

"But ......"

"That's an order. If you're not in perfect physical condition in five hours, I'll be in trouble."



　I thought it was a bit cowardly of me to say, but it's true that I left him working.

　I need her to get some rest, because she is going to be in charge of our lives after this, and that's a problem for Helian.



　After a few moments, Levee bowed her head solemnly and said, "Yes, sir. After refilling the tea for the last time, she bows at the door and leaves.



"Well, ......"






　Five hours left.

　I am tempted to dive into bed and go to sleep right now, but that is not an option.

　I have a reasonable appetite for sleep, but with the country still in a state of restlessness, there is no time to sleep long.



　I opened the "Tactical Window" to view and found that the level of happiness had decreased from before. It is a level of error, but it is still a decrease. This is probably due to the fact that the people are still in a state of stress due to the transition phenomenon.



　If the situation is left as it is, the level of happiness will continue to decline slowly. And the final destination of the declining level of happiness is revolt. There is still a considerable amount of time left in the safe zone, and there is nothing to be done now, but measures need to be taken before the ...... wounds spread.



　The best course of action is to eliminate the cause of the stress itself.

　However, it does not mean that we can go back to our original world right now, or that we can regain our lost territory right now. If it were possible to go back to where we were, Helian would do it right now.



　But since that is not possible, the next best thing is to do the next best thing.

　In this case, the better way is to calm the country down with a speech event.



"...... Yeah?　A speech?"



　I suddenly think.

　In the speech event in [Tactics Chronicle], as long as you said some and spoke reasonable words, the speech was judged as a success and the event was effective. In most games, there is a strategy or a template, and the to be used are determined to some extent.



　Therefore, in every speech event, the same combination of keywords was used, and the rest was just spoken by Helian, who added appropriate words on the spot.



　However, this is not the case with speeches in this world.

　, but should speak entirely in Hellian's own words.



　It means that you have to give a speech in your own words, which is enough to sway the emotions of the people.



"No, you can't do that. ......"



　I don't think I can do it.

　But I am sure that opportunities to make speeches will come around more or less often in the future.

　For example--and I hate to think about it--when war breaks out, I will have to make speeches to raise the spirits of the war effort. Turning away from this issue now will only postpone the problem.



"......But what should we do about the speeches? ......"



　At the very least, it must appeal to the emotions of the people and win their approval.

　At the same time, he must maintain his dignity as the king of demons.

　It would be best if you can make the people think .



　Needless to say, the difficulty is very high.

　But it must be done.

　I don't think the script for such a great speech will come to my mind immediately. .......



Wait a minute.　Don't I have to come up with something from scratch myself?"



　I know some of the best existing speeches.

　Most of my knowledge is from cartoons and animations, but there were speeches that moved me. Whether they are historical facts or fictions, good ones are good.

　At least, when Helian saw some of the speeches, he was certainly moved by them. It is not a bad idea to use them as references.



　Digging up memories.

　Appeal to the emotions of the listeners.

　Show your dignity as a leader.

　And yet, they are the kind of speeches that make you want to follow them.



　.......

　.............

　...................

　........................ Hmmm.









"--Thank you, people, I love war."









　Is he an idiot?

　Am I an idiot?

　Why did you choose this of all places?

　I don't deny that it's a great quote, but what are you doing stirring up war?



"...... or is it seriously crazy of me if this is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of ......?



　As long as you are a [Tactics Chronicle] player, you are more or less a war lover. I don't deny that.

　However, Helian's style of play is such that he loves wars in which he can test his own strength against each other, but he rather dislikes wars in which he can unilaterally annihilate weak nations or indiscriminately involve other nations.

　Even war has rules," is Helian's belief.



　Therefore, as a policy of Helian, who has no intention of becoming the Supreme King, he cannot use the words of a war-mad Major, no matter how famous his speech may be.

　It is indeed an inspiring and wonderful speech, but the destruction of the nation is imminent.



"Who else could it be, the Commander-in-Chief of the Principality of ......?"



　I dare say. He's a small fish.

　He's like the Major in the sense that he's a ...... war monger.



"General 2."



　The king you loved is dead. Why?

　...... only because I was a fool. Or an accident.



"The Red and the Three Times Faster."



　I would like to take this opportunity to speak as a survivor of Alkimaira's legacy.

　...... has already destroyed the country.






"............ tired, me."



　The choice is too much.

　I was so stupid that I was in a headache.

　I think it would be better to make an impromptu speech on the spot, like I always did.



"Should I seriously consider that one? ......"



　Let's change our thinking a little.

　Instead of thinking that it is meaningless to use , we can think that there is no need to be bound by .



　If you think so, you will have much more freedom.

　In the game era, the parts of speeches other than were of little significance, but as long as you were role-playing, you had to think about the text of your speech to be heard in a certain way.

　However, if you include some and try to make the sentences natural, the degree of freedom is limited. I was even jealous of that.



　But now there are no restrictions.

　We should keep each famous speech only as a reference and compose our own sentences in our own words from them. If you think through your sentences as if you were a character making a speech in front of the people, you should be able to make a reasonable sentence.



　If it's a fantasy, you're good at it, you tell yourself.

　I feel a little better if I think of it as an extension of my usual role-playing.



　My physical condition is far from perfect.

　My mental state is not so good.

　But I will try my best to think about it.

　It is the task of Helian, the king of Alkimaira.