A small castle in the capital of RATESTWOOD.

　In the throne room of the castle that they have recaptured from Noblewood, the half-elves who are equivalent to the executives of Rattestwood are trembling.



　Despite the fact that they have returned to the castle they have successfully retaken for the first time in a month, there are no smiles on the faces of the half-elves. The half-elves, who had left their thrones open and were lining up to make an aisle, were all in a state of extremely mixed emotions.



　Of course there is gratitude. We are happy that our captives have been rescued and that the Noblewood soldiers who disturbed the peace have been swept away. They deserve our genuine gratitude for what they have done on behalf of LATESTWOOD.

　However, despite what they knew in theory, the half-elves' hearts were being filled with awe rather than gratitude. The power they had seen - the might of the nation that called itself Alkimaira - was too great.



"Chief Wenli, ...... what will happen to us now?"



　One of the younger half-elves asked Wenli in an anxious tone of voice.

　I know how you feel. After all, the army that massacred the Noblewood soldiers as if they were crushing ants was a group of demons.



"I don't know. It would be fortuitous if we could get at least a part of the capital, but I guess that's ...... impossible. ....... They will probably continue to live a meager life in the settlements. ......"



　In any case, Rattestwood has done nothing in this battle.

　He just watched in silence as the demon army recaptured the capital. It is not a daredevil but a suicidal man who can say .

　A heavy atmosphere lies between the half-elves.



"Whatever his (or her) country decides, we will follow it.



　In a hushed voice, Leifua said.



"At least the threat of the Noblewoods is gone. If the threat is limited to the magical beasts that live in the forest, then the conditions are the same as they were at the dawn of the founding of LATESTWOOD. We will just have to start all over again."

"Dear Leifa, ......"

"His country has kept its promise. He rescued the people of Lattestwood from captivity. He has also eliminated the soldiers of Noblewood who were a threat to Rattestwood. What more could we ask for?



　Without looking at him, Leifua spun his words, keeping his eyes fixed on the sky.



"All that remains now is to entrust the fate of Rattestwood to the warmth of Mr. Helian. Since the agreement has already been fulfilled, it would be a bad move to disturb the situation by making a bad move. It is a miracle that he has been able to move such a powerful country.



　A calm decision.

　Unlike the rest of his subjects, who are on tenterhooks, he appears calm and collected.

　But Wenli knows. He had been briefed on the loss of Leifa's father, who had been fed to the fairy dragons; his mother, the previous queen, who had not only been killed but also exposed ......; and his sister, Lillifa, the only remaining member of his immediate family.



　Wenli was the educator of the princess sisters.

　Of all his subjects, he was the one closest to them.

　That is why, when he was told of the death of Lillipha, he felt an inexpressible sense of despair.



　Even I felt that way. Then, how much shock and sorrow did the death of her sister give to her immediate family, Leifa? Just thinking about it makes Wenli's heart ache as if it were going to burst. But Leifa does not show any sign of sorrow and continues to wear the mask of a queen.



　It was Wenli who taught her how it should be.

　But even so, the right way to be royal seemed to Wenli to be impossibly painful.



　......Will you somehow forgive me by offering yourself to me?



　With Lillipha gone, Leifa's presence is essential to the Ratestwoods. It was shameless to try to trade a promise for a price, but still Wenli could not help but do something.



　......If worse comes to worst, I will negotiate with his king to sell myself to him along with my lady Leifa. Master Leifa will probably object, but I would rather die as a comfort to him than live in shame and embarrassment.



　Just as she was secretly making up her mind, a cheerful voice sounded from the door of the throne room.



"Alkimaira enters His Majesty the King, Herian Edda Elsinorek!



　At the announcement of the master of ceremonies, all those gathered in the throne room stiffened.

　A young man wearing a black cloak of exquisite design emerges majestically from the sounding door.



　Accompanied by a female Blutbad, Helian, the King of All Evil, walks solemnly to his throne, passing between the kneeling half-elves facing him.



　When he reached the front of the throne, he called out to Leifa, who was kneeling near the throne.



"Will you not sit down, Leifa-lim-latestwood?　It must be the throne of the castle you finally got back."

"Yes. I am not qualified to sit on the throne. That is your place. And though I will serve as the representative of RATESTWOOD only in these negotiations, I am no longer REIFA-RIM RATESTWOOD, but only REIFA. Please treat me as such.

"...... I see."



　Helian sat down on his throne.

　At the same time, several words appeared in the Tactical Window.



　--Enemy forces in the area have been annihilated.

　--The percentage of your forces in the area is over 90%.

　--You succeed in seizing the throne (symbol).



　Having fulfilled the three conditions for forced domination, the word "Domination Complete" is displayed in the virtual window, and it glows gold. The capital of Rattestwood is now completely under Alkimaira's control.



"...... all troops are notified. The operation to recapture the people of RATESTWOOD has been completed and the battle is declared over with the destruction of the enemy forces. --We have won."



　The demons respond to the king's declaration of victory with shouts of joy.

　In the first war in another world, in which the king himself led the entire army in a full-scale invasion, he won a complete and utter victory.

　The battle was a disappointing one, but the demons were overjoyed at this great victory after the uncertain situation in which the war started with the enemy's strength still unknown.



"Now then, let's talk about the postwar settlement.



　We'll work out the details later," Herian prefaced his speech, and then cut to the chase.



First of all, I would like to talk about the contract we signed and the treatment of the RATESTWOOD.

"Yes. As promised, I offer myself to you..."

No, we're going to have to go back on the drawing board on that one. There has been a serious breach of contract.

"What?"



　Leifua looked up as if she had been caught off guard.

　He wondered if he had done something wrong, but he could not think of anything.

　He looked at Wenli, but Wenli shook his head in panic.

　Then, what exactly is a breach of contract?




　Leifua pondered, but could not come up with an answer.



"Your country demands the rescue of the kidnapped Latestwood people. However, Alkimaira said, ...... I was unable to fulfill the request fully. There were some who could not be rescued. In other words, I failed to fulfill my contract in its entirety."



　A twitch, a slight twitch, and Leifa's sasa ears twitched.



"Are you talking about ...... Lilifa?　But that girl, if she's not, by the time we signed the contract, she's already ......."

"It doesn't matter. The only thing your country has asked us to do is to rescue the people of RATESTWOOD who have been kidnapped.



　Therefore, we cannot accept the price.

　Helian told her simply.



"...... No, that is not so. Not only have you rescued many of our people, but you have also eliminated the threat of the Noblewood. It is not possible for us to benefit from this without offering something.

"...... by all means, huh?"

Yes.

"I see. But we can't just sit back and accept the price. We have our own reasons and pride.



　A heavy sigh falls from the throne room.

　Wenli, who was watching the scene, tried to interject, saying it was now or never.

　But he could not.

　Two pairs of eyes, one from the king and the other from the queen, shot through her like nails.



　--Don't interfere.



　She had no choice but to remain silent as they looked at her with such a simple thought in their eyes.

　Wenli understood with a terrible realization that she was no longer allowed to interfere.



"My lord, my subject, I am terribly sorry."

"Rude?　What are you talking about?　I don't understand what you are talking about."

"...... thank you for your kindness."

"Again, I do not understand what you are saying. Therefore, I have no reason to accept your words of gratitude. Shall we continue our conversation at ......?"



　Helian, somewhat forcefully, brings the conversation back on track.



"<
No, sir.

You have two words for me?

Of course. In the name of the tree of God, I swear it.

"...... though, for me, those words have lost all value."



　It may have sounded sarcastic, but it was true that for Helian, was worthless.

　Leifa looked at the floor thoughtfully, and after a moment, she looked up again.



"Then I swear in the name of my sister ...... Lillipha. I will never say it twice. I swear in the name of my sister that whatever you ask of me, I will do it.



　Helian's twin eyes shook.



"In your name, sister. ......"

"Yes."

"...... then I will believe you."



　With a stern expression, Helian nodded.



"From now on, I will make only one request of you. For the fulfillment of that demand, I will receive a price. Are you ready?

"Yes."

Then I'll tell you what I want.

　"That you be crowned Queen of the Kingdom of Rattestwood as Leifa-Rim-Rattestwood, and that the capital of Rattestwood and its settlements be governed at your discretion."

　--That's all.



　At these words, Leifua was blindsided.

　The half-elves in the room also looked up out of courtesy at the unexpected request and stared at Helian.



　Leewe's initial reaction to this rude behavior was to say something, but Helian blocked her movement by lightly raising his right hand.



"What's the matter?　I don't seem to hear any acceptance."

"But, but, that's ......."

"You said you'd meet any request. I made a demand of you. That's the end of the story. Or are you trying to ruin your sister's name?

I will do no such thing!"



　Leifa's face turned pale as she denied it as a conditioned reflex.

　But there was nothing he could do now. Words had already been exchanged. Leifa presented a blank card to Helian, and Helian wrote his demands on the card and returned it.

　Then, Leifa has no choice but to accept the card.



I accept your request. I thank you deeply and sincerely for your kindness..."



　Leifua hung his head deeply and said, "I am very happy to be here.



"No need to thank me. This is the result of a fair deal."

"Even so, I still thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. ......!"



　When the half-elves finally understood that the contract between the king and the queen had been fulfilled, and that Rattestwood had been saved, their faces lit up with joy. Some even had tears of joy streaming down their cheeks, as if their tension had been broken.



　--At last they were saved.






　It was as if I could hear such an unmistakable voice.



"So, let's continue our conversation about the termination of the contract. We should not talk about the future while the contract is not fully executed.

"......, you say?"



　Helian raised his right hand and snapped his fingers.

　As if on cue, the door to the throne room opened with a clang. Entering the throne room are many wounded people who are missing limbs, eyes, and other parts of their bodies.



"I swore to the Queen of Lathswood that I would save every last one of them.



　But Helian sees in front of him a line of people with wounds that have yet to heal.

　They have only been rescued (・・・・・・・・) from the clutches of Noblewood.

　Their physical defects are painful, and they are in no way healthy.

　In other words, they are not "rescued" at all.



It is now impossible to fully fulfill the covenant. But by offering his people immediate relief here and now, please accept this as our apology."

"...... that is,"

"Now, right here, right now, we will restore them to a state of full physical satisfaction. ......I would be lying if I didn't at least try to save the ones who were saved."



　Leifua gasped in astonishment, not knowing how many times she had already seen this.



　The treatment of missing parts is an ancient lost art, long since lost.

　According to the common knowledge of this world, it is possible for only a few high-ranking surgeons to heal a missing part immediately after it is lost.

　However, once the body parts are lost and the wounds are healed - the missing part has become the for the person, there is nothing more that can be done.



　And yet, the king of demons in front of us casually says that he will restore the body to a state of fullness. But I will not do such a foolish thing as to doubt his words now. If he (or she) says he can do it, it is all true, and his kingdom must possess the ancient arts.



Eltina.

Yes, sir.



　Ertina, the leader of the Third Legion, an expert in healing and support, steps out with her favorite weapon, a golden staff called the Keluneion.

　She walks up to the seriously wounded, who seem to have no idea what is about to happen, and points the tip of her staff at one of them, a half-elf boy.



"Hear my prayer, and let the light of heaven fill this place... Invoke the prayer of the heavens."



　The life force absorbed from the king and Eltina's magic power are fused together.

　
　The light concentrated on the severely damaged wounds, and the body was filled with such a radiance that the contours of the missing parts could no longer be discerned.



　As soon as the green light read the boy's physical information, it transformed into his cells at the surgeon's command, instantly forming flesh and blood, bones and nerves. After a few seconds, the green light fades away, and all that remains is the boy's fully restored body.



"What? ......?　Ugh, it's got arms!　Why?



　The boy is moving his newly regenerated right arm timidly, amazed that his lost right arm is still there. When he confirmed that it moved exactly as it did before he lost it, tears streamed down from his eyes.



"I have ...... my right arm,...... and it doesn't hurt anywhere,....... Aaaaah......!"



　The boy, sobbing, spewed out his thoughts in broken sentences, and finally broke down in tears with a smile on his face.

　A young half-elf woman with one ear missing picked up the boy. She must have been the boy's mother or sister.



　--But Helian never saw this heartwarming scene.

　She stared at the ground and struggled to bear the load that was eating away at her body.



　The "Invocation of Heavenly Prayer" was the ultimate in healing magic that could instantly heal any injury, but it was one of the less fuel-efficient of the .

　According to the data disclosed by the management company, the amount of [life force] consumed by "Invoke" is about half ......, which means that Helian's life is now 50% less.



　What does that look like?

　When I was playing the game, I didn't think much about it, but now that it has become a reality, I understand it to the point of disgust.



　It may be too simple an analogy to say that I am in a state of 50% less, but I am sure that a person who is half-dead on the bed ...... is feeling the same way as I am now.



　No, I am sure that life is not something that can be measured by numbers.

　The "value" of "vitality" is only a thing of the game era, and now that it has become a reality, it should be taken only as a reference material and a guide. If you keep thinking of it as if it were a game, you are sure to regret it irrevocably someday.



　Helian, bearing the load, took out one of the test-tube shaped potion bottles that were inserted in the side back of his waist and slurped it down in one gulp. It is a very rare potion that has the effect of restoring [vitality].

　Just after activating the twilight dragon's , the potion replenished his lost vital energy, just as it did when he drank it while he was on the verge of fainting. Herian's body is instantly healed, and she regains the fuel needed to use her .



"Your Majesty?"

"...... is fine. Go on."



　Eltina asks suspiciously.

　Rieve - perhaps from his previous experience - immediately sensed something was wrong with Helian, but Helian ordered him to continue.



　It was not until after the fourth patient had been treated that the change became apparent to everyone.



"Ha, ha, ha, ha--a......!"



　Panting like a dog in respiratory distress.

　Drenched in cold sweat and panting for oxygen, he was beyond disgraceful, and to put it simply, he was a disgraceful man.



　Helian regrets that he should have kept all but the most important people and the healer out of the throne room if this was going to happen. Thanks to this, the executives of Rattestwood and even the heads of the Alkimaira legions have been exposed to the pathetic sight of the suffering and panting.



　Helian has already gone back and forth between half-dead and fully recovered four times while forcibly restoring his life force with potions. Her body is forcibly healed, but there are things that remain in the "core". The pain that consumed her body continued to eat away at her spirit in the form of phantom pain even after her body had been healed.



　In the first place, the change from a near-death state to an immediate and complete recovery is itself an abnormal phenomenon for the human body. The contradiction arises repeatedly: the mind complains of physical abnormalities, while the body itself is perfectly healthy. This discrepancy would be a torture enough to destroy the spirit if repeated ten times by a person with a fragile mind.



　As if he could not stand it any longer, Levee shouted.



"Please stop!　Any more, the burden on Yourself is too ......!"

"Shut up."



　Helian interrupted Lieve annoyedly as he clutched his heart and put his hand on his chest. In her ragged breathing, her mind flashed to the image of the girl who had cut off her fingers.






"I couldn't save one person."



　That is an undeniable fact.

　This is the result of talking big about saving everyone when you have no power to do so.



"Don't embarrass me any further ......!"



　Then you must swallow this level of pain.

　The girl who was sacrificed by the dragon cannot even feel pain anymore.



　Compared to that, this level of pain is nothing.

　It is only the agony of dying.

　You will not really die.

　Even if you die, you will come back to life anyway.

　So there is nothing wrong with it.



"......The next wounded man. Keep going."

"But, but ......"



　Ertina's gaze wandered to the other corps leaders as if looking for help.

　But none of them - not even Liewe - had the words to stop the king, who had a devilish look on his face.

　Helian, who saw the appeal in her eyes, ordered Ertina in a strong tone of voice



"The king commands it. Continue their treatment.



　The king's voice, icy.

　Stitched in place with a leering stare, Eltina held out her staff to the next half-elf, as if in final resolve.







　　　　+ + +







"Hear my prayer, and let the light of heaven fill this place - the Invocation of Heaven."



　......How many times have we heard this benediction?

　Helian thinks through his foggy consciousness as he hears Eltina's chanting.

　She counted up to the twentieth time, but from that point on she felt faint and stopped counting.



　He has already used up all the potions he has.

　He steadily carries out the treatment, receiving replenishments of potions from his subordinates.

　I wonder how many people are left.

　It is like watching a never-ending nightmare.



"Gosh... ......"



　Something was flowing back from my gut.

　I hold it in my throat with a determination akin to swallowing a blade. Whether it is gastric juices or blood, there is no room for impertinence in the throne room.

　With shaking hands, he opens the lid of the bottle, puts it in his mouth, and pushes something that is coming up to his throat back into his stomach in a potion.



"Next ......, injured people,......."



　He spins the words mechanically.

　I felt like I was repeating the same words over and over again.

　My head ached as if it would shatter at any moment.

　The phantom pain that had built up as a result of repeated recovery and near-death cycles was already in the realm of mad pain.

　My brain itched.

　I am tempted to hit my head against a random pillar and think how good it would feel if I could crack open my skull and rifle through its contents.



　But not yet.

　Not yet.

　As long as I have the means to save him, I cannot stop until I save the last one.

　Because I promised that little girl who died that I would help her as much as I could.



"The treatment is over!　That's all of them!　All the people of LATESTWOOD who were kidnapped this time have been saved!　Every last one of them has been saved!"



　Someone is shouting in my ear.

　I can't fully hear what they are saying.

　I only managed to understand the part about the treatment being over.



"Where are the rest of the ...... injured?"

"No, sir!　The treatment is over!　It's over!"



　So hurry up," someone says something.



　I looked up and saw the face of Levee with a sad expression on her face right beside me, on my right hand side.

　I had never seen such an expression before.

　It was an expression I did not want to see, I thought.



　I could not think clearly. My vision is shaken.




　My body can no longer even stand up straight.

　It seems that I am now standing with Levee and one other person supporting me from both sides. It is a very ugly sight to behold.



　Helian shakes off the arms of the women supporting him and stands upright on his own.

　As king, I must declare the postwar process over. There was no way he would be allowed to end the meeting without being able to stand alone in front of the representatives of other countries.



　In the haze of my vision, I look for Leifa.

　Somehow she was standing just to my left. They were so close that their shoulders were almost touching.

　Why was she standing there? When did she move? I can't think straight. I have no time to think about anything else. To start the meeting, I will lay out the lines that I have prepared in advance.



"......This ...... treatment, is over. All but one of the abductees have been rescued. And as I said before, as compensation for the breach of contract, for failing to save one of them, your country's ...... consideration ...... for the custody of Lord Leifa is firm. ......"



　If you're not careful, you'll lose consciousness.

　No, I was already disconnected in places.

　I bite my lower lip off, the pain and the taste of iron holding me together.



"But ...... we have the merit of recapturing your capital, which was not included in the contract. ...... In return for that merit, you, as our fellow countrymen, will continue to have good relations with us in the future. We request ...... efforts to ...... build ............... ........."



　No.

　I'm losing consciousness.

　I've gone beyond the point where I can do anything with my spirit or my guts.

　There's no time.

　I'm going to ramble on.



"These are the ...... views and demands of our country, Alkimayra, regarding the post-war ...... treatment of this war: ....... Is this acceptable to your country ......?"

"Of course!　I have no objection whatsoever!　So, come on!



　Leifa accepted our request.

　Strangely enough, her voice was the same as the voice of someone who had just been shouting in my ear.

　I had no time left to think about why.

　Eighty percent of his consciousness was already gone.

　The remaining 20% that just barely managed to stay on the edge of the cliff let out the words that would bring the meeting to an end.



"So, this ...... meeting is now ............ concluded."

"Her Majesty Queen Latestwood, Her Imperial Highness, Her Imperial Highness Lady Leifa Lim-Latestwood, and her subjects, you are dismissed!



　Without even waiting for the mouthpiece of the master of ceremonies, Levee shouted.

　Driven by the frantic gazes of the Alkimaira vassals, the officials of RATESTWOOD exited the throne room.



　As soon as the last person had left and the door closed, Helian collapsed like a puppet with broken strings. Levee, holding her collapsed body in her arms, shouts something to the people around her as if shouting at her.



"Hurry ......!　The bedroom of the home...... country......!　Think ...... kill ............ if you are in the way ......!"



　The sounds are choppy, as if the auditory sense has given up its work.

　Hearing voices in the distance that sounded like angry shouts, Helian let go of his consciousness.