Having defeated the legendary sea serpent (Sea Serpent) and restored peace to the Southern Ocean, we harbor the sailors of the ship destroyed by the Sea Serpent and return to Zenobia.

　Two of our newest ships were wrecked, and dozens of sailors were missing - in other words, they didn't return, but the damage was still minimal, Eltria thanked me.

'Well, the damage was not zero, and we lost quite a few sailors. Good sailors are a treasure for Zenobia. It hurts my head that we lost them.

　She holds her head up lightly and then adds.

'I have a responsibility to tell the families of the deceased sailors about it.' -- I'll be honest, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed now.

　But he doesn't seem to be willing to give up that role.

The sailors who died this time, and last time, challenging that monster will be remembered as heroes for years to come. That won't help their families' grief, but it will be a comfort.

　And I'm going to provide you with a consolation prize.
　She explained, hiding her shadowy face for a moment and adjusting her expression.

'Now, I know I'm being a whiner, but that's none of your business, and besides, you're the hero among heroes who defeated that monster. As I said before we set sail, I'll help you in any way I can.

　When Eltria regained her usual expression, she urged me to change places, saying that since we were here, we should talk in the captain's quarters.

　I thanked her for her kindness and headed to the captain's quarters of the Sea Eagle.


　The captain's quarters of the Sea Eagle was lavishly decorated.
　The captain of a ship is the chief executive officer of that ship, and his power and authority are comparable to that of a king.
　It is the captain who holds everything on board: command authority, legislative power, judicial power and executive power.

　It was only natural that he should be provided with a private room befitting his heavy responsibilities, but even so, the interior of the Sea Eagle seems luxurious.

　That's probably how rich this Zenobia is.
　I don't feel jealous, but I do feel envious.
　I sat down on the lavishly designed chair as recommended by Eltria and frankly cut her off.

''Eltria-san, could you please increase the food supply for the Demon King's army?''

Okay.

..........

　Not just in the nick of time, Eltria agrees as soon as she finishes saying the words.
　I can't help but roll my eyes.

''Isn't that too quick an answer?''

'Should I have pretended to be more confused?　I don't like to waste time.

　She prefaces this by continuing.

'Honestly, I knew what you wanted from the moment you came here to Zenobia. The demon king's army has come to ask for more food.

Did you see that on my face?

No, you had a decent poker face. Just a hunch. Well, I was just wondering if that's what it took to put it all together.

　He said.
　The Demon King's army won a great battle the other day.
　That victory led to a large number of prisoners of war.
　Recently analyzed the actions of the Demon King's army and treated its prisoners with respect.
　Treating them with respect requires a huge amount of food.
　He had predicted everything, he said.

　As expected, he was the best merchant in Zenobia.
　His ability to gather information was amazing, but his ability to analyze information was also worthy of special mention.

''I'm assuming that the Demon King's army will soon be attacking the royal capital, Reezus.

　She asked with a nasty smile on her face.
　Military information wouldn't be easy to talk about, or so she thought, but this time I decided to surprise her.

'Yes, we're going to invade,'

..........

　Now it was Eltria's turn to be silent.

　She
Are you sure?　You've told me something so important.
　He asked with a serious look on his face.

'I'm telling you this because it's important,' he said. After all, the success or failure of your operation depends on the amount of food you import from the Trade Federation.

'By that argument, if you couldn't import food from the Trade Union, did you intend to invade Reezus?

　I nodded, nodding my head.

'That's unusual for you, cautious. I thought you didn't like to gamble.

'It's not a matter of good or bad. Now is the perfect time to bring down Regus. Rosalia is split in two by the faction of the vizier who has the former king, Tristan, and his brother as puppets. If we don't attack them now, when will we attack them?

But there hasn't been a hungry army since the earliest times.

There is a saying that a soldier would rather be quick than slow, and if we let this happen now, we may never see a chance to capture Leezus again. If we miss this opportunity, we may never have another chance to capture Leezus.

　'Besides,' I continue.

'I was sure that Mr. Eltria, who I knew, would be able to help us with food.

''Can you interpret that as me being convinced that I would assist the Demon King's Army in thanking them for this matter?''

　'No way,' I shake my head.

I won't use this case as a bargaining chip for anything. You didn't make any such promises in advance to begin with, did you?

'Indeed. I did say, though, that I would personally 'cooperate in any way I can'.

''Full cooperation with the Demon King's Army isn't a matter for Eltria-san alone. It's a problem for the entire trade union. Increasing the amount of food imports any further would mean using ships to import food directly to the Demon King's Army's ports. If that happened, the Lords Alliance might get angry and attack Xenovia. It's not a decision that can be made by a single individual.

You seem to have taken that to heart. Then what made you so sure that you could trust me to help you with your food aid?

　I answer the red-haired woman who stares straight at me.


'It's because the story I'm bringing you is a business (business).


　I assure her.
　She seems somewhat puzzled by the unexpected words.

'Business?'

Yes, sir. I have faith in Mr. Eltria's business acumen. I'm sure that Mr. Eltria will definitely get in on the lucrative business. I came to Zenobia with those preconditions in mind.

I'll get rid of the Serpent while I'm at it. It's just a way to get a little extra money for the road?

　It was a high price to pay, and he was too powerful a foe to be called an afterthought, but he was right.
　I had no intention of asking for help with food because of the defeat of the Sea Serpent.

I'm sure you'll find that the defeat of the Sea Serpent is an obligation to your provisional fiancée, Miss Yulia. Even though it's a provisional beginning, I don't want to see my fiancée sacrificed.

You've said twice now that you're a virgin, and you're not so keen on marrying your daughter?

　Eltria's mouth twists up in a "hmmm", but she quickly regains her serious expression.

　I guess she means to keep talking.
　I chuckle a little and continue talking.

''Let's leave Miss Yulia's story for now.'' --I repeat, we won't press for the importation of food using our debt for defeating the Sea Serpent as a shield. If the Great Sea Serpent was on the rampage in the first place, the import of spices from the island cities in the Southern Ocean would be delayed. Finally, recently, the price of spices has fallen, and the people of Ivalice are happy about it. This is for the people of Zenobia, but it is also for the people of my Ivalice.

　I stressed again.

'I'm glad to hear it. --So, you say that food aid is business, but since you call it business, I assume it's good for us, too?　So we can interpret that as giving us more in return than the defeat of the Sea Serpent?

Yes, you should think so.

　As I said this, Eltria asked me.
　What's the payback for that, she said.
　I looked back into her eyes and said.


''When the Demon King's army unites the world, we will make Zenobia a major trading city and gather a quarter of the world's wealth.


　Eltria couldn't help but raise her eyebrows at those words.
　She didn't have words to reply to too many words, and she had that look on her face.

''How is that possible?''

　Her eyes told me so, but I answered honestly.

'It's possible,'
　And--.

　I explain to her.

''This is still in the conceptual stage, but the Demon King will move the capital of the Demon King's army to central Rosalia once he conquers Rosalia.

'The Demon King's army will change the castle!

Yeah, I'm afraid so.

''But since the beginning of history, I have never heard of a demon king who has done such a thing. The demon race has always been based in the eastern part of the country, holed up in Dvorberg, their residence. Hundreds of years ago, when the demon king's army invaded the west end of this continent, they didn't move even a single step from their residence.

Previous Demon Kings may have been, but our current Demon King is different.

　I affirm that.

　It is true that past demon kings have stuck to their homeland, the eastern part of the continent, and did not change their residences even after conquering the human lands.

　They had always been holed up in Dvorberg on the eastern edge of the continent, taking command from the east of the continent.
　However, the demon king of his day, the Sixth Heavenly Lord, would not be trapped by such customs and conventions.
　He is a person who judges things more rationally.
　It would be a problem if the capital of the Demon King's army was located in the eastern part of the continent when this world was unified.
　She is not the type of person who would do such an irrational thing.

　Oda Nobunaga, who is thought to be her previous life, was also famous for changing his base of operations from one place to another. Twice when he united the small country of Owari, and once after the fall of Mino, and once when he tried to unify the country, he moved his base to a place called Azuchi.

　It was because she calculated that she could control the land she ruled more rationally that way.
　In fact, it is not an exaggeration to say that it was her rational and progressive thinking that made her the ruler of the world.
　It should be the same in this other world where she was born again.
　The Demon King once said something like this, "Arsenum is a wonderful city.


"Arsenum is a wonderful city, Ike.

　That's what I once said to the Demon King while looking at a map of the world when I went to his private chambers.

The city of Arsenum is at the center of Rosalia, and the country of Rosalia is at the center of the world. When it comes to governing the world, this city will certainly be the keystone of my and my army.

　The Demon King-sama caressed the city of Arsenum on the map and said so.


　Considering her rationality and her achievements in her previous life, it would be inevitable that the Demon King-sama would insist on moving to the Arsenum area after the conquest of Rosalia.

　No, I even have a feeling that he will start moving immediately after dropping Reezus.
　If that happens, inevitably, this Zenobia will become an important stronghold in the south.
　They will entrust it with all the trade in the Southern Ocean and let it monopolize its wealth.

　At the time of this different world unification, he would build large ports in the north and west, as well as in the east, and create huge trading cities on all the continents to move goods and people around and stabilize the economy of this world. The Demon King would have adopted such a policy.

　That was my view, and also the bargaining chip that convinced the southern trade union.

　Already, Eltria itself seems willing to lift the ban on food imports altogether, but it would still be a powerful bargaining chip to convince other merchants.

　I spoke with that in mind, but Eltria seemed to be gobsmacked by the vastness of the concept.

''........Indeed, if your words are true, then a quarter of the world's wealth will be gathered in this Zenobia.

　When he muttered that, Eltria placed a hand on his chin, "Hmmm," and began to think about it.

''Personally, I was more than willing to cooperate with you, but hearing you say that, I can't help but be interested in you as a public figure.

What do you mean?

'No, we were going to increase our food exports. 'No, we were going to increase our food exports, even though the representatives of the other cities were against it. But with that, we were going to negotiate behind the scenes with the League of Kings, offer them tribute and engage in duplicitous diplomacy...

　'I've changed my mind,' she declared grandly, and then turned her hand over to him, 'I've changed my mind.

''There would be no need for such petty tricks. Let's manage to convince the other council members and representatives of the other cities to cut off all aid to the League of Kings.

It would be a great help to us if you could say that, but is that right?　You said something to that effect.

　I pressed for confirmation, but she said in a tone of voice that I couldn't tell if she was swallowing or being carefree.

This is business, isn't it?　Then it's a merchant to invest in the one that looks more profitable.

　Eltria assured him, then closed one eye and gave him a wink.
　It was a mischievous attitude, but his words did not seem to lie.
　Thus, the Demon King's army had completely sided with the southern trade coalition.

　With them on their side, the Demon King's Army - no, I was obligated to defend them with all my might.

　The more friends and allies we have, the more our strength will be increased, but the more responsibility we have.

　For better or worse, it would be far more beneficial to the Demon King's army than the trade coalition led by Eltria being turned into an enemy.

　It's unclear whether the Demon King-sama will unify the heavens or, for that matter, even capture Leasas, but one thing is certain.

　However, one thing is certain: he has another important friend to protect.

　After a few years of hurling myself into the Demon King's army, I have risen to the rank of legion leader, but as I rise through the ranks, I meet more and more people and demons, and my number of important friends increases.

　Not to mention the members who have joined me since the early days of the brigade, Sati the maid, Günther the dwarven king, the elves of the Elven Forest, and the woman in front of me and the people of Zenobia led by her.

　Sometimes it's a bit of a burden to carry their fate with my still inexperienced strength, but at the same time, they are important people who have my back.

　I have to work hard every day to keep them smiling.
　I shook Eltria's hand to seal the deal, and then we celebrated with her.
　The brandy she personally poured for me made my heart beat faster.
　By the way, there was no document or seal on this contract.
　It seemed that such tactlessness was no longer necessary between me and Etria.