The hero of the Kingdom of Phallus, the leader of the Red Dragon Knight Corps, E. Rudre, and the most powerful sorcerer in the Demon King's Army, Ike, the leader of the 8th Legion of the Demon King's Army.
　And the strongest magician in the Demon King's Army, Ike, Commander of the Demon King's Eighth Legion Legion.

　Their unofficial meeting took place in the Sun Room, the palace of the Elven Kingdom in the World Tree Forest.

　The Sun Room is used by Ferret, Queen of the Elves, to drink herbal tea, read and write down the results of her research.

　Although the ceiling is covered with trees, the room is flooded with sunlight.

It's a true sunroom.

　Sati smiled at that, and indeed, she was right, and it was a picture just to imagine Ferrette, who usually used this place, reading and writing in this place.

　Only, she's not here.

　The meeting between me and E Redre was an unofficial one, and the Elf Queen, an ally of the Demon King's army, was not qualified to be present here.

　Ferret knows this, and he doesn't even listen to me.

　Rather, his good hearing was the reason why he left the elven palace with his attendants and made his way to the villa, so that the conversation between the two men would not reach his ears.

　It was an honorable and noble consideration.

　It's not something I would normally imagine her to have done, but seeing her actions, the king of a country must have the capacity to do so.

　While thanking Ferrette for her care and political sense, I greeted E. Rudre who visited the Elf's palace.

　He gives his first and last name and holds out his right hand.

''I am pleased to meet you for the first time. My name is Ike, Commander of the Demon King's Army's Eighth Legion Legion.''

　Ee Rudre also held out his right hand, and he squeezed it back.
　It was a powerful handshake.
　He said in a voice louder than mine.

It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Count Gérard et Rudre. I'm the head of the Red Dragon Order.

　It's a voice that comes through well.
　There is a requirement for a great general to have a good voice.
　On the battlefield, not being able to hear the commander's orders is a matter of life and death.
　Besides, you can hear your commander's voice.
　It is also advantageous for soldiers to hear their commander's voice, which can improve their morale, and is also advantageous in communicating orders.
　I'm sure that's why he's worthy of the name of a great general.
　I let go of my not-so-subtle handshake and invited him to take a seat.
　As soon as he sat down, he was the first to sip his herbal tea.
　His attendant, a dark-haired girl named Johanna, who was watching him, stopped him in a hurry.

''Brother, what are you doing to me?''

"What do you mean they'll do to you?　I'm just having a cup of tea, sir?

　E Ludre replied without moving an eyebrow, but his sister Johanna said with a look of disbelief.

'Doesn't your brother take into account the fear of being poisoned?

'Such fears are unnecessary. If Lord Ike wanted to kill me, my head and body would have been separated long ago, wouldn't they?

　Isn't that right, Lord Ike?

　I don't want to be asked for that kind of consent, but it's true, so I nodded silently.

"If you're as good as I am, you can kill me anytime you want. I'm not going to go to the trouble of using poison. I'm not like you.

..........

　Now it was Johanna's turn to be silent.

'The assassination of Lord Ike is justice on the part of humanity, you would argue, but I can condemn your actions as evil on three counts.

　'One thing,' says E. Redondole.

You have dishonored the honor of House e-Redoré. "You have dishonored the honorable House of E Redoré by disgracing the House of E Redoré with your military service to the House of Phallus. They had no history of assassination or any other disloyal practices.

　'Two,' says E. Rudre.

"You have done something to disgrace yourself," he said. What will you do when it is said that Johanna E. Ludle is an assassin?　I'm in trouble for not having a wife for free, and you plan to spend the rest of your life unmarried?

　You'll have to become a nun at this rate, E Ludle said jokingly, but Johanna didn't laugh. He looked at her with a look in his eyes that said that he was not afraid to do so.

　She was taken aback by this attitude, but when she let out a complaint, she looked at me and said, "You are such a wuss," she said.

''I'm such a tomboy, but if you don't mind, Ike-dono would like to have it.

　At this point, should I just say that I have a fiancée?

　Considering that I usually don't do anything fiancé-like for Julia, it would be rude. So I thought to myself.

'Miss Johanna will have the right to choose,' he replied.

　E. Ludle was.
You don't think it's fair to recommend the daughter who tried to assassinate you to your wife?
　When he weighed his own weight, he raised his third vice.

In the first place, the assassination never turned history around. Assassination may turn history around, but it has never improved it.

　E Ludre made a serious expression and lectured his sister, Johanna, on this.

''But still, this demon race is the scourge of humanity. Even if we don't make progress, once this thing is gone, the amount of blood that will be shed by humanity will be reduced.''

I'm not so sure about that.

　E Ludle was casual in his tone.
　Johanna bit her lip as she waited for him to continue.

Ike certainly fought bravely on that battlefield and caused a lot of damage to the human side. No one can deny that. But not on the battlefield. No, not even on the field of battle.

　E Ludre broke off his words there and sipped his herbal tea and continued.

''If a demon race other than Lord Ike had been in Lord Ike's position, the amount of blood shed on the human side might have been twice or three times as much as it is now.

''On the other hand, if it weren't for this man, the human side might have gotten the upper hand and the demon race might have spilled blood.

'There's a good chance of that. No, I think it's more likely.

　'But,' says E. Ludle.

'In that case, the only difference is whether the blood flowing through it will be demonic or human. Whether the blood turns red, green or blue, that's the only difference.

There is no such thing as red blood.

I don't want to see blood. I don't care what color it is.

　E. Rudre asserts.

'I'm the kind of person who gets bloodlust when I see it.

　How could you be a soldier at all?　
　That's what he joked, but E. Rudre's joke seemed to be too bad, and Johanna didn't laugh.
　No, not many people would be able to laugh under these circumstances.

''Anyway, don't think anymore about such a shameful thing as assassination. If you must defeat Lord Ike, it will be on the battlefield. Otherwise, God will not allow it.

　After saying that, E Ludre turned to me.
　His eyes were serious.
　I also answer seriously.

''-- Assassination is not my favorite thing either. And moreover, I would never think of assassinating someone as honorable as you.

I appreciate that. Whether I'm honorable or not, I don't know. But I can find only two reasons why you should call me here, other than assassination, and for which reason did Lord Ike call me here?

Probably the most constructive and realistic one.

'Ho, so you've come to encourage me to betray Phallus instead of making peace through me?

That's right.

　I will be honest with you.

　After talking to him, I found out that E Ludre's honorable character, his insight, and if he joins the Demon King's army, he will be a great help to the Demon King's master in taking the kingdom of heaven.

　You can also offer a request for peace through him.
　The Demon King's army has already conquered the majority of Rosalia.
　It would be one way to make peace with the humans here and put the commoners to rest.
　I came to that conclusion, but Ee Rudre shook his head slowly to the side.

''Unfortunately, I can't join the Demon King's army, can I?

Have you taken your family hostage?

Father and mother gone. Fortunately, and a wife and children. I have only one sister who is a tomboy, but I suppose I could take her out if it were just Johanna alone.

''Then by all means, join the Demon King's Army. As far as I can see, the general's abilities are too underestimated in the Phallus Kingdom. No, I'd say they're being treated unfairly.

'Maybe. But I'm happy with that.

Are you going to let your accomplishments be ignored or even left to rot?

It is the fate of the warrior. Feared by the king, envied by his men. Ike, you have the same experience.

..........

　I answer by silence.

　I've never been feared by the Demon King. Nor have I been hated by my former boss, Sephiro. Nor from my former boss, Cephiro.

　In fact, they have given me a free hand and allowed me to do things freely.
　On the other hand, the jealousy of my colleagues was inevitable since I was a brigade commander.

　I've been able to fend off their interference through my achievements and actions, but I can't deny that I had the help of the Demon King and Cephiro.

　Does this mean that the man in front of me can't expect even that to be the case and fight?
　E Ludre tells us.

'I hate my allies in the rear more than I do the one fighting in front of me. Such situations are common.

　Even in the previous life, during the period of the Three Kingdoms, there was a warlord named Lujian in the country of Wu and a warlord named Yi Wei in the country of Jin.

　They fought for many years over key locations on the front line, and during this time, they formed a strange friendship.

　By fighting in the front line, they were able to understand the personalities of their opponents and keep each other in check.

　They were constantly tormented by their incompetent superiors in the rear. They felt more sympathy for the competent enemy in front than the incompetent allies in the rear.

　Whenever one of them fell ill, Land Antique and Yi Yi would send medicine to the other, and in return, they would send alcohol and food to the other.

　They drank the medicine and drank alcohol without any suspicion from each other. They did not give the slightest thought to the suspicion of poisoning.

　The relationship between the two men was.

"Sheep-Land Fellowship.

　I'm not sure if it's the same thing, or if it's something close to that.

　--It's a bit of a shame that I'm so blessed to have a boss, let alone a co-worker, that I'd have to go along with his feelings.

　But still, I'm trying to get him to give me the benefit of the doubt.

General E. Rudre, even if you win the battle against the Demon King's army, the general will be stripped of his military authority, or in the worst case, he could be sentenced to death. On the other hand, if you come to the Demon King's Army, I promise you a position worthy of the General's abilities on my honor.

　The question is answered by E. Rudre.

''Those are the words of the most powerful magician in the Demon King's army. Those words are heavier than gold.'

　'But,' continued E. Rudre, 'I have a position to fill.

''Lord Ike has his position, and I have mine, just as Lord Ike has his position. I don't mean to be rude, but if the Demon King's army attacked you and you were in the same position as me, would you betray the Demon King's army, Lord Ike?

..........

　The face of the Demon King, Cephiro's face, Lilith's and Giron's faces came to mind.

''That's how it is. Even if the king neglects me or my colleagues covet me, I still have men. I can't just throw them out and leave one person in exile.

　With that, E Ludre gulped down the drink Satie had prepared for him.
　He says jokingly.

'The best thing would be for me and Lord Ike to have an even fight, and make me feel like I'm worthy of being used. "The best thing would be for me and Lord Ike to have an even fight, and to make the soldiers think I'm worthy of their services," he says. Then they won't be able to purge me for the time being.

　But," continued E. Rudre, laughing, "you can't control it that well.

It's a difficult thing to control a maneuver. It's a good thing that you're able to get the best out of them. Therefore, the next time we invade, we will do our best to confront Ike-dono with our full strength.

　As soon as he said that, E Ludre asked for a handshake.

　Is it an attempt to say goodbye?
　In other words, does that mean that this is the end of the line of drinking?
　I shake his hand back in silence.
　I don't intend to lose to E. Rudre.
　On the other hand, the other party will be the same.
　And soon, a war will break out between the two of us.

　And yet the two men are drinking with each other, over a meal prepared by Satie.
　In the sunroom of the Elven Palace, a flower danced in from the sky.
　Its petals fell into E Redre's cup.
　E Redre laughed as his expression relaxed, "It's a breeze," he said.
　Yes, it was true, but I couldn't be as masterful as he was.

　I'm not a drinker by nature. And I hadn't had enough life experience to find a good drink at the end of its life.