I, the Wizard Magnus, along with Sharon and the rest of the Golem army, returned from the Forest of Monsters in triumph.
　The enthusiasm of the citizens of Requisam in welcoming Sharon's army was tremendous.
　Well, following the powerful "Knocker of the Otherworld" (Keosnocker) in the Black Witch's camp, if she had conquered the "Beast Maniacs" (Beast Maniacs) as well, then her reputation as a great general was finally growing. It was no surprise that they were eelike.
　The streets were packed with citizens who wanted to catch a glimpse of the steel golems marching down the main street and the bravery of Sharon and his direct disciples riding on their shoulders.
　Men and women, young and old, hailed the prestige of Sharon and cheered him.
　The people themselves seemed to be a bit constrained by the excessive amount of hospitality, and their smiles were tense, though.

　I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make it work.
　The party should be party to the party - the people of the witch country of Vivalahara's people's faith should be received by Sharon, the general of Vivalahara.
　Only then will the country be able to recover from the civil war.
　We hired hands should only be in the shadows.

''And my subordinates would like to disband quickly and have a good time in the tavern.

　Pauli winked sassily and the troopers cheered with a wah-woo when I promised to go and rip off Sharon's bonus.
　Yes, we are not fighting for the praise of our people.

　　　　◇◆◆◆◆.

　After sending the troops back to the tavern, I went back to the mansion where I was assigned.
　The combat maid, Chocolat, of course, went home with me.
　In addition, Pauli even offered to accompany me as I can't drink, so she followed me.

　We are now in the common room, taking turns playing board games in the salon.
　We had tea and sweets served by Mirei, the head maid of the mansion, and it was quite a good time as we all snacked on them.
　I mean, it was impossible not to get excited, since Chocolat gets hot right away with the game, and Pauli teases her every time she loses, so it was impossible not to get excited.

'I've never lost a game like this, so if you want, I can handicap you if you want.

　And as Pauli first refused, he was devilishly strong.
　I've never really enjoyed this kind of game, so I was still cotenanced with a handicap.
　However, when there is such a difference in skill, it doesn't make me angry. It's not that I don't like it, but rather I'm amazed at each of Pauli's strange moves, and even feel a sense of humor.
　On the other hand, Chocolat is not a nerd, and in the end she runs away in a half-crying fit.
　She's probably going to sleep on the floor in a nearby room.
　Pauli and I point to another game and talk about the real war.

"The war will be stagnant for some time to come.
What's your heart?　Lord Strategist.
Sharon was bemoaning the fact that the logistics are about to get a bit sketchy. Therefore, we will focus on resupplying for a while. And the Black Witch's camp won't be attacking us for the time being.
I'm sure they must be terrified of the military strategist's wisdom. If you fight properly, you will be outsmarted by the strategies of the master. On the other hand, if the other side also used a strategy, the master would betray them. This is not something that you can easily take out. But as expected of a military strategist!　I'm supposed to be the cue for this me in Kaziu!

　Hearing Pauli's praise as her teeth lifted.

So I think I'll stick to strategy for a while.
"secretly plotting to turn the tables on the black witches.
The Black Witch camp is nominally headed by the Black Queen of the Dead, but they are not united by loyalty or favor. There are countless black witches who are independent in the worst sense of the word.
'You're an opportunist in every world, aren't you!
'We will cut them down one by one. Without the use of troops, the enemy's forces will be reduced and ours will be increased.
'I see!　And, Master Strategist?　How much money do I have to pull in from my parents' house?

　The former head of the pirate trading company that had made Kaziu infamous turned a badass face and gloated.

''Ho. You think money can buy a witch's heart?

　I asked Pauli to test me.
　I ask Pauli to test me, but he answers immediately.

You can't buy your heart with money. But even witches have desires, and they have things that interest them. But even witches have desires and interests, and you can buy them with money. Above all, the formality of 'bringing a gift' is important. They don't turn on us because they are at a disadvantage, but because we asked for it. When we do that, it's easy to fall back on them.
'How can you come up with such a vicious reply so easily?
'You're the one thinking in your head, but don't play the innocent good guy!

　I laughed loud and clear with Pauli.
　Well, he's still a great guy.
　When he's an enemy, he's terrifying, but when he's an ally, he's reliable.

　　　　◇◆◇◇◇◇.

　Even after Pauli left, I was alone in the salon, having a cup of tea.
　Milay, the head maid, brewed me a second cup of tea with some sweets and served it to me.
　Millet is a beautiful woman of strange age.

"Would you like to have a cup of tea with me?

　I recommend taking a seat face to face at the table where the board game was left on.

"Don't play with me, master.
Well, don't be so dull. You want to ask me something, don't you?
I'm sorry, sir?
'Don't you want to know why I, who was supposed to have a fire meter ready, could have prepared a response plan - as if I knew there was going to be a torrential downpour at Terral Baltic?

　When I asked in a mangled tone of voice, Millet's blood changed to a huff.

"What, what are you doing all of a sudden, gosh, goshu--
Why do you have to pretend with me?　I'm the first person to know what they are... and what they are made of.

　As Milay paled more and more, I confronted her with her real name.

'Do you enjoy playing warlord, Ellis Barrack?'

　-- and.

　Yes, Mirei's true identity was Eris.
　With the power she inherited from the General of the Demon Sea that allowed her to transform her body at will, she was transformed into a maid head.
　They pretended to serve diligently and listened to my strategies as I told Pauli.

　I knew that all along, thanks to the Strategy Book.
　So I decided to use it against them.
　I pretended to blabber on about my strategy, but in fact I blew the false news to Mirei-Eris.

　The next time I attack with a fire meter--if I lie about it, of course Ellis will take that countermeasure.
　They'll be proud of themselves and will feel like they've outsmarted me.
　That's where the thinking will stop.
　So I should have outsmarted him.
　It's just too easy.

"O.K., resign. I'm going to lose this time.

　Ellis easily confessed.

'I mean, my hat's off to you. I didn't think you'd find out. You've learned a lot.

　Once the transformation was undone, she returned to her original form.
　I was still in my maid's uniform, so it felt fresh or uncomfortable.

'But next time you won't lose, Magnus?
I don't know how many times I've done this, but it's the same thing, isn't it?
'I doubt it!　You're a horrible, smart guy, but I don't think I'm losing, either.
You're missing the point when you're thinking in terms of such arguments.

　I can't help but sigh.

"What do you mean?
As long as you're playing games with me, you can't beat me.

　I playfully pick up one of the pieces and gently place it on the board.
　I rearrange them in their initial placement.
　If this were a game like this, if it were a competition - I'd enjoy playing an honest, serious game, under equal circumstances, in an elegant manner.
　I would be able to repeat the victory and defeat with an unconcerned look on my face, laugh it off, and forget about it the next day.

　But what I'm doing now is a journey that will determine the fate of the world.
　I'll stop at nothing to defeat the Demon King.
　It doesn't matter if Eris uses the civil war in Vivalajara to compare wits with me.
　I have no interest in participating in such a game and will only use this "strategy book" to crush Eris' schemes.
　The foundation is different from those who pretend to play games.

"If you want to win, this is the way to go. Then I'll go with you.
No!　I'm tired of playing that game!

　Ellis lifted his eyes and kicked off my offer to point to the board game.

'Remember that, Magnus!　I'll make sure you get a barking face!

　After spitting out a discarded line, Ellis took off her maid's uniform and fled with wings sprouting from her back.
　I'm sure she's going to come after me again, lashing out at the other witches to try and win me over.

　Once again, I was forced to sigh.
　This is not a game, after all.
　If it were a game, there would be nothing more trivial than to think that everything was the way I wanted it to be.