Investigation of the captured elves. By all accounts, you won't be able to find them by simply looking at them from the sky. However, if you send a drone into the empire, it will certainly be found out that the Celestial State is involved.

　Even so, I don't want to do the scary thing of infiltrating it myself.

　So what should I do?





　While looking at the exotic scenery on the screen, I opened my mouth.



　When I muttered that, Eira, standing next to me, shook her head from side to side as if in trouble.

''No. If Taiki-sama goes to the ground, who will manage Taiki-sama's golems?''

Of course it is.

　He nodded with a wry smile and turned his attention to the screens on either side. The large screen to the north was lined with stone buildings, while the screens to the east and west were littered with houses made of wood.

'Imperial City and another city. The atmosphere is a bit different after all.'

''Yes. The imperial city may be adding more stone houses to prevent the fire from spreading in the war, but I didn't know they were so thorough...''

　Eira muttered that with a nervous look on her face. From Eira's point of view, it's a horrible country that once tried to invade her home country, but from my point of view as a third party, it's an interesting country.

　In the history of the earth, there are countries that have often appeared in the history of the earth, but there is a country that suddenly has a head start on its neighbors, and in the blink of an eye, it invades the surrounding countries and expands its territory.

　It is interesting to note that it may have started with a single person or a single invention.

　The Blau Empire, which expanded its territory at a breakneck pace and became powerful, was probably started by the current emperor himself. Although there may be talented people underneath him, it was the emperor who used them to make the country powerful.

　I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but it's not. There was no way he was going to give up easily.

　This is evidenced by the emperor's thorough management of the elves.

　Most of them are in the imperial capital, but a small number of powerful elves are apparently sent to live in the surrounding cities in pieces and are forced to work there as magicians.

　If they only helped the elves in the imperial capital, in some cases, the rest of the elves could be killed. The other side is a rare invader who annexed the surrounding countries in a single generation. It must be impossible to use common sense.

　So I decided to move as quickly as possible to avoid detection.

........Um, Taiki-sama?

Hmm?

　When I turned around after being called out to her, I saw Eira pointing to one of the screens with an apologetic look on her face.

　It was a screen that showed images from inside the Imperial City.

''Elf, I think I found it, but...''

What, aren't you early?

　Surprised, I looked closely at the screen and saw Ditsen dressed in merchant-style clothing. And far behind him were soldiers in armor and two elves walking together.

　The elves were all wearing black robes and had stunning blonde hair, just like Aifa's. It was impossible to discern if they were male or female, but they were both stunningly beautiful.

　Ditsen gestured through the screen to show that he had spotted the elves.

But still, where were you with so many soldiers........

　After I said that, I let my worst imaginations run through my head.

　This could be a difficult situation that I've encountered.

''........Okay, let's have Ditsen-san follow him for now.





[Aifa]

　Aifa, with her hood up deep in her eyes, looked around the city lightly and sighed at the fact that people were all staring at a point.

　This was because people's gazes were gathered directly behind him.

　When he looked back with a sideways glance, there was a huge, square shape of a figure.

　Shaped like a gray stone-textured box stacked on top of a human shape, it was at first glance a simple shaped golem. There seemed to be something like glass or a gemstone embedded in its chest, but even if you added that, it wouldn't be able to shake off the somber impression.

　Its movements were also slow and sluggish, which suited its appearance, and the people around it looked at the golem and made some very subtle faces.

''Well........it's not a very strong-looking golem, is it?

The sorcerer hides his face in plain sight.

'Baka! Don't you dare say that! If it's not a robe with the Imperial emblem on it, that sorcerer is a stray.

A stray sorcerer I wouldn't get too involved in.

　Such a conversation came from somewhere, and Aifa exhaled quietly once more.

''Well it looks like they haven't found out it's me.

　After saying this in a small mouth, Aifa walked deeper into the city.

　As Aifa went ahead, the square golem sluggishly followed him.

　People continue to look at the scene with strange eyes.

''........Was there no way to make it a little more inconspicuous?''

　Aifa muttered that and stepped into the intricate alleyway as if to escape.





[Maia]

...it's too big.

　Maea, who wore her hood deeply over her eyes, complained and looked around with her shoulders slumped.

　Although not as large as the imperial capital, that city was quite large and splendidly built. The cobblestone streets are nicely maintained and the houses look sturdy.

　In the midst of a bustling city where many peddlers also come and go, Maea was walking around with the same golem that Aifa had with her.

　The same hooded trainee raises an eyebrow at Maea, who looks troublesome.

''It's no good, Maea. Since Taiki-sama has given us a great deal of work, let's make sure we do our job well.

　Softly admonished, Maea walked away with her mouth agape.

'Yes, yes,'

　Looking at Maea's back as she walked with the golem, Trayne chuckled to herself, but quickly narrowed her eyes and tilted her head.

'One for me and Maea. One for Lant and Schnee. One for Mr. Ditsen. One with Yuri. One with Aifa-san... and one with her own personal affairs, and one with Violette-san, who is waiting for me in the private room to watch over her... when I've given such complicated orders to the golem as one unit... Isn't that a burden on Master Tiki?

　Trayne muttered, lowering the tone of her voice and shaking her head lightly from side to side.

''There's no way I'd know if I thought about it. Now, let's go for it.

　Changing his mind, Trainee noticed Maea waiting for him with her cheeks puffed out a little further on, and followed at a quick pace.