----Miki Arakawa Point of View

Miki-san, we're almost to the rendezvous point. Ursna's troops are arriving ahead of schedule.

Yeah. We're the last ones standing.

　As I put down my teacup of tea that I was about to drink, I looked at the city of the planned point projected on the screen and saw that Ursna's army and Noah's main unit had set up tents and were stationed at the outer edge of the city.
　However, there were still not enough Ursna troops. As reports had reached us, the fact that the main force was almost surrounded and annihilated in the first battle may have had an effect.

I'd like you to move your ships closer to the tents that Noah's main force is setting up. We'll hold a strategy meeting there, and then we'll begin our attack on the imperial capital.

Yes, sir.

　As I stopped the ship near the tent and prepared for tea, Shuichi-san and Her Majesty Victoria entered Alice's CIC. The timing was just right as there were some things I wanted to ask Her Majesty.

''Shuichi-san, thank you for your hard work. It looks like you had quite a hard time on that front over there.

''Yeah, we'd be in pretty bad shape if the dragon tribe hadn't come to reinforce us. There is no damage to my immediate squadron, but the Ursna army led by His Majesty is wiped out. As soon as the capture of the imperial capital is completed, the Ursna army will withdraw from the war zone.

I'm sorry, my dear.

　His Majesty apologizes as he bows his head, but it can't be helped. Even if we fall back, we still have enough strength to maintain security, so let's hope for cooperation in that direction.

The Ursna army has defeated 250,000 enemies. We were able to create a pretty favorable situation strategically, so that's enough for me. More importantly, is Your Majesty familiar with the word 'ghoul'?

'Ghouls?　I know, but that doesn't mean anything.

　His Majesty's complexion changes at my words. Last night, an intelligence officer infiltrating the Allied Forces informed me that the Capps Kingdom and the Lycurgical Kingdom are jointly researching a weapon named 'Ghoul', but is it a weapon that should be so alarming?

I've heard from my subordinates lurking in the allied forces that the allied forces intend to put the ghouls on the battlefield. However, since we have no information on this ghoul weapon, would you please tell us?

The ghouls are not weapons or weapons, they are a plague caused by a curse. They want to destroy their own country?

　Hearing His Majesty's painful explanation, the inside of the CIC would freeze up. First of all, a 'ghoul' is a type of monster, there's no doubt about it, but it has no intelligence or anything else, it simply eats food. But....................the "food" is the problem.
　When a ghoul bites you, you become a ghoul in the same way - in other words, you become 'infected'.

"Is there a cure?

It's not there. Either kill them all, or hide until the ghouls are wiped out by starvation.

　Listening to Her Majesty's explanation, I am filled with anger at the stupidity of the Allied forces. There are nations in our world that have deployed biological weapons, but no one is stupid enough to use things that have no established cure. If a single ghoul were to be unleashed, the damage would be ratcheted up.......and this continent, which is now in turmoil during wartime, would have no spare capacity left to systematically deploy a containment operation.

''What would I say if I let Gongju hear this kind of story.......''

What about me?

　Suddenly I heard a voice from behind me and turned around in surprise to see Gongju with Cong on top of his head, staring at me while tilting his head. Mazu...──, if this girl had heard everything that was just said, she would try to kill the leaders of the allied forces with all her might, and I wonder if the CIC personnel had arrived at the same idea as me, in a different way than they had before.
He froze and looked at her to see what was going on.

'Kou-chan, how long have you been asking?'

From the beginning. More importantly, you know, um, what I'm going to do.

　I signaled Shuichi-san with my eyes as he began to think while bringing the index finger of his right hand under his chin. Shuichi-san accurately caught my intentions and came around behind Kouki so that he could seize him at any time. This way, if Kouki says, 'I'm going to kill you and you need to get your power suit ready,' all we have to do is keep him under house arrest in his room until we get everything sorted out.
　As I was thinking about this, Gongju operated his terminal to check something before he opened his mouth.

'Victoria-san, a ghoul's weakness is good in the head, right?

You are well aware that the only weakness of a ghoul is its head.

'Claire, please bring me a map of the area around the Capps Kingdom. Preferably a satellite image.

Yes, sir.

　For some reason, Shuichi and I watched as he began to give instructions with a look of familiarity, while Shuichi and I looked at him with an astonished expression, and he asked me a question with a serious face as well.

"Mom, can you make a thermonuclear weapon right away?

We can't, we don't even have the material to go back to Hakone base because the treaty says it's forbidden.

"Seriously? The high road to biohazard and other pandemic-type stuff is to burn it down with a nuke... but it's tough?

　What on earth is my son talking about, the high road?　Nuclear?　No, more than that, I'm wondering how he knows that the weakness of a ghoul is its 'head'. Come to think of it, this kid knew a lot about giant worms and elves, what kind of method would allow him to know so much information about other worlds in such detail?
　You didn't bring back relics from the lunar ruins that I didn't grasp, did you?　As I questioned my son's words and actions, I saw Mr. Clare bring out a satellite photo and spread it out on his desk.

'Sir, here you are. Here's the satellite picture you requested.

Thank you. Also, I've sent the data to your devices for your confirmation.　

　When I checked my device at the words of Kunugi, I was sure I had received an email, so I opened it to check the contents. I'm not going to be able to say that the strategies, tactics, weapons, etc. that are effective against ghouls are described in detail with explanations as I read the contents, and it was no exaggeration to say that the solution is exactly what it is. It wasn't an exaggeration, but........the title of the file
There was a problem.

'Kochan. I'm not going to ask you how you were able to describe it in such detail when you didn't do any experiments or exercises, because I'll fool you anyway. But........what do you mean by the file name 'What if my mom made a zombie virus - Part 3'!

　I understand well what kind of eyes she usually looks at me through this case. I'll talk to Alice at least once, and I'm sure she'll be able to correct the image of me that she has of me





----Kouki Arakawa's Point of View


'Kochan. I'm not going to ask you how you were able to describe it in so much detail when you didn't do any experiments or exercises, because I'm going to misrepresent it anyway. But........what do you mean by the file name 'What if my mom made a zombie virus - part 3'!

　Whatever you're saying, that's what I'm saying. Mom would have created a "zombie virus" at some point. And this kind of thing is bound to cause an outbreak for sure. I just jokingly made the emergency manual to be useful in such a situation.

What's this 'zombie' thing you're talking about, Koki?　Some kind of code name.

　Macho, who was quietly reading the data, asks me a question, but I don't think my brain can understand the concept of a zombie, so I'll just tell him something appropriately like that.

'That's right. A virus that can mutate its body and has an explosive infectious power is called the 'zombie virus' and the creature infected by that virus is called a 'zombie'.



'Of course there is. There are up to 27 parts in all, and they're designed for a variety of situations.

　Claire-san is looking at me, speechless. Hmph, I haven't wasted my time since my reincarnation either. I'm not quite as good as my mother, who is a genius, or her awesome military machismo, but I've used the knowledge from my previous life to prepare for this kind of situation. Looking back, this is the first time I've been able to properly serve my mom, isn't it?
　By the way, I think it's a fool's errand to lock yourself away in a supermarket etc. when you're trying to survive against zombies. The best place is probably the home improvement store, where you'll find all the tools and tools you need for hiding, and you can survive eating cup noodles and, worst of all, dog food.

That's pretty detailed, though, isn't it? "I understand that 'do not go to check alone even if you hear a strange sound', but what's this 'use of a helicopter is prohibited in case of escape' thing?

We're going down.

　Macho is puzzled by my reply, but the helicopter we use to escape will definitely crash. Even if there is no clear reason, the helicopter will crash for some reason due to unexplained engine trouble, so it is prohibited to use it.
　It also says "Be extremely careful when entering the underground passage" and "One of the squad members must be rear-guarded", but I'll ask the macho guys who actually follow the manual to confirm the details. For now, the priority is to capture the imperial capital a hundred kilometers away, because as long as it's there, there's no other way to move.

But we can take our time setting up anti-zombie measures later, and for now, let's just capture the imperial capital.

''Crunchy, Kou-chan.......the Imperial Army has a defensive formation that could be called ironclad, right?　It's not that easy.

''Don't worry, if my plan works, we can quickly neutralize the imperial capital without anyone getting hurt. For that reason, I need everyone's cooperation, you know...

　Despite Mom's doubts, I tell everyone in the CIC about the plan I came up with last night. At first, they listen in stunned amazement, but as I tell them the details, a smile appears on their faces.

I'm sure you're really a hell of a guy," he said, "but if you succeed, it will be quite interesting. But it will be quite interesting if you succeed.

Well, then, I'm going to change my dress. We have to get one for Rilynn as well.

　Macho, the chief of Noah's military department, and Victoria, one of the parties involved, have given their approval for the operation to be officially adopted. Every single member of the Alliance will be watching my every move, and I won't be ashamed to do so.
　I asked Claire for coffee to get my strength up, and then I decided to go to the restroom and leave it there so I wouldn't leak it during the mission.





---- Imperial Knights of the Kingsguard, Joachim, Viewpoint----

　In the evening, with the allied forces closing in on the imperial capital, we were waiting for the enemy outside the robust gates. The soldiers around us who don't know the details of the situation are optimistic, saying that we are dealing with a dwarf sub-race, but I can't shake the feeling that I have a bad feeling.　As I touched the scarf around my neck that my wife gave me before I left for battle, I was calming myself down when I saw a huge object approaching from ahead.

'Archers!　Get ready.

　The archers deploying in the rear in response to my orders are ready to fire their arrows at any moment. As I feel my throat sticking up in tension, the huge object comes to a halt, leaving the castle gate open far enough away.

Are they going to attack us?

　As I muttered to myself, I saw a black and white dragon swooping down from the sky. There was no doubt........that dragon was Marvelous and Lyrin, after all, the rumor that they were cooperating with the Alliance was true!　Will we be able to survive against a legendary monster that not even the brave men of the past could defeat?
　Looking next to me, I see that even the optimistic soldiers are pale after being shown the reality. But something is wrong, the dragon, which is supposed to have an absolute advantage, is not attacking.

They're afraid of us?

　My deputy asks me a question, but that would never happen. As I was pondering the dragon's mysterious behavior, I saw two people coming out of a huge object and walking leisurely toward me. And as if to match their pace, the dragon also begins to move slowly.

''Attention all forces!　Don't ever attack, there's something wrong with you.

　I observe the two people coming towards me with instructions again, one is a beautiful woman dressed glamorously, but the other is different. No, it's abnormal when there is a beautiful woman on the battlefield... The other one is dressed in a military uniform, but is clearly a boy. A young boy, 16.7, is coming towards you with a beautiful woman and a dragon in tow.
　The boy opens his mouth as he leisurely walks up to us in the front row, about 10 mels away, as if he were taking a walk.

You are a well-dressed knight. Are you the commander of this motley crew?

　I'm overwhelmed by the intimidation of the boy who points at me and asks me a question, but I fight back, my voice almost trembling.

'Yes, I am. Who are you?　The Alliance.

'Graaaaaaaaah!　You, how dare you talk to His Majesty the Demon God!

　The Marvelous Marvelous, which hadn't let out a single roar in response to my reply, is furious and attacks me. When the soldiers under my command saw the sight of it, they decided on their own to fire their bows at once, but this time, with a single swing of his tail, a strong magical barrier appeared and all the arrows bounced back.
　As I looked at the Marvelous looming in front of me in despair and fear, a quiet voice, devoid of any emotion, emanated from the boy's mouth.

'Stop it, Marvelous,'

'But sir!　"Insult to the King...

"Marvelous, I said, 'Don't do it,' and there will be no second time.

　The boy's 'command' has Marvelous hanging his head and his chin on the ground. I almost fainted at the sight of that fierce, multi-nation-destroying monster submitting to the boy. Are you kidding me?　The boy in front of me who has Marvelous in tow....

The Devil.

　The moment I spilled those words while looking at the boy with a smirk, Marvelous is about to attack me again with angry flames burning in his eyes. But when he raised his head from the ground, the boy swung his left arm with a light motion. That's all - that's all - just like that, Marvelous disappeared from my sight in an instant.
　As I was confused, not knowing what had happened, I heard a distant thump and the sound of something heavy falling. I looked in the direction of the sound and saw Marvelous lying there, not twitching.

'Scum, I told you there would be no second time. Lyrin, is that dead?

But they're still a higher-ranked species, so they're not likely to die. Anyway, Your Majesty, how's your hand?　You didn't have to hand it down yourself, I would have done it.

　Before you know it, a humanized Lyrin is rubbing the boy's hand with a worried look on his face, but you don't think it was this boy who blew up Marvelous!　A single blow to a legendary dragon?　When I was stunned, unable to follow what happened in front of me, the boy smiled and said his 'request' as if nothing had happened.

'I would like to speak to the king of your country. If you refuse, then I will launch an all-out assault on the imperial capital at that point, but an urban war involving your people would be disastrous, wouldn't it?

　That's lowlife!　You're going to hold my people hostage!　But the boy said clearly, 'The King,' not Lord Dorne, but His Majesty the King. Are you aware of the realities of our country?　I check with the boy one more time to make sure it's His Majesty.

'You're sure it's His Majesty, not Lord Dorne?

Yes, I need to speak to the king.

　I watched the boy who was still smiling and answering my questions. Watching him with absolute confidence, I couldn't help but feel a faint hope that he might change this country.






　After the sun went down completely, the subordinates who had been running to the castle as a message returned to the front line to confirm His Majesty's intentions. It's too dark to see well, but he has a bright face, so the result was probably good. The subordinate saluted as he came right up to me and then began to speak.

''Commander!　His Majesty will see you now.

Well, how is Sir Dorne?

He's with me.

　The discussion is likely to be sullied when Lord Dorne is with me, but the boy who was conversing with me for a while while while the messenger was running to the castle - I think His Majesty the Demon God will manage to get the conversation going. I talk to the Demon God who is drinking tea with the beautiful woman who is escorting him on the dragonized Lyrin.

''Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Karl's Majesty is coming to see you.

Okay. Lilyn, put me down.

　At the same time as the Demon God descends to the ground, Lyrin also humanizes again and snuggles up next to him. After confirming their appearance, I called for a carriage to carry the three of them to the castle, and along with the carriage, the knights under Sir Dorne's direct control also walked up to me.
　What the hell do they want?　As they watched warily, one of them stepped forward and opened his mouth.

''The only ones heading to the castle are the Alliance forces. His Majesty's Demon God and the White Queen aside, the attendants should wait here. Don't worry, we'll 'properly' protect you.

　The grin on the knight's face is so contemptible that he almost pulls out his sword from his waistband, after all, they are just as they say they are, dirty mercenaries who are nothing more than knights!　These guys.........it's guys like this that have ruined the empire. Looking at their faces that say they don't care about the fate of the empire makes me sick, I'll cut them down right here!　But just as he was about to draw the sword at his waist, the Demon God asked the mercenaries in a chillingly low voice.

''Are you going to guard us properly?''

''Yes, Your Majesty the Demon God. Please leave it to us, we'll let the chaperones have some fun.

　The demon god seemed to be thinking about the mercenary's answer as he said, 'Hm,' but you don't think he's really going to leave you behind?　As far as I'm concerned, it's definitely not going to be a good idea if I do that. I'm about to call out to him to change his mind when I notice the chuckle the demon god gives me.

"Victoria, I hear you're going to be entertained, so you'll stay behind. And while you're at it, introduce yourself.

　After the demon god said that, the beautiful woman replied, ''I understand,'' and with a lustrous smile, she began to introduce herself to the mercenaries.

The Emperor of the Ursna Empire, Victoria Roar Ursna, the good human being. I hear that you enjoy your mistress's company, but what can you do for us?

Oh, we're going to...

　The foolish mercenaries are confused, but I've been caught off guard as well, when I think about it calmly, the boy who calls himself a "demon god" would never bring an ordinary valet. But there is no way they would expect the demon emperor to be treated as a valet. When I was desperately pondering how to resolve this unimaginable situation in my mind, Lirin came to my rescue.

''Your Majesty, I think it would be better to take Victoria along with you. That person knows a lot about human society, so I thought we might need to discuss it.''

"If Rylin says so, so be it. Joachim, is that all right with you?

Yes, that's fine. My soldiers apologize.

　The Demon God ordered Victoria to 'get in the carriage' and got in himself and crossed his legs. I got in and sat down on the seat, but I could see the demon god, Lirin, and even Victoria giggling and laughing.
　It's a good thing that you can't get away with it. I'm sure you'll be able to find the best way to get the best out of it.

It's too dark to see well, but it's a good town. I don't want a city like this to be burned in the fires of war.

　I think about the purpose of the Demon God himself coming all the way to the front line when he said that he wished from the bottom of his heart. It's not too early to say that the empire doesn't have enough strength to defeat the multispecies alliance army. I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make the most of your time with us.
　It's a good idea to be able to have a good time with them. I don't know about the soldiers at the end, but the empire, which has been closed off to all supply routes by the allied forces, will be powerless to continue to be besieged even if they can't mount an offensive. Of course, the Demon God should know that, but if that's the case, why has he appeared in front of us at this stage?
　If the Demon God is going to change the empire as I expected, then....

''Commander, we've arrived!''

　The voice of the guru made me huff and puff, I seemed to have been thinking for a long time. As I dismounted from the carriage ahead of him and checked the safety of the surroundings and the knights to greet him, I spotted Clemens, the deputy commander, in front of the castle gate, so I approached and spoke to him, being careful not to make any unnatural movements.

''Clemens, how are the preparations going?''

'Ha!　It's perfectly in order, sir.

''Well, there's going to be a crucial meeting that will determine the future of the Empire. Be sure to keep your guard up.

　Pretending to tap Clemens on the shoulder as he responds to my words with a salute, I pull my face closer and whisper in a whisper so that only he can hear me.

'Get ready for an example,'

　When I returned to the carriage after confirming Clemens' small nod, the demon gods were already getting out of the carriage and stretching it wide. I was impressed by the courage to show such a defenseless appearance in front of the enemy's headquarters, I told the demon gods that I was ready to go inside the castle.





　When I was walking inside the castle, the demon gods stopped walking and looked at the courtyard. Was there something that caught my attention?　When I was recalling the memories of the castle, which I rarely visit these days, the demon god asked me while pointing to a tree in the courtyard.

What is that bird resting on that tree?　The kind I've never seen before, but...

　I'm sure that the bird that inhabits the eastern continent is perched on the tip of the pointing finger, I'm sure that the bird is a rare species that was given away by the duchy on the queen's birthday. When I tell the story, the demon goddess muttered to herself and began to walk again, but her eyes flickered to the bird.
　Are they interested in pet animals?　Despite these doubts, he continued to lead the way and arrived at the room where the discussion was to take place.

''This is the room where His Majesty is waiting for you.

Okay.

　The Demon God dashes into the room at the same time as I open the door. When I followed behind him, I saw His Majesty Karl, a blue-faced man, and a grumpy-looking Sir Dorne sitting on chairs. I tried to introduce the two to the demon god, but he immediately sat down on the open couch, crossed his legs and began to relax.
　When you see the demon god behaving in such a way, Sir Dorne's face turns bright red and he begins to shout angrily.

"I didn't give you permission to sit down!　In the first place, it's quite generous for a subhuman to come to the battlefield with a woman, isn't it?

'I didn't come here to thank my subjects, so you don't need my permission. Or did you expect me to bow down to the Empire?　If that's the case, they're pretty stupid. As for the margin of surplus, we have more than enough compared to a small country that is about to lose the war.

You are fooling the Empire!

　The Demon God, who was looking at Sir Dorne, who was spitting and winding up, asked His Majesty Karl with a loud sigh.

''Was it His Majesty Karl?　I said I wanted to talk to you, but I never said I wanted to talk to this hairy monster. He's an eyesore, so you'll have to do something about it.

"My apologies for the lack of decorum on the part of my liege, but Lord Dorne is... But Lord Dorne, being the most loyal servant in the empire, I would like to take his opinion on the matter, and so, well...

　His Majesty Karl is answering the Demon God's question while looking down. ''Demon God, please notice me!　I'm sure you'll be able to see that the person who is in control of the empire now is Lord Dorne who is right in front of you, we can't go against Lord Dorne as he has the Queen and Prince's Highness imprisoned and is holding the seal of state.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make the most of your time in the city.

''I see... I understand most of it. Now, Sir Dorne, I will once again convey the Alliance's demands: one, that the Linkdoble Empire sign the ceasefire agreement prepared by the Alliance; two, that all non-criminal slaves be freed immediately; three, that all sub-race in the empire be recognized as full imperial subjects; four, that the Alliance troops be stationed in five major cities, including the imperial capital. Admit it. That's all, and if you do not accept it, we will launch a general strike tomorrow morning.

　That's ridiculous!　With that content, it's effectively unconditional surrender!　What in the world is the demon god thinking to confront us with this ridiculous content?
　Is it still different from what I expected, and is its purpose to simply overrun other countries?　His Majesty Karl's face turned white to the point that he almost swooned over the blue at the Demon God's request that was announced so matter-of-factly, and even Lord Dorne's mouth crinkled and seemed to be speechless.

''Your Majesty, why don't you tell me not only what you demand, but also what you'll get in return?　These humans are blue-faced.

Yeah, I guess so.

　Lyrin chuckles and suggests to the demon god, but what's the quid pro quo for offering such a condition?　As far as I'm concerned, it's not a good thing... I started listening to the Demon God's 'quid pro quo' with a feeling of resignation, but as I listened to the details of the content, I was even more shocked than I was when I was confronted with the demand just now.

In return for accepting their demands, the Alliance will allow the royal family to continue to exist. The Alliance will also pay for the funds to cure the social turmoil that occurs when the slaves are freed. The funds paid will be used to pay for the reduction in the labor force resulting from the emancipation of laboring slaves, for example, if the former slaves are to be employed by paying them a fair wage.
　Furthermore, if the allied troops stationed there break the law, they will be punished by imperial law - in other words, 'extraterritoriality' will not apply.

　His Majesty's eyes sparkle with a face that has regained its vitality at the conditions that could be called unbeatable. If the royal family survives, the empire will have a chance to rebuild, and if extraterritoriality isn't allowed, we can excuse ourselves from saying that we haven't 'completely lost' to friendly countries.
　I spoke to His Majesty about how he should accept the proposal of an alliance, but Lord Dorne opposed it outright.

''Must!　The Empire can still fight, we must stand together with the subaltern until the end!　Joachim, aren't you a proud human being?

'Lord Dorne!　Let's face it, the Empire no longer has the power left to fight the Alliance!　Do you intend to ruin the empire, Sir?

　Furious at my advice, Sir Dorne left the room, saying he was going to gather his troops.
　If that happens, the future of the empire, the lives of my subjects and everything I have to protect will be lost. After hesitating for just a few moments while stroking the scarf given to me by my wife, I decided to give the order to the Kingsguard with the pendant shaped magic tool on my chest.

I'm going to carry out the plan I have in mind for you. Hurry up and get everything done before the main force deployed in front of the gate comes back.

Copy that.

　Satisfied with the powerful response from my subordinates coming from the magic tool, I approach His Majesty, who is disconcerted by the situation and unable to swallow it.

''Joachim, what the hell is going on here?　What's the plan?　Why has the castle suddenly become so noisy?

　I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but this is what is necessary to restore the empire to normalcy and protect its subjects and the royal family. I'm not going to be able to say that I'm sorry in my heart, and then I draw my sword from my waistband and point it at His Majesty Karl.

''Please sit down, Your Majesty. This is a 'coup d'état'.

　Unable to face His Majesty's despairing expression at my declaration, I just silently turned my back to His Majesty and locked the door so that no one could enter the room──.





　As I sat in the chair that Lord Dorne was sitting on, listening to the reports from my subordinates, the plan seemed to be progressing smoothly.

''Commander, we've succeeded in capturing the main nobles.''

All right, take him hostage in the castle and lock him up. Don't hurt him at all.

　It seems our first objective was successful. If we keep the nobles under house arrest in the castle, we won't be able to do anything even if the main force returns from the front lines, rather, we will add to the chaos since there is no commander of the various factions to give orders to.
　The only thing left to do now is to secure the custody of the queens who are being held captive, but will that work?　As I wait with my arms folded while lighting my cigar, I receive the long-awaited report.

'We have rescued the Queen and His Highness!　She's tired, but she's okay.

You've done well. Now take me back to my room.

　As I removed the lock on the door and waited for my men to fetch the queens, I heard a clattering sound of running from the end of the corridor and a subordinate with a cloth covering his face jumped into the room.

'I have brought the queens. And I'm sorry to say that we failed to capture Lord Dorne. However, we found the seal of state in your room, and we will give it to the Commander.

I'm sorry you missed it, but that's okay. You guys go back to your posts.

　I took out the documents prepared for punishing the "scheming vassals" and stamped the seal of state and settled one after another. The queen spoke to me with doubts about my appearance, but I ignored all of them and continued to work, and after processing all of the documents, I asked the demon god, who was sitting on the couch in an imposing manner after the series of disturbances began, for one last check.

'The decision-making process in this country currently rests with me, but even if I sign the surrender document, you will still abide by the conditions I just mentioned, right?

Of course, the surrender papers will be recognized as the will of the Empire, not by an individual. It doesn't matter who wrote it, as long as the seal of state is stamped on it.

Okay. Give me your papers.

　I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make your life easier," he said.

'Joachim, will you betray the empire?　You were the only one I trusted to be loyal to the Empire, no matter what...

　Because I'm loyal to you, my queen, that's why I've chosen this path. All for the sake of the empire and the royal family I will gladly become a rebel for that reason, I abandoned all emotions and stamped the national seal on the surrender document and thrust the document back to the Demon God.

"We have received it. At this time, the Alliance's military operations against the Linkdoble Empire are suspended. By the way, what is the position of the escaped Lord Dorne now?　Can we treat them as imperial aristocrats, or do we treat them as traitors?

'Lord Dorne is arranged as a treacherous and wicked vassal, and I hope you will treat him as such.

　The demon god nodded 'hmm' at my words, then stood up and walked to the window and began to look out.

''It will be dawn soon.

　If you ask me, it's already that time of day, and the sky is getting lighter and lighter. Thinking back on it, it's been a very short time since the demon god visited the imperial capital, and it will be the last time I will see the sunrise. The only thing I regret is that I've missed Lord Dorne, but I'll leave the rest to His Majesty Karl and Clemens.
　I'm going to use my magic tool to give my men one last command, but the demon gods control it with their hands.

If Lord Dorne were to flee from the Imperial City, where do you think he would flee from?

''It's probably the least guarded area to the north. We've made arrangements with them, but we think they've already fled from the imperial capital, and it's a shame, but they'll be able to escape to the Churchland.

Yeah, but do you think you could get away with it?

　When I looked towards the direction that the demon god pointed at, I saw nothing at first, but as the sun rose, I saw countless banners on the northern grasslands, dominated by the wind. Where the hell are these troops?　The main troops of the alliance army are deployed in front of the imperial capital, and to begin with, the north side of the empire is a high magic area, an environment where even the demon race cannot survive. Are you saying that they marched through such a place and approached the royal capital?
　I've been observing the mysterious troops that are slowly approaching, but when I clearly saw the type of flag being raised, I screamed out in surprise.

''The Merkava Kingdom Army?　Silly, and that military flag is the flag of the 'Black Gold Knights'.

''Just as you risked your life to protect the future of the Empire, the Black Gold Knights risked their lives to run through the northern mountains. As a result, the empire surrendered before a general attack, so it would have been in vain, but the Black Gold Knights reported that they captured a nobleman who was believed to have escaped from the imperial capital. Rejoice, from the description, they are sure it is Sir Dorne.

　I see, so there are no more regrets now. Feeling a weight lifted off my shoulders, I give my men orders with my magic tool.

"Finish the plan, take care of the rest as planned.

It's been a pleasure fighting for you, Lord Commander.

　I set the sword at my waist on the table, then took the flask I always carried with me from my pocket and took a sip. As I stroked my scarf, savoring the pleasant sensation of the strong liquor burning my throat, I heard the sound of several people's footsteps running down the corridor.
　Apparently, my subordinates have come.......I want to praise my subordinates for showing quick actions as per their usual training, but I can't do that anymore either. Eventually the door was vigorously opened and a group of fully-armed knights of the Kingsguard under Clemens entered the room.

''Adversary Joachim!　As you can see, I have regained control of the Kingsguard, your plan has failed. All hands!　Now, we will punish the traitors and you will take heart.

　Clemens.........why do you look like you're crying? I'm sure it has been decided in the past, but when the coup d'etat is successful, after eliminating all the scoundrels, the Konoe Guard will execute it with me alone as the ringleader.
　You can save your face by punishing the shame of the konoe, so that the participants of the coup would not see your face, but it would be meaningless. Clemens, whose face is still twisted to the point where he looks like he's about to cry, asks me a question while pointing his sword at me.

''Do you have any last words?''

No.

　 When I gazed at the faces of the excellent knights that I had prepared and raised with care, and then gave a small nod, not Clemens but somehow the Demon God raised his voice as if in a panic.

''I definitely don't want to end up like this!　Mr. Lewis, Mr. Jonathan, you're on, plan C, please.

　The moment the demon god shouted that, space suddenly distorted and two blacked-out humans appeared and pointed what appeared to be weapons at their subordinates.

''Don't move!　We are the Alliance's special forces. Based on the ceasefire treaty, the imperial capital is currently under the control of the Alliance forces. Violation of this is considered 'willing to take over', all of you must lay down your weapons.

　I don't understand how the two men showed up, but if the war starts up again here, it will be useless. I signaled my men to drop their weapons and then turned to the demon god to explain the situation, but before I could, the two men spoke to me.

''I'm sorry, please bear with me.''

　Pang, not understanding that word!　My body was blown away and slammed into the wall at the same time as I heard the sound of a pop. I was unable to move due to the pain and the impact of the slamming, and as I was squatting down, one of the blackout victims came up to me and put his hand on my neck. The black one, who kept his hand on my neck for a few seconds, eventually spoke to the demon god while shaking his head.

''Your Excellency, unfortunately, we have shot and killed one Imperial soldier who did not follow the recommendation to disarm.

Well, I'm very sorry, but it had to be done. Your Majesty Karl, a tragic incident occurred at the very end, but we'll let it slide this time. However, the weapon used in the shooting was classified as a top secret weapon even by the Alliance, so I'm sorry, but we will take Joachim's body back with us.

　What is the Demon God trying to do? More importantly, isn't the way he speaks strange?　He was so intimidating a moment ago, and now he's smiling and talking in an age-appropriate way, which one is the real one?　
　I was groaning in confusion and pain, when a blackout came up to me and crouched down in front of me, recognizing my voice.

'We don't want the dead man to talk. I'm going to give you some painkillers to help you sleep for a while.

　Saying that, the blackout stabbed something in my thigh. I was looking blankly at the demon god and the confused Clemens as I felt the pain rapidly recede, and then I lost consciousness...





---- Kouki Arakawa Viewpoint----


Hmmm... no.

　Joachim, who is lying on the bed in front of me, raises his voice, it seems that the anesthesia he was given at the castle is about to be released. As I watched him, Joachim opened his eyes firmly, looked around and then turned to me and asked me a question.

'What is this place?'

I'm aboard the land battleship Alice, flagship of the Multispecies Alliance. This is the central infirmary, or, to put it simply, the place to treat injuries.

'Rikkujosenkan?　What is it?

　I could go into more detail, but there is something more important than that. Soon after Joachim passed out, we left the Imperial Capital, but on the way there we decided to stop at Joachim's house to rescue his family.
　However, I was mortified to see his wife, who was found on the second floor after rushing into the house with Lewis and Jonathan in the lead.

'Mr. Joachim, we were on our way back from the castle to rescue your wife, and we found her on the second floor...'

Is something wrong with my wife?

'Well, your wife was a Ket Shih!　When I saw them for the first time, I was surprised and froze. After all, do your wife's ears perk up when she's in a good mood and flop when she's sad?

What?　I don't like it, but.......eh, is that all?

　That's all that matters to me, and it's all that matters to me. That's a real nekomimi!　At first she was quite alarmed at our sudden entry, and her Nekomimi was twitching with alarm, but when I showed her Joachim, whom Rilynn was carrying and told her why, she followed me quietly.
　Incidentally, when I tried to give my wife some of the "matrimony" that Court-san, who has a cat, shared with me after I returned to Alice, my mother seriously stopped me. I thought she would be pleased, but it seemed to be unexpectedly dangerous and she told me that I shouldn't give it to her without a second thought, so I hurriedly returned it to her husband.

'What will happen to the empire now?

As I explained at the castle, it will be under the control of the Alliance for a while. After that, it will be gradually taken away from our control in stages, but beyond that, we do not know what will happen. It will be up to the people of the Empire to decide whether they will take a new step forward or return to their original Empire.

Okay.

　Joachim closes his eyes and thinks about something. I wonder what the future holds for the empire I risked my life to protect, and the sight of him makes me want to encourage Joachim, so I think desperately about whether I can tell him something that will support him. As I was thinking about it for a while, I remembered an incident that had been buried in the depths of my memory, and I decided to tell him the story.

'Long ago, an island nation went to war against the world. It fought to the end with all its strength, but it was defeated by the seemingly infinite amount of troops and new weapons of the enemy.
　It is said that more than three million people died in that disastrous war, which used up every last drop of national strength. When the enemy invaded the country after the war, we were at the end of our lives.

What happened to the country after that?

In the more than 60 years since the end of World War II, the country has grown to the level of a major power, carrying on the thoughts of the fallen who swore never to repeat the mistakes of the past and who died in order to protect their country. In particular, its technological capabilities are nothing short of amazing.

Could the Empire do the same?

I can. If we all work together, hand in hand, I'm sure the Empire can be reborn.

　After finishing listening to my story, Joachim-san nodded his head repeatedly while staring at the ceiling, it seems that he has found some hope. It's all right, Joachim-san.......the empire will be reborn, of course we'll be there to help, so don't worry so much. I was about to leave the infirmary when I remembered the message His Majesty Karl had asked me to give him.

'Yes, His Majesty Karl has a message for you.

What did you say?

He asked me to tell him 'thank you.'

　I don't know what meaning is contained in the word 'thank you'. But the Commander of the Kingsguard who had been in charge of His Majesty Karl's guards for a long time must have understood the meaning contained in those words, and with a stern face crumpled up, Joachim-san was crying.

''Ugh your majesty I was happy to serve you.

　I decided to quietly leave the infirmary this time in order to leave Joachim, who was crying manically on the bed, alone...