In the meantime Bartolo. You'll have one year to introduce this new tactic to the nation. We'll have to come up with a name for you.

　We can't call it a new tactic forever.

　Can't we just have a "Company [Manipulation]" system?
　Well, that's okay.

　There's no need to twist anything in particular.
　The more obvious these things are, the better.

　A kitchen name won't make the army any stronger.


　'But ... spreading the word is good, but it's hard to do for a year. We need to prepare our weapons.
　We'll use the money we've got to get the weapons. All I have to do is give them 300 talents and they'll be ready.

　I had no intention of being stingy with money at this time.
　To begin with, reparations are like frothy money.

　It's not something that can be financed without reparations.

　Besides, we intend to distribute the spoils of war to the commoners in the form of money.　
　Probably, we will allocate four hundred tarangs.

　That should allow us to buy new weapons and armor.

　And I'll also create a new force to take charge of our supplies.
　Refueling...

　Bartolo scowled for some reason.

　'What are you complaining about?'
　'No, but we can get supplies locally, can't we? If I had the money to allocate horses and donkeys to the Transportation Corps, I'd like to reinforce the cavalry.

　Certainly, there is no immediate need for a force in charge of supply.
　In fact, we may not need them at present.

　It's because local procurement is sufficient for now.
　But.........

　"In the last war, we almost ran out of food. We were not in a dire situation because we could have fed ourselves adequately if we had been forced to conscript them... but the same thing will happen more and more in the future. Our country will have to go on expeditions further afield. We want to get our supply system in place now.

　It may not make sense tactically, but it should be useful in long term strategy.

　No matter who disagrees, the Transportation Corps will absolutely be established.
　That's the decision.

　''Well, if that's what His Majesty says then I have no objection to it, as far as I'm concerned.

　Bartolo pulled back easily.
　He must have realized that my intentions were firm.

　He decided that debating the matter would only displease me.

　For Bartolo....or rather, for Adelnians, wars are usually over in a few weeks.
　Rarely does it last more than a month.
　Also, the number of soldiers is around 10,000 at most.

　Therefore, it can usually be covered by local conscription.
　That's why Bartolo doesn't see the need for it.

　But I know the history of the Earth.
　As our country expands its territory in the future, it will definitely need it.

　Well the question is, how do we build it?
　Until now, the horses and donkeys that pull the wagons have been collected from the farming communities.

　........Let's put it on hold for now.
　The meeting won't go on if we are thinking about this.


　'Well, that's it for my suggestions and agenda but do you have any reports, suggestions or requests?

　I look around.
　The first one to raise his hand was Raimondo.


　'We're going to have to pay for additional construction costs for the city. The sewage system seems to be in difficulty. We'll need an additional two hundred tarangs.
　All right. I'll be right out.

　That leaves a hundred tarrant.

　Who else do you need?
　'Your Majesty. As for the cavalry increase, we are close to doubling it to six hundred. But to increase the cavalry by another four hundred, we need a little more money.
　How much do you need?
　Maybe 50 Tarrant.

　Fifty.....
　I can raise enough money to do that, but...

　'Gram, do you want it?　Unnecessary for pioneering?
　'It's fine. The development is going well as per the report I submitted before. The business will be in the black in a little while. We haven't even used up all the money we received in the last budget...

　Okay.
　Okay, then. It's all good.

　"Ron. How about you?　Is the cost of counterintelligence on time?
　'Right now we are in the process of improving the coordination between spellcasters and soldiers but we don't particularly need a budget. Right now, I think the priority is to improve quality rather than numbers. ........We won't make the same mistakes we made the last time.

　Hema, I suppose he is referring to the refusal to do military service (strike) incident.
　Well, it's true that this kind of thing isn't something you can just spend money on.

　If he doesn't want it, then he doesn't need it.

　Then fifty tarrant, I'll give it to Roseward as an addition.
　'Thank you, Your Majesty. Your Majesty.

　This left about fifty tarangs.
　Together with my previous savings, I have saved two hundred tarangs.

　What else do you have to report?
　Five more sorcerers are on the way!

　Tetra said with a smug look on her face, as if to say, "I've been waiting for you.
　She sticks her five fingers out at me.

　'That's what I heard last night...'
　Five more!

　He said again.
　Apparently, he's quite happy to have more disciples and friends.

　He's usually cool and doesn't talk much but....
　I sometimes think it's cute in this way.

　Oops, this is not the time to be in love with them.

　I turn my gaze to the other woman, who looks like she wants to do something good.

　'Yulia, how's the development of Roselle's magic formula?'
　'Humph!　I'm already 70% of the way through the analysis!　Isn't that great!

　Julia stretched out her big chest.
　As expected of a genius spellcaster.

　''Is that even practical anymore?''
　'Some of it. Lulu and Seo-yeon have mastered about forty percent of it.

　I turned my gaze to Lulu and Sojourn.
　They each help their own husbands with their own work as spellcasters.

　Lulu is working with Gram to cover up the development of the Romarian forest.
　So-yeon, along with Ron, is on domestic counter-intelligence and drug control duties.

　Each is an important position.
　If the two of them can learn to use Roselle's magic, it would be a great victory...

　'Well, in its own way, sir. Your Majesty. The number and variety of animals we can carry on our souls has increased.

　Seo-yeon smiles smugly.
　

　Lulu, on the other hand, showed a thin chest.

　''The types of curses I can handle have increased too!　I'm in the process of working with Lady Julia to put a curse on my back that makes my back itch when I enter the Romarian Forest!

　...................That seems to work better than a bad curse.

　'Any more of that?'

　I look around.
　For now, it seems there is nothing to report.

　Well, let's get the meeting about the law and returning the royal register to the rich and powerful.


　Well, it's time to...

　At the same time I opened my mouth, I heard the voice of a kinsman from the other side of the door.

　'Excuse me for being in a meeting,'
　What?　If it's not an urgent matter, it can wait.

　I reply and try to get the meeting going again.
　Now we have an important meeting to talk about.

　We can't interrupt it in the middle of the meeting.

　'Yes, that's why the woman who calls herself the witch Merlin is asking for a meeting...'

　Merlin?
　How did she....

　Well, good.
　I think we should adjourn the meeting first.

　All right. All right. Let her through.






　Oh no, Your Majesty. Congratulations on your victory. Oh, this is a green tea from the East.

　Merlin sashays up and offers me a jar.
　I open it and find green grass inside.
　The smell is definitely tea.

　''Your Majesty. I'll poison it.''
　You okay?
　'I'm a spider. I can analyze and break down the venom the moment it's ingested.

　Alice said and then popped the tea leaves into her mouth.
　She immediately frowned.

　''It's terribly bitter.''
　That's because it's tea.

　Apparently it's only bitter, not poisonous...
　Hmm?
　Alice's face is all red.

　Ugh, cat, I'm light-headed...

　Alice slumps down to me with a flop.
　I rush to catch Alice.

　'Oh, hey!'
　'His Majesty... three... five!　This is a hallucination....

　I immediately drew my sword at my waist and took my distance from Merlin.
　Ron, Raimondo, Yulia and Tetra also surrounded Merlin with their swords and wands at the ready, respectively.

　''Hey!　What poison was planted!
　I don't know what you're talking about. The kid is half spider, right? Then it's not surprising that caffeine makes you crazy.

　
　I think the caffeine-fed spider was the strangest.

　...So was it the caffeine that made Alice crazy?

　"Hey, get one of my slaves up here!

　I'll give the order to the Kingsguard.
　Immediately, a servant is brought in.

　The servant girl popped a cup of tea in her mouth.

　"What do you think?
　It's bitter...

　But it seemed to be only bitter, and no expression appeared like Alice's.
　What, it's just Alice?

　

　Gulping, Alice's head hangs down.
　She seems to have fallen asleep.

　She has a comforting look on her face.

　I let the konoe carry Alice over and then put the sword back on my hip.
　Seeing this, Ron and the others also put their swords and wands back on their backs and hips.

　However, they are ready to get out of them immediately.

　'I wonder if there will be any apologies?　I didn't do anything wrong and he pointed a weapon at me.
　"...I'm sorry, Lord Merlin. So what are you here to do?　I think it would be polite to at least make a call or two in advance. Besides, I'm sure you're not the diplomat in charge of our country.

　I asked the reason for my visit, wary of the uninvited guest.

　'It's nothing to do with Roselle. 'Because I'm fired.'
　Fired?

　I wasn't given that information, but...

　Just three days ago. It was just three days ago, that diplomat you've been working with. I'm very confused.

　Merlin showed his shoulders cowering, as if to say, "Oh dear.
　He doesn't look troubled at all.

　Is she skinny, or does she really not care about Roselle.......

　'I came for two reasons, one, to see my beloved Lydia's face.
　Hatefully, she doesn't want to see you.

　Julia didn't vacate and answered.
　Lydia's custody is in Julia's custody now.

　Lydia is going to say that she will protect herself.

　'Did being called 'big sister' make you feel maternal love?　Or have you turned homos*xual?
　....

　Julia's eyebrows wavered for a moment.
　Merlin couldn't possibly know that Lydia was calling Yulia her sister.

　So either ... he's either using a spell to bug her, or he's still connected to Lydia.

　'Well, fine. Just make sure you say a word to Lydia. That I'm not mad at her.

　Merlin smiled at Yulia.
　Julia frowned.

　Merlin turned to me again.

　''There's one more thing I wanted to ask you, actually.
　You want to hear it?
　Do you have any idea who the characters are, Airi Kurosaki and Moea Kurosaki?

　.........
　None. None whatsoever.

　I'm sorry, I don't know you. Do you know him?
　Sisters. I'm Mari Kurosaki, the second daughter. Airi is the oldest and Moea is the third.

　Hmm.
　.....

　Why is it that the oldest and youngest girls are normal, but the third one is slightly odd?

　The so-called "glittery" (DQN) name.....

　'Something must have changed in your taste. To be honest, I feel sorry for them. Let me know if you find him. For free, I wouldn't say.

　I'm not taking any money.

　In the meantime, I'd be lying if I said I had nothing against this guy.
　I've been dragged around in various ways.
　But we were enemies, so it's only natural.

　It's not like we're enemies now.

　If there is a possibility that my friends or children from the orphanage have come to another world, I'll look for them with my own eyes and blood.
　And it's possible that they could be slaves.

　When you think about it, it's only natural for a human being to cooperate in protecting him or her if they see him or her and let them meet.

　I'm not a demon either.

　I'm not a demon. The fairies want me to fight this guy, but I have no plans to fight him at the moment.
　It's best to avoid a futile fight.

　But I'll keep my guard up and I'm not going to trust him.

　Well thank you. Well, now that we've done our job, the haters are out of here.
　Okay. ...Where do you go afterwards?

　I ask Merlin as he walks away.
　Merlin turns back and grins.

　'I'm going to go to the southern continent for a bit. There ... it looks like I've got what I'm looking for.