Second~!　Definitely, definitely, definitely come to see me~!
'Oh!　See you later!
'I swear to you~!　Don't forget that~!
All right, all right!

　The day after the 8th crown anniversary party.
　I was still rubbing my sleepless eyes and seeing off the people who had spent the night at the First Test Mansion.

　The one who had just left was Nova Barthelemon's former Toushinui. He had been complaining about staying one more night, but after being admonished by his chaperone, Davidoff, for an hour, he gave up, and then, as if in a last stand, he leaned out of the carriage window and waved to me, buzzing.

　It's about as fast as carrying a carriage if you're in his gory status, but it seems that moving around is basically a carriage. It's natural because it's tiring.


''You finally got there.

　After seeing everyone off, Sylvia says a few words. She's obviously tired.

　Well, I can understand. After all, I enjoy talking to everyone, so I got carried away and talked too much last night.


''Okay, I guess we're on vacation today,''

!


　When I uttered it without a second thought, Sylvia turned her astonished expression to me.

''Second-dono, are you not feeling well ......?''
How could it be?
''I'm sure the usual Second Lord would say something like this. Alright, Sylvia, let's go around Limptofert for the defense of the Kishenshou!　And...
What do you think I am?
"Oni.
Don't give me a quick answer!

　I have a bad ear for people. Or at least say demon sergeant.

"And don't get me wrong, Sylvia. I've been sick to death of being sick.
"...... and even though I'm not feeling well, I still get knocked down trying to get to the dungeon myself.
You know what to do.

　When Sylvia and I were still working together, there was something like that.

　At that time, Sylvia didn't understand the slightest bit of my desire to gain experience even if I was pushing my health condition, but I wonder if she understands now.
　Maybe she'll understand a little bit now. After all, she is a demon-piercing general now.

It's closer to saying she was forcibly coaxed out.

　Sylvia says sarcastically with a grin.

　He's starting to feel professional as soon as he won the title, isn't he?
　Plus, you're motivated enough.


'Then you won't have to go around Limptofert anymore.
'Really?　I got it, I was getting tired of that place--

Now go around to Prolin.

It was ......, but you can still go around Limptofert, me.


　Lacking confidence, Sylvia's confidence is rapidly fading.

　The Prolin dungeon is, well, certainly a tricky place to be.


Even a pheasant can't be shot without crying: ......

　Akaneko, who was a bit farther away, muttered when she saw Sylvia's indulgence.

　'Yeah, just as well.


''You too, Akaneko.
...... eh.


　It's no wonder the pheasant cried.

　Sylvia laughed with a happy face, "You dug a grave," she said.

　Sylvia's, I think she always laughs whenever Akaneko has a hard time with something. Even so, he's very good at taking care of her, and they get along very well. Maybe he feels sympathy for her somehow.


Good!　Lord Second, do you want to take Eco with you?

　Sylvia, energized by her friends, asks after she's gotten a change of heart and voice.
　Silvia seems to have already started her engine. Akaneko, on the other hand, crosses her arms and snarls, "Mmmm. Maybe she doesn't know what a prolin dungeon is like.

　Nah, don't worry. Sylvia-senpai will show you everything.
　Roundup?　Don't be silly. This is ...... something or other. It's an empirically sound one.

"Yeah, you and Eco will go in threesomes. That should give you plenty of time.
Um, okay.

　This is the prolin dungeon that me, Silvia and Eco used to go around. This time, I'm going to put Akaneko in my position and have the three of us go around.

　With the girls now, I think they can probably capture it with plenty of time to spare, and no matter what happens, they won't die ....... Maybe. I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but I think it's a good idea. Maybe.

　............ okay, right?


Yona?

　Whoa, quintessential, you have a good ear. Hey, wake up Eco Eco.

Eco, tomorrow you'll be in proline.
"Prorin?
"Dungeon.
......?

　He doesn't understand. Why not?

Because that big rock, that's where the demons come from, right there.
I don't know!
I don't know.

　Why?

"Oh, all right. You'll remember this for sure. It's like, you know, the bombing of the bomb, and then, boom, you're jumping.
'Ah!　I know!　I know!　I know it!
What?
Nah.

　It's great that you remember, Eco. Petting and stroking.

So that's what you guys are all about.
'Wait a minute!　What does Lord Second do in the meantime?

　d*mn, you're perceptive, Sylvia.
　But I'd have to say. I'm a little intolerant of the fact that everyone is working hard, but .......

...... "......, well, sorry, I'm going to skip it for a month or so.
What!　What's wrong with your head!
Rude.
Didn't they say something before about tarnishing the world's number one name or something?
I could skip a month of work and it wouldn't make a difference at all.
What the hell? ......
'All joking aside, I had a quick meeting with Winfiled last night. Well, I figured we'd have a month or so to work it out (・・・・・・).
Hmm?　What the hell is ...... going to do in a month?

　I was so drunk last night that I don't remember much of the meeting. Winfiled would know that, so he said he wanted to have a final meeting at noon today. So we haven't decided what exactly we're going to do yet.

　But even now, without a full-blown meeting, I can answer that question for Sylvia.

　What exactly will we do in a month?


'Oh, it's simple--'

　There is only one goal.


"Destroy the Marvel Empire.



　　* * *



　Very unusually, Winfiled, the best soldier in the spirit world, was distressed.

　She wandered around the room in her usual style of wearing a chic shirt and trousers and a vest with her sleeves rolled up.

　It has been several hours now. I've been wandering around like this all night, crossing my arms and putting my hand on my forehead and walking again, and after a lot of thinking, the plan is coming together, but only the last piece of ...... is not being filled in.


'Hmmm, hmmm, I guess this is ......'

　The completion of the operation could even be said to be at the highest level ever.

　This time, unlike the political conflict that occurred in the Castal Kingdom, he had plenty of time to prepare.

　Since he hadn't just been summoned, he had a firm understanding of the information in the world, the character of the people, and especially the character of the man called Second First Test.

　Yes, there was no oversight at all.

　If she, who manipulated people like pawns on a board at will, could spend this much time thinking, the empire would not be enough even if it was smashed hundreds of times.

　One of the most beautiful of those hundreds. That was the plan this time.

　But, inevitably, only the last piece would not be filled.

　If I could just fill that up, I would have the most beautiful painting ever.

　There was one thing, just one thing, that was very much in the way.



　And when the sun was just above us.

............ Oh, I see!

　The rare genius finally had a flash of inspiration.


　A smile slowly swells on her face.

　The more I look at the last piece of the puzzle fitted, the more I see, the more it all meshes together.

　I couldn't think of anything else, an absolute, perfect, exquisite move.


'Just swap (・・・・) and you'll be good to go!



　　* * *




　It was after lunch that I was called to Winfiled.

　I was excited to hear that my long cherished hope, the plan to destroy the Marvel Empire, was finally going to begin.

　The reason I'm so excited is because the plan is planned by none other than Winfiled.

　This guy has a tendency to see the world as a game.

　So do I. It's a game.

　She and I are very different, but in some ways we are very similar. But we are very similar in some ways. That's the fun of it. I'm confident that if we follow her instructions, we'll have fun.

　Destroying the Empire - that's the easy part. Just sneak in and beat up all the emperors.

　That would be no fun, ...... Winfilled must think so. I'm sure that's not the case.

　I agree with you. It's a game, so you have to play with room to spare. That's why it's so easy for me to leave everything to her, and I feel like I'm in a good position to do so.

　How much fun will she make with the piece that is me? It will be quite interesting to see how much fun she will have with me as her pawn.


I'm glad you're here, Mr. Second. Well, well, for now, sit here.

　When I visit the room, Winfiled gets up from his chair and greets me.
　His speech is still faltering, but it is strangely easy to hear.

'Oh--oh?'
......, what's going on?


　It was a sudden feeling of discomfort.
　I was about to sit down in a chair.

　I'm not sure ...... should be called wild intuition. I'm not sure if it's the same thing.

　Almost reflexively, I took the plate out of my inventory and equipped it.

"Did you just try something?
Yeah, no, nothing?
Yeah.

　There's no way Winfiled is going to attack us.

　...... What was that, seriously?
　Maybe Sylvia was right, maybe I'm just not feeling well enough to be aware of it.



''Well, then, let's partition--''





　It was the moment I sat down in my chair and looked up.


　In front of me was Winfilled's face.

　And her cold hand touching my cheek (...).



!


　The moment - a "bang!" from my head. I heard a noise.

　It sounded like too much of something had been crammed and burst at once.


　Winfiled was oddly ...... silent, Nimanima, and smiling happily.


'............ ah?'

　I can't help but sound dumb.

　Something has been done to me. I'm sure of it, but the funny thing is, there's no change in my body.


"Let's have a meeting, shall we?
Hey, wait, what did you just do?
You have grains of rice on your cheeks, Second. Yeah.
A grain of rice?

　Lie to me. You must have done something. Otherwise, "Bon! What kind of noise does that make?


Well, well. You know what?　I'll take care of it. I'll make it interesting.
'...... is, well, yeah. Right.

　So the Winfiled play has already begun: .......
　Then I'll have to try not to say anything boring.

'And the grain of rice, really.'
............

　One small white grain on the tip of Winfiled's slender index finger. She tutted it into her mouth.

　...... What an embarrassment, Oi.


I'm not going to be able to get rid of it. So, first of all, Mr. Second.
Oh.
I'm gonna need you and Gloria to come visit Mr. Alpha's house.
Ooh, ...... ooh?

　Of course, that was the plan. ......

Please make a change so that they don't know it's you, Second-san.
'Oh, you're going to use the Wraith to transform.

　Well, I guess I'll just turn myself into Seven.

That's it.
Over?


　I can't believe my ears.
　No, but Winfiled says it's more than that, so it must be more than that.

　Seriously. The Marvel Empire, all it takes is for me and Gloria to go to the Alpha's house with a changed man, and it's all set to blow up. You're kidding?



　............?

　...... hmm?　Huh?

　What, you're gonna destroy it?　Breaking: ...... Huh?

　No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Because .......


'Hmm?　Hmm?
Confused?
Yeah, I'm confused. I'm confused. No, I mean, how could I have forgotten about it?　Such an important thing.

　When I said that, Winfiled gave me a big smile.


　I'm sorry. I've been in a bad way for a while now.

　It's crazy to forget all about the purpose of this mission and my dream.

Okay, now that you've remembered, Mr. Second.
Oh.
What did you say your dream was, Mr. Second?

　My dream. Of course it's a dream.


To be an emperor...