It was at that time that Aldis and Nicole were battling a swarm of demons.
　On top of the walls surrounding the city of Leytin, the deputy commander was watching the battle.

''It looks like we're going to win somehow.

　A voice called out from diagonally behind the deputy commander.
　When I turned around, I saw a man with long dark brown hair and a friendly smile on his face.

　It's a good thing that the man is armed in leather armor, but he's not a man who makes a living fighting for any reason.
　It's a good thing that you can't get away with it.

　Clearly out of place.
　If I had to describe it in one word, that's exactly what it was.

''Yeah. Fortunately.''

　The second-in-command utters the minimum response.
　Normally, I would like to hurl abuse at him and turn him away, but there are circumstances that prevent me from doing so.

　The man's name is Juris.
　He is the chairman of the Zimbalil Chamber of Commerce, one of the largest merchant associations in Leytin.

　Of course, if a man named Juris is volunteering to fight in the militia, there is no problem.
　But he didn't come to this place to fight, he simply came to assess the war situation.
　The reason he is armed is probably for no other reason than to protect himself.

　I'm not going to be able to say that I'm armed, but I don't want to come to the dangerous battlefield in a spectator's mood.
　But the Zimbalil Chamber of Commerce is the one that took advantage of this situation and offered its full support, and also took the lead in offering its cooperation.

　They are not only offering supplies, but also the mercenaries contracted by the Chamber of Commerce to participate in the battle to defeat them.
　All of these mercenaries are powerful men who are known across the country.
　The battlefield is dominated by the human side, but it is their presence that gives them the upper hand.

　In fact, the ones who are on the front lines defeating demons one after another are the mercenaries called in by the Zimbalil Trading Association, such as the Jiyuuuun, the Dragon Sentry, the Spiritual Guide, and the Red Three Swords.
　If they hadn't come to Leytin at the right time, if the Zimbalil Chamber of Commerce hadn't allowed them to join the defeating army ......, it wouldn't have been a battle that could be won at all.
　That's why I couldn't blame Juris for his selfish behavior.

　I'm sure you'll be able to see the bitter expressions on the faces of the soldiers and mercenaries around you.
　I'm sure they are annoyed by the fact that someone with no intention of fighting is here.

　Nevertheless, the upper echelons of the military and the country are praising the cooperation of the Zimbalil Chamber of Commerce.
　I don't know where this came from, but the story of the Chamber of Commerce's active cooperation with the defeating army was spreading among the people as well. The voices of praise for the wisdom of the Chamber of Commerce were louder than expected.

　And when the battle ended in victory, their voices would be even louder.
　I'm sorry for the soldiers and mercenaries in the field, but we can't send them away just because they are angry.

''It seems that the mercenaries are doing their job well. I'm also grateful to you for your cooperation.

　But," the second-in-command continued, as if to say, "you can guess.

"Even though there aren't many flying beasts left in the sky, this place is still dangerous. Why don't you leave the fighting to us and return to the city?

'No, don't worry. I apologize for the inconvenience, but I can't help but wonder where the battle is going. As you can see, we have an escort.

　Juris looks at the man behind him.
　The man is probably a mercenary. Unlike Juris, the unique atmosphere of a fighter was wafting from his body.

　On the battlefield, no matter how much strength they had, they wouldn't be a hindrance.
　Even if there was one more mercenary, the more mercenaries there were, the less the soldiers and militia would be sacrificed.
　It's better to have Julis stay quiet in a safe place and have the mercenaries go out to the battlefield than to have him as an escort.
　Even though he thought that in his heart, he couldn't say it out loud.

　The Zimbalil Chamber of Commerce put their convenience on the back burner and sent out a large number of mercenaries to the defeating army. All of them are also nominally strong men.
　I'm sure the people will say it's a bad idea to force them to cooperate further.

It seems that the demons are all settled.

'Yeah. Yeah.

　Julis was right, the trend of the battlefield was already in motion.
　Most of the demons have been defeated, and the beasts are being exterminated by the numerous soldiers and militias.
　Naturally, there were casualties on their side as well, but even so, it would still be a better result of being attacked by thousands of beasts, including demons.
　It was no wonder that the second-in-command had relaxed.

　However, things didn't end the way he thought they would.
　After defeating numerous demons, the mercenaries 'Spiritual Guidance' who seemed to have no enemies in their path.
　When an unfamiliar demon appeared in front of them, the sub-commander, who was convinced of their victory, witnessed something unbelievable.

　The monster's appearance was reminiscent of a bipedal reptile. It looked like a larger version of a dispair.
　Its color was a bluish gray. The front legs are not visible, instead something is attached to the head.

　When the body of the swordsman, who had jumped at it as a preemptive move, was captured by the demon, in the next moment, the surroundings were colored with bright red flowers using humans as raw material.
　The "Spiritual Guidance", which showed its bewilderment visible even from a distance, didn't have time to regain its stance and was captured one after another by the attacking demon, which was stained with blood.

　It was a nightmare.
　A strong man who has defeated numerous demons and made a name for himself across the continent has become a victim of one-sided slaughter.
　Everyone doubted their own eyes, but no matter how much they rubbed their eyes or stared, the only thing they could see on their retinas was an unacceptable reality.

Well, I didn't think that ...... could be such a ....... The "Spirit's Guidance" is unilaterally ......

　Someone's voice, murmuring in disbelief, echoed strangely on the silent walls.





　Julis was inwardly impatient.
　That was because the current situation was completely unexpected.

　Born the son of a renowned wizard, Julis had no talent for magic or sorcery.
　His father treated Julis as a failure, but instead he was blessed with business acumen.

　He left his father's home and went into business in Leytin and quickly built up his fortune, until he now owns one of the largest shops in Leytin.
　The collection of his father's belongings, which he had taken with him when he left home without permission, had been very useful to his business, and he wanted to repay his father.

　I want to turn my father around," he said. It's a good idea to look down on your father, who treated you like a failure, and tell him that you have a knotty eye and that you are, after all, a person who lives in the small world of magic.
　That's the only thing that sustains and motivates Julis.

　There's no one in Leytin who doesn't know about Juris's Zimbalil Trading Company.
　It's one of the biggest stores now, but with more fame and support, its position in Leytin will be secure.
　In order to do so, we need a chance to do something about it.

　That's why I came up with this plan.

　The tool that I brought from my parents' house, called "Magic Incense," is said to have been discovered by my father in ancient ruins when he was young.
　As the name implies, the incense emits a special scent that attracts beasts and demons, and is said to be able to attract them.
　However, the scent is so faint that a human being would find it odorless. It also emits almost no magical power, so there was no concern that it would be noticed even if it was used.

　Seeing the large number of beasts that were attracted by the Demonic Attraction Incense, the humans in Leytin would be thrown into chaos from top to bottom.
　That's why they hired some high-profile mercenaries beforehand under the guise of another request to join the defeating army. This is also voluntary by the Chamber of Commerce.
　The more meritorious the mercenaries were, the louder the voice of praise for the Gymbalil Chamber of Commerce would grow.

　Furthermore, by releasing the weapons and materials stored in the Chamber of Commerce for free, the reputation of the Chamber of Commerce would undoubtedly increase.
　The losses incurred by the free offerings could be recovered by selling the catalyst ores, herbs, and remedies that were secretly bought and sold at a high price.
　There are plenty of ways to get it into the market without the name of the Zimbalil Chamber of Commerce.

　Even if they couldn't make up the loss, it was still worth it.
　I'm sure that from now on, neither the country nor the military will be able to treat the Zimbalil Chamber of Commerce with disrespect, and I've already taken steps to give the officials a preferential treatment compared to the other merchant associations.
　Eventually, they would absorb the Ritte Chamber of Commerce and the Lovel Chamber of Commerce. I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make it into a huge chamber of commerce that controls Leytine and extends its reach into the home city-state - it was supposed to be.

''What do you mean: ......

　Julis murmured in a voice wondering if she could reach the guards who were right beside her.

　Until a moment ago, things had been going as Juris had intended.
　The mercenaries hired by Juris had shown unparalleled work compared to other mercenaries and soldiers of the army.
　They easily defeated demons that other mercenaries were struggling with, and they were the core of the defeating army, doing a lion's share of the work.

　The mercenaries had been kicked to the curb by a demon-like entity that suddenly appeared.
　A corner of the battlefield. The place stained with the blood of the "Spiritual Leaders", Julis is looking at the place in a daze.
　No, Julis is not the only one. The sub-commander, the other soldiers and even the mercenaries were standing there with expressions of disbelief.

　In the midst of all of this, the first to move were the 'Dragon Spearheads' who were fighting near the 'Spiritual Guidance'.
　They must have decided that they are not good opponents to be left alone. They immediately slaughtered the demon they were fighting and took a battle stance towards the gray demon.

　While the humans on the wall watched with bated breath, the victory was won and lost in a flash.
　The gray monster didn't care about the dragon spire's attack, and once again it unilaterally began to kill.

　Their swords were flicked and their fireball magic didn't seem to have done any damage.
　On the contrary, the demon attacks were sure to kill the "Dragon's Spire" one by one.
　I'm not sure I'm going to be able to find a way to make it work.
　They are also able to get a good look at the situation, and the Red Three Swords are rushing in to join them, but it is unlikely that the Dragon Sentry will be able to hold out until they arrive.

(Not good: ......)

　If they don't, the plan will be ruined.
　While the surroundings are stunned, Julis quietly disappears from the top of the wall accompanied by her guards.

　For Juris, he had no intention of calling that thing in.
　What they needed was a situation that the mercenaries could handle, and also a situation where they could expect the worst if the mercenaries weren't there. They didn't need an enemy so strong that the mercenaries couldn't handle it.

(I didn't expect Demonic Attraction Incense to even call for something like that ......!

　Without letting his inner impatience get the better of him, Julis quickened his steps and returned to the Chamber of Commerce building.

　He had been successful enough in selling the name and increasing the presence of the Zimbalil Chamber of Commerce.
　The results were good, but it would be useless if they failed to defend Leitin.
　They will have to block the effects of the Demonic Attraction Incense as soon as possible.

''What was that demon just now?''

　While heading to the warehouse behind the Zimbalil Chamber of Commerce, Julis asks the mercenary escort--''

''Come on, ....... I've been a mercenary for a long time, too, but I've never seen anything like that before.

　The mercenary gave a totally unhelpful answer.

　Julis interrupted to ask if you can win," he said.
　It's true that this mercenary is a reasonably good soldier.
　However, he is not as skilled as some of the renowned mercenaries who participated in the defeating army.
　It would be a waste of time to ask if they can win against an opponent that the 'Spiritual Guidance' and the 'Dragon Spearhead' couldn't do anything about.

''Anyway, we have to stop the Demon Attractor soon. d*mn it, we were right on schedule just now. ......!

　In addition to his guards, Julis took the elderly man who had been left in charge of his absence in tow and headed at a rough pace to the warehouse behind the property where the magic attraction was kept.