The headquarters of the Kingdom of Kuzela and the Knights of the Order.
　There, the First Knight Commander and Deputy Commander, the Second Knight Commander and Deputy Commander, the Third Knight Commander and Deputy Commander, as well as the commander class elites were gathered there.
　Each of the leader class sat at the round table, while the other deputy commander and the commander class below the deputy commander stood behind their direct reports.


''I'm still being held accountable by the king, Third Knight Commander Baran Zoody.


　The one who was glaring at him was Rande Isla, the leader of the First Order of Knights, the most powerful position in this place.
　Lande was looking at Baran, who was looking at the magic item for images with mixed emotions of anger and surprise. The magic item, which was shaped like a crystal circle, showed Baran slashing an illusion and images and sounds that were clearly not captured as 'irrelevant'.


''Why!　I'm pretty sure that's where I saw that stupid knight in captivity!　You can feel the difference!　This is such a stupid thing to do: ......!
No, Balan. It's ugly.
But, Rande: ......!


　Seeing the First Knight Commander Rande staring depressedly at him, Baran involuntarily closed his mouth.


''You have three options right now. One is to pay all the reparations that have been charged to you out of your own pocket.
'No way!　You won't be able to cover the cost of living and transportation for the members provided to the Third Order, even if you cut back on the cost of living and transportation for the members!


　Perhaps the only person who could understand the abnormality of Baran's unintentionally spilled words was Sheila, the First Knight's Deputy Commander.
　Even the Third Order is trying to take the Third Order on the road, even though he says he's paying his own way. With their own face. Moreover, he wants to spend all the food and carriage fares of the members.
　He has no intention of using the money he has saved up.
　This kind of thing is unthinkable.
　However, the current crazy air of the knights did not convey any discomfort.


　Rande passes on the second option to such a baran.


''The second is--to die.
What?　You want me to die!
That's right. If you won't take responsibility, at least give me your head. Perhaps that would loosen the terms of the Holy Republic's agreement.
'Bollocks!　It can't be!


　Baran, who didn't even think it was his fault at all, shook his head.
　As expected, Rande mentioned the next option.


''It's the third one. Force all members of the Third Order to wear the 'Slave Collar'.
......!


　A slave collar.
　Baran was astonished to hear that word.


　It was a magic item that was banned even among the races, as well as magic items that guided demons.
　It had once been traded behind the scenes as well, but it was so inhumane that it had even developed into an alliance between the races and destroyed the organizations that traded with it.


　Now, even the method of creation had been discontinued, and it was supposed to be ...... not certain that a slave collar even existed in the current situation.


''You don't mean to tell me you have ......?''
'Yeah, I found it in the National Treasure Vault. And already - the First and Second Knights require their members to wear it compulsorily.
'What ......!　While we're on an expedition to the Holy Republic!
This is easy. No more defectors. No one will rebel against the last few orders that existed. No one cowering in fear of death.


　Blood was dripping from Sheila's knuckles as she heard those words.
　Unable to hear, unable to see, Sheila closed her eyes and desperately fled the current situation. Because she knew that standing in this miserable meeting was one thing she could do.
　Because she herself knows best that there is nothing Sheila can do now.
　She is looking for what she can do and what she can do on top of that. She bit her lip, telling herself to be patient now.
　But on the contrary, the Third Knight Commander Baran Zoody's mouth was loose.


''If there was such a thing, you should have just told me right away.
!


　Even Sheila's trivial hopes were shattered.
　Even the faint and faint hope that the Third Knight Commander would stop her.
　The corners of Rande's mouth raised as well when he heard Baran's words.


''I see, I'm sorry. It's true, if I say so, that man who was captured could have been ordered to commit suicide before he gave up any unnecessary information.
'Totally. But now I won't have to screw up like that again. Hahaha!　I'm glad you found me. But will wearing a slave collar wipe away my sins?　Why is that?
-- drop the Holy Republic. Then we won't have any problems with reparations ......, will we?
'Phew! ......!　I see. You're right, I do!　And a death-defyingly large army: ...... This is sure to increase our territory.


　Laughter overflows from the upper echelons of the Knights, except for Sheila.
　What would the royalty and civilian officials have thought if they had seen that alien scene?
　They didn't know that they were corrupt to this extent, although they knew it.
　And the upper echelons of the Knights themselves would have understood how crazy it was if they could only see it objectively, but they couldn't even do that and simply pushed the conspiracy through without stopping the deviation.