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"Mizumi, I've made up my mind. You and Miku, you two are to join my knights in returning to Del Lagos, and escorting the banshee and reaper to Victoria Del Lagos. Ensure no lingering remnants from Orca manage to save their leader and vice-leader. As I have no doubts their remaining members who were luckily enough to be out on missions must've survived our attack.

After you're done. Either continue serving Her Majesty as her bodyguard, or train the children. Give back to the society and community in which you had taken from. I believe this is the best route for you to redeem yourself in the eyes of Goddess Loha. 

Miku, make her relax and recover. She refuses to admit it, but she's still suffering from her death experience. She's still young, so make her join you if you decide to tend to the children. If not, have her assist Victoria and Kozumi, as I'm sure they could use the extra company.

However, keep in mind that all orders in which you receive directly from Her Majesty supersedes mine.

As for: Robin Sol, Bethel and Mel, they will be coming with me. As for Rosemi de Lumix, she can decide for herself her next course of action. At the rate I'm going, Duke Jeffrey may very well kill me himself if I keep taking his daughter into every nightmare and enemy kingdom..."

Mizumi' gazed in shock.

"Please-"

"-Mizumi. Relax, I'm not saying you're not useful to me. Just go back and rest. I'll call upon you when the time comes-" "At the rate you're going. By the end of this war, you'll be barely alive..."

"-I'll be honest, I did find you annoying when I first met you. And although you did kill people from the kingdom in which I'm sworn to. Even if you read their names to me, I wouldn't even be able to imagine their face or appearance at all. 

You killed strangers Mizumi. People I don't care about. Listen, I'm not loyal to Del Lagos out of nationalism or patriotism. I'm loyal because that's where my duchy is, and where the people I truly care about live. And also because Goddess Loha might smite my ass if I betray her chosen royal family.

So I honestly don't care that you've killed people I don't know and care about; especially when you did it to protect me and my people. So stop overthinking it, go back and look after Victoria and Kozumi. Who I'm sure will both be requiring lots of assistance with the babies."

Mizumi kowtowed before her king. Accepting her orders before heading off to relay the new deployment orders to the others.

"What I need is more frontline fighters. Not assassins..." "And besides, why risk the life of a princess when I have the [Hero]."

"Asai..." Miku emerged out of stealth. Somewhat hesitatingly. Leaning over, she left a soft kiss upon his cheek before also hopping off the cabin. Even after hearing it from his mouth, she still refused to openly admit it herself. That she needed time off, away from bloodshed and death, to rest her weary and fractured mind. Thus, she was entirely thankful to the man.

..

The duke sighed. 

"Can't you just simply bring all of your women along?"

Asai almost choked on his own saliva.

"Caronia... You and I, we could probably live on the fields of battle for months and not tire. Both mentally and physically, but not everyone is like that. They're only human, and I need to remember that. Because of their loyalty or devotion, which ever it is that makes them follow me to the deepest dungeons and the hottest hells. I have to forcefully make them return and rest, or I'm certain, they'll die whilst serving me.

I don't want people to die for me. I want people to grow, live and experience this world with."

Caronia took a moment to think to himself. Before meeting Asai's gaze once more.

"I- I don't get it."

"Mizumi, if I continue to bring her along. Sooner or later, she will return to Par'Talucca missing limbs, eyes, ears and possible even critically injured. She's strong, but she's not perfect.

Miku, if I bring her along anymore than I have. I fear her mind breaking, forever suffering from PTSD. The problem here is that, because I fought battles and went to war at 16 years old. All these new knights and vassals that join me now all think they too, have to be as strong as I was.

But, I'll be honest, my mentality was also all over the place, in scrambles. I'm lucky I had Robin by my side during the first war against the elven. Or goddess knows what sort of cold-hearted murdering machine I might have become."

Back when he still thought of this world as a game. Ignoring morality and his humanity entirely. It was indeed easy for him to take lives without hesitation. However, the more he assimilated into this new world. The more he realised, just how much blood covered his hands. And the consequences of his actions and orders, that fell upon his knights and soldiers.

"I... still don't get it."

kophzi

A little more insight on the characters:

Having seen many reviews on other webnovels, people complaining about every character being either black or white/evil or good. Was too predictable, boring and bland.

So, as you readers may have noticed with me repeatedly bringing it up. I designed characters that all had varying degrees/shades within their own categories. 

Robin Sol: The most white character we have, which has made her predictable as no one will ever expect her to betray our MC. This makes her the safest choice to like, as she won't betray our expectations. But makes her bland (As some readers have commented prior. Similar to how there are people out there who hate on AoT:Mikasa Ackerman.)

Bethel: Another white-aligned character, but she's not as pure as Robin, as she didn't chose to be MC's ally. She's simply following what she thinks is the pre-determined path set for her, whilst having fun. Especially when Asai is basically a sugar-daddy.(In the timeline Asai never intervened, Bethel and Arthur would've been a ship. Not because of his noble-character or anything, but simply because he was a prince.)

Mary: Someone who was originally black/evil, but changed alignments to white/good having found purpose and family in life. Whilst she is catagorized as good currently, if Asai were to ever perish. Or for all the things she cares for to disappear, she could easily fall back into wickedness for her own version of justice.

Annie: Practically betrayed her previous employer, jumping ship for opportunity which proved successful, as she now governs Trichia along with Mary and others. Has always been friendly to Asai, as she noticed her insane growth due to insider-information privy due to her position at a Baron's office.

Oliver & Olivia: The two won't betray Asai, as long as their lord doesn't betray them. (If Asai turned evil, sacrificed their mother and village to satan etc)

Kozumi & Mizumi: These two are in the grey area. Whilst they acted on behalf of their kingdom and nation, which in their eyes is morally correct. They still found themselves becoming attached to Asai, and helping him within the shadows. Perhaps they shouldn't be categorized as grey, but both black and white. 

I'd like to think of Asai as both black and white as well, on the spectrum of evil and good. Whilst his bloodline is dominantly dhan (Hence his skills being Avenger/Class) He chose to stick with the humans as he cared more for the people within his sphere of influence over his supposed nationality. Prioritizing himself over others, who were possible hostile to him. He killed in the name of levelling. And yet, he then later utilized those levels to protect and defend.

Victoria Del Lagos: She's not someone who cares much for emotions and feelings. Or at the very least, she ignores them as her position in the kingdom requires her to be headstrong, and not easily swayed by feelings. Her choices after being crowned had been calculated. I honestly thought there would be more people disliking her, because she is after all, using the MC to her kingdom's benefit.

When she sees Kozumi and Mizumi, she doesn't see two assassins who attacked nobles who were supporting Victor Del Lagos, and in which during that time was oppressing her and Rosemi's faction. Basically killing her enemies for her, saving her the headache of being tagged as a bloodthirsty tyrant by beheading and cleaning out the corrupt nobles.

She sees the two dhans as only valuable chess pieces she can use to ensure her own rise as an Empress. And with an empire to lead rather than a kingdom, that also brings safety in military strength. Prosperity in the form of more resources. And although one may argue that more political issues will arise, that's why she's so adamant on being with Asai.

A duke of war, a man of action. Someone who has already proven to chose his loyalty over the kingdom over his own ideals. Because at the end of the day, she doesn't trust Rima Regenon. 

Asai isn't loyal out of fear though, his mind is just rational enough, that he has decided it wouldn't be worth testing his luck against divine-beings, who back the royal family. And in a sense, Asai is also using Victoria for her position in life.

..

And of course, the prior degrees of hero-complex/chosen-one/protagonist/narcissism. Which is a repeating theme, of characters who believe themselves special, chosen, god-given at different levels of extremity.

I'm actually buzzing right now, waiting for the pre-workout to kick in. So, I apologise if I'm rambling too much.

kophzi