149 Next, ask for help.

On the same date, the great powers of Tarz, Mejis, Ghane, and Quama announced the resurrection of the Demon Lord to all the people in their respective territories.

The supposedly resurrected Demon Lords are the Yellow Demon Lord, the Blue Demon Lord, the Blue Demon Lord, the Scarlet Demon Lord, and the Purple Demon Lord.

Among them, it was reported that the Blue Demon King had invaded from the Quama Demon Realm and destroyed the walls of Quama, and that the Scarlet Demon King was preparing to invade.

It wasn't just the bad news that was reported.

It was also reported that the Yellow Demon King, the Blue Demon King, and the Purple Demon King had become neutral for the time being.

This information will be conveyed to the rest of the major powers at a later date.

Incidentally, the details of this person are being withheld.

Information about his appearance will leak out soon enough, but as he calls himself the weakest, he will not take the risk of being noticed.

However, Gold, who makes this announcement as the King of Garnets, must have a very complicated look on his face.

I wanted to see it and tease him.

I read a copy of the announcement at the base with Exoik and made plans for the future.

You didn't tell us that you've taken the Demon Lord under your wing?

You can't announce that you've joined forces with the Demon Lord. The third camp, which is us, is in a position to deter the Demon Lord, and announcing this is a safe way to avoid making unnecessary enemies. It sounds good to say that I'm from the same country as Yugra. Depending on how things go, you may be promoted as the new hero.

I'm too chicken to call myself the bravest of the brave, and I don't want a title that makes me embarrassed just to be called that.

"My people have stood up to the Demon King and won. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he earned the title of hero.

"The only one I've faced seriously is 'Purple'. There's almost no physical labor involved.

I wouldn't have gotten the results I've gotten against the Golden Demon Lord and the Blue Demon Lord without the wisdom of my people. It would be overly humble of you to talk so much about your lack of ability.

"I'd be happy to accept the title of master strategist, but I'm aware that ...... is a fraudulent method, so it's more difficult to brag than to be humble.

In the event that you've got a lot of money, you're going to need to be able to pay for it. He's just a bad guy.

You'll be able to find a lot more than just a few of these in the marketplace.

Wulfe is the type of person who would rather make rational decisions than distinguish between right and wrong.

Learning to distinguish between right and wrong, and having that stereotype take root, allows people to measure the rightness or wrongness of things in ways other than rationality.

Urufe, who did not learn to distinguish between right and wrong from his origins, is able to see everything from a flat standpoint and make rational decisions.

This may sound like a good impression, but the disadvantage of blurring the line between what is right and what is wrong cannot be overlooked.

It is easy to lose sight of the good if you are immersed in the bad, and you should know the good even if you end up going down the bad path.

"Why can't I be rational?

"It's not bad, but it's not good to only be able to make rational decisions. You didn't treat Ao rationally, did you?

I see, I see.

If you had made a rational decision, it goes without saying that Ao is our enemy and the most rational thing would have been to eliminate it.

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Even so, Exoik chose to admonish Ao. It was for personal reasons.

The choice he made was not rational, but humane. But at least he won't regret it, right?

"Yes, I'm rather proud of myself for making this choice.

If I could say those words to Ao, he would be a little less testy, but I'm not going to say that. I think it would be more interesting.

The more criteria you have, the better. I hope Wolfe learns a lot from people other than 'me'.

It'll be nice to have the Iliad around for that.

"Yeah, the Iliad's chivalry has a strong moral component. From Wolfe's point of view, it may be a bit rigid, but he's a good example.

And since he respects us, it's highly unlikely that Wolfe will wake up to chivalry in the future, but I won't mention that.

I'd like to contribute to the non-technical side of things as well, as I'm in the position of being taught by Wolfe.

"Don't worry about that, Exduk, your influence will definitely be positive.

Oh, I see. ....... It's itchy when people say things like that unabashedly.

Isn't it?　I itch all the time, and I'm sure I'd itch even more if someone called me a brave man.

......, you're back on track nicely.

I don't like it when you keep derailing me. Now, the world has to be aware of the invasion of the Scarlet Witch King. It's up to the representatives of each country to manipulate the impression from here on.

It's a good thing that we are all united against the Scarlet Witch King's invasion, but if distrust of the country builds up, it could be a factor that justifies Lobito's coup.

So, what are we going to do now?

We're going to take them on as a last resort.

What do you mean?

Taking a country is in some ways more difficult than invading it. You have to convince the people who already live in the country. You can't just take advantage of an opening and drop a castle and be done with it. You have to have a good reason to convince the majority of the people.

Is it that easy to find?

In particular, King Zenotta, money is at stake. King Zenotta is less charismatic than the other leaders. If it comes out that Gold is a demon lord, the distrust of her will quickly accelerate. Yugraism is Yugraism, and there is also the problem of Seiya Yukura's match-pumping.

If Jestaff, Lobito, and Chenillas are each targeting a different country, then Quama, Ghane, and Mejis would be appropriate.

As for Taze, Torin, and Selende, from what I've seen of their internal affairs, they're a bit of a long shot for the cause.

But we don't have to stick to the truth if we just want to create a scandal. I think we should remain somewhat cautious.

"So there are a lot of openings for them, aren't there?

"The biggest problem is Rahite's people, who will be trying to make their cause clear.

The most important thing to remember is that you can't be sure that you'll be able to get the most out of the program.

In other words, it's the people on the Raheit side who are doing the important work.

It's hard to find an enemy you can't see, isn't it?

It's not that I don't see them. I mean, the attempt was a success, right?

Yeah, take a look at this.

Eckdruk unfolded a map of Quama.

Magical spying won't work now that the harddog is here.

He had warned them directly in the first place, so it was only natural that they would be wary of being watched.

As expected, Jestiff has retreated to his residence and has not been seen.

But we can't afford to cut off all contact with the outside world, so we must assume that there is some kind of contact.

The first thing I thought of as a way to contact him without being seen was voice communication, the secret art of the Yugra cult.

However, this is not a good method to use against the Yugra cult because of the risk of being intercepted.

In fact, I had Ecdysium monitor the wavelengths of the magic directed at the house, but there was no response.

Next, I came up with the idea of using concealment magic, which is used by the dark forces of various countries, so that we would not be caught unless we were caught using detection magic.

However, if we deployed detection magic explicitly, they would not be able to get close to us, so we had to be a little more clever.

I embedded a chain of ecduk into the ground surrounding the house.

This universal chain does not leak any magic power to the outside, and can sense the vibration of anyone who walks around the area where the chain is embedded, as if it were a pressure-resistant sensor.

I honestly think this convenience is unfair. If it weren't for Ecdysium, I would have sprayed water on the ground and measured the footprints.

There was a discrepancy between the number of people who went in and out of the house and the number of people we could actually see. It's safe to assume that someone who used a concealment spell came and went. The direction he was headed is this way.

Exoik said, drawing an arrow on the map.

I would like to chase and capture him as soon as I find him, but if he is a low-level player, I may not even be able to get any information from him, so my first priority is to find out where he is.

This is the route taken by those who have used concealment magic, which I discovered when I had Lakra search the area around Chenillas's house using the same method. That should give us a rough idea of the direction.

You had Lakra do it too?

Unlike you, she can't use the universal chain. I had her put her own magic into the ground.

I'm sure it's not impossible to vibrate ...... with magic power, but the vibrations transmitted by magic power are too weak to be detected properly, aren't they?

I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do that, but I'm sure I'll be able to do it. After that, I had him coordinate with Mixu to measure the same form as you by cross-referencing his eyes and his perception of vibrations to magic power.

That's quite merciless.

No, I wasn't planning on going that far at first. No, I wasn't going to go that far at first, I just didn't want to be bothered with the tedious monitoring.

Lakra's accuracy is unparalleled when he's focused on one thing.

This is because I think it is possible to create an inefficient method if you create an environment where you can concentrate, as I did when I detected the wavelength of magic that Ao released.

If Lacla gets bored with the tedious surveillance and says, "It's faster to attack Chenillas' house! When I buried him in the ground to calm him down, he said, "Oh, that might work," so I left him there in a good mood, saying, "Well, take care of him for three days and three nights.

It seems that he was not actually buried for three days and three nights, but was occasionally dug up by Mixu, and was able to eat, use the bathroom, and sleep on the ground.

When he was accused of not coming to check on her, he said, "You really wanted to leave her there for three days and three nights, didn't you? I replied with a business smile.

Currently, the muddy Mixu and Lakra are having a drink in the spacious bathhouse of Quama Castle, accompanied by Ilias.

This was a just compensation for their hard work, not because Ilias looked at them as if they were miscreants or because he felt guilty when he saw them half-crying when he returned to check on them.

I'm sure you'll be able to figure out what's going on.

The rest of us are having a hard time. ......

I'm sorry to be the one doing the hard work, but I'm going to need you to do some more staking out for me.

That's fine, but ...... are you with Lobito?

No, that's the point I'm expecting from the information you and Lakra have gathered. There's going to be a lot of traffic, so I'm going to need you to be able to see and detect vibrations at the same time.

All right, we'll head there right now. I'll head there now, but then I won't have my people to protect me.

Although it was still early in the evening, Wolfe was already in the resting mode, and while good judgment is important, respecting one's lifestyle is a must for the protection of one's capital.

I would like to forgive her for staying up a little late, but if she gets into the habit of staying up too late, Maja might give me a hard time.

I don't have any plans to go out until Wolfe wakes up, and I'll stay with Duvraeus until the others come back.

"Oh, I hope you'll say you're staying with me there?

I don't know how long I've been in the room, but Purple put a hand on my back.

I'm so proud of myself for holding back the scream I was about to make.

It's a good thing that I'm not the only one who can't stand the idea of being around women all night.

"Hmm, you're really reserved, aren't you?

"Also, if you don't mind scaring me, I'm a bit fragile in spirit.

As for me, one cute scream would be a good memory, don't you think?

Can you please respect our efforts, even if just a little?

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That's why she always tries to act aloof, but her tolerance for sudden surprises is limited.

I like the way you act, but I also like the way you try to look ridiculous for me, don't you?

It's a rule that twisted love and hate never ends well.

It's not twisted, you know.　You want it all.

Maybe we should go out with Eckdroik. ...... Eckdroik's not here?

He's already gone out, remember?　I'm sure he'd appreciate it if you and I were alone.

I suppose I should give Ecduke credit for his air-reading skills, but I'd like to see him take it one step further.

I should probably go to bed as early as Wolfe, but I don't know what I would do if I fell asleep in front of Murasaki when no one was around.

I have to do something to survive this potentially caging space until Ilias and the others return.

Oh, yes, I remembered that I need to talk to Duvraeus.

Oh, really?　I remembered that I needed to talk to Duvvleoori. - Really? Well, that's not an option. ...... Duvvleoori, if you can come out, come out.

That's not fair, is it?

Duvvleoli never came out that night.

.

"Oh, you're coming back to life, .......

Yes, it is.

In the event that you've got a few days to investigate the area around Cheneyas-Morganides' house with Lakra-dono, and Lakra-dono was beginning to get bored with the lack of results, her friend suggested a search for someone who was using concealment magic.

As a way to do this, he decided to bury Master Lakra in the basement of an abandoned house and leave her there, which was insane.

His friend said very lightly, "If you assimilate with the soil, you can manage, can't you? But the trouble was that it allowed Lakra to detect the vibrations of the people walking around him.

As a result, the method was officially adopted, and Lacla-dono was repeatedly buried in the ground for several days.

On the first day, he was rather serious, but on the second day, he started asking himself what he was doing, and on the third day, he started crying deliberately.

I disappeared on the roof to check on the people around me, so I didn't have to see that pitiful scene except when Lord Lakra asked me to let him out.

However, even though it was several times a day, it was quite heartbreaking to repeatedly and mindlessly dig up and bury Lord Lakra.

Luckily, on the third night, I was able to catch the footsteps of the person who had used the invisibility spell and confirm the direction he was supposedly headed, but I shudder to think if this had continued for several more days.

"Lakra, Lord Mikus, ...... thank you so much for your hard work .......

Lord Ratzel, your pitying gaze will only make the wound worse. ......

I wish I could have seen that.

"Gillista, only those who have seen it can understand how it brings tears to the eyes.

I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm sure it's worth it.

He seems to be more conscious of the fact that he has regained his humanity than the treatment he received.

"Huh, I can move my arms and legs. ...... ......

Not really, I guess I'm trying to forget.

By the way, I went to Quama Castle covered in mud to ask King Zenotta for permission, and the look of compassion he showed me was very compassionate.

To be more specific, he even shared with me the liquor that King Zenotta recommended.

"Even so, your husband went ahead with his terrible plan. I'm sure you could have found a better way.

"It's true!　In the event that you're not sure what you're looking for, you'll be able to find out more about it by visiting our website.

After that, your friend's decision was terribly quick. ......

I can't help but cry just thinking about the smile on Shosho-sama's face when he came back to ......

It's hard to find a smile as refreshing as that one, especially when you're going somewhere else.

Your friend's heartfelt smile was truly wonderful, but ...... made me wonder if my memory was correct.

But, Mixu, is it okay for us to leave our posts?

Your friend said it was fine, so I'm sure it's fine. ...... Oh, what's wrong, Lord Ratzel?

No, no, nothing. ......

I'm not sure what to say, but I'm not sure what to do.

This is the ...... face of a man who feels guilty about something, or should I ask him?

"Mr. Iliad?　You're sweating a lot.

I think I'm sweating. ......

By the way, your husband asked the Purple Demon Lord to arrange a demon for you, what are you planning to do?

What are you doing?

Oh, is there something wrong?

No, no, no, not at all!　I'm just surprised at the sudden change in conversation!　I was just surprised at the abrupt change in conversation! "But the sake prepared by King Zenotta is quite tasty!

That's a pretty obvious response.

I'm sure you'll be able to figure out what's going on.

"...... Lord Ratzel, do you by any chance have a demon placed in the ground in Kuama to take over what we did?

"Geez, geez!

I see. ...... As a living creature, demons can be placed at depths where they cannot be detected, and can perform monotonous tasks that are repeated endlessly. ......

"Mixu, that means our efforts are ......

It's all right!　It is Lakra-dono who has achieved the result, and it is because of the result that your friend has prepared a way to make the process more efficient!

That's right, .......

It was Lakra-dono who proved that this method was effective, even though there were easier ways.

But if you're asking me if there was ever a need for it,......, I'd have to say there was!

It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

"Oh, yeah, he sometimes cares about Mix-sama and Lakra...

Mr. Iliad, you're looking a little shifty, aren't you?

Not at all. ......

Your friend, you completely forgot about us for three days. ......

"So your husband said, 'Oh, shit,' this morning.

"Gillista, you're doing this on purpose!

"I'm sorry. ......

Oh, Lakra's pace of drinking has doubled in grief.

Your friend will have to pay dearly for his services later.

"But if your friend is so oblivious to us, is he too busy looking for Schneid?

"Yes, well, he's become quite friendly with Lhovit.

What?

While we are investigating the surroundings of Cheneyas, your friend is in the pocket of his true love!

I've heard that Lobito-Goshenite is a very skilled man. ...... That's impressive.

I'm sure you'll be pleased to hear that. How well do you know him?

"Oh, ...... they even asked me to be their son-in-law.

That much?

Has your friend accepted?

No, he refused, saying he could not take a new wife as he already had a lady waiting for him at the villa. Nevertheless, Lobito did not give up. ......

I'm sure you're referring to the Purple Demon King, but he seems to be able to cover it up without lying.

You can find a lot more than just a few of them.

I'm relieved to hear that you've been adopted as a son-in-law.

I'm sure you'll be happy to hear that.

"Calm down ......?

I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm sure it's a good idea.

You mean he's calmed down after being buried in the ground?

That's not what I meant!

It's true that until recently, your friend seemed to have a tense feeling.

But today's friend is much more approachable. ...... I can't describe it well.

"Hmm. ...... I think it's a relative of mine, but I don't think it's a ...... roebite, so ...... that would be Harkdock.

"Who was it?

I'm not sure. He's good at detection magic.

I remember that you warned Exarch that he was a person to watch out for.

Later on, Gillista-dono challenged him and was defeated, and somehow he was captured?

That's a possibility. Your friend is like a mirror, he changes his way of being according to the enemy he is looking at. I'm sure he's much more approachable than Raheit.

Yes, he didn't seem to have much of a brain, but I think he had a straightforward personality.

And he's pretty strong, you know?　He's not as strong as Ilias, but he could take down Exoik if he wanted to.

Can I take on Mr. Exduk? ......

What kind of person are you?

I'm not sure that I'm any good at fighting .......　But you are able to adapt to your opponent.

I'm not sure what to make of this, but I think it means you're stronger than you look.

If you're going to be an adversary, you'll have to take on them as if you were a superior.

"Well, I suppose we should be grateful to Mister Harkdock for making your friend so approachable.

Mr. Mixu, I'm pretty sure he's an enemy at this point. ......

"Enemies may need to be dealt with as enemies, but it's also possible to respect them. You don't learn everything in life from your friends.

Yes, .......

By the way, what other information do you have on this Mr. Harkdock?

"According to the information he's given me, he likes meat and enjoys practicing his flute.

"Has he been on an arranged marriage?

I don't remember your friend asking me that question. ...... Well, I'm sure you already know, since you're his friend.

I'm sure you already know that.

In the end, Lakra fell into a drunken stupor as soon as she got out of the bath, and Ilias had to carry her.

When he returned to the base, his friend was kneeling on the purple demon king.

The look on his face as if to say, "Oh, thank God," was one of the five best looks I've ever seen.